Modernization of software quality assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhaumik, Gokul

1988-01-01

The customers satisfaction depends not only on functional performance, it also depends on the quality characteristics of the software products. An examination of this quality aspect of software products will provide a clear, well defined framework for quality assurance functions, which improve the life-cycle activities of software development. Software developers must be aware of the following aspects which have been expressed by many quality experts: quality cannot be added on; the level of quality built into a program is a function of the quality attributes employed during the development process; and finally, quality must be managed. These concepts have guided our development of the following definition for a Software Quality Assurance function: Software Quality Assurance is a formal, planned approach of actions designed to evaluate the degree of an identifiable set of quality attributes present in all software systems and their products. This paper is an explanation of how this definition was developed and how it is used.

Engineering Quality Software: 10 Recommendations for Improved Software Quality Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-27

lack of user involvement • Inadequate Software Process Management & Control By Contractors • No “Team” of Vendors and users; little SME participation...1990 Quality Perspectives • Process Quality ( CMMI ) • Product Quality (ISO/IEC 2500x) – Internal Quality Attributes – External Quality Attributes... CMMI /ISO 9000 Assessments – Capture organizational knowledge • Identify best practices, lessons learned Know where you are, and where you need to be

Growth and fillet quality attributes of five genetic strains of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in a partial water reuse system and harvested at different sizes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetics and environment can interact to influence fish growth performance and product quality attributes. Interaction in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) makes selection of fish strain and harvest sizes critical for optimizing fish quality. Definition of growth performance and quality outcom...

Reduced Fat Food Emulsions: Physicochemical, Sensory, and Biological Aspects.

PubMed

Chung, Cheryl; Smith, Gordon; Degner, Brian; McClements, David Julian

2016-01-01

Fat plays multiple important roles in imparting desirable sensory attributes to emulsion-based food products, such as sauces, dressings, soups, beverages, and desserts. However, there is concern that over consumption of fats leads to increased incidences of chronic diseases, such as obesity, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. Consequently, there is a need to develop reduced fat products with desirable sensory profiles that match those of their full-fat counterparts. The successful design of high quality reduced-fat products requires an understanding of the many roles that fat plays in determining the sensory attributes of food emulsions, and of appropriate strategies to replace some or all of these attributes. This paper reviews our current understanding of the influence of fat on the physicochemical and physiological attributes of food emulsions, and highlights some of the main approaches that can be used to create high quality emulsion-based food products with reduced fat contents.

Where's the beef? Retail channel choice and beef preferences in Argentina.

PubMed

Colella, Florencia; Ortega, David L

2017-11-01

Argentinean beef is recognized and demanded internationally. Locally, consumers are often unable to afford certified beef products, and may rely on external cues to determine beef quality. Uncovering demand for beef attributes and marketing them accordingly, may require an understanding of consumers' product purchasing strategies, which involves retailer choice. We develop a framework utilizing latent class analysis to identify consumer groups with different retailer preferences, and separately estimate their demand for beef product attributes. This framework accounts for the interrelationship between consumers' choice of retail outlets and beef product preferences. Our analysis of data from the city of Buenos Aires identifies two groups of consumers, a convenience- (67%) and a service- (33%) oriented group. We find significant differences in demand for beef attributes across these groups, and find that the service oriented group, while not willing to pay for credence attributes, relies on a service-providing retailer-namely a butcher-as a source of product quality assurance. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Robustness testing in pharmaceutical freeze-drying: inter-relation of process conditions and product quality attributes studied for a vaccine formulation.

PubMed

Schneid, Stefan C; Stärtzel, Peter M; Lettner, Patrick; Gieseler, Henning

2011-01-01

The recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legislation has introduced the evaluation of the Design Space of critical process parameters in manufacturing processes. In freeze-drying, a "formulation" is expected to be robust when minor deviations of the product temperature do not negatively affect the final product quality attributes. To evaluate "formulation" robustness by investigating the effect of elevated product temperature on product quality using a bacterial vaccine solution. The vaccine solution was characterized by freeze-dry microscopy to determine the critical formulation temperature. A conservative cycle was developed using the SMART™ mode of a Lyostar II freeze dryer. Product temperature was elevated to imitate intermediate and aggressive cycle conditions. The final product was analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Karl Fischer, and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), and the life cell count (LCC) during accelerated stability testing. The cakes processed at intermediate and aggressive conditions displayed larger pores with microcollapse of walls and stronger loss in LCC than the conservatively processed product, especially during stability testing. For all process conditions, a loss of the majority of cells was observed during storage. For freeze-drying of life bacterial vaccine solutions, the product temperature profile during primary drying appeared to be inter-related to product quality attributes.

"Product on Stopper" in a Lyophilized Drug Product: Cosmetic Defect or a Product Quality Concern?

PubMed

Mehta, Shyam B; Roy, Shouvik; Yang, Han-Chang Cathy

2018-06-01

During manufacturing of a lyophilized drug product, operator errors in product handling during loading of product filled vials onto the lyophilizer can lead to a seemingly cosmetic defect which can impact certain critical quality attributes of finished product. In this study, filling of a formulated monoclonal antibody in vials was performed using a peristaltic pump filling unit, and subsequently, the product was lyophilized. After lyophilization, upon visual inspection, around 40% of vials had cosmetic defect with residual product around stopper of the vial and were categorized as "product on stopper" vials, whereas remaining 60% vials with no cosmetic defect were called "acceptable vials." Both groups of vials from 1 single batch were tested for critical quality attributes including protein concentration (ultraviolet absorbance at 280), residual moisture (Karl Fischer), sterility (membrane filtration), and container closure integrity (CCI) (blue dye ingress). Analysis of protein quality attributes such as aggregation, protein concentration, residual moisture showed no significant difference between vials with "product on stopper" and "acceptable vials." However, CCI of the "product on stopper" vials was compromised due to the presence of product around stopper of the vial. The results from this case study demonstrate the following 2 important findings: (1) that a seemingly cosmetic defect may impact product quality, compromising the integrity of the product and (2) that CCI test method can be used as an orthogonal method to sterility testing to evaluate sterility assurance of the product. The corrective action proposed to mitigate this defect is use of a larger sized vial that can potentially minimize this defect that arises because of product handling errors. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality attributes of pistachio nuts as affected by rootstock and deficit irrigation.

PubMed

Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A; Memmi, Houssem; Noguera-Artiaga, Luis; Gijón-López, María del Carmen; Ciapa, Rafał; Pérez-López, David

2015-11-01

In this work, the influence of two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) treatments and three different rootstocks on the quality of pistachios was evaluated by analyzing different parameters: morphological analysis, physicochemical analysis and sensory analysis. The results obtained in terms of the choice of rootstock revealed that Pistacia atlantica had increased production yields, nut weight, mineral content, higher intensities of characteristic sensory attributes and a higher degree of consumer satisfaction, than the other rootstocks studied. Moreover, the results established that the application of RDI on pistachio cultivation had no significant influence on production yield, weight, size, colour, water activity or mineral composition. Furthermore, T1 treatment (stem water potential < -1.3 MPa) resulted in higher intensities of characteristic sensory attributes and a greater level of satisfaction among international consumers. These results confirm that the application of deficit irrigation (T1) contributes to an increase in overall product quality. Furthermore, Pistacia atlantica rootstock provided better yield and quality than the other rootstocks studied. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Product quality considerations for mammalian cell culture process development and manufacturing.

PubMed

Gramer, Michael J

2014-01-01

The manufacturing of a biologic drug from mammalian cells results in not a single substance, but an array of product isoforms, also known as variants. These isoforms arise due to intracellular or extracellular events as a result of biological or chemical modification. The most common examples related to biomanufacturing include amino acid modifications (glycosylation, isomerization, oxidation, adduct formation, pyroglutamate formation, phosphorylation, sulfation, amidation), amino acid sequence variants (genetic mutations, amino acid misincorporation, N- and C-terminal heterogeneity, clipping), and higher-order structure modifications (misfolding, aggregation, disulfide pairing). Process-related impurities (HCP, DNA, media components, viral particles) are also important quality attributes related to product safety. The observed ranges associated with each quality attribute define the product quality profile. A biologic drug must have a correct and consistent quality profile throughout clinical development and scale-up to commercial production to ensure product safety and efficacy. In general, the upstream process (cell culture) defines the quality of product-related substances, whereas the downstream process (purification) defines the residual level of process- and product-related impurities. The purpose of this chapter is to review the impact of the cell culture process on product quality. Emphasis is placed on studies with industrial significance and where the direct mechanism of product quality impact was determined. Where possible, recommendations for maintaining consistent or improved quality are provided.

A quality by design approach to investigate the effect of mannitol and dicalcium phosphate qualities on roll compaction.

PubMed

Souihi, Nabil; Dumarey, Melanie; Wikström, Håkan; Tajarobi, Pirjo; Fransson, Magnus; Svensson, Olof; Josefson, Mats; Trygg, Johan

2013-04-15

Roll compaction is a continuous process for solid dosage form manufacturing increasingly popular within pharmaceutical industry. Although roll compaction has become an established technique for dry granulation, the influence of material properties is still not fully understood. In this study, a quality by design (QbD) approach was utilized, not only to understand the influence of different qualities of mannitol and dicalcium phosphate (DCP), but also to predict critical quality attributes of the drug product based solely on the material properties of that filler. By describing each filler quality in terms of several representative physical properties, orthogonal projections to latent structures (OPLS) was used to understand and predict how those properties affected drug product intermediates as well as critical quality attributes of the final drug product. These models were then validated by predicting product attributes for filler qualities not used in the model construction. The results of this study confirmed that the tensile strength reduction, known to affect plastic materials when roll compacted, is not prominent when using brittle materials. Some qualities of these fillers actually demonstrated improved compactability following roll compaction. While direct compression qualities are frequently used for roll compacted drug products because of their excellent flowability and good compaction properties, this study revealed that granules from these qualities were more poor flowing than the corresponding powder blends, which was not seen for granules from traditional qualities. The QbD approach used in this study could be extended beyond fillers. Thus any new compound/ingredient would first be characterized and then suitable formulation characteristics could be determined in silico, without running any additional experiments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scientific and Regulatory Considerations in Solid Oral Modified Release Drug Product Development.

PubMed

Li, Min; Sander, Sanna; Duan, John; Rosencrance, Susan; Miksinski, Sarah Pope; Yu, Lawrence; Seo, Paul; Rege, Bhagwant

2016-11-01

This review presents scientific and regulatory considerations for the development of solid oral modified release (MR) drug products. It includes a rationale for patient-focused development based on Quality-by-Design (QbD) principles. Product and process understanding of MR products includes identification and risk-based evaluation of critical material attributes (CMAs), critical process parameters (CPPs), and their impact on critical quality attributes (CQAs) that affect the clinical performance. The use of various biopharmaceutics tools that link the CQAs to a predictable and reproducible clinical performance for patient benefit is emphasized. Product and process understanding lead to a more comprehensive control strategy that can maintain product quality through the shelf life and the lifecycle of the drug product. The overall goal is to develop MR products that consistently meet the clinical objectives while mitigating the risks to patients by reducing the probability and increasing the detectability of CQA failures.

Attribute importance segmentation of Norwegian seafood consumers: The inclusion of salient packaging attributes.

PubMed

Olsen, Svein Ottar; Tuu, Ho Huu; Grunert, Klaus G

2017-10-01

The main purpose of this study is to identify consumer segments based on the importance of product attributes when buying seafood for homemade meals on weekdays. There is a particular focus on the relative importance of the packaging attributes of fresh seafood. The results are based on a representative survey of 840 Norwegian consumers between 18 and 80 years of age. This study found that taste, freshness, nutritional value and naturalness are the most important attributes for the home consumption of seafood. Except for the high importance of information about expiration date, most other packaging attributes have only medium importance. Three consumer segments are identified based on the importance of 33 attributes associated with seafood: Perfectionists, Quality Conscious and Careless Consumers. The Quality Conscious consumers feel more self-confident in their evaluation of quality, and are less concerned with packaging, branding, convenience and emotional benefits compared to the Perfectionists. Careless Consumers are important as regular consumers of convenient and pre-packed seafood products and value recipe information on the packaging. The seafood industry may use the results provided in this study to strengthen their positioning of seafood across three different consumer segments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of "Quality by Design (QbD)" Approach for the Development of 5-Fluorouracil Loaded Thermosensitive Hydrogel.

PubMed

Dalwadi, Chintan; Patel, Gayatri

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate Quality by Design (QbD) principle for the preparation of hydrogel products to prove both practicability and utility of executing QbD concept to hydrogel based controlled release systems. Product and process understanding will help in decreasing the variability of critical material and process parameters, which give quality product output and reduce the risk. This study includes the identification of the Quality Target Product Profiles (QTPPs) and Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) from literature or preliminary studies. To identify and control the variability in process and material attributes, two tools of QbD was utilized, Quality Risk Management (QRM) and Experimental Design. Further, it helps to identify the effect of these attributes on CQAs. Potential risk factors were identified from fishbone diagram and screened by risk assessment and optimized by 3-level 2- factor experimental design with center points in triplicate, to analyze the precision of the target process. This optimized formulation was further characterized by gelling time, gelling temperature, rheological parameters, in-vitro biodegradation and in-vitro drug release. Design space was created using experimental design tool that gives the control space and working within this controlled space reduces all the failure modes below the risk level. In conclusion, QbD approach with QRM tool provides potent and effectual pyramid to enhance the quality into the hydrogel.

Quality assurance and reliability in the Japanese electronics industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecht, Michael; Boulton, William R.

1995-02-01

Quality and reliability are two attributes required for all Japanese products, although the JTEC panel found these attributes to be secondary to customer cost requirements. While our Japanese hosts gave presentations on the challenges of technology, cost, and miniaturization, quality and reliability were infrequently the focus of our discussions. Quality and reliability were assumed to be sufficient to meet customer needs. Fujitsu's slogan, 'quality built-in, with cost and performance as prime consideration,' illustrates this point. Sony's definition of a next-generation product is 'one that is going to be half the size and half the price at the same performance of the existing one'. Quality and reliability are so integral to Japan's electronics industry that they need no new emphasis.

Quality assurance and reliability in the Japanese electronics industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pecht, Michael; Boulton, William R.

1995-01-01

Quality and reliability are two attributes required for all Japanese products, although the JTEC panel found these attributes to be secondary to customer cost requirements. While our Japanese hosts gave presentations on the challenges of technology, cost, and miniaturization, quality and reliability were infrequently the focus of our discussions. Quality and reliability were assumed to be sufficient to meet customer needs. Fujitsu's slogan, 'quality built-in, with cost and performance as prime consideration,' illustrates this point. Sony's definition of a next-generation product is 'one that is going to be half the size and half the price at the same performance of the existing one'. Quality and reliability are so integral to Japan's electronics industry that they need no new emphasis.

Opportunities and challenges of real-time release testing in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

PubMed

Jiang, Mo; Severson, Kristen A; Love, John Christopher; Madden, Helena; Swann, Patrick; Zang, Li; Braatz, Richard D

2017-11-01

Real-time release testing (RTRT) is defined as "the ability to evaluate and ensure the quality of in-process and/or final drug product based on process data, which typically includes a valid combination of measured material attributes and process controls" (ICH Q8[R2]). This article discusses sensors (process analytical technology, PAT) and control strategies that enable RTRT for the spectrum of critical quality attributes (CQAs) in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Case studies from the small-molecule and biologic pharmaceutical industry are described to demonstrate how RTRT can be facilitated by integrated manufacturing and multivariable control strategies to ensure the quality of products. RTRT can enable increased assurance of product safety, efficacy, and quality-with improved productivity including faster release and potentially decreased costs-all of which improve the value to patients. To implement a complete RTRT solution, biologic drug manufacturers need to consider the special attributes of their industry, particularly sterility and the measurement of viral and microbial contamination. Continued advances in on-line and in-line sensor technologies are key for the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry to achieve the potential of RTRT. Related article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bit.26378/full. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of raw material properties upon critical quality attributes of continuously produced granules and tablets.

PubMed

Fonteyne, Margot; Wickström, Henrika; Peeters, Elisabeth; Vercruysse, Jurgen; Ehlers, Henrik; Peters, Björn-Hendrik; Remon, Jean Paul; Vervaet, Chris; Ketolainen, Jarkko; Sandler, Niklas; Rantanen, Jukka; Naelapää, Kaisa; De Beer, Thomas

2014-07-01

Continuous manufacturing gains more and more interest within the pharmaceutical industry. The International Conference of Harmonisation (ICH) states in its Q8 'Pharmaceutical Development' guideline that the manufacturer of pharmaceuticals should have an enhanced knowledge of the product performance over a range of raw material attributes, manufacturing process options and process parameters. This fits further into the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD) framework. The present study evaluates the effect of variation in critical raw material properties on the critical quality attributes of granules and tablets, produced by a continuous from-powder-to-tablet wet granulation line. The granulation process parameters were kept constant to examine the differences in the end product quality caused by the variability of the raw materials properties only. Theophylline-Lactose-PVP (30-67.5-2.5%) was used as model formulation. Seven different grades of theophylline were granulated. Afterward, the obtained granules were tableted. Both the characteristics of granules and tablets were determined. The results show that differences in raw material properties both affect their processability and several critical quality attributes of the resulting granules and tablets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Farmers behavior on using fertilizer in West Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdana, Tomy; Renaldy, Eddy; Utami, Hesty Nurul; Sadeli, Agriani Hermita; Mahra Arari, H.; Ginanjar, Tetep; Ajeng Sesy N., P.; Fernianda Rahayu, H.; Sanjaya, Sonny

2018-02-01

Fertilizer is one of the important materials in farming system to improve quality and quantity of harvest. Most of farmers in Indonesia using fertilizer, one of substantial fertilizer is NPK that contain of complex nutrient, there are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. There are tendency for farmers using NPK based on quality products and speed of decomposition. Nowadays, market size for NPK fertilizer has been dramatically increase and it will impact on intensify of fertilizer use. The potential requirement in marketing does not balanced with consumer behavior analysis. Meanwhile, agricultural sector (include horticulture, floriculture, bio-pharmacy and plantation) have been wieldly increase of the farming system annualy. This research is study case which is analyzed local NPK fertilizer competitive advantage compared to imported NPK fertilizer through consumer point of view towards product quality in four districts in West Java province, i.e., West Bandung, Garut, Bogor and Cianjur District with target respondents are farmers who use NPK fertilizer. NPK fertilizer qualities are based on product attributes, which are; availability, nutrient content, price, basic ingredients, form of fertilizer, speed of decomposition, label, color, type, design and size of packaging. It was analyzed using sematic differential attitude models and multi attribute attitude snake diagram model. The evaluation ranking of consumers interests towards fertilizer attribute characteristics showed that consumer intention before deciding to buy or use a NPK fertilizer will consider nutrient content, speed of decomposition, form of fertilizer and availability of products. Consumer's attitude towards all NPK fertilizer attribute quality illustrated that imported fertilizer is considered to be more positive than local fertilizer. Fertilizer companies or industries should be able to maintain their fertilizer production especially concerning nutrient content and availability of products through a better production which appropriate with consumer's needs. Nutrient contents, form and speed of decomposition of fertilizer should be adapted with current state of farming activities

Quality-by-design III: application of near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor roller compaction in-process and product quality attributes of immediate release tablets.

PubMed

Kona, Ravikanth; Fahmy, Raafat M; Claycamp, Gregg; Polli, James E; Martinez, Marilyn; Hoag, Stephen W

2015-02-01

The objective of this study is to use near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) coupled with multivariate chemometric models to monitor granule and tablet quality attributes in the formulation development and manufacturing of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP) immediate release tablets. Critical roller compaction process parameters, compression force (CFt), and formulation variables identified from our earlier studies were evaluated in more detail. Multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square (PLS) models were developed during the development stage and used as a control tool to predict the quality of granules and tablets. Validated models were used to monitor and control batches manufactured at different sites to assess their robustness to change. The results showed that roll pressure (RP) and CFt played a critical role in the quality of the granules and the finished product within the range tested. Replacing binder source did not statistically influence the quality attributes of the granules and tablets. However, lubricant type has significantly impacted the granule size. Blend uniformity, crushing force, disintegration time during the manufacturing was predicted using validated PLS regression models with acceptable standard error of prediction (SEP) values, whereas the models resulted in higher SEP for batches obtained from different manufacturing site. From this study, we were able to identify critical factors which could impact the quality attributes of the CIP IR tablets. In summary, we demonstrated the ability of near-infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics as a powerful tool to monitor critical quality attributes (CQA) identified during formulation development.

Manufacturing history of etanercept (Enbrel®): Consistency of product quality through major process revisions.

PubMed

Hassett, Brian; Singh, Ena; Mahgoub, Ehab; O'Brien, Julie; Vicik, Steven M; Fitzpatrick, Brian

2018-01-01

Etanercept (ETN) (Enbrel®) is a soluble protein that binds to, and specifically inhibits, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine. ETN is synthesized in Chinese hamster ovary cells by recombinant DNA technology as a fusion protein, with a fully human TNFRII ectodomain linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1. Successful manufacture of biologics, such as ETN, requires sophisticated process and product understanding, as well as meticulous control of operations to maintain product consistency. The objective of this evaluation was to show that the product profile of ETN drug substance (DS) has been consistent over the course of production. Multiple orthogonal biochemical analyses, which included evaluation of attributes indicative of product purity, potency, and quality, were assessed on >2,000 batches of ETN from three sites of DS manufacture, during the period 1998-2015. Based on the key quality attributes of product purity (assessed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography HPLC), binding activity (to TNF by ELISA), potency (inhibition of TNF-induced apoptosis by cell-based bioassay) and quality (N-linked oligosaccharide map), we show that the integrity of ETN DS has remained consistent over time. This consistency was maintained through three major enhancements to the initial process of manufacturing that were supported by detailed comparability assessments, and approved by the European Medicines Agency. Examination of results for all major quality attributes for ETN DS indicates a highly consistent process for over 18 years and throughout changes to the manufacturing process, without affecting safety and efficacy, as demonstrated across a wide range of clinical trials of ETN in multiple inflammatory diseases.

Research on manufacturing service behavior modeling based on block chain theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Gang; Zhang, Guangli; Liu, Ming; Yu, Shuqin; Liu, Yali; Zhang, Xu

2018-04-01

According to the attribute characteristics of processing craft, the manufacturing service behavior is divided into service attribute, basic attribute, process attribute, resource attribute. The attribute information model of manufacturing service is established. The manufacturing service behavior information is successfully divided into public and private domain. Additionally, the block chain technology is introduced, and the information model of manufacturing service based on block chain principle is established, which solves the problem of sharing and secreting information of processing behavior, and ensures that data is not tampered with. Based on the key pairing verification relationship, the selective publishing mechanism for manufacturing information is established, achieving the traceability of product data, guarantying the quality of processing quality.

Managing the System of Higher Education: Competition or Collaboration?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maguad, Ben A.

2018-01-01

The systems view of quality postulates that product or service quality comes as the result of interactions between various components that comprise a production process. In view of this, most problems in the organization, like an institution of higher education, can be attributed to the system. To be effective, any quality improvement initiative…

Integrated Application of Quality-by-Design Principles to Drug Product Development: A Case Study of Brivanib Alaninate Film-Coated Tablets.

PubMed

Badawy, Sherif I F; Narang, Ajit S; LaMarche, Keirnan R; Subramanian, Ganeshkumar A; Varia, Sailesh A; Lin, Judy; Stevens, Tim; Shah, Pankaj A

2016-01-01

Modern drug product development is expected to follow quality-by-design (QbD) paradigm. At the same time, although there are several issue-specific examples in the literature that demonstrate the application of QbD principles, a holistic demonstration of the application of QbD principles to drug product development and control strategy, is lacking. This article provides an integrated case study on the systematic application of QbD to product development and demonstrates the implementation of QbD concepts in the different aspects of product and process design for brivanib alaninate film-coated tablets. Using a risk-based approach, the strategy for development entailed identification of product critical quality attributes (CQAs), assessment of risks to the CQAs, and performing experiments to understand and mitigate identified risks. Quality risk assessments and design of experiments were performed to understand the quality of the input raw materials required for a robust formulation and the impact of manufacturing process parameters on CQAs. In addition to the material property and process parameter controls, the proposed control strategy includes use of process analytical technology and conventional analytical tests to control in-process material attributes and ensure quality of the final product. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Comparison of optimal wavelengths selection methods for visible/near-infrared prediction of apple firmness and soluble solids content

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy is now being used for nondestructive quality measurement of fruits and other food products. To implement the technology, it is necessary to develop an effective calibration model relating the acquired spectral data to the quality attribute(s) of inter...

Relating instrumental texture, determined relating instrumental texture, determined attachments, to sensory analysis of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, fillets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Texture is one of the most important quality attributes of fish fillets, and accurate assessment of variation in this attribute, as affected by storage and handling, is critical in providing consistent quality product. Trout fillets received 4 treatments: 3-d refrigeration (R3), 7-d refrigeration (R...

Temperature abuse timing affects the quality deterioration of commercially packaged ready-to-eat baby spinach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Temperature abuse of fresh-cut products occurs routinely during transportation and retail store display. However, the stage of product shelf life during temperature abuse and its impact on sensory attributes and product quality have not been studied. This study evaluated the effect of temperature ab...

Pharmaceutical product development: A quality by design approach

PubMed Central

Pramod, Kannissery; Tahir, M. Abu; Charoo, Naseem A.; Ansari, Shahid H.; Ali, Javed

2016-01-01

The application of quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical product development is now a thrust area for the regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. International Conference on Harmonization and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) emphasized the principles and applications of QbD in pharmaceutical development in their guidance for the industry. QbD attributes are addressed in question-based review, developed by USFDA for chemistry, manufacturing, and controls section of abbreviated new drug applications. QbD principles, when implemented, lead to a successful product development, subsequent prompt regulatory approval, reduce exhaustive validation burden, and significantly reduce post-approval changes. The key elements of QbD viz., target product quality profile, critical quality attributes, risk assessments, design space, control strategy, product lifecycle management, and continual improvement are discussed to understand the performance of dosage forms within design space. Design of experiments, risk assessment tools, and process analytical technology are also discussed for their role in QbD. This review underlines the importance of QbD in inculcating science-based approach in pharmaceutical product development. PMID:27606256

Pharmaceutical product development: A quality by design approach.

PubMed

Pramod, Kannissery; Tahir, M Abu; Charoo, Naseem A; Ansari, Shahid H; Ali, Javed

2016-01-01

The application of quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical product development is now a thrust area for the regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. International Conference on Harmonization and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) emphasized the principles and applications of QbD in pharmaceutical development in their guidance for the industry. QbD attributes are addressed in question-based review, developed by USFDA for chemistry, manufacturing, and controls section of abbreviated new drug applications. QbD principles, when implemented, lead to a successful product development, subsequent prompt regulatory approval, reduce exhaustive validation burden, and significantly reduce post-approval changes. The key elements of QbD viz., target product quality profile, critical quality attributes, risk assessments, design space, control strategy, product lifecycle management, and continual improvement are discussed to understand the performance of dosage forms within design space. Design of experiments, risk assessment tools, and process analytical technology are also discussed for their role in QbD. This review underlines the importance of QbD in inculcating science-based approach in pharmaceutical product development.

Single-step affinity purification of enzyme biotherapeutics: a platform methodology for accelerated process development.

PubMed

Brower, Kevin P; Ryakala, Venkat K; Bird, Ryan; Godawat, Rahul; Riske, Frank J; Konstantinov, Konstantin; Warikoo, Veena; Gamble, Jean

2014-01-01

Downstream sample purification for quality attribute analysis is a significant bottleneck in process development for non-antibody biologics. Multi-step chromatography process train purifications are typically required prior to many critical analytical tests. This prerequisite leads to limited throughput, long lead times to obtain purified product, and significant resource requirements. In this work, immunoaffinity purification technology has been leveraged to achieve single-step affinity purification of two different enzyme biotherapeutics (Fabrazyme® [agalsidase beta] and Enzyme 2) with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, respectively, as ligands. Target molecules were rapidly isolated from cell culture harvest in sufficient purity to enable analysis of critical quality attributes (CQAs). Most importantly, this is the first study that demonstrates the application of predictive analytics techniques to predict critical quality attributes of a commercial biologic. The data obtained using the affinity columns were used to generate appropriate models to predict quality attributes that would be obtained after traditional multi-step purification trains. These models empower process development decision-making with drug substance-equivalent product quality information without generation of actual drug substance. Optimization was performed to ensure maximum target recovery and minimal target protein degradation. The methodologies developed for Fabrazyme were successfully reapplied for Enzyme 2, indicating platform opportunities. The impact of the technology is significant, including reductions in time and personnel requirements, rapid product purification, and substantially increased throughput. Applications are discussed, including upstream and downstream process development support to achieve the principles of Quality by Design (QbD) as well as integration with bioprocesses as a process analytical technology (PAT). © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Definition, willingness-to-pay, and ranking of quality attributes of U.S. pork as defined by importers in Asia and Mexico.

PubMed

Murphy, R G L; Howard, S T; Woerner, D R; Pendell, D L; Dixon, C L; Desimone, T L; Green, M D; Igo, J L; Tatum, J D; Belk, K E

2015-01-01

A survey was conducted from November 2009 to April 2010 to determine how importers of pork define 7 predetermined quality categories (food safety, customer service, eating quality, product specification, packaging, visual characteristics, and production history) and to estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) and establish best-worst (B/W) scaling (rank) for the 7 quality categories. Interviews were conducted in Hong Kong/China (n = 83), Japan (n = 48), Mexico (n = 70) and Russia (n = 54) with importers of U.S. pork or those who had purchased U.S. pork from distributors in the last 3 yr. Interviews used dynamic routing software and were structured such that economic factors for purchase were addressed first, allowing all responses to focus on quality. Questions about WTP and B/W were asked and then each respondent was asked to define what each quality category meant to them. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze frequency data. Over 70% of interviewees in Hong Kong/China, Japan, and Mexico responded that purchase price was influential in deciding whether or not to purchase imported pork. This number was lower in Russia, where respondents stated tariff rates were also important, indicating market access was a larger issue in Russia. Food safety was the most important quality category (price was not included as a part of quality) for imported pork followed by specifications. Respondents indicated some form of government inspection was how they defined food safety, whereas product size, weight, and subcutaneous fat were all included in the definition of specifications. Interviewees were more likely to pay premiums for customer service and less likely to pay premiums for packaging (P < 0.05). The premiums that were willing to be paid for guarantees of quality for imported pork variety meats were numerically lower than for whole muscle cuts or processed products. A guarantee associated with food safety of processed pork products was found to be the quality attribute for which importers would be willing to pay the highest premium. Production history was found to be the least important quality attribute for importers of all types of U.S. pork, except those in Japan. Exporters could increase profitability if a guarantee of customer service was made. Price, tariffs, and exchange rates are important to pork importers; these results indicated that if certain quality attributes could be guaranteed, exporters could increase profitability.

Quality by control: Towards model predictive control of mammalian cell culture bioprocesses.

PubMed

Sommeregger, Wolfgang; Sissolak, Bernhard; Kandra, Kulwant; von Stosch, Moritz; Mayer, Martin; Striedner, Gerald

2017-07-01

The industrial production of complex biopharmaceuticals using recombinant mammalian cell lines is still mainly built on a quality by testing approach, which is represented by fixed process conditions and extensive testing of the end-product. In 2004 the FDA launched the process analytical technology initiative, aiming to guide the industry towards advanced process monitoring and better understanding of how critical process parameters affect the critical quality attributes. Implementation of process analytical technology into the bio-production process enables moving from the quality by testing to a more flexible quality by design approach. The application of advanced sensor systems in combination with mathematical modelling techniques offers enhanced process understanding, allows on-line prediction of critical quality attributes and subsequently real-time product quality control. In this review opportunities and unsolved issues on the road to a successful quality by design and dynamic control implementation are discussed. A major focus is directed on the preconditions for the application of model predictive control for mammalian cell culture bioprocesses. Design of experiments providing information about the process dynamics upon parameter change, dynamic process models, on-line process state predictions and powerful software environments seem to be a prerequisite for quality by control realization. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of beer quality attributes between beers brewed with 100% barley malt and 100% barley raw material.

PubMed

Steiner, Elisabeth; Auer, Andrea; Becker, Thomas; Gastl, Martina

2012-03-15

Brewing with 100% barley using the Ondea® Pro exogenous brewing enzyme product was compared to brewing with 100% barley. The use of barley, rather than malt, in the brewing process and the consequences for selected beer quality attributes (foam formation, colloidal stability and filterability, sensory differences, protein content and composition) was considered. The quality attributes of barley, malt, kettle-full-wort, cold wort, unfiltered beer and filtered beer were assessed. A particular focus was given to monitoring changes in the barley protein composition during the brewing process and how the exogenous OndeaPro® enzymes influenced wort protein composition. All analyses were based on standard brewing methods described in ASBC, EBC or MEBAK. To monitor the protein changes two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used. It was shown that by brewing beer with 100% barley and an appropriate addition of exogenous Ondea® Pro enzymes it was possible to efficiently brew beer of a satisfactory quality. The production of beers brewed with 100% barley resulted in good process efficiency (lautering and filtration) and to a final product whose sensory quality was described as light, with little body and mouthfeel, very good foam stability and similar organoleptic qualities compared to conventional malt beer. In spite of the sensory evaluation differences could still be seen in protein content and composition. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Quadrupole Dalton-based multi-attribute method for product characterization, process development, and quality control of therapeutic proteins.

PubMed

Xu, Weichen; Jimenez, Rod Brian; Mowery, Rachel; Luo, Haibin; Cao, Mingyan; Agarwal, Nitin; Ramos, Irina; Wang, Xiangyang; Wang, Jihong

2017-10-01

During manufacturing and storage process, therapeutic proteins are subject to various post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as isomerization, deamidation, oxidation, disulfide bond modifications and glycosylation. Certain PTMs may affect bioactivity, stability or pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profile and are therefore classified as potential critical quality attributes (pCQAs). Identifying, monitoring and controlling these PTMs are usually key elements of the Quality by Design (QbD) approach. Traditionally, multiple analytical methods are utilized for these purposes, which is time consuming and costly. In recent years, multi-attribute monitoring methods have been developed in the biopharmaceutical industry. However, these methods combine high-end mass spectrometry with complicated data analysis software, which could pose difficulty when implementing in a quality control (QC) environment. Here we report a multi-attribute method (MAM) using a Quadrupole Dalton (QDa) mass detector to selectively monitor and quantitate PTMs in a therapeutic monoclonal antibody. The result output from the QDa-based MAM is straightforward and automatic. Evaluation results indicate this method provides comparable results to the traditional assays. To ensure future application in the QC environment, this method was qualified according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guideline and applied in the characterization of drug substance and stability samples. The QDa-based MAM is shown to be an extremely useful tool for product and process characterization studies that facilitates facile understanding of process impact on multiple quality attributes, while being QC friendly and cost-effective.

Chinese green product standards: international experience and pathway for a unified system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Fu; Ling, Lin; Dongfeng, Gao; Shuo, Yang

2017-11-01

The establishment of a unified green product standard system is of great importance regarding the effective supply of green products and meeting trend of the consumption upgrade. It also is helpful to reduce the cost of green information disclosure of enterprises, and facilitate the supply-side structural reform. Based on the experience of developing and implementing green product standards in the EU, Germany, America, Japan and so on, combined with current Chinese standard systems including environmental protection, energy conservation, water conservation, low carbon, recycling, regeneration and organic, with the adoption of the life cycle thinking, this paper brings forward basic requirements on organizations including pollutant emissions, establishment of management system, energy conservation and emission reduction technology and green supply chain management, and proposes indicator requirements on product including resource attributes, energy attributes, environmental attributes and quality attributes, so as to guide the establishment of green product evaluation standards in the context of China.

Effects of retrieval practice on consumer memory for brand attributes.

PubMed

Parker, Andrew; Dagnall, Neil

2007-08-01

The effect of retrieval practice on memory for brand attributes was examined. Participants were presented with advertisements for fictional products so each contained a number of brand attributes relating to the nature of the product and its qualities. Following this, participants practiced recalling a subset of those attributes either 3 or 6 times. The act of retrieving some brand information inhibited the recall of other brand information that was not practiced, but only when repeated retrieval practice took place 6 times. This is the first demonstration of inhibitory effects in consumers' memory using the retrieval practice paradigm.

Acceptance Probability (P a) Analysis for Process Validation Lifecycle Stages.

PubMed

Alsmeyer, Daniel; Pazhayattil, Ajay; Chen, Shu; Munaretto, Francesco; Hye, Maksuda; Sanghvi, Pradeep

2016-04-01

This paper introduces an innovative statistical approach towards understanding how variation impacts the acceptance criteria of quality attributes. Because of more complex stage-wise acceptance criteria, traditional process capability measures are inadequate for general application in the pharmaceutical industry. The probability of acceptance concept provides a clear measure, derived from specific acceptance criteria for each quality attribute. In line with the 2011 FDA Guidance, this approach systematically evaluates data and scientifically establishes evidence that a process is capable of consistently delivering quality product. The probability of acceptance provides a direct and readily understandable indication of product risk. As with traditional capability indices, the acceptance probability approach assumes that underlying data distributions are normal. The computational solutions for dosage uniformity and dissolution acceptance criteria are readily applicable. For dosage uniformity, the expected AV range may be determined using the s lo and s hi values along with the worst case estimates of the mean. This approach permits a risk-based assessment of future batch performance of the critical quality attributes. The concept is also readily applicable to sterile/non sterile liquid dose products. Quality attributes such as deliverable volume and assay per spray have stage-wise acceptance that can be converted into an acceptance probability. Accepted statistical guidelines indicate processes with C pk > 1.33 as performing well within statistical control and those with C pk < 1.0 as "incapable" (1). A C pk > 1.33 is associated with a centered process that will statistically produce less than 63 defective units per million. This is equivalent to an acceptance probability of >99.99%.

A conjoint analysis to consumer choice in Brazil: Defining device attributes for recognizing customized foods characteristics.

PubMed

Calegari, L P; Barbosa, J; Marodin, G A; Fettermann, D C

2018-07-01

the availability of information about food products may be an essential factor in the consumer's value perception in their purchasing decision. As the food product becomes personalized, the customization of this information becomes complex due to the possible combinations of product components. The use of smart technology in devices is one way to provide customers with customized food information. In the following research five attributes were identified in the composition of these devices: (A) portability; (B) precision; (C) diet customization; (D) food quality analysis; and (E) price. This study aims to identify the appropriate combination of possible functionalities or attributes that must be present in a device in order to detect the food composition of customized foods and their relation to market characteristics. One experiment used fractional factorial project to present the attributes in the form of scenarios following the Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis (CBCA) method. The data collection was done using survey methodology, through online questionnaire, with some 303 Brazilian respondents. So, the Logistic Regression was applied to data analysis. The moderating variables-gender, age, gluten restriction, lactose restriction and other restrictions-were also added to verify potential interactions with the primary attributes. From the results obtained, it was possible to observe higher significance for the primary attributes of diet personalization and quality food analyzes function. Our study contributes to the literature by enhancing the understanding about what the attributes should be in a technological device that has the purpose of recognizing food characteristics and is capable of generating information about customized food products. Furthermore, this device can enabler the production of mass customized food with the nutritional labels for each possible combination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Taking the pulse of Internet pharmacies.

PubMed

Yang, Z; Peterson, R T; Huang, L

2001-01-01

Like most businesses, online pharmacy companies will only be successful if they make sure customers are satisfied with the service they receive. But what attributes of service quality lead to satisfaction and dissatisfaction? This study identified 19 Internet pharmacy service quality dimensions in three categories: (1) product cost and availability, (2) customer service, and (3) the online information system. Our analysis uncovered attributes that tend to determine consumer satisfaction and points out ways to improve overall service quality in the Internet pharmacy arena.

A software quality model and metrics for risk assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyatt, L.; Rosenberg, L.

1996-01-01

A software quality model and its associated attributes are defined and used as the model for the basis for a discussion on risk. Specific quality goals and attributes are selected based on their importance to a software development project and their ability to be quantified. Risks that can be determined by the model's metrics are identified. A core set of metrics relating to the software development process and its products is defined. Measurements for each metric and their usability and applicability are discussed.

A novel approach to support formulation design on twin screw wet granulation technology: Understanding the impact of overarching excipient properties on drug product quality attributes.

PubMed

Willecke, N; Szepes, A; Wunderlich, M; Remon, J P; Vervaet, C; De Beer, T

2018-04-21

The overall objective of this work is to understand how excipient characteristics influence the drug product quality attributes and process performance of a continuous twin screw wet granulation process. The knowledge gained in this study is intended to be used for Quality by Design (QbD)-based formulation design and formulation optimization. Three principal components which represent the overarching properties of 8 selected pharmaceutical fillers were used as factors, whereas factors 4 and 5 represented binder type and binder concentration in a design of experiments (DoE). The majority of process parameters were kept constant to minimize their influence on the granule and drug product quality. 27 DoE batches consisting of binary filler/binder mixtures were processed via continuous twin screw wet granulation followed by tablet compression. Multiple linear regression models were built providing understanding of the impact of filler and binder properties on granule and tablet quality attributes (i.e. 16 DoE responses). The impact of fillers on the granule and tablet responses was more dominant compared to the impact of binder type and concentration. The filler properties had a relevant effect on granule characteristics, such as particle size, friability and specific surface area. Binder type and concentration revealed a relevant influence on granule flowability and friability as well as on the compactability (required compression force during tableting to obtain target hardness). In order to evaluate the DoE models' validity, a verification of the DoE models was performed with new formulations (i.e. a new combination of filler, binder type and binder concentration) which were initially not included in the dataset used to build the DoE models. The combined PCA (principle component analysis)/DoE approach allowed to link the excipient properties with the drug product quality attributes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality By Design: Concept To Applications.

PubMed

Swain, Suryakanta; Padhy, Rabinarayan; Jena, Bikash Ranjan; Babu, Sitty Manohar

2018-03-08

Quality by Design is associated to the modern, systematic, scientific and novel approach which is concerned with pre-distinct objectives that not only focus on product, process understanding but also leads to process control. It predominantly signifies the design and product improvement and the manufacturing process in order to fulfill the predefined manufactured goods or final products quality characteristics. It is quite essential to identify desire and required product performance report such as Target Product Profile, typical Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) and Critical Quality attributes (CQA). This review highlighted about the concepts of QbD design space, for critical material attributes (CMAs) as well as the critical process parameters that can totally affect the CQAs within which the process shall be unaffected and consistently manufacture the required product. Risk assessment tools and design of experiments are its prime components. This paper outlines the basic knowledge of QbD, the key elements; steps as well as various tools for QbD implementation in pharmaceutics field are presented briefly. In addition to this, quite a lot of applications of QbD in numerous pharmaceutical related unit operations are discussed and summarized. This article provides a complete data as well as the road map for universal implementation and application of QbD for pharmaceutical products. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Application of principal component analysis (PCA) as a sensory assessment tool for fermented food products.

PubMed

Ghosh, Debasree; Chattopadhyay, Parimal

2012-06-01

The objective of the work was to use the method of quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) to describe the sensory attributes of the fermented food products prepared with the incorporation of lactic cultures. Panellists were selected and trained to evaluate various attributes specially color and appearance, body texture, flavor, overall acceptability and acidity of the fermented food products like cow milk curd and soymilk curd, idli, sauerkraut and probiotic ice cream. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified the six significant principal components that accounted for more than 90% of the variance in the sensory attribute data. Overall product quality was modelled as a function of principal components using multiple least squares regression (R (2) = 0.8). The result from PCA was statistically analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). These findings demonstrate the utility of quantitative descriptive analysis for identifying and measuring the fermented food product attributes that are important for consumer acceptability.

On Statistical Approaches for Demonstrating Analytical Similarity in the Presence of Correlation.

PubMed

Yang, Harry; Novick, Steven; Burdick, Richard K

Analytical similarity is the foundation for demonstration of biosimilarity between a proposed product and a reference product. For this assessment, currently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a tiered system in which quality attributes are categorized into three tiers commensurate with their risk and approaches of varying statistical rigor are subsequently used for the three-tier quality attributes. Key to the analyses of Tiers 1 and 2 quality attributes is the establishment of equivalence acceptance criterion and quality range. For particular licensure applications, the FDA has provided advice on statistical methods for demonstration of analytical similarity. For example, for Tier 1 assessment, an equivalence test can be used based on an equivalence margin of 1.5 σ R , where σ R is the reference product variability estimated by the sample standard deviation S R from a sample of reference lots. The quality range for demonstrating Tier 2 analytical similarity is of the form X̄ R ± K × σ R where the constant K is appropriately justified. To demonstrate Tier 2 analytical similarity, a large percentage (e.g., 90%) of test product must fall in the quality range. In this paper, through both theoretical derivations and simulations, we show that when the reference drug product lots are correlated, the sample standard deviation S R underestimates the true reference product variability σ R As a result, substituting S R for σ R in the Tier 1 equivalence acceptance criterion and the Tier 2 quality range inappropriately reduces the statistical power and the ability to declare analytical similarity. Also explored is the impact of correlation among drug product lots on Type I error rate and power. Three methods based on generalized pivotal quantities are introduced, and their performance is compared against a two-one-sided tests (TOST) approach. Finally, strategies to mitigate risk of correlation among the reference products lots are discussed. A biosimilar is a generic version of the original biological drug product. A key component of a biosimilar development is the demonstration of analytical similarity between the biosimilar and the reference product. Such demonstration relies on application of statistical methods to establish a similarity margin and appropriate test for equivalence between the two products. This paper discusses statistical issues with demonstration of analytical similarity and provides alternate approaches to potentially mitigate these problems. © PDA, Inc. 2016.

Market Innovation, Rational Housing Supply and Urban Quality at the Neighbourhood Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Valentina; Celani, Alberto

2017-10-01

Innovation of product, process and markets are the three categories to assess the improvement of a sector. This document is aimed to provide a review of papers about innovation in housing market and analyses solutions adopted by the international market in terms of definition of attributes of housing products. Enlightening aspects linked to quality attributes of housing products and it has been tried to read a common scheme in any study analysed to provide solutions to set innovation hints to enhance market innovation in the sector. The idea of choice, user and buyer categories definition, assessment and rating system is the backbone of the paper, as the parallelism between marketing of industrial goods and services and built environment objects. Quality of the neighbourhood and the idea of an ex-post assessment is the theme behind the last case presented, based on a research made by ABC Department of Politecnico di Milano in a neighbourhood in Milano, aimed to assess its quality.

Quality by design approach for understanding the critical quality attributes of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion.

PubMed

Rahman, Ziyaur; Xu, Xiaoming; Katragadda, Usha; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R; Yu, Lawrence; Khan, Mansoor A

2014-03-03

Restasis is an ophthalmic cyclosporine emulsion used for the treatment of dry eye syndrome. There are no generic products for this product, probably because of the limitations on establishing in vivo bioequivalence methods and lack of alternative in vitro bioequivalence testing methods. The present investigation was carried out to understand and identify the appropriate in vitro methods that can discriminate the effect of formulation and process variables on critical quality attributes (CQA) of cyclosporine microemulsion formulations having the same qualitative (Q1) and quantitative (Q2) composition as that of Restasis. Quality by design (QbD) approach was used to understand the effect of formulation and process variables on critical quality attributes (CQA) of cyclosporine microemulsion. The formulation variables chosen were mixing order method, phase volume ratio, and pH adjustment method, while the process variables were temperature of primary and raw emulsion formation, microfluidizer pressure, and number of pressure cycles. The responses selected were particle size, turbidity, zeta potential, viscosity, osmolality, surface tension, contact angle, pH, and drug diffusion. The selected independent variables showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) effect on droplet size, zeta potential, viscosity, turbidity, and osmolality. However, the surface tension, contact angle, pH, and drug diffusion were not significantly affected by independent variables. In summary, in vitro methods can detect formulation and manufacturing changes and would thus be important for quality control or sameness of cyclosporine ophthalmic products.

Cost Models for MMC Manufacturing Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elzey, Dana M.; Wadley, Haydn N. G.

1996-01-01

Processes for the manufacture of advanced metal matrix composites are rapidly approaching maturity in the research laboratory and there is growing interest in their transition to industrial production. However, research conducted to date has almost exclusively focused on overcoming the technical barriers to producing high-quality material and little attention has been given to the economical feasibility of these laboratory approaches and process cost issues. A quantitative cost modeling (QCM) approach was developed to address these issues. QCM are cost analysis tools based on predictive process models relating process conditions to the attributes of the final product. An important attribute, of the QCM approach is the ability to predict the sensitivity of material production costs to product quality and to quantitatively explore trade-offs between cost and quality. Applications of the cost models allow more efficient direction of future MMC process technology development and a more accurate assessment of MMC market potential. Cost models were developed for two state-of-the art metal matrix composite (MMC) manufacturing processes: tape casting and plasma spray deposition. Quality and Cost models are presented for both processes and the resulting predicted quality-cost curves are presented and discussed.

Software Quality Assurance Metrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McRae, Kalindra A.

2004-01-01

Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is a planned and systematic set of activities that ensures conformance of software life cycle processes and products conform to requirements, standards and procedures. In software development, software quality means meeting requirements and a degree of excellence and refinement of a project or product. Software Quality is a set of attributes of a software product by which its quality is described and evaluated. The set of attributes includes functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability, and portability. Software Metrics help us understand the technical process that is used to develop a product. The process is measured to improve it and the product is measured to increase quality throughout the life cycle of software. Software Metrics are measurements of the quality of software. Software is measured to indicate the quality of the product, to assess the productivity of the people who produce the product, to assess the benefits derived from new software engineering methods and tools, to form a baseline for estimation, and to help justify requests for new tools or additional training. Any part of the software development can be measured. If Software Metrics are implemented in software development, it can save time, money, and allow the organization to identify the caused of defects which have the greatest effect on software development. The summer of 2004, I worked with Cynthia Calhoun and Frank Robinson in the Software Assurance/Risk Management department. My task was to research and collect, compile, and analyze SQA Metrics that have been used in other projects that are not currently being used by the SA team and report them to the Software Assurance team to see if any metrics can be implemented in their software assurance life cycle process.

[Optimize dropping process of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills by using design space approach].

PubMed

Shen, Ji-Chen; Wang, Qing-Qing; Chen, An; Pan, Fang-Lai; Gong, Xing-Chu; Qu, Hai-Bin

2017-07-01

In this paper, a design space approach was applied to optimize the dropping process of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills. Firstly, potential critical process parameters and potential process critical quality attributes were determined through literature research and pre-experiments. Secondly, experiments were carried out according to Box-Behnken design. Then the critical process parameters and critical quality attributes were determined based on the experimental results. Thirdly, second-order polynomial models were used to describe the quantitative relationships between critical process parameters and critical quality attributes. Finally, a probability-based design space was calculated and verified. The verification results showed that efficient production of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills can be guaranteed by operating within the design space parameters. The recommended operation ranges for the critical dropping process parameters of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills were as follows: dropping distance of 5.5-6.7 cm, and dropping speed of 59-60 drops per minute, providing a reference for industrial production of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

An analysis of the diffusion of new antidepressants: variety, quality, and marketing efforts.

PubMed

Berndt, Ernst R; Bhattacharjya, Ashoke; Mishol, David N; Arcelus, Almudena; Lasky, Thomas

2002-03-01

We are not aware of any published research that quantifies and compares the importance of effectiveness and side effects for pharmaceutical sales, and that simultaneously incorporates the impacts of marketing efforts on the diffusion of new pharmaceutical agents in the U.S. The overall level and market share success of the various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) relative to a representative older generation tricyclic (such as amitriptyline) provides a useful focus for studying such issues. To model jointly the marketing and sales relationships of the SSRIs in the U.S., to quantify the extent to which marketing efforts are responsive to the availability of new scientific information accompanying changes in quality and increases in product variety, and in turn to assess how the new FDA indication approvals and the enhanced marketing initiatives involving product quality and variety affect sales of the SSRI and other novel antidepressants. Quarterly US sales, price, quantity and marketing data 1988Q1-1997Q4 are taken from IMS Health for the eight new antidepressants introduced into the US during this time period. Measures of physician-perceived quality attributes of the antidepressants are drawn from Market Measures, Inc., a medical survey research firm. These data are used to construct measures of product quality (effectiveness and side effect profile), and attribute variety across all antidepressants. Multivariate regression methods are used in estimating parameters of a marketing efforts model, a sales demand model encompassing the aggregate of the newer antidepressants, and a product share model. Simulation methods are employed to quantify elasticities. Since 1988, and relative to amitriptyline, there has been only a rather modest increase in the perceived average effectiveness of the SSRIs and related products, but the side effect profiles have improved substantially. Variety measures for effectiveness show greater increases over time than do those for side effects. Marketing efforts respond to science-based events, such as new FDA indication approvals, and to effectiveness and side-effect quality improvements. Total antidepressant sales are positively and significantly related to price reductions, increased marketing efforts, and the level and variety of side effect profiles involving antidepressants. The level and variety of effectiveness does not significantly affect total antidepressant sales. Order of entry effects are important in affecting product market shares, while marketing efforts and relative quality attributes (particularly a more favorable side effect profile) have positive and significant impacts on relative market shares. Since patient response to SSRIs and related products is idiosyncratic, greater product variety facilitates better matching of antidepressant with patient. Much of the growth of the SSRIs and related antidepressants since 1988 can be attributed to increased product attribute variety, to improved changes in side effect quality relative to that of the tricyclics, and to the marketing of those improvements. Marketing efforts play an important role in diffusing product information. Marketing efforts increase considerably following FDA approval for indications other than depression, and also increase with the average effectiveness and the average side effect rating of the products. Whether the relatively minor role that perceived effectiveness has in affecting sales relative to perceived side effect profile is unique to antidepressants, or generalizes to other therapeutic classes, merits further examination.

Pathways to increase consumer trust in meat as a safe and wholesome food.

PubMed

Gellynck, Xavier; Verbeke, Wim; Vermeire, Bert

2006-09-01

This paper focuses on the effect of information about meat safety and wholesomeness on consumer trust based on several studies with data collected in Belgium. The research is grounded in the observation that despite the abundant rise of information through labelling, traceability systems and quality assurance schemes, the effect on consumer trust in meat as a safe and wholesome product is only limited. The overload and complexity of information on food products results in misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Functional traceability attributes such as organisational efficiency and chain monitoring are considered to be highly important but not as a basis for market segmentation. However, process traceability attributes such as origin and production method are of interest for particular market segments as a response to meat quality concerns. Quality assurance schemes and associated labels have a poor impact on consumers' perception. It is argued that the high interest of retailers in such schemes is driven by procurement management efficiency rather than safety or overall quality. Future research could concentrate on the distribution of costs and benefits associated with meat quality initiatives among the chain participants.

Gluten-Free Sources of Fermentable Extract: Effect of Temperature and Germination Time on Quality Attributes of Teff [Eragrostis tef (zucc.) Trotter] Malt and Wort.

PubMed

Di Ghionno, Lidia; Marconi, Ombretta; Lee, Eung Gwan; Rice, Christopher J; Sileoni, Valeria; Perretti, Giuseppe

2017-06-14

This study was conducted to evaluate the behavior of a white teff variety called Witkop during malting by using different parameters (germination temperature and duration) and to identify the best malting program. Samples were evaluated for standard quality malt and wort attributes, pasting characteristics, β-glucan and arabinoxylan content, and sugar profile. It was concluded that malting teff at 24 °C for 6 days produced acceptable malt in terms of quality attributes and sugar profile for brewing. The main attributes were 80.4% extract, 80.9% fermentability, 1.53 mPa s viscosity, 7.4 EBC-U color, 129 mg/L FAN, and 72.1 g/L of total fermentable sugars. Statistical analysis showed that pasting characteristics of teff malt were negatively correlated with some malt quality attributes, such as extract and fermentability. Witkop teff appeared to be a promising raw material for malting and brewing. However, the small grain size may lead to difficulties in handling malting process, and a bespoke brewhouse plant should be developed for the production at industrial scale.

Chain sampling plan (ChSP-1) for desired acceptable quality level (AQL) and limiting quality level (LQL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raju, C.; Vidya, R.

2017-11-01

Chain Sampling Plan is widely used whenever a small sample attributes plan is required to be used for situations involving destructive products coming out of continuous production process [1, 2]. This paper presents a procedure for the construction and selection of a ChSP-1 by attributes inspection based on membership functions [3]. A procedure using search technique is developed for obtaining the parameters of single sampling plan for a given set of AQL and LQL values. A sample of tables providing ChSP-1 plans for various combinations of AQL and LQL values are presented [4].

Quality changes of chicken meat jerky with different sweeteners during storage.

PubMed

Wongwiwat, Pirinya; Wattanachant, Saowakon

2015-12-01

Chicken meat jerky with high sugar content is popular intermediate-moisture meat product in Asia. Different types of sugar, sucrose and mixed sugar (sucrose: fructose: sorbitol 70: 15: 15), were evaluated to improve the quality of product. Quality changes of chicken meat jerky stored in vacuum and aerobic (33 and 75 %relative humidity, %RH) conditions were studied for suitable condition to extend shelf-life of product. The samples were determined the physical and chemical characteristics, as well as sensory evaluation during storage at room temperature. The moisture content and water activity (aw) of samples stored in 33 %RH conditions was continuously diminished during storage that related to harder texture and unacceptable quality in sensory evaluation. All samples stored in vacuum and 75 %RH condition demonstrated the lower shear force value than that stored in 33%RH condition (p < 0.05). Samples stored in vacuum condition had the lowest lipid oxidation (p < 0.05.) which corresponding to the highest scores in less rancidity and overall acceptance attributes. All samples stored in vacuum condition also had the highest acceptability in all sensory attributes (taste, rancidity, color and overall acceptance) followed by 75 %RH storage condition (p < 0.05). Samples prepared with mixed sugar could improve color and retard rancidity in chicken jerky meat product. Sample prepared with mixed sugar kept in vacuum condition had the lowest lipid oxidation and highest sensory score in overall acceptance attributes along the extended storage.

Drifts in ADCC-related quality attributes of Herceptin®: Impact on development of a trastuzumab biosimilar.

PubMed

Kim, Seokkyun; Song, Jinsu; Park, Seungkyu; Ham, Sunyoung; Paek, Kyungyeol; Kang, Minjung; Chae, Yunjung; Seo, Heewon; Kim, Hyung-Chan; Flores, Michael

A biosimilar product needs to demonstrate biosimilarity to the originator reference product, and the quality profile of the latter should be monitored throughout the period of the biosimilar's development to match the quality attributes of the 2 products that relate to efficacy and safety. For the development of a biosimilar version of trastuzumab, the reference product, Herceptin®, was extensively characterized for the main physicochemical and biologic properties by standard or state-of-the-art analytical methods, using multiple lots expiring between March 2015 and December 2019. For lots with expiry dates up to July 2018, a high degree of consistency was observed for all the tested properties. However, among the lots expiring in August 2018 or later, a downward drift was observed in %afucose (G0+G1+G2). Furthermore, the upward drift of %high mannose (M5+M6) was observed in the lots with expiry dates from June 2019 to December 2019. As a result, the combination of %afucose and %high mannose showed 2 marked drifts in the lots with expiry dates from August 2018 to December 2019, which was supported by the similar trend of biologic data, such as FcγRIIIa binding and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity. Considering that ADCC is one of the clinically relevant mechanisms of action for trastuzumab, the levels of %afucose and %high mannose should be tightly monitored as critical quality attributes for biosimilar development of trastuzumab.

Drifts in ADCC-related quality attributes of Herceptin®: Impact on development of a trastuzumab biosimilar

PubMed Central

Kim, Seokkyun; Song, Jinsu; Park, Seungkyu; Ham, Sunyoung; Paek, Kyungyeol; Kang, Minjung; Chae, Yunjung; Seo, Heewon; Kim, Hyung-Chan; Flores, Michael

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT A biosimilar product needs to demonstrate biosimilarity to the originator reference product, and the quality profile of the latter should be monitored throughout the period of the biosimilar's development to match the quality attributes of the 2 products that relate to efficacy and safety. For the development of a biosimilar version of trastuzumab, the reference product, Herceptin®, was extensively characterized for the main physicochemical and biologic properties by standard or state-of-the-art analytical methods, using multiple lots expiring between March 2015 and December 2019. For lots with expiry dates up to July 2018, a high degree of consistency was observed for all the tested properties. However, among the lots expiring in August 2018 or later, a downward drift was observed in %afucose (G0+G1+G2). Furthermore, the upward drift of %high mannose (M5+M6) was observed in the lots with expiry dates from June 2019 to December 2019. As a result, the combination of %afucose and %high mannose showed 2 marked drifts in the lots with expiry dates from August 2018 to December 2019, which was supported by the similar trend of biologic data, such as FcγRIIIa binding and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity. Considering that ADCC is one of the clinically relevant mechanisms of action for trastuzumab, the levels of %afucose and %high mannose should be tightly monitored as critical quality attributes for biosimilar development of trastuzumab. PMID:28296619

Emerging markets for imported beef in China: Results from a consumer choice experiment in Beijing.

PubMed

Ortega, David L; Hong, Soo Jeong; Wang, H Holly; Wu, Laping

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study is to explore emerging markets for imported beef in China by assessing Beijing consumer demand for quality attributes. This study utilizes data from an in-store choice experiment to evaluate consumer willingness-to-pay for select food quality attributes (food safety, animal welfare, Green Food and Organic certification) taking into account country-of-origin information. Our results show that Beijing consumers value food safety information the most, and are willing to pay more for Australian beef products than for US or domestic (Chinese) beef. We explore the various relationships between the quality attributes, find evidence of preference heterogeneity and discuss agribusiness and marketing implications of our findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inheritance of fresh-cut fruit quality attributes in Capsicum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fresh-cut fruit and vegetable industry has expanded rapidly during the past decade, due to freshness, convenience and the high nutrition that fresh-cut produce offers to consumers. The current report evaluates the inheritance of postharvest attributes that contribute to pepper fresh-cut product...

Quantitative perceptual differences among over-the-counter vaginal products using a standardized methodology: implications for microbicide development☆

PubMed Central

Mahan, Ellen D.; Morrow, Kathleen M.; Hayes, John E.

2015-01-01

Background Increasing prevalence of HIV infection among women worldwide has motivated the development of female-initiated prevention methods, including gel-based microbicides. User acceptability is vital for microbicide success; however, varying cultural vaginal practices indicate multiple formulations must be developed to appeal to different populations. Perceptual attributes of microbicides have been identified as primary drivers of acceptability; however, previous studies do not allow for direct comparison of these qualities between multiple formulations. Study Design Six vaginal products were analyzed ex vivo using descriptive analysis. Perceptual attributes of samples were identified by trained participants (n=10) and rated quantitatively using scales based on a panel-developed lexicon. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVAs for each attribute; product differences were assessed via Tukey’s honestly significant difference test. Results Significant differences were found between products for multiple attributes. Patterns were also seen for attributes across intended product usage (i.e., contraceptive, moisturizer or lubricant). For example, Options© Gynol II® (Caldwell Consumer Health, LLC) was significantly stickier and grainier than other products. Conclusions Descriptive analysis, a quantitative approach that is based on consensus lexicon usage among participants, successfully quantified perceptual differences among vaginal products. Since perceptual attributes of products can be directly compared quantitatively, this study represents a novel approach that could be used to inform rational design of microbicides. PMID:21757061

Quantitative perceptual differences among over-the-counter vaginal products using a standardized methodology: implications for microbicide development.

PubMed

Mahan, Ellen D; Morrow, Kathleen M; Hayes, John E

2011-08-01

Increasing prevalence of HIV infection among women worldwide has motivated the development of female-initiated prevention methods, including gel-based microbicides. User acceptability is vital for microbicide success; however, varying cultural vaginal practices indicate multiple formulations must be developed to appeal to different populations. Perceptual attributes of microbicides have been identified as primary drivers of acceptability; however, previous studies do not allow for direct comparison of these qualities between multiple formulations. Six vaginal products were analyzed ex vivo using descriptive analysis. Perceptual attributes of samples were identified by trained participants (n=10) and rated quantitatively using scales based on a panel-developed lexicon. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVAs for each attribute; product differences were assessed via Tukey's honestly significant difference test. Significant differences were found between products for multiple attributes. Patterns were also seen for attributes across intended product usage (i.e., contraceptive, moisturizer or lubricant). For example, Options© Gynol II® (Caldwell Consumer Health, LLC) was significantly stickier and grainier than other products. Descriptive analysis, a quantitative approach that is based on consensus lexicon usage among participants, successfully quantified perceptual differences among vaginal products. Since perceptual attributes of products can be directly compared quantitatively, this study represents a novel approach that could be used to inform rational design of microbicides. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of high-quality potato seed production protocol under controlled conditions (CETS System) in cultivated potato species (Solanum tuberosum L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Low potato yield in Peru and other countries in the region are attributed to the use of low quality seeds and tuber recycling. Therefore, there is consensus on the need of incorporating seed production technologies that are effective and efficient but also consistent with the reality of potato in La...

All sorts of options for food product sorting

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most food products undergo significant processing before arrival at the grocery store or local market. A major component of this processing includes sorting the product according to quality attributes such as size, color, sweetness, and ripeness. In addition, removal of defects or contaminants is a ...

Assessment Methodology for Process Validation Lifecycle Stage 3A.

PubMed

Sayeed-Desta, Naheed; Pazhayattil, Ajay Babu; Collins, Jordan; Chen, Shu; Ingram, Marzena; Spes, Jana

2017-07-01

The paper introduces evaluation methodologies and associated statistical approaches for process validation lifecycle Stage 3A. The assessment tools proposed can be applied to newly developed and launched small molecule as well as bio-pharma products, where substantial process and product knowledge has been gathered. The following elements may be included in Stage 3A: number of 3A batch determination; evaluation of critical material attributes, critical process parameters, critical quality attributes; in vivo in vitro correlation; estimation of inherent process variability (IPV) and PaCS index; process capability and quality dashboard (PCQd); and enhanced control strategy. US FDA guidance on Process Validation: General Principles and Practices, January 2011 encourages applying previous credible experience with suitably similar products and processes. A complete Stage 3A evaluation is a valuable resource for product development and future risk mitigation of similar products and processes. Elements of 3A assessment were developed to address industry and regulatory guidance requirements. The conclusions made provide sufficient information to make a scientific and risk-based decision on product robustness.

Formulation and process factors influencing product quality and in vitro performance of ophthalmic ointments.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaoming; Al-Ghabeish, Manar; Rahman, Ziyaur; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R; Yerlikaya, Firat; Yang, Yang; Manda, Prashanth; Hunt, Robert L; Khan, Mansoor A

2015-09-30

Owing to its unique anatomical and physiological functions, ocular surface presents special challenges for both design and performance evaluation of the ophthalmic ointment drug products formulated with a variety of bases. The current investigation was carried out to understand and identify the appropriate in vitro methods suitable for quality and performance evaluation of ophthalmic ointment, and to study the effect of formulation and process variables on its critical quality attributes (CQA). The evaluated critical formulation variables include API initial size, drug percentage, and mineral oil percentage while the critical process parameters include mixing rate, temperature, time and cooling rate. The investigated quality and performance attributes include drug assay, content uniformity, API particle size in ointment, rheological characteristics, in vitro drug release and in vitro transcorneal drug permeation. Using design of experiments (DoE) as well as a novel principle component analysis approach, five of the quality and performance attributes (API particle size, storage modulus of ointment, high shear viscosity of ointment, in vitro drug release constant and in vitro transcorneal drug permeation rate constant) were found to be highly influenced by the formulation, in particular the strength of API, and to a lesser degree by processing variables. Correlating the ocular physiology with the physicochemical characteristics of acyclovir ophthalmic ointment suggested that in vitro quality metrics could be a valuable predictor of its in vivo performance. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comparison of quality attributes of buffalo meat curry at different storage temperature.

PubMed

Kandeepan, Gurunathan; Anjaneyulu, Anne Seet Ram; Kondaiah, Napa; Mendiratta, Sanjod Kumar

2011-01-01

The product quality of curry is determined by the food animal source, raw materials and the method of processing. Moreover the scientific information on processing and quality of traditional buffalo meat curry from different groups of buffaloes is not available. This study was undertaken to develop processed curry from different buffalo groups and to compare its quality during storage at ambient and refrigeration temperature. The meat samples were collected from the longissimus dorsi muscle of the carcasses from each group of buffaloes slaughtered according to the traditional halal method. Buffalo meat curry was prepared in a pressure cooker with the standardized formulation. This final product was subjected to evaluation of quality and shelf life. To evaluate the effect of different groups of meat samples on the quality of curry, product yield, pH, proximate composition, water activity (aw), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), calorific value, sensory attributes and microbiological assay were determined The energy of meat curry from young buffaloes was significantly lower than the meat curry from spent animal groups. The overall acceptability of curry decreased significantly during 3 days ambient storage compared to refrigeration storage. Scientific processing by adopting good manufacturing practices and suitable packaging helped greatly to improve the shelf life of the ambient temperature stored buffalo meat curry. Buffalo meat curry from young male group showed better product characteristics and overall acceptability scores than spent buffalo group.

40 CFR 230.11 - Factual determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... changes will cause violations of applicable water quality standards. Consideration should also be given to..., particularly concentrations of constituents, amount of material, type of material (sand, silt, clay, etc.) and... the productivity and water quality of existing aquatic ecosystems. (2) Cumulative effects attributable...

Consumer Perception of Retail Pork Bacon Attributes Using Adaptive Choice-based Conjoint Analysis and Maximum Differential Scaling.

PubMed

McLean, K G; Hanson, D J; Jervis, S M; Drake, M A

2017-11-01

Bacon is one of the most recognizable consumer pork products and is differentiated by appearance, flavor, thickness, and several possible product claims. The objective of this study was to explore the attributes of retail bacon that influence consumers to purchase and consume bacon. An Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint (ACBC) survey was designed for attributes of raw American-style bacon. An ACBC survey (N = 1410 consumers) and Kano questioning were applied to determine the key attributes that influenced consumer purchase. Attributes included package size, brand, thickness, label claims, flavor, price, and images of the bacon package displaying fat:lean ratio. Maximum Difference Scaling (MaxDiff) was used to rank appeal of 20 different bacon images with variable fat:lean ration and slice shape. The most important attribute for bacon purchase was price followed by fat:lean appearance and then flavor. Three consumer clusters were identified with distinct preferences. For 2 clusters, price was not the primary attribute. Understanding preferences of distinct consumer clusters will enable manufacturers to target consumers and make more appealing bacon. Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint (ACBC) is a research technique that allows consumers to react to assembled products and identify product attributes that they prefer. Kano questions allow researchers to look at the individual aspects of a product and understand consumer sentiment and expectations towards those product qualities while Maximum Difference scaling allows consumers to directly rank single attributes of a product relative to one another. A combination of these 3 approaches can provide key understandings on consumer perception of retail bacon allowing companies to optimize and maximize their development and advertising resources. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Consumer knowledge, preference, and perceived quality of dried tomato products in Ghana.

PubMed

Owureku-Asare, Mavis; Ambrose, R P Kingsly; Oduro, Ibok; Tortoe, Charles; Saalia, Firibu K

2017-05-01

Postharvest losses (PHL) are incurred in the tomato value chain in Ghana and solar drying of tomato is a promising technology for reducing the loss. However, there are concerns on the usage, functionality and sensory appeal of the dried products to consumers, compounded with the lack of information and research on dried tomato processing in Ghana. A survey was carried out by administering semistructured questionnaires to 395 randomly selected and willing respondents in the Accra Metropolis. Information was obtained on the socioeconomic profile, consumption pattern, knowledge, and acceptance of tomato processing technologies and assessment of quality attributes important to consumers. Most consumers (74%) preferred tomato powder that is conveniently packaged to retain the characteristic intense taste and the flavor using Friedman's rank mean procedure. The study indicated that consumers were more concerned about good manufacturing practices during the production of solar-dried tomato (48.8%) rather than the quality attributes (8.6%). These findings indicate the need for safe solar drying procedures in order to increase consumer acceptability of solar-dried tomato products in Ghana.

The United States pork niche market phenomenon.

PubMed

Honeyman, M S; Pirog, R S; Huber, G H; Lammers, P J; Hermann, J R

2006-08-01

After the broad industrialization of the US pork industry, there has been a development of niche markets for export and domestic pork; that is, there is a pork niche market phenomenon. The US pork niche market phenomenon is characterized, and 2 of the major markets are explained in detail. With the Midwest's tradition of a diversified family-based agriculture and record low hog prices of the late 1990s, the conditions were conducive for this phenomenon to develop. Pork niche markets utilize various sales methods including Internet sales, local abattoir sales, direct marketing, farmer networks, and targeting to organized groups. In 2003, there were approximately 35 to 40 active pork niche marketing efforts in Iowa. The Berkshire breed is an example of a swine breed that has had a recent resurgence because of niche markets. Berkshire pork is known for tenderness and excellent quality. Berkshire registrations have increased 4-fold in the last 10 yr. One of the larger niche marketers of "natural pork" is Niman Ranch Pork, which has more than 400 farmer-producers and processes about 2,500 pigs weekly. Many US consumers of pork are interested in issues concerning the environment, food safety, pig welfare, and pig farm ownership and structure. These consumers may be willing to pay more for pork from farmers who are also concerned about these issues. Small- and medium-sized swine farmers are active in pork niche markets. Niche markets claim product differentiation by superior or unique product quality and social attributes. Quality attributes include certain swine breeds, and meat quality, freshness, taste or flavor, and tenderness. Social or credence attributes often are claimed and include freedom from antibiotics and growth promotants; local family farm production; natural, organic, outdoor, or bedded rearing; humane rearing; known origin; environmentally friendly production; and the absence of animal by-products in the feed. Niche pork markets and alternative swine production practices offer an unusual contrast to commodity pork markets and industrial confinement swine production. Because they strive to have these attributes in their product, the niche pork market producers are a distinct clientele group. If niche pork markets continue to flourish, the markets and the producers that supply them will be a viable sector in a diverse US pork industry.

Pasta production: complexity in defining processing conditions for reference trials and quality assessment models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pasta is a simple food made from water and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) semolina. As pasta increases in popularity, studies have endeavored to analyze the attributes that contribute to high quality pasta. Despite being a simple food, the laboratory scale analysis of pasta quality is ...

Improved wheat for baking.

PubMed

Faridi, H; Finley, J W

1989-01-01

To bakers, wheat quality means the performance characteristics of the flour milled from the wheat when used in specific wheat products. The tremendous increase in the number of wheat cultivars grown in the U.S. in recent years, along with the unusual climate, new advances in milling technology, and increased automation of baking lines, have resulted in bakery production problems partly attributed to wheat flour quality. In this review various factors affecting wheat quality are explained. Concerns of bread and cookie/cracker manufacturers on deterioration of the wheat quality are discussed, and, finally, some solutions are proposed.

Association mapping of SSR markers to sweet, bitter and roasted peanut sensory attributes in cultivated peanut

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Certain roasted peanut quality sensory attributes are important breeding objectives for peanut product manufacturers and consumers. Currently the only means of measuring these traits is the use of a trained sensory panel. This is a costly and time-consuming process. It is desirable, from a cost, ti...

Quality by design case study 1: Design of 5-fluorouracil loaded lipid nanoparticles by the W/O/W double emulsion - Solvent evaporation method.

PubMed

Amasya, Gulin; Badilli, Ulya; Aksu, Buket; Tarimci, Nilufer

2016-03-10

With Quality by Design (QbD), a systematic approach involving design and development of all production processes to achieve the final product with a predetermined quality, you work within a design space that determines the critical formulation and process parameters. Verification of the quality of the final product is no longer necessary. In the current study, the QbD approach was used in the preparation of lipid nanoparticle formulations to improve skin penetration of 5-Fluorouracil, a widely-used compound for treating non-melanoma skin cancer. 5-Fluorouracil-loaded lipid nanoparticles were prepared by the W/O/W double emulsion - solvent evaporation method. Artificial neural network software was used to evaluate the data obtained from the lipid nanoparticle formulations, to establish the design space, and to optimize the formulations. Two different artificial neural network models were developed. The limit values of the design space of the inputs and outputs obtained by both models were found to be within the knowledge space. The optimal formulations recommended by the models were prepared and the critical quality attributes belonging to those formulations were assigned. The experimental results remained within the design space limit values. Consequently, optimal formulations with the critical quality attributes determined to achieve the Quality Target Product Profile were successfully obtained within the design space by following the QbD steps. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attributes of quality programs in universities in developing countries: Case studies of two private universities in Ecuador and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uriguen, Monica I.

This study sought to identify the key attributes of high-quality programs with an eye toward helping developing countries such as Ecuador advance program quality. The dissertation is divided into five chapters: (1) introduction to high-quality programs; (2) literature review of attributes of high-quality programs; (3) grounded theory method (including interviews with 60 individuals) used to identify program attributes that enhance student learning; (4) findings; and (5) conclusions and recommendations. Following are the five clusters and thirteen attributes of high-quality programs that I identified: Cluster One: Highly Qualified Participants: (1) Highly Qualified Faculty, and (2) Highly Qualified Students; Cluster Two: Learning-Centered Cultures: (3) Shared Program Direction Focused on Learning, (4) Real-World Learning Experiences, (5) Reading-Centered Culture, and (6) Supportive and Risk-Taking Environment; Cluster Three: Interactive Teaching and Learning: (7) Integrative learning: Theory with Practice, Self with Subject, and (8) Exclusive Tutoring and Mentoring; Cluster Four: Connected Program Requirements: (9) Planned Breadth and Depth Course Work, and (10) Tangible Products; and Cluster Five: Adequate Resources: (11) Support for Students, (12) Support for Faculty, and (13) Support for Campus Infrastructure. The study was guided by Haworth and Conrad's (1997) "Engagement Theory of High-Quality Programs." Eleven of the attributes of high-quality programs are closely connected to Haworth and Conrad's theory and the other two attributes---real-world learning experiences and a reading-centered culture---make the signature theoretical contributions of the study. Real-world learning experiences encourage the active involvement of stakeholders in designing curricula with real-world learning experiences. The second attribute---a reading-centered culture---has never before been identified in the literature. There are four key differences between Haworth and Conrad's theory and the theory developed in this study. This study identified four attributes that are highly important in Ecuador and, possibly, other developing countries: highly-qualified faculty, highly-qualified students, reading-centered cultures, and real-world learning experiences. If Latin American universities implement the recommendations proposed in the study, particularly Ecuadorian universities, there is a foundation for envisioning a better future for Ecuadorian universities.

HIGH-SHEAR GRANULATION PROCESS: INFLUENCE OF PROCESSING PARAMETERS ON CRITICAL QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF ACETAMINOPHEN GRANULES AND TABLETS USING DESIGN OF EXPERIMENT APPROACH.

PubMed

Fayed, Mohamed H; Abdel-Rahman, Sayed I; Alanazi, Fars K; Ahmed, Mahrous O; Tawfeek, Hesham M; Al-Shedfat, Ramadan I

2017-01-01

Application of quality by design (QbD) in high shear granulation process is critical and need to recognize the correlation between the granulation process parameters and the properties of intermediate (granules) and corresponding final product (tablets). The present work examined the influence of water amount (X,) and wet massing time (X2) as independent process variables on the critical quality attributes of granules and corresponding tablets using design of experiment (DoE) technique. A two factor, three level (32) full factorial design was performed; each of these variables was investigated at three levels to characterize their strength and interaction. The dried granules have been analyzed for their size distribution, density and flow pattern. Additionally, the produced tablets have been investigated for weight uniformity, crushing strength, friability and percent capping, disintegration time and drug dissolution. Statistically significant impact (p < 0.05) of water amount was identified for granule growth, percent fines and distribution width and flow behavior. Granule density and compressibility were found to be significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by the two operating conditions. Also, water amount has significant effect (p < 0.05) on tablet weight unifornity, friability and percent capping. Moreover, tablet disintegration time and drug dissolution appears to be significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by the two process variables. On the other hand, the relationship of process parameters with critical quality attributes of granule and final product tablet was identified and correlated. Ultimately, a judicious selection of process parameters in high shear granulation process will allow providing product of desirable quality.

Quality of life and ethics.

PubMed

Fumincelli, Laís; Mazzo, Alessandra; Martins, José Carlos Amado; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa

2017-01-01

In health, ethics is an essential aspect of practice and care and guarantees a better quality of life for patients and their caregivers. To outline a conceptual analysis of quality of life and ethics, identifying attributes, contexts and magnitudes for health. A qualitative design about quality of life and ethics in health, considering the evolutionary approach in order to analyse the concept. To collect the data, a search was done using the keywords ethic*, quality of life and health. After, in total, 152 studies were found, finalizing seven relevant studies for the proposed concept analysis. Of seven studies analysed, their main results were shown by means of antecedents, consequences and attributes of the concepts. The three final attributes that synthesize the concept of quality of life and ethics in health were highlighted: Ethics dilemmas and quality of life; Human ethics and quality of life; and Ethics of care and quality of life. In fact, the attributes and context clearly reveal that ethics and quality of life influence the ability to solve ethical dilemmas, guarantee human ethics in healthcare and impact ethics in healthcare for the production of effective health policies and care that encompasses professional quality of life as well. The magnitude of ethical knowledge in each professional discipline permits cultivating a solidary attitude and developing the willingness to improve healthcare. The right to access, dignity and respect in care delivery are rooted in behaviours and are spontaneously applied in practice to the extent that they play an ethical role.

Nondestructive detection of pork quality based on dual-band VIS/NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxiu; Peng, Yankun; Li, Yongyu; Tang, Xiuying; Liu, Yuanyuan

2015-05-01

With the continuous development of living standards and the relative change of dietary structure, consumers' rising and persistent demand for better quality of meat is emphasized. Colour, pH value, and cooking loss are important quality attributes when evaluating meat. To realize nondestructive detection of multi-parameter of meat quality simultaneously is popular in production and processing of meat and meat products. The objectives of this research were to compare the effectiveness of two bands for rapid nondestructive and simultaneous detection of pork quality attributes. Reflectance spectra of 60 chilled pork samples were collected from a dual-band visible/near-infrared spectroscopy system which covered 350-1100 nm and 1000-2600 nm. Then colour, pH value and cooking loss were determined by standard methods as reference values. Standard normal variables transform (SNVT) was employed to eliminate the spectral noise. A spectrum connection method was put forward for effective integration of the dual-band spectrum to make full use of the whole efficient information. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to establish prediction models using based on single-band spectrum and dual-band spectrum, respectively. The experimental results showed that the PLSR model based on dual-band spectral information was superior to the models based on single band spectral information with lower root means quare error (RMSE) and higher accuracy. The PLSR model based on dual-band (use the overlapping part of first band) yielded the best prediction result with correlation coefficient of validation (Rv) of 0.9469, 0.9495, 0.9180, 0.9054 and 0.8789 for L*, a*, b*, pH value and cooking loss, respectively. This mainly because dual-band spectrum can provide sufficient and comprehensive information which reflected the quality attributes. Data fusion from dual-band spectrum could significantly improve pork quality parameters prediction performance. The research also indicated that multi-band spectral information fusion has potential to comprehensively evaluate other quality and safety attributes of pork.

A quality by design approach using artificial intelligence techniques to control the critical quality attributes of ramipril tablets manufactured by wet granulation.

PubMed

Aksu, Buket; Paradkar, Anant; de Matas, Marcel; Özer, Özgen; Güneri, Tamer; York, Peter

2013-02-01

Quality by design (QbD) is an essential part of the modern approach to pharmaceutical quality. This study was conducted in the framework of a QbD project involving ramipril tablets. Preliminary work included identification of the critical quality attributes (CQAs) and critical process parameters (CPPs) based on the quality target product profiles (QTPPs) using the historical data and risk assessment method failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA). Compendial and in-house specifications were selected as QTPPs for ramipril tablets. CPPs that affected the product and process were used to establish an experimental design. The results thus obtained can be used to facilitate definition of the design space using tools such as design of experiments (DoE), the response surface method (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The project was aimed at discovering hidden knowledge associated with the manufacture of ramipril tablets using a range of artificial intelligence-based software, with the intention of establishing a multi-dimensional design space that ensures consistent product quality. At the end of the study, a design space was developed based on the study data and specifications, and a new formulation was optimized. On the basis of this formulation, a new laboratory batch formulation was prepared and tested. It was confirmed that the explored formulation was within the design space.

If You Don't Know, Ask! Using Expert Knowledge to Determine What Content Is Needed in an Undergraduate Food Quality Management and Control Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyner, Helen S.; Stevenson, Clinton D.

2017-01-01

Quality management and quality control of food products are critical to producing food that is safe to consume and has consistent quality and sensory attributes. The extent to which undergraduate students are equipped with competencies in quality management/control, in theory, has a direct connection with their career potential to ensure food…

Design of experiments (DoE) in pharmaceutical development.

PubMed

N Politis, Stavros; Colombo, Paolo; Colombo, Gaia; M Rekkas, Dimitrios

2017-06-01

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Sir Ronald Fisher introduced the concept of applying statistical analysis during the planning stages of research rather than at the end of experimentation. When statistical thinking is applied from the design phase, it enables to build quality into the product, by adopting Deming's profound knowledge approach, comprising system thinking, variation understanding, theory of knowledge, and psychology. The pharmaceutical industry was late in adopting these paradigms, compared to other sectors. It heavily focused on blockbuster drugs, while formulation development was mainly performed by One Factor At a Time (OFAT) studies, rather than implementing Quality by Design (QbD) and modern engineering-based manufacturing methodologies. Among various mathematical modeling approaches, Design of Experiments (DoE) is extensively used for the implementation of QbD in both research and industrial settings. In QbD, product and process understanding is the key enabler of assuring quality in the final product. Knowledge is achieved by establishing models correlating the inputs with the outputs of the process. The mathematical relationships of the Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) and Material Attributes (CMAs) with the Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) define the design space. Consequently, process understanding is well assured and rationally leads to a final product meeting the Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP). This review illustrates the principles of quality theory through the work of major contributors, the evolution of the QbD approach and the statistical toolset for its implementation. As such, DoE is presented in detail since it represents the first choice for rational pharmaceutical development.

Characterization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation process for production of a therapeutic recombinant protein using a multivariate Bayesian approach.

PubMed

Fu, Zhibiao; Baker, Daniel; Cheng, Aili; Leighton, Julie; Appelbaum, Edward; Aon, Juan

2016-05-01

The principle of quality by design (QbD) has been widely applied to biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Process characterization is an essential step to implement the QbD concept to establish the design space and to define the proven acceptable ranges (PAR) for critical process parameters (CPPs). In this study, we present characterization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation process using risk assessment analysis, statistical design of experiments (DoE), and the multivariate Bayesian predictive approach. The critical quality attributes (CQAs) and CPPs were identified with a risk assessment. The statistical model for each attribute was established using the results from the DoE study with consideration given to interactions between CPPs. Both the conventional overlapping contour plot and the multivariate Bayesian predictive approaches were used to establish the region of process operating conditions where all attributes met their specifications simultaneously. The quantitative Bayesian predictive approach was chosen to define the PARs for the CPPs, which apply to the manufacturing control strategy. Experience from the 10,000 L manufacturing scale process validation, including 64 continued process verification batches, indicates that the CPPs remain under a state of control and within the established PARs. The end product quality attributes were within their drug substance specifications. The probability generated with the Bayesian approach was also used as a tool to assess CPP deviations. This approach can be extended to develop other production process characterization and quantify a reliable operating region. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:799-812, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Recent progress in Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy study of compositional, structural, and physical attributes of developmental cotton fibers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cotton fibers are natural plant products and their end-use qualities depend on their stages of development. In general, the quantity of natural fiber cellulose I (ß 1'4 linked glucose residues) increases rapidly, thus it leads to compositional, structural, and physical attribute variations among the...

Microwave sensing of moisture in flowing biomass pellets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Production of pelleted biomass is a significant emerging industry in the United States. A primary quality attribute of pelleted biomass is moisture content. This parameter is critical in pricing, binding, combustion, and storage of pelleted biomass. In order to produce pellets of a high quality mois...

Improving food safety within the dairy chain: an application of conjoint analysis.

PubMed

Valeeva, N I; Meuwissen, M P M; Lansink, A G J M Oude; Huirne, R B M

2005-04-01

This study determined the relative importance of attributes of food safety improvement in the production chain of fluid pasteurized milk. The chain was divided into 4 blocks: "feed" (compound feed production and its transport), "farm" (dairy farm), "dairy processing" (transport and processing of raw milk, delivery of pasteurized milk), and "consumer" (retailer/catering establishment and pasteurized milk consumption). The concept of food safety improvement focused on 2 main groups of hazards: chemical (antibiotics and dioxin) and microbiological (Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, and Staphylococcus aureus). Adaptive conjoint analysis was used to investigate food safety experts' perceptions of the attributes' importance. Preference data from individual experts (n = 24) on 101 attributes along the chain were collected in a computer-interactive mode. Experts perceived the attributes from the "feed" and "farm" blocks as being more vital for controlling the chemical hazards; whereas the attributes from the "farm" and "dairy processing" were considered more vital for controlling the microbiological hazards. For the chemical hazards, "identification of treated cows" and "quality assurance system of compound feed manufacturers" were considered the most important attributes. For the microbiological hazards, these were "manure supply source" and "action in salmonellosis and M. paratuberculosis cases". The rather high importance of attributes relating to quality assurance and traceability systems of the chain participants indicates that participants look for food safety assurance from the preceding participants. This information has substantial decision-making implications for private businesses along the chain and for the government regarding the food safety improvement of fluid pasteurized milk.

Indigenous Starter Cultures to Improve Quality of Artisanal Dry Fermented Sausages from Chaco (Argentina).

PubMed

Palavecino Prpich, Noelia Z; Castro, Marcela P; Cayré, María E; Garro, Oscar A; Vignolo, Graciela M

2015-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coagulase negative cocci (CNC) were isolated from artisanal dry sausages sampled from the northeastern region of Chaco, Argentina. In order to evaluate their performance in situ and considering technological features of the isolated strains, two mixed selected autochthonous starter cultures (SAS) were designed: (i) SAS-1 (Lactobacillus sakei 487 + Staphylococcus vitulinus C2) and (ii) SAS-2 (L. sakei 442 + S. xylosus C8). Cultures were introduced into dry sausage manufacturing process at a local small-scale facility. Microbiological and physicochemical parameters were monitored throughout fermentation and ripening periods, while sensory attributes of the final products were evaluated by a trained panel. Lactic acid bacteria revealed their ability to colonize and adapt properly to the meat matrix, inhibiting the growth of spontaneous microflora and enhancing safety and hygienic profile of the products. Both SAS showed a beneficial effect on lipid oxidation and texture of the final products. Staphylococcus vitulinus C2, from SAS-1, promoted a better redness of the final product. Sensory profile revealed that SAS addition preserved typical sensory attributes. Introduction of these cultures could provide an additional tool to standardize manufacturing processes aiming to enhance safety and quality while keeping typical sensory attributes of regional dry fermented sausages.

Imaging-based logics for ornamental stone quality chart definition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Gargiulo, Aldo; Serranti, Silvia; Raspi, Costantino

2007-02-01

Ornamental stone products are commercially classified on the market according to several factors related both to intrinsic lythologic characteristics and to their visible pictorial attributes. Sometimes these latter aspects prevail in quality criteria definition and assessment. Pictorial attributes are in any case also influenced by the performed working actions and the utilized tools selected to realize the final stone manufactured product. Stone surface finishing is a critical task because it can contribute to enhance certain aesthetic features of the stone itself. The study was addressed to develop an innovative set of methodologies and techniques able to quantify the aesthetic quality level of stone products taking into account both the physical and the aesthetical characteristics of the stones. In particular, the degree of polishing of the stone surfaces and the presence of defects have been evaluated, applying digital image processing strategies. Morphological and color parameters have been extracted developing specific software architectures. Results showed as the proposed approaches allow to quantify the degree of polishing and to identify surface defects related to the intrinsic characteristics of the stone and/or the performed working actions.

How the Kano model contributes to Kansei engineering in services.

PubMed

Hartono, Markus; Chuan, Tan Kay

2011-11-01

Recent studies show that products and services hold great appeal if they are attractively designed to elicit emotional feelings from customers. Kansei engineering (KE) has good potential to provide a competitive advantage to those able to read and translate customer affect and emotion in actual product and services. This study introduces an integrative framework of the Kano model and KE, applied to services. The Kano model was used and inserted into KE to exhibit the relationship between service attribute performance and customer emotional response. Essentially, the Kano model categorises service attribute quality into three major groups (must-be [M], one-dimensional [O] and attractive [A]). The findings of a case study that involved 100 tourists who stayed in luxury 4- and 5-star hotels are presented. As a practical matter, this research provides insight on which service attributes deserve more attention with regard to their significant impact on customer emotional needs. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Apart from cognitive evaluation, emotions and hedonism play a big role in service encounters. Through a focus on delighting qualities of service attributes, this research enables service providers and managers to establish the extent to which they prioritise their improvement efforts and to always satisfy their customer emotions beyond expectation.

Which product characteristics are preferred by Chinese consumers when choosing pork? A conjoint analysis on perceived quality of selected pork attributes.

PubMed

Ma, Xiu Q; Verkuil, Julia M; Reinbach, Helene C; Meinert, Lene

2017-05-01

Due to the economic growth achieved by China over the past 20 years, Chinese consumers have changed their purchasing behavior regarding meat. Instead of buying locally produced pork, they are increasingly willing to purchase imported pork. A conjoint analysis investigated how intrinsic pork attributes ( fat content and processing) and extrinsic pork attributes ( origin , price , and packaging ) relate to the perceived quality of pork and the choices made by Chinese consumers. A questionnaire distributed among a sample of Chinese consumers ( n  = 81) revealed that processing (fresh/frozen) is the most important determinant of pork choice (36%), followed by fat content (27%), origin (18%), price (12%), and packaging (6.6%). Estimates of utility showed that Chinese consumers value fresh pork highly (0.147), followed by lean pork (0.111) and pork imported from countries other than China (0.073). The findings indicate that Chinese consumer's value both intrinsic and extrinsic attributes, and these results may help the meat industry improve China's competitive meat market by developing new and more products that are tailored to the needs of the consumer.

Real-time determination of critical quality attributes using near-infrared spectroscopy: a contribution for Process Analytical Technology (PAT).

PubMed

Rosas, Juan G; Blanco, Marcel; González, Josep M; Alcalà, Manel

2012-08-15

Process Analytical Technology (PAT) is playing a central role in current regulations on pharmaceutical production processes. Proper understanding of all operations and variables connecting the raw materials to end products is one of the keys to ensuring quality of the products and continuous improvement in their production. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been successfully used to develop faster and non-invasive quantitative methods for real-time predicting critical quality attributes (CQA) of pharmaceutical granulates (API content, pH, moisture, flowability, angle of repose and particle size). NIR spectra have been acquired from the bin blender after granulation process in a non-classified area without the need of sample withdrawal. The methodology used for data acquisition, calibration modelling and method application in this context is relatively inexpensive and can be easily implemented by most pharmaceutical laboratories. For this purpose, Partial Least-Squares (PLS) algorithm was used to calculate multivariate calibration models, that provided acceptable Root Mean Square Error of Predictions (RMSEP) values (RMSEP(API)=1.0 mg/g; RMSEP(pH)=0.1; RMSEP(Moisture)=0.1%; RMSEP(Flowability)=0.6 g/s; RMSEP(Angle of repose)=1.7° and RMSEP(Particle size)=2.5%) that allowed the application for routine analyses of production batches. The proposed method affords quality assessment of end products and the determination of important parameters with a view to understanding production processes used by the pharmaceutical industry. As shown here, the NIRS technique is a highly suitable tool for Process Analytical Technologies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduced-fat foods: the complex science of developing diet-based strategies for tackling overweight and obesity.

PubMed

McClements, David J

2015-05-01

Fat plays multiple roles in determining the desirable physicochemical properties, sensory attributes, nutritional profile, and biologic response of food products. Overconsumption of fats is linked to chronic diseases, such as obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. There is therefore a need to develop reduced-fat products with physicochemical properties and sensory profiles that match those of their full-fat counterparts. In addition, foods may be redesigned to increase the feelings of satiety and satiation, and thereby reduce overall food intake. The successful design of these types of functional foods requires a good understanding of the numerous roles that fat plays in determining food attributes and the development of effective strategies to replace these attributes. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of the influence of fat on the physicochemical and physiologic attributes of emulsion-based food products and highlights approaches to create high-quality foods with reduced-fat contents. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Reduced-Fat Foods: The Complex Science of Developing Diet-Based Strategies for Tackling Overweight and Obesity1234

PubMed Central

McClements, David J

2015-01-01

Fat plays multiple roles in determining the desirable physicochemical properties, sensory attributes, nutritional profile, and biologic response of food products. Overconsumption of fats is linked to chronic diseases, such as obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. There is therefore a need to develop reduced-fat products with physicochemical properties and sensory profiles that match those of their full-fat counterparts. In addition, foods may be redesigned to increase the feelings of satiety and satiation, and thereby reduce overall food intake. The successful design of these types of functional foods requires a good understanding of the numerous roles that fat plays in determining food attributes and the development of effective strategies to replace these attributes. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of the influence of fat on the physicochemical and physiologic attributes of emulsion-based food products and highlights approaches to create high-quality foods with reduced-fat contents. PMID:25979507

Fuzzy Logic-based expert system for evaluating cake quality of freeze-dried formulations.

PubMed

Trnka, Hjalte; Wu, Jian X; Van De Weert, Marco; Grohganz, Holger; Rantanen, Jukka

2013-12-01

Freeze-drying of peptide and protein-based pharmaceuticals is an increasingly important field of research. The diverse nature of these compounds, limited understanding of excipient functionality, and difficult-to-analyze quality attributes together with the increasing importance of the biosimilarity concept complicate the development phase of safe and cost-effective drug products. To streamline the development phase and to make high-throughput formulation screening possible, efficient solutions for analyzing critical quality attributes such as cake quality with minimal material consumption are needed. The aim of this study was to develop a fuzzy logic system based on image analysis (IA) for analyzing cake quality. Freeze-dried samples with different visual quality attributes were prepared in well plates. Imaging solutions together with image analytical routines were developed for extracting critical visual features such as the degree of cake collapse, glassiness, and color uniformity. On the basis of the IA outputs, a fuzzy logic system for analysis of these freeze-dried cakes was constructed. After this development phase, the system was tested with a new screening well plate. The developed fuzzy logic-based system was found to give comparable quality scores with visual evaluation, making high-throughput classification of cake quality possible. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Biopharmaceutical Evaluation and CMC Aspects of Oral Modified Release Formulations.

PubMed

Chang, Rong-Kun; Mathias, Neil; Hussain, Munir A

2017-09-01

This article discusses the range of outcomes from biopharmaceutical studies of specific modified release (MR) product examples in preclinical models and humans. It touches upon five major biopharmaceutical areas for MR drug products: (1) evidence for regional permeability throughout the GI tract, (2) susceptibility to food-effect, (3) susceptibility to pH-effect, (4) impact of chronopharmacology in designing MR products, and (5) implications to narrow therapeutic index products. Robust bioperformance requires that product quality is met through a thorough understanding of the appropriate critical quality attributes that ensure reliable and robust manufacture of a MR dosage form. The quality-by-design (QbD) aspects of MR dosage form design and development are discussed with the emphasis on the regulatory view of the data required to support dosage form development.

Monitoring Quality of Biotherapeutic Products Using Multivariate Data Analysis.

PubMed

Rathore, Anurag S; Pathak, Mili; Jain, Renu; Jadaun, Gaurav Pratap Singh

2016-07-01

Monitoring the quality of pharmaceutical products is a global challenge, heightened by the implications of letting subquality drugs come to the market on public safety. Regulatory agencies do their due diligence at the time of approval as per their prescribed regulations. However, product quality needs to be monitored post-approval as well to ensure patient safety throughout the product life cycle. This is particularly complicated for biotechnology-based therapeutics where seemingly minor changes in process and/or raw material attributes have been shown to have a significant effect on clinical safety and efficacy of the product. This article provides a perspective on the topic of monitoring the quality of biotech therapeutics. In the backdrop of challenges faced by the regulatory agencies, the potential use of multivariate data analysis as a tool for effective monitoring has been proposed. Case studies using data from several insulin biosimilars have been used to illustrate the key concepts.

FDA perspective on specifications for biotechnology products--from IND to PLA.

PubMed

Murano, G

1997-01-01

Quality standards are obligatory throughout development, approval and post-marketing phases of biotechnology-derived products, thus assuring product identity, purity, and potency/strength. The process of developing and setting specifications should be based on sound science and should represent a logical progression of actions based on the use of experiential data spanning manufacturing process validation, consistency in production, and characterization of relevant product properties/attributes, by multiple analytical means. This interactive process occurs in phases, varying in rigour. It is best described as encompassing a framework which starts with the implementation of realistic/practical operational quality limits, progressing to the establishment/adoption of more stringent specifications. The historical database is generated from preclinical, toxicology and early clinical lots. This supports the clinical development programme which, as it progresses, allows for further assay method validation/refinement, adoption/addition due to relevant or newly recognized product attributes or rejection due to irrelevance. In the next phase, (licensing/approval) specifications are set through extended experience and validation of both the preparative and analytical processes, to include availability of suitable reference standards and extensive product characterization throughout its proposed dating period. Subsequent to product approval, the incremental database of test results serves as a natural continuum for further evolving/refining specifications. While there is considerable latitude in the kinds of testing modalities finally adopted to establish product quality on a routine basis, for both drugs and drug products, it is important that the selection takes into consideration relevant (significant) product characteristics that appropriately reflect on identity, purity and potency.

Interactions between 1-MCP and controlled atmosphere storage on quality and storage disorders of fruits and vegetable.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) to maintain quality attributes of horticultural products has been investigated extensively. Commercial applications of 1-MCP (SmartFreshTM), are made to a range of horticultural crops, including avocados, bananas, melons, persimmons and tomatoes, but the major...

Interactions between 1-MCP and controlled atmospheres on quality and storage disorders of fruits and vegetable

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) to maintain quality attributes of horticultural products has been investigated extensively. Commercial applications of 1-MCP (SmartFreshTM), are made to a range of horticultural crops, including avocados, bananas, melons, persimmons and tomatoes, but the major...

Quality Assurance in Software Development: An Exploratory Investigation in Software Project Failures and Business Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ichu, Emmanuel A.

2010-01-01

Software quality is perhaps one of the most sought-after attributes in product development, however; this goal is unattained. Problem factors in software development and how these have affected the maintainability of the delivered software systems requires a thorough investigation. It was, therefore, very important to understand software…

Developing a quality by design approach to model tablet dissolution testing: an industrial case study.

PubMed

Yekpe, Ketsia; Abatzoglou, Nicolas; Bataille, Bernard; Gosselin, Ryan; Sharkawi, Tahmer; Simard, Jean-Sébastien; Cournoyer, Antoine

2018-07-01

This study applied the concept of Quality by Design (QbD) to tablet dissolution. Its goal was to propose a quality control strategy to model dissolution testing of solid oral dose products according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The methodology involved the following three steps: (1) a risk analysis to identify the material- and process-related parameters impacting the critical quality attributes of dissolution testing, (2) an experimental design to evaluate the influence of design factors (attributes and parameters selected by risk analysis) on dissolution testing, and (3) an investigation of the relationship between design factors and dissolution profiles. Results show that (a) in the case studied, the two parameters impacting dissolution kinetics are active pharmaceutical ingredient particle size distributions and tablet hardness and (b) these two parameters could be monitored with PAT tools to predict dissolution profiles. Moreover, based on the results obtained, modeling dissolution is possible. The practicality and effectiveness of the QbD approach were demonstrated through this industrial case study. Implementing such an approach systematically in industrial pharmaceutical production would reduce the need for tablet dissolution testing.

Recent advances in rapid and non-destructive assessment of meat quality using hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Feifei; Ngadi, Michael

2016-05-01

Meat is an important food item in human diet. Its production and consumption has greatly increased in the last decades with the development of economies and improvement of peoples' living standards. However, most of the traditional methods for evaluation of meat quality are time-consuming, laborious, inconsistent and destructive to samples, which make them not appropriate for a fast-paced production and processing environment. Development of innovative and non-destructive optical sensing techniques to facilitate simple, fast, and accurate evaluation of quality are attracting increasing attention in the food industry. Hyperspectral imaging is one of the promising techniques. It integrates the combined merits of imaging and spectroscopic techniques. This paper provides a comprehensive review on recent advances in evaluation of the important quality attributes of meat including color, marbling, tenderness, pH, water holding capacity, and also chemical composition attributes such as moisture content, protein content and fat content in pork, beef and lamb. In addition, the future potential applications and trends of hyperspectral imaging are also discussed in this paper.

Monola oil versus canola oil as a fish oil replacer in rainbow trout feeds: effects on growth, fatty acid metabolism and final eating quality.

PubMed

Turchini, G M; Moretti, V M; Hermon, K; Caprino, F; Busetto, M L; Bellagamba, F; Rankin, T; Keast, R S J; Francis, D S

2013-11-15

Monola oil, a high oleic acid canola cultivar, and canola oil were evaluated as replacers of fish oil at three levels of inclusion (60%, 75% and 90%) in rainbow trout diets. After a 27-week grow-out cycle, the diet-induced effects on growth, fatty acid metabolism and final eating quality were assessed. Overall, no effects were noted for growth, feed utilisation or fish biometry, and the fatty acid composition of fish fillets mirrored that of the diets. Dietary treatments affected fillet lipid oxidation (free malondialdehyde), pigmentation and flavour volatile compounds, but only minor effects on sensorial attributes were detected. Ultimately, both oils were demonstrated to possess, to differing extents, suitable qualities to adequately replace fish oil from the perspective of fish performance and final product quality. However, further research is required to alleviate on-going issues associated with the loss of health promoting attributes (n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) of final farmed products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Frozen Storage Temperature on the Quality of Premium Ice Cream.

PubMed

Park, Sung Hee; Jo, Yeon-Ji; Chun, Ji-Yeon; Hong, Geun-Pyo; Davaatseren, Munkhtugs; Choi, Mi-Jung

2015-01-01

The market sales of premium ice cream have paralleled the growth in consumer desire for rich flavor and taste. Storage temperature is a major consideration in preserving the quality attributes of premium ice cream products for both the manufacturer and retailers during prolonged storage. We investigated the effect of storage temperature (-18℃, -30℃, -50℃, and -70℃) and storage times, up to 52 wk, on the quality attributes of premium ice cream. Quality attributes tested included ice crystal size, air cell size, melting resistance, and color. Ice crystal size increased from 40.3 μm to 100.1 μm after 52 wk of storage at -18℃. When ice cream samples were stored at -50℃ or -70℃, ice crystal size slightly increased from 40.3 μm to 57-58 μm. Initial air cell size increased from 37.1 μm to 87.7 μm after storage at -18℃ for 52 wk. However, for storage temperatures of -50℃ and -70℃, air cell size increased only slightly from 37.1 μm to 46-47 μm. Low storage temperature (-50℃ and -70℃) resulted in better melt resistance and minimized color changes in comparison to high temperature storage (-18℃ and -30℃). In our study, quality changes in premium ice cream were gradually minimized according to decrease in storage temperature up to-50℃. No significant beneficial effect of -70℃ storage was found in quality attributes. In the scope of our experiment, we recommend a storage temperature of -50℃ to preserve the quality attributes of premium ice cream.

Effect of Frozen Storage Temperature on the Quality of Premium Ice Cream

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Hee; Jo, Yeon-Ji; Chun, Ji-Yeon; Hong, Geun-Pyo

2015-01-01

The market sales of premium ice cream have paralleled the growth in consumer desire for rich flavor and taste. Storage temperature is a major consideration in preserving the quality attributes of premium ice cream products for both the manufacturer and retailers during prolonged storage. We investigated the effect of storage temperature (−18℃, −30℃, −50℃, and −70℃) and storage times, up to 52 wk, on the quality attributes of premium ice cream. Quality attributes tested included ice crystal size, air cell size, melting resistance, and color. Ice crystal size increased from 40.3 μm to 100.1 μm after 52 wk of storage at −18℃. When ice cream samples were stored at −50℃ or −70℃, ice crystal size slightly increased from 40.3 μm to 57-58 μm. Initial air cell size increased from 37.1 μm to 87.7 μm after storage at −18℃ for 52 wk. However, for storage temperatures of −50℃ and −70℃, air cell size increased only slightly from 37.1 μm to 46-47 μm. Low storage temperature (−50℃ and −70℃) resulted in better melt resistance and minimized color changes in comparison to high temperature storage (−18℃ and −30℃). In our study, quality changes in premium ice cream were gradually minimized according to decrease in storage temperature up to−50℃. No significant beneficial effect of −70℃ storage was found in quality attributes. In the scope of our experiment, we recommend a storage temperature of −50℃ to preserve the quality attributes of premium ice cream. PMID:26877639

Sensory and rapid instrumental methods as a combined tool for quality control of cooked ham.

PubMed

Barbieri, Sara; Soglia, Francesca; Palagano, Rosa; Tesini, Federica; Bendini, Alessandra; Petracci, Massimiliano; Cavani, Claudio; Gallina Toschi, Tullia

2016-11-01

In this preliminary investigation, different commercial categories of Italian cooked pork hams have been characterized using an integrated approach based on both sensory and fast instrumental measurements. For these purposes, Italian products belonging to different categories (cooked ham, "selected" cooked ham and "high quality" cooked ham) were evaluated by sensory descriptive analysis and by the application of rapid tools such as image analysis by an "electronic eye" and texture analyzer. The panel of trained assessors identified and evaluated 10 sensory descriptors able to define the quality of the products. Statistical analysis highlighted that sensory characteristics related to appearance and texture were the most significant in discriminating samples belonged to the highest (high quality cooked hams) and the lowest (cooked hams) quality of the product whereas the selected cooked hams, showed intermediate characteristics. In particular, high quality samples were characterized, above all, by the highest intensity of pink intensity, typical appearance and cohesiveness, and, at the same time, by the lowest intensity of juiciness; standard cooked ham samples showed the lowest intensity of all visual attributes and the highest value of juiciness, whereas the intermediate category (selected cooked ham) was not discriminated from the other. Also physical-rheological parameters measured by electronic eye and texture analyzer were effective in classifying samples. In particular, the PLS model built with data obtained from the electronic eye showed a satisfactory performance in terms of prediction of the pink intensity and presence of fat attributes evaluated during the sensory visual phase. This study can be considered a first application of this combined approach that could represent a suitable and fast method to verify if the meat product purchased by consumer match its description in terms of compliance with the claimed quality.

A new definition of pharmaceutical quality: assembly of a risk simulation platform to investigate the impact of manufacturing/product variability on clinical performance.

PubMed

Short, Steven M; Cogdill, Robert P; D'Amico, Frank; Drennen, James K; Anderson, Carl A

2010-12-01

The absence of a unanimous, industry-specific definition of quality is, to a certain degree, impeding the progress of ongoing efforts to "modernize" the pharmaceutical industry. This work was predicated on requests by Dr. Woodcock (FDA) to re-define pharmaceutical quality in terms of risk by linking production characteristics to clinical attributes. A risk simulation platform that integrates population statistics, drug delivery system characteristics, dosing guidelines, patient compliance estimates, production metrics, and pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and in vitro-in vivo correlation models to investigate the impact of manufacturing variability on clinical performance of a model extended-release theophylline solid oral dosage system was developed. Manufacturing was characterized by inter- and intra-batch content uniformity and dissolution variability metrics, while clinical performance was described by a probabilistic pharmacodynamic model that expressed the probability of inefficacy and toxicity as a function of plasma concentrations. Least-squares regression revealed that both patient compliance variables, percent of doses taken and dosing time variability, significantly impacted efficacy and toxicity. Additionally, intra-batch content uniformity variability elicited a significant change in risk scores for the two adverse events and, therefore, was identified as a critical quality attribute. The proposed methodology demonstrates that pharmaceutical quality can be recast to explicitly reflect clinical performance. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

Process quality engineering for bioreactor-driven manufacturing of tissue-engineered constructs for bone regeneration.

PubMed

Papantoniou Ir, Ioannis; Chai, Yoke Chin; Luyten, Frank P; Schrooten Ir, Jan

2013-08-01

The incorporation of Quality-by-Design (QbD) principles in tissue-engineering bioprocess development toward clinical use will ensure that manufactured constructs possess prerequisite quality characteristics addressing emerging regulatory requirements and ensuring the functional in vivo behavior. In this work, the QbD principles were applied on a manufacturing process step for the in vitro production of osteogenic three-dimensional (3D) hybrid scaffolds that involves cell matrix deposition on a 3D titanium (Ti) alloy scaffold. An osteogenic cell source (human periosteum-derived cells) cultured in a bioinstructive medium was used to functionalize regular Ti scaffolds in a perfusion bioreactor, resulting in an osteogenic hybrid carrier. A two-level three-factor fractional factorial design of experiments was employed to explore a range of production-relevant process conditions by simultaneously changing value levels of the following parameters: flow rate (0.5-2 mL/min), cell culture duration (7-21 days), and cell-seeding density (1.5×10(3)-3×10(3) cells/cm(2)). This approach allowed to evaluate the individual impact of the aforementioned process parameters upon key quality attributes of the produced hybrids, such as collagen production, mineralization level, and cell number. The use of a fractional factorial design approach helped create a design space in which hybrid scaffolds of predefined quality attributes may be robustly manufactured while minimizing the number of required experiments.

Chemical and physical pretreatments of fruits and vegetables: Effects on drying characteristics and quality attributes - a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Deng, Li-Zhen; Mujumdar, Arun S; Zhang, Qian; Yang, Xu-Hai; Wang, Jun; Zheng, Zhi-An; Gao, Zhen-Jiang; Xiao, Hong-Wei

2017-12-20

Pretreatment is widely used before drying of agro-products to inactivate enzymes, enhance drying process and improve quality of dried products. In current work, the influence of various pretreatments on drying characteristics and quality attributes of fruits and vegetables is summarized. They include chemical solution (hyperosmotic, alkali, sulfite and acid, etc.) and gas (sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and ozone) treatments, thermal blanching (hot water, steam, super heated steam impingement, ohmic and microwave heating, etc), and non-thermal process (ultrasound, freezing, pulsed electric field, and high hydrostatic pressure, etc). Chemical pretreatments effectively enhance drying kinetics, meanwhile, it causes soluble nutrients losing, trigger food safety issues by chemical residual. Conventional hot water blanching has significant effect on inactivating various undesirable enzymatic reactions, destroying microorganisms, and softening the texture, as well as facilitating drying rate. However, it induces undesirable quality of products, e.g., loss of texture, soluble nutrients, pigment and aroma. Novel blanching treatments, such as high-humidity hot air impingement blanching, microwave and ohmic heat blanching can reduce the nutrition loss and are more efficient. Non-thermal technologies can be a better alternative to thermal blanching to overcome these drawbacks, and more fundamental researches are needed for better design and scale up.

Suitability of spring wheat varieties for the production of best quality pizza.

PubMed

Tehseen, Saima; Anjum, Faqir Muhammad; Pasha, Imran; Khan, Muhammad Issa; Saeed, Farhan

2014-08-01

The selection of appropriate wheat cultivars is an imperative issue in product development and realization. The nutritional profiling of plants and their cultivars along with their suitability for development of specific products is of considerable interests for multi-national food chains. In this project, Pizza-Hut Pakistan provided funds for the selection of suitable newly developed Pakistani spring variety for pizza production. In this regard, the recent varieties were selected and evaluated for nutritional and functional properties for pizza production. Additionally, emphasis has been paid to assess all varieties for their physico-chemical attributes, rheological parameters and mineral content. Furthermore, pizza prepared from respective flour samples were further evaluated for sensory attributes Results showed that Anmool, Abadgar, Imdad, SKD-1, Shafaq and Moomal have higher values for protein, gluten content, pelshenke value and SDS sedimentation and these were relatively better in studied parameters as compared to other varieties although which were considered best for good quality pizza production. TD-1 got significantly highest score for flavor of pizza and lowest score was observed from wheat variety Kiran. Moreover, it is concluded from current study that all wheat varieties except TJ-83 and Kiran exhibited better results for flavor.

Enrichment of Bread with Nutraceutical-Rich Mushrooms: Impact of Auricularia auricula (Mushroom) Flour Upon Quality Attributes of Wheat Dough and Bread.

PubMed

Yuan, Biao; Zhao, Liyan; Yang, Wenjian; McClements, David Julian; Hu, Qiuhui

2017-09-01

Edible mushrooms contain a variety of bioactive molecules that may enhance human health and wellbeing. Consequently, there is increasing interest in fortifying functional foods with these nutraceutical-rich substances. However, incorporation of mushroom-based ingredients into foods should not adversely affect the quality attributes of the final product. In this study, the impact of incorporating powdered Auricularia auricula, a widely consumed edible mushroom, into bread products was examined. The rheological and structural properties of wheat dough and bread supplemented with 0% to 10% (w/w) A. auricula flour were measured. Supplementation of wheat doughs with A. auricula flour increased the peak viscosity and enhanced their water holding capacity. Rapid viscosity analysis showed that peak and final viscosities of the blended flour (wheat flour with A. auricula flour) were higher than wheat flour alone. However, dough stability and elastic modulus were reduced by blending wheat flour with A. auricula flour. SEM observation showed that doughs with up to 5% (w/w) A. auricula flour had acceptable gluten network microstructure. Characterization of the quality attributes of bread indicated that incorporation of A. auricula flour at levels >5% negatively impacted bread volume, height, texture, and appearance. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Dried fruits quality assessment by hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serranti, Silvia; Gargiulo, Aldo; Bonifazi, Giuseppe

2012-05-01

Dried fruits products present different market values according to their quality. Such a quality is usually quantified in terms of freshness of the products, as well as presence of contaminants (pieces of shell, husk, and small stones), defects, mould and decays. The combination of these parameters, in terms of relative presence, represent a fundamental set of attributes conditioning dried fruits humans-senses-detectable-attributes (visual appearance, organolectic properties, etc.) and their overall quality in terms of marketable products. Sorting-selection strategies exist but sometimes they fail when a higher degree of detection is required especially if addressed to discriminate between dried fruits of relatively small dimensions and when aiming to perform an "early detection" of pathogen agents responsible of future moulds and decays development. Surface characteristics of dried fruits can be investigated by hyperspectral imaging (HSI). In this paper, specific and "ad hoc" applications addressed to propose quality detection logics, adopting a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) based approach, are described, compared and critically evaluated. Reflectance spectra of selected dried fruits (hazelnuts) of different quality and characterized by the presence of different contaminants and defects have been acquired by a laboratory device equipped with two HSI systems working in two different spectral ranges: visible-near infrared field (400-1000 nm) and near infrared field (1000-1700 nm). The spectra have been processed and results evaluated adopting both a simple and fast wavelength band ratio approach and a more sophisticated classification logic based on principal component (PCA) analysis.

The Importance of Take-Out Food Packaging Attributes: Conjoint Analysis and Quality Function Deployment Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lestari Widaningrum, Dyah

2014-03-01

This research aims to investigate the importance of take-out food packaging attributes, using conjoint analysis and QFD approach among consumers of take-out food products in Jakarta, Indonesia. The conjoint results indicate that perception about packaging material (such as paper, plastic, and polystyrene foam) plays the most important role overall in consumer perception. The clustering results that there is strong segmentation in which take-out food packaging material consumer consider most important. Some consumers are mostly oriented toward the colour of packaging, while another segment of customers concerns on packaging shape and packaging information. Segmentation variables based on packaging response can provide very useful information to maximize image of products through the package's impact. The results of House of Quality development described that Conjoint Analysis - QFD is a useful combination of the two methodologies in product development, market segmentation, and the trade off between customers' requirements in the early stages of HOQ process

Efficacy of Sweet Potato Powder and Added Water as Fat Replacer on the Quality Attributes of Low-fat Pork Patties.

PubMed

Verma, Akhilesh K; Chatli, Manish Kumar; Kumar, Devendra; Kumar, Pavan; Mehta, Nitin

2015-02-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of sweet potato powder (SPP) and water as a fat replacer in low-fat pork patties. Low-fat pork patties were developed by replacing the added fat with combinations of SPP and chilled water. Three different levels of SPP/chilled water viz. 0.5/9.5% (T-1), 1.0/9.0% (T-2), and 1.5/8.5% (T-3) were compared with a control containing 10% animal fat. The quality of low-fat pork patties was evaluated for physico-chemical (pH, emulsion stability, cooking yield, aw), proximate, instrumental colour and textural profile, and sensory attributes. The cooking yield and emulsion stability improved (p<0.05) in all treatments over the control and were highest in T-2. Instrumental texture profile attributes and hardness decreased, whereas cohesiveness increased compared with control, irrespective of SPP level. Dimensional parameters (% gain in height and % decrease in diameter) were better maintained during cooking in the low-fat product than control. The sensory quality attributes juiciness, texture and overall acceptability of T-2 and T-3 were (p<0.05) higher than control. Results concluded that low-fat pork patties with acceptable sensory attributes, improved cooking yield and textural attributes can be successfully developed with the incorporation of a combination of 1.0% SPP and 9.0% chilled water.

Efficacy of Sweet Potato Powder and Added Water as Fat Replacer on the Quality Attributes of Low-fat Pork Patties

PubMed Central

Verma, Akhilesh K.; Chatli, Manish Kumar; Kumar, Devendra; Kumar, Pavan; Mehta, Nitin

2015-01-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of sweet potato powder (SPP) and water as a fat replacer in low-fat pork patties. Low-fat pork patties were developed by replacing the added fat with combinations of SPP and chilled water. Three different levels of SPP/chilled water viz. 0.5/9.5% (T-1), 1.0/9.0% (T-2), and 1.5/8.5% (T-3) were compared with a control containing 10% animal fat. The quality of low-fat pork patties was evaluated for physico-chemical (pH, emulsion stability, cooking yield, aw), proximate, instrumental colour and textural profile, and sensory attributes. The cooking yield and emulsion stability improved (p<0.05) in all treatments over the control and were highest in T-2. Instrumental texture profile attributes and hardness decreased, whereas cohesiveness increased compared with control, irrespective of SPP level. Dimensional parameters (% gain in height and % decrease in diameter) were better maintained during cooking in the low-fat product than control. The sensory quality attributes juiciness, texture and overall acceptability of T-2 and T-3 were (p<0.05) higher than control. Results concluded that low-fat pork patties with acceptable sensory attributes, improved cooking yield and textural attributes can be successfully developed with the incorporation of a combination of 1.0% SPP and 9.0% chilled water. PMID:25557822

Increased Use of Productivity Management Can Help Control Government Costs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-10

estimated that 34 percent of agency spend- ing reductions made to balance the budget in fiscal year 1984 can be attributed to the productivity program. The...result in the services 5. [] use of employee incentives (9) of some employees no longer being required in the unit in which they 6. [) quality of worklife

Factors Affecting Quality and Health Promoting Compounds during Growth and Postharvest Life of Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.)

PubMed Central

Correia, Sofia; Schouten, Rob; Silva, Ana P.; Gonçalves, Berta

2017-01-01

Sweet cherries are attractive fruits due to their taste, color, nutritional value, and beneficial health effects. Sweet cherry is a highly perishable fruit and all quality attributes and the level of health promoting compounds are affected by growth conditions, picking, packing, transport, and storage. During production, the correct combination of scion × rootstock will produce fruits with higher firmness, weight, sugars, vitamins, and phenolic compounds that boost the fruit antioxidant activity. Orchard management, such as applying drip irrigation and summer pruning, will increase fruit sugar levels and total phenolic content, while application of growth regulators can result in improved storability, increased red coloring, increased fruit size, and reduced cracking. Salicylic acid, oxalic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, and methyl salicylate are promising growth regulators as they also increase total phenolics, anthocyanins, and induce higher activity of antioxidant enzymes. These growth regulators are now also applied as fruit coatings that improve shelf-life with higher antioxidant enzyme activities and total phenolics. Optimizing storage and transport conditions, such as hydro cooling with added CaCl2, chain temperature and relative humidity control, are crucial for slowing down decay of quality attributes and increasing the antioxidant capacity. Application of controlled atmosphere during storage is successful in delaying quality attributes, but lowers ascorbic acid levels. The combination of low temperature storage in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is successful in reducing the incidence of fruit decay, while preserving taste attributes and stem color with a higher antioxidant capacity. A new trend in MAP is the use of biodegradable films such as micro-perforated polylactic acid film that combine significant retention of quality attributes, high consumer acceptability, and a reduced environmental footprint. Another trend is to replace MAP with fruit edible coatings. Edible coatings, such as various lipid composite coatings, have advantages in retaining quality attributes and increasing the antioxidant activity (chitosan) and are regarded as approved food additives, although studies regarding consumer acceptance are needed. The recent publication of the sweet cherry genome will likely increase the identification of more candidate genes involved in growing and maintaining health related compounds and quality attributes. PMID:29312407

Production of salted and pressed anchovies (stolephorus sp.) and it's quality evaluation during storage.

PubMed

Siriskar, Dipty A; Khedkar, Gulab Dattarao; Lior, David

2013-12-01

Present study deals with the production of low cost salted and dried product from anchovy fish (Stolephorus spp.) using traditional technology application of different inhibitory factors to achieve a reasonable shelf life at ambient tropical temperature. Microbial safety, nutrient retention and product quality in terms of flavor and texture after rehydration have been tested. This product has been subjected to storage studies, with respect to product quality and microbial status. It can be kept well for a period of 5 weeks. The quality changes during storage are; decrease in sensory scores for the overall acceptance and also for the individual attributes. Increase in nitrogenous components such as Total Volatile Bases Nitrogen (TVB-N), Tri Methyl Amine Nitrogen (TMA-N) and Alpha Amino Nitrogen (AAN) was obtained with the advancement of the storage period. The lipid quality of the fish showed gradual increase in Preoxide Value (PV) and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) accompanied by decrease in flavor and odor scores. Activity of microorganisms showed a marginal increase with increase in storage period.

[JUSTIFICATION OF USING EQUIVALENCE OF THE INDICES OF QUALITY, SAFETY, AND EFFICACY IN DEVELOPING BIOANALOGS].

PubMed

Niyazov, R R; Goryachev, D V; Gavrishina, E V; Romodanovskii, D P; Dranitsyna, M A

2015-01-01

We describe general principles of demonstrating biosimilarity, as well as selecting the biosimilarity margins. Any change in the structure of a biological molecule can modify its functional activity. Therefore, therapeutic equivalence between a biosimilar product and the corresponding reference product cannot be demonstrated using a single criterion. To demonstrate biosimilarity between two medicinal products, their various characteristics have to be evaluated which may, directly or indirectly, justify that clinically significant differences are absent. Insufficient understanding of 6ritical quality attributes brings a risk for the biosimilar product developer. This will either increase the number of non-clinical and clinical tests and trials needed or will result in awareness that the manufacturing process needs to be improved at the late stages of development, after investing significant resources in the development process. At the same time, the specification of the biological medicinal product cannot solely ensure safety and efficacy thereof. Properly characterized and controlled manufacturing process, which ensures consistency in its attributes not adequately controlled in specifications but influencing safety and efficacy profiles and showing their relevance in non-clinical tests and clinical trials, is an additional quality assurance factor. Justification of all development strategy details, including biosimilarity margins, has to be provided each time when the development process is initiated or when proceeding to the next steps. All problems encountered by the developer have to be resolved in close communication with the regulatory authority. In order to increase the quality of investigation and developer's adherence to good practices, clinical trial results should be published in detail.

Quality assessment of internet pharmaceutical products using traditional and non-traditional analytical techniques.

PubMed

Westenberger, Benjamin J; Ellison, Christopher D; Fussner, Andrew S; Jenney, Susan; Kolinski, Richard E; Lipe, Terra G; Lyon, Robbe C; Moore, Terry W; Revelle, Larry K; Smith, Anjanette P; Spencer, John A; Story, Kimberly D; Toler, Duckhee Y; Wokovich, Anna M; Buhse, Lucinda F

2005-12-08

This work investigated the use of non-traditional analytical methods to evaluate the quality of a variety of pharmaceutical products purchased via internet sites from foreign sources and compared the results with those obtained from conventional quality assurance methods. Traditional analytical techniques employing HPLC for potency, content uniformity, chromatographic purity and drug release profiles were used to evaluate the quality of five selected drug products (fluoxetine hydrochloride, levothyroxine sodium, metformin hydrochloride, phenytoin sodium, and warfarin sodium). Non-traditional techniques, such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), NIR imaging and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were employed to verify the results and investigate their potential as alternative testing methods. Two of 20 samples failed USP monographs for quality attributes. The additional analytical methods found 11 of 20 samples had different formulations when compared to the U.S. product. Seven of the 20 samples arrived in questionable containers, and 19 of 20 had incomplete labeling. Only 1 of the 20 samples had final packaging similar to the U.S. products. The non-traditional techniques complemented the traditional techniques used and highlighted additional quality issues for the products tested. For example, these methods detected suspect manufacturing issues (such as blending), which were not evident from traditional testing alone.

[Application of risk-based approach for determination of critical factors in technology transfer of production of medicinal products].

PubMed

Beregovykh, V V; Spitskiy, O R

2014-01-01

Risk-based approach is used for examination of impact of different factors on quality of medicinal products in technology transfer. A general diagram is offered for risk analysis execution in technology transfer from pharmaceutical development to production. When transferring technology to full- scale commercial production it is necessary to investigate and simulate production process application beforehand in new real conditions. The manufacturing process is the core factorfor risk analysis having the most impact on quality attributes of a medicinal product. Further importantfactors are linked to materials and products to be handled and manufacturing environmental conditions such as premises, equipment and personnel. Usage of risk-based approach in designing of multipurpose production facility of medicinal products is shown where quantitative risk analysis tool RAMM (Risk Analysis and Mitigation Matrix) was applied.

Field pennycress: A new oilseed crop for the production of biofuels, lubricants, and high-quality proteins

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) has numerous positive attributes that make it a very promising industrial oilseed crop. Its short growing season makes it suitable as an off-season crop between corn and soybean production in most of the upper Midwestern U.S. Fall planting of pennycress may also...

Traditional alcoholic beverages of Tanzania: production, quality and changes in quality attributes during storage.

PubMed

Tüsekwa, A B; Mosha, T C; Laswai, H S; Towo, E E

2000-03-01

Traditional alcoholic beverages of Tanzania play an important role in the daily social, economic, nutritional and cultural life of the people. Production, quality and changes in quality attributes during ambient temperature storage were investigated in traditional Tanzanian beers (Mbege and Komoni) and wines (Mnanasi, Wanzuki and Mofru). The quality attributes of the alcoholic beverages indicated that pH levels were in the range of 4.15-4.20 and 3.9-5.5 for the beers and wines respectively. Total, fixed and volatile acidity in the beers were in the range of 0.41-0.62, 0.28-0.38 and 0.06-0.09 g/100 mL respectively while in the wines acidity levels were in the range of 0.23-0.66, 0.13-0.33 and 0.05-0.06 g/100 mL for the total, fixed and volatile acidity respectively. Concentration of total solids in the beers ranged between 7.00 and 12.80 degrees Brix while in the wines ranged between 3.45 and 6.65 degrees Brix. Specific gravity of the beers ranged between 1.0097 and 1.0374 while for wines the specific gravity was lower, ranging between 0.9971 and 0.9989. Alcohol concentration was higher in wines (range 3.84-9.75 g/100 mL) than in beers (range 1.72-2.76 g/100 mL). Storage of the beverages under ambient temperatures for various lengths of time resulted in significant (P < 0.05) increase in total acidity, volatile acidity and alcohol content and decrease in the total solids and specific gravity. Mbege and Komoni beers indicated the highest rates of deterioration with total acid production rates of 0.3774 g/100 mL and 0.0914 g/100 mL per hour respectively. Wines were more stable during storage than beers, with Mofru wine being the most stable. The rates of total acid production per hour were Mnanasi (0.0196 g/100 mL), Wanzuki (0.0047 g/100 mL) and Mofru (0.0005 g/100 mL). Use of low brewing technologies involving uncontrolled fermentation, unsanitary conditions and use of rudimentary equipment for processing, packaging and storage resulted in beers and wines of low quality and short shelf-life. To foster commercial exploitation of the products, there is a need to develop appropriate small and medium-level brewing technologies that will improve the quality of the traditional alcoholic beverages and extend their shelf-life through hygienic and controlled processing, packaging, and storage.

Analysis of various quality attributes of sunflower and soybean plants by near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy: Development and validation calibration models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sunflower and soybean are summer annuals that can be grown as an alternative to corn and may be particularly useful in organic production systems. Rapid and low cost methods of analyzing plant quality would be helpful for crop management. We developed and validated calibration models for Near-infrar...

Re-Examining the Role of Teacher Quality in the Educational Production Function. Working Paper 2007-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koedel, Cory; Betts, Julian R.

2007-01-01

This study uses administrative data linking students and teachers at the classroom level to estimate teacher value-added to student test scores. We find that variation in teacher quality is an important contributor to student achievement--more important than has been implied by previous work. This result is attributable, at least in part, to the…

Process analytical technologies (PAT) in freeze-drying of parenteral products.

PubMed

Patel, Sajal Manubhai; Pikal, Michael

2009-01-01

Quality by Design (QbD), aims at assuring quality by proper design and control, utilizing appropriate Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) to monitor critical process parameters during processing to ensure that the product meets the desired quality attributes. This review provides a comprehensive list of process monitoring devices that can be used to monitor critical process parameters and will focus on a critical review of the viability of the PAT schemes proposed. R&D needs in PAT for freeze-drying have also been addressed with particular emphasis on batch techniques that can be used on all the dryers independent of the dryer scale.

An integrated, quality by design (QbD) approach for design, development and optimization of orally disintegrating tablet formulation of carbamazepine.

PubMed

Mishra, Saurabh M; Rohera, Bhagwan D

2017-11-01

The objective of the present study was to design and develop a formulation for orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) of carbamazepine using quality by design principles. The target product profile (TPP) and quality target product profile (QTPP) of ODTs were identified. Risk assessment was carried out by leveraging prior knowledge and experience to define the criticality of factors based on their impact by Ishikawa fishbone diagram and preliminary hazard analysis tool. Box-Behnken response surface methodology was used to study the effect of critical factors on various attributes of ODTs. The independent factors selected were compression pressure (X 1 ), concentration of sublimating agent (volatile material) (X 2 ), disintegrant concentration (X 3 ) and the responses were tablet crushing strength, tablet porosity, disintegration time, water absorption time, tablet friability and drug dissolution. ANOVA and lack of fit test illustrated that selected independent variables had significant effect on the response variables, and excellent correlation was observed between actual and predicted values. Optimization by desirability function indicated that compression pressure, X 1 (1534 lbs), ammonium bicarbonate concentration, X 2 (7.68%) and Kollidon ® CL-SF concentration, X 3 (6%) were optimum to prepare ODT formulation of carbamazepine of desired attributes complying with QTPP. Thus, in the present study, a high level of assurance was established for ODT product quality and performance.

Characterizing commercial pureed foods: sensory, nutritional, and textural analysis.

PubMed

Ettinger, Laurel; Keller, Heather H; Duizer, Lisa M

2014-01-01

Dysphagia (swallowing impairment) is a common consequence of stroke and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Limited research is available on pureed foods, specifically the qualities of commercial products. Because research has linked pureed foods, specifically in-house pureed products, to malnutrition due to inferior sensory and nutritional qualities, commercial purees also need to be investigated. Proprietary research on sensory attributes of commercial foods is available; however direct comparisons of commercial pureed foods have never been reported. Descriptive sensory analysis as well as nutritional and texture analysis of commercially pureed prepared products was performed using a trained descriptive analysis panel. The pureed foods tested included four brands of carrots, of turkey, and two of bread. Each commercial puree was analyzed for fat (Soxhlet), protein (Dumas), carbohydrate (proximate analysis), fiber (total fiber), and sodium content (Quantab titrator strips). The purees were also texturally compared with a line spread test and a back extrusion test. Differences were found in the purees for sensory attributes as well as nutritional and textural properties. Findings suggest that implementation of standards is required to reduce variability between products, specifically regarding the textural components of the products. This would ensure all commercial products available in Canada meet standards established as being considered safe for swallowing.

Application of Optical Coherence Tomography Freeze-Drying Microscopy for Designing Lyophilization Process and Its Impact on Process Efficiency and Product Quality.

PubMed

Korang-Yeboah, Maxwell; Srinivasan, Charudharshini; Siddiqui, Akhtar; Awotwe-Otoo, David; Cruz, Celia N; Muhammad, Ashraf

2018-01-01

Optical coherence tomography freeze-drying microscopy (OCT-FDM) is a novel technique that allows the three-dimensional imaging of a drug product during the entire lyophilization process. OCT-FDM consists of a single-vial freeze dryer (SVFD) affixed with an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system. Unlike the conventional techniques, such as modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC) and light transmission freeze-drying microscopy, used for predicting the product collapse temperature (Tc), the OCT-FDM approach seeks to mimic the actual product and process conditions during the lyophilization process. However, there is limited understanding on the application of this emerging technique to the design of the lyophilization process. In this study, we investigated the suitability of OCT-FDM technique in designing a lyophilization process. Moreover, we compared the product quality attributes of the resulting lyophilized product manufactured using Tc, a critical process control parameter, as determined by OCT-FDM versus as estimated by mDSC. OCT-FDM analysis revealed the absence of collapse even for the low protein concentration (5 mg/ml) and low solid content formulation (1%w/v) studied. This was confirmed by lab scale lyophilization. In addition, lyophilization cycles designed using Tc values obtained from OCT-FDM were more efficient with higher sublimation rate and mass flux than the conventional cycles, since drying was conducted at higher shelf temperature. Finally, the quality attributes of the products lyophilized using Tc determined by OCT-FDM and mDSC were similar, and product shrinkage and cracks were observed in all the batches of freeze-dried products irrespective of the technique employed in predicting Tc.

Effect of high pressure-high temperature process on meat product quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duranton, Frédérique; Marée, Elvire; Simonin, Hélène; Chéret, Romuald; de Lamballerie, Marie

2011-03-01

High pressure/high temperature (HPHT) processing is an innovative way to sterilize food and has been proposed as an alternative to conventional retorting. By using elevated temperatures and adiabatic compression, it allows the inactivation of vegetative microorganisms and pathogen spores. Even though the microbial inactivation has been widely studied, the effect of such process on sensorial attributes of food products, especially meat products, remains rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of using HPHT process (500 MPa/115 °C) instead of conventional retorting to stabilize Toulouse sausages while retaining high organoleptic quality. The measurements of texture, color, water-holding capacity and microbial stability were investigated. It was possible to manufacture stable products at 500 MPa/115 °C/30 min. However, in these conditions, no improvement of the quality was found compared with conventional retorting.

Supplementary effects of higher levels of various disaccharides on processing yield, quality properties and sensory attributes of Chinese - style pork jerky.

PubMed

Chen, Chih-Ming; Lin, Hsien-Tang

2017-12-01

This study evaluated the supplementary effect of higher concentrations of various disaccharides on processing yield, major physicochemical properties, and sensory attributes of Chinese-style pork jerky (CSPJ). CSPJ samples were prepared by marinating sliced ham (4 mm) with three dissaccharides, including sucrose, lactose, and maltose, at 0%, 15%, 18%, 21%, and 24%. Subsequently, the CSPJ samples were dried and roasted. The moisture content, water activity, crude protein, moisture-to-protein ratio, pH, processing yield, shear force, color, and sensory attributes of the CSPJ samples were evaluated. The quality characteristics of CSPJ samples prepared with sucrose were more acceptable. By contrast, CSPJ samples prepared with lactose showed the lowest scores. However, the processing yield and moisture content were the highest for CSPJ samples prepared with lactose, which may be associated with improved benefits for cost reduction. Furthermore, sucrose and lactose supplementation resulted in contrasting quality characteristics; for example, CSPJ samples with sucrose and maltose supplementation had higher sensory scores for color than samples with lactose supplementation. Additionally, most quality characteristics of CSPJ samples with sucrose supplementation contrasted with those of the samples with lactose supplementation; for example, the samples with sucrose supplementation had higher scores for sensory attributes than those with lactose supplementation. Sucrose supplementation up to 21% to 24% was associated with the highest overall acceptability scores (5.19 to 5.80), enhanced quality characteristics, increased processing yield, and reduced production cost.

Effects of pulsed light treatments and pectin edible coatings on the quality of fresh-cut apples: a hurdle technology approach.

PubMed

Moreira, María R; Álvarez, María V; Martín-Belloso, Olga; Soliva-Fortuny, Robert

2017-01-01

Pulsed light (PL) treatments stand as an alternative for the shelf-life extension of fresh-cut products. The antimicrobial effects of PL are well known; however, its influence on quality attributes needs to be assessed. This study was aimed at evaluating the application of PL treatments in combination with pectin-based edible coatings enriched with dietary fiber for the preservation of fresh-cut apples. Dipping of fresh-cut apples in ascorbic acid/calcium chloride solution prior to pectin coating and PL treatments was effective to minimize browning and softening of apple surfaces. Incorporation of fiber in the pectin coating did not cause any change in microbial loads and sensory acceptability of apple cubes. Pectin-coated PL-treated apple pieces exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity values than fresh and PL control samples. At the end of storage, the combination of both treatments resulted in an almost 2 log CFU g -1 reduction of microbial counts. Sensory attribute scores did not fall below the rejection limit throughout 14 days, although the presence of off-odors limited the acceptability of the pectin-coated samples. The results demonstrate that PL treatments applied to pectin-coated fresh-cut apples may be used to maintain quality attributes, thus conferring prebiotic potential and extending the shelf-life of the product. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The process defines the product: what really matters in biosimilar design and production?

PubMed

Vulto, Arnold G; Jaquez, Orlando A

2017-08-01

Biologic drugs are highly complex molecules produced by living cells through a multistep manufacturing process. The key characteristics of these molecules, known as critical quality attributes (CQAs), can vary based on post-translational modifications that occur in the cellular environment or during the manufacturing process. The extent of the variation in each of the CQAs must be characterized for the originator molecule and systematically matched as closely as possible by the biosimilar developer to ensure bio-similarity. The close matching of the originator fingerprint is the foundation of the biosimilarity exercise, as the analytical tools designed to measure differences at the molecular level are far more sensitive and specific than tools available to physicians during clinical trials. Biosimilar development, therefore, has a greater focus on preclinical attributes compared with the development of an original biological agent. As changes in CQAs can occur at different stages of the manufacturing process, even small modifications to the process can alter biosimilar attributes beyond the point of similarity and impact clinical effectiveness and safety. The manufacturer's ability to provide consistent production and quality control will greatly influence the acceptance of biosimilars. To this end, preventing drift from the required specifications over time and avoiding the various implications brought by product shortage will enhance biosimilar integration into daily practice. As most prescribers are not familiar with this new drug development paradigm, educational programmes will be needed so that prescribers see biosimilars as fully equivalent, efficacious and safe medicines when compared with originator products. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology.

The process defines the product: what really matters in biosimilar design and production?

PubMed Central

Jaquez, Orlando A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Biologic drugs are highly complex molecules produced by living cells through a multistep manufacturing process. The key characteristics of these molecules, known as critical quality attributes (CQAs), can vary based on post-translational modifications that occur in the cellular environment or during the manufacturing process. The extent of the variation in each of the CQAs must be characterized for the originator molecule and systematically matched as closely as possible by the biosimilar developer to ensure bio-similarity. The close matching of the originator fingerprint is the foundation of the biosimilarity exercise, as the analytical tools designed to measure differences at the molecular level are far more sensitive and specific than tools available to physicians during clinical trials. Biosimilar development, therefore, has a greater focus on preclinical attributes compared with the development of an original biological agent. As changes in CQAs can occur at different stages of the manufacturing process, even small modifications to the process can alter biosimilar attributes beyond the point of similarity and impact clinical effectiveness and safety. The manufacturer’s ability to provide consistent production and quality control will greatly influence the acceptance of biosimilars. To this end, preventing drift from the required specifications over time and avoiding the various implications brought by product shortage will enhance biosimilar integration into daily practice. As most prescribers are not familiar with this new drug development paradigm, educational programmes will be needed so that prescribers see biosimilars as fully equivalent, efficacious and safe medicines when compared with originator products. PMID:28903544

Online Tools for Uncovering Data Quality (DQ) Issues in Satellite-Based Global Precipitation Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Zhong; Heo, Gil

2015-01-01

Data quality (DQ) has many attributes or facets (i.e., errors, biases, systematic differences, uncertainties, benchmark, false trends, false alarm ratio, etc.)Sources can be complicated (measurements, environmental conditions, surface types, algorithms, etc.) and difficult to be identified especially for multi-sensor and multi-satellite products with bias correction (TMPA, IMERG, etc.) How to obtain DQ info fast and easily, especially quantified info in ROI Existing parameters (random error), literature, DIY, etc.How to apply the knowledge in research and applications.Here, we focus on online systems for integration of products and parameters, visualization and analysis as well as investigation and extraction of DQ information.

A fuzzy model for achieving lean attributes for competitive advantages development using AHP-QFD-PROMETHEE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roghanian, E.; Alipour, Mohammad

2014-06-01

Lean production has become an integral part of the manufacturing landscape as its link with superior performance and its ability to provide competitive advantage is well accepted among academics and practitioners. Lean production helps producers in overcoming the challenges organizations face through using powerful tools and enablers. However, most companies are faced with restricted resources such as financial and human resources, time, etc., in using these enablers, and are not capable of implementing all these techniques. Therefore, identifying and selecting the most appropriate and efficient tool can be a significant challenge for many companies. Hence, this literature seeks to combine competitive advantages, lean attributes, and lean enablers to determine the most appropriate enablers for improvement of lean attributes. Quality function deployment in fuzzy environment and house of quality matrix are implemented. Throughout the methodology, fuzzy logic is the basis for translating linguistic judgments required for the relationships and correlation matrix to numerical values. Moreover, for final ranking of lean enablers, a multi-criteria decision-making method (PROMETHEE) is adopted. Finally, a case study in automotive industry is presented to illustrate the implementation of the proposed methodology.

Rust and Thinning Management Effect on Cup Quality and Plant Performance for Two Cultivars of Coffea arabica L.

PubMed

Echeverria-Beirute, Fabian; Murray, Seth C; Klein, Patricia; Kerth, Chris; Miller, Rhonda; Bertrand, Benoit

2018-05-30

Beverage quality is a complex attribute of coffee ( Coffea arabica L.). Genotype (G), environment (E), management (M), postharvest processing, and roasting are all involved. However, little is known about how G × M interactions influence beverage quality. We investigated how yield and coffee leaf rust (CLR) disease (caused by Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br.) management affect cup quality and plant performance, in two coffee cultivars. Sensory and chemical analyses revealed that 10 of 70 attributes and 18 of 154 chemical volatile compounds were significantly affected by G and M. Remarkably, acetaminophen was found for the first time in roasted coffee and in higher concentrations under more stressful conditions. A principal component analysis described 87% of the variation in quality and plant overall performance. This study is a first step in understanding the complexity of the physiological, metabolic, and molecular changes in coffee production, which will be useful for the improvement of coffee cultivars.

Attributing land-use change carbon emissions to exported biomass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saikku, Laura, E-mail: laura.saikku@helsinki.fi; Soimakallio, Sampo, E-mail: sampo.soimakallio@vtt.fi; Pingoud, Kim, E-mail: kim.pingoud@vtt.fi

2012-11-15

In this study, a simple, transparent and robust method is developed in which land-use change (LUC) emissions are retrospectively attributed to exported biomass products based on the agricultural area occupied for the production. LUC emissions account for approximately one-fifth of current greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing agricultural exports are becoming an important driver of deforestation. Brazil and Indonesia are used as case studies due to their significant deforestation in recent years. According to our study, in 2007, approximately 32% and 15% of the total agricultural land harvested and LUC emissions in Brazil and Indonesia respectively were due to exports. The mostmore » important exported single items with regard to deforestation were palm oil for Indonesia and bovine meat for Brazil. To reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions effectively worldwide, leakage of emissions should be avoided. This can be done, for example, by attributing embodied LUC emissions to exported biomass products. With the approach developed in this study, controversial attribution between direct and indirect LUC and amortization of emissions over the product life cycle can be overcome, as the method operates on an average basis and annual level. The approach could be considered in the context of the UNFCCC climate policy instead of, or alongside with, other instruments aimed at reducing deforestation. However, the quality of the data should be improved and some methodological issues, such as the allocation procedure in multiproduct systems and the possible dilution effect through third parties not committed to emission reduction targets, should be considered. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CO{sub 2} emissions from land use changes are highly important. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Attribution of land use changes for products is difficult. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simple and robust method is developed to attribute land use change emissions.« less

Influence of quality labels on the formation of preferences of lamb meat consumers. A Spanish case study.

PubMed

Bernabéu, Rodolfo; Rabadán, Adrián; El Orche, Nour E; Díaz, Mónica

2018-01-01

Analysis of the attributes determining the formation of consumers' preferences when buying lamb meat is a key aspect in increasing the demand for this product. To this end, by means of conjoint analysis, we determined lamb meat consumers' preferences according to their frequency of consumption, and we used logistic simulation to analyse market shares of the most valued attributes. After segmenting the market into habitual and occasional consumers of lamb meat, our results seem to suggest that while regular consumers base their preferences mostly on origin, occasional consumers take other attributes into account, such as Protected Geographical Origin (PGI) and organic production. An analysis of market shares shows that PGI significantly influences consumer preferences, while ecological production has a less marked impact. This finding confirms the usefulness of PGI in the lamb meat market and highlights the urgent need to improve the communication strategy of the organic production sector as a synergistic effect to increase its acceptance among consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progress on genetic linkage maps, traits/QTLs, and utilization in two recombinant inbred line populations of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peanut, a highly nutritional crop, is used in edible products or crushed for cooking oil, and is susceptible to a range of diseases, including Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), early and late leaf spot (ELS and LLS). Losses in productivity and quality are also attributable to environmental stresses ...

Development of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) methods for controlled release pellet coating.

PubMed

Avalle, P; Pollitt, M J; Bradley, K; Cooper, B; Pearce, G; Djemai, A; Fitzpatrick, S

2014-07-01

This work focused on the control of the manufacturing process for a controlled release (CR) pellet product, within a Quality by Design (QbD) framework. The manufacturing process was Wurster coating: firstly layering active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) onto sugar pellet cores and secondly a controlled release (CR) coating. For each of these two steps, development of a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) method is discussed and also a novel application of automated microscopy as the reference method. Ultimately, PAT methods should link to product performance and the two key Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) for this CR product are assay and release rate, linked to the API and CR coating steps respectively. In this work, the link between near infra-red (NIR) spectra and those attributes was explored by chemometrics over the course of the coating process in a pilot scale industrial environment. Correlations were built between the NIR spectra and coating weight (for API amount), CR coating thickness and dissolution performance. These correlations allow the coating process to be monitored at-line and so better control of the product performance in line with QbD requirements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk management for moisture related effects in dry manufacturing processes: a statistical approach.

PubMed

Quiroz, Jorge; Strong, John; Zhang, Lanju

2016-03-01

A risk- and science-based approach to control the quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing includes a full understanding of how product attributes and process parameters relate to product performance through a proactive approach in formulation and process development. For dry manufacturing, where moisture content is not directly manipulated within the process, the variability in moisture of the incoming raw materials can impact both the processability and drug product quality attributes. A statistical approach is developed using individual raw material historical lots as a basis for the calculation of tolerance intervals for drug product moisture content so that risks associated with excursions in moisture content can be mitigated. The proposed method is based on a model-independent approach that uses available data to estimate parameters of interest that describe the population of blend moisture content values and which do not require knowledge of the individual blend moisture content values. Another advantage of the proposed tolerance intervals is that, it does not require the use of tabulated values for tolerance factors. This facilitates the implementation on any spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel. A computational example is used to demonstrate the proposed method.

Analysis of various quality attributes of sunflower and soybean plants by near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy: Development and validation of calibration models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean and sunflower are summer annuals that can be grown as an alternative to corn and may be particularly useful in organic production systems for forage in addition to their traditional use as protein and/or oil yielding crops. Rapid and low cost methods of analyzing plant quality would be helpf...

Mandarin fruit quality: a review.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Livnat; Yaniv, Yossi; Porat, Ron; Carmi, Nir

2018-01-01

During the last decade, there has been a continuous rise in consumption and global marketing of fresh, easy-to-peel mandarins, with current annual production of nearly 29 million tons. Nevertheless, most of the existing knowledge on quality traits of citrus fruit comes from research conducted on oranges and grapefruit, which are the main products for the citrus juice manufacturing industry; relatively little is yet known regarding the unique fruit quality traits of mandarins, nor about the great diversity in these traits among the various natural sub-groups and varieties of mandarins. In the present review we discuss the physiological, biochemical, and molecular factors governing key fruit quality attributes of mandarins, including fruit colour, size and shape, ease of peeling, seedlessness, flavour, and nutritional quality. Fruit colour, size, and shape contribute to external appearance; peelability and seedlessness to ease of consumption; and flavour and nutritional quality to internal quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Productive engagement in older adults: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Thanakwang, Kattika; Isaramalai, Sang-Arun

2013-03-01

This study aimed to clarify the concept of productive engagement as it applies to older adults. The concept analysis was based on Walker and Avant's eight-step method. A literature review of articles published in English between 1990 and 2011 (n = 37) was conducted, using an electronic search of multiple sources. Results revealed that four defining attributes for productive engagement include continuing to work either paid or unpaid, caring for others, engaging in social activities, and growing spirituality. The antecedents of productive engagement are sociocultural factors as well as individual and institutional capacities. Meanwhile, the consequences are increased feelings of usefulness, improved health and well-being, aged successfully, and enhanced quality of life. Model, borderline, and contrary cases are presented to illustrate the concept's defining attributes. Defining the concept of productive engagement provides a basis for nurses and other health professionals to better understand productive engagement in older adults, thus effective strategic plans or programs for promoting productive roles among older adults can be further developed. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Optimization of a micro-scale, high throughput process development tool and the demonstration of comparable process performance and product quality with biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

PubMed

Evans, Steven T; Stewart, Kevin D; Afdahl, Chris; Patel, Rohan; Newell, Kelcy J

2017-07-14

In this paper, we discuss the optimization and implementation of a high throughput process development (HTPD) tool that utilizes commercially available micro-liter sized column technology for the purification of multiple clinically significant monoclonal antibodies. Chromatographic profiles generated using this optimized tool are shown to overlay with comparable profiles from the conventional bench-scale and clinical manufacturing scale. Further, all product quality attributes measured are comparable across scales for the mAb purifications. In addition to supporting chromatography process development efforts (e.g., optimization screening), comparable product quality results at all scales makes this tool is an appropriate scale model to enable purification and product quality comparisons of HTPD bioreactors conditions. The ability to perform up to 8 chromatography purifications in parallel with reduced material requirements per run creates opportunities for gathering more process knowledge in less time. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of diets with silage from forage plants adapted to the semi-arid conditions on lamb quality and sensory attributes.

PubMed

Campos, F S; Carvalho, G G P; Santos, E M; Araújo, G G L; Gois, G C; Rebouças, R A; Leão, A G; Santos, S A; Oliveira, J S; Leite, L C; Araújo, M L G M L; Cirne, L G A; Silva, R R; Carvalho, B M A

2017-02-01

Quality and sensory attributes of meat from 32 mixed-breed Santa Inês lambs fed diets composed of four silages with old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia Lind), buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris), Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium), and Pornunça (Manihot sp.) were evaluated. Meat from lambs fed diet containing old man saltbush silage (P<0.05) showed greater values for cooking loss. Of the sensory attributes evaluated in the Longissimus lumborum muscle of the lambs, color and juiciness did not differ (P>0.05). However, the silages led to differences (P<0.05) in aroma, tenderness, and flavor values. The meat from animals fed the pornunça and Gliricidia silages was tenderer. Flavor scores were higher in meat from lambs that consumed old man saltbush silage and lower in the meat from those fed buffelgrass silage. Diets formulated with buffelgrass silage for sheep reduce meat production. Based on the results for carcass weight and meat quality, old man saltbush and pornunça are better silages for finishing sheep. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work Standards, Productivity, and Quality

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

8-9), and (d) Internal Satisfaction (the work itself) (questions 10-12) taken from Szilagyi and Wallace (1980); (e) Job Pressure (questions 13-16) and...task goal attributes in employee performance. Psychological Bulletin, 81,434-452. Szilagyi , A. D., Jr., & Wallace , M. J. (1980). Organizational

Instrumental textural perception of food and comparative biomaterials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Texture is an important food quality attribute affecting consumer acceptance. Consumers characterize texture as either crispy or crunchy, and the moisture content and internal structure of the products are significant factors in its perception. Exposing an extruded corn snack (ECS), an extruded biod...

Sensory analysis and consumer acceptance of 140 high-quality extra virgin olive oils.

PubMed

Valli, Enrico; Bendini, Alessandra; Popp, Martin; Bongartz, Annette

2014-08-01

Sensory analysis is a crucial tool for evaluating the quality of extra virgin olive oils. One aim of such an investigation is to verify if the sensory attributes themselves - which are strictly related to volatile and phenolic compounds - may permit the discrimination of high-quality products obtained by olives of different cultivars and/or grown in various regions. Moreover, a crucial topic is to investigate the interdependency between relevant parameters determining consumer acceptance and objective sensory characteristics evaluated by the panel test. By statistically analysing the sensory results, a grouping - but not discriminatory - effect was shown for some cultivars and some producing areas. The preference map shows that the most appreciated samples by consumers were situated in the direction of the 'ripe fruity' and 'sweet' axis and opposite to the 'bitter' and 'other attributes' (pungent, green fruity, freshly cut grass, green tomato, harmony, persistency) axis. Extra virgin olive oils produced from olives of the same cultivars and grown in the same areas shared similar sensorial attributes. Some differences in terms of expectation and interpretation of sensory characteristics of extra virgin olive oils might be present for consumers and panellists: most of the consumers appear unfamiliar with positive sensorial attributes, such as bitterness and pungency. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of nanostructured lipid carriers containing salicyclic acid for dermal use based on the Quality by Design method.

PubMed

Kovács, A; Berkó, Sz; Csányi, E; Csóka, I

2017-03-01

The aim of our present work was to evaluate the applicability of the Quality by Design (QbD) methodology in the development and optimalization of nanostructured lipid carriers containing salicyclic acid (NLC SA). Within the Quality by Design methology, special emphasis is layed on the adaptation of the initial risk assessment step in order to properly identify the critical material attributes and critical process parameters in formulation development. NLC SA products were formulated by the ultrasonication method using Compritol 888 ATO as solid lipid, Miglyol 812 as liquid lipid and Cremophor RH 60® as surfactant. LeanQbD Software and StatSoft. Inc. Statistica for Windows 11 were employed to indentify the risks. Three highly critical quality attributes (CQAs) for NLC SA were identified, namely particle size, particle size distribution and aggregation. Five attributes of medium influence were identified, including dissolution rate, dissolution efficiency, pH, lipid solubility of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and entrapment efficiency. Three critical material attributes (CMA) and critical process parameters (CPP) were identified: surfactant concentration, solid lipid/liquid lipid ratio and ultrasonication time. The CMAs and CPPs are considered as independent variables and the CQAs are defined as dependent variables. The 2 3 factorial design was used to evaluate the role of the independent and dependent variables. Based on our experiments, an optimal formulation can be obtained when the surfactant concentration is set to 5%, the solid lipid/liquid lipid ratio is 7:3 and ultrasonication time is 20min. The optimal NLC SA showed narrow size distribution (0.857±0.014) with a mean particle size of 114±2.64nm. The NLC SA product showed a significantly higher in vitro drug release compared to the micro-particle reference preparation containing salicylic acid (MP SA). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of Quality by Design to the characterization of the cell culture process of an Fc-Fusion protein.

PubMed

Rouiller, Yolande; Solacroup, Thomas; Deparis, Véronique; Barbafieri, Marco; Gleixner, Ralf; Broly, Hervé; Eon-Duval, Alex

2012-06-01

The production bioreactor step of an Fc-Fusion protein manufacturing cell culture process was characterized following Quality by Design principles. Using scientific knowledge derived from the literature and process knowledge gathered during development studies and manufacturing to support clinical trials, potential critical and key process parameters with a possible impact on product quality and process performance, respectively, were determined during a risk assessment exercise. The identified process parameters were evaluated using a design of experiment approach. The regression models generated from the data allowed characterizing the impact of the identified process parameters on quality attributes. The main parameters having an impact on product titer were pH and dissolved oxygen, while those having the highest impact on process- and product-related impurities and variants were pH and culture duration. The models derived from characterization studies were used to define the cell culture process design space. The design space limits were set in such a way as to ensure that the drug substance material would consistently have the desired quality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying and predicting meat and meat products quality attributes using electromagnetic waves: an overview.

PubMed

Damez, Jean-Louis; Clerjon, Sylvie

2013-12-01

The meat industry needs reliable meat quality information throughout the production process in order to guarantee high-quality meat products for consumers. Besides laboratory researches, food scientists often try to adapt their tools to industrial conditions and easy handling devices useable on-line and in slaughterhouses already exist. This paper overviews the recently developed approaches and latest research efforts related to assessing the quality of different meat products by electromagnetic waves and examines the potential for their deployment. The main meat quality traits that can be assessed using electromagnetic waves are sensory characteristics, chemical composition, physicochemical properties, health-protecting properties, nutritional characteristics and safety. A wide range of techniques, from low frequency, high frequency impedance measurement, microwaves, NMR, IR and UV light, to X-ray interaction, involves a wide range of physical interactions between the electromagnetic wave and the sample. Some of these techniques are now in a period of transition between experimental and applied utilization and several sensors and instruments are reviewed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation disinfestation of food and agricultural products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moy, J.H.

1985-01-01

This book presents the papers given at a conference on the radiodisinfestation of food and crops. Topics considered at the conference included food irradiation's impact of the US Agency for International Development, FDA regulations, irradiation as a quarantine treatment, quality attributes of irradiated fruits, low-dose irradiation, cesium 137 as a radiation source, radiosterilization, economic feasibility, marketing, consumer acceptance, and the packaging of irradiated products.

Implementation of quality by design principles in the development of microsponges as drug delivery carriers: Identification and optimization of critical factors using multivariate statistical analyses and design of experiments studies.

PubMed

Simonoska Crcarevska, Maja; Dimitrovska, Aneta; Sibinovska, Nadica; Mladenovska, Kristina; Slavevska Raicki, Renata; Glavas Dodov, Marija

2015-07-15

Microsponges drug delivery system (MDDC) was prepared by double emulsion-solvent-diffusion technique using rotor-stator homogenization. Quality by design (QbD) concept was implemented for the development of MDDC with potential to be incorporated into semisolid dosage form (gel). Quality target product profile (QTPP) and critical quality attributes (CQA) were defined and identified, accordingly. Critical material attributes (CMA) and Critical process parameters (CPP) were identified using quality risk management (QRM) tool, failure mode, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA). CMA and CPP were identified based on results obtained from principal component analysis (PCA-X&Y) and partial least squares (PLS) statistical analysis along with literature data, product and process knowledge and understanding. FMECA identified amount of ethylcellulose, chitosan, acetone, dichloromethane, span 80, tween 80 and water ratio in primary/multiple emulsions as CMA and rotation speed and stirrer type used for organic solvent removal as CPP. The relationship between identified CPP and particle size as CQA was described in the design space using design of experiments - one-factor response surface method. Obtained results from statistically designed experiments enabled establishment of mathematical models and equations that were used for detailed characterization of influence of identified CPP upon MDDC particle size and particle size distribution and their subsequent optimization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extra-virgin olive oil: are consumers provided with the sensory quality they want? A hedonic price model with sensory attributes.

PubMed

Cavallo, Carla; Caracciolo, Francesco; Cicia, Gianni; Del Giudice, Teresa

2018-03-01

Over the years, niche-differentiation strategies and food policies have pushed quality standards of European extra-virgin olive oil towards a product that has a sensory profile consisting of fruity, bitter and pungent notes, with such oils having excellent healthy features. However, it is unclear whether typical consumers are ready for a richer and more complex sensory profile than the neutral one historically found on the market. This potential discrepancy is investigated in the present study aiiming to determine whether current demand is able to appreciate this path of quality enhancement. Implicit prices for each and every attribute of extra-virgin olive oil with a focus on sensory characteristics were investigated using a hedonic price model. Although confirming the importance of origin and terroir for extra-virgin olive oil, the results of the present study strongly confirm the discrepancy between what is currently valued on the market and what novel supply trends are trying to achieve in terms of the sensory properties of such products. Increasing consumer awareness about the direct link between the health quality of oils and their sensory profile appears to be necessary to make quality enhancement programs more successful on the market and hence more effective for companies. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The impact of perceived quality on online buying decisions: an event-related potentials perspective.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Han, Weiwei

2014-10-01

Consumer neuroscience can provide useful insights into the neural foundations of consumer decisions, such as perceived quality. One of the applications is to guide attribute configuration of products to fit consumers' expectations on the basis of individual preferences. In this study, we required 20 participants to decide whether to buy the product provided in the stimuli and to respond as soon as possible. According to their reports of expectations after the experiment, we subdivided the stimuli into two conditions. Condition 1 contained the stimuli that fit individual preferences, whereas Condition 2 contained the other stimuli. An essential component of event-related potentials (ERPs), the P300, was elicited in the two conditions and distributed over almost all parietal and occipital regions. Products in Condition 1 induced a higher P300 amplitude than those in Condition 2. The results show that evaluating product attributes is a cognitive process that modulates attention in the aforementioned regions. When participants evaluate the alternatives, categorical processing occurred on the basis of similarity judgment. The situation in Condition 1 produced a similarity overlap between the product and the expectation and resulted in a higher P300. Otherwise, there was no overlap, leading to a smaller P300. Hence, the P300 may be a useful neural endogenous indicator for measuring consumers' evaluations of products in marketing research.

Qualitative and nutritional differences in processing tomatoes grown under commercial organic and conventional production systems.

PubMed

Barrett, D M; Weakley, C; Diaz, J V; Watnik, M

2007-11-01

Organically grown products experienced a doubling in percent penetration of organic sales into retail markets during the period from 1997 to 2003; however, there is still a debate over the perceived quality advantage of organically grown fruits and vegetables. In a study focusing on commercial production of processing tomatoes, samples were analyzed from 4 growers with matched organic and conventional fields. For the 4 growers studied, individual analysis of variance results indicated that tomato juice prepared from organically produced tomatoes on some farms was significantly higher in soluble solids ( degrees Brix), higher in consistency, and titratable acidity, but lower in red color, ascorbic acid, and total phenolics content in the microwaved juice. Results were significantly different among specific growers, and this may be attributed to differences in soil type and soil nutrients, tomato cultivar, environmental conditions, or other production-related factors. Higher levels of soluble solids, titratable acidity, and consistency are desirable for the production of tomato paste, in that tomatoes with these attributes may be more flavorful and require less thermal treatment. This has the potential to result both in cost savings from less energy required in paste manufacture and potentially a higher quality product due to less thermal degradation of color, flavor, and nutrients. Future work may involve a larger number of commercial growers and correlation to controlled university research plots.

The influence of additives and drying methods on quality attributes of fish protein powder made from saithe (Pollachius virens).

PubMed

Shaviklo, Gholam Reza; Thorkelsson, Gudjon; Arason, Sigurjon; Kristinsson, Hordur G; Sveinsdottir, Kolbrun

2010-09-01

Fish protein powder (FPP) is used in the food industry for developing formulated food products. This study investigates the feasibility of increasing the value of saithe (Pollachius virens) by producing a functional FPP. Quality attributes of spray and freeze-dried saithe surimi containing lyoprotectants were studied. A freeze-dried saithe surimi without lyoprotectants was also prepared as a control sample. The amount of protein, moisture, fat and carbohydrate in the FPPs were 745-928, 39-58, 21-32 and 10-151 g kg(-1). Quality attributes of FPPs were influenced by the two drying methods and lyoprotectants. The highest level of lipid oxidation was found in the control and the second highest in the spray-dried FPP. The spray-dried fish protein had the lowest viscosity among all FPPs. Gel-forming ability of samples with lyoprotectants was higher than that of the control. Water-binding capacity, emulsion properties and solubility of the freeze-dried fish protein containing lyoprotectants were significantly higher than spray-dried and control samples. However, functional properties of spray-dried FPP were higher than the control sample. It is feasible to develop value-added FPP from saithe surimi using spray- and freeze-drying processes, but freeze-dried FPP containing lyoprotectant had superior functional properties and stability compared with spray-dried sample. Both products might be used as functional protein ingredients in various food systems. Copyright 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Methods for assessing the quality of data in public health information systems: a critical review.

PubMed

Chen, Hong; Yu, Ping; Hailey, David; Wang, Ning

2014-01-01

The quality of data in public health information systems can be ensured by effective data quality assessment. In order to conduct effective data quality assessment, measurable data attributes have to be precisely defined. Then reliable and valid measurement methods for data attributes have to be used to measure each attribute. We conducted a systematic review of data quality assessment methods for public health using major databases and well-known institutional websites. 35 studies were eligible for inclusion in the study. A total of 49 attributes of data quality were identified from the literature. Completeness, accuracy and timeliness were the three most frequently assessed attributes of data quality. Most studies directly examined data values. This is complemented by exploring either data users' perception or documentation quality. However, there are limitations of current data quality assessment methods: a lack of consensus on attributes measured; inconsistent definition of the data quality attributes; a lack of mixed methods for assessing data quality; and inadequate attention to reliability and validity. Removal of these limitations is an opportunity for further improvement.

Identification and quantification of flavor attributes present in chicken, lamb, pork, beef, and turkey.

PubMed

Maughan, Curtis; Martini, Silvana

2012-02-01

The objectives of this study were to use a meat flavor lexicon to identify and quantify flavor differences among different types of meats such as beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and turkey, and to identify and quantify specific flavor attributes associated with "beef flavor" notes. A trained descriptive panel with 11 participants used a previously developed meat lexicon composed of 18 terms to evaluate the flavor of beef, chicken, pork, turkey, and lamb samples. Results show that beef and lamb samples can be described by flavor attributes such as barny, bitter, gamey, grassy, livery, metallic, and roast beef. Inversely related to these samples were pork and turkey and those attributes that were closely related to them, namely brothy, fatty, salty, sweet, and umami. Chicken was not strongly related to the other types of meats or the attributes used. The descriptive panel also evaluated samples of ground beef mixed with chicken to identify and quantify flavor attributes associated with a "beef flavor." Meat patties for this portion consisted of ground beef mixed with ground chicken in varying amounts: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% beef, with the remainder made up of chicken. Beef and beef-rich patties (75% beef) were more closely related to flavor attributes such as astringent, bloody, fatty, gamey, metallic, livery, oxidized, grassy, and roast beef, while chicken was more closely associated with brothy, juicy, sour, sweet, and umami. This research provides information regarding the specific flavor attributes that differentiate chicken and beef products and provides the first set of descriptors that can be associated with "beefy" notes. POTENTIAL APPLICATION: The use of a standardized flavor lexicon will allow meat producers to identify specific flavors present in their products. The impact is to identify and quantify negative and positive flavors in the product with the ultimate goal of optimizing processing or cooking conditions and improve the quality of meat products. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Understanding effect of formulation and manufacturing variables on the critical quality attributes of warfarin sodium product.

PubMed

Rahman, Ziyaur; Korang-Yeboah, Maxwell; Siddiqui, Akhtar; Mohammad, Adil; Khan, Mansoor A

2015-11-10

Warfarin sodium (WS) is a narrow therapeutic index drug and its product quality should be thoroughly understood and monitored in order to avoid clinical performance issues. This study was focused on understanding the effect of manufacturing and formulation variables on WS product critical quality attributes (CQAs). Eight formulations were developed with lactose monohydrate (LM) or lactose anhydrous (LA), and were either wet granulated or directly compressed. Formulations were granulated either with ethanol, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and IPA-water mixture (50:50). Formulations were characterized for IPA, water content, hardness, disintegration time (DT), assay, dissolution and drug physical forms (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), near infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR)), and performed accelerated stability studies at 40°C/75% RH for three days. The DT and dissolution of directly compressed formulations were faster than wet granulated formulations. This was due to phase transformation of crystalline drug into its amorphous form as indicated by SEM, NIR-CI, XRPD and ssNMR data which itself act as a binder. Similarly, LM showed faster disintegration and dissolution than LA containing formulations. Stability results indicated an increase in hardness and DT, and a decrease in dissolution rate and extent. This was due to phase transformation of the drug and consolidation with particles' bonding. In conclusion, the CQAs of WS product were significantly affected by manufacturing and formulation variables. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A quality-by-design study for an immediate-release tablet platform: examining the relative impact of active pharmaceutical ingredient properties, processing methods, and excipient variability on drug product quality attributes.

PubMed

Kushner, Joseph; Langdon, Beth A; Hicks, Ian; Song, Daniel; Li, Fasheng; Kathiria, Lalji; Kane, Anil; Ranade, Gautam; Agarwal, Kam

2014-02-01

The impact of filler-lubricant particle size ratio variation (3.4-41.6) on the attributes of an immediate-release tablet was compared with the impacts of the manufacturing method used (direct compression or dry granulation) and drug loading (1%, 5%, and 25%), particle size (D[4,3]: 8-114 μm), and drug type (theophylline or ibuprofen). All batches were successfully manufactured, except for direct compression of 25% drug loading of 8 μm (D[4,3]) drug, which exhibited very poor flow properties. All manufactured tablets possessed adequate quality attributes: tablet weight uniformity <4% RSD, tablet potency: 94%-105%, content uniformity <6% RSD, acceptance value ≤ 15, solid fraction: 0.82-0.86, tensile strength >1 MPa, friability ≤ 0.2% weight loss, and disintegration time < 4 min. The filler-lubricant particle size ratio exhibited the greatest impact on blend and granulation particle size and granulation flow, whereas drug property variation dominated blend flow, ribbon solid fraction, and tablet quality attributes. Although statistically significant effects were observed, the results of this study suggest that the manufacturability and performance of this immediate-release tablet formulation is robust to a broad range of variation in drug properties, both within-grade and extra-grade excipient particle size variations, and the choice of manufacturing method. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Effect of packaging methods and crude aloe vera gel (Aloe vera barbadensis miller) on the storage quality of enrobed goat meat bites.

PubMed

Jairath, Gauri; Chatli, Manish K; Sahoo, Jhari; Biswas, Ashim K

2015-06-01

The storage stability of enrobed goat meat bites (EGMB) incorporated with 3 % crude aloe vera (AV) gel was evaluated under aerobic (T-1; unenrobed control product, T-2; enrobed AV treated product) and modified atmospheric packaging (MAP, 50:50, CO2 and N2) (T-3; unenrobed control product, T-4; enrobed AV treated product) at 4 ± 1 °C for 42 days on the basis of physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory attributes. The pH value was higher, whereas water activity (aW) was lower in enrobed and MAP product. Thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) and free fatty acid (FFA) values were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in MAP packaged (T-3) and AV treated products (T-2 and T-4) products than aerobic packaged (T-1), however it followed an increasing trend in all the products throughout storage. Instrumental colour and textural profile attributes were better maintained in MAP products than others. The sensory panellists graded T-4 'good to very good' even on Day 42, whereas T-1 was acceptable only up to 28 days. Standard Plate Count (SPC) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in MAP products than aerobic packaged products. Results concluded that EGMB treated with AV gel can be successfully stored more than 42 days under MAP conditions without affecting its physico-chemical, textural, microbiological and sensory attributes.

Chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and sensory quality of dried jujube fruits as affected by cultivar and drying method.

PubMed

Wojdyło, Aneta; Figiel, Adam; Legua, Pilar; Lech, Krzysztof; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A; Hernández, Francisca

2016-09-15

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different dying methods, such as convective drying (CD: 50, 60, 70 °C), vacuum-microwave drying (VMD: 120, 480, 480-120 W), a combination of convective pre-drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying [(CPD (60 °C)-VMFD (480-120 W)], and freeze-drying (FD) on key quality parameters of dried jujube fruits (cv. "GAL", "MSI", and "PSI"). The parameters studied included bioactive compounds (flavan-3-ols and flavonols, identified by LC-PDA-MS, and vitamin C), antioxidant capacity (ABTS and FRAP), and sensory attributes (e.g. hardness, jujube-ID, and sweetness). The best quality of the dried product (high contents of bioactive compounds and high intensity of key sensory attributes) was found in fruits treated by FD and VMD 480-120 W. The best cultivars were "PSI" and "GAL" from the point of view of bioactive content and sensory quality, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food Quality Improvement of Soy Milk Made from Short-Time Germinated Soybeans

PubMed Central

Jiang, Susu; Cai, Weixi; Xu, Baojun

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to develop soy milk with improved food quality and to enhance the functional attributes by incorporating short-time germination into the processing. Changes in trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), phytic acid content and total phenolic content (TPC) in soy milk produced from soybeans germinated within 72 h were investigated to determine the optimum germination condition. Results from the present research showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement of TPC in cooked germinated soybean milk, while both the TIA and phytic acid content were decreased significantly (p < 0.05). In the subsequent evaluation on the quality attributes under the optimum germination condition, soy milk made from 28 h-germinated soybeans presented enhanced nutritional value and comparable physicochemical properties to conventional soy milk. The current approach provides a feasible and convenient way for soy-based product innovation in both household and industrial settings. PMID:28239109

Consumers' choice of drinking water: Is it dependent upon perceived quality, convenience, price and attitude?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid, Nabsiah Abdul; Cheng, Patrick Tan Foon; Abustan, Ismail; Nee, Goh Yen

2017-10-01

Tap water is one of the many sources of water that the public as consumers can choose for drinking. This study hypothesized that perceived quality, convenience, price and environmental attitude would determine consumers's choice of drinking water following the Attribution Theory as the underlying model. A survey was carried out on Malaysia's public at large. From 301 usable data, the PLS analysis revealed that only perceived quality, convenience and price attributed towards the public's choice of drinking water while attitude was not significant. The findings are beneficial for the water sector industry, particularly for drinking water operators, state governments, and alternative drinking water manufacturers like bottled water companies. The ability to identify factors for why consumers in the marketplace choose the source of their drinking water would enable the operators to plan and strategize tactics that can disseminate accurate knowledge about the product that can motivate marketability of drinking water in Malaysia.

Beef quality attributes: A systematic review of consumer perspectives.

PubMed

Henchion, Maeve M; McCarthy, Mary; Resconi, Virginia C

2017-06-01

Informed by quality theory, this systematic literature review seeks to determine the relative importance of beef quality attributes from a consumer perspective, considering search, experience and credence quality attributes. While little change is anticipated in consumer ranking of search and experience attributes in the future, movement is expected in terms of ranking within the credence category and also in terms of the ranking of credence attributes overall. This highlights an opportunity for quality assurance schemes (QAS) to become more consumer focused through including a wider range of credence attributes. To capitalise on this opportunity, the meat industry should actively anticipate new relevant credence attributes and researchers need to develop new or better methods to measure them. This review attempts to identify the most relevant quality attributes in beef that may be considered in future iterations of QAS, to increase consumer satisfaction and, potentially, to increase returns to industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Application of quality by design in granulation process for ginkgo leaf tablet (Ⅱ)： identification of critical quality attributes].

PubMed

Xu, Bing; Cui, Xiang-Long; Yang, Chan; Wang, Xin; Shi, Xin-Yuan; Qiao, Yan-Jiang

2017-03-01

Quality by design (QbD) highlights the concept of "begin with the end", which means to thoroughly understand the target product quality first, and then guide pharmaceutical process development and quality control throughout the whole manufacturing process. In this paper, the Ginkgo biloba granules intermediates were taken as the research object, and the requirements of the tensile strength of tablets were treated as the goals to establish the methods for identification of granules' critical quality attributes (CQAs) and establishment of CQAs' limits. Firstly, the orthogonal partial least square (OPLS) model was adopted to build the relationship between the micromeritic properties of 29 batches of granules and the tensile strength of ginkgo leaf tablets, and thereby the potential critical quality attributes (pCQAs) were screened by variable importance in the projection (VIP) indexes. Then, a series of OPLS models were rebuilt by reducing pCQAs variables one by one in view of the rule of VIP values from low to high in sequence. The model performance results demonstrated that calibration and predictive performance of the model had no decreasing trend after variables reduction. In consideration of the results from variables selection as well as the collinearity test and testability of the pCQAs, the median particle size (D₅₀) and the bulk density (Da) were identified as critical quality attributes (CQAs). The design space of CQAs was developed based on a multiple linear regression model established between the CQAs (D₅₀ and Da) and the tensile strength. The control constraints of the CQAs were determined as 170 μm< D₅₀<500 μm and 0.30 g•cm⁻³

Lizard threat display handicaps endurance.

PubMed Central

Brandt, Y

2003-01-01

Honest-signalling theory asserts that threat displays reliably advertise attributes that influence fighting success. Endurance, as measured by treadmill performance, predicts the outcome of agonistic interactions among lizards. If threat displays in lizards function to advertise endurance capacity then variation in threat displays should correlate with endurance. I tested this prediction for the duration of threat posturing in male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) and examined whether threat displays act as quality handicaps, reliable signals that expend the attribute that is advertised. Individual variation in the duration of threat posturing correlated with endurance, while an experimental reduction of endurance diminished the duration of threat posturing. As expected of a quality handicap, endurance fell below baseline after display production. A restriction of aerobic metabolism can account for this effect. In threat posturing, lateral compression of the thorax may interfere with respiration or with circulation, limiting aerobic metabolism and causing a compensatory increase in anaerobic metabolism, thereby generating lactate and diminishing locomotor capacity. Concentrations of lactate measured after display production were higher than baseline, consistent with the proposed mechanism. By restricting aerobic metabolism, the threat posture can act as a quality handicap, simultaneously advertising and expending the endurance capacity of displaying lizards. PMID:12803896

Effects of carrot pomace powder and a mixture of pectin and xanthan on the quality of gluten-free batter and cakes.

PubMed

Majzoobi, Mahsa; Vosooghi Poor, Zahra; Mesbahi, Gholamreza; Jamalian, Jalal; Farahnaky, Asgar

2017-12-01

Carrot pomace powder (CPP) is a valuable by-product of carrot processing containing nutrients and fiber and can be utilized for enrichment of gluten-free products. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effects of various levels of CPP (0, 10, 20, and 30%) and a mixture of hydrocolloids (HC) including pectin and xanthan (1.5% of each) on the quality of batter and gluten-free cakes. With increasing the level of CPP and inclusion of HC the viscosity of the batter increased significantly from 87 mPa s for the control to >7000 mPa s for 30%CCP + HC sample. The density of the control batter was 1.2 g/cm 3 which reduced significantly to 0.899 g/cm 3 for HC sample. The pH of the cake reduced from 7.23 to 6.78 with addition of CPP but increased slightly with inclusion of HC. The density of the cake reduced from 0.510 g/cm 3 for the control to 0.395 g/cm 3 for 20%CCP + C sample. The texture of the cakes became softer, more springy and chewable with addition of CPP, CPP + HC, and HC. The control sample had the lowest uniformity index (0.178) which improved with addition of CPP and CPP + HC and a highly uniform cake with a uniformity index of 0.045 was obtained for the 30%CCP + HC cake. Addition of CPP increased the dark color of the cakes while inclusion of HC had no effect on the appearance of the cake and color. It was concluded that inclusion of maximum 30%CCP and 20%CPP + HC promoted the quality and sensory attributes of gluten-free cakes. Although different types of gluten-free products are available in the market, most of them contain insufficient amount of fiber and nutrients. Despite popularity, gluten-free cakes are poor in fiber and nutrient contents. Therefore, improving the nutritional value of these products has received an increasing attention by the food industry. Carrot pomace powder (CPP) is an available source of fiber and nutrients and hence can be utilized for enrichment of gluten-free products. This study showed that the inclusion of up to 30% CPP or 20% CPP with a mixture of xanthan and pectin (3%, 1:1) improved the quality and sensory attributes of the cakes. Industrial implications of this study may lead to new product development and improved marketing due to the enhancement of quality, sensory attributes, and nutritional value of the products. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient perspectives of telemedicine quality

PubMed Central

LeRouge, Cynthia M; Garfield, Monica J; Hevner, Alan R

2015-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to explore the quality attributes required for effective telemedicine encounters from the perspective of the patient. Methods We used a multi-method (direct observation, focus groups, survey) field study to collect data from patients who had experienced telemedicine encounters. Multi-perspectives (researcher and provider) were used to interpret a rich set of data from both a research and practice perspective. Results The result of this field study is a taxonomy of quality attributes for telemedicine service encounters that prioritizes the attributes from the patient perspective. We identify opportunities to control the level of quality for each attribute (ie, who is responsible for control of each attribute and when control can be exerted in relation to the encounter process). This analysis reveals that many quality attributes are in the hands of various stakeholders, and all attributes can be addressed proactively to some degree before the encounter begins. Conclusion Identification of the quality attributes important to a telemedicine encounter from a patient perspective enables one to better design telemedicine encounters. This preliminary work not only identifies such attributes, but also ascertains who is best able to address quality issues prior to an encounter. For practitioners, explicit representation of the quality attributes of technology-based systems and processes and insight on controlling key attributes are essential to implementation, utilization, management, and common understanding. PMID:25565781

QbD-Enabled Development of Novel Stimuli-Responsive Gastroretentive Systems of Acyclovir for Improved Patient Compliance and Biopharmaceutical Performance.

PubMed

Singh, Bhupinder; Kaur, Anterpreet; Dhiman, Shashi; Garg, Babita; Khurana, Rajneet Kaur; Beg, Sarwar

2016-04-01

The current studies entail systematic quality by design (QbD)-based development of stimuli-responsive gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) of acyclovir using polysaccharide blends for attaining controlled drug release profile and improved patient compliance. The patient-centric quality target product profile was defined and critical quality attributes (CQAs) earmarked. Risk assessment studies, carried out through Ishikawa fish bone diagram and failure mode, effect, and criticality analysis, helped in identifying the plausible risks or failure modes affecting the quality attributes of the drug product. A face-centered cubic design was employed for systematic development and optimization of the concentration of sodium alginate (X 1) and gellan (X 2) as the critical material attributes (CMAs) in the stimuli-responsive formulations, which were evaluated for CQAs viz. viscosity, gel strength, onset of floatation, and drug release characteristics. Mathematical modeling was carried out for generation of design space, and optimum formulation was embarked upon, exhibiting formulation characteristics marked by excellent floatation and bioadhesion characteristics along with promising drug release control up to 24 h. Drug-excipient compatibility studies through FTIR and DSC revealed absence of any interaction(s) among the formulation excipients. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies in Wistar rats corroborated extension in the drug absorption profile from the optimized stimuli-responsive GR formulations vis-à-vis the marketed suspension (ZOVIRAX®). Establishment of in vitro/in vivo correlation (IVIVC) revealed a high degree of correlation between the in vitro and in vivo data. In a nutshell, the present investigations report the successful development of stimuli-responsive GRDDS of acyclovir, which can be applicable as a platform approach for other drugs too.

Recent advances in molecular genetic linkage maps of cultivated peanut

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The competitiveness of peanuts in domestic and global markets has been threatened by losses in productivity and quality that are attributed to diseases, pests, environmental stresses and allergy or food safety issues. Narrow genetic diversity and deficiency of polymorphic DNA markers had severely hi...

Functional values of Great Lakes coastal wetlands: What we know and what we can be working towards

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality improvement, shoreline protection, carbon sequestration, and lake productivity subsidy are among the functional values commonly attributed to Great Lakes coastal wetlands (GLCWs). There is much less information concerning these than there is concerning habitat and f...

Drop-on-Demand System for Manufacturing of Melt-based Solid Oral Dosage: Effect of Critical Process Parameters on Product Quality.

PubMed

Içten, Elçin; Giridhar, Arun; Nagy, Zoltan K; Reklaitis, Gintaras V

2016-04-01

The features of a drop-on-demand-based system developed for the manufacture of melt-based pharmaceuticals have been previously reported. In this paper, a supervisory control system, which is designed to ensure reproducible production of high quality of melt-based solid oral dosages, is presented. This control system enables the production of individual dosage forms with the desired critical quality attributes: amount of active ingredient and drug morphology by monitoring and controlling critical process parameters, such as drop size and product and process temperatures. The effects of these process parameters on the final product quality are investigated, and the properties of the produced dosage forms characterized using various techniques, such as Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and dissolution testing. A crystallization temperature control strategy, including controlled temperature cycles, is presented to tailor the crystallization behavior of drug deposits and to achieve consistent drug morphology. This control strategy can be used to achieve the desired bioavailability of the drug by mitigating variations in the dissolution profiles. The supervisor control strategy enables the application of the drop-on-demand system to the production of individualized dosage required for personalized drug regimens.

Development of a design space and predictive statistical model for capsule filling of low-fill-weight inhalation products.

PubMed

Faulhammer, E; Llusa, M; Wahl, P R; Paudel, A; Lawrence, S; Biserni, S; Calzolari, V; Khinast, J G

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to develop a predictive statistical model for low-fill-weight capsule filling of inhalation products with dosator nozzles via the quality by design (QbD) approach and based on that to create refined models that include quadratic terms for significant parameters. Various controllable process parameters and uncontrolled material attributes of 12 powders were initially screened using a linear model with partial least square (PLS) regression to determine their effect on the critical quality attributes (CQA; fill weight and weight variability). After identifying critical material attributes (CMAs) and critical process parameters (CPPs) that influenced the CQA, model refinement was performed to study if interactions or quadratic terms influence the model. Based on the assessment of the effects of the CPPs and CMAs on fill weight and weight variability for low-fill-weight inhalation products, we developed an excellent linear predictive model for fill weight (R(2 )= 0.96, Q(2 )= 0.96 for powders with good flow properties and R(2 )= 0.94, Q(2 )= 0.93 for cohesive powders) and a model that provides a good approximation of the fill weight variability for each powder group. We validated the model, established a design space for the performance of different types of inhalation grade lactose on low-fill weight capsule filling and successfully used the CMAs and CPPs to predict fill weight of powders that were not included in the development set.

Quality risk management in pharmaceutical development.

PubMed

Charoo, Naseem Ahmad; Ali, Areeg Anwer

2013-07-01

The objective of ICH Q8, Q9 and Q10 documents is application of systemic and science based approach to formulation development for building quality into product. There is always some uncertainty in new product development. Good risk management practice is essential for success of new product development in decreasing this uncertainty. In quality by design paradigm, the product performance properties relevant to the patient are predefined in target product profile (TPP). Together with prior knowledge and experience, TPP helps in identification of critical quality attributes (CQA's). Initial risk assessment which identifies risks to these CQA's provides impetus for product development. Product and process are designed to gain knowledge about these risks, devise strategies to eliminate or mitigate these risks and meet objectives set in TPP. By laying more emphasis on high risk events the protection level of patient is increased. The process being scientifically driven improves the transparency and reliability of the manufacturer. The focus on risk to the patient together with flexible development approach saves invaluable resources, increases confidence on quality and reduces compliance risk. The knowledge acquired in analysing risks to CQA's permits construction of meaningful design space. Within the boundaries of the design space, variation in critical material characteristics and process parameters must be managed in order to yield a product having the desired characteristics. Specifications based on product and process understanding are established such that product will meet the specifications if tested. In this way, the product is amenable to real time release, since specifications only confirm quality but they do not serve as a means of effective process control.

Potential application of machine vision technology to saffron (Crocus sativus L.) quality characterization.

PubMed

Kiani, Sajad; Minaei, Saeid

2016-12-01

Saffron quality characterization is an important issue in the food industry and of interest to the consumers. This paper proposes an expert system based on the application of machine vision technology for characterization of saffron and shows how it can be employed in practical usage. There is a correlation between saffron color and its geographic location of production and some chemical attributes which could be properly used for characterization of saffron quality and freshness. This may be accomplished by employing image processing techniques coupled with multivariate data analysis for quantification of saffron properties. Expert algorithms can be made available for prediction of saffron characteristics such as color as well as for product classification. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Transforming nanomedicine manufacturing toward Quality by Design and microfluidics.

PubMed

Colombo, Stefano; Beck-Broichsitter, Moritz; Bøtker, Johan Peter; Malmsten, Martin; Rantanen, Jukka; Bohr, Adam

2018-04-05

Nanopharmaceuticals aim at translating the unique features of nano-scale materials into therapeutic products and consequently their development relies critically on the progression in manufacturing technology to allow scalable processes complying with process economy and quality assurance. The relatively high failure rate in translational nanopharmaceutical research and development, with respect to new products on the market, is at least partly due to immature bottom-up manufacturing development and resulting sub-optimal control of quality attributes in nanopharmaceuticals. Recently, quality-oriented manufacturing of pharmaceuticals has undergone an unprecedented change toward process and product development interaction. In this context, Quality by Design (QbD) aims to integrate product and process development resulting in an increased number of product applications to regulatory agencies and stronger proprietary defense strategies of process-based products. Although QbD can be applied to essentially any production approach, microfluidic production offers particular opportunities for QbD-based manufacturing of nanopharmaceuticals. Microfluidics provides unique design flexibility, process control and parameter predictability, and also offers ample opportunities for modular production setups, allowing process feedback for continuously operating production and process control. The present review aims at outlining emerging opportunities in the synergistic implementation of QbD strategies and microfluidic production in contemporary development and manufacturing of nanopharmaceuticals. In doing so, aspects of design and development, but also technology management, are reviewed, as is the strategic role of these tools for aligning nanopharmaceutical innovation, development, and advanced industrialization in the broader pharmaceutical field. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality and storage stability of extruded puffed corn-fish snacks during 6-month storage at ambient temperature.

PubMed

Shaviklo, Gholam Reza; Thorkelsson, Gudjon; Rafipour, Fereidon; Sigurgisladottir, Sjofn

2011-03-30

Cereal-based snacks are usually low in protein and other nutrients. Increased health awareness of consumers has led the food industry to develop fortified snacks with functional ingredients. Three types of extruded corn-fish snacks, containing 150 g kg(-1) carp mince and 150 g kg(-1) trout mince, 30 g kg(-1) freeze-dried saithe protein and a regular corn snack (control). were produced to study quality changes and storage stability of the products during 6-month storage at 27±2 °C. All products had the same level of water activity and proximate composition except for protein. Fortified snacks had a protein content of 93-98 g kg(-1) , compared with 65 g kg(-1) in the control. A significant increase was observed for peroxide value during storage (0.0 to 2.8 meq kg(-1)). Scores for attributes describing oxidation and off odors and flavors increased after 5-6 months' storage but attributes describing puffed corn snack odor and flavor did not change during storage of any of the products. Extrusion of corn grits with fish flesh/fish protein can be used to produce high-protein products that would be an option to provide nutrient snacks for consumers and to increase fish consumption. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

The effect of variety and maturity on the quality of freeze-dried carrots. The effect of microwave blanching on the nutritional and textural quality of freeze-dried spinach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Using carrots, the quality of freeze-dried products was studied to determine the optimum varieties and maturation stages for quality attributes such as appearance, flavor, texture, and nutritive value. The quality of freeze-dried carrots is discussed in terms of Gardner color, alcohol insoluble solids, viscosity, and core/cortex ratio. Also, microwave blanching of freeze-dried spinach was studied to determine vitamin interrelationships, anatomical changes, and oxidative deteriorations in terms of preprocessing microwave treatments. Statistical methods were employed in the gathering of data and interpretation of results in both studies.

Liposomal Drug Product Development and Quality: Current US Experience and Perspective.

PubMed

Kapoor, Mamta; Lee, Sau L; Tyner, Katherine M

2017-05-01

Research in the area of liposomes has grown substantially in the past few decades. Liposomes are lipid bilayer structures that can incorporate drug substances to modify the drug's pharmacokinetic profile thereby improving drug delivery. The agency has received over 400 liposomal drug product submissions (excluding combination therapies), and there are currently eight approved liposomal drug products on the US market. In order to identify the pain points in development and manufacturing of liposomal drug products, a retrospective analysis was performed from a quality perspective on submissions for new and generic liposomal drug products. General analysis on liposomal drug product submissions was also performed. Results indicated that 96% of the submissions were Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, 3% were New Drug Applications (NDAs), and the remaining 1% was Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). Doxorubicin hydrochloride was the most commonly used drug substance incorporated into the liposomes (31%). The majority of the liposomal products were administered via intravenous route (84%) with cancer (various types) being the most common indication (63%). From a quality perspective, major challenges during the development of liposomal drug products included identification and (appropriate) characterization of critical quality attributes of liposomal drug products and suitable control strategies during product development. By focusing on these areas, a faster and more efficient development of liposomal drug products may be achieved. Additionally, in this way, the drug review process for such products can be streamlined.

Determination of the Acceptable Ambient Light Exposure during Drug Product Manufacturing for Long Term Stability of Monoclonal Antibodies.

PubMed

Luis, Lin M; Hu, Yuzhe; Zamiri, Camellia; Sreedhara, Alavattam

2018-05-31

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are exposed to light during drug product (DP) manufacturing and the acceptable levels of light exposure needs to be determined based on the impact on product quality. In this study, a mild and more representative light model consisting of ambient light instead of stress light as prescribed by ICH Q1B was used to evaluate the impact of light exposure on mAb DP quality. The immediate effect of ambient light exposure on protein drug product quality was determined to be dependent on the amount of light exposure rather than light intensity (up to 5000 lux). The impact on quality of mAbs is product specific due to their differences in light sensitivity, in which mAb II shows larger increases in IEC basic variants and larger decreases in SEC monomer when compared to mAb I after 0.24 million lux hours of light exposure. The acceptable ambient light exposure for mAb II drug product manufacturing was determined to be 0.13 million lux hours, in which no impact on product quality was observed after the short-term light exposure. Additionally, real-time storage (5°C) of the DP after the prescribed ambient light exposure showed no impact to various product quality attributes. The light model used in this study is capable of determining the acceptable amount of ambient light exposure for mAbs, especially during DP manufacturing processes. Copyright © 2018, Parenteral Drug Association.

Reducing the risk of contamination of sterile parenteral products via ready-to-use closure components.

PubMed

Curry, Wayne; Conway, Samuel; Goodfield, Clara; Miller, Kimberly; Mueller, Ronald L; Polini, Eugene

2010-12-01

The preparation of sterile parenteral products requires careful control of all ingredients, materials, and processes to ensure the final product has the identity and strength, and meets the quality and purity characteristics that it purports to possess. Contamination affecting these critical properties of parenteral products can occur in many ways and from many sources. The use of closures supplied by manufacturers in a ready-to-use state can be an effective method for reducing the risk of contamination and improving the quality of the drug product. This article will address contamination attributable to elastomeric container closure components and the regulatory requirements associated with container closure systems. Possible contaminants, including microorganisms, endotoxins, and chemicals, along with the methods by which these contaminants can enter the product will be reviewed. Such methods include inappropriate material selection, improper closure preparation processes, compromised container closure integrity, degradation of closures, and leaching of compounds from the closures.

Metafrontier frameworks for studying hospital productivity growth and quality changes.

PubMed

Chen, Kuan-Chen; Chien, Li-Nien; Hsu, Yi-Hsin; Yu, Ming-Miin

2016-12-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate productivity growth and quality changes among different levels of accredited hospitals. This study used an attribute-incorporating Malmquist productivity index (MPI) under the metafrontier framework. This is the first attempt to compare productivity changes among hospitals operating under different production frontiers. The data consisted of 20 academic medical centers (AMCs), 61 metropolitan hospitals (MPs) and 112 local community hospitals (LCs) in Taiwan during the period 2007-2010. This study measured productivity growth and further identified technological gaps and catch-ups in different groups of hospitals with respect to the metafrontier. At the same time, comparisons of changes in quality among different levels of hospitals were also examined. We found that the sample hospitals of AMCs and MPs experienced productivity improvements mainly due to technological progress, but their efficiency and technology gap ratio (TGR) deteriorated. As for LCs, progress in technology along with improvements in their efficiency and TGR led to the highest productivity upgrade among the three groups of hospitals. We also found that the sample hospitals among the three groups showed improvements in quality. Moreover, hospitals in the local community group exhibited greater quality progress than the AMCs and MPs over the sample period. This paper presents a number of useful decompositions of the metafrontier MPI, which can provide useful insights into changes that are due to efficiency, quality improvements and/or technological changes in the healthcare sector. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Sociodemographic Factors Differentiating the Consumer and the Motivations for Functional Food Consumption.

PubMed

Kraus, Artur; Annunziata, Azzurra; Vecchio, Riccardo

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to determine the (1) role of gender, age, and education in the evaluation of multidimensional criteria of the purchase of functional products, which were (a) quality and organoleptic attributes, (b) attributes of packaging and labeling, (c) healthful properties, (d) functional components, (e) base product (carrier) and (2) most important motives for the purchase and consumption of functional food among consumers of different sociodemographic profiles. The data were collected in direct interviews. The sample (n = 200) consisted of 137 women and 63 men age 18-60 years. The research tool was a questionnaire divided into 4 sections. The first one included quality attributes. The second one included healthful properties, functional components, and carriers. The third one concerned the motives for purchasing functional food and included the consequences and values. In the fourth section the participants were asked about gender, age, and education. Gender, age, and education differentiated the criteria influencing the decision to purchase functional food. Women, older people (35-60 years), and those with university education attach the greatest importance to naturalness, nutritional value, freshness, food safety, and quality guarantee. Clear differences between men and women appear in the field of functional components, which are significantly more important for women than for men. Gender, age, and education essentially differentiate the preferences for base product (carrier). Young men prefer meat products in the role of functional carriers. In turn, women and older men prefer cereal products as basic functional carriers. Young consumers are more open to high-technology food processing. Motivations are differentiated by age and gender. Young men, as opposed to women and older men, attach less importance to functional and psychological consequences: improvement of health, healthy eating, conscious choice, and health promotion. Women and older men are more interested in health safety and are more responsible for their health. Among young men, lower self-esteem can be found. The analysis conducted revealed that groups of consumers are significantly different from each other in the evaluation of the significance of each of the variables in the selection of functional food. Sociodemographic factors differentiate the motivations for consumption of functional food.

Recent advances in molecular genetic linkage maps of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The competitiveness of peanuts in domestic and global markets has been threatened by losses in productivity and quality that are attributed to diseases, pests, environmental stresses and allergy or food safety issues. Narrow genetic diversity and deficiency of polymorphic DNA markers have severely h...

The Air Quality and Economic Impact of Atmospheric Lead from General Aviation Aircraft in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfe, P. J.; Selin, N. E.; Barrett, S. R. H.

2015-12-01

While leaded fuels for automobiles were phased-out of use in the United States by 1996, lead (Pb) continues to be used as an anti-knock additive for piston-driven aircraft. We model the annual concentration of atmospheric lead attributable to piston driven aircraft emissions in the continental United States using the Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Using aircraft emissions inventories for 2008, we then calculate annual economic damages from lead as lifetime employment losses for a one-year cohort exposed to elevated atmospheric lead concentrations using a range of concentration response functions from literature. Mean and median estimates of annual damages attributable to lifetime lost earnings are 1.06 and 0.60 billion respectively. Economy-wide impacts of IQ-deficits on productivity and labor increase expected damages by 54%. Damages are sensitive to background lead concentrations; as emissions decrease from other sources, the damages attributable to aviation are expected to increase holding aviation emissions constant. The monetary impact of General Aviation lead emissions on the environment is the same order of magnitude as noise, climate change, and air quality degradation from all commercial operations.

Multispectral UV imaging for fast and non-destructive quality control of chemical and physical tablet attributes.

PubMed

Klukkert, Marten; Wu, Jian X; Rantanen, Jukka; Carstensen, Jens M; Rades, Thomas; Leopold, Claudia S

2016-07-30

Monitoring of tablet quality attributes in direct vicinity of the production process requires analytical techniques that allow fast, non-destructive, and accurate tablet characterization. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the applicability of multispectral UV imaging as a reliable, rapid technique for estimation of the tablet API content and tablet hardness, as well as determination of tablet intactness and the tablet surface density profile. One of the aims was to establish an image analysis approach based on multivariate image analysis and pattern recognition to evaluate the potential of UV imaging for automatized quality control of tablets with respect to their intactness and surface density profile. Various tablets of different composition and different quality regarding their API content, radial tensile strength, intactness, and surface density profile were prepared using an eccentric as well as a rotary tablet press at compression pressures from 20MPa up to 410MPa. It was found, that UV imaging can provide both, relevant information on chemical and physical tablet attributes. The tablet API content and radial tensile strength could be estimated by UV imaging combined with partial least squares analysis. Furthermore, an image analysis routine was developed and successfully applied to the UV images that provided qualitative information on physical tablet surface properties such as intactness and surface density profiles, as well as quantitative information on variations in the surface density. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that UV imaging combined with image analysis is an effective and non-destructive method to determine chemical and physical quality attributes of tablets and is a promising approach for (near) real-time monitoring of the tablet compaction process and formulation optimization purposes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a commercially available organic acid product on body weight loss, carcass yield, and meat quality during preslaughter feed withdrawal in broiler chickens: a poultry welfare and economic perspective.

PubMed

Menconi, A; Kuttappan, V A; Hernandez-Velasco, X; Urbano, T; Matté, F; Layton, S; Kallapura, G; Latorre, J; Morales, B E; Prado, O; Vicente, J L; Barton, J; Andreatti Filho, R L; Lovato, M; Hargis, B M; Tellez, G

2014-02-01

The effect of a commercial organic acid (OA) product on BW loss (BWL) during feed withdrawal and transportation, carcass yield, and meat quality was evaluated in broiler chickens. Two experiments were conducted in Brazil. Commercial houses were paired as control groups receiving regular water and treated groups receiving OA in the water. Treated birds had a reduction in BWL of 37 g in experiment 1 and 32.2 g in experiment 2. In experiment 2, no differences were observed in carcass yield between groups. Estimation of the cost benefit suggested a 1:16 ratio by using the OA. In experiment 3, conducted in Mexico, significant differences on water consumption, BWL, and meat quality characteristics were observed in chickens that were treated with the OA (P < 0.05). These data suggest this OA product may improve animal welfare and economic concerns in the poultry industry by reducing BWL and improving meat quality attributes.

Automation or De-automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorlach, Igor; Wessel, Oliver

2008-09-01

In the global automotive industry, for decades, vehicle manufacturers have continually increased the level of automation of production systems in order to be competitive. However, there is a new trend to decrease the level of automation, especially in final car assembly, for reasons of economy and flexibility. In this research, the final car assembly lines at three production sites of Volkswagen are analysed in order to determine the best level of automation for each, in terms of manufacturing costs, productivity, quality and flexibility. The case study is based on the methodology proposed by the Fraunhofer Institute. The results of the analysis indicate that fully automated assembly systems are not necessarily the best option in terms of cost, productivity and quality combined, which is attributed to high complexity of final car assembly systems; some de-automation is therefore recommended. On the other hand, the analysis shows that low automation can result in poor product quality due to reasons related to plant location, such as inadequate workers' skills, motivation, etc. Hence, the automation strategy should be formulated on the basis of analysis of all relevant aspects of the manufacturing process, such as costs, quality, productivity and flexibility in relation to the local context. A more balanced combination of automated and manual assembly operations provides better utilisation of equipment, reduces production costs and improves throughput.

Chemometrics-based process analytical technology (PAT) tools: applications and adaptation in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries.

PubMed

Challa, Shruthi; Potumarthi, Ravichandra

2013-01-01

Process analytical technology (PAT) is used to monitor and control critical process parameters in raw materials and in-process products to maintain the critical quality attributes and build quality into the product. Process analytical technology can be successfully implemented in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries not only to impart quality into the products but also to prevent out-of-specifications and improve the productivity. PAT implementation eliminates the drawbacks of traditional methods which involves excessive sampling and facilitates rapid testing through direct sampling without any destruction of sample. However, to successfully adapt PAT tools into pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical environment, thorough understanding of the process is needed along with mathematical and statistical tools to analyze large multidimensional spectral data generated by PAT tools. Chemometrics is a chemical discipline which incorporates both statistical and mathematical methods to obtain and analyze relevant information from PAT spectral tools. Applications of commonly used PAT tools in combination with appropriate chemometric method along with their advantages and working principle are discussed. Finally, systematic application of PAT tools in biopharmaceutical environment to control critical process parameters for achieving product quality is diagrammatically represented.

Evaluation of the visual performance of image processing pipes: information value of subjective image attributes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyman, G.; Häkkinen, J.; Koivisto, E.-M.; Leisti, T.; Lindroos, P.; Orenius, O.; Virtanen, T.; Vuori, T.

2010-01-01

Subjective image quality data for 9 image processing pipes and 8 image contents (taken with mobile phone camera, 72 natural scene test images altogether) from 14 test subjects were collected. A triplet comparison setup and a hybrid qualitative/quantitative methodology were applied. MOS data and spontaneous, subjective image quality attributes to each test image were recorded. The use of positive and negative image quality attributes by the experimental subjects suggested a significant difference between the subjective spaces of low and high image quality. The robustness of the attribute data was shown by correlating DMOS data of the test images against their corresponding, average subjective attribute vector length data. The findings demonstrate the information value of spontaneous, subjective image quality attributes in evaluating image quality at variable quality levels. We discuss the implications of these findings for the development of sensitive performance measures and methods in profiling image processing systems and their components, especially at high image quality levels.

Consumers’ Attitude Towards Fish Meat

PubMed Central

Passantino, Annamaria; Longo, Sabrina; Voslářová, Eva

2014-01-01

The overall aim of this paper is to show the factors that may affect consumers’ attitude towards farmed fish products. Consumers ask new products on the basis of different quality attributes: stability, safety, composition, better health effects, environment protection, etc. Different and controversial opinions on farmed and wild fish are also explored by literature review. The authors pay attention also to fish welfare as an emerging issue and effective information about fish products as a factor exerting a positive influence on consumers’ decision of purchase. Some relevant legislative notes on the paper’s topics are also cited. The qualitative aspects of aquaculture fish and the consumers’ demand and choice need further studies, according to some factors, such as the changing consumers’ attitudes towards fish products, the different fish quality perception and the development in the aquaculture systems. PMID:27800359

Effects of brand variants on smokers' choice behaviours and risk perceptions.

PubMed

Hoek, Janet; Gendall, Philip; Eckert, Christine; Kemper, Joya; Louviere, Jordan

2016-03-01

Australian tobacco companies have introduced evocative variant names that could re-create the aspirational connotations plain packaging aims to remove. To inform future regulation, we explored how brand descriptors affected smokers' responses to plain packs featuring different variant name combinations. An online survey of 254 daily smokers or social smokers aged between 18 and 34 used a within-subjects best-worst experiment to estimate the relative effects of variant names. A 2×4×4×4 design contained four attributes: quality (premium or none), taste (smooth, fine, rich or none) connotation (classic, midnight, infinite or none) and colour (red, blue, white or none). In a between-subjects component, respondents evaluated one of two alternative packs according to its perceived harm and ease of quitting. The most important variant attribute was connotation, followed by taste, colour and quality; within these attributes, the most attractive descriptors were 'classic' and 'smooth'. We identified four distinct segments that differed significantly in their sociodemographic attributes and variant preferences, although not in their perceptions of the harm or quitting ease associated with two different variants. Some descriptors significantly enhance the appeal of tobacco products among different groups of smokers and may undermine plain packaging's dissuasive intent. Policymakers should explicitly regulate variant names to avoid the 'poetry on a package' evident in Australia. Options include disallowing new descriptors, limiting the number of descriptors permitted or banning descriptors altogether. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Framing Lumber from Building Removal: How do We Best Utilize This Untapped Structural Resource?

Treesearch

Robert H. Falk; Steven Cramer; James Evans

2013-01-01

Compared with other construction materials, wood products are environmentally attractive because they sequester carbon, are renewable, and are low in embodied energy. Lumber salvaged from building removal possesses these same qualities but with additional environmental attributes. In spite of the environmental attractiveness of reclaimed lumber, its widespread...

Decoding Success: A Middle-Class Logic of Individual Advancement in a U.S. Suburb and High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demerath, Peter; Lynch, Jill; Milner, H. Richard, IV; Peters, April; Davidson, Mario

2010-01-01

Background: Researchers have largely attributed achievement gaps between different groups of students in the United States to differences in resources, parent education, socioeconomic status (SES), and school quality. They have also shown how, through their "cultural productions," certain students may disadvantage themselves. Focus: This article…

Impact of winery wastewater irrigation on soil, grape nutrition, and grape and wine quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Winery wastewater (WW) reuse has the potential to provide more sustainable vineyard irrigation. This study investigated the effects of WW irrigation on grape and wine chemical composition and sensory attributes in vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties. The life cycle of the grape/wine production was...

Building Computer Free Sorting Devices Based on Reflection of Visible and NIR Wavelengths

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

NIR and visible light reflection from food products has long been the basis of scientific research for the detection of defects and contaminants as well as food quality attributes. Most of the research in this area reports derived calibration equations that indicate the potential of using the techno...

Cultivar and maturity effects on the quality attributes and ethanol potential of sweet sorghum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sweet sorghum is a promising feedstock crop for the manufacture of biofuels and bioproducts. Its large starch content may be an opportune source of untapped fermentable sugars to add economical value to sweet sorghum juices and processing by-products. In this study, four commercial cultivars, Dale, ...

Using a Coupled Modelling System to Examine the Impacts of Increased Corn Production on Groundwater Quality and Human Health

EPA Science Inventory

Attributing nitrogen (N) in the environment to emissions from agricultural management practices is difficult because of the complex and inter-related chemical and biological reactions associated with N and its cascading effects across land, air and water. Such analyses are critic...

Effects of dietary potato by-product and rumen-protected histidine on growth, carcass characteristics and quality attributes of beef.

PubMed

Thornton, K J; Richard, R P; Colle, M J; Doumit, M E; de Veth, M J; Hunt, C W; Murdoch, G K

2015-09-01

We hypothesized that variable composition in finishing rations, more specifically; the proportion of potato-by-product (PBP) and rumen protected histidine (His) supplementation may influence growth and meat quality attributes. Two different diets were fed (1) finishing ration with corn and barley as grains (CB, n = 20) and (2) substitution of 10% corn, DM basis, with PBP (PBP, n = 20). Additionally, half of each dietary treatment received 50 g/hd/d rumen protected His (HS, n= 20) while the other half received no supplement (NS, n = 20). Inclusion of 10% PBP or HS did not affect growth or carcass traits. Color stability was analyzed using Hunter color values as well as AMSA visual appraisal in both longissimus thoracis (LT) and gluteus medius (GM) muscles. The LT, but not the GM, of CB steers was more color stable over a 9 d simulated retail display compared to those fed a PB diet. Steers receiving HS produced significantly (P < 0.05) more color stable LT and GM steaks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overview on the mechanisms of coffee germination and fermentation and their significance for coffee and coffee beverage quality.

PubMed

Waters, Deborah M; Arendt, Elke K; Moroni, Alice V

2017-01-22

Quality of coffee is a complex trait and is influenced by physical and sensory parameters. A complex succession of transformations during the processing of seeds to roasted coffee will inevitably influence the in-cup attributes of coffee. Germination and fermentation of the beans are two bioprocesses that take place during post-harvest treatment, and may lead to significant modifications of coffee attributes. The aim of this review is to address the current knowledge of dynamics of these two processes and their significance for bean modifications and coffee quality. The first part of this review gives an overview of coffee germination and its influence on coffee chemistry and quality. The germination process initiates while these non-orthodox seeds are still inside the cherry. This process is asynchronous and the evolution of germination depends on how the beans are processed. A range of metabolic reactions takes place during germination and can influence the carbohydrate, protein, and lipid composition of the beans. The second part of this review focuses on the microbiota associated with the beans during post-harvesting, exploring its effects on coffee quality and safety. The microbiota associated with the coffee cherries and beans comprise several bacterial, yeast, and fungal species and affects the processing from cherries to coffee beans. Indigenous bacteria and yeasts play a role in the degradation of pulp/mucilage, and their metabolism can affect the sensory attributes of coffee. On the other hand, the fungal population occurring during post-harvest and storage negatively affects coffee quality, especially regarding spoilage, off-tastes, and mycotoxin production.

A design space exploration for control of Critical Quality Attributes of mAb.

PubMed

Bhatia, Hemlata; Read, Erik; Agarabi, Cyrus; Brorson, Kurt; Lute, Scott; Yoon, Seongkyu

2016-10-15

A unique "design space (DSp) exploration strategy," defined as a function of four key scenarios, was successfully integrated and validated to enhance the DSp building exercise, by increasing the accuracy of analyses and interpretation of processed data. The four key scenarios, defining the strategy, were based on cumulative analyses of individual models developed for the Critical Quality Attributes (23 Glycan Profiles) considered for the study. The analyses of the CQA estimates and model performances were interpreted as (1) Inside Specification/Significant Model (2) Inside Specification/Non-significant Model (3) Outside Specification/Significant Model (4) Outside Specification/Non-significant Model. Each scenario was defined and illustrated through individual models of CQA aligning the description. The R(2), Q(2), Model Validity and Model Reproducibility estimates of G2, G2FaGbGN, G0 and G2FaG2, respectively, signified the four scenarios stated above. Through further optimizations, including the estimation of Edge of Failure and Set Point Analysis, wider and accurate DSps were created for each scenario, establishing critical functional relationship between Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) and Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs). A DSp provides the optimal region for systematic evaluation, mechanistic understanding and refining of a QbD approach. DSp exploration strategy will aid the critical process of consistently and reproducibly achieving predefined quality of a product throughout its lifecycle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactive effects of carbon footprint information and its accessibility on value and subjective qualities of food products.

PubMed

Kimura, Atsushi; Wada, Yuji; Kamada, Akiko; Masuda, Tomohiro; Okamoto, Masako; Goto, Sho-ichi; Tsuzuki, Daisuke; Cai, Dongsheng; Oka, Takashi; Dan, Ippeita

2010-10-01

We aimed to explore the interactive effects of the accessibility of information and the degree of carbon footprint score on consumers' value judgments of food products. Participants (n=151, undergraduate students in Japan) rated their maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for four food products varying in information accessibility (active-search or read-only conditions) and in carbon footprint values (low, middle, high, or non-display) provided. We also assessed further effects of information accessibly and carbon footprint value on other product attributes utilizing the subjective estimation of taste, quality, healthiness, and environmental friendliness. Results of the experiment demonstrated an interactive effect of information accessibility and the degree of carbon emission on consumer valuation of carbon footprint-labeled food. The carbon footprint value had a stronger impact on participants' WTP in the active-search condition than in the read-only condition. Similar to WTP, the results of the subjective ratings for product qualities also exhibited an interactive effect of the two factors on the rating of environmental friendliness for products. These results imply that the perceived environmental friendliness inferable from a carbon footprint label contributes to creating value for a food product.

Factors affecting the water holding capacity of red meat products: a review of recent research advances.

PubMed

Cheng, Qiaofen; Sun, Da-Wen

2008-02-01

The water holding capacity of meat products is a very important quality attribute which has an influence on product yield, which in turn has economic implications, but is also important in terms of eating quality. A number of pre-and post-mortem factors influence the water holding capacity (WHC) of meat. During the growth and development of meat animals, genotype and animal diet are important due to their direct influence on muscle characteristics. In the immediate pre-slaughter period, stresses on the animal such as fasting, and different stunning methods are likely to influence meat WHC. In the post-slaughter period chilling, ageing, injecting non-meat ingredients, as well as tumbling have important influences on WHC. Furthermore, cooking and cooling procedures for the final meat products can also affect the WHC of the product, in particular the cooking and the cooling methods, the heating and the cooling rate, the cooking temperature, and the endpoint temperature. This paper provides an overview of recent research on important intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the WHC of beef, pork, and lamb products, and reveals explanations and solutions to some of the critical problems related to WHC and product quality.

Attribution of the French human Salmonellosis cases to the main food-sources according to the type of surveillance data.

PubMed

David, J M; Sanders, P; Bemrah, N; Granier, S A; Denis, M; Weill, F-X; Guillemot, D; Watier, L

2013-05-15

Salmonella are the most common bacterial cause of foodborne infections in France and ubiquitous pathogens present in many animal productions. Assessing the relative contribution of the different food-animal sources to the burden of human cases is a key step towards the conception, prioritization and assessment of efficient control policy measures. For this purpose, we considered a Bayesian microbial subtyping attribution approach based on a previous published model (Hald et al., 2004). It requires quality integrated data on human cases and on the contamination of their food sources, per serotype and microbial subtype, which were retrieved from the French integrated surveillance system for Salmonella. The quality of the data available for such an approach is an issue for many countries in which the surveillance system has not been designed for this purpose. In France, the sources are monitored simultaneously by an active, regulation-based surveillance system that produces representative prevalence data (as ideally required for the approach) and a passive system relying on voluntary laboratories that produces data not meeting the standards set by Hald et al. (2004) but covering a broader range of sources. These data allowed us to study the impact of data quality on the attribution results, globally and focusing on specific features of the data (number of sources and contamination indicator). The microbial subtyping attribution model was run using an adapted parameterization previously proposed (David et al., 2012). A total of 9076 domestic sporadic cases were included in the analyses as well as 9 sources among which 5 were common to the active and the passive datasets. The greatest impact on the attribution results was observed for the number of sources. Thus, especially in the absence of data on imported products, the attribution estimates presented here should be considered with caution. The results were comparable for both types of surveillance, leading to the conclusion that passive data constitute a potential cost-effective complement to active data collection, especially interesting because the former encompass a greater number of sources. The model appeared robust to the type of surveillance, and provided that some methodological aspects of the model can be enhanced, it could also serve as a risk-based guidance tool for active surveillance systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensory analysis of cosmetic powders: personal care ingredients and emulsions.

PubMed

Moussour, M; Lavarde, M; Pensé-Lhéritier, A-M; Bouton, F

2017-02-01

The powders are ingredients increasingly used in the formulation of cosmetic products for the sensory qualities they give. The objective of this study was the development of a lexicon and a referential for sensory characterization of these pure raw materials as well as formulations which contain them. Eleven expert panellists from Ecole de biologie industrielle de Cergy (France) developed a lexicon and a referential based on 12 powders of different chemical natures. The selected attributes were then used for performing a quantitative descriptive profile of two powders and an emulsion containing or not one of these two powders. A lexicon has been established through a consensus approach of the panel. It contains seven attributes that allow the evaluation of the powders in four phases: the appearance, the pickup, the application and the after-feel. This lexicon contains definitions and assessment protocols and provides references products. The quantitative descriptive profile of two powders of the same chemical nature, but different in physical quality showed significant differences in sensory level between products. These same attributes used to evaluate an emulsion containing the powder or not allowed to prove the contribution of these raw materials on the sensory specificities of the emulsion. The lexicon developed in this study can be used for assessment of other powders but also to define the quantities necessary to put in the formulation to meet the sensory characteristics of these raw materials powder. © 2016 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Dynamic Pricing in Electronic Commerce Using Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghose, Tapu Kumar; Tran, Thomas T.

In this paper, we propose an approach where feed-forward neural network is used for dynamically calculating a competitive price of a product in order to maximize sellers’ revenue. In the approach we considered that along with product price other attributes such as product quality, delivery time, after sales service and seller’s reputation contribute in consumers purchase decision. We showed that once the sellers, by using their limited prior knowledge, set an initial price of a product our model adjusts the price automatically with the help of neural network so that sellers’ revenue is maximized.

Effect of ionizing radiation on some quality attributes of nutraceutically valued lotus seeds.

PubMed

Bhat, Rajeev; Karim, A A

2009-01-01

Radiation processing has been employed successfully for value addition of food and agricultural products. Preliminary studies were undertaken to evaluate the changes induced by ionizing radiation (up to 30 kGy), in the form of gamma irradiation and electron beam irradiation, on some quality attributes and nutritive values of nutraceutically valued lotus seeds. Significant loss in seed firmness was recorded between control and irradiated seeds, irrespective of radiation source. Similarly, the specific viscosity of irradiated lotus seeds decreased significantly up to a dose of 7.5 kGy. Starch increased after exposure to gamma or electron beam irradiation, whereas the total phenolic contents were decreased. Gamma irradiation revealed an enhancement in protein, while the electron beam showed a decrease. Partial oxidation of the seeds during radiation treatments might have occurred as evidenced from the decomposition profiles (thermogravimetry) during heating. It is evident that ionizing radiation brought about significant and variable changes in the quality and nutritive values of lotus seed. Further exploration of this technology for safety and quality is warranted.

Quality Attributes for Mission Flight Software: A Reference for Architects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilmot, Jonathan; Fesq, Lorraine; Dvorak, Dan

2016-01-01

In the international standards for architecture descriptions in systems and software engineering (ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010), "concern" is a primary concept that often manifests itself in relation to the quality attributes or "ilities" that a system is expected to exhibit - qualities such as reliability, security and modifiability. One of the main uses of an architecture description is to serve as a basis for analyzing how well the architecture achieves its quality attributes, and that requires architects to be as precise as possible about what they mean in claiming, for example, that an architecture supports "modifiability." This paper describes a table, generated by NASA's Software Architecture Review Board, which lists fourteen key quality attributes, identifies different important aspects of each quality attribute and considers each aspect in terms of requirements, rationale, evidence, and tactics to achieve the aspect. This quality attribute table is intended to serve as a guide to software architects, software developers, and software architecture reviewers in the domain of mission-critical real-time embedded systems, such as space mission flight software.

Comparison of nonfried apple snacks with commercially available fried snacks.

PubMed

Joshi, A P K; Rupasinghe, H P V; Pitts, N L

2011-06-01

The study was carried out to evaluate the selected quality attributes of a prototype nonfried apple snack produced by application of vacuum impregnation (VI) of maple syrup and vacuum drying. When maple syrup concentration was adjusted to 20-40% in the VI solution, vacuum-dried apple slices are resulted in the greatest textural attributes, whiteness index, and desirable moisture content and water activity. Comparison of the VI-treated, vacuum-dried apple slices with commercially fried apple and potato snacks revealed that the consumer acceptability was greater for the fried snack products due to their flavor and texture; however, in addition to higher oil content (>30%), commercial fried apple and potato snacks possessed lower antioxidant capacity than nonfried apple snacks. VI process enhanced the calcium content of the nonfried apple snack products.

Vacuum frying as a route to produce novel snacks with desired quality attributes according to new health trends.

PubMed

Dueik, V; Bouchon, P

2011-03-01

Consumers look for products that contribute to their wellness and health, however, even health-conscious consumers are not willing to sacrifice organoleptic properties, and intense full-flavor snacks remain an important trend. The objective of this study was to examine most important quality parameters of vacuum (1.92 inHg) and atmospheric-fried carrot, potato, and apple slices to determine specific advantages of vacuum technology. Slices were fried using equivalent thermal driving forces, maintaining a constant difference between oil temperature and the boiling point of water at the working pressure (ΔT = 60 and 80 °C). This resulted in frying temperatures of 160 and 180 °C, and 98 and 118 °C, for atmospheric and vacuum frying, respectively. Vacuum-fried carrot and potato chips absorbed about 50% less oil than atmospheric-fried chips, whereas vacuum-fried apple chips reduced oil absorption by 25%. Total carotenoids and ascorbic acid (AA) were greatly preserved during vacuum frying. Carrot chips vacuum fried at 98 °C retained about 90% of total carotenoids, whereas potato and apple slices vacuum fried at 98 °C, preserved around 95% of their initial AA content. Interestingly, results showed that the antioxidant capacity of chips may be related to both the presence of natural antioxidants and brown pigments developed at elevated temperatures. A way to reduce detrimental effects of deep-fat frying is through operating-pressure reduction, the essence behind vacuum deep-fat frying. In this way, it is possible to remove product moisture at a low temperature in a low-oxygen environment. The objective of this research was to study the effect of oil temperature reduction when vacuum frying traditional (potatoes) and nontraditional products (carrots and apples) on most important quality attributes (vitamins, color, and oil uptake). Results are promising and show that vacuum frying can be an alternative to produce nutritious and novel snacks with desired quality attributes, since vitamins and color were greatly preserved and oil absorption could be substantially reduced.

Quality characteristics of low-fat chicken nuggets: effect of common salt replacement and added bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.).

PubMed

Verma, Arun Kumar; Sharma, Brahma Deo; Banerjee, Rituparna

2012-07-01

There is growing demand for the meat products having healthier characteristics. In an endeavour to develop low-salt, low-fat and high-fibre chicken nuggets an investigation was carried out to observe the effects of partial replacement (40%) of sodium chloride in pre-standardised low-fat chicken nuggets (Control, 20 g kg⁻¹ NaCl) with a salt substitute blend as well as incorporation of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.) in the resulting low-salt, low-fat products at three different levels, i.e. 50, 75 and 100 g kg⁻¹ (Treatments, 12 g kg⁻¹ NaCl) on the various quality attributes. Sodium chloride replacement decreased (P < 0.01) emulsion and product pH, cooking yield, moisture, ash, yellowness, hue value and textural properties. pH values, moisture and dietary fibre increased (P < 0.01) while cooking yield, % protein, textural properties and total cholesterol were decreased with the incorporation of bottle gourd in low-salt, low-fat nuggets. Sensory attributes of the product were not affected with salt replacement; however, inclusion of bottle gourd at higher levels decreased (P < 0.05) flavour and texture scores. The results suggest that low-salt, low-fat and high-fibre chicken nuggets can be developed with the use of a salt substitute blend and bottle gourd without affecting their acceptability. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Emergent Imaging and Geospatial Technologies for Soil Investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeGloria, Stephen D.; Beaudette, Dylan E.; Irons, James R.; Libohova, Zamir; O'Neill, Peggy E.; Owens, Phillip R.; Schoeneberger, Philip J.; West, Larry T.; Wysocki, Douglas A.

2014-01-01

Soil survey investigations and inventories form the scientific basis for a wide spectrum of agronomic and environmental management programs. Soil data and information help formulate resource conservation policies of federal, state, and local governments that seek to sustain our agricultural production system while enhancing environmental quality on both public and private lands. The dual challenges of increasing agricultural production and ensuring environmental integrity require electronically available soil inventory data with both spatial and attribute quality. Meeting this societal need in part depends on development and evaluation of new methods for updating and maintaining soil inventories for sophisticated applications, and implementing an effective framework to conceptualize and communicate tacit knowledge from soil scientists to numerous stakeholders.

Effect of cultivation line and peeling on food composition, taste characteristic, aroma profile, and antioxidant activity of Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) juice.

PubMed

Asikin, Yonathan; Fukunaga, Hibiki; Yamano, Yoshimasa; Hou, De-Xing; Maeda, Goki; Wada, Koji

2014-09-01

Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) juice from four main cultivation lines subjected to two peeling practices (with or without peeling) were discriminated in terms of quality attributes, represented by sugar and organic acid composition, taste characteristic, aroma profile, and antioxidant activity. Shiikuwasha juice from these lines had diverse food compositions; 'Izumi kugani' juice had lower acidity but contained more ascorbic acid than that of other cultivation lines. The composition of volatile aroma components was influenced by fruit cultivation line, whereas its content was affected by peeling process (20.26-53.73 mg L(-1) in whole juice versus 0.82-1.58 mg L(-1) in flesh juice). Peeling also caused Shiikuwasha juice to be less astringent and acidic bitter and to lose its antioxidant activity. Moreover, the total phenolic and ascorbic acid content of Shiikuwasha juice positively influenced its antioxidant activity. Each fruit cultivation line had a distinct food composition, taste characteristic, and aroma profile. Peeling in Shiikuwasha juice production might reduce aftertaste, and thus might improve its palatability. Comprehensive information on the effect of cultivation line and peeling on quality attributes will be useful for Shiikuwasha juice production, and can be applied to juice production of similar small citrus fruits. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Strategic deployment of CHO expression platforms to deliver Pfizer's Monoclonal Antibody Portfolio.

PubMed

Scarcelli, John J; Shang, Tanya Q; Iskra, Tim; Allen, Martin J; Zhang, Lin

2017-11-01

Development of stable cell lines for expression of large-molecule therapeutics represents a significant portion of the time and effort required to advance a molecule to enabling regulatory toxicology studies and clinical evaluation. Our development strategy employs two different approaches for cell line development based on the needs of a particular project: a random integration approach for projects where high-level expression is critical, and a site-specific integration approach for projects in which speed and reduced employee time spend is a necessity. Here we describe both our random integration and site-specific integration platforms and their applications in support of monoclonal antibody development and production. We also compare product quality attributes of monoclonal antibodies produced with a nonclonal cell pool or clonal cell lines derived from the two platforms. Our data suggests that material source (pools vs. clones) does not significantly alter the examined product quality attributes. Our current practice is to leverage this observation with our site-specific integration platform, where material generated from cell pools is used for an early molecular assessment of a given candidate to make informed decisions around development strategy. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1463-1467, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Sensory attribute preservation in extra virgin olive oil with addition of oregano essential oil as natural antioxidant.

PubMed

Asensio, Claudia M; Nepote, Valeria; Grosso, Nelson R

2012-09-01

Four commercial varieties of oregano are farmed in Argentina: "Compacto,"Cordobes,"Criollo," y "Mendocino." Oregano essential oil is known for antioxidant properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the intensities of positive and negative attributes in extra virgin olive oil with addition of essential oil obtained from the 4 Argentinean oregano types. Oregano essential oil was added into olive oil at 0.05% w/w. The samples were stored in darkness and light exposure during 126 d at room temperature. The intensity ratings of fruity, pungency, bitterness, oregano flavor, and rancid flavor were evaluated every 21 d by a trained sensory panel. In general, samples with addition of oregano essential oil in olive oil exhibited higher and lower intensity ratings of positive and negative attributes, respectively, during storage compared with the control samples. The first 2 principal components explained 72.3% of the variability in the olive oil samples. In general, positive attributes of olive oil were highly associated with the addition of oregano essential oil in darkness, whereas rancid flavor was negatively associated with them. Olive oil with oregano "Cordobes" essential oil was oppositely associated with light exposure treatments and negative attribute (rancid flavor) suggesting better performance as natural antioxidant of this essential oil in olive oil. The result of this study showed that the presence of oregano essential oil, specially "Cordobes" type, preserve sensory quality of extra virgin olive oil prolonging the shelf life of this product. Extra virgin olive oil is highly appreciated for its health benefits, taste, and aroma. These properties are an important aspect in this product quality and need to be preserved. The addition of natural additives instead of synthetic ones covers the present trend in food technology. This research showed that the addition of oregano essential oil preserved the intensity ratings of positive attributes in extra virgin olive oil during storage. The essential oil of the oregano variety called "Cordobes" exhibited better protecting effect on sensory properties of olive oil than the other oregano varieties. The addition of oregano essential oil should be considered for the food industry as a natural source of antioxidant additives for preserving sensory properties in extra virgin olive oil and other similar food products. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Aesthetic quality inference for online fashion shopping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ming; Allebach, Jan

2014-03-01

On-line fashion communities in which participants post photos of personal fashion items for viewing and possible purchase by others are becoming increasingly popular. Generally, these photos are taken by individuals who have no training in photography with low-cost mobile phone cameras. It is desired that photos of the products have high aesthetic quality to improve the users' online shopping experience. In this work, we design features for aesthetic quality inference in the context of online fashion shopping. Psychophysical experiments are conducted to construct a database of the photos' aesthetic evaluation, specifically for photos from an online fashion shopping website. We then extract both generic low-level features and high-level image attributes to represent the aesthetic quality. Using a support vector machine framework, we train a predictor of the aesthetic quality rating based on the feature vector. Experimental results validate the efficacy of our approach. Metadata such as the product type are also used to further improve the result.

Quality assessment of baby food made of different pre-processed organic raw materials under industrial processing conditions.

PubMed

Seidel, Kathrin; Kahl, Johannes; Paoletti, Flavio; Birlouez, Ines; Busscher, Nicolaas; Kretzschmar, Ursula; Särkkä-Tirkkonen, Marjo; Seljåsen, Randi; Sinesio, Fiorella; Torp, Torfinn; Baiamonte, Irene

2015-02-01

The market for processed food is rapidly growing. The industry needs methods for "processing with care" leading to high quality products in order to meet consumers' expectations. Processing influences the quality of the finished product through various factors. In carrot baby food, these are the raw material, the pre-processing and storage treatments as well as the processing conditions. In this study, a quality assessment was performed on baby food made from different pre-processed raw materials. The experiments were carried out under industrial conditions using fresh, frozen and stored organic carrots as raw material. Statistically significant differences were found for sensory attributes among the three autoclaved puree samples (e.g. overall odour F = 90.72, p < 0.001). Samples processed from frozen carrots show increased moisture content and decrease of several chemical constituents. Biocrystallization identified changes between replications of the cooking. Pre-treatment of raw material has a significant influence on the final quality of the baby food.

Effect of ingredients on sensory profile of idli.

PubMed

Durgadevi, Manoharan; Shetty, Prathapkumar H

2014-09-01

Idli is a traditional fermented food and is consumed in India and Srilanka. The objective of the present study is to select the ingredients for optimum desirable product characteristics and to identify the optimum ratios of ingredients and fermentation time with respect to sensory attributes using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The sensory attributes included were color, appearance, texture, taste and overall quality. Preliminary trials were conducted using five variants of rice and common black gram dhal before framing a model using Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD). From the study it was found that a desirable score of 0.7439 was obtained for sensory attributes of idli made with the ratio of 3: 1.475 for IR20 idli rice and ADT3 variety black gram (with husk removed after soaking) fermented for 10.2 h. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) helped to discriminate the samples and attributes within the data matrix, depending upon their inter relationships.

The Effects of Sequential Environmental and Harvest Stressors on the Sensory Characteristics of Cultured Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Fillets.

PubMed

Ciaramella, Michael A; Kim, Taejo; Avery, Jimmy L; Allen, Peter J; Schilling, M Wes

2016-08-01

Stress during fish culture alters physiological homeostasis and affects fillet quality. Maintenance of high-quality seafood is important to ensure the production of a marketable product. This study assessed how sequential stressors affect the sensory and quality characteristics of catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fillets. Three stress trials were conducted where temperature (25 or 33 °C) and dissolved oxygen (DO, approximately 2.5 or >5 mg/L) were manipulated followed by socking and transport stress. After each stage of harvest (environmental stress, socking, and transport), fillet yield, consumer acceptability, descriptive evaluation, cook loss, tenderness, and pH were evaluated. Fillet yield decreased with increasing severity of environmental stress. Fillets from the severe stress treatment (33 °C, approximately 2.5 mg/L) received the highest acceptability scores (P < 0.05). Control fillets (25 °C, >5 mg/L) were the least acceptable (P < 0.05). Increased intensity of less favorable flavor attributes commonly associated with catfish resulted in the differences in acceptability among treatments. As fish progressed through the harvest event, cook loss decreased, tenderness increased, and pH increased, indicating that stress induced textural changes. The data suggest that although environmental stress results in slight changes in flavor attributes, its effects on acceptability are minor with fillets from all treatments still liked (>6 on a 9 point scale). Socking and transport were identified to positively affect textural characteristics of catfish fillets. Although the effects observed were not likely to negatively impact consumer acceptance, a strict management plan should be followed to maintain consistency in the product and avoid changes in stressors that might alter quality more drastically. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Evaluation of an attributive measurement system in the automotive industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simion, C.

2016-08-01

Measurement System Analysis (MSA) is a critical component for any quality improvement process. MSA is defined as an experimental and mathematical method of determining how much the variation within the measurement process contributes to overall process variability and it falls into two categories: attribute and variable. Most problematic measurement system issues come from measuring attribute data, which are usually the result of human judgment (visual inspection). Because attributive measurement systems are often used in some manufacturing processes, their assessment is important to obtain the confidence in the inspection process, to see where are the problems in order to eliminate them and to guide the process improvement. It was the aim of this paper to address such a issue presenting a case study made in a local company from the Sibiu region supplying products for the automotive industry, specifically the bag (a technical textile component, i.e. the fabric) for the airbag module. Because defects are inherent in every manufacturing process and in the field of airbag systems a minor defect can influence their performance and lives depend on the safety feature, there is a stringent visual inspection required on the defects of the bag material. The purpose of this attribute MSA was: to determine if all inspectors use the same criteria to determine “pass” from “fail” product (i.e. the fabric); to assess company inspection standards against customer's requirements; to determine how well inspectors are conforming to themselves; to identify how inspectors are conforming to a “known master,” which includes: how often operators ship defective product, how often operators dispose of acceptable product; to discover areas where training is required, procedures must be developed and standards are not available. The results were analyzed using MINITAB software with its module called Attribute Agreement Analysis. The conclusion was that the inspection process must be improved by operator training, developing visual aids/boundary samples, establishing standards and set-up procedures.

Extrusion and Extruded Products: Changes in Quality Attributes as Affected by Extrusion Process Parameters: A Review.

PubMed

Alam, M S; Kaur, Jasmeen; Khaira, Harjot; Gupta, Kalika

2016-01-01

Extrusion of foods is an emerging technology for the food industries to process and market a large number of products of varying size, shape, texture, and taste. Extrusion cooking technology has led to production of wide variety of products like pasta, breakfast cereals, bread crumbs, biscuits, crackers, croutons, baby foods, snack foods, confectionery items, chewing gum, texturized vegetable protein (TVP), modified starch, pet foods, dried soups, dry beverage mixes etc. The functional properties of extruded foods plays an important role for their acceptability which include water absorption, water solubility, oil absorption indexes, expansion index, bulk density and viscosity of the dough. The aim of this review is to give the detailed outlines about the potential of extrusion technology in development of different types of products and the role of extrusion-operating conditions and their effect on product development resulting in quality changes i.e physical, chemical, and nutritional, experienced during the extrusion process.

Quality and utilization of food co-products and residues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooke, P.; Bao, G.; Broderick, C.; Fishman, M.; Liu, L.; Onwulata, C.

2010-06-01

Some agricultural industries generate large amounts of low value co-products/residues, including citrus peel, sugar beet pulp and whey protein from the production of orange juice, sugar and cheese commodities, respectively. National Program #306 of the USDA Agricultural Research Service aims to characterize and enhance quality and develop new processes and uses for value-added foods and bio-based products. In parallel projects, we applied scanning microscopies to examine the molecular organization of citrus pectin gels, covalent crosslinking to reduce debonding in sugar beet pulp-PLA composites and functional modification of whey protein through extrusion in order to evaluate new methods of processing and formulating new products. Also, qualitative attributes of fresh produce that could potentially guide germ line development and crop management were explored through fluorescence imaging: synthesis and accumulation of oleoresin in habanero peppers suggest a complicated mechanism of secretion that differs from the classical scheme. Integrated imaging appears to offer significant structural insights to help understand practical properties and features of important food co-products/residues.

A Scale-up Approach for Film Coating Process Based on Surface Roughness as the Critical Quality Attribute.

PubMed

Yoshino, Hiroyuki; Hara, Yuko; Dohi, Masafumi; Yamashita, Kazunari; Hakomori, Tadashi; Kimura, Shin-Ichiro; Iwao, Yasunori; Itai, Shigeru

2018-04-01

Scale-up approaches for film coating process have been established for each type of film coating equipment from thermodynamic and mechanical analyses for several decades. The objective of the present study was to establish a versatile scale-up approach for film coating process applicable to commercial production that is based on critical quality attribute (CQA) using the Quality by Design (QbD) approach and is independent of the equipment used. Experiments on a pilot scale using the Design of Experiment (DoE) approach were performed to find a suitable CQA from surface roughness, contact angle, color difference, and coating film properties by terahertz spectroscopy. Surface roughness was determined to be a suitable CQA from a quantitative appearance evaluation. When surface roughness was fixed as the CQA, the water content of the film-coated tablets was determined to be the critical material attribute (CMA), a parameter that does not depend on scale or equipment. Finally, to verify the scale-up approach determined from the pilot scale, experiments on a commercial scale were performed. The good correlation between the surface roughness (CQA) and the water content (CMA) identified at the pilot scale was also retained at the commercial scale, indicating that our proposed method should be useful as a scale-up approach for film coating process.

Simultaneous monitoring of oxidation, deamidation, isomerization, and glycosylation of monoclonal antibodies by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method with ultrafast tryptic digestion.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Li, Xiaojuan; Liu, Yan-Hui; Richardson, Daisy; Li, Huijuan; Shameem, Mohammed; Yang, Xiaoyu

Monoclonal antibodies are subjected to a wide variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that cause structural heterogeneity. Characterization and control of these modifications or quality attributes are critical to ensure antibody quality and to define any potential effects on the ultimate safety and potency of antibody therapeutics. The biopharmaceutical industry currently uses numerous tools to analyze these quality attributes individually, which requires substantial time and resources. Here, we report a simple and ultrafast bottom-up liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (uLC-MS) method with 5 min tryptic digestion to simultaneously analyze multiple modifications, including oxidation, deamidation, isomerization, glycation, glycosylation, and N-terminal pyro-glutamate formation, which can occur during antibody production in mammalian cell culture, during purification and/or on storage. Compared to commonly used preparation procedures, this uLC-MS method eliminates assay artifacts of falsely-increased Met oxidation, Asp isomerization, and Asn deamidation, a problem associated with long digestion times in conventional LC-MS methods. This simple, low artifact multi-attribute uLC-MS method can be used to quickly and accurately analyze samples at any stage of antibody drug development, in particular for clone and media selection during cell culture development.

Establishing a Quality Control System for Stem Cell-Based Medicinal Products in China

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Stem cell-based medicinal products (SCMPs) are emerging as novel therapeutic products. The success of its development depends on the existence of an effective quality control system, which is constituted by quality control technologies, standards, reference materials, guidelines, and the associated management system in accordance with regulatory requirements along product lifespan. However, a worldwide, effective quality control system specific for SCMPs is still far from established partially due to the limited understanding of stem cell sciences and lack of quality control technologies for accurately assessing the safety and biological effectiveness of SCMPs before clinical use. Even though, based on the existing regulations and current stem cell sciences and technologies, initial actions toward the goal of establishing such a system have been taken as exemplified by recent development of new “interim guidelines” for governing quality control along development of SCMPs and new development of the associated quality control technologies in China. In this review, we first briefly introduced the major institutions involved in the regulation of cell substrates and therapeutic cell products in China and the existing regulatory documents and technical guidelines used as critical references for developing the new interim guidelines. With focus only on nonhematopoietic stem cells, we then discussed the principal quality attributes of SCMPs as well as our thinking of proper testing approaches to be established with relevant evaluation technologies to ensure all quality requirements of SCMPs along different manufacturing processes and development stages. At the end, some regulatory and technical challenges were also discussed with the conclusion that combined efforts should be taken to promote stem cell regulatory sciences to establish the effective quality control system for SCMPs. PMID:25471126

Chemical Composition and Meat Quality Attributes of Indigenous Sheep and Goats from Traditional Production System in Tanzania

PubMed Central

Shija, Dismas S.; Mtenga, Louis A.; Kimambo, Abiliza E.; Laswai, Germana H.; Mushi, Daniel E.; Mgheni, Dynes M.; Mwilawa, Angello J.; Shirima, Eligy J. M.; Safari, John G.

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to compare chemical composition and quality attributes of meat between male long fat tailed sheep (n = 17) and Small East African goats (n = 17) existing in Tanzania. Animals of 1.5 to 2 yrs in age and live body weight of 22.59±0.50 kg were purchased from livestock auction markets. Animals were fasted for 18 h and slaughtered according to standard halal procedure. Left carcasses were dissected into muscles, fat and bone and the muscle and fat were mixed together and chemically analysed. Meat quality attributes were measured based on Muscle longissimus thoracis et lumborum excised from right sides of carcasses. Goat carcasses had significant higher (p = 0.0302) moisture content (70.65% vs 66.96%) and lower (p = 0.0027) ether extract (2.49% vs 5.82%) than sheep but there was no significant species differences in protein and ash content. Sheep had lower (p = 0.0157) ultimate pH (5.74 vs 5.88) and higher (p = 0.0307) temperature (3.77°C vs 3.15°C) than goat carcasses. Sheep meat had lower (p = 0.0021) shear force values (29.83 N vs 34.07 N) than goat. Within species, at day 9 of ageing, meat tenderness improved (p = 0.0001) by 44.63% and 34.18% for sheep and goat. Pooled data showed that at d 9 of ageing, meat tenderness improved (p = 0.0001) by 39.25% (from 39.54 N to 24.02 N) compared to tenderness of meat which was not aged at day one of slaughter. The present study demonstrated the differences in chemical composition and quality attributes of meat existing between sheep and goats originated from East Africa. PMID:25049790

Chemical composition and meat quality attributes of indigenous sheep and goats from traditional production system in Tanzania.

PubMed

Shija, Dismas S; Mtenga, Louis A; Kimambo, Abiliza E; Laswai, Germana H; Mushi, Daniel E; Mgheni, Dynes M; Mwilawa, Angello J; Shirima, Eligy J M; Safari, John G

2013-02-01

The aim of the study was to compare chemical composition and quality attributes of meat between male long fat tailed sheep (n = 17) and Small East African goats (n = 17) existing in Tanzania. Animals of 1.5 to 2 yrs in age and live body weight of 22.59±0.50 kg were purchased from livestock auction markets. Animals were fasted for 18 h and slaughtered according to standard halal procedure. Left carcasses were dissected into muscles, fat and bone and the muscle and fat were mixed together and chemically analysed. Meat quality attributes were measured based on Muscle longissimus thoracis et lumborum excised from right sides of carcasses. Goat carcasses had significant higher (p = 0.0302) moisture content (70.65% vs 66.96%) and lower (p = 0.0027) ether extract (2.49% vs 5.82%) than sheep but there was no significant species differences in protein and ash content. Sheep had lower (p = 0.0157) ultimate pH (5.74 vs 5.88) and higher (p = 0.0307) temperature (3.77°C vs 3.15°C) than goat carcasses. Sheep meat had lower (p = 0.0021) shear force values (29.83 N vs 34.07 N) than goat. Within species, at day 9 of ageing, meat tenderness improved (p = 0.0001) by 44.63% and 34.18% for sheep and goat. Pooled data showed that at d 9 of ageing, meat tenderness improved (p = 0.0001) by 39.25% (from 39.54 N to 24.02 N) compared to tenderness of meat which was not aged at day one of slaughter. The present study demonstrated the differences in chemical composition and quality attributes of meat existing between sheep and goats originated from East Africa.

Non-Destructive Spectroscopic Techniques and Multivariate Analysis for Assessment of Fat Quality in Pork and Pork Products: A Review

PubMed Central

Kucha, Christopher T.; Liu, Li; Ngadi, Michael O.

2018-01-01

Fat is one of the most important traits determining the quality of pork. The composition of the fat greatly influences the quality of pork and its processed products, and contribute to defining the overall carcass value. However, establishing an efficient method for assessing fat quality parameters such as fatty acid composition, solid fat content, oxidative stability, iodine value, and fat color, remains a challenge that must be addressed. Conventional methods such as visual inspection, mechanical methods, and chemical methods are used off the production line, which often results in an inaccurate representation of the process because the dynamics are lost due to the time required to perform the analysis. Consequently, rapid, and non-destructive alternative methods are needed. In this paper, the traditional fat quality assessment techniques are discussed with emphasis on spectroscopic techniques as an alternative. Potential spectroscopic techniques include infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy. Hyperspectral imaging as an emerging advanced spectroscopy-based technology is introduced and discussed for the recent development of assessment for fat quality attributes. All techniques are described in terms of their operating principles and the research advances involving their application for pork fat quality parameters. Future trends for the non-destructive spectroscopic techniques are also discussed. PMID:29382092

Overall Quality of Fruits and Vegetables Products Affected by the Drying Processes with the Assistance of Vacuum-Microwaves.

PubMed

Figiel, Adam; Michalska, Anna

2016-12-30

The seasonality of fruits and vegetables makes it impossible to consume and use them throughout the year, thus numerous processing efforts have been made to offer an alternative to their fresh consumption and application. To prolong their availability on the market, drying has received special attention as currently this method is considered one of the most common ways for obtaining food and pharmaceutical products from natural sources. This paper demonstrates the weakness of common drying methods applied for fruits and vegetables and the possible ways to improve the quality using different drying techniques or their combination with an emphasis on the microwave energy. Particular attention has been drawn to the combined drying with the assistance of vacuum-microwaves. The quality of the dried products was ascribed by chemical properties including the content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and volatiles as well as physical parameters such as color, shrinkage, porosity and texture. Both these fields of quality classification were considered taking into account sensory attributes and energy aspects in the perspective of possible industrial applications. In conclusion, the most promising way for improving the quality of dried fruit and vegetable products is hybrid drying consisting of osmotic dehydration in concentrated fruit juices followed by heat pump drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying.

Overall Quality of Fruits and Vegetables Products Affected by the Drying Processes with the Assistance of Vacuum-Microwaves

PubMed Central

Figiel, Adam; Michalska, Anna

2016-01-01

The seasonality of fruits and vegetables makes it impossible to consume and use them throughout the year, thus numerous processing efforts have been made to offer an alternative to their fresh consumption and application. To prolong their availability on the market, drying has received special attention as currently this method is considered one of the most common ways for obtaining food and pharmaceutical products from natural sources. This paper demonstrates the weakness of common drying methods applied for fruits and vegetables and the possible ways to improve the quality using different drying techniques or their combination with an emphasis on the microwave energy. Particular attention has been drawn to the combined drying with the assistance of vacuum-microwaves. The quality of the dried products was ascribed by chemical properties including the content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and volatiles as well as physical parameters such as color, shrinkage, porosity and texture. Both these fields of quality classification were considered taking into account sensory attributes and energy aspects in the perspective of possible industrial applications. In conclusion, the most promising way for improving the quality of dried fruit and vegetable products is hybrid drying consisting of osmotic dehydration in concentrated fruit juices followed by heat pump drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying. PMID:28042845

Evaluation of a commercially available organic acid product on body weight loss, carcass yield, and meat quality during preslaughter feed withdrawal in broiler chickens: A poultry welfare and economic perspective1

PubMed Central

Menconi, A.; Kuttappan, V. A.; Hernandez-Velasco, X.; Urbano, T.; Matté, F.; Layton, S.; Kallapura, G.; Latorre, J.; Morales, B. E.; Prado, O.; Vicente, J. L.; Barton, J.; Filho, R. L. Andreatti; Lovato, M.; Hargis, B. M.; Tellez, G.

2014-01-01

The effect of a commercial organic acid (OA) product on BW loss (BWL) during feed withdrawal and transportation, carcass yield, and meat quality was evaluated in broiler chickens. Two experiments were conducted in Brazil. Commercial houses were paired as control groups receiving regular water and treated groups receiving OA in the water. Treated birds had a reduction in BWL of 37 g in experiment 1 and 32.2 g in experiment 2. In experiment 2, no differences were observed in carcass yield between groups. Estimation of the cost benefit suggested a 1:16 ratio by using the OA. In experiment 3, conducted in Mexico, significant differences on water consumption, BWL, and meat quality characteristics were observed in chickens that were treated with the OA (P < 0.05). These data suggest this OA product may improve animal welfare and economic concerns in the poultry industry by reducing BWL and improving meat quality attributes. PMID:24570468

Eccentricity and fluting in young–growth western hemlock in Oregon.

Treesearch

Ryan Singleton; Dean S. DeBell; David D. Marshall; Barbara L. Gartner

2004-01-01

Stem irregularities can influence estimates of tree and stand attributes, efficiency of manufacturing processes, and quality of wood products. Eccentricity and fluting were characterized in young, managed western hemlock stands in the Oregon Coast Range. Sixty-one trees were selected from pure western hemlock stands across a range of age, site, and densities. The trees...

The peanut genome consortium and peanut genome sequence: Creating a better future through global food security

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The competitiveness of peanuts in domestic and global markets has been threatened by losses in productivity and quality that are attributed to diseases, pests, environmental stresses and allergy or food safety issues. The U.S. Peanut Genome Initiative (PGI) was launched in 2004, and expanded to a gl...

Adaptation of the quality by design concept in early pharmaceutical development of an intranasal nanosized formulation.

PubMed

Pallagi, Edina; Ambrus, Rita; Szabó-Révész, Piroska; Csóka, Ildikó

2015-08-01

Regulatory science based pharmaceutical development and product manufacturing is highly recommended by the authorities nowadays. The aim of this study was to adapt regulatory science even in the nano-pharmaceutical early development. Authors applied the quality by design (QbD) concept in the early development phase of nano-systems, where the illustration material was meloxicam. The meloxicam nanoparticles produced by co-grinding method for nasal administration were studied according to the QbD policy and the QbD based risk assessment (RA) was performed. The steps were implemented according to the relevant regulatory guidelines (quality target product profile (QTPP) determination, selection of critical quality attributes (CQAs) and critical process parameters (CPPs)) and a special software (Lean QbD Software(®)) was used for the RA, which represents a novelty in this field. The RA was able to predict and identify theoretically the factors (e.g. sample composition, production method parameters, etc.) which have the highest impact on the desired meloxicam-product quality. The results of the practical research justified the theoretical prediction. This method can improve pharmaceutical nano-developments by achieving shorter development time, lower cost, saving human resource efforts and more effective target-orientation. It makes possible focusing the resources on the selected parameters and area during the practical product development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of different binders on the physico-chemical, textural, histological, and sensory qualities of retort pouched buffalo meat nuggets.

PubMed

Devadason, I Prince; Anjaneyulu, A S R; Babji, Y

2010-01-01

The functional properties of 4 binders, namely corn starch, wheat semolina, wheat flour, and tapioca starches, were evaluated to improve the quality of buffalo meat nuggets processed in retort pouches at F(0) 12.13. Incorporation of corn starch in buffalo meat nuggets produced more stable emulsion than other binders used. Product yield, drip loss, and pH did not vary significantly between the products with different binders. Shear force value was significantly higher for product with corn starch (0.42 +/- 0.0 Kg/cm(3)) followed by refined wheat flour (0.36 +/- 0.010 Kg/cm(3)), tapioca starch (0.32 +/- 0.010 Kg/cm(3)), and wheat semolina (0.32 +/- 0.010 Kg/cm(3)). Type of binder used had no significant effect on frying loss, moisture, and protein content of the product. However, fat content was higher in products with corn starch when compared to products with other binders. Texture profile indicated that products made with corn starch (22.17 +/- 2.55 N) and refined wheat flour (21.50 +/- 0.75 N) contributed firmer texture to the product. Corn starch contributed greater chewiness (83.8 +/- 12.51) to the products resulting in higher sensory scores for texture and overall acceptability. Products containing corn starch showed higher sensory scores for all attributes in comparison to products with other binders. Panelists preferred products containing different binders in the order of corn starch (7.23 +/- 0.09) > refined wheat flour (6.48 +/- 0.13) > tapioca starch (6.45 +/- 0.14) > wheat semolina (6.35 +/- 0.13) based on sensory scores. Histological studies indicated that products with corn starch showed dense protein matrix, uniform fat globules, and less number of vacuoles when compared to products made with other binders. The results indicated that corn flour is the better cereal binder for developing buffalo meat nuggets when compared to all other binders based on physico-chemical and sensory attributes.

Probiotic Bacillus spp. in Soy-Curd: Nutritional, Rheological, Sensory, and Antioxidant Properties.

PubMed

Shobharani, P; Prakash, Maya; Halami, Prakash M

2015-10-01

The focus of this study was to coculture probiotic Bacillus spp. with dairy starter cultures namely, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus for enhanced nutritional properties of soy-curd. Subsequently, rheological, sensory, and antioxidant properties of soy-curd along with mineral as well as fatty acid composition were analyzed. Data revealed an increase in the cell viability of probiotic Bacillus spp. on coculturing rather than as mono-culture. Proximate analysis showed higher nutritional value along with increased trace elements. UFA/SFA ratio, rheology, and sensory properties of probiotic soy-curd were in the acceptable range. Probiotic soy-curd showed higher antioxidant activity as measured by the ability to scavenge free radicals. No significant difference in the overall quality within the probiotic products was observed. However, B. flexus MCC2427 cocultured product displayed slightly better attributes than other samples. In general, the results suggest that soy-curd can be a suitable carrier for probiotic Bacillus spp. and the enhanced nutritional and antioxidant properties could be of additional advantage to combat malnutrition problem. In order to supply consumers with intriguing probiotic products for improving health benefits, several criteria including technological and functional properties should be considered as a quality control measures. Further, a meaningful level of probiotics has to be viable to exhibit beneficial effect. Hence, present work has been carried out to improve the quality of soy-curd by supplementation of probiotic Bacillus spp. These Bacillus spp. are well characterized native probiotic cultures with potential functional attributes including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticholesterol activity (Shobharani and Halami 2014). Hence, the application of these cultures will encourage for development of food product with wider health benefits. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Effects of vegetable juice powder concentration and storage time on some chemical and sensory quality attributes of uncured, emulsified cooked sausages.

PubMed

Sindelar, J J; Cordray, J C; Sebranek, J G; Love, J A; Ahn, D U

2007-06-01

Uncured, no-nitrate/nitrite-added meat products can be manufactured with vegetable juice powder (VJP) and a starter culture containing Staphylococcus carnosus, resulting in quality and sensory attributes similar to traditional cured products. The 1st objective of this study was to determine the effects of varying concentrations of VJP and incubation times (MIN-HOLD) on quality characteristics, including lipid oxidation, color, and cured meat pigment concentrations, of emulsified-frankfurter-style-cooked (EFSC) sausages over a 90-d storage period. The 2nd objective was to compare residual nitrate and nitrite content resulting from different processing treatments and the 3rd objective was to assess sensory properties of finished products. Four EFSC sausage treatments (TRT) (TRT 1: 0.20% VJP, 30 MIN-HOLD; TRT 2: 0.20% VJP, 120 MIN-HOLD; TRT 3: 0.40% VJP, 30 MIN-HOLD; TRT 4: 0.40% VJP, 120 MIN-HOLD) and a sodium nitrite-added control (C) were used for this study. No differences for lipid oxidation (TBARS) between any TRTs and C or over time were observed. No differences (P > 0.05) for CIE L* values were found between TRTs. CIE a* and reflectance ratio values revealed that TRTs 2, 4, and C were redder than TRTs 1 and 3 at day 0. Trained sensory intensity ratings for cured aroma, cured color, cured flavor, uniform color, and firmness determined that all but TRT 1 were similar to C. These results indicate a longer incubation time (120 compared with 30 min) was found more critical than VJP level (0.20% or 0.40%) to result in products comparable to a sodium nitrite-added control.

Large scale Wyoming transportation data: a resource planning tool

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Donnell, Michael S.; Fancher, Tammy S.; Freeman, Aaron T.; Ziegler, Abra E.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center created statewide roads data for the Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office using 2009 aerial photography from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. The updated roads data resolves known concerns of omission, commission, and inconsistent representation of map scale, attribution, and ground reference dates which were present in the original source data. To ensure a systematic and repeatable approach of capturing roads on the landscape using on-screen digitizing from true color National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery, we developed a photogrammetry key and quality assurance/quality control protocols. Therefore, the updated statewide roads data will support the Bureau of Land Management’s resource management requirements with a standardized map product representing 2009 ground conditions. The updated Geographic Information System roads data set product, represented at 1:4,000 and +/- 10 meters spatial accuracy, contains 425,275 kilometers within eight attribute classes. The quality control of these products indicated a 97.7 percent accuracy of aspatial information and 98.0 percent accuracy of spatial locations. Approximately 48 percent of the updated roads data was corrected for spatial errors of greater than 1 meter relative to the pre-existing road data. Twenty-six percent of the updated roads involved correcting spatial errors of greater than 5 meters and 17 percent of the updated roads involved correcting spatial errors of greater than 9 meters. The Bureau of Land Management, other land managers, and researchers can use these new statewide roads data set products to support important studies and management decisions regarding land use changes, transportation and planning needs, transportation safety, wildlife applications, and other studies.

Quality-related enzymes in fruit and vegetable products: effects of novel food processing technologies, part 1: high-pressure processing.

PubMed

Terefe, Netsanet Shiferaw; Buckow, Roman; Versteeg, Cornelis

2014-01-01

The activity of endogenous deteriorative enzymes together with microbial growth (with associated enzymatic activity) and/or other non-enzymatic (usually oxidative) reactions considerably shorten the shelf life of fruits and vegetable products. Thermal processing is commonly used by the food industry for enzyme and microbial inactivation and is generally effective in this regard. However, thermal processing may cause undesirable changes in product's sensory as well as nutritional attributes. Over the last 20 years, there has been a great deal of interest shown by both the food industry and academia in exploring alternative food processing technologies that use minimal heat and/or preservatives. One of the technologies that have been investigated in this context is high-pressure processing (HPP). This review deals with HPP focusing on its effectiveness for controlling quality-degrading enzymes in horticultural products. The scientific literature on the effects of HPP on plant enzymes, mechanism of action, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the effectiveness of HPP for controlling plant enzymes is critically reviewed. HPP inactivates vegetative microbial cells at ambient temperature conditions, resulting in a very high retention of the nutritional and sensory characteristics of the fresh product. Enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and pectin methylesterase (PME) are highly resistant to HPP and are at most partially inactivated under commercially feasible conditions, although their sensitivity towards pressure depends on their origin as well as their environment. Polygalacturonase (PG) and lipoxygenase (LOX) on the other hand are relatively more pressure sensitive and can be substantially inactivated by HPP at commercially feasible conditions. The retention and activation of enzymes such as PME by HPP can be beneficially used for improving the texture and other quality attributes of processed horticultural products as well as for creating novel structures that are not feasible with thermal processing.

Bioreactor process parameter screening utilizing a Plackett-Burman design for a model monoclonal antibody.

PubMed

Agarabi, Cyrus D; Schiel, John E; Lute, Scott C; Chavez, Brittany K; Boyne, Michael T; Brorson, Kurt A; Khan, Mansoora; Read, Erik K

2015-06-01

Consistent high-quality antibody yield is a key goal for cell culture bioprocessing. This endpoint is typically achieved in commercial settings through product and process engineering of bioreactor parameters during development. When the process is complex and not optimized, small changes in composition and control may yield a finished product of less desirable quality. Therefore, changes proposed to currently validated processes usually require justification and are reported to the US FDA for approval. Recently, design-of-experiments-based approaches have been explored to rapidly and efficiently achieve this goal of optimized yield with a better understanding of product and process variables that affect a product's critical quality attributes. Here, we present a laboratory-scale model culture where we apply a Plackett-Burman screening design to parallel cultures to study the main effects of 11 process variables. This exercise allowed us to determine the relative importance of these variables and identify the most important factors to be further optimized in order to control both desirable and undesirable glycan profiles. We found engineering changes relating to culture temperature and nonessential amino acid supplementation significantly impacted glycan profiles associated with fucosylation, β-galactosylation, and sialylation. All of these are important for monoclonal antibody product quality. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Process performance and product quality in an integrated continuous antibody production process.

PubMed

Karst, Daniel J; Steinebach, Fabian; Soos, Miroslav; Morbidelli, Massimo

2017-02-01

Continuous manufacturing is currently being seriously considered in the biopharmaceutical industry as the possible new paradigm for producing therapeutic proteins, due to production cost and product quality related benefits. In this study, a monoclonal antibody producing CHO cell line was cultured in perfusion mode and connected to a continuous affinity capture step. The reliable and stable integration of the two systems was enabled by suitable control loops, regulating the continuous volumetric flow and adapting the operating conditions of the capture process. For the latter, an at-line HPLC measurement of the harvest concentration subsequent to the bioreactor was combined with a mechanistic model of the capture chromatographic unit. Thereby, optimal buffer consumption and productivity throughout the process was realized while always maintaining a yield above the target value of 99%. Stable operation was achieved at three consecutive viable cell density set points (20, 60, and 40 × 10 6 cells/mL), together with consistent product quality in terms of aggregates, fragments, charge isoforms, and N-linked glycosylation. In addition, different values for these product quality attributes such as N-linked glycosylation, charge variants, and aggregate content were measured at the different steady states. As expected, the amount of released DNA and HCP was significantly reduced by the capture step for all considered upstream operating conditions. This study is exemplary for the potential of enhancing product quality control and modulation by integrated continuous manufacturing. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 298-307. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Color Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wrolstad, Ronald E.; Smith, Daniel E.

Color, flavor, and texture are the three principal quality attributes that determine food acceptance, and color has a far greater influence on our judgment than most of us appreciate. We use color to determine if a banana is at our preferred ripeness level, and a discolored meat product can warn us that the product may be spoiled. The marketing departments of our food corporations know that, for their customers, the color must be "right." The University of California Davis scorecard for wine quality designates four points out of 20, or 20% of the total score, for color and appearance (1). Food scientists who establish quality control specifications for their product are very aware of the importance of color and appearance. While subjective visual assessment and use of visual color standards are still used in the food industry, instrumental color measurements are extensively employed. Objective measurement of color is desirable for both research and industrial applications, and the ruggedness, stability, and ease of use of today's color measurement instruments have resulted in their widespread adoption.

Influence of social dominance on production, welfare and the quality of meat from beef bulls.

PubMed

Miranda-de la Lama, G C; Pascual-Alonso, M; Guerrero, A; Alberti, P; Alierta, S; Sans, P; Gajan, J P; Villarroel, M; Dalmau, A; Velarde, A; Campo, M M; Galindo, F; Santolaria, M P; Sañudo, C; María, G A

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of social dominance on some indicators of welfare, production and meat quality of young bulls. A total of 60 bulls of the Gasconne breed, 9 months old, housed indoors were used. Indices of success order were calculated to reflect social dominance of each bull into three ranking categories (low, middle and high). Blood samples were taken to measure cortisol, lactate, glucose, creatine kinase, non-esterified fatty acid and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L). M. longissimus samples were analysed in terms of pH, water holding capacity (WHC), texture, colour and sensorial attributes. Social rank influenced cattle stress response, which had an effect on productive performance but not on meat quality traits, with the exception of the sensory traits. These results emphasize the importance of implementing best management practices during pre-harvest handling of cattle in order to modulate any possible risk factor for social stress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Herbal hepatotoxicity: a critical review

PubMed Central

Teschke, Rolf; Frenzel, Christian; Glass, Xaver; Schulze, Johannes; Eickhoff, Axel

2013-01-01

This review deals with herbal hepatotoxicity, identical to herb induced liver injury (HILI), and critically summarizes the pitfalls associated with the evaluation of assumed HILI cases. Analysis of the relevant publications reveals that several dozens of different herbs and herbal products have been implicated to cause toxic liver disease, but major quality issues limit the validity of causality attribution. In most of these reports, discussions around quality specifications regarding herbal products, case data presentations and causality assessment methods prevail. Though the production of herbal drugs is under regulatory surveillance and quality aspects are normally not a matter of concern, low quality of the less regulated herbal supplements may be a critical issue considering product batch variability, impurities, adulterants and herb misidentifications. Regarding case data presentation, essential diagnostic information is often lacking, as is the use of valid and liver specific causality assessment methods that also consider alternative diseases. At present, causality is best assessed by using the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences scale ( CIOMS) in its original or updated form, which should primarily be applied prospectively by the treating physician when evaluating a patient rather than retrospectively by regulatory agencies. To cope with these problems, a common quality approach by manufacturers, physicians and regulatory agencies should strive for the best quality. We propose steps for improvements with impact on future cases of liver injury by herbs, herbal drugs and herbal supplements. PMID:22831551

The effects of bioactive edible film containing Terminalia arjuna on the stability of some quality attributes of chevon sausages.

PubMed

Kalem, Insha Kousar; Bhat, Z F; Kumar, Sunil; Noor, Sabahu; Desai, Ajay

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of calcium alginate edible films incorporated with Terminalia arjuna on the lipid oxidative stability and storage quality of chevon sausages. Chevon sausages were aerobically packaged in the edible films containing different concentrations of T. arjuna viz. T 1 (0.0%), T 2 (0.50%) and T 3 (1.0%) and were stored under refrigerated (4±1 °C) conditions. A significant improvement was observed in the lipid oxidative stability and microbial quality of the products. Products packaged in T 2 and T 3 films exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) lower values for TBARS (mg malonaldehyde/kg), microbial counts (log cfu/g) and FFA (% oleic acid). Higher (P < 0.05) sensory scores were also observed for the products packaged in T 2 and T 3 films. This study shows that application of a bioactive edible film incorporated with T. arjuna is an effective strategy in retarding the lipid oxidation and storage changes in meat products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of pilot-scale aseptic processing on tomato soup quality parameters.

PubMed

Colle, Ines J P; Andrys, Anna; Grundelius, Andrea; Lemmens, Lien; Löfgren, Anders; Buggenhout, Sandy Van; Loey, Ann; Hendrickx, Marc Van

2011-01-01

Tomatoes are often processed into shelf-stable products. However, the different processing steps might have an impact on the product quality. In this study, a model tomato soup was prepared and the impact of pilot-scale aseptic processing, including heat treatment and high-pressure homogenization, on some selected quality parameters was evaluated. The vitamin C content, the lycopene isomer content, and the lycopene bioaccessibility were considered as health-promoting attributes. As a structural characteristic, the viscosity of the tomato soup was investigated. A tomato soup without oil as well as a tomato soup containing 5% olive oil were evaluated. Thermal processing had a negative effect on the vitamin C content, while lycopene degradation was limited. For both compounds, high-pressure homogenization caused additional losses. High-pressure homogenization also resulted in a higher viscosity that was accompanied by a decrease in lycopene bioaccessibility. The presence of lipids clearly enhanced the lycopene isomerization susceptibility and improved the bioaccessibility. The results obtained in this study are of relevance for product formulation and process design of tomato-based food products. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

APPLICATION OF OAT, WHEAT AND RYE BRAN TO MODIFY NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES, PHYSICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTRUDED CORN SNACKS.

PubMed

Makowska, Agnieszka; Polcyn, Anna; Chudy, Sylwia; Michniewicz, Jan

2015-01-01

Cereal products constitute the basis of the diet pyramid. While the consumption of such products as bread decreases, the group of food which popularity increase is cereal snacks. Unfortunately, the dietary value of this group of foodstuffs is limited. Thus, different types of cereal bran may be added to the produced snacks to enhance their nutritive value. However, an addition of bran may have an adverse effect on quality attributes of products. Corn grits enriched with 20 and 40% oat, wheat and rye bran was extruded. Basic parameters determining the nutritive value, physical characteristics and sensory attributes of the six produced types of extrudates were measured and compared. Moreover, the effect of additives applied on viscosity of aqueous suspensions of the raw materials and extrudates under controlled conditions was measured using RVA. The dietary value of snacks containing bran depends on the type and quantitative shares of the additives. The content of dietary fibre in produced extrudates ranged from 6.5 to 15.8%, including soluble dietary fibre at 2.1 to 3.7%. With an increase of bran content in extrudates, their expansion decreased, density increased and the colour of extrudates changed (reduced brightness, increased a*, decreased b*). In sensory evaluation the highest acceptability was given to extrudates with a 20% addition of oat bran, while the lowest was given for those with 40% wheat bran. Based on PCA results positive correlations were found between overall desirability and crispiness, porosity, taste, colour and expansion. Negative correlations between desirability and hardness and density of extrudates were observed. The additives and their level also had an effect on changes in viscosity of aqueous suspensions measured using RVA. However, no correlation was found between quality features of extrudates and values of attributes measured in the analysis of viscosity. In the production of corn extruded snacks an addition of oat, wheat and rye bran may be applied up to 20%. Such products have adequate sensory and dietary quality. The Critical Paste Test (Whalen et al., 1996) is not applicable in the evaluation of suitability of the corn raw material with an addition of oat, wheat and rye bran to produce extrudates.

Proper Accounting for Surface Area to Solution Volume Ratios in Exaggerated Extractions.

PubMed

Jenke, Dennis R; Rabinow, Barrett E

2017-01-01

When drug products contact plastic manufacturing components, packaging systems, and/or delivery devices, leachables from the plastics can accumulate in the drug product, potentially affecting its key quality attributes. Given practical issues associated with screening drug products for leachables, potential leachables are frequently surfaced as extractables revealed in extraction studies. To facilitate extractables discovery and identification and to shorten extraction times, extraction studies can be exaggerated and/or accelerated. One means of exaggerating an extraction is to increase the test article's extracted surface area to extraction solution volume ratio (SA/V), as it is generally accepted that an extractable's concentration in an extract is proportional to SA/V in a 1 to 1 manner. However, as the relationship between an extractable's concentration and SA/V depends on the extractable's plastic/solvent partition coefficient (k p/l ), the effect of SA/V on the extractable's concentrations can be either under- or over-estimated if a 1 to 1 proportion is used. This article presents the theoretical relationship between SA/V, concentration, and k p/l ; illustrates theory with a case study; and suggests proper exaggeration strategies. LAY ABSTRACT: When drug products are manufactured, stored, or delivered in systems that contain plastics, substances can be leached from the plastics and remain in the drug product, where they might affect the product's key quality attributes. To discover and identify these leached substances, the plastics are extracted under laboratory conditions and the extracts are appropriately tested. To facilitate this process, extracts may be generated under laboratory conditions that exaggerate or accelerate the drug product's clinical conditions of manufacturing or use. The proper use of the ratio of the extracted item's surface area to the volume of the extracting solution as an exaggeration parameter is discussed in this paper. © PDA, Inc. 2017.

'How to stop a nosebleed': an assessment of the quality of epistaxis treatment advice on YouTube.

PubMed

Haymes, A T; Harries, V

2016-08-01

Video hosting websites are increasingly being used to disseminate health education messages. This study aimed to assess the quality of advice contained within YouTube videos on the conservative management of epistaxis. YouTube.com was searched using the phrase 'how to stop a nosebleed'. The first 50 videos were screened. Objective advice scores and subjective production quality scores were attributed by independent raters. Forty-five videos were analysed. The mean advice score was 2.0 out of 8 and the mean production quality score was 1.6 out of 3. There were no correlations between a video's advice score and its search results rank (ρ = -0.28, p = 0.068), its view count (ρ = 0.20, p = 0.19) or its number of 'likes' (ρ = 0.21, p = 0.18). The quality of information on conservative epistaxis management within YouTube videos is extremely variable. A high search rank is no indication of video quality. Many videos proffer inappropriate and dangerous 'alternative' advice. We do not recommend YouTube as a source for patient information.

Effects of varying levels of vegetable juice powder and incubation time on color, residual nitrate and nitrite, pigment, pH, and trained sensory attributes of ready-to-eat uncured ham.

PubMed

Sindelar, J J; Cordray, J C; Sebranek, J G; Love, J A; Ahn, D U

2007-08-01

Vegetable juice powder (VJP) and a starter culture containing Staphylococcus carnosus have been identified as necessary ingredients for the manufacture of uncured, no-nitrate/nitrite-added meat products with quality and sensory attributes similar to traditional cured products. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of varying concentrations of VJP and incubation time (MIN-HOLD) on quality characteristics, including lipid oxidation, color, and cured meat pigment concentrations, of ham over a 90-d storage period, compare residual nitrate and nitrite content, and determine if differences exist in sensory properties of finished products. Four ham treatments (TRT) (TRT 1: 0.20% VJP, 0 MIN-HOLD; TRT 2: 0.20% VJP, 120 MIN-HOLD; TRT 3: 0.35% VJP, 0 MIN-HOLD; TRT 4: 0.35% VJP, 120 MIN-HOLD) and a sodium nitrite-added control (C) were used for this study. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed between TRTs and C for CIE L*, a*, b*, and cured color measured by reflectance ratio. Lipid oxidation (TBARS) for combined TRTs and C revealed little change over time while the C had less (P < 0.05) lipid oxidation than TRTs 2 and 4 for combined days. No differences (P > 0.05) were reported for cured pigment concentration between TRTs and C. Trained sensory panel intensity ratings for ham and vegetable aroma, and flavor, color, and firmness showed that a high concentration (0.35%) of VJP resulted in the highest scores for undesirable vegetable aroma and flavor. Treatment combinations with a low concentration (0.20%) of VJP were comparable to the C for all sensory attributes.

[Issues regarding the legal regulation of drugs in Argentina].

PubMed

Bignone, Inés M

2006-01-01

This work describes the main functions and attributions of the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica, ANMAT) of Argentina in the control and supervision of pharmaceutical products. The four properties that a medicine must full-fill (efficacy, safety, quality and accessibility) are described, and the role of ANMAT with regard to each one is specified. Criteria employed in the classification of pharmaceutical products marketed in Argentina with the regulatory agency permission are specified, and a reference to pharmaceutical products not registered before the Agency is also included.

Remotely Sensed Information and Field Data are both Essential to Assess Biodiversity CONDITION!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, B.; Schaefer, M.; Scarth, P.; Phinn, S. R.; Christensen, R.; Lowe, A. J.; O'Neill, S.; Thurgate, N.; Wundke, D.

2015-12-01

Over the past year the TERN Ausplots facility has hosted a process to determine the definition of Biodiversity Condition in an Australian Continental Context, and conducted a wide collaborative process to determine which environmental attributes are required to be measures to accurately inform on biodiversity condition. A major output from this work was the acknowledgement that good quality data from both remotely sensed sources and good quality field collected data are both essential to provide the best information possible on biodiversity condition. This poster details some background to the project, the assesment of which attributes to measure, and if the are sources primarily from field based or remotely sensed measures. It then proceeds to provide three examples of ways in which the combination of data types provides a superior product as output, with one example being provided for the three cornerstone areas of condition: Structure, Function and Composition.

Factors influencing the flavour of game meat: A review.

PubMed

Neethling, J; Hoffman, L C; Muller, M

2016-03-01

Flavour is a very important attribute contributing to the sensory quality of meat and meat products. Although the sensory quality of meat includes orthonasal and retronasal aroma, taste, as well as appearance, juiciness and other textural attributes, the focus of this review is primarily on flavour. The influence of species, age, gender, muscle anatomical location, diet, harvesting conditions, ageing of meat, packaging and storage, as well as cooking method on the flavour of game meat are discussed. Very little research is available on the factors influencing the flavour of the meat derived from wild and free-living game species. The aim of this literature review is thus to discuss the key ante- and post-mortem factors that influence the flavour of game meat, with specific focus on wild and free-living South African game species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical characteristics and quality parameters of a beef product subjected to chemical preservatives and high hydrostatic pressure.

PubMed

Giménez, Belén; Graiver, Natalia; Califano, Alicia; Zaritzky, Noemí

2015-02-01

The use of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on fresh beef causes a deleterious effect on red colour. A beef product subjected to HHP exhibiting acceptable colour and microbiological stability was developed; the process requires as a first step the immersion in a preservative solution containing ascorbic acid, sodium nitrite, and sodium chloride. Desirability functions were used to optimise the composition of this solution in order to maintain the colour attributes minimising the concentration of sodium nitrite. The product was packed in low gas permeability film before HHP treatment. The effect of the applied pressure (300, 600 MPa) on quality parameters (colour,texture) was analysed. The stability of the product during storage at 4 °C was determined by microbial counts, colour, texture, and exudate. The combination of treatments provided acceptable colour and microbiological stability during four and six weeks of refrigerated storage after the product has been subjected to 300 and 600 MPa, respectively.

Bioactive Compounds in Functional Meat Products.

PubMed

Pogorzelska-Nowicka, Ewelina; Atanasov, Atanas G; Horbańczuk, Jarosław; Wierzbicka, Agnieszka

2018-01-31

Meat and meat products are a good source of bioactive compounds with positive effect on human health such as vitamins, minerals, peptides or fatty acids. Growing food consumer awareness and intensified global meat producers competition puts pressure on creating new healthier meat products. In order to meet these expectations, producers use supplements with functional properties for animal diet and as direct additives for meat products. In the presented work seven groups of key functional constituents were chosen: (i) fatty acids; (ii) minerals; (iii) vitamins; (iv) plant antioxidants; (v) dietary fibers; (vi) probiotics and (vii) bioactive peptides. Each of them is discussed in term of their impact on human health as well as some quality attributes of the final products.

Physicochemical and biological characterization of SB2, a biosimilar of Remicade® (infliximab)

PubMed Central

Hong, Juyong; Lee, Yuhwa; Lee, Changsoo; Eo, Suhyeon; Kim, Soyeon; Park, Seungkyu; Seo, Donghyuck; Lee, Youngji; Yeon, Soojeong; Bou-Assaf, George; Sosic, Zoran; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT A biosimilar is a biological medicinal product that contains a version of the active substance of an already authorized original biological medicinal product. Biosimilarity to the reference product (RP) in terms of quality characteristics, such as physicochemical and biological properties, safety, and efficacy, based on a comprehensive comparability exercise needs to be established. SB2 (Flixabi® and Renflexis®) is a biosimilar to Remicade® (infliximab). The development of SB2 was performed in accordance with relevant guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonisation, the European Medicines Agency, and the United States Food and Drug Administration. To determine whether critical quality attributes meet quality standards, an extensive characterization test was performed with more than 80 lots of EU- and US-sourced RP. The physicochemical characterization study results revealed that SB2 was similar to the RP. Although a few differences in physicochemical attributes were observed, the evidence from the related literature, structure-activity relationship studies, and comparative biological assays showed that these differences were unlikely to be clinically meaningful. The biological characterization results showed that SB2 was similar to the RP in terms of tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) binding and TNF-α neutralization activities as a main mode of action. SB2 was also similar in Fc-related biological activities including antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, neonatal Fc receptor binding, C1q binding, and Fc gamma receptor binding activities. These analytical findings support that SB2 is similar to the RP and also provide confidence of biosimilarity in terms of clinical safety and efficacy. PMID:28005456

Mapping the potential beverage quality of coffee produced in the Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

PubMed

Silva, Samuel de Assis; de Queiroz, Daniel Marçal; Ferreira, Williams Pinto Marques; Corrêa, Paulo Cesar; Rufino, José Luis Dos Santos

2016-07-01

Detailed knowledge of coffee production systems enables optimization of crop management, harvesting and post-harvest techniques. In this study, coffee quality is mapped as a function of coffee variety, altitude and terrain aspect attributes. The work was performed in the Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A large range of coffee quality grades was observed for the Red Catuai variety. For the Yellow Catuai variety, no quality grades lower than 70 were observed. Regarding the terrain aspect, samples from the southeast-facing slope (SEFS) and the northwest-facing slope (NWFS) exhibited distinct behaviors. The SEFS samples had a greater range of quality grades than did the NWFS samples. The highest grade was obtained from an NWFS point. The lowest quality values and the largest range of grades were observed at lower altitudes. The extracts from the highest-altitude samples did not produce any low-quality coffee. The production site's position and altitude are the primary variables that influenced the coffee quality. The study area has micro-regions with grades ranging from 80 to 94. These areas have the potential for producing specialty coffees. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Consumer expectations of nonprescription medications according to location of sale.

PubMed

Taylor, Jeffrey G; Lo, Ya-Ning; Dobson, Roy; Suveges, Linda G

2007-01-01

To determine whether the public has different expectations of nonprescription medications based on location of sale. Cross-sectional, descriptive. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, during the summer of 2003. 2,102 randomly selected citizens. Mail survey. Differences in expectations for potency, safety, adverse effects, effectiveness, and package information of products sold in pharmacies versus convenience stores. The response rate was 57.2%. Most participants (81.2%) were aware that nonprescription medications could be purchased in convenience stores, but far fewer (42.3%) had done so. As one potential resource during purchases, pharmacists were held in reasonably high regard. Expectations with the greatest difference were of a merchandising nature. Respondents expected pharmacies to have a better quality and selection of products and lower prices. For drug-related attributes, differences were minimal but statistically significant. Location of sale does not appear to have any practical influence on consumer expectations of the drug-related attributes of nonprescription medications. Buyers of such products expect similar properties to be present regardless of location.

Optimization of conditions for probiotic curd formulation by Enterococcus faecium MTCC 5695 with probiotic properties using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Ramakrishnan, Vrinda; Goveas, Louella Concepta; Prakash, Maya; Halami, Prakash M; Narayan, Bhaskar

2014-11-01

Enterococcus faecium MTCC 5695 possessing potential probiotic properties as well as enterocin producing ability was used as starter culture. Effect of time (12-24 h) and inoculum level (3-7 % v/v) on cell growth, bacteriocin production, antioxidant property, titrable acidity and pH of curd was studied by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized conditions were 26.48 h and 2.17%v/v inoculum and the second order model validated. Co cultivation studies revealed that the formulated product had the ability to prevent growth of foodborne pathogens that affect keeping quality of the product during storage. The results indicated that application of E. faecium MTCC 5695 along with usage of optimized conditions attributed to the formation of highly consistent well set curd with bioactive and bioprotective properties. Formulated curd with potential probiotic attributes can be used as therapeutic agent for the treatment of foodborne diseases like Traveler's diarrhea and gastroenteritis which thereby help in improvement of bowel health.

Using contingent choice methods to assess consumer preferences about health plan design.

PubMed

Marquis, M Susan; Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Kapur, Kanika; Yegian, Jill M

2005-01-01

American insurers are designing products to contain health care costs by making consumers financially responsible for their choices. Little is known about how consumers will view these new designs. Our objective is to examine consumer preferences for selected benefit designs. We used the contingent choice method to assess willingness to pay for six health plan attributes. Our sample included subscribers to individual health insurance products in California, US. We used fitted logistic regression models to explore how preferences for the more generous attributes varied with the additional premium and with the characteristics of the subscriber. High quality was the most highly valued attribute based on the amounts consumers report they are willing to pay. They were also willing to pay substantial monthly premiums to reduce their overall financial risk. Individuals in lower health were willing to pay more to reduce their financial risk than individuals in better health. Consumers may prefer tiered-benefit designs to those that involve overall increases in cost sharing. More consumer information is needed to help consumers better evaluate the costs and benefits of their insurance choices.

SOA: A Quality Attribute Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-23

in software engineering from CMU. 6June 2011 Twitter #seiwebinar © 2011 Carnegie Mellon University Agenda Service -Oriented Architecture and... Software Architecture: Review Service -Orientation and Quality Attributes Summary and Future Challenges 7June 2011 Twitter #seiwebinar © 2011...Architecture and Software Architecture: Review Service -Orientation and Quality Attributes Summary and Future Challenges Review 10June 2011 Twitter

Recent progress in the development of ISO 19751

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farnand, Susan P.; Dalal, Edul N.; Ng, Yee S.

2006-01-01

A small number of general visual attributes have been recognized as essential in describing image quality. These include micro-uniformity, macro-uniformity, colour rendition, text and line quality, gloss, sharpness, and spatial adjacency or temporal adjacency attributes. The multiple-part International Standard discussed here was initiated by the INCITS W1 committee on the standardization of office equipment to address the need for unambiguously documented procedures and methods, which are widely applicable over the multiple printing technologies employed in office applications, for the appearance-based evaluation of these visually significant image quality attributes of printed image quality. 1,2 The resulting proposed International Standard, for which ISO/IEC WD 19751-1 3 presents an overview and an outline of the overall procedure and common methods, is based on a proposal that was predicated on the idea that image quality could be described by a small set of broad-based attributes. 4 Five ad hoc teams were established (now six since a sharpness team is in the process of being formed) to generate standards for one or more of these image quality attributes. Updates on the colour rendition, text and line quality, and gloss attributes are provided.

Estimated Costs of Sporadic Gastrointestinal Illness Associated with Surface Water Recreation: A Combined Analysis of Data from NEEAR and CHEERS Studies

PubMed Central

DeFlorio-Barker, Stephanie; Wade, Timothy J.; Jones, Rachael M.; Friedman, Lee S.; Wing, Coady; Dorevitch, Samuel

2016-01-01

Background: The burden of illness can be described by addressing both incidence and illness severity attributable to water recreation. Monetized as cost, attributable disease burden estimates can be useful for environmental management decisions. Objectives: We characterize the disease burden attributable to water recreation using data from two cohort studies using a cost of illness (COI) approach and estimate the largest drivers of the disease burden of water recreation. Methods: Data from the NEEAR study, which evaluated swimming and wading in marine and freshwater beaches in six U.S. states, and CHEERS, which evaluated illness after incidental-contact recreation (boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, and rowing) on waterways in the Chicago area, were used to estimate the cost per case of gastrointestinal illness and costs attributable to water recreation. Data on health care and medication utilization and missed days of work or leisure were collected and combined with cost data to construct measures of COI. Results: Depending on different assumptions, the cost of gastrointestinal symptoms attributable to water recreation are estimated to be $1,220 for incidental-contact recreation (range $338–$1,681) and $1,676 for swimming/wading (range $425–2,743) per 1,000 recreators. Lost productivity is a major driver of the estimated COI, accounting for up to 90% of total costs. Conclusions: Our estimates suggest gastrointestinal illness attributed to surface water recreation at urban waterways, lakes, and coastal marine beaches is responsible for costs that should be accounted for when considering the monetary impact of efforts to improve water quality. The COI provides more information than the frequency of illness, as it takes into account disease incidence, health care utilization, and lost productivity. Use of monetized disease severity information should be included in future studies of water quality and health. Citation: DeFlorio-Barker S, Wade TJ, Jones RM, Friedman LS, Wing C, Dorevitch S. 2017. Estimated costs of sporadic gastrointestinal illness associated with surface water recreation: a combined analysis of data from NEEAR and CHEERS Studies. Environ Health Perspect 125:215–222; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP130 PMID:27459727

Estimated Costs of Sporadic Gastrointestinal Illness Associated with Surface Water Recreation: A Combined Analysis of Data from NEEAR and CHEERS Studies.

PubMed

DeFlorio-Barker, Stephanie; Wade, Timothy J; Jones, Rachael M; Friedman, Lee S; Wing, Coady; Dorevitch, Samuel

2017-02-01

The burden of illness can be described by addressing both incidence and illness severity attributable to water recreation. Monetized as cost, attributable disease burden estimates can be useful for environmental management decisions. We characterize the disease burden attributable to water recreation using data from two cohort studies using a cost of illness (COI) approach and estimate the largest drivers of the disease burden of water recreation. Data from the NEEAR study, which evaluated swimming and wading in marine and freshwater beaches in six U.S. states, and CHEERS, which evaluated illness after incidental-contact recreation (boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, and rowing) on waterways in the Chicago area, were used to estimate the cost per case of gastrointestinal illness and costs attributable to water recreation. Data on health care and medication utilization and missed days of work or leisure were collected and combined with cost data to construct measures of COI. Depending on different assumptions, the cost of gastrointestinal symptoms attributable to water recreation are estimated to be $1,220 for incidental-contact recreation (range $338-$1,681) and $1,676 for swimming/wading (range $425-2,743) per 1,000 recreators. Lost productivity is a major driver of the estimated COI, accounting for up to 90% of total costs. Our estimates suggest gastrointestinal illness attributed to surface water recreation at urban waterways, lakes, and coastal marine beaches is responsible for costs that should be accounted for when considering the monetary impact of efforts to improve water quality. The COI provides more information than the frequency of illness, as it takes into account disease incidence, health care utilization, and lost productivity. Use of monetized disease severity information should be included in future studies of water quality and health. Citation: DeFlorio-Barker S, Wade TJ, Jones RM, Friedman LS, Wing C, Dorevitch S. 2017. Estimated costs of sporadic gastrointestinal illness associated with surface water recreation: a combined analysis of data from NEEAR and CHEERS Studies. Environ Health Perspect 125:215-222; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP130.

Some quality attributes of low fat ice cream substituted with hulless barley flour and barley ß-glucan.

PubMed

Abdel-Haleem, Amal M H; Awad, R A

2015-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate some quality attributes of low fat ice cream (LFIC) substituted with hulless barley flour (HBF) and barley ß-glucan (BBG). The methodology included in this paper is based on adding HBF (1, 2, 3 and 4 %) as a partial substitution of skim milk powder (SMP) and BBG (0.40 %) as a complete substitution of carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC). All mixes and resultant ice cream samples were evaluated for their physicochemical properties as well as the sensory quality attributes.The results indicated that substitution of SMP with HBF significantly increased total solids (TS), fat and crude fiber, while crude protein and ash significantly decreased in ice cream mixes. BBG exhibited the same manner of control. Specific gravity was gradually increased with adding HBFand BBG in the mixes and therefore the overrun percent was significantly changed in the resultant ice cream. Adding HBF in ice cream formula led to significant decrease in acidity with higher freezing point and the product showed higher ability to meltdown. BBG treatment showed the same trend of control. Values of flow time and viscosity significantly increased with increasing HBF in the ice cream mixes, but these values significantly decreased in BBG mix. The time required to freeze ice cream mixes was decreased with increasing the ratio of HBF but, increased in BBG treatment. The substitution of SMP with 1 and 2 % HBF significantly (P ≤ 0.05) enhanced sensory attributes of ice cream samples. While, BBG treatment achieved mild score and acceptability.

Minimizing energy utilization for growing strawberries during long-duration space habitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massa, Gioia D.; Santini, Judith B.; Mitchell, Cary A.

2010-09-01

Strawberry is a candidate crop for space that is rich in protective antioxidants and could also have psychological benefits as a component of crew diets during long-duration space habitation. Energy for electric lighting is a major input to a controlled-environment crop-production system for space habitation. Day-neutral strawberry cultivars were evaluated at several different photoperiods to determine minimum lighting requirements without limiting yield or negatively impacting fruit quality. The cultivars 'Tribute', 'Seascape', and 'Fern' were grown at 14, 17, or 20 h of light per day, and fruit yield was evaluated over a 31-week production period. This amounted to a difference of 2418 kWh m -2 in energy usage between the longest and shortest photoperiods. All cultivars produced similar total fresh weight of fruit regardless of photoperiod. Volunteer tasters rated organoleptic characteristics including sweetness, tartness, texture, and overall appeal as measures of fruit quality. Generally, organoleptic attributes were not affected by photoperiod, but these attributes were somewhat dependent upon cultivar and harvest time. Cultivars under different photoperiods varied in their production of fruit over time. 'Seascape' was the most consistent producer, typically with the largest, most palatable fruit. 'Seascape' plants subsequently were grown at 10-, 12-, or 14-h photoperiods over a treatment period of 33 weeks. Photoperiod again had no significant effect on total fruit weight, although there were periodic flushes of productivity. Fruit under all photoperiods had acceptable approval ratings. A large-fruited, day-neutral strawberry cultivar such as 'Seascape' remains productive under shortened photoperiods, allowing reductions in energy and crew labor while maintaining flexibility for mixed-cropping scenarios in space.

The sweet tooth of biopharmaceuticals: importance of recombinant protein glycosylation analysis.

PubMed

Lingg, Nico; Zhang, Peiqing; Song, Zhiwei; Bardor, Muriel

2012-12-01

Biopharmaceuticals currently represent the fastest growing sector of the pharmaceutical industry, mainly driven by a rapid expansion in the manufacture of recombinant protein-based drugs. Glycosylation is the most prominent post-translational modification occurring on these protein drugs. It constitutes one of the critical quality attributes that requires thorough analysis for optimal efficacy and safety. This review examines the functional importance of glycosylation of recombinant protein drugs, illustrated using three examples of protein biopharmaceuticals: IgG antibodies, erythropoietin and glucocerebrosidase. Current analytical methods are reviewed as solutions for qualitative and quantitative measurements of glycosylation to monitor quality target product profiles of recombinant glycoprotein drugs. Finally, we propose a framework for designing the quality target product profile of recombinant glycoproteins and planning workflow for glycosylation analysis with the selection of available analytical methods and tools. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of the addition of mechanically deboned poultry meat and collagen fibers on quality characteristics of frankfurter-type sausages.

PubMed

Pereira, Anirene Galvão Tavares; Ramos, Eduardo Mendes; Teixeira, Jacyara Thaís; Cardoso, Giselle Pereira; Ramos, Alcinéia de Lemos Souza; Fontes, Paulo Rogério

2011-12-01

The effects of mechanically deboned poultry meat (MDPM) and levels of collagen fibers on comminuted, cooked sausage quality characteristics were investigated using the central composite rotatable design of response surface methodology (RSM). Use of collagen fiber as an additive affected the sausage characteristics, but the effect depended on the amount of the MDPM used. While MDPM additions resulted in higher cooking loss and darker and redder frankfurters, the addition of collagen fibers improved cooking yields and contributed to the lightness of the final product. Higher collagen fiber content was also accompanied by a significant increase in frankfurter hardness regardless of the MDPM content. Use of collagen fibers countered the negative effects of MDPM on sausage quality attributes, especially on cooking yields and final product color. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and quality evaluation of quick cooking dhal-A convenience product.

PubMed

Sethi, Shruti; Samuel, D V K; Khan, Islam

2014-03-01

Owing to rapid urbanization and more women joining the workforce, use of ready-to-eat and ready-to-use convenience foods is gaining increasing popularity. Women require dhal that cooks fast and increases in volume when cooked. In an attempt to prepare quick cooking dhal from pigeon pea, variety UPAS 120 was milled, pre-treated with sodium chloride solution (1%), flaked and dried. The quick cooking dhal was packed in three packaging materials, namely, high molecular weight high density polyethylene (HMHDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and laminated pouches. The quality evaluation of the prepared flakes with respect to the cooking quality attributes, changes in proximate composition, free fatty acid (FFA) and peroxide value (PV) were carried out during storage at ambient temperature (8-36°C) at regular intervals for a period of 10 months. During storage, quick cooking dhal packed in laminated pouches performed better than samples stored in other pouches with respect to the changes in the overall quality and acceptability of the product.

Quality of herbal medicines: challenges and solutions.

PubMed

Zhang, Junhua; Wider, Barbara; Shang, Hongcai; Li, Xuemei; Ernst, Edzard

2012-01-01

The popularity of herbal medicines has risen worldwide. This increase in usage renders safety issues important. Many adverse events of herbal medicines can be attributed to the poor quality of the raw materials or the finished products. Different types of herbal medicines are associated with different problems. Quality issues of herbal medicines can be classified into two categories: external and internal. In this review, external issues including contamination (e.g. toxic metals, pesticides residues and microbes), adulteration and misidentification are detailed. Complexity and non-uniformity of the ingredients in herbal medicines are the internal issues affecting the quality of herbal medicines. Solutions to the raised problems are discussed. The rigorous implementation of Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) would undoubtedly reduce the risk of external issues. Through the use of modern analytical methods and pharmaceutical techniques, previously unsolved internal issues have become solvable. Standard herbal products can be manufactured from the standard herbal extracts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of different drying methods on the product quality and volatile compounds of whole shiitake mushrooms.

PubMed

Tian, Yuting; Zhao, Yingting; Huang, Jijun; Zeng, Hongliang; Zheng, Baodong

2016-04-15

Various drying methods play important roles in the preservation of foods. However, how the different drying methods affect the quality of some foods is not clear. This paper evaluates the effects of hot air, vacuum, microwave, and microwave vacuum drying techniques on important qualities and volatile compounds of whole shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushrooms. These four drying methods resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) increase in the content of total free amino acids and the relative content of sulfur compounds of dried products. Microwave vacuum drying helped to maintain larger amounts of taste-active amino acids, and improved nutrient retention and color attributes. Furthermore, the uniform honeycomb network created by microwave vacuum drying along with a less collapsed structure of dried samples can be used to explain the observed high rehydration ratio. Therefore, microwave vacuum drying should be a potential method for obtaining high-quality dried mushrooms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of design tool attributes with regards to sustainability benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zain, S.; Ismail, A. F.; Ahmad, Z.; Adesta, E. Y. T.

2018-01-01

The trend of global manufacturing competitiveness has shown a significant shift from profit and customer driven business to a more harmonious sustainability paradigm. This new direction, which emphasises the interests of three pillars of sustainability, i.e., social, economic and environment dimensions, has changed the ways products are designed. As a result, the roles of design tools in the product development stage of manufacturing in adapting to the new strategy are vital and increasingly challenging. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on the attributes of design tools with regards to the sustainability perspective. Four well-established design tools are selected, namely Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Failure Mode and Element Analysis (FMEA), Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and Design for Environment (DfE). By analysing previous studies, the main attributes of each design tool and its benefits with respect to each sustainability dimension throughout four stages of product lifecycle are discussed. From this study, it is learnt that each of the design tools contributes to the three pillars of sustainability either directly or indirectly, but they are unbalanced and not holistic. Therefore, the prospective of improving and optimising the design tools is projected, and the possibility of collaboration between the different tools is discussed.

Prediction of quality attributes of chicken breast fillets by using Vis/NIR spectroscopy combined with factor analysis method

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Visible/near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy with wavelength range between 400 and 2500 nm combined with factor analysis method was tested to predict quality attributes of chicken breast fillets. Quality attributes, including color (L*, a*, b*), pH, and drip loss were analyzed using factor analysis ...

Consumer perception of sustainability attributes in organic and local food.

PubMed

Annunziata, Azzurra; Angela, Mariani

2017-12-14

Although sustainable food consumption is gaining growing importance on the international agenda, research on this subject is still quite fragmented and most studies analyse single aspects of sustainable food consumption with particular reference to environmental sustainability. In addition, the literature highlights the need to take account of the strong heterogeneity of consumers in studying sustainable behaviour. Identifying consumer segments with common profiles, needs and values is essential for developing effective communication strategies to promote sustainability in food consumption. Consumer segmentation based on the perception of the sustainability attributes of organic and local products was realized using descriptive data collected through a consumer online survey in southern Italy (Campania). K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify different consumer segments based on consumer perception of sustainable attributes in organic and local food. Results confirm the support of consumers for organic and local food as sustainable alternative in food choices even if occasional buying behaviour of these products still predominates. In addition, our results show that an egoistic approach prevails among consumers, who seem to attach more value to attributes related to quality and health than to environmental, social and economic sustainability. Segmentation proves the existence of three consumer segments that differ significantly in terms of perception of sustainability attributes: a large segment of individuals who seem more egocentric oriented, an environmental sustainability oriented segment and a small segment that includes sustainability oriented consumers. The existence of different levels of sensitivity to sustainability attributes in organic and local food among the identified segments could be duly considered by policy makers and other institutions in promoting sustainable consumption patterns. Consumers in the first cluster could be educated about the social and environmental benefits of organic and local consumption, beyond health and quality aspects, by promoting communication strategies aimed at creating a sense of belonging and self-identity in the change process towards sustainability. While consumers in the second cluster could be more informed about the additional social and economic benefits of organic and local consumption, that goes beyond the still perceived environmental benefits. The strategic focus should be on attracting interest on the sense of belonging to the local community, in order to further promoting the short supply chain as models based on community building relationships and processes, that hold people to place and shared responsibility. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the increasing demand for more sustainable food products needs to be coupled with the development and adoption of innovations. In this regards, several patents have been registered for biopesticides/insecticides and bioactive agricultural products. However, more scientific evidence of higher yields and other benefits and enabling measures that support farmers are required to broaden adoption of innovation for sustainable agro-food production. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Inline UV/Vis spectroscopy as PAT tool for hot-melt extrusion.

PubMed

Wesholowski, Jens; Prill, Sebastian; Berghaus, Andreas; Thommes, Markus

2018-01-11

Hot-melt extrusion on co-rotating twin screw extruders is a focused technology for the production of pharmaceuticals in the context of Quality by Design. Since it is a continuous process, the potential for minimizing product quality fluctuation is enhanced. A typical application of hot-melt extrusion is the production of solid dispersions, where an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is distributed within a polymer matrix carrier. For this dosage form, the product quality is related amongst others to the drug content. This can be monitored on- or inline as critical quality attribute by a process analytical technology (PAT) in order to meet the specific requirements of Quality by Design. In this study, an inline UV/Vis spectrometer from ColVisTec was implemented in an early development twin screw extruder and the performance tested in accordance to the ICH Q2 guideline. Therefore, two API (carbamazepine and theophylline) and one polymer matrix (copovidone) were considered with the main focus on the quantification of the drug load. The obtained results revealed the suitability of the implemented PAT tool to quantify the drug load in a typical range for pharmaceutical applications. The effort for data evaluation was minimal due to univariate data analysis, and in combination with a measurement frequency of 1 Hz, the system is sufficient for real-time data acquisition.

Options for reducing food waste by quality-controlled logistics using intelligent packaging along the supply chain.

PubMed

Heising, Jenneke K; Claassen, G D H; Dekker, Matthijs

2017-10-01

Optimising supply chain management can help to reduce food waste. This paper describes how intelligent packaging can be used to reduce food waste when used in supply chain management based on quality-controlled logistics (QCL). Intelligent packaging senses compounds in the package that correlate with the critical quality attribute of a food product. The information on the quality of each individual packaged food item that is provided by the intelligent packaging can be used for QCL. In a conceptual approach it is explained that monitoring food quality by intelligent packaging sensors makes it possible to obtain information about the variation in the quality of foods and to use a dynamic expiration date (IP-DED) on a food package. The conceptual approach is supported by quantitative data from simulations on the effect of using the information of intelligent packaging in supply chain management with the goal to reduce food waste. This simulation shows that by using the information on the quality of products that is provided by intelligent packaging, QCL can substantially reduce food waste. When QCL is combined with dynamic pricing based on the predicted expiry dates, a further waste reduction is envisaged.

The biopharmaceutics risk assessment roadmap for optimizing clinical drug product performance.

PubMed

Selen, Arzu; Dickinson, Paul A; Müllertz, Anette; Crison, John R; Mistry, Hitesh B; Cruañes, Maria T; Martinez, Marilyn N; Lennernäs, Hans; Wigal, Tim L; Swinney, David C; Polli, James E; Serajuddin, Abu T M; Cook, Jack A; Dressman, Jennifer B

2014-11-01

The biopharmaceutics risk assessment roadmap (BioRAM) optimizes drug product development and performance by using therapy-driven target drug delivery profiles as a framework to achieve the desired therapeutic outcome. Hence, clinical relevance is directly built into early formulation development. Biopharmaceutics tools are used to identify and address potential challenges to optimize the drug product for patient benefit. For illustration, BioRAM is applied to four relatively common therapy-driven drug delivery scenarios: rapid therapeutic onset, multiphasic delivery, delayed therapeutic onset, and maintenance of target exposure. BioRAM considers the therapeutic target with the drug substance characteristics and enables collection of critical knowledge for development of a dosage form that can perform consistently for meeting the patient's needs. Accordingly, the key factors are identified and in vitro, in vivo, and in silico modeling and simulation techniques are used to elucidate the optimal drug delivery rate and pattern. BioRAM enables (1) feasibility assessment for the dosage form, (2) development and conduct of appropriate "learning and confirming" studies, (3) transparency in decision-making, (4) assurance of drug product quality during lifecycle management, and (5) development of robust linkages between the desired clinical outcome and the necessary product quality attributes for inclusion in the quality target product profile. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Quality changes of fresh-cut kohlrabi sticks under modified atmosphere packaging.

PubMed

Escalona, V H; Aguayo, E; Artés, F

2007-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different gas compositions on quality attributes and shelf life of kohlrabi sticks stored in modified atmosphere up to 14 d at 0 degrees C. Two commercial films were tested: oriented polypropylene (OPP) and amide-polyethylene (amide-PE). As a control, a microperforated OPP film was used. In order to study the changes in metabolic activity by minimal processing, the respiration rate and ethylene production at 0 degrees C were monitored for both intact stems and sticks. Changes in color, chemical parameters, sugars and organic acid contents, and sensorial quality of kohlrabi sticks were evaluated. An initial ethylene production of sticks was 13-fold higher than that of intact stems; meanwhile CO(2) production was 2-fold higher. However after 4 d of storage, a similar respiration rate for stems and sticks was found. Also the ethylene production of sticks and stems was steady around 15 to 20 nL/kg(/)h after 10 d. Kohlrabi sticks showed a little change in chemical parameters and very low weight losses during cold storage. Sticks under an equilibrium atmosphere of 7 kPa O(2) and 9 kPa CO(2) at 0 degrees C reached by amide-PE kept an acceptable sensorial quality for 14 d.

Application of Kansei engineering and data mining in the Thai ceramic manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kittidecha, Chaiwat; Yamada, Koichi

2018-01-01

Ceramic is one of the highly competitive products in Thailand. Many Thai ceramic companies are attempting to know the customer needs and perceptions for making favorite products. To know customer needs is the target of designers and to develop a product that must satisfy customers. This research is applied Kansei Engineering (KE) and Data Mining (DM) into the customer driven product design process. KE can translate customer emotions into the product attributes. This method determines the relationships between customer feelings or Kansei words and the design attributes. Decision tree J48 and Class association rule which implemented through Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) software are used to generate a predictive model and to find the appropriate rules. In this experiment, the emotion scores were rated by 37 participants for training data and 16 participants for test data. 6 Kansei words were selected, namely, attractive, ease of drinking, ease of handing, quality, modern and durable. 10 mugs were selected as product samples. The results of this study indicate that the proposed models and rules can interpret the design product elements affecting the customer emotions. Finally, this study provides useful understanding for the application DM in KE and can be applied to a variety of design cases.

Effects of Cold Plasma on Food Quality: A Review.

PubMed

Pankaj, Shashi K; Wan, Zifan; Keener, Kevin M

2018-01-01

Cold plasma (CP) technology has proven very effective as an alternative tool for food decontamination and shelf-life extension. The impact of CP on food quality is very crucial for its acceptance as an alternative food processing technology. Due to the non-thermal nature, CP treatments have shown no or minimal impacts on the physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory attributes of various products. This review also discusses the negative impacts and limitations posed by CP technology for food products. The limited studies on interactions of CP species with food components at the molecular level offers future research opportunities. It also highlights the need for optimization studies to mitigate the negative impacts on visual, chemical, nutritional and functional properties of food products. The design versatility, non-thermal, economical and environmentally friendly nature of CP offers unique advantages over traditional processing technologies. However, CP processing is still in its nascent form and needs further research to reach its potential.

A 100-Year Review: Sensory analysis of milk.

PubMed

Schiano, A N; Harwood, W S; Drake, M A

2017-12-01

Evaluation of the sensory characteristics of food products has been, and will continue to be, the ultimate method for evaluating product quality. Sensory quality is a parameter that can be evaluated only by humans and consists of a series of tests or tools that can be applied objectively or subjectively within the constructs of carefully selected testing procedures and parameters. Depending on the chosen test, evaluators are able to probe areas of interest that are intrinsic product attributes (e.g., flavor profiles and off-flavors) as well as extrinsic measures (e.g., market penetration and consumer perception). This review outlines the literature pertaining to relevant testing procedures and studies of the history of sensory analysis of fluid milk. In addition, evaluation methods outside of traditional sensory techniques and future outlooks on the subject of sensory analysis of fluid milk are explored and presented. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of a quality by design approach to the cell culture process of monoclonal antibody production, resulting in the establishment of a design space.

PubMed

Nagashima, Hiroaki; Watari, Akiko; Shinoda, Yasuharu; Okamoto, Hiroshi; Takuma, Shinya

2013-12-01

This case study describes the application of Quality by Design elements to the process of culturing Chinese hamster ovary cells in the production of a monoclonal antibody. All steps in the cell culture process and all process parameters in each step were identified by using a cause-and-effect diagram. Prospective risk assessment using failure mode and effects analysis identified the following four potential critical process parameters in the production culture step: initial viable cell density, culture duration, pH, and temperature. These parameters and lot-to-lot variability in raw material were then evaluated by process characterization utilizing a design of experiments approach consisting of a face-centered central composite design integrated with a full factorial design. Process characterization was conducted using a scaled down model that had been qualified by comparison with large-scale production data. Multivariate regression analysis was used to establish statistical prediction models for performance indicators and quality attributes; with these, we constructed contour plots and conducted Monte Carlo simulation to clarify the design space. The statistical analyses, especially for raw materials, identified set point values, which were most robust with respect to the lot-to-lot variability of raw materials while keeping the product quality within the acceptance criteria. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

The role of personal values in Chinese consumers' food consumption decisions. A case study of healthy drinks.

PubMed

Lee, Pui Yee; Lusk, Karen; Mirosa, Miranda; Oey, Indrawati

2014-02-01

Differences in culture, language, and behavior between Chinese and Western consumers make entering the Chinese market a challenge. Chinese consumers may desire similar product features (e.g. brand name, quality, and flavor) to Western consumers but the value that consumers attach to the same product may differ cross-nationally. Besides values, an understanding of desired product attributes and the consequences linking to these values is also important. To the authors' knowledge, there is no published scientific research that investigates how personal values influence Chinese consumers' food consumption decisions. The aim of this research was to identify the links among product attributes, consequences of these attributes, and personal values associated with healthy drink consumption decisions within the Chinese market. Specifically, this research employed means-end chain theory and used association pattern technique (APT) as the main data collection technique to identify these links. Focus groups (n=6) were held in Hangzhou, China to identify the important attributes and consequences involved in the consumption decisions of healthy drinks. These attributes and consequences along with Schwartz's 10 basic values were used to construct the matrices included in the APT survey. A total of 600 APT surveys were administered in six different companies in Hangzhou, with 570 returned. Construction of the hierarchical value map (HVM) identified four of Schwartz's personal values influencing Chinese consumers' healthy drink consumption decisions: security, hedonism, benevolence, and self-direction. Food safety was the foremost concern for Chinese consumers when choosing healthy drinks. Chinese consumers also sought a good tasting and nutritious drink that was good value for money. Results from this study provide food marketers with an in-depth understanding of Chinese consumers' healthy drink consumption decisions. Implications and recommendations are provided that will assist food marketers to effectively enact marketing strategies in China. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineering of biotin-prototrophy in Pichia pastoris for robust production processes.

PubMed

Gasser, Brigitte; Dragosits, Martin; Mattanovich, Diethard

2010-11-01

Biotin plays an essential role as cofactor for biotin-dependent carboxylases involved in essential metabolic pathways. The cultivation of Pichia pastoris, a methylotrophic yeast that is successfully used as host for the production of recombinant proteins, requires addition of high dosage of biotin. As biotin is the only non-salt media component used during P. pastoris fermentation (apart from the carbon source), nonconformities during protein production processes are usually attributed to poor quality of the added biotin. In order to avoid dismissed production runs due to biotin quality issues, we engineered the biotin-requiring yeast P. pastoris to become a biotin-prototrophic yeast. Integration of four genes involved in the biotin biosynthesis from brewing yeast into the P. pastoris genome rendered P. pastoris biotin-prototrophic. The engineered strain has successfully been used as production host for both intracellular and secreted heterologous proteins in fed-batch processes, employing mineral media without vitamins. Another field of application for these truly prototrophic hosts is the production of biochemicals and small metabolites, where defined mineral media leads to easier purification procedures. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Patient-Centered Medical Home Attributes on Patients’ Perceptions of Quality in Federally Supported Health Centers

PubMed Central

Lebrun-Harris, Lydie A.; Shi, Leiyu; Zhu, Jinsheng; Burke, Matthew T.; Sripipatana, Alek; Ngo-Metzger, Quyen

2013-01-01

PURPOSE We sought to assess patients’ ratings of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) attributes and overall quality of care within federally supported health centers. METHODS Data were collected through the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey (n = 4,562), which consisted of in-person interviews and included a nationally representative sample of patients seen in health centers. Quality measures included patients’ perceptions of overall quality of services, perceptions of quality of clinician advice/treatment, and likelihood of referring friends and relatives to the health center. PCMH attributes included (1) access to care getting to health center, (2) access to care during visit, (3) patient-centered communication with health care clinicians, (4) patient-centered communication with support staff, (5) self-management support for chronic conditions, (6) self-management support for behavioral risks, and (7) comprehensive preventive care. Bivariate analysis and logistic regressions were used to examine associations between patients’ perceptions of PCMH attributes and patient-reported quality of care. RESULTS Eighty-four percent of patients reported excellent/very good overall quality of services, 81% reported excellent/very good quality of clinician care, and 84% were very likely to refer friends and relatives. Higher patient ratings on the access to care and patient-centered communication attributes were associated with higher odds of patient-reported high quality of care on the 3 outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS More than 80% of patients perceived high quality of care in health centers. PCMH attributes related to access to care and communication were associated with greater likelihood of patients reporting high-quality care. PMID:24218374

How bio-questionable are the different recombinant human erythropoietin copy products in Thailand?

PubMed

Halim, Liem Andhyk; Brinks, Vera; Jiskoot, Wim; Romeijn, Stefan; Praditpornsilpa, Kearkiat; Assawamakin, Anunchai; Schellekens, Huub

2014-05-01

The high prevalence of pure red cell aplasia in Thailand has been associated with the sharp increase in number of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) copy products, based on a classical generic regulatory pathway, which have entered the market. This study aims to assess the quality of rhEPO copy products being used in Thailand. Twelve rhEPO copy products were purchased from pharmacies in Thailand, shipped under controlled cold chain conditions to the Netherlands and characterized using (1) high performance size-exclusion chromatography, (2) asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation, (3) sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in combination with (4) Western blotting and additionally tested for (5) host cell protein impurities as well as (6) endotoxin contamination. Some of the tested rhEPO copy products showed high aggregate levels and contained a substantial amount of protein fragments. Also, one of rhEPO copy products had a high endotoxin level, exceeding the FDA limit. Our observations show that some of the tested copy products on the Thai market differ significantly from the originator rhEPO product, Epogen®. This comparison study supports a link between the quality attributes of copy rhEPO products and their immunogenicity.

Analysis of information quality attribute for SME towards adoption of research result

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Febriani, E.; Dewobroto, W. S.; Anggraini, R. D.

2017-12-01

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) holds significant role in fostering Indonesian economy. However, the research that is supposed to support the development of SMEs business has not yet fully adopted or utilized. Information attributes may be used as the benchmark to find the intention of SMEs from a research result and develop the strategy of quality information for all organizations both SMEs and the researcher. Therefore, because of the importance of information quality attribute required by SMEs, the research aims to analyses the information quality required by SMEs to clarify the information quality into the dimension of information quality. The research was started by distributing online questionnaire to SMEs. The questionnaire result showed that the content dimension is the most aspect required by SMEs, followed by time and form dimension, respectively. Quality information attribute required by SMEs from a research is that the result may be applied to the business.

Rational Selection, Criticality Assessment, and Tiering of Quality Attributes and Test Methods for Analytical Similarity Evaluation of Biosimilars.

PubMed

Vandekerckhove, Kristof; Seidl, Andreas; Gutka, Hiten; Kumar, Manish; Gratzl, Gyöngyi; Keire, David; Coffey, Todd; Kuehne, Henriette

2018-05-10

Leading regulatory agencies recommend biosimilar assessment to proceed in a stepwise fashion, starting with a detailed analytical comparison of the structural and functional properties of the proposed biosimilar and reference product. The degree of analytical similarity determines the degree of residual uncertainty that must be addressed through downstream in vivo studies. Substantive evidence of similarity from comprehensive analytical testing may justify a targeted clinical development plan, and thus enable a shorter path to licensing. The importance of a careful design of the analytical similarity study program therefore should not be underestimated. Designing a state-of-the-art analytical similarity study meeting current regulatory requirements in regions such as the USA and EU requires a methodical approach, consisting of specific steps that far precede the work on the actual analytical study protocol. This white paper discusses scientific and methodological considerations on the process of attribute and test method selection, criticality assessment, and subsequent assignment of analytical measures to US FDA's three tiers of analytical similarity assessment. Case examples of selection of critical quality attributes and analytical methods for similarity exercises are provided to illustrate the practical implementation of the principles discussed.

A View on the Importance of "Multi-Attribute Method" for Measuring Purity of Biopharmaceuticals and Improving Overall Control Strategy.

PubMed

Rogers, Richard S; Abernathy, Michael; Richardson, Douglas D; Rouse, Jason C; Sperry, Justin B; Swann, Patrick; Wypych, Jette; Yu, Christopher; Zang, Li; Deshpande, Rohini

2017-11-30

Today, we are experiencing unprecedented growth and innovation within the pharmaceutical industry. Established protein therapeutic modalities, such as recombinant human proteins, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and fusion proteins, are being used to treat previously unmet medical needs. Novel therapies such as bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs), chimeric antigen T cell receptors (CARTs), siRNA, and gene therapies are paving the path towards increasingly personalized medicine. This advancement of new indications and therapeutic modalities is paralleled by development of new analytical technologies and methods that provide enhanced information content in a more efficient manner. Recently, a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) multi-attribute method (MAM) has been developed and designed for improved simultaneous detection, identification, quantitation, and quality control (monitoring) of molecular attributes (Rogers et al. MAbs 7(5):881-90, 2015). Based on peptide mapping principles, this powerful tool represents a true advancement in testing methodology that can be utilized not only during product characterization, formulation development, stability testing, and development of the manufacturing process, but also as a platform quality control method in dispositioning clinical materials for both innovative biotherapeutics and biosimilars.

Buying higher welfare poultry products? Profiling Flemish consumers who do and do not.

PubMed

Vanhonacker, F; Verbeke, W

2009-12-01

A substantial number of studies has already investigated differences within the consumer market with regard to attitudes and perceptions in relation to farm animal welfare. Likewise, several studies focused on the gap that exists between positive attitudes and reported consumption or purchase intentions for sustainable food products in general and higher welfare products more specific, and on the factors influencing this attitude-behavior gap. Little or no studies, however, have started from reported pro-welfare behavior to distinguish between consumer groups and to explore the motivations of the respective behavior. With this study, we aim to group consumers according to their reported buying frequency of higher welfare eggs and higher welfare chicken meat. Similarities and dissimilarities between these groups are mapped in terms of individual characteristics, product attribute importance, perceived consumer effectiveness, perception of higher welfare products, and attitude toward a welfare label. The research methodology applied was a quantitative study with cross-sectional consumer survey data collected in Flanders in spring 2007 (n = 469). Pro-welfare behavior was unevenly distributed across different consumer segments, despite a general interest and concern for bird welfare. A consistent choice for standard (no welfare premium) poultry products was related to strong perceived price and availability barriers, to a low importance attached to ethical issues as product attributes, and to a low perceived consumer effectiveness. A consistent choice for products with higher welfare standards to the contrast associated with a high importance attached to ethical issues; a low effect of price and availability perception; a strong association of higher welfare products with product attributes like health, taste, and quality; and a high perceived consumer effectiveness. The identification of market segments with common characteristics is essential for positioning higher welfare products and developing effective communication strategies. Finally, a welfare label emerged as an appropriate communication vehicle for consumers who engage in pro-welfare behavior and who experienced the label as a solution to lower the search costs for higher welfare products.

Improving lactate metabolism in an intensified CHO culture process: productivity and product quality considerations.

PubMed

Xu, Sen; Hoshan, Linda; Chen, Hao

2016-11-01

In this study, we discussed the development and optimization of an intensified CHO culture process, highlighting medium and control strategies to improve lactate metabolism. A few strategies, including supplementing glucose with other sugars (fructose, maltose, and galactose), controlling glucose level at <0.2 mM, and supplementing medium with copper sulfate, were found to be effective in reducing lactate accumulation. Among them, copper sulfate supplementation was found to be critical for process optimization when glucose was in excess. When copper sulfate was supplemented in the new process, two-fold increase in cell density (66.5 ± 8.4 × 10(6) cells/mL) and titer (11.9 ± 0.6 g/L) was achieved. Productivity and product quality attributes differences between batch, fed-batch, and concentrated fed-batch cultures were discussed. The importance of process and cell metabolism understanding when adapting the existing process to a new operational mode was demonstrated in the study.

The Forests of Southern New England, 2007: A report on the forest resources of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

Treesearch

Brett J. Butler; Charles J. Barnett; Susan J. Crocker; Grant M. Domke; Dale Gormanson; William N. Hill; Cassandra M. Kurtz; Tonya Lister; Christopher Martin; Patrick D. Miles; Randall Morin; W. Keith Moser; Mark D. Nelson; Barbara O' Connell; Bruce Payton; Charles H. Perry; Ronald J. Piva; Rachel Riemann; Christopher W. Woodall

2011-01-01

This report summarizes the results of the fifth forest inventory of the forests of Southern New England, defined as Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and analysis program. Information on forest attributes, ownership, land use change, carbon, timber products, forest health, and statistics and quality...

Optimum cooking conditions for shrimp and Atlantic salmon.

PubMed

Brookmire, Lauren; Mallikarjunan, P; Jahncke, M; Grisso, R

2013-02-01

The quality and safety of a cooked food product depends on many variables, including the cooking method and time-temperature combinations employed. The overall heating profile of the food can be useful in predicting the quality changes and microbial inactivation occurring during cooking. Mathematical modeling can be used to attain the complex heating profile of a food product during cooking. Studies were performed to monitor the product heating profile during the baking and boiling of shrimp and the baking and pan-frying of salmon. Product color, texture, moisture content, mass loss, and pressed juice were evaluated during the cooking processes as the products reached the internal temperature recommended by the FDA. Studies were also performed on the inactivation of Salmonella cocktails in shrimp and salmon. To effectively predict inactivation during cooking, the Bigelow, Fermi distribution, and Weibull distribution models were applied to the Salmonella thermal inactivation data. Minimum cooking temperatures necessary to destroy Salmonella in shrimp and salmon were determined. The heating profiles of the 2 products were modeled using the finite difference method. Temperature data directly from the modeled heating profiles were then used in the kinetic modeling of quality change and Salmonella inactivation during cooking. The optimum cooking times for a 3-log reduction of Salmonella and maintaining 95% of quality attributes are 100, 233, 159, 378, 1132, and 399 s for boiling extra jumbo shrimp, baking extra jumbo shrimp, boiling colossal shrimp, baking colossal shrimp, baking Atlantic salmon, and pan frying Atlantic Salmon, respectively. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Medical nutrition therapy: use of sourdough lactic acid bacteria as a cell factory for delivering functional biomolecules and food ingredients in gluten free bread

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disease, triggered in genetically susceptible individuals by ingesting gluten from wheat, rye, barley, and other closely related cereal grains. Currently, the estimated prevalence of CD is around 1 % of the population in the western world and medical nutritional therapy (MNT) is the only accepted treatment for celiac disease. To date, the replacement of gluten in bread presents a significant technological challenge for the cereal scientist due to the low baking performance of gluten free products (GF). The increasing demand by the consumer for high quality gluten-free (GF) bread, clean labels and natural products is rising. Sourdough has been used since ancient times for the production of rye and wheat bread, its universal usage can be attributed to the improved quality, nutritional properties and shelf life of sourdough based breads. Consequently, the exploitation of sourdough for the production of GF breads appears tempting. This review will highlight how sourdough LAB can be an efficient cell factory for delivering functional biomolecules and food ingredients to enhance the quality of gluten free bread. PMID:21995616

Use of images in shelf life assessment of fruit salad.

PubMed

Manzocco, Lara; Rumignani, Alberto; Lagazio, Corrado

2012-07-01

Fruit salads stored for different lengths of time as well as their images were used to estimate sensory shelf life by survival analysis. Shelf life estimates obtained using fruit salad images were longer than those achieved by analyzing the real product. This was attributed to the fact that images are 2-dimensional representations of real food, probably not comprehensive of all the visual information needed by the panelists to produce an acceptability/unacceptability judgment. Images were also subjected to image analysis and the analysis of the overall visual quality by a trained panel. These indices proved to be highly correlated to consumer rejection of the fruit salad and could be exploited for routine shelf life assessment of analogous products. To this regard, a failure criterion of 25% consumer rejection could be equivalent to a score 3 in a 5-point overall visual quality scale. Food images can be used to assess product shelf life. In the case of fruit salads, the overall visual quality assessed by a trained panel on product images and the percentage of brown pixels in digital images can be exploited to estimate shelf life corresponding to a selected consumer rejection. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Real-time assessment of critical quality attributes of a continuous granulation process.

PubMed

Fonteyne, Margot; Vercruysse, Jurgen; Díaz, Damián Córdoba; Gildemyn, Delphine; Vervaet, Chris; Remon, Jean Paul; De Beer, Thomas

2013-02-01

There exists the intention to shift pharmaceutical manufacturing of solid dosage forms from traditional batch production towards continuous production. The currently applied conventional quality control systems, based on sampling and time-consuming off-line analyses in analytical laboratories, would annul the advantages of continuous processing. It is clear that real-time quality assessment and control is indispensable for continuous production. This manuscript evaluates strengths and weaknesses of several complementary Process Analytical Technology (PAT) tools implemented in a continuous wet granulation process, which is part of a fully continuous from powder-to-tablet production line. The use of Raman and NIR-spectroscopy and a particle size distribution analyzer is evaluated for the real-time monitoring of critical parameters during the continuous wet agglomeration of an anhydrous theophylline- lactose blend. The solid state characteristics and particle size of the granules were analyzed in real-time and the critical process parameters influencing these granule characteristics were identified. The temperature of the granulator barrel, the amount of granulation liquid added and, to a lesser extent, the powder feed rate were the parameters influencing the solid state of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). A higher barrel temperature and a higher powder feed rate, resulted in larger granules.

Bayesian framework inspired no-reference region-of-interest quality measure for brain MRI images

PubMed Central

Osadebey, Michael; Pedersen, Marius; Arnold, Douglas; Wendel-Mitoraj, Katrina

2017-01-01

Abstract. We describe a postacquisition, attribute-based quality assessment method for brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. It is based on the application of Bayes theory to the relationship between entropy and image quality attributes. The entropy feature image of a slice is segmented into low- and high-entropy regions. For each entropy region, there are three separate observations of contrast, standard deviation, and sharpness quality attributes. A quality index for a quality attribute is the posterior probability of an entropy region given any corresponding region in a feature image where quality attribute is observed. Prior belief in each entropy region is determined from normalized total clique potential (TCP) energy of the slice. For TCP below the predefined threshold, the prior probability for a region is determined by deviation of its percentage composition in the slice from a standard normal distribution built from 250 MRI volume data provided by Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. For TCP above the threshold, the prior is computed using a mathematical model that describes the TCP–noise level relationship in brain MRI images. Our proposed method assesses the image quality of each entropy region and the global image. Experimental results demonstrate good correlation with subjective opinions of radiologists for different types and levels of quality distortions. PMID:28630885

Validation of a 30-year-old process for the manufacture of L-asparaginase from Erwinia chrysanthemi.

PubMed

Gervais, David; Allison, Nigel; Jennings, Alan; Jones, Shane; Marks, Trevor

2013-04-01

A 30-year-old manufacturing process for the biologic product L-asparaginase from the plant pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi was rigorously qualified and validated, with a high level of agreement between validation data and the 6-year process database. L-Asparaginase exists in its native state as a tetrameric protein and is used as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment regimen for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). The manufacturing process involves fermentation of the production organism, extraction and purification of the L-asparaginase to make drug substance (DS), and finally formulation and lyophilisation to generate drug product (DP). The extensive manufacturing experience with the product was used to establish ranges for all process parameters and product quality attributes. The product and in-process intermediates were rigorously characterised, and new assays, such as size-exclusion and reversed-phase UPLC, were developed, validated, and used to analyse several pre-validation batches. Finally, three prospective process validation batches were manufactured and product quality data generated using both the existing and the new analytical methods. These data demonstrated the process to be robust, highly reproducible and consistent, and the validation was successful, contributing to the granting of an FDA product license in November, 2011.

[Real-time detection of quality of Chinese materia medica: strategy of NIR model evaluation].

PubMed

Wu, Zhi-sheng; Shi, Xin-yuan; Xu, Bing; Dai, Xing-xing; Qiao, Yan-jiang

2015-07-01

The definition of critical quality attributes of Chinese materia medica ( CMM) was put forward based on the top-level design concept. Nowadays, coupled with the development of rapid analytical science, rapid assessment of critical quality attributes of CMM was firstly carried out, which was the secondary discipline branch of CMM. Taking near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as an example, which is a rapid analytical technology in pharmaceutical process over the past decade, systematic review is the chemometric parameters in NIR model evaluation. According to the characteristics of complexity of CMM and trace components analysis, a multi-source information fusion strategy of NIR model was developed for assessment of critical quality attributes of CMM. The strategy has provided guideline for NIR reliable analysis in critical quality attributes of CMM.

Maximizing overall liking results in a superior product to minimizing deviations from ideal ratings: an optimization case study with coffee-flavored milk

PubMed Central

Li, Bangde; Hayes, John E.; Ziegler, Gregory R.

2015-01-01

In just-about-right (JAR) scaling and ideal scaling, attribute delta (i.e., “Too Little” or “Too Much”) reflects a subject’s dissatisfaction level for an attribute relative to their hypothetical ideal. Dissatisfaction (attribute delta) is a different construct from consumer acceptability, operationalized as liking. Therefore, we hypothesized minimizing dissatisfaction and maximizing liking would yield different optimal formulations. The objective of this research was to compare product optimization strategies, i.e. maximizing liking vis-à-vis minimizing dissatisfaction. Coffee-flavored dairy beverages (n = 20) were formulated using a fractional mixture design that constrained the proportions of coffee extract, milk, sucrose, and water. Participants (n = 388) were randomly assigned to one of three research conditions, where they evaluated 4 of the 20 samples using an incomplete block design. Samples were rated for overall liking and for intensity of the attributes sweetness, milk flavor, thickness and coffee flavor. Where appropriate, measures of overall product quality (Ideal_Delta and JAR_Delta) were calculated as the sum of the absolute values of the four attribute deltas. Optimal formulations were estimated by: a) maximizing liking; b) minimizing Ideal_Delta; or c) minimizing JAR_Delta. A validation study was conducted to evaluate product optimization models. Participants indicated a preference for a coffee-flavored dairy beverage with more coffee extract and less milk and sucrose in the dissatisfaction model compared to the formula obtained by maximizing liking. That is, when liking was optimized, participants generally liked a weaker, milkier and sweeter coffee-flavored dairy beverage. Predicted liking scores were validated in a subsequent experiment, and the optimal product formulated to maximize liking was significantly preferred to that formulated to minimize dissatisfaction by a paired preference test. These findings are consistent with the view that JAR and ideal scaling methods both suffer from attitudinal biases that are not present when liking is assessed. That is, consumers sincerely believe they want ‘dark, rich, hearty’ coffee when they do not. This paper also demonstrates the utility and efficiency of a lean experimental approach. PMID:26005291

Consumption Patterns and Perception Analyses of Hangwa

PubMed Central

Kwock, Chang Geun; Lee, Min A; Park, So Hyun

2012-01-01

Hangwa is a traditional food, corresponding to the current consumption trend, in need of marketing strategies to extend its consumption. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze consumers’ consumption patterns and perception of Hangwa to increase consumption in the market. A questionnaire was sent to 250 consumers by e-mail from Oct 8∼23, 2009 and the data from 231 persons were analyzed in this study. Statistical, descriptive, paired samples t-test, and importance-performance analyses were conducted using SPSS WIN 17.0. According to the results, Hangwa was purchased mainly ‘for present’ (39.8%) and the main reasons for buying it were ‘traditional image’ (33.3%) and ‘taste’ (22.5%). When importance and performance of attributes considered in purchasing Hangwa were evaluated, performance was assessed to be lower than importance for all attributes. The attributes in the first quadrant with a high importance and a high performance were ‘a sanitary process’, ‘a rigorous quality mark’ and ‘taste’, which were related with quality of the products. In addition, those with a high importance but a low performance were ‘popularization through advertisement’, ‘promotion through mass media’, ‘conversion of thought on traditional foods’, ‘a reasonable price’ and ‘a wide range of price’. In conclusion, Hangwa manufacturers need to diversify products and extend the expiration date based on technologies to promote its consumption. In terms of price, Hangwa should become more available by lowering the price barrier for consumers who are sensitive to price. PMID:24471065

[Characterization and nutritional value of a food artisan: the meat pie of Murcia].

PubMed

Ruiz-Cano, Domingo; Pérez-Llamas, Francisca; López-Jiménez, José Ángel; González-Silvera, Daniel; Frutos, Maria José; Zamora, Salvador

2013-01-01

The main aims of this study are to describe the characteristics of the meat pie, a typical product of the regional gastronomy of Murcia and to determine its nutritional and energy values, fatty acid profile and fat quality. There were studied 24 samples of Murcia's meat pie from the six best-selling retail establishments in this Region (four units per establishment).The moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fibre and minerals, contents and the energy value, fatty acid profile and fat quality were analyzed using the Official Analysis Methods of Foods. All analyses were performed by triplicate. The average weight of this product was 192.3 ± 11.8 g, with three differentiated parts (base, filling and pastry lid). All ingredients were natural raw materials: wheat flour, lard, ground beef, sliced boiled egg and chorizo, water and spices (salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and nutmeg). Most of its organoleptic attributes are due to the type and amount of fat or lard. The combination of the other ingredients and the particular formulation of the spices are also responsible of other attributes. Due to its protein content (11.0%), this meat pie can replace other meat dishes, and be incorporated into a balanced diet. However, it is necessary to take into account its fat and energy contents (17.3 g and 317 kcal/100 g, respectively). Unlike many common pastry products, it contains no trans fatty acids. The results of the research show that the studied product remains, at present, an artisan food, and offer reliable information that it is representative of the energy and nutritional values of the Murcia's meat pie, a typical product of the gastronomy of the Region of Murcia. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Integrated continuous processing of proteins expressed as inclusion bodies: GCSF as a case study.

PubMed

Kateja, Nikhil; Agarwal, Harshit; Hebbi, Vishwanath; Rathore, Anurag S

2017-07-01

Affordability of biopharmaceuticals continues to be a challenge, particularly in developing economies. This has fuelled advancements in manufacturing that can offer higher productivity and better economics without sacrificing product quality in the form of an integrated continuous manufacturing platform. While platform processes for monoclonal antibodies have existed for more than a decade, development of an integrated continuous manufacturing process for bacterial proteins has received relatively scant attention. In this study, we propose an end-to-end integrated continuous downstream process (from inclusion bodies to unformulated drug substance) for a therapeutic protein expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion body. The final process consisted of a continuous refolding in a coiled flow inverter reactor directly coupled to a three-column periodic counter-current chromatography for capture of the product followed by a three-column con-current chromatography for polishing. The continuous bioprocessing train was run uninterrupted for 26 h to demonstrate its capability and the resulting output was analyzed for the various critical quality attributes, namely product purity (>99%), high molecular weight impurities (<0.5%), host cell proteins (<100 ppm), and host cell DNA (<10 ppb). All attributes were found to be consistent over the period of operation. The developed assembly offers smaller facility footprint, higher productivity, fewer hold steps, and significantly higher equipment and resin utilization. The complexities of process integration in the context of continuous processing have been highlighted. We hope that the study presented here will promote development of highly efficient, universal, end-to-end, fully continuous platforms for manufacturing of biotherapeutics. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:998-1009, 2017. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Land use impact on soil quality in eastern Himalayan region of India.

PubMed

Singh, A K; Bordoloi, L J; Kumar, Manoj; Hazarika, S; Parmar, Brajendra

2014-04-01

Quantitative assessment of soil quality is required to determine the sustainability of land uses in terms of environmental quality and plant productivity. Our objective was to identify the most appropriate soil quality indicators and to evaluate the impact of six most prevalent land use types (natural forestland, cultivated lowland, cultivated upland terrace, shifting cultivation, plantation land, and grassland) on soil quality in eastern Himalayan region of India. We collected 120 soil samples (20 cm depth) and analyzed them for 29 physical, chemical, and biological soil attributes. For selection of soil quality indicators, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the measured attributes, which provided four principal components (PC) with eigenvalues >1 and explaining at least 5% of the variance in dataset. The four PCs together explained 92.6% of the total variance. Based on rotated factor loadings of soil attributes, selected indicators were: soil organic carbon (SOC) from PC-1, exchangeable Al from PC-2, silt content from PC-3, and available P and Mn from PC-4. Indicators were transformed into scores (linear scoring method) and soil quality index (SQI) was determined, on a scale of 0-1, using the weighting factors obtained from PCA. SQI rating was the highest for the least-disturbed sites, i.e., natural forestland (0.93) and grassland (0.87), and the lowest for the most intensively cultivated site, i.e., cultivated upland terrace (0.44). Ratings for the other land uses were shifting cultivation (0.60) > cultivated low land (0.57) > plantation land (0.54). Overall contribution (in percent) of the indicators in determination of SQI was in the order: SOC (58%) > exch. Al (17.1%) > available P (8.9%) > available Mn (8.2%) > silt content (7.8%). Results of this study suggest SOC and exch. Al as the two most powerful indicators of soil quality in study area. Thus, organic C and soil acidity management holds the key to improve soil quality under many exploitatively cultivated land use systems in eastern Himalayan region of India.

The Attributive Theory of Quality: A Model for Quality Measurement in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afshar, Arash

A theoretical basis for defining and measuring the quality of institutions of higher education, namely for accreditation purposes, is developed. The theory, the Attributive Theory of Quality, is illustrated using a calculation model that is based on general systems theory. The theory postulates that quality only exists in relation to the…

Application of quality by design concepts in the development of fluidized bed granulation and tableting processes.

PubMed

Djuris, Jelena; Medarevic, Djordje; Krstic, Marko; Djuric, Zorica; Ibric, Svetlana

2013-06-01

This study illustrates the application of experimental design and multivariate data analysis in defining design space for granulation and tableting processes. According to the quality by design concepts, critical quality attributes (CQAs) of granules and tablets, as well as critical parameters of granulation and tableting processes, were identified and evaluated. Acetaminophen was used as the model drug, and one of the study aims was to investigate the possibility of the development of immediate- or extended-release acetaminophen tablets. Granulation experiments were performed in the fluid bed processor using polyethylene oxide polymer as a binder in the direct granulation method. Tablets were compressed in the laboratory excenter tablet press. The first set of experiments was organized according to Plackett-Burman design, followed by the full factorial experimental design. Principal component analysis and partial least squares regression were applied as the multivariate analysis techniques. By using these different methods, CQAs and process parameters were identified and quantified. Furthermore, an in-line method was developed to monitor the temperature during the fluidized bed granulation process, to foresee possible defects in granules CQAs. Various control strategies that are based on the process understanding and assure desired quality attributes of the product are proposed. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of sprouting of soybean on the chemical composition and quality of soymilk and tofu.

PubMed

Murugkar, D Agrahar

2014-05-01

The effect of sprouting of soybean and preparing soymilk and tofu on the yield, nutritional quality, anti-nutritional profile, colour attributes, organoleptic quality and texture profile (tofu) of four commonly used varieties of India were studied to assess the feasibility of using sprouting as a non-chemical, non-thermal tool to improve quality of soy products. Soymilk was prepared from sprouted and unsprouted seeds with process parameters of 121 °C for 25 min. Coagulation of soymilk was done with 3% CaSO4 at 80 °C. Products from sprouted varieties showed an increase in protein (fb) of 7% in milk and 13% in tofu across varieties; a reduction in fat (fb) of 24% in milk and 12% in tofu; in trypsin inhibitor (db) of 73% in milk and 81% in tofu; in phytic acid (db) of 59% in milk and 56% in tofu across varieties. Tofu from sprouted seeds had higher protein and whiteness index but tofu strength was around 43% lesser than its unsprouted counterpart. Taste acceptability showed an increase of 10% and 6.3%; flavour of 23.2% and 11.6% and overall acceptability of 9.9% and 4.4% in milk and in tofu respectively from sprouted varieties. The improvements in composition and quality parameters was seen in all the varieties tested showing that sprouting could be beneficial for product development across varieties. The time and temperature used for production of soymilk was conventional (121 °C for 25 min). Evaluation of time and/temperature reductions could be tried out to reduce the heat requirement and intensity, which could result in better nutritional and functional quality products.

Application of the quality by design approach to the drug substance manufacturing process of an Fc fusion protein: towards a global multi-step design space.

PubMed

Eon-duval, Alex; Valax, Pascal; Solacroup, Thomas; Broly, Hervé; Gleixner, Ralf; Strat, Claire L E; Sutter, James

2012-10-01

The article describes how Quality by Design principles can be applied to the drug substance manufacturing process of an Fc fusion protein. First, the quality attributes of the product were evaluated for their potential impact on safety and efficacy using risk management tools. Similarly, process parameters that have a potential impact on critical quality attributes (CQAs) were also identified through a risk assessment. Critical process parameters were then evaluated for their impact on CQAs, individually and in interaction with each other, using multivariate design of experiment techniques during the process characterisation phase. The global multi-step Design Space, defining operational limits for the entire drug substance manufacturing process so as to ensure that the drug substance quality targets are met, was devised using predictive statistical models developed during the characterisation study. The validity of the global multi-step Design Space was then confirmed by performing the entire process, from cell bank thawing to final drug substance, at its limits during the robustness study: the quality of the final drug substance produced under different conditions was verified against predefined targets. An adaptive strategy was devised whereby the Design Space can be adjusted to the quality of the input material to ensure reliable drug substance quality. Finally, all the data obtained during the process described above, together with data generated during additional validation studies as well as manufacturing data, were used to define the control strategy for the drug substance manufacturing process using a risk assessment methodology. Copyright © 2012 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Teaching color measurement in graphic arts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingram, Samuel T.; Simon, Frederick T.

1997-04-01

The production of color images has grown in recent years due to the impact of digital technology. Access and equipment affordability are now bringing a new generation of color producers into the marketplace. Many traditional questions concerning color attributes are repeatedly asked by individuals: color fidelity, quality, measurements and device characterization pose daily dilemmas. Curriculum components should be offered in an educational environment that enhance the color foundations required of knowledgeable managers, researchers and technicians. The printing industry is adding many of the new digital color technologies to their vocabulary pertinent to color production. This paper presents current efforts being made to integrate color knowledge in a four year program of undergraduate study. Specific topics include: color reproduction, device characterization, material characterization and the role of measurements as a linking attribute. This paper also provides information detailing efforts to integrate color specification/measurement and analysis procedures used by students and subsequent application in color image production are provided. A discussion of measurement devices used in the learning environment is also presented. The investigation involves descriptive data on colorants typically used in printing inks and color.

Effect of irradiation of frozen meat/fat trimmings on microbiological and physicochemical quality attributes of dry fermented sausages.

PubMed

Chouliara, I; Samelis, J; Kakouri, A; Badeka, A; Savvaidis, I N; Riganakos, K; Kontominas, M G

2006-10-01

Changes in microbiological and physicochemical quality attributes resulting from the use of irradiation in the production of Greek dry fermented sausage were investigated as a function of fermentation/ripening time. Results showed that irradiating meat/fat trimmings at 2 or 4kGy prior to sausage production eliminated natural contamination with Listeria spp., and reduced pseudomonads, enterococci and pathogenic staphylococci, and enterobacteria, to less than 2 and 1logcfug(-1), respectively. Pseudomonads were very sensitive (>3.4 log reduction) to either radiation dose. Yeasts were the most resistant followed by inherent lactic acid bacteria; their reductions on the trimmings were radiation dose-dependent. Residual effects of irradiation were noted against enterococci, but not against gram-negatives which died off fast during fermentation even in non-irradiated samples. Growth of the starter bacteria, Lactobacillus pentosus and Staphylococcus carnosus, inoculated in the sausage batters post-irradiation was unaffected by the 2 or 4kGy pre-treatment of the trimmings. Irradiation had little or no effect at the end of ripening period (28 days) on pH, moisture content and color (parameters L(∗), a(∗), and b(∗)). Changes in TBA values were small but statistically significant with irradiated samples having higher TBA values than control samples.

Computer Optimization of Biodegradable Nanoparticles Fabricated by Dispersion Polymerization.

PubMed

Akala, Emmanuel O; Adesina, Simeon; Ogunwuyi, Oluwaseun

2015-12-22

Quality by design (QbD) in the pharmaceutical industry involves designing and developing drug formulations and manufacturing processes which ensure predefined drug product specifications. QbD helps to understand how process and formulation variables affect product characteristics and subsequent optimization of these variables vis-à-vis final specifications. Statistical design of experiments (DoE) identifies important parameters in a pharmaceutical dosage form design followed by optimizing the parameters with respect to certain specifications. DoE establishes in mathematical form the relationships between critical process parameters together with critical material attributes and critical quality attributes. We focused on the fabrication of biodegradable nanoparticles by dispersion polymerization. Aided by a statistical software, d-optimal mixture design was used to vary the components (crosslinker, initiator, stabilizer, and macromonomers) to obtain twenty nanoparticle formulations (PLLA-based nanoparticles) and thirty formulations (poly-ɛ-caprolactone-based nanoparticles). Scheffe polynomial models were generated to predict particle size (nm), zeta potential, and yield (%) as functions of the composition of the formulations. Simultaneous optimizations were carried out on the response variables. Solutions were returned from simultaneous optimization of the response variables for component combinations to (1) minimize nanoparticle size; (2) maximize the surface negative zeta potential; and (3) maximize percent yield to make the nanoparticle fabrication an economic proposition.

Fruit quality of seedless watermelon grafted onto squash rootstocks under different production systems.

PubMed

Liu, Qianru; Zhao, Xin; Brecht, Jeffrey K; Sims, Charles A; Sanchez, Tatiana; Dufault, Nicholas S

2017-11-01

The market demand for seedless watermelon has been continuously increasing because of consumer preference. Grafting is a useful tool to manage soilborne diseases in watermelon production, but the use of squash rootstocks may negatively affect watermelon fruit quality. Currently, most research has focused on seeded cultivars, while grafting effects on seedless watermelons remain largely unknown. This multi-season study was conducted to assess the effects of squash rootstocks, including both Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata and C. moschata cultivars, with intact or excised and regenerated roots, on fruit quality of seedless watermelon 'Melody' using both instrumental and sensory measurements under different production scenarios. The grafted watermelon plants were also challenged by field inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. A combination of instrumental measurements and consumer sensory analyses suggested that fruit quality of the seedless watermelon 'Melody' was not impacted by the use of the squash rootstocks used in this study, which included soluble solids content, titratable acidity, pH and most fruit sensory properties. Watermelon flesh firmness was increased by grafting but the grafting effect on lycopene content was inconclusive. Root excision and regeneration did not influence the grafting effect, whereas the grafting effect on flesh firmness varied among the rootstocks under Fusarium inoculation. Overall, grafting with squash rootstocks did not reduce fruit quality attributes of 'Melody' but improved texture. Our results support incorporating grafting into integrated management programs for seedless watermelon production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cancer patients' perceptions of quality-of-care attributes-Associations with age, perceived health status, gender and education.

PubMed

Suhonen, Riitta; Stolt, Minna; Berg, Agneta; Katajisto, Jouko; Lemonidou, Chryssoula; Patiraki, Elisabeth; Sjövall, Katarina; Charalambous, Andreas

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the associations between patients' gender, education, health status in relation to assessments of patient-centred quality and individuality in care and trust in nurses for those <65 (working age) and ≥65 years (older people). Patients' assessments of the quality of care they receive are essential for the development of the provision of patient care and services. Previous studies have revealed age of the patient is associated with their assessment of care quality attributes. The study employed a cross-sectional, multicultural comparative survey design. The data were collected using questionnaires among hospitalised cancer patients (N = 876, n = 599, 68%) in four European countries: Greece, Cyprus, Sweden and Finland. The data were divided into two subgroups based on age (cut point 65 years) and were analysed statistically. Cancer patients' age, gender and level of education were not related to their assessments of care quality attributes: person-centred care quality, individuality in care and trust in nurses. Subgroup analysis of the older adults and those of working age showed clear associations with patients' assessments of quality-of-care attributes and perceived health status. The lower the perceived health status, the lower the assessment of care quality attributes. The results suggest that the cancer itself is the strongest determinant of the care delivered, rather than any patient characteristics, such as age, education or gender. Perceived health status, in association with cancer patient assessments of care quality attributes, may be useful in the development of patient-centred, individualised care strategies alongside a stronger focus on people instead of cancer-care-related processes and duties. Health status was the only factor associated with cancer patients' assessments of care quality attributes. Cancer itself may be the strongest determinant of the care quality perceptions, rather than any patient characteristics. The findings of this study have implications for cancer care professionals in terms of patient assessment and care planning. The measures may be useful in assessing quality of cancer nursing care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thin film microelectronics materials production in the vacuum of space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ignatiev, A.; Sterling, M.; Horton, C.; Freundlich, A.; Pei, S.; Hill, R.

1997-01-01

The international Space Station era will open up a new dimension in the use of one of the unique attributes of space, vacuum, for the production of advanced semiconductor materials and devices for microelectronics applications. Ultra-vacuum is required for the fabrication in thin film form of high quality semiconductors. This can be accomplished behind a free flying platform similar to the current Wake Shield Facility which is specifically designed to support in-space production. The platform will require apparatus for thin film growth, a robotics interface to allow for the change out of raw materials and the harvesting of finished product, and a servicing plant incorporating Space Station that will support long-term utilization of the platform.

19 CFR 146.95 - Methods of attribution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... attribution. (a) Producibility—(1) General. A subzone operator must attribute the source of each final product... current or prior manufacturing period. Attribution of final products is allowable to the extent that the quantity of such products could have been produced from such feedstocks, using the industry standards of...

Effect of additives and steaming on quality of air dried noodles.

PubMed

Gatade, Abhijeet Arun; Sahoo, Akshaya Kumar

2015-12-01

Texture is the most important property for consumer acceptance in cooked noodles. The air dried noodles are known to have higher cooking loss and cooking time, to that of instant fried noodles. But the fat content of instant fried noodles is more. In the present work attempts were made to optimize the moisture content so as to obtain a smooth dough for extruded noodle preparation and develop air dried noodles of low fat content with lesser cooking loss and cooking time. To meet the objectives, the effect of various additives and steaming treatment on cooking quality, sensory attributes, textural properties and microstructure of noodles were studied. Dough prepared by addition of 40 ml water to 100 g flour resulted into formation of a soft dough, leading to production of noodles of improved surface smoothness and maximum yield. The use of additives (5 g oil, 0.2 g guar gum, 2 g gluten and 1 ml of 1 % kansui solution for 100 g of flour) and steaming treatment showed significant effect on noodles quality, with respect to cooking characteristics, sensory attributes and textural properties. The microstructure images justified the positive correlation between the effects of ingredients with steaming and quality parameters of noodles. Air dried noodles with reduced cooking loss (~50 % reduction) with marginal reduction in cooking time was developed, which were having similar characteristics to that of instant fried noodles. Compared to the instant fried noodle, the prepared air dried noodle was having substantially reduced fat content (~70 % reduction). Thus the present study will be useful for guiding extrusion processes for production of air dried noodles having less cooking time and low fat content.

Quality Improvement in Virtual Higher Education: A Grounded Theory Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahdiuon, Rouhollah; Masoumi, Davoud; Farasatkhah, Maghsoud

2017-01-01

The article aims to explore the attributes of quality and quality improvement including the process and specific actions associated with these attributes--that contribute enhancing quality in Iranian Virtual Higher Education (VHE) institutions. A total of 16 interviews were conducted with experts and key actors in Iranian virtual higher education.…

Nutritional therapy - Facing the gap between coeliac disease and gluten-free food.

PubMed

Foschia, Martina; Horstmann, Stefan; Arendt, Elke K; Zannini, Emanuele

2016-12-19

The market of gluten-free bakery products is considerably growing since better diagnostic methods allow identifying an increasing number of people suffering coeliac disease and other gluten-related disorders such as dermatitis herpetiformis, gluten ataxia, wheat allergy and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. The only and safe treatment available nowadays for these types of disorders is to follow a strict and permanent lifelong gluten-free diet. Beside the people needing to follow a gluten-free diet for health reasons, a new segment of consumers has arisen who consume gluten-free products as a lifestyle choice. Among the bakery products, bread is a major staple food consumed daily all over the world. The dough and bread quality characteristics (such as gas retaining ability, mixing tolerance, resistance to stretch and extensibility and crumb structure) are mostly attributed to the presence of gluten. Despite the improved quality of gluten-free breads in the last number of years, most products on the market are still described as low quality product. In addition to the low overall quality of gluten-free products, the nutritional value of a large number of them is quite poor. In this context, this review gives an overview on the consumers, which need to follow a gluten-free diet for health reasons. The trends in this gluten-free bakery segment will also be reviewed based on the current analysis of marketing studies. An overview of the major ingredients used in gluten-free bread products will be given. The choice of the ingredients discussed in this paper is based on a comprehensive study of the leading gluten-free breads available on the market, as well as a detailed study of the scientific literature. The impact of the various ingredients on bread-making process and bread quality is also part of this review. Major emphasis will be placed on the application of sourdough as a means to improve gluten-free bread quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization and development of stable w/o/w cosmetic multiple emulsions by means of the Quality by Design approach.

PubMed

Kovács, A; Erős, I; Csóka, I

2016-04-01

The aim of our present work was to develop stable water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) cosmetic multiple emulsions that are proper for cosmetic use and can also be applied on the skin as pharmaceutical vehicles by means of Quality by Design (QbD) concept. This product design concept consists of a risk assessment step and also the 'predetermination' of the critical material attributes and process parameters of a stable multiple emulsion system. We have set up the hypothesis that the stability of multiple emulsions can be improved by the development based on such systematic planning - making a map of critical product parameters - so their industrial usage can be increased. The risk assessment and the determination of critical physical-chemical stability parameters of w/o/w multiple emulsions to define critical control points were performed by means of quality tools and the leanqbd(™) (QbD Works LLC, Fremont, CA, U.S.A.) software. Critical materials and process parameters: Based on the results of preformulation experiments, three factors, namely entrapped active agent, preparation methodology and shear rate, were found to be highly critical factors for critical quality attributes (CQAs) and for stability, whereas the nature of oil was found a medium level risk factor. The results of the risk assessment are the following: (i) droplet structure and size distribution should be evaluated together to be able to predict the stability issues, (ii) the presence of entrapped active agents had a great impact on droplet structure, (iii) the viscosity curves represent the structural changes during storage, if the decrease in relative viscosity is >15% the emulsion disintegrates, and (iv) it is enough to use the shear rate between 34g and 116g relative centrifugal force (RCF). CQAs: By risk assessment, we discovered that four factors should be considered to be high-risk variables as compared to others: droplet size, droplet structure, viscosity and multiple character were found to be highly critical attributes. The preformulation experiment is the part of a development plan. On the basis of these results, the control strategy can be defined and a stable multiple emulsion can be ensured that meets the relevant stakeholders' quality expectations. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

A review of data quality assessment methods for public health information systems.

PubMed

Chen, Hong; Hailey, David; Wang, Ning; Yu, Ping

2014-05-14

High quality data and effective data quality assessment are required for accurately evaluating the impact of public health interventions and measuring public health outcomes. Data, data use, and data collection process, as the three dimensions of data quality, all need to be assessed for overall data quality assessment. We reviewed current data quality assessment methods. The relevant study was identified in major databases and well-known institutional websites. We found the dimension of data was most frequently assessed. Completeness, accuracy, and timeliness were the three most-used attributes among a total of 49 attributes of data quality. The major quantitative assessment methods were descriptive surveys and data audits, whereas the common qualitative assessment methods were interview and documentation review. The limitations of the reviewed studies included inattentiveness to data use and data collection process, inconsistency in the definition of attributes of data quality, failure to address data users' concerns and a lack of systematic procedures in data quality assessment. This review study is limited by the coverage of the databases and the breadth of public health information systems. Further research could develop consistent data quality definitions and attributes. More research efforts should be given to assess the quality of data use and the quality of data collection process.

A Review of Data Quality Assessment Methods for Public Health Information Systems

PubMed Central

Chen, Hong; Hailey, David; Wang, Ning; Yu, Ping

2014-01-01

High quality data and effective data quality assessment are required for accurately evaluating the impact of public health interventions and measuring public health outcomes. Data, data use, and data collection process, as the three dimensions of data quality, all need to be assessed for overall data quality assessment. We reviewed current data quality assessment methods. The relevant study was identified in major databases and well-known institutional websites. We found the dimension of data was most frequently assessed. Completeness, accuracy, and timeliness were the three most-used attributes among a total of 49 attributes of data quality. The major quantitative assessment methods were descriptive surveys and data audits, whereas the common qualitative assessment methods were interview and documentation review. The limitations of the reviewed studies included inattentiveness to data use and data collection process, inconsistency in the definition of attributes of data quality, failure to address data users’ concerns and a lack of systematic procedures in data quality assessment. This review study is limited by the coverage of the databases and the breadth of public health information systems. Further research could develop consistent data quality definitions and attributes. More research efforts should be given to assess the quality of data use and the quality of data collection process. PMID:24830450

Progress in biosimilar monoclonal antibody development: the infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.

PubMed

Braun, Jürgen; Kudrin, Alex

2015-01-01

Biosimilars are biologic medical products whose active drug substance is made by a living organism or derived from it. The term is used to describe a subsequent version of an innovator biopharmaceutical product aiming at approval following patent expiry on the reference product. Biosimilars of monoclonal need to demonstrate similar but not identical quality of nonclinical and clinical attributes. Not all data of the originator product need to be recapitulated, as large numbers of patient-years of exposure data are already available. Thus, biosimilar development is largely based on the safety profiles of the originator product. The evaluation of biosimilarity includes immunogenicity attributed risks. CT-P13 (Remsima™/Inflectra™, Celltrion/Hospira), a biosimilar of the innovator drug infliximab (INF), was the first approved complex biosimilar monoclonal antibody in the EU, within the framework of WHO, EMA and US FDA biosimilar guidelines. CT-P13 has shown analytical and nonclinical features highly similar to INF including pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety and immunogenicity profiles in ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis. The objective of this article is to highlight the recent biosimilar development and to review the results from the studies PLANETRA and PLANETAS, which have supported the approval of CT-P13 for several indications.

Variables affecting the propensity to buy branded beef among groups of Australian beef buyers.

PubMed

Morales, L Emilio; Griffith, Garry; Wright, Victor; Fleming, Euan; Umberger, Wendy; Hoang, Nam

2013-06-01

Australian beef consumers have different preferences given their characteristics and the effect on expected quality of cues related to health, production process and eating experience. Beef brands using Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grades can help to signal quality and reduce consumers' uncertainty when shopping. The objective of this study is to identify the characteristics of beef buyers and their perceptions about product attributes that affect the propensity to buy branded beef. Binary logistic models were applied identifying differences between all respondents and the potential target market, including buyers in medium to high income segments, and between buyers in the target market who would buy branded beef for taste and health reasons. Variables increasing the propensity to buy branded beef include previous experience, appreciation for branded cuts and concern about quality more than size. Finally, variations in preferences for marbling and cut were found between buyers who would buy branded beef for taste and health reasons. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole-chain traceability, is it possible to trace your hamburger to a particular steer, a U. S. perspective.

PubMed

Crandall, Philip G; O'Bryan, Corliss A; Babu, Dinesh; Jarvis, Nathan; Davis, Mike L; Buser, Michael; Adam, Brian; Marcy, John; Ricke, Steven C

2013-10-01

Traceability through the entire food supply chain from conception to consumption is a pressing need for the food industry, consumers and government regulators. A robust, whole-chain traceability system is needed that will effectively address food quality, food safety and food defense issues by providing real-time, transparent and reliable information from beef production through slaughter and distribution to the consumer. Traceability is an expanding part of the food safety continuum that minimizes the risk of foodborne diseases, assures quality and cold-chain integrity. Traceability can be a positive competitive marketing edge for beef producers who can verify specific quality attributes such as humane production or grass fed or Certified Organic. In this review we address the benefits as well as the remaining issues for whole-chain traceability in the beef industry, with particular focus on ground beef for the markets in the United States. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between Quality of Life, Relationship Beliefs and Attribution Style in Infertile Couples.

PubMed

Navid, Behnaz; Mohammadi, Maryam; Maroufizadeh, Saman; Amini, Payam; Shirin, Zahra; Omani-Saman, Reza

2018-07-01

Many infertile couples experience psychological distress and suffer from impaired quality of life. Generally, when couples are dealing with uncontrolled events such as infertility, it is important to manage it well and to use the suitable coping style; so this can represent an example of attribution style. The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality of life, relationship beliefs and attribution style in infertile couples. This cross-sectional study consisted of 50 infertile couples, who were at least 18 years of age and could read and write in Persian. Participants provided demographic and general characteristics and completed the quality of life (SF-12), relationship belief inventory (RBI) and attribution style (ASQ) forms. Data was analyzed by the paired t test, Pearson correlation tests and multiple linear regression analysis, using SPSS version 22 statistical software. Overall, 50 infertile couples participated in our study. The males had a significantly higher score for quality of life compared to the females (P=0.019). In RBI subscales except "Disagreement is Destructive" all others significantly higher in wives than husbands. All subscales of RBI had a negative correlation with the quality of life. The quality of life had a significant correlation with positive internal (r=0.213, P=0.033). The adjusted regression model showed that the quality of life for males was higher than in females (β=-3.098, P=0.024). The current data indicate that in infertile couples, the husbands have a higher quality of life in comparison to their wives. Also, all subscales of relationship beliefs have a negative correlation with the quality of life, but in attribution style, just internal attribution style for positive events is associated with the quality of life. In general, there is a correlation between relationship beliefs and the quality of life in infertile couples. Copyright© by Royan Institute. All rights reserved.

Water Quality Assessment in the Harbin Reach of the Songhuajiang River (China) Based on a Fuzzy Rough Set and an Attribute Recognition Theoretical Model

PubMed Central

An, Yan; Zou, Zhihong; Li, Ranran

2014-01-01

A large number of parameters are acquired during practical water quality monitoring. If all the parameters are used in water quality assessment, the computational complexity will definitely increase. In order to reduce the input space dimensions, a fuzzy rough set was introduced to perform attribute reduction. Then, an attribute recognition theoretical model and entropy method were combined to assess water quality in the Harbin reach of the Songhuajiang River in China. A dataset consisting of ten parameters was collected from January to October in 2012. Fuzzy rough set was applied to reduce the ten parameters to four parameters: BOD5, NH3-N, TP, and F. coli (Reduct A). Considering that DO is a usual parameter in water quality assessment, another reduct, including DO, BOD5, NH3-N, TP, TN, F, and F. coli (Reduct B), was obtained. The assessment results of Reduct B show a good consistency with those of Reduct A, and this means that DO is not always necessary to assess water quality. The results with attribute reduction are not exactly the same as those without attribute reduction, which can be attributed to the α value decided by subjective experience. The assessment results gained by the fuzzy rough set obviously reduce computational complexity, and are acceptable and reliable. The model proposed in this paper enhances the water quality assessment system. PMID:24675643

Assessment of commercial lamb meat quality by British and Spanish taste panels.

PubMed

Sañudo, C; Nute, G R; Campo, M M; María, G; Baker, A; Sierra, I; Enser, M E; Wood, J D

1998-01-01

Trained sensory panels in Britain and Spain assessed loin meat from commercial lambs purchased in Spain, which included Welsh lamb (imported from Britain) and two Spanish breeds (Merino and Rasa Aragonesa). The British panel also assessed British lamb purchased in local butcher shops and supermarkets. Sensory panels, in each country, received meat from the same lambs and used their local methods of cooking and assessment. Spanish panels used unstructured line scales to measure lamb odour intensity, tenderness, juiciness, lamb flavour intensity and two hedonic scales of flavour liking and overall liking. The British panel used 8 point category scales with the same attributes. Results from both panels in objective parameters were in agreement, hence showing that different trained sensory panels may arrive at the same conclusion. However, when panellists were allowed to make hedonic judgements (preference), the British panel preferred British lamb and the Spanish panel preferred Spanish lamb. This finding has important consequences for lamb producers who export their lambs and demonstrates that the underlying reasons for different preferences should be investigated. Production variables are discussed in relation to their influence on lamb eating quality and as a way to tailor lamb eating quality attributes familiar to consumers in the importing country.

The Optical Absorption Coefficient of Maize Grains Investigated by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Páez, C. L.; Carballo-Carballo, A.; Rico-Molina, R.; Hernández-Aguilar, C.; Domínguez-Pacheco, A.; Cruz-Orea, A.; Moreno-Martínez, E.

2017-01-01

In the maize and tortilla industry, it is important to characterize the color of maize ( Zea mays L.) grain, as it is one of the attributes that directly affect the quality of the tortillas consumed by the population. For this reason, the availability of alternative techniques for assessing and improving the quality of grain is valued. Photoacoustic spectroscopy has proven to be a useful tool for characterizing maize grain. So, the objective of the present study was to determine the optical absorption coefficient β of the maize grain used to make tortillas from two regions of Mexico: (a) Valles Altos, 2012-2013 production cycle and (b) Guasave, Sinaloa, 2013-2014 production cycle. Traditional reflectance measurements, physical characteristics of the grain and nutrient content were also calculated. The experimental results show different characteristics for maize grains.

Influence of baking conditions on the quality attributes of sponge cake.

PubMed

Ureta, M Micaela; Olivera, Daniela F; Salvadori, Viviana O

2017-03-01

Sponge cake is a sweet bakery product characterized by its aerated and soft crumb and by its thin-coloured crust. The aim of this work is to analyse the influence of baking conditions (natural or forced convection, steam injection, oven temperature from 140 ℃ to 180 ℃) on sponge cake quality. Both crust and crumb regions were characterized by means of colour development, water content, crust/crumb relation, crust thickness and crumb structure (in terms of porosity, crumb density and texture). Colour measurements allowed obtaining an accurate model for browning kinetics. Crumb water content remains almost constant, while considerable dehydration occurs in the crust. In general, no significant differences due to baking conditions were found in the instrumental quality analysis.

A laryngographic and laryngoscopic study of Northern Vietnamese tones.

PubMed

Brunelle, Marc; Nguyên, Duy Duong; Nguyên, Khac Hùng

2010-01-01

A laryngographic and laryngoscopic study of tone production in Northern Vietnamese, a language whose tones combine both fundamental frequency (f0) modulations and voice qualities (phonation types), was conducted with 5 male and 5 female speakers. Results show that the f0 contours of Northern Vietnamese tones are not only attributable to changes in vocal fold length and tension (partly through changes in larynx height), but that f0 drops are also largely caused by the glottal configurations responsible for the contrastive voice qualities associated with some of the tones. We also find that voice quality contrasts are mostly due to glottal constriction: they occasionally involve additional ventricular fold incursion and epiglottal constriction, but these articulations are usually absent. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Non-linear assessment and deficiency of linear relationship for healthcare industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordin, N.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Razak, R. C.

2017-09-01

This paper presents the development of the non-linear service satisfaction model that assumes patients are not necessarily satisfied or dissatisfied with good or poor service delivery. With that, compliment and compliant assessment is considered, simultaneously. Non-linear service satisfaction instrument called Kano-Q and Kano-SS is developed based on Kano model and Theory of Quality Attributes (TQA) to define the unexpected, hidden and unspoken patient satisfaction and dissatisfaction into service quality attribute. A new Kano-Q and Kano-SS algorithm for quality attribute assessment is developed based satisfaction impact theories and found instrumentally fit the reliability and validity test. The results were also validated based on standard Kano model procedure before Kano model and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is integrated for patient attribute and service attribute prioritization. An algorithm of Kano-QFD matrix operation is developed to compose the prioritized complaint and compliment indexes. Finally, the results of prioritized service attributes are mapped to service delivery category to determine the most prioritized service delivery that need to be improved at the first place by healthcare service provider.

Improving titer while maintaining quality of final formulated drug substance via optimization of CHO cell culture conditions in low-iron chemically defined media.

PubMed

Xu, Jianlin; Rehmann, Matthew S; Xu, Xuankuo; Huang, Chao; Tian, Jun; Qian, Nan-Xin; Li, Zheng Jian

2018-04-01

During biopharmaceutical process development, it is important to improve titer to reduce drug manufacturing costs and to deliver comparable quality attributes of therapeutic proteins, which helps to ensure patient safety and efficacy. We previously reported that relative high-iron concentrations in media increased titer, but caused unacceptable coloration of a fusion protein during early-phase process development. Ultimately, the fusion protein with acceptable color was manufactured using low-iron media, but the titer decreased significantly in the low-iron process. Here, long-term passaging in low-iron media is shown to significantly improve titer while maintaining acceptable coloration during late-phase process development. However, the long-term passaging also caused a change in the protein charge variant profile by significantly increasing basic variants. Thus, we systematically studied the effect of media components, seed culture conditions, and downstream processing on productivity and quality attributes. We found that removing β-glycerol phosphate (BGP) from basal media reduced basic variants without affecting titer. Our goals for late-phase process development, improving titer and matching quality attributes to the early-phase process, were thus achieved by prolonging seed culture age and removing BGP. This process was also successfully scaled up in 500-L bioreactors. In addition, we demonstrated that higher concentrations of reactive oxygen species were present in the high-iron Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures compared to that in the low-iron cultures, suggesting a possible mechanism for the drug substance coloration caused by high-iron media. Finally, hypotheses for the mechanisms of titer improvement by both high-iron and long-term culture are discussed.

Quality by design approach for optimizing the formulation and physical properties of extemporaneously prepared orodispersible films.

PubMed

Visser, J Carolina; Dohmen, Willem M C; Hinrichs, Wouter L J; Breitkreutz, Jörg; Frijlink, Henderik W; Woerdenbag, Herman J

2015-05-15

The quality by design (QbD) approach was applied for optimizing the formulation of extemporaneously prepared orodispersible films (ODFs) using Design-Expert® Software. The starting formulation was based on earlier experiments and contained the film forming agents hypromellose and carbomer 974P and the plasticizer glycerol (Visser et al., 2015). Trometamol and disodium EDTA were added to stabilize the solution. To optimize this formulation a quality target product profile was established in which critical quality attributes (CQAs) such as mechanical properties and disintegration time were defined and quantified. As critical process parameters (CPP) that were evaluated for their effect on the CQAs the percentage of hypromellose and the percentage of glycerol as well as the drying time were chosen. Response surface methodology (RMS) was used to evaluate the effects of the CPPs on the CQAs of the final product. The main factor affecting tensile strength and Young's modulus was the percentage of glycerol. Elongation at break was mainly influenced by the drying temperature. Disintegration time was found to be sensitive to the percentage of hypromellose. From the results a design space could be created. As long as the formulation and process variables remain within this design space, a product is obtained with desired characteristics and that meets all set quality requirements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Production Method on the Chemical Composition, Foaming Properties, and Quality of Australian Carbonated and Sparkling White Wines.

PubMed

Culbert, Julie A; McRae, Jacqui M; Condé, Bruna C; Schmidtke, Leigh M; Nicholson, Emily L; Smith, Paul A; Howell, Kate S; Boss, Paul K; Wilkinson, Kerry L

2017-02-22

The chemical composition (protein, polysaccharide, amino acid, and fatty acid/ethyl ester content), foaming properties, and quality of 50 Australian sparkling white wines, representing the four key production methods, that is, Méthode Traditionelle (n = 20), transfer (n = 10), Charmat (n = 10), and carbonation (n = 10), were studied. Méthode Traditionelle wines were typically rated highest in quality and were higher in alcohol and protein contents, but lower in residual sugar and total phenolics, than other sparkling wines. They also exhibited higher foam volume and stability, which might be attributable to higher protein concentrations. Bottle-fermented Méthode Traditionelle and transfer wines contained greater proportions of yeast-derived mannoproteins, whereas Charmat and carbonated wines were higher in grape-derived rhamnogalacturonans; however, total polysaccharide concentrations were not significantly different between sparkling wine styles. Free amino acids were most abundant in carbonated wines, which likely reflects production via primary fermentation only and/or the inclusion of nontraditional grape varieties. Fatty acids and their esters were not correlated with foaming properties, but octanoic and decanoic acids and their ethyl esters were present in Charmat and carbonated wines at significantly higher concentrations than in bottle-fermented wines and were negatively correlated with quality ratings. Research findings provide industry with a better understanding of the compositional factors driving the style and quality of sparkling white wine.

Integrating artificial and human intelligence into tablet production process.

PubMed

Gams, Matjaž; Horvat, Matej; Ožek, Matej; Luštrek, Mitja; Gradišek, Anton

2014-12-01

We developed a new machine learning-based method in order to facilitate the manufacturing processes of pharmaceutical products, such as tablets, in accordance with the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD) initiatives. Our approach combines the data, available from prior production runs, with machine learning algorithms that are assisted by a human operator with expert knowledge of the production process. The process parameters encompass those that relate to the attributes of the precursor raw materials and those that relate to the manufacturing process itself. During manufacturing, our method allows production operator to inspect the impacts of various settings of process parameters within their proven acceptable range with the purpose of choosing the most promising values in advance of the actual batch manufacture. The interaction between the human operator and the artificial intelligence system provides improved performance and quality. We successfully implemented the method on data provided by a pharmaceutical company for a particular product, a tablet, under development. We tested the accuracy of the method in comparison with some other machine learning approaches. The method is especially suitable for analyzing manufacturing processes characterized by a limited amount of data.

Cardoon-based rennets for cheese production.

PubMed

Almeida, Carla Malaquias; Simões, Isaura

2018-06-01

The use of crude aqueous extracts of Cynara cardunculus flowers as coagulants in the production of high-quality sheep and goat cheeses-as are the cases of several Portuguese and Spanish cheese varieties with Protected Designation of Origin status-has been maintained since ancient times. The unique rheological attributes and sensory properties characteristic of these cheeses have always suggested that this plant coagulant (and, therefore, its isolated milk-clotting proteases) could be used as alternative rennet in the dairy industry, particularly suited for the production of sheep and goat cheeses. However, the lack of standardization of C. cardunculus crude flower extracts, whose quality and performance depends on numerous factors, has always hampered the application of this plant rennet in industrial production scales. To overcome these limitations, and to aim at developing more effective solutions with potential for scalability of production and commercial application, several strategies have been undertaken in more recent years to establish new cardoon-based rennets. This review provides an overview on these developments and on the currently available solutions, which range from producing standardized formulations of native cardoon enzymes, to the optimization of the heterologous production of cardosins and cyprosins to generate synthetic versions of these milk-clotting enzymes. Challenges and emerging opportunities are also discussed.

Addressing Male Facial Skin Concerns: Clinical Efficacy of a Topical Skincare Treatment Product for Men.

PubMed

Makino, Elizabeth T; Jiang, Lily I; Tan, Priscilla; Cheng, Tsing; Mehta, Rahul C

2018-03-01

The growing male skincare market reflects the increased interest of men in addressing facial aging concerns and maintaining a healthy youthful appearance. Because of differences in skin structure and aging as well as in lifestyle and behavior, male facial skin presents unique challenges that may result in different priorities or treatment strategies compared to female skin. A clinical study was conducted to assess clinical efficacy and tolerability of a topical skincare treatment product that was developed to address several male facial skin concerns related to skin quality, skin aging, and shaving. The treatment product provided significant improvements in all clinical efficacy parameters including overall photodamage, tactile roughness, fine line/wrinkles, and coarse lines/wrinkles. Furthermore, significant improvements in erythema as well as dryness/scaling were observed. Subject self-assessment questionnaires showed that the treatment product was highly rated in both self-perceived efficacy as well as product attributes. Use of skincare treatment products that tackle specific male facial skin concerns could further optimize skin quality and support healthy and youthful looking skin in men.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(3):301-306.

Quality by design case study: an integrated multivariate approach to drug product and process development.

PubMed

Huang, Jun; Kaul, Goldi; Cai, Chunsheng; Chatlapalli, Ramarao; Hernandez-Abad, Pedro; Ghosh, Krishnendu; Nagi, Arwinder

2009-12-01

To facilitate an in-depth process understanding, and offer opportunities for developing control strategies to ensure product quality, a combination of experimental design, optimization and multivariate techniques was integrated into the process development of a drug product. A process DOE was used to evaluate effects of the design factors on manufacturability and final product CQAs, and establish design space to ensure desired CQAs. Two types of analyses were performed to extract maximal information, DOE effect & response surface analysis and multivariate analysis (PCA and PLS). The DOE effect analysis was used to evaluate the interactions and effects of three design factors (water amount, wet massing time and lubrication time), on response variables (blend flow, compressibility and tablet dissolution). The design space was established by the combined use of DOE, optimization and multivariate analysis to ensure desired CQAs. Multivariate analysis of all variables from the DOE batches was conducted to study relationships between the variables and to evaluate the impact of material attributes/process parameters on manufacturability and final product CQAs. The integrated multivariate approach exemplifies application of QbD principles and tools to drug product and process development.

Tailoring recombinant protein quality by rational media design.

PubMed

Brühlmann, David; Jordan, Martin; Hemberger, Jürgen; Sauer, Markus; Stettler, Matthieu; Broly, Hervé

2015-01-01

Clinical efficacy and safety of recombinant proteins are closely associated with their structural characteristics. The major quality attributes comprise glycosylation, charge variants (oxidation, deamidation, and C- & N-terminal modifications), aggregates, low-molecular-weight species (LMW), and misincorporation of amino acids in the protein backbone. Cell culture media design has a great potential to modulate these quality attributes due to the vital role of medium in mammalian cell culture. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the way both classical cell culture medium components and novel supplements affect the quality attributes of recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed in mammalian hosts, allowing rational and high-throughput optimization of mammalian cell culture media. A selection of specific and/or potent inhibitors and activators of oligosaccharide processing as well as components affecting multiple quality attributes are presented. Extensive research efforts in this field show the feasibility of quality engineering through media design, allowing to significantly modulate the protein function. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

INCITS W1.1 development update: appearance-based image quality standards for printers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeise, Eric K.; Rasmussen, D. René; Ng, Yee S.; Dalal, Edul; McCarthy, Ann; Williams, Don

2008-01-01

In September 2000, INCITS W1 (the U.S. representative of ISO/IEC JTC1/SC28, the standardization committee for office equipment) was chartered to develop an appearance-based image quality standard. (1),(2) The resulting W1.1 project is based on a proposal (3) that perceived image quality can be described by a small set of broad-based attributes. There are currently six ad hoc teams, each working towards the development of standards for evaluation of perceptual image quality of color printers for one or more of these image quality attributes. This paper summarizes the work in progress of the teams addressing the attributes of Macro-Uniformity, Colour Rendition, Gloss & Gloss Uniformity, Text & Line Quality and Effective Resolution.

ATTRIBUTES OF AESTHETIC QUALITY USED BY TEXTILE CONSERVATORS IN EVALUATING CONSERVATION INTERVENTIONS ON MUSEUM COSTUMES.

PubMed

Nilsson, Johanna; Axelsson, Östen

2015-08-01

Aesthetic quality is central to textile conservators when evaluating a conservation method. However, the literature on textile conservation chiefly focuses on physical properties, and little is known about what factors determine aesthetic quality according to textile conservators. The latter was explored through two experiments. Experiment 1 explored the underlying attributes of aesthetic quality of textile conservation interventions. Experiment 2 explored the relationships between these attributes and how well they predicted aesthetic quality. Rank-order correlation analyses revealed two latent factors called Coherence and Completeness. Ordinal regression analysis revealed that Coherence was the most important predictor of aesthetic quality. This means that a successful conservation intervention is visually well-integrated with the textile item in terms of the material and method.

Evaluation of design parameters for TRISO-coated fuel particles to establish manufacturing critical limits using PARFUME

DOE PAGES

Skerjanc, William F.; Maki, John T.; Collin, Blaise P.; ...

2015-12-02

The success of modular high temperature gas-cooled reactors is highly dependent on the performance of the tristructural-isotopic (TRISO) coated fuel particle and the quality to which it can be manufactured. During irradiation, TRISO-coated fuel particles act as a pressure vessel to contain fission gas and mitigate the diffusion of fission products to the coolant boundary. The fuel specifications place limits on key attributes to minimize fuel particle failure under irradiation and postulated accident conditions. PARFUME (an integrated mechanistic coated particle fuel performance code developed at the Idaho National Laboratory) was used to calculate fuel particle failure probabilities. By systematically varyingmore » key TRISO-coated particle attributes, failure probability functions were developed to understand how each attribute contributes to fuel particle failure. Critical manufacturing limits were calculated for the key attributes of a low enriched TRISO-coated nuclear fuel particle with a kernel diameter of 425 μm. As a result, these critical manufacturing limits identify ranges beyond where an increase in fuel particle failure probability is expected to occur.« less

Impact of fill-level in twin-screw granulation on critical quality attributes of granules and tablets.

PubMed

Meier, Robin; Moll, Klaus-Peter; Krumme, Markus; Kleinebudde, Peter

2017-06-01

In a previous study a change of the fill-level in the barrel exerted a huge influence on the twin-screw granulation (TSG) process of a high drug loaded, simplified formulation. The present work investigated this influence systematically. The specific feed load (SFL) indicating the mass per revolution as surrogate parameter for the fill-level was applied and the correlation to the real volumetric fill level of an extruder could be demonstrated by a newly developed method. A design of experiments was conducted to examine the combined influence of SFL and screw speed on the process and on critical quality attributes of granules and tablets. The same formulation was granulated at constant liquid level with the same screw configuration and led to distinctively different results by only changing the fill-level and the screw speed. The power consumption of the extruder increased at higher SFLs with hardly any influence of screw speed. At low SFL the median residence time was mainly fill-level dependent and at higher SFL mainly screw speed dependent. Optimal values for the product characteristics were found at medium values for the SFL. Granule size distributions shifted from mono-modal and narrow shape to broader and even bimodal distributions of larger median granule sizes, when exceeding or falling below a certain fill-level. Deviating from the optimum fill-level, tensile strength of tablets decreased by about 25% and disintegration times of tablets increased for more than one third. At low fill-levels, material accumulation in front of the kneading zone was detected by pressure measurements and was assumed to be responsible for the unfavored product performance. At high fill-levels, granule consolidation due to higher propensity of contact with the result of higher material temperature was accounted for inferior product performance. The fill-level was found to be an important factor in assessment and development of twin-screw granulation processes as it impacted process and product attributes enormously. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and Improvement of Lmsc's All-silica RSI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beasley, R. M.; Izu, Y. D.; Nakano, H. N.; Ozolin, A. A.; Peachman, A.

1973-01-01

The LI-1500 and LI-900 all silica RSI materials have made the transition from laboratory to manufacturing operation. Improvements in both quality and reproducibility have been achieved. The LI-1500 material has displayed superior reliability in evaluations conducted at various facilities. The dependable performance of the material is attributed to the adherence to the stringent requirements of the numerous material, process, and product control evaluations and inspection points performed during manufacture.

Using an innovative combination of quality-by-design and green analytical chemistry approaches for the development of a stability indicating UHPLC method in pharmaceutical products.

PubMed

Boussès, Christine; Ferey, Ludivine; Vedrines, Elodie; Gaudin, Karen

2015-11-10

An innovative combination of green chemistry and quality by design (QbD) approach is presented through the development of an UHPLC method for the analysis of the main degradation products of dextromethorphan hydrobromide. QbD strategy was integrated to the field of green analytical chemistry to improve method understanding while assuring quality and minimizing environmental impacts, and analyst exposure. This analytical method was thoroughly evaluated by applying risk assessment and multivariate analysis tools. After a scouting phase aimed at selecting a suitable stationary phase and an organic solvent in accordance with green chemistry principles, quality risk assessment tools were applied to determine the critical process parameters (CPPs). The effects of the CPPs on critical quality attributes (CQAs), i.e., resolutions, efficiencies, and solvent consumption were further evaluated by means of a screening design. A response surface methodology was then carried out to model CQAs as function of the selected CPPs and the optimal separation conditions were determined through a desirability analysis. Resulting contour plots enabled to establish the design space (DS) (method operable design region) where all CQAs fulfilled the requirements. An experimental validation of the DS proved that quality within the DS was guaranteed; therefore no more robustness study was required before the validation. Finally, this UHPLC method was validated using the concept of total error and was used to analyze a pharmaceutical drug product. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The consumer: silent or intimate player in the quality revolution.

PubMed

Meisenheimer, C

1991-04-01

Nurses are an agency's frontline representative; their centrality to the development of realistic and positive perceptions of care received must be acknowledged by the agency's management staff. Nurses must be recognized, not just as employees, but as entrepreneurs selling a product; the product of nursing care is a satisfied client with positive outcomes. The satisfied client is a major "marketer" for the health care facility and nursing services. It has been reported that satisfied customers will relate their satisfaction to four or five other people; dissatisfied customers will elaborate their dissatisfaction to 9 or 10 other people. As public policy on health care resource allocation is drafted, clients and third-party payors must collaborate with providers. Because public consumption will provide the principal advantage in the competitive health care industry, decisions regarding quality, cost, and access must be based on a national database of information (in universally understandable language), including an analysis of nursing and medical interventions, health outcomes, and health expenditures. The new paradigm shift toward total quality management recognizes that quality is no longer simply an attribute of a product or service; it also measures a relationship. A balanced relationship, reflecting trust between nurses, employers, underwriters, physicians, and the client, allows every player to define quality dimensions, make judgments, and contribute to the quality of care delivered and received. The consumer must be an intimate player in this scenario, or the health care system will continue to falter.

The response of grain production to changes in quantity and quality of cropland in Yangtze River Delta, China.

PubMed

Liu, Guilin; Zhang, Luocheng; Zhang, Qian; Musyimi, Zipporah

2015-02-01

Cropland in Yangtze River Delta has declined drastically since economic reforms in 1978 that led to rapid economic development. Such cropland loss due to population growth has led to a decline in grain production. This study aimed at analyzing the impact of land use changes on grain production. To achieve this, the spatiotemporal dynamics of cropland during 1980-2010 were analyzed. Irrigation and soil fertility data were used as additional lines of evidence. Cropland loss had negative impacts on grain production. About 80 and 66% of grain production decreased during 1980-2005 and 2005-2010 respectively. This decline was attributed to the conversion of cropland to built-up areas. Abandoned cropland areas were mainly concentrated in regions with high irrigation capability and high soil fertility, while cropland reclamation was mainly in areas with low irrigation and soil fertility, implying that, although cropland was reclaimed, production remained low. The decline in cropland area has reinforced the chronic food insecurity in Yangtze River Delta. This study demonstrated the response of grain production to the changes in cropland quantity and quality. It also provides scientific evidence for decision makers to protect cropland and enhance grain production. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sensory qualities of pastry products enriched with dietary fiber and polyphenolic substances.

PubMed

Komolka, Patrycja; Górecka, Danuta; Szymandera-Buszka, Krystyna; Jędrusek-Golińska, Anna; Dziedzic, Krzysztof; Waszkowiak, Katarzyna

2016-01-01

Growing consumer demand for products with pro-health properties is forcing food manufacturers to introduce new food items onto the market, which will not only possess such health-enhancing properties but will also compete on the grounds of sensory attributes - taste, flavour, texture etc. The aim was to evaluate these sensory attributes of pastry products enhanced with biologically active compounds, such as inulin, buckwheat hull and buckwheat flour. For decreasing the energy value of the products tested (crispy cookies, muesli cookies, waffles and pancakes) some ingredients were replaced: vegetable butter or oil by inulin and wheat flour by roasted buckwheat flour and thermally processed buckwheat hull. The substances mentioned are rich sources of soluble and insoluble buckwheat fiber, and also polyphenolic substances. Dry chokeberry and mulberry leaf extract were added as a rich source of flavonoids and 1-deoxynorijimycin, respectively. These substances are recommended for people with obesity. The processing was carried out at 175°C for 15 minutes using a convection oven (Rational Combi-Steamer CCC). Pastry products with buckwheat flour, buckwheat hulls, mulberry extract, chokeberry and inulin had a lower food energy, a higher dietary fiber content and scored high on customer desirability. Pastry products which contain ingredients carrying biologically active substances are not only attractive from the sensory point of view, but also low in calories, and are thus recommendable for obesity people.

Effects of different Pediococcus halophilus level and fermentation time on chemical properties of fermented anchovy paste “terasi ikan”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lestari, S. D.; Herpandi; Simamora, G. R. R.

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the Pediococcus halophilus addition on the chemical quality of terasi ikan (fermented anchovy paste) product. Two levels of bacterial concentration (106 CFU/mL and 109 CFU/mL) were used as a single starter culture for the fermentation process. Changes in chemical characteristics were observed at day 7, 14 and 21. No differences (p > 0.05) in moisture and protein content were found in the analysis of variance within terasi ikan samples. The decrease in reducing sugar and L-lysine HCl during the fermentation was attributed to the formation of Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) which was manifested in dark brown color of the end products. The interaction between P. halophilus and terasi ikan microbiota as well as their enzymatic activities were considered to affect vitamin B synthesis and degradation of protein into amino acids and amines. These findings facilitate further investigations on using P. halophilus as constituent of mixed culture, instead of as a single culture for terasi industry in order to produce products of well-controlled quality and safety.

Nutritional limitations to increased production on pasture-based systems.

PubMed

Kolver, Eric S

2003-05-01

The constraints to high levels of milk production imposed by a high-quality-pasture diet, and development of feeding strategies to overcome these limitations, were examined by modelling the nutritional status of New Zealand Friesian and North American Holstein-Friesian dairy cows grazing high-quality pasture. The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) was used to predict sensitivity of milk production to a 10% change in the composition of pasture nutrients. The rate at which fibre and protein were degraded in the rumen and the value given to effective fibre and lignin content significantly affected the supply of metabolisable energy and protein, and the profile of amino acid supply. The first limiting factor in milk production when only high-quality pasture was fed was metabolisable energy supply, while specific amino acids, particularly methionine and lysine, limited milk production when > 20 g/kg diet consisted of a grain supplement. Compared with cows fed a total mixed ration in confinement, North American Holstein-Friesians grazing all pasture produced less milk (29.6 v. 44.1 kg/d). Of the difference in milk production 61% could be attributed to a lower DM intake (19 kg/d v. 23.4 kg/d). Predictions using the CNCPS indicated that supply of metabolisable energy was the first-limiting factor for milk production from high-quality pasture (251 g crude protein (N x 6.25)/kg, 432 g neutral-detergent fibre/kg, 77% in vitro DM digestibility), rather than metabolisable protein or amino acids. In addition, these nutritional limitations imposed by pasture diets will be greater for dairy cow genotypes that have not been selected for high performance within a pasture system.

Substrate quality and nutrient availability influence CO2 production from tropical peat decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swails, E.; Jaye, D.; Verchot, L. V.; Hergoualc'h, K.; Wahyuni, N. S.; Borchard, N.; Lawrence, D.

2015-12-01

In Indonesia, peatlands are a major and growing source of greenhouse gas emissions due to increasing pressure from oil palm and pulp wood plantations. We are using a combination of field measures, laboratory experiments, and remote sensing to investigate relationships among land use, climatic factors and biogeochemical controls, and their influence on trace gas fluxes from tropical peat soils. Analysis of soils collected from peat sites on two major islands indicated substantial variation in peat substrate quality and nutrient content among land uses and geographic location. We conducted laboratory incubations to test the influence of substrate quality and nutrient availability on CO2 production from peat decomposition. Differences in peat characteristics attributable to land use change were tested by comparison of forest and oil palm peat samples collected from the same peat dome in Kalimantan. Regional differences in peat characteristics were tested by comparison of samples from Sumatra with samples from Kalimantan. We conducted additional experiments to test the influence of N and P availability and labile carbon on CO2 production. Under moisture conditions typical of oil palm plantations, CO2 production was higher from peat forest samples than from oil palm samples. CO2 production from Sumatra and Kalimantan oil palm samples was not different, despite apparent differences in nutrient content of these soils. N and P treatments representative of fertilizer application rates raised CO2 production from forest samples but not oil palm samples. Labile carbon treatments raised CO2 production in all samples. Our results suggest that decomposition of peat forest soils is nutrient limited, while substrate quality controls decomposition of oil palm soils post-conversion. Though fertilizer application could accelerate peat decomposition initially, fertilizer application may not influence long-term CO2 emissions from oil palm on peat.

Variation in the health and biochemical condition of the coral Acropora tenuis along two water quality gradients on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

PubMed

Rocker, Melissa M; Francis, David S; Fabricius, Katharina E; Willis, Bette L; Bay, Line K

2017-06-30

This study explores how plasticity in biochemical attributes, used as indicators of health and condition, enables the coral Acropora tenuis to respond to differing water quality regimes in inshore regions of the Great Barrier Reef. Health attributes were monitored along a strong and weak water quality gradient, each with three reefs at increasing distances from a major river source. Attributes differed significantly only along the strong gradient; corals grew fastest, had the least dense skeletons, highest symbiont densities and highest lipid concentrations closest to the river mouth, where water quality was poorest. High nutrient and particulate loads were only detrimental to skeletal density, which decreased as linear extension increased, highlighting a trade-off. Our study underscores the importance of assessing multiple health attributes in coral reef monitoring. For example, autotrophic indices are poor indicators of coral health and condition, but improve when combined with attributes like lipid content and biomass. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A quality by design study applied to an industrial pharmaceutical fluid bed granulation.

PubMed

Lourenço, Vera; Lochmann, Dirk; Reich, Gabriele; Menezes, José C; Herdling, Thorsten; Schewitz, Jens

2012-06-01

The pharmaceutical industry is encouraged within Quality by Design (QbD) to apply science-based manufacturing principles to assure quality not only of new but also of existing processes. This paper presents how QbD principles can be applied to an existing industrial pharmaceutical fluid bed granulation (FBG) process. A three-step approach is presented as follows: (1) implementation of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) monitoring tools at the industrial scale process, combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) of process and PAT data to increase the process knowledge; (2) execution of scaled-down designed experiments at a pilot scale, with adequate PAT monitoring tools, to investigate the process response to intended changes in Critical Process Parameters (CPPs); and finally (3) the definition of a process Design Space (DS) linking CPPs to Critical to Quality Attributes (CQAs), within which product quality is ensured by design, and after scale-up enabling its use at the industrial process scale. The proposed approach was developed for an existing industrial process. Through enhanced process knowledge established a significant reduction in product CQAs, variability already within quality specifications ranges was achieved by a better choice of CPPs values. The results of such step-wise development and implementation are described. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Etanercept (Enbrel®) alternative storage at ambient temperature.

PubMed

Shannon, Edel; Daffy, Joanne; Jones, Heather; Paulson, Andrea; Vicik, Steven M

2017-01-01

Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, including tumor necrosis factor inhibitors such as etanercept (Enbrel ® ), have improved outcomes for patients with rheumatic and other inflammatory diseases, with sustained remission being the optimal goal for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Flexible and convenient treatment options, compatible with modern lifestyle, are important in helping patients maintain treatment and manage their disease. Etanercept drug product (DP) is available in lyophilized powder (Lyo) for solution injection, prefilled syringe, and prefilled pen presentations and is typically stored under refrigerated conditions. We aimed to generate a comprehensive analytical data package from stability testing of key quality attributes, consistent with regulatory requirements, to determine whether the product profile of etanercept is maintained at ambient temperature. Test methods assessing key attributes of purity, quality, potency, and safety were performed over time, following storage of etanercept DP presentations under a range of conditions. Results and statistical analysis from stability testing (based on size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis Coomassie) across all etanercept presentations (10 and 25 mg/vial Lyo DP; 25 and 50 mg prefilled syringe DP; 50 mg prefilled pen DP) showed key stability-indicating parameters were within acceptable limits through the alternative storage condition of 25°C±2°C for 1 month. Stability testing performed in line with regulatory requirements supports a single period of storage for etanercept DP at an alternative storage condition of 25°C±2°C for up to 1 month within the approved expiry of the product. This alternative storage condition represents further innovation in the etanercept product lifecycle, providing greater flexibility and enhanced overall convenience for patients.

Measuring Environmental Quality in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

Linwood Pendleton; Brent Sohngen; Robert Mendelsohn; Thomas Holmes

1998-01-01

This study presents a method for valuing recreational environmental quality in the forests of the southeastern United States. The paper offers a method for choosing, measuring, and valuing forest attributes. Surveys and popular recreation literature are used to identify forest attributes that contribute to recreational quality. Standard ecological techniques are...

Dyadic Processes in Early Marriage: Attributions, Behavior, and Marital Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durtschi, Jared A.; Fincham, Frank D.; Cui, Ming; Lorenz, Frederick O.; Conger, Rand D.

2011-01-01

Marital processes in early marriage are important for understanding couples' future marital quality. Spouses' attributions about a partner's behavior have been linked to marital quality, yet the mechanisms underlying this association remain largely unknown. When we used couple data from the Family Transitions Project (N = 280 couples) across the…

Biomanufacturing process analytical technology (PAT) application for downstream processing: Using dissolved oxygen as an indicator of product quality for a protein refolding reaction.

PubMed

Pizarro, Shelly A; Dinges, Rachel; Adams, Rachel; Sanchez, Ailen; Winter, Charles

2009-10-01

Process analytical technology (PAT) is an initiative from the US FDA combining analytical and statistical tools to improve manufacturing operations and ensure regulatory compliance. This work describes the use of a continuous monitoring system for a protein refolding reaction to provide consistency in product quality and process performance across batches. A small-scale bioreactor (3 L) is used to understand the impact of aeration for refolding recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF) in a reducing environment. A reverse-phase HPLC assay is used to assess product quality. The goal in understanding the oxygen needs of the reaction and its impact to quality, is to make a product that is efficiently refolded to its native and active form with minimum oxidative degradation from batch to batch. Because this refolding process is heavily dependent on oxygen, the % dissolved oxygen (DO) profile is explored as a PAT tool to regulate process performance at commercial manufacturing scale. A dynamic gassing out approach using constant mass transfer (k(L)a) is used for scale-up of the aeration parameters to manufacturing scale tanks (2,000 L, 15,000 L). The resulting DO profiles of the refolding reaction show similar trends across scales and these are analyzed using rpHPLC. The desired product quality attributes are then achieved through alternating air and nitrogen sparging triggered by changes in the monitored DO profile. This approach mitigates the impact of differences in equipment or feedstock components between runs, and is directly inline with the key goal of PAT to "actively manage process variability using a knowledge-based approach." (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Real time monitoring of powder blend bulk density for coupled feed-forward/feed-back control of a continuous direct compaction tablet manufacturing process.

PubMed

Singh, Ravendra; Román-Ospino, Andrés D; Romañach, Rodolfo J; Ierapetritou, Marianthi; Ramachandran, Rohit

2015-11-10

The pharmaceutical industry is strictly regulated, where precise and accurate control of the end product quality is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the drug products. For such control, the process and raw materials variability ideally need to be fed-forward in real time into an automatic control system so that a proactive action can be taken before it can affect the end product quality. Variations in raw material properties (e.g., particle size), feeder hopper level, amount of lubrication, milling and blending action, applied shear in different processing stages can affect the blend density significantly and thereby tablet weight, hardness and dissolution. Therefore, real time monitoring of powder bulk density variability and its incorporation into the automatic control system so that its effect can be mitigated proactively and efficiently is highly desired. However, real time monitoring of powder bulk density is still a challenging task because of different level of complexities. In this work, powder bulk density which has a significant effect on the critical quality attributes (CQA's) has been monitored in real time in a pilot-plant facility, using a NIR sensor. The sensitivity of the powder bulk density on critical process parameters (CPP's) and CQA's has been analyzed and thereby feed-forward controller has been designed. The measured signal can be used for feed-forward control so that the corrective actions on the density variations can be taken before they can influence the product quality. The coupled feed-forward/feed-back control system demonstrates improved control performance and improvements in the final product quality in the presence of process and raw material variations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of quality by design for 3D printed bone prostheses and scaffolds

PubMed Central

Martinez-Marquez, Daniel; Mirnajafizadeh, Ali; Carty, Christopher P.

2018-01-01

3D printing is an emergent manufacturing technology recently being applied in the medical field for the development of custom bone prostheses and scaffolds. However, successful industry transformation to this new design and manufacturing approach requires technology integration, concurrent multi-disciplinary collaboration, and a robust quality management framework. This latter change enabler is the focus of this study. While a number of comprehensive quality frameworks have been developed in recent decades to ensure that the manufacturing of medical devices produces reliable products, they are centred on the traditional context of standardised manufacturing techniques. The advent of 3D printing technologies and the prospects for mass customisation provides significant market opportunities, but also presents a serious challenge to regulatory bodies tasked with managing and assuring product quality and safety. Before 3D printing bone prostheses and scaffolds can gain traction, industry stakeholders, such as regulators, clients, medical practitioners, insurers, lawyers, and manufacturers, would all require a high degree of confidence that customised manufacturing can achieve the same quality outcomes as standardised manufacturing. A Quality by Design (QbD) approach to custom 3D printed prostheses can help to ensure that products are designed and manufactured correctly from the beginning without errors. This paper reports on the adaptation of the QbD approach for the development process of 3D printed custom bone prosthesis and scaffolds. This was achieved through the identification of the Critical Quality Attributes of such products, and an extensive review of different design and fabrication methods for 3D printed bone prostheses. Research outcomes include the development of a comprehensive design and fabrication process flow diagram, and categorised risks associated with the design and fabrication processes of such products. An extensive systematic literature review and post-hoc evaluation survey with experts was completed to evaluate the likely effectiveness of the herein suggested QbD framework. PMID:29649231

Application of quality by design for 3D printed bone prostheses and scaffolds.

PubMed

Martinez-Marquez, Daniel; Mirnajafizadeh, Ali; Carty, Christopher P; Stewart, Rodney A

2018-01-01

3D printing is an emergent manufacturing technology recently being applied in the medical field for the development of custom bone prostheses and scaffolds. However, successful industry transformation to this new design and manufacturing approach requires technology integration, concurrent multi-disciplinary collaboration, and a robust quality management framework. This latter change enabler is the focus of this study. While a number of comprehensive quality frameworks have been developed in recent decades to ensure that the manufacturing of medical devices produces reliable products, they are centred on the traditional context of standardised manufacturing techniques. The advent of 3D printing technologies and the prospects for mass customisation provides significant market opportunities, but also presents a serious challenge to regulatory bodies tasked with managing and assuring product quality and safety. Before 3D printing bone prostheses and scaffolds can gain traction, industry stakeholders, such as regulators, clients, medical practitioners, insurers, lawyers, and manufacturers, would all require a high degree of confidence that customised manufacturing can achieve the same quality outcomes as standardised manufacturing. A Quality by Design (QbD) approach to custom 3D printed prostheses can help to ensure that products are designed and manufactured correctly from the beginning without errors. This paper reports on the adaptation of the QbD approach for the development process of 3D printed custom bone prosthesis and scaffolds. This was achieved through the identification of the Critical Quality Attributes of such products, and an extensive review of different design and fabrication methods for 3D printed bone prostheses. Research outcomes include the development of a comprehensive design and fabrication process flow diagram, and categorised risks associated with the design and fabrication processes of such products. An extensive systematic literature review and post-hoc evaluation survey with experts was completed to evaluate the likely effectiveness of the herein suggested QbD framework.

Involving consumers in product design through collaboration: the case of online role-playing games.

PubMed

Yeh, Shu-Yu

2010-12-01

The release of software attributes to users by software designers for the creation of user-designed forms is regarded as a producer-consumer collaboration, leading consumers to expend significant effort on a specific product. This article identifies such software/product attributes within online role-playing games and then explores how consumers' prior experience affects the evaluation of such attributes. In this article, product attributes comprise customized, content, and interactive externality-sensitive and complementary externality-sensitive attributes, with the value of each attribute being greater for experts than for novices. In Study 1, data were collected and analyzed for the purpose of identifying such features in online role-playing games. The results can also be generalized to convergent products, such as TV games that have been redesigned as online games or mobile games found in Study 2. For the introduction of a convergent product to be successful, our research suggests that the potential market-segment focus should be on knowledgeable consumers who accept such products more readily.

A Conceptual Framework for Quality of Care

PubMed Central

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2012-01-01

Despite extensive research on defining and measuring health care quality, little attention has been given to different stakeholders’ perspectives of high-quality health care services. The main purpose of this study was to explore the attributes of quality healthcare in the Iranian context. Exploratory in-depth individual and focus group interviews were conducted with key healthcare stakeholders including clients, providers, managers, policy makers, payers, suppliers and accreditation panel members to identify the healthcare service quality attributes and dimensions. Data analysis was carried out by content analysis, with the constant comparative method. Over 100 attributes of quality healthcare service were elicited and grouped into five categories. The dimensions were: efficacy, effectiveness, efficiency, empathy, and environment. Consequently, a comprehensive model of service quality was developed for health care context. The findings of the current study led to a conceptual framework of healthcare quality. This model leads to a better understanding of the different aspects of quality in health care and provides a better basis for defining, measuring and controlling quality of health care services. PMID:23922534

Biochemistry of Apple Aroma: A Review.

PubMed

Espino-Díaz, Miguel; Sepúlveda, David Roberto; González-Aguilar, Gustavo; Olivas, Guadalupe I

2016-12-01

Flavour is a key quality attribute of apples defined by volatile aroma compounds. Biosynthesis of aroma compounds involves metabolic pathways in which the main precursors are fatty and amino acids, and the main products are aldehydes, alcohols and esters. Some enzymes are crucial in the production of volatile compounds, such as lipoxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and alcohol acyltransferase. Composition and concentration of volatiles in apples may be altered by pre- and postharvest factors that cause a decline in apple flavour. Addition of biosynthetic precursors of volatile compounds may be a strategy to promote aroma production in apples. The present manuscript compiles information regarding the biosynthesis of volatile aroma compounds, including metabolic pathways, enzymes and substrates involved, factors that may affect their production and also includes a wide number of studies focused on the addition of biosynthetic precursors in their production.

Biochemistry of Apple Aroma: A Review

PubMed Central

Espino-Díaz, Miguel; Sepúlveda, David Roberto; González-Aguilar, Gustavo

2016-01-01

Summary Flavour is a key quality attribute of apples defined by volatile aroma compounds. Biosynthesis of aroma compounds involves metabolic pathways in which the main precursors are fatty and amino acids, and the main products are aldehydes, alcohols and esters. Some enzymes are crucial in the production of volatile compounds, such as lipoxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and alcohol acyltransferase. Composition and concentration of volatiles in apples may be altered by pre- and postharvest factors that cause a decline in apple flavour. Addition of biosynthetic precursors of volatile compounds may be a strategy to promote aroma production in apples. The present manuscript compiles information regarding the biosynthesis of volatile aroma compounds, including metabolic pathways, enzymes and substrates involved, factors that may affect their production and also includes a wide number of studies focused on the addition of biosynthetic precursors in their production. PMID:28115895

Genetic dissection of sorghum grain quality traits using diverse and segregating populations.

PubMed

Boyles, Richard E; Pfeiffer, Brian K; Cooper, Elizabeth A; Rauh, Bradley L; Zielinski, Kelsey J; Myers, Matthew T; Brenton, Zachary; Rooney, William L; Kresovich, Stephen

2017-04-01

Coordinated association and linkage mapping identified 25 grain quality QTLs in multiple environments, and fine mapping of the Wx locus supports the use of high-density genetic markers in linkage mapping. There is a wide range of end-use products made from cereal grains, and these products often demand different grain characteristics. Fortunately, cereal crop species including sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] contain high phenotypic variation for traits influencing grain quality. Identifying genetic variants underlying this phenotypic variation allows plant breeders to develop genotypes with grain attributes optimized for their intended usage. Multiple sorghum mapping populations were rigorously phenotyped across two environments (SC Coastal Plain and Central TX) in 2 years for five major grain quality traits: amylose, starch, crude protein, crude fat, and gross energy. Coordinated association and linkage mapping revealed several robust QTLs that make prime targets to improve grain quality for food, feed, and fuel products. Although the amylose QTL interval spanned many megabases, the marker with greatest significance was located just 12 kb from waxy (Wx), the primary gene regulating amylose production in cereal grains. This suggests higher resolution mapping in recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations can be obtained when genotyped at a high marker density. The major QTL for crude fat content, identified in both a RIL population and grain sorghum diversity panel, encompassed the DGAT1 locus, a critical gene involved in maize lipid biosynthesis. Another QTL on chromosome 1 was consistently mapped in both RIL populations for multiple grain quality traits including starch, crude protein, and gross energy. Collectively, these genetic regions offer excellent opportunities to manipulate grain composition and set up future studies for gene validation.

Quality by Design approach for studying the impact of formulation and process variables on product quality of oral disintegrating films.

PubMed

Mazumder, Sonal; Pavurala, Naresh; Manda, Prashanth; Xu, Xiaoming; Cruz, Celia N; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R

2017-07-15

The present investigation was carried out to understand the impact of formulation and process variables on the quality of oral disintegrating films (ODF) using Quality by Design (QbD) approach. Lamotrigine (LMT) was used as a model drug. Formulation variable was plasticizer to film former ratio and process variables were drying temperature, air flow rate in the drying chamber, drying time and wet coat thickness of the film. A Definitive Screening Design of Experiments (DoE) was used to identify and classify the critical formulation and process variables impacting critical quality attributes (CQA). A total of 14 laboratory-scale DoE formulations were prepared and evaluated for mechanical properties (%elongation at break, yield stress, Young's modulus, folding endurance) and other CQA (dry thickness, disintegration time, dissolution rate, moisture content, moisture uptake, drug assay and drug content uniformity). The main factors affecting mechanical properties were plasticizer to film former ratio and drying temperature. Dissolution rate was found to be sensitive to air flow rate during drying and plasticizer to film former ratio. Data were analyzed for elucidating interactions between different variables, rank ordering the critical materials attributes (CMA) and critical process parameters (CPP), and for providing a predictive model for the process. Results suggested that plasticizer to film former ratio and process controls on drying are critical to manufacture LMT ODF with the desired CQA. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Profiles of innovators in a semi-arid smallholder agricultural environment in south west Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutsvangwa-Sammie, Eness P.; Manzungu, Emmanuel; Siziba, Shephard

2017-08-01

Innovations are regarded as critical to improving the efficiency, productivity and effectiveness of African agriculture. However, few efforts have been directed at understanding 'agricultural innovators', especially among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa who face low agricultural productivity and widespread food insecurity. This paper investigates the profile of innovators from a local perspective in a semi-arid smallholder farming area in south-west Zimbabwe. The paper is based on data collected from key informant interviews and a household questionnaire survey administered to 239 households from Gwanda and Insiza districts between 2013 and 2014. Qualities or attributes of an innovator (which constitute the profile of an innovator) identified by key informants included: resource endowment; social networks; education; and enthusiasm (passionate and hardworking). The attributes were used in a logit regression model to estimate the probability of the 239 households exhibiting the attributes of an innovator. Social networks and resource endowment, as depicted by amount of land cultivated, were found to significantly influence the probability of an individual being an innovator. Interestingly, the common attributes of education or belonging to an innovation platform used by extension and development agents, were found not to influence the probability of one being an innovator. The paper concludes that understanding local perceptions of innovators, which is based on appreciation of the socio-economic and biophysical circumstances, should be used to identify a 'basket' of context specific innovations that have potential to address the diverse needs of rural households farming households.

Public health implications of sleep loss: the community burden.

PubMed

Hillman, David R; Lack, Leon C

2013-10-21

Poor sleep imparts a significant personal and societal burden. Therefore, it is important to have accurate estimates of its causes, prevalence and costs to inform health policy. A recent evaluation of the sleep habits of Australians demonstrates that frequent (daily or near daily) sleep difficulties (initiating and maintaining sleep, and experiencing inadequate sleep), daytime fatigue, sleepiness and irritability are highly prevalent (20%-35%). These difficulties are generally more prevalent among females, with the exception of snoring and related difficulties. While about half of these problems are likely to be attributable to specific sleep disorders, the balance appears attributable to poor sleep habits or choices to limit sleep opportunity. Study of the economic impact of sleep disorders demonstrates financial costs to Australia of $5.1 billion per year. This comprises $270 million for health care costs for the conditions themselves, $540 million for care of associated medical conditions attributable to sleep disorders, and about $4.3 billion largely attributable to associated productivity losses and non-medical costs resulting from sleep loss-related accidents. Loss of life quality added a substantial further non-financial cost. While large, these costs were for sleep disorders alone. Additional costs relating to inadequate sleep from poor sleep habits in people without sleep disorders were not considered. Based on the high prevalence of such problems and the known impacts of sleep loss in all its forms on health, productivity and safety, it is likely that these poor sleep habits would add substantially to the costs from sleep disorders alone.

Correlating wine quality indicators to chemical and sensory measurements.

PubMed

Hopfer, Helene; Nelson, Jenny; Ebeler, Susan E; Heymann, Hildegarde

2015-05-12

Twenty-seven commercial Californian Cabernet Sauvignon wines of different quality categories were analyzed with sensory and chemical methods. Correlations between five quality proxies-points awarded during a wine competition, wine expert scores, retail price, vintage, and wine region-were correlated to sensory attributes, volatile compounds, and elemental composition. Wine quality is a multi-faceted construct, incorporating many different layers. Depending on the quality proxy studied, significant correlations between quality and attributes, volatiles and elements were found, some of them previously reported in the literature.

Whey-cheese production using freeze-dried kefir culture as a starter.

PubMed

Dimitrellou, D; Kourkoutas, Y; Banat, I M; Marchant, R; Koutinas, A A

2007-10-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of a freeze-dried kefir culture in the production of a novel type of whey-cheese similar to traditional Greek Myzithra-cheese, to achieve improvement of the quality characteristics of the final product and the extension of shelf-life. The use of kefir culture as a starter led to increased lactic acid concentrations and decreased pH values in the final product compared with whey-cheese without starter culture. The effect of the starter culture on production of aroma-related compounds responsible for cheese flavour was also studied using the solid phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique. Spoilage in unsalted kefir-whey-cheese was observed on the thirteenth and the twentieth day of preservation at 10 and 5 degrees C, respectively, while the corresponding times for unsalted whey-cheese preservation were 11 and 14 days. The cheeses produced were characterized as high-quality products during the preliminary sensory evaluation. An indication of increased preservation time was attributed to the freeze-dried kefir culture, which also seemed to suppress growth of pathogens. The results suggested the use of kefir culture as a means to extend the shelf-life of dairy products with reduced or no salt content.

miR-2861 as novel HDAC5 inhibitor in CHO cells enhances productivity while maintaining product quality.

PubMed

Fischer, Simon; Paul, Albert Jesuran; Wagner, Andreas; Mathias, Sven; Geiss, Melanie; Schandock, Franziska; Domnowski, Martin; Zimmermann, Jörg; Handrick, René; Hesse, Friedemann; Otte, Kerstin

2015-10-01

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been exploited for years to improve recombinant protein expression in mammalian production cells. However, global HDAC inhibition is associated with negative effects on various cellular processes. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to regulate gene expression in almost all eukaryotic cell types by controlling entire cellular pathways. Since miRNAs recently have gained much attention as next-generation cell engineering tool to improve Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell factories, we were interested if miRNAs are able to specifically repress HDAC expression in CHO cells to circumvent limitations of unspecific HDAC inhibition. We discovered a novel miRNA in CHO cells, miR-2861, which was shown to enhance productivity in various recombinant CHO cell lines. Furthermore, we demonstrate that miR-2861 might post-transcriptionally regulate HDAC5 in CHO cells. Intriguingly, siRNA-mediated HDAC5 suppression could be demonstrated to phenocopy pro-productive effects of miR-2861 in CHO cells. This supports the notion that miRNA-induced inhibition of HDAC5 may contribute to productivity enhancing effects of miR-2861. Furthermore, since product quality is fundamental to safety and functionality of biologics, we examined the effect of HDAC inhibition on critical product quality attributes. In contrast to unspecific HDAC inhibition using VPA, enforced expression of miR-2861 did not negatively influence antibody aggregation or N-glycosylation. Our findings highlight the superiority of miRNA-mediated inhibition of specific HDACs and present miR-2861 as novel cell engineering tool for improving CHO manufacturing cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Application of ICH Q9 Quality Risk Management Tools for Advanced Development of Hot Melt Coated Multiparticulate Systems.

PubMed

Stocker, Elena; Becker, Karin; Hate, Siddhi; Hohl, Roland; Schiemenz, Wolfgang; Sacher, Stephan; Zimmer, Andreas; Salar-Behzadi, Sharareh

2017-01-01

This study aimed to apply quality risk management based on the The International Conference on Harmonisation guideline Q9 for the early development stage of hot melt coated multiparticulate systems for oral administration. N-acetylcysteine crystals were coated with a formulation composing tripalmitin and polysorbate 65. The critical quality attributes (CQAs) were initially prioritized using failure mode and effects analysis. The CQAs of the coated material were defined as particle size, taste-masking efficiency, and immediate release profile. The hot melt coated process was characterized via a flowchart, based on the identified potential critical process parameters (CPPs) and their impact on the CQAs. These CPPs were prioritized using a process failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis and their critical impact on the CQAs was experimentally confirmed using a statistical design of experiments. Spray rate, atomization air pressure, and air flow rate were identified as CPPs. Coating amount and content of polysorbate 65 in the coating formulation were identified as critical material attributes. A hazard and critical control points analysis was applied to define control strategies at the critical process points. A fault tree analysis evaluated causes for potential process failures. We successfully demonstrated that a standardized quality risk management approach optimizes the product development sustainability and supports the regulatory aspects. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of postharvest spray of apple polyphenols on the quality of fresh-cut red pitaya fruit during shelf life.

PubMed

Fan, Panhui; Huber, Donald J; Su, Zihan; Hu, Meijiao; Gao, Zhaoyin; Li, Min; Shi, Xuequn; Zhang, Zhengke

2018-03-15

Fresh-cut (FC) red pitaya fruit were treated with 5ga.i.l -1 apple polyphenols (APP) and then stored at 20°C for up to 4days to evaluate the effects on attributes. Results showed that FC pitaya fruit with APP treatment showed greater colour retention, delayed softening, reduced loss of soluble solids content, titratable acidity, betacyanin and total phenolics compared with untreated FC fruit. APP treatment also maintained antioxidant activity, as indicated by higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity and reducing power compared with untreated FC pitaya fruit. APP treatment strongly suppressed microbial growth, contributing to improvement of product safety. Because APP is a natural product, we propose that application of APP could be a convenient, safe and low-cost approach to maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of FC red pitaya fruit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality analysis, classification, and authentication of liquid foods by near-infrared spectroscopy: A review of recent research developments.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Sun, Da-Wen; Pu, Hongbin; Cheng, Jun-Hu

2017-05-03

Nowadays, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) has become one of the most efficient and advanced techniques for analysis of food products. Many relevant researches have been conducted in this regard. However, no reviews about the applications of NIR for liquid food analysis are reported. Therefore, this review summarizes the recent research developments of NIR technology in the field of liquid foods, focusing on the detection of quality attributes of various liquid foods, including alcoholic beverages (red wines, rice wines, and beer), nonalcoholic beverages (juice, fruit vinegars, coffee beverages, and cola beverages), dairy products (milk and yogurt), and oils (vegetable, camellia, peanut, and virgin olive oils and frying oil). In addition, the classification and authentication detection of adulteration are also covered. It is hoped that the current paper can serve as a reference source for the future liquid food analysis by NIR techniques.

Chemical and sensory quality of processed carrot puree as influenced by stress-induced phenolic compounds.

PubMed

Talcott, S T; Howard, L R

1999-04-01

Physicochemical analysis of processed strained product was performed on 10 carrot genotypes grown in Texas (TX) and Georgia (GA). Carrots from GA experienced hail damage during growth, resulting in damage to their tops. Measurements included pH, moisture, soluble phenolics, total carotenoids, sugars, organic acids, and isocoumarin (6-MM). Sensory analysis was conducted using a trained panel to evaluate relationships between chemical and sensory attributes of the genotypes and in carrots spiked with increasing levels of 6-MM. Preharvest stress conditions in GA carrots seemed to elicit a phytoalexic response, producing compounds that impacted the perception of bitter and sour flavors. Spiking 6-MM into strained carrots demonstrated the role bitter compounds have in lowering sweetness scores while increasing the perception of sour flavor. Screening fresh carrots for the phytoalexin 6-MM has the potential to significantly improve the sensory quality of processed products.

A quality by design approach to scale-up of high-shear wet granulation process.

PubMed

Pandey, Preetanshu; Badawy, Sherif

2016-01-01

High-shear wet granulation is a complex process that in turn makes scale-up a challenging task. Scale-up of high-shear wet granulation process has been studied extensively in the past with various different methodologies being proposed in the literature. This review article discusses existing scale-up principles and categorizes the various approaches into two main scale-up strategies - parameter-based and attribute-based. With the advent of quality by design (QbD) principle in drug product development process, an increased emphasis toward the latter approach may be needed to ensure product robustness. In practice, a combination of both scale-up strategies is often utilized. In a QbD paradigm, there is also a need for an increased fundamental and mechanistic understanding of the process. This can be achieved either by increased experimentation that comes at higher costs, or by using modeling techniques, that are also discussed as part of this review.

78 FR 21499 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-10

... income attributable to domestic production activities. DATES: Written comments should be received on or... INFORMATION: Title: Income Attributable to Domestic Production Activities. OMB Number: 1545-1966. Regulation..., which provides a deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities. A taxpayer...

Formulation characteristics and in vitro release testing of cyclosporine ophthalmic ointments.

PubMed

Dong, Yixuan; Qu, Haiou; Pavurala, Naresh; Wang, Jiang; Sekar, Vasanthakumar; Martinez, Marilyn N; Fahmy, Raafat; Ashraf, Muhammad; Cruz, Celia N; Xu, Xiaoming

2018-06-10

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between formulation/process variables versus the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of cyclosporine ophthalmic ointments and to explore the feasibility of using an in vitro approach to assess product sameness. A definitive screening design (DSD) was used to evaluate the impact of formulation and process variables. The formulation variables included drug percentage, percentage of corn oil and lanolin alcohol. The process variables studied were mixing temperature, mixing time and the method of mixing. The quality and performance attributes examined included drug assay, content uniformity, image analysis, rheology (storage modulus, shear viscosity) and in vitro drug release. Of the formulation variables evaluated, the percentage of the drug substance and the percentage of corn oil in the matrix were the most influential factors with respect to in vitro drug release. Conversely, the process parameters tested were observed to have minimal impact. An evaluation of the release mechanism of cyclosporine from the ointment revealed an interplay between formulation (e.g. physicochemical properties of the drug and ointment matrix type) and the release medium. These data provide a scientific basis to guide method development for in vitro drug release testing of ointment dosage forms. These results demonstrate that the in vitro methods used in this investigation were fit-for-purpose for detecting formulation and process changes and therefore amenable to assessment of product sameness. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of a commercial housing system on egg quality during extended storage.

PubMed

Jones, D R; Karcher, D M; Abdo, Z

2014-05-01

Egg producers in the United States are utilizing a variety of commercial egg production systems to provide consumer choice and meet legislative requirements. Consumer egg grades in the United States were developed for conventional cage production, and it is unclear what effect alternative production systems might have on egg quality during retail and consumer home storage. The current study was undertaken to determine what changes in egg quality characteristics occur during extended cold storage for commercially produced conventional cage, enriched colony cage, and cage-free aviary eggs. During 12 wk of cold storage, egg weight, albumen height, Haugh unit, static compression shell strength, vitelline membrane strength and deformation, yolk index, shell dynamic stiffness, and whole egg total solids were monitored. Overall, aviary and enriched eggs were significantly (P < 0.05) heavier than conventional cage. Albumen height and Haugh unit (P < 0.05) were significantly greater for conventional cage than enriched eggs. Static compression shell strength was greatest (P < 0.05) for enriched eggs compared with aviary. No overall housing system effects for yolk measurements, shell dynamic stiffness, or whole egg total solids were observed. Albumen height, Haugh unit, and yolk quality measurements were all greatest at 0 and lowest at 12 wk of storage (P < 0.05). The rate of quality change among the housing systems for each measured attribute at 4, 6, and 12 wk was determined. Other than differences in the change of egg weight at 4 wk, no significant differences in the rate of quality decline were found among the housing systems. The results of the current study indicate that current US egg quality standards should effectively define quality for commercially produced conventional cage, enriched colony cage, and cage-free aviary eggs.

Describing Quality and Sensory Attributes of 3 Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Cultivars at 3 Ripeness Stages Based on Firmness.

PubMed

Nassur, Rita de Cássia Mirela Resende; González-Moscoso, Sara; Crisosto, Gayle M; Lima, Luiz Carlos de Oliveira; Vilas Boas, Eduardo Valério de Barros; Crisosto, Carlos H

2015-09-01

To determine the ideal ripening stage for consumption of the mango cultivars, "Ataulfo," "Haden," and "Tommy Atkins"; fruits at 3 flesh firmness levels (ripeness stages) were evaluated by a trained panel using descriptive analysis after instrumental measurements were made. After harvest, all fruits were ripened to allow softening and quality and sensory attribute changes. Ripening changes during softening of Ataulfo mangos were expressed by a characteristic increase in the perception of "tropical fruit" and "peach" aromas, an increase in "juiciness," "sweetness," and "tropical fruit" flavor, while "fibrousness," "chewiness," and "sourness" decreased. Similar desirable sensory changes were also detected during softening of Haden mangos; an increase in tropical fruit and peach aromas, sweetness and tropical fruit flavor, and a decrease in chewiness, sourness, and bitterness. Softening of Tommy Atkins mangos was followed by reduced chewiness and sourness and increased peach aroma. Softening of all cultivars was followed by decreased sourness and titratable acidity (TA) and increased soluble solids concentration (SSC) and SSC:TA ratio. The results indicate that mango ripening leads to increased expression of sensory attributes such as tropical fruit and peach aromas, tropical flavor, and sweetness that have been related to improved eating quality and these final changes in sensory quality attributes are specific for each cultivar. For example, Ataulfo and Haden mangos had greater improvement in quality and sensory attributes related to fruit eating quality during ripening-softening than Tommy Atkins. In our consumer test, these quality-sensory attributes expressed during ripening that were perceived by the trained panel were also validated, supporting the need for a controlled ripening protocol in mangos. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Quality and safety attributes of afghan raisins before and after processing

PubMed Central

McCoy, Stacy; Chang, Jun Won; McNamara, Kevin T; Oliver, Haley F; Deering, Amanda J

2015-01-01

Raisins are an important export commodity for Afghanistan; however, Afghan packers are unable to export to markets seeking high-quality products due to limited knowledge regarding their quality and safety. To evaluate this, Afghan raisin samples from pre-, semi-, and postprocessed raisins were obtained from a raisin packer in Kabul, Afghanistan. The raisins were analyzed and compared to U.S. standards for processed raisins. The samples tested did not meet U.S. industry standards for embedded sand and pieces of stem, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity. The Afghan raisins did meet or exceed U.S. Grade A standard for the number of cap-stems, percent damaged, crystallization levels, moisture content, and color. Following processing, the number of total aerobic bacteria, yeasts, molds, and total coliforms were within the acceptable limits. Although quality issues are present in the Afghan raisins, the process used to clean the raisins is suitable to maintain food safety standards. PMID:25650241

Emerging technologies for the non-invasive characterization of physical-mechanical properties of tablets.

PubMed

Dave, Vivek S; Shahin, Hend I; Youngren-Ortiz, Susanne R; Chougule, Mahavir B; Haware, Rahul V

2017-10-30

The density, porosity, breaking force, viscoelastic properties, and the presence or absence of any structural defects or irregularities are important physical-mechanical quality attributes of popular solid dosage forms like tablets. The irregularities associated with these attributes may influence the drug product functionality. Thus, an accurate and efficient characterization of these properties is critical for successful development and manufacturing of a robust tablets. These properties are mainly analyzed and monitored with traditional pharmacopeial and non-pharmacopeial methods. Such methods are associated with several challenges such as lack of spatial resolution, efficiency, or sample-sparing attributes. Recent advances in technology, design, instrumentation, and software have led to the emergence of newer techniques for non-invasive characterization of physical-mechanical properties of tablets. These techniques include near infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray microtomography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging, terahertz pulsed imaging, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and various acoustic- and thermal-based techniques. Such state-of-the-art techniques are currently applied at various stages of development and manufacturing of tablets at industrial scale. Each technique has specific advantages or challenges with respect to operational efficiency and cost, compared to traditional analytical methods. Currently, most of these techniques are used as secondary analytical tools to support the traditional methods in characterizing or monitoring tablet quality attributes. Therefore, further development in the instrumentation and software, and studies on the applications are necessary for their adoption in routine analysis and monitoring of tablet physical-mechanical properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postharvest treatments of fresh produce

PubMed Central

Mahajan, P. V.; Caleb, O. J.; Singh, Z.; Watkins, C. B.; Geyer, M.

2014-01-01

Postharvest technologies have allowed horticultural industries to meet the global demands of local and large-scale production and intercontinental distribution of fresh produce that have high nutritional and sensory quality. Harvested products are metabolically active, undergoing ripening and senescence processes that must be controlled to prolong postharvest quality. Inadequate management of these processes can result in major losses in nutritional and quality attributes, outbreaks of foodborne pathogens and financial loss for all players along the supply chain, from growers to consumers. Optimal postharvest treatments for fresh produce seek to slow down physiological processes of senescence and maturation, reduce/inhibit development of physiological disorders and minimize the risk of microbial growth and contamination. In addition to basic postharvest technologies of temperature management, an array of others have been developed including various physical (heat, irradiation and edible coatings), chemical (antimicrobials, antioxidants and anti-browning) and gaseous treatments. This article examines the current status on postharvest treatments of fresh produce and emerging technologies, such as plasma and ozone, that can be used to maintain quality, reduce losses and waste of fresh produce. It also highlights further research needed to increase our understanding of the dynamic response of fresh produce to various postharvest treatments. PMID:24797137

Use of a continuous twin screw granulation and drying system during formulation development and process optimization.

PubMed

Vercruysse, J; Peeters, E; Fonteyne, M; Cappuyns, P; Delaet, U; Van Assche, I; De Beer, T; Remon, J P; Vervaet, C

2015-01-01

Since small scale is key for successful introduction of continuous techniques in the pharmaceutical industry to allow its use during formulation development and process optimization, it is essential to determine whether the product quality is similar when small quantities of materials are processed compared to the continuous processing of larger quantities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether material processed in a single cell of the six-segmented fluid bed dryer of the ConsiGma™-25 system (a continuous twin screw granulation and drying system introduced by GEA Pharma Systems, Collette™, Wommelgem, Belgium) is predictive of granule and tablet quality during full-scale manufacturing when all drying cells are filled. Furthermore, the performance of the ConsiGma™-1 system (a mobile laboratory unit) was evaluated and compared to the ConsiGma™-25 system. A premix of two active ingredients, powdered cellulose, maize starch, pregelatinized starch and sodium starch glycolate was granulated with distilled water. After drying and milling (1000 μm, 800 rpm), granules were blended with magnesium stearate and compressed using a Modul™ P tablet press (tablet weight: 430 mg, main compression force: 12 kN). Single cell experiments using the ConsiGma™-25 system and ConsiGma™-1 system were performed in triplicate. Additionally, a 1h continuous run using the ConsiGma™-25 system was executed. Process outcomes (torque, barrel wall temperature, product temperature during drying) and granule (residual moisture content, particle size distribution, bulk and tapped density, hausner ratio, friability) as well as tablet (hardness, friability, disintegration time and dissolution) quality attributes were evaluated. By performing a 1h continuous run, it was detected that a stabilization period was needed for torque and barrel wall temperature due to initial layering of the screws and the screw chamber walls with material. Consequently, slightly deviating granule and tablet quality attributes were obtained during the start-up phase of the 1h run. For the single cell runs, granule and tablet properties were comparable with results obtained during the second part of the 1h run (after start-up). Although deviating granule quality (particle size distribution and Hausner ratio) was observed due to the divergent design of the ConsiGma™-1 unit and the ConsiGma™-25 system (horizontal set-up) used in this study, tablet quality produced from granules processed with the ConsiGma™-1 system was predictive for tablet quality obtained during continuous production using the ConsiGma™-25 system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Training the eye care team: principles and practice.

PubMed

Garg, Prashant; Reddy, Snigdha; Nelluri, Chaitanya

2014-01-01

One of the crucial factors to make high quality eye care services available, accessible and affordable to all is the availability of appropriately trained human resources. Providing health through a health care team is a better and cost effective alternative. The concept of the team approach is based on the principles of working together; task shifting; and ensuring continuity of care. Composition of a team varies based on the community needs, population characteristics and disease burden. But for it to be effective, a team must possess four attributes - availability, competency, productivity, and responsiveness. Therefore, training of all team members and training the team to work together as a unit are crucial components in the success of this concept. Some of the critical attributes include: Training across the health spectrum through quality and responsive curricula administered by motivated teachers; accreditation of programs or institutions by national or international bodies; certification and recertification of team members; and training in working together as a team through inter- and intra- disciplinary workshops both during training and as a part of the job activity.

Training the Eye Care Team: Principles and Practice

PubMed Central

Garg, Prashant; Reddy, Snigdha; Nelluri, Chaitanya

2014-01-01

One of the crucial factors to make high quality eye care services available, accessible and affordable to all is the availability of appropriately trained human resources. Providing health through a health care team is a better and cost effective alternative. The concept of the team approach is based on the principles of working together; task shifting; and ensuring continuity of care. Composition of a team varies based on the community needs, population characteristics and disease burden. But for it to be effective, a team must possess four attributes - availability, competency, productivity, and responsiveness. Therefore, training of all team members and training the team to work together as a unit are crucial components in the success of this concept. Some of the critical attributes include: Training across the health spectrum through quality and responsive curricula administered by motivated teachers; accreditation of programs or institutions by national or international bodies; certification and recertification of team members; and training in working together as a team through inter- and intra- disciplinary workshops both during training and as a part of the job activity. PMID:24791103

Determination of pork quality attributes using hyperspectral imaging technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Jun; Wang, Ning; Ngadi, M. O.; Gunenc, Aynur

2005-11-01

Meat grading has always been a research topic because of large variations among meat products. Many subjective assessment methods with poor repeatability and tedious procedures are still widely used in meat industry. In this study, a hyperspectral-imaging-based technique was developed to achieve fast, accurate, and objective determination of pork quality attributes. The system was able to extract the spectral and spatial characteristics for simultaneous determination of drip loss and pH in pork meat. Two sets of six significant feature wavelengths were selected for predicting the drip loss (590, 645, 721, 752, 803 and 850 nm) and pH (430, 448, 470, 890, 980 and 999 nm). Two feed-forward neural network models were developed. The results showed that the correlation coefficient (r) between the predicted and actual drip loss and pH were 0.71, and 0.58, respectively, by Model 1 and 0.80 for drip loss and 0.67 for pH by Model 2. The color levels of meat samples were also mapped successfully based on a digitalized Meat Color Standard.

Effects of clarification on physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity and quality attributes of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) juice.

PubMed

Cesar, Leiliane Teles; de Freitas Cabral, Marília; Maia, Geraldo Arraes; de Figueiredo, Raimundo Wilane; de Miranda, Maria Raquel Alcântara; de Sousa, Paulo Henrique Machado; Brasil, Isabella Montenegro; Gomes, Carmen Luiza

2014-11-01

The effects of a clarifying process using pectinases and chitosan on the physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity and quality attributes of açaí fruit (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) juice were evaluated. Clarification of acaí pulp resulted (P ≤ 0.05) in a 50 % loss of total anthocyanin (4.2730 mg/100 mL) and 29 % reduction in antioxidant capacity (33.60 μM FeSO4/g). A high association (P ≤ 0.05) was found between the decrease of antioxidant capacity and total anthocyanin loss. The use of pectinases associated with chitosan as an aid for clarification of açaí juice proved to be highly effective and resulted in a clear juice with a brighter purple to red color that was free of lipids, insoluble solids, and others substances that cause hazes. The obtained clarified açaí juice is a genuinely high-value anthocyanin-rich product that could be used as colorant and functional ingredient to fruit juices and soft drinks.

Evaluation of the chemical quality traits of soybean seeds, as related to sensory attributes of soymilk.

PubMed

Ma, Lei; Li, Bin; Han, Fenxia; Yan, Shurong; Wang, Lianzheng; Sun, Junming

2015-04-15

The soybean seed chemical quality traits (including protein content, oil content, fatty acid composition, isoflavone content, and protein subunits), soymilk chemical character (soluble solid), and soymilk sensory attributes were evaluated among 70 genotypes to determine the correlation between seed chemical quality traits and soymilk sensory attributes. Six sensory parameters (i.e., soymilk aroma, smoothness in the mouth, thickness in the mouth, sweetness, colour and appearance, and overall acceptability) and a seven-point hedonic scale for each parameter were developed. Significant positive correlations were observed between overall acceptability and the other five evaluation parameters, suggesting that overall acceptability is an ideal parameter for evaluating soymilk flavour. The soymilk sensory attributes were significantly positively correlated with the characteristics of the glycinin (11S)/beta-conglycinin (7S) protein ratio, soluble solid, and oil content but negatively correlated with glycitein and protein content. Our results indicated that soymilk sensory attributes could be improved by selecting the desirable seed chemical quality traits in practical soybean breeding programs. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Profiles of the evaluators: impact of psychographic variables on the consumer-oriented quality assessment of mobile television

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jumisko-Pyykkö, Satu; Häkkinen, Jukka

2008-02-01

In the product development of services it is important to adjust mobile video quality according to the quality requirements of potential users. Therefore, a careful participant selection is very important. However, in the literature the details of participant selection are often handled without great detail. This is also reflected in the handling of experimental results, where the impact of psychographic factors on quality is rarely reported. As the user attributes potentially have a large effect to the results, we investigated the role of various psychographical variables on the subjective evaluation of audiovisual video quality in two different experiments. The studied variables were age, gender, education, professionalism, television consumption, experiences of different digital video qualities, and attitude towards technology. The results showed that quality evaluations were affected by almost all background factors. The most significant variables were age, professionalism, knowledge of digital quality features and attitude towards technology. The knowledge of these factors can be exploited in careful participant selection, which will in turn increase the validity of results as the subjective evaluations reflect better the requirements of potential users.

Particulate Organic Matter Distribution along the Lower Amazon River: Addressing Aquatic Ecology Concepts Using Fatty Acids

PubMed Central

Mortillaro, Jean-Michel; Rigal, François; Rybarczyk, Hervé; Bernardes, Marcelo; Abril, Gwenaël; Meziane, Tarik

2012-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in understanding the Amazon basin functioning is to ascertain the role played by floodplains in the organic matter (OM) cycle, crucial for a large spectrum of ecological mechanisms. Fatty acids (FAs) were combined with environmental descriptors and analyzed through multivariate and spatial tools (asymmetric eigenvector maps, AEM and principal coordinates of neighbor matrices, PCNM). This challenge allowed investigating the distribution of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), in order to trace its seasonal origin and quality, along a 800 km section of the Amazon river-floodplain system. Statistical analysis confirmed that large amounts of saturated FAs (15:0, 18:0, 24:0, 25:0 and 26:0), an indication of refractory OM, were concomitantly recorded with high pCO2 in rivers, during the high water season (HW). Contrastingly, FAs marker which may be attributed in this ecosystem to aquatic plants (18:2ω6 and 18:3ω3) and cyanobacteria (16:1ω7), were correlated with higher O2, chlorophyll a and pheopigments in floodplains, due to a high primary production during low waters (LW). Decreasing concentrations of unsaturated FAs, that characterize labile OM, were recorded during HW, from upstream to downstream. Furthermore, using PCNM and AEM spatial methods, FAs compositions of SPOM displayed an upstream-downstream gradient during HW, which was attributed to OM retention and the extent of flooded forest in floodplains. Discrimination of OM quality between the Amazon River and floodplains corroborate higher autotrophic production in the latter and transfer of OM to rivers at LW season. Together, these gradients demonstrate the validity of FAs as predictors of spatial and temporal changes in OM quality. These spatial and temporal trends are explained by 1) downstream change in landscape morphology as predicted by the River Continuum Concept; 2) enhanced primary production during LW when the water level decreased and its residence time increased as predicted by the Flood Pulse Concept. PMID:23029412

Space Product Development: Bringing the Benefits of Space Down to Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Rosalie W.; Tygielski, Andrew; Gabris, Edward A.

1997-01-01

The newly developed microgravity Research Program Office was created to consolidate and integrate NASA's microgravity research efforts, comprised of the microgravity Science and Applications Program and Space Product Development Program. This resulted in an integrated agency program serving the science and industrial research communities, providing leadership, management, direction and overview of all agency microgravity research activities. This paper provides an overview of NASA's microgravity Research Program, with particular emphasis on the Space Product Development Program activities, the potential economic impact and quality of life improvements resulting from this research, and future plans for commercial microgravity research in space. The goal of the Space Product Development Program is to facilitate the use of space for commercial products and services. The unique attributes of space are exploited to conduct industry driven research in the areas of crystallography, bio-systems, agriculture, electronic and non-electronic materials. Industry uses the knowledge gained from focused space research to create new products and processes, to gain economic competitive advantages, to create new jobs and improve the quality of life on earth. The objectives of the program are implemented through NASA's Commercial Space Centers, non-profit consortia of industry, academia and government, that provide the mechanism for communication and technical expert exchange between NASA and industry. Over 200 commercial research activities have been conducted by the Commercial Space Centers and their industrial affiliates over the last four and one-half years during Space Shuttle mission, as well as sounding rocket flights. The results of this research will have a significant impact on competitive products, jobs and quality of life improvements.

Proteomic Analysis of Host Cell Protein Dynamics in the Culture Supernatants of Antibody-Producing CHO Cells

PubMed Central

Park, Jin Hyoung; Jin, Jong Hwa; Lim, Myung Sin; An, Hyun Joo; Kim, Jong Won; Lee, Gyun Min

2017-01-01

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most common cell line used for the production of therapeutic proteins including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Host cell proteins (HCPs), secreted and released from lysed cells, accumulate extracellularly during the cultures of recombinant CHO (rCHO) cells, potentially impairing product quality. In an effort to maintain good mAb quality during the cultures, HCPs accumulated extracellularly in batch and fed-batch cultures of a mAb-producing rCHO cell line were identified and quantified by nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, followed by their gene ontology and functional analysis. Due to higher cell concentration and longer culture duration, more HCPs were identified and quantitated in fed-batch culture (2145 proteins identified and 1673 proteins quantified) than in batch culture (1934 proteins identified and 1486 proteins quantified). Clustering analysis of HCPs showed that the concentration profiles of HCPs affecting mAb quality (Lgmn, Ctsd, Gbl1, and B4galt1) correlated with changes in mAb quality attributes such as aggregation, charge variants, and N-glycosylation during the cultures. Taken together, the dataset of HCPs obtained in this study provides insights into determining the appropriate target proteins to be removed during both the cultures and purification steps for ensuring good mAb quality. PMID:28281648

Quality attributes of bread fortified with staghorn sumac extract.

PubMed

Wang, Sunan; Zhu, Fan

2018-02-01

Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is rich in polyphenols and may be used as an innovative ingredient in maintaining and enhancing food quality. In this report, aqueous extracts of sumac fruit powder were added up to 10% in wheat bread formulation. The extract concentration-dependently delayed the mold growth (up to 5 log reduction in 7-day storage) and the staling of bread. Adding sumac extracts dose-dependently increased the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents of the breads. Minimal changes were observed in loaf volume, water activity, moisture content, texture (cohesiveness, springiness, and adhesive), and aroma of breads containing extracts of less than 4%. Overall, sumac addition altered several quality attributes of bread, including hardness, color, and sensory acceptance in appearance, flavor, and texture. Sumac holds potential as a natural preservative and an antistaling agent in bread formulation. The rising healthy food market demands bakery products fortified with novel functional ingredients. Staghorn sumac is an emerging healthy food ingredient that has attracted much research attention recently. This study provides a scientific basis to develop bread fortified with sumac-derived functional ingredients. The results pointed out the feasibility of making sumac-fortified breads with enhanced phenolic content, increased shelf life, and acceptable sensory profile. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determination of Appropriate Service Delivery Level for Quantitative Attributes of Household Toilets in Rural Settlements of India from Users' Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, Mohammad; Pandit, Debapratim

2018-04-01

Improvement of quality of sanitation services in rural settlements is an important development goal in developing countries including India and accordingly several strategies are adopted which promote the demand and use of household toilets through creating awareness and providing subsidies to poor people for construction of household toilets with service-level standards specified from experts' perspective. In many cases, users are unsatisfied with the quality of toilets constructed using subsidies and the same remain unused. Users' satisfaction depends on their perceptions of service quality of individual attributes and overall service quality of the household toilets, which is an important determinant of sustainability and sustained use of toilets. This study aims to assess and benchmark the appropriate service delivery level for quantitative attributes of rural household toilets based on user perception. The service quality is determined with the help of level of service (LOS) scales developed using successive interval scaling technique, the zone of tolerance (ZOT), and users satisfaction level (USL) which relates service delivery levels with user satisfaction directly. The study finds that the service quality of most of the attributes of household toilets constructed using subsidies is perceived as poor. The results also suggest that most of the users expect to have a toilet with the service level of attributes ranging between LOS A and LOS B.

Determination of Appropriate Service Delivery Level for Quantitative Attributes of Household Toilets in Rural Settlements of India from Users' Perspective.

PubMed

Rashid, Mohammad; Pandit, Debapratim

2018-04-01

Improvement of quality of sanitation services in rural settlements is an important development goal in developing countries including India and accordingly several strategies are adopted which promote the demand and use of household toilets through creating awareness and providing subsidies to poor people for construction of household toilets with service-level standards specified from experts' perspective. In many cases, users are unsatisfied with the quality of toilets constructed using subsidies and the same remain unused. Users' satisfaction depends on their perceptions of service quality of individual attributes and overall service quality of the household toilets, which is an important determinant of sustainability and sustained use of toilets. This study aims to assess and benchmark the appropriate service delivery level for quantitative attributes of rural household toilets based on user perception. The service quality is determined with the help of level of service (LOS) scales developed using successive interval scaling technique, the zone of tolerance (ZOT), and users satisfaction level (USL) which relates service delivery levels with user satisfaction directly. The study finds that the service quality of most of the attributes of household toilets constructed using subsidies is perceived as poor. The results also suggest that most of the users expect to have a toilet with the service level of attributes ranging between LOS A and LOS B.

Improvement in fresh fruit and vegetable logistics quality: berry logistics field studies.

PubMed

do Nascimento Nunes, M Cecilia; Nicometo, Mike; Emond, Jean Pierre; Melis, Ricardo Badia; Uysal, Ismail

2014-06-13

Shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables is greatly influenced by environmental conditions. Increasing temperature usually results in accelerated loss of quality and shelf-life reduction, which is not physically visible until too late in the supply chain to adjust logistics to match shelf life. A blackberry study showed that temperatures inside pallets varied significantly and 57% of the berries arriving at the packinghouse did not have enough remaining shelf life for the longest supply routes. Yet, the advanced shelf-life loss was not physically visible. Some of those pallets would be sent on longer supply routes than necessary, creating avoidable waste. Other studies showed that variable pre-cooling at the centre of pallets resulted in physically invisible uneven shelf life. We have shown that using simple temperature measurements much waste can be avoided using 'first expiring first out'. Results from our studies showed that shelf-life prediction should not be based on a single quality factor as, depending on the temperature history, the quality attribute that limits shelf life may vary. Finally, methods to use air temperature to predict product temperature for highest shelf-life prediction accuracy in the absence of individual sensors for each monitored product have been developed. Our results show a significant reduction of up to 98% in the root-mean-square-error difference between the product temperature and air temperature when advanced estimation methods are used.

Determination of optimum harvest maturity and physico-chemical quality of Rastali banana (Musa AAB Rastali) during fruit ripening.

PubMed

Kheng, Tee Yei; Ding, Phebe; Abdul Rahman, Nor Aini

2012-01-15

A series of physico-chemical quality (peel and pulp colours, pulp firmness, fruit pH, sugars and acids content, respiration rate and ethylene production) were conducted to study the optimum harvest periods (either week 11 or week 12 after emergence of the first hand) of Rastali banana (Musa AAB Rastali) based on the fruit quality during ripening. Rastali banana fruit exhibited a climacteric rise with the peaks of both CO(2) and ethylene production occurring simultaneously at day 3 after ripening was initiated and declined at day 5 when fruits entered the senescence stage. De-greening was observed in both of the harvesting weeks with peel turned from green to yellow, tissue softening, and fruits became more acidic and sweeter as ripening progressed. Sucrose, fructose and glucose were the main sugars found while malic, citric and succinic acids were the main organic acids found in the fruit. Rastali banana harvested at weeks 11 and 12 can be considered as commercial harvest period when the fruits have developed good organoleptic and quality attributes during ripening. However, Rastali banana fruit at more mature stage of harvest maturity taste slightly sweeter and softer with higher ethylene production which also means the fruits may undergo senescence faster than fruit harvested at week 11. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Husk of Venezuelan cocoa as raw material of infusions].

PubMed

Sangronis, Elba; José Soto, María; Valero, Yolmar; Buscema, Ignacio

2014-06-01

In the cocoa bean industry, some by-products go underutilized. Some of these components could provide other innovative products, and such is the case with the husk of the cocoa bean. Previous studies have attributed the husk with a high antioxidant capacity, which added to its relative low cost, makes it an attractive ingredient for the production of infusions. However, prior to promoting it as such, its quality needs to be guaranteed. This study evaluated the chemical composition of the husk of cocoa, its microbiologic quality and other parameters in order to be considered raw material in the preparation of infusions. The cocoa was cultivated in two different states in Venezuela. Moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates, microbiologic quality and ochratoxin A as well antioxidant properties, content of foreign matter, insoluble ash in HCL and aqueous extract were evaluated in the husk of cocoa seeds. Applied methods were in compliance with national and international norms. Significant differences were determined between the samples through the ANOVA application. A low level in moisture content, but high in ash, along with a microbiologic quality that met the norm, and an absence of ochratoxin A were observed in the totality of the analyzed samples. Low levels of foreign matter, the high value of its aqueous extract and high phenolic compounds content with antioxidant activity allow for the recommendation of the husk of cocoa as raw material for the preparation of infusions.

Advanced qualification of pharmaceutical excipient suppliers by multiple analytics and multivariate analysis combined.

PubMed

Hertrampf, A; Müller, H; Menezes, J C; Herdling, T

2015-11-10

Pharmaceutical excipients have different functions within a drug formulation, consequently they can influence the manufacturability and/or performance of medicinal products. Therefore, critical to quality attributes should be kept constant. Sometimes it may be necessary to qualify a second supplier, but its product will not be completely equal to the first supplier product. To minimize risks of not detecting small non-similarities between suppliers and to detect lot-to-lot variability for each supplier, multivariate data analysis (MVA) can be used as a more powerful alternative to classical quality control that uses one-parameter-at-a-time monitoring. Such approach is capable of supporting the requirements of a new guideline by the European Parliament and Council (2015/C-95/02) demanding appropriate quality control strategies for excipients based on their criticality and supplier risks in ensuring quality, safety and function. This study compares calcium hydrogen phosphate from two suppliers. It can be assumed that both suppliers use different manufacturing processes. Therefore, possible chemical and physical differences were investigated by using Raman spectroscopy, laser diffraction and X-ray powder diffraction. Afterwards MVA was used to extract relevant information from each analytical technique. Both CaHPO4 could be discriminated by their supplier. The gained knowledge allowed to specify an enhanced strategy for second supplier qualification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality risk management of top spray fluidized bed process for antihypertensive drug formulation with control strategy engendered by Box-behnken experimental design space.

PubMed

Mukharya, Amit; Patel, Paresh U; Shenoy, Dinesh; Chaudhary, Shivang

2013-01-01

Lacidipine (LCDP) is a very low soluble and highly biovariable calcium channel blocker used in the treatment of hypertension. To increase its apparent solubility and to reduce its biovariability, solid dispersion fluid bed processing technology was explored, as it produces highly dispersible granules with a characteristic porous structure that enhances dispersibility, wettability, blend uniformity (by dissolving and spraying a solution of actives), flow ability and compressibility of granules for tableting and reducing variability by uniform drug-binder solution distribution on carrier molecules. Main object of this quality risk management (QRM) study is to provide a sophisticated "robust and rugged" Fluidized Bed Process (FBP) for the preparation of LCDP tablets with desired quality (stability) and performance (dissolution) by quality by design (QbD) concept. THIS STUDY IS PRINCIPALLY FOCUSING ON THOROUGH MECHANISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE FBP BY WHICH IT IS DEVELOPED AND SCALED UP WITH A KNOWLEDGE OF THE CRITICAL RISKS INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURING PROCESS ANALYZED BY RISK ASSESSMENT TOOLS LIKE: Qualitative Initial Risk-based Matrix Analysis (IRMA) and Quantitative Failure Mode Effective Analysis (FMEA) to identify and rank parameters with potential to have an impact on In Process/Finished Product Critical Quality Attributes (IP/FP CQAs). These Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) were further refined by DoE and MVDA to develop design space with Real Time Release Testing (RTRT) that leads to implementation of a control strategy to achieve consistent finished product quality at lab scale itself to prevent possible product failure at larger manufacturing scale.

Quality risk management of top spray fluidized bed process for antihypertensive drug formulation with control strategy engendered by Box-behnken experimental design space

PubMed Central

Mukharya, Amit; Patel, Paresh U; Shenoy, Dinesh; Chaudhary, Shivang

2013-01-01

Introduction: Lacidipine (LCDP) is a very low soluble and highly biovariable calcium channel blocker used in the treatment of hypertension. To increase its apparent solubility and to reduce its biovariability, solid dispersion fluid bed processing technology was explored, as it produces highly dispersible granules with a characteristic porous structure that enhances dispersibility, wettability, blend uniformity (by dissolving and spraying a solution of actives), flow ability and compressibility of granules for tableting and reducing variability by uniform drug-binder solution distribution on carrier molecules. Materials and Methods: Main object of this quality risk management (QRM) study is to provide a sophisticated “robust and rugged” Fluidized Bed Process (FBP) for the preparation of LCDP tablets with desired quality (stability) and performance (dissolution) by quality by design (QbD) concept. Results and Conclusion: This study is principally focusing on thorough mechanistic understanding of the FBP by which it is developed and scaled up with a knowledge of the critical risks involved in manufacturing process analyzed by risk assessment tools like: Qualitative Initial Risk-based Matrix Analysis (IRMA) and Quantitative Failure Mode Effective Analysis (FMEA) to identify and rank parameters with potential to have an impact on In Process/Finished Product Critical Quality Attributes (IP/FP CQAs). These Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) were further refined by DoE and MVDA to develop design space with Real Time Release Testing (RTRT) that leads to implementation of a control strategy to achieve consistent finished product quality at lab scale itself to prevent possible product failure at larger manufacturing scale. PMID:23799202

Amino acid profile and sensory characteristics of dry fermented pork loins produced with a mixture of probiotic starter cultures.

PubMed

Neffe-Skocińska, Katarzyna; Okoń, Anna; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew

2017-07-01

Proteolysis is a biochemical process in dry-aged meat products where proteins are metabolized and broken down to polypeptides, peptides, and free amino acids. In the literature it is reported that an appropriate choice of probiotic starter culture limits proteolytic changes in dry-fermented meat products. In this study the combined effect of a mixture of probiotic starter cultures on the free amino acid profile, total count of lactic acid bacteria, and the sensory quality of dry-aged pork loins after fermentation and after storing the vacuum-packed samples was evaluated. LOCK900 and BB12 probiotic strains were the technologically best two-species mixture of starter cultures for the production of probiotic dry-aged pork loins. They allowed us to obtain products with high and stable bacterial count and acceptable sensory quality, both after 21 days of fermentation and after 2 months of cold storage. Changes in the free amino acid profile and increased intensity of the selected sensory attributes result from a significant share of probiotics in meat proteolysis occurring during fermentation and storage. The results suggest the relevance of using probiotic bacteria as a two-species starter culture for the production of dry-aged products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

An integrated new product development framework - an application on green and low-carbon products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chun-Yu; Lee, Amy H. I.; Kang, He-Yau

2015-03-01

Companies need to be innovative to survive in today's competitive market; thus, new product development (NPD) has become very important. This research constructs an integrated NPD framework for developing new products. In stage one, customer attributes (CAs) and engineering characteristics (ECs) for developing products are collected, and fuzzy interpretive structural modelling (FISM) is applied to understand the relationships among these critical factors. Based on quality function deployment (QFD), a house of quality is then built, and fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) is adopted to calculate the relative importance of ECs. In stage two, fuzzy failure mode and effects analysis (FFMEA) is applied to understand the potential failures of the ECs and to determine the importance of ECs with respect to risk control. In stage three, a goal programming (GP) model is constructed to consider the outcome from the FANP-QFD, FFMEA and other objectives, in order to select the most important ECs. Due to pollution and global warming, environmental protection has become an important topic. With both governments and consumers developing environmental consciousness, successful green and low-carbon NPD provides an important competitive advantage, enabling the survival or renewal of firms. The proposed framework is implemented in a panel manufacturing firm for designing a green and low-carbon product.

Requirements of supply chain management in differentiating European pork chains.

PubMed

Trienekens, Jacques; Wognum, Nel

2013-11-01

This paper summarizes results obtained by research into pork chain management in the EU Integrated Project Q-Porkchains. Changing demands for intrinsic and extrinsic quality attributes of pork products impact the way supply chain management should be organized from the farmer down to the consumer. The paper shows the importance of Quality Management Systems for integrating supply chains and enhancing consumer confidence. The paper also presents innovations in information system integration for aligning information exchange in the supply chain and logistics concepts based on innovative measurement technologies at the slaughterhouse stage. In the final section research challenges towards sustainable pork supply chains satisfying current consumer demands are presented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling relationships between catchment attributes and river water quality in southern catchments of the Caspian Sea.

PubMed

Hasani Sangani, Mohammad; Jabbarian Amiri, Bahman; Alizadeh Shabani, Afshin; Sakieh, Yousef; Ashrafi, Sohrab

2015-04-01

Increasing land utilization through diverse forms of human activities, such as agriculture, forestry, urban growth, and industrial development, has led to negative impacts on the water quality of rivers. To find out how catchment attributes, such as land use, hydrologic soil groups, and lithology, can affect water quality variables (Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), Cl(-), HCO 3 (-) , pH, TDS, EC, SAR), a spatio-statistical approach was applied to 23 catchments in southern basins of the Caspian Sea. All input data layers (digital maps of land use, soil, and lithology) were prepared using geographic information system (GIS) and spatial analysis. Relationships between water quality variables and catchment attributes were then examined by Spearman rank correlation tests and multiple linear regression. Stepwise approach-based multiple linear regressions were developed to examine the relationship between catchment attributes and water quality variables. The areas (%) of marl, tuff, or diorite, as well as those of good-quality rangeland and bare land had negative effects on all water quality variables, while those of basalt, forest land cover were found to contribute to improved river water quality. Moreover, lithological variables showed the greatest most potential for predicting the mean concentration values of water quality variables, and noting that measure of EC and TDS have inversely associated with area (%) of urban land use.

Quality by design (QbD), Process Analytical Technology (PAT), and design of experiment applied to the development of multifunctional sunscreens.

PubMed

Peres, Daniela D'Almeida; Ariede, Maira Bueno; Candido, Thalita Marcilio; de Almeida, Tania Santos; Lourenço, Felipe Rebello; Consiglieri, Vladi Olga; Kaneko, Telma Mary; Velasco, Maria Valéria Robles; Baby, André Rolim

2017-02-01

Multifunctional formulations are of great importance to ensure better skin protection from harm caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV). Despite the advantages of Quality by Design and Process Analytical Technology approaches to the development and optimization of new products, we found in the literature only a few studies concerning their applications in cosmetic product industry. Thus, in this research work, we applied the QbD and PAT approaches to the development of multifunctional sunscreens containing bemotrizinol, ethylhexyl triazone, and ferulic acid. In addition, UV transmittance method was applied to assess qualitative and quantitative critical quality attributes of sunscreens using chemometrics analyses. Linear discriminant analysis allowed classifying unknown formulations, which is useful for investigation of counterfeit and adulteration. Simultaneous quantification of ethylhexyl triazone, bemotrizinol, and ferulic acid presented at the formulations was performed using PLS regression. This design allowed us to verify the compounds in isolation and in combination and to prove that the antioxidant action of ferulic acid as well as the sunscreen actions, since the presence of this component increased 90% of antioxidant activity in vitro.

Evaluation of the effect of salts on chemical, structural, textural, sensory and heating properties of cheese: Contribution of conventional methods and spectral ones.

PubMed

Loudiyi, M; Aït-Kaddour, A

2018-03-21

Chemical composition, sensory characteristics, textural and functional properties are among the most important characteristics, which directly relates to the global quality of cheese and to consumer acceptability. A number of factors including milk composition, processing conditions and salt content, influences these properties. The past decades many investigations were performed on the possibilities to reduce salt content of cheese due to its adverse health effects, the current lifestyle and the awareness of the consumers for nutrition quality products. Due to the multiple potential effects of reducing NaCl (simple reduction or substitution) on cheese attributes, it is of utmost importance to identify and understand those effects in order to control the global quality and safety of the final product. In the present review a collection of the different results and conclusions drawn after studying the effect of salts by conventional (e.g. wet chemistry) and instrumental (e.g. spectral) methods on chemical, structural, textural, sensory and heating properties of cheese are presented.

Alginate coating as carrier of oligofructose and inulin and to maintain the quality of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Rössle, Christian; Brunton, Nigel; Gormley, Ronan T; Wouters, Rudy; Butler, Francis

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to apply an edible coating containing prebiotics such as oligofructose and inulin to fresh-cut apple wedges. An assessment of the quality, sensory, polyphenol, and volatile attributes of coated and uncoated fresh-cut apple wedges was also undertaken. Fructan analysis showed that all prebiotics remained stable over the 14-d storage period and an intake of 100 g of apple supplies 1 to 3 g of prebiotics. Browning index, firmness, acidity remained stable throughout the 14 d compared to the control while applying prebiotic coatings resulted in an increase in soluble solids. Sensory and visual assessment indicated acceptable quality of apple wedges coated with prebiotics. HPLC analysis showed that levels of polyphenolic compounds were more stable in coated apple wedges (without prebiotic inclusions) than in uncoated control apples. No difference was found between O(2) and CO(2) headspace concentration of coated and uncoated samples. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were found for headspace volatile production between the samples. Most coated samples showed lower volatile production in the headspace than uncoated samples.

Quality and shelf life of buffalo meat blocks processed in retort pouches.

PubMed

Devadason, I Prince; Anjaneyulu, A S R; Mendirtta, S K; Murthy, T R K

2014-12-01

The shelf life of buffalo meat blocks processed in 3-ply retort pouches at Fo = 12.13 in a stock sterilizer were evaluated at 15 days interval for physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory attributes for a period of 3 months. The pH of the product was 6.28 at 0 day and a gradual decline was noticed during storage. Texture of the product as indicated by shear force values had decreased slowly. The residual nitrite content had significantly declined from 82.67 ppm at 0 day to 45.00 ppm on 90th day of storage. The TBARS values were 0.24 and 0.67 mg malonaldehyde/kg, respectively at 0 day and 90 days of storage. Tyrosine value had significantly increased from 0.37 mg/100 g at 0 day to 0.58 mg/100 g during storage. Free aminoacid content increased gradually from an initial level of 124.32 to 217.51 at 90(th) day of storage. The SDS-PAGE hydrolysis pattern showed barely discernible 205 KDa protein and presence of subfragments in the molecular range of 63 KDa to 29 KDa protein. The sensory studies indicated that the products were well acceptable up to a period of 90 days. As the storage period increased pH, reidual nitrite, sensory attributes declined significantly and TBARS value, tyrosine value and free aminoacid content significantly increased. Mesophillic aerobes and anerobes were found to be absent. The shelf life study indicated that the products were well acceptable up to a period of 90 days based on the assessment of physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory attributes.

The effect of source credibility on consumers' perceptions of the quality of health information on the Internet.

PubMed

Bates, Benjamin R; Romina, Sharon; Ahmed, Rukhsana; Hopson, Danielle

2006-03-01

Recent use of the Internet as a source of health information has raised concerns about consumers' ability to tell 'good' information from 'bad' information. Although consumers report that they use source credibility to judge information quality, several observational studies suggest that consumers make little use of source credibility. This study examines consumer evaluations of web pages attributed to a credible source as compared to generic web pages on measures of message quality. In spring 2005, a community-wide convenience survey was distributed in a regional hub city in Ohio, USA. 519 participants were randomly assigned one of six messages discussing lung cancer prevention: three messages each attributed to a highly credible national organization and three identical messages each attributed to a generic web page. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare each attributed message to its counterpart attributed to a generic web page on measures of trustworthiness, truthfulness, readability, and completeness. The results demonstrated that differences in attribution to a source did not have a significant effect on consumers' evaluations of the quality of the information.Conclusions. The authors offer suggestions for national organizations to promote credibility to consumers as a heuristic for choosing better online health information through the use of media co-channels to emphasize credibility.

Development of a validated liquid chromatographic method for quantification of sorafenib tosylate in the presence of stress-induced degradation products and in biological matrix employing analytical quality by design approach.

PubMed

Sharma, Teenu; Khurana, Rajneet Kaur; Jain, Atul; Katare, O P; Singh, Bhupinder

2018-05-01

The current research work envisages an analytical quality by design-enabled development of a simple, rapid, sensitive, specific, robust and cost-effective stability-indicating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determining stress-induced forced-degradation products of sorafenib tosylate (SFN). An Ishikawa fishbone diagram was constructed to embark upon analytical target profile and critical analytical attributes, i.e. peak area, theoretical plates, retention time and peak tailing. Factor screening using Taguchi orthogonal arrays and quality risk assessment studies carried out using failure mode effect analysis aided the selection of critical method parameters, i.e. mobile phase ratio and flow rate potentially affecting the chosen critical analytical attributes. Systematic optimization using response surface methodology of the chosen critical method parameters was carried out employing a two-factor-three-level-13-run, face-centered cubic design. A method operable design region was earmarked providing optimum method performance using numerical and graphical optimization. The optimum method employed a mobile phase composition consisting of acetonitrile and water (containing orthophosphoric acid, pH 4.1) at 65:35 v/v at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min with UV detection at 265 nm using a C 18 column. Response surface methodology validation studies confirmed good efficiency and sensitivity of the developed method for analysis of SFN in mobile phase as well as in human plasma matrix. The forced degradation studies were conducted under different recommended stress conditions as per ICH Q1A (R2). Mass spectroscopy studies showed that SFN degrades in strongly acidic, alkaline and oxidative hydrolytic conditions at elevated temperature, while the drug was per se found to be photostable. Oxidative hydrolysis using 30% H 2 O 2 showed maximum degradation with products at retention times of 3.35, 3.65, 4.20 and 5.67 min. The absence of any significant change in the retention time of SFN and degradation products, formed under different stress conditions, ratified selectivity and specificity of the systematically developed method. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Client expectations and satisfaction of quality in home care services. A consumer perspective.

PubMed

Samuelsson, G; Wister, A

2000-12-01

This study examines clients' expectations of quality in home care services and their perceived satisfaction with services among a random sample of 76 home care recipients in Vancouver, Canada. The researchers conducted face-to-face interviews that applied Multiattribute Utility Technology, a procedure that organizes several quality attributes of "ideal" home care into a tree structure to compare their relative importance and ranking from the clients' perspective. Participants also were asked to state their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the services received in these domains. Among the five main quality attributes identified, the subjects ranked suitability of the home helper and its subset, personal competence, as the most important indicators of quality, followed by continuity in service. In addition, clients tended to have a high level of satisfaction with regard to the attributes of overall home care services. The highest level of satisfaction was reported for elements of personal dispositions of home care staff. The lowest level of satisfaction involved the time/availability components of the service. Finally, comparisons between client expectations and satisfaction of received home care services showed the highest discrepancy for the attributes of influence and time/availability and the greatest congruence for personal attributes of the staff. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the delivery of home care services.

The application of the Accelerated Stability Assessment Program (ASAP) to quality by design (QbD) for drug product stability.

PubMed

Waterman, Kenneth Craig

2011-09-01

An isoconversion paradigm, where times in different temperature and humidity-controlled stability chambers are set to provide a fixed degradant level, is shown to compensate for the complex, non-single order kinetics of solid drug products. A humidity-corrected Arrhenius equation provides reliable estimates for temperature and relative humidity effects on degradation rates. A statistical protocol is employed to determine best fits for chemical stability data, which in turn allows for accurate estimations of shelf life (with appropriate confidence intervals) at any storage condition including inside packaging (based on the moisture vapor transmission rate of the packaging and moisture sorption isotherms of the internal components). These methodologies provide both faster results and far better predictions of chemical stability limited shelf life (expiry) than previously possible. Precise shelf-life estimations are generally determined using a 2-week, product-specific protocol. Once the model for a product is developed, it can play a critical role in providing the product understanding necessary for a quality by design (QbD) filing for product approval and enable rational control strategies to assure product stability. Moreover, this Accelerated Stability Assessment Program (ASAP) enables the coupling of product attributes (e.g., moisture content, packaging options) to allow for flexibility in how control strategies are implemented to provide a balance of cost, speed, and other factors while maintaining adequate stability.

The right hemisphere in esthetic perception.

PubMed

Bromberger, Bianca; Sternschein, Rebecca; Widick, Page; Smith, William; Chatterjee, Anjan

2011-01-01

Little about the neuropsychology of art perception and evaluation is known. Most neuropsychological approaches to art have focused on art production and have been anecdotal and qualitative. The field is in desperate need of quantitative methods if it is to advance. Here, we combine a quantitative approach to the assessment of art with modern voxel-lesion-symptom-mapping methods to determine brain-behavior relationships in art perception. We hypothesized that perception of different attributes of art are likely to be disrupted by damage to different regions of the brain. Twenty participants with right hemisphere damage were given the Assessment of Art Attributes, which is designed to quantify judgments of descriptive attributes of visual art. Each participant rated 24 paintings on 6 conceptual attributes (depictive accuracy, abstractness, emotion, symbolism, realism, and animacy) and 6 perceptual attributes (depth, color temperature, color saturation, balance, stroke, and simplicity) and their interest in and preference for these paintings. Deviation scores were obtained for each brain-damaged participant for each attribute based on correlations with group average ratings from 30 age-matched healthy participants. Right hemisphere damage affected participants' judgments of abstractness, accuracy, and stroke quality. Damage to areas within different parts of the frontal parietal and lateral temporal cortices produced deviation in judgments in four of six conceptual attributes (abstractness, symbolism, realism, and animacy). Of the formal attributes, only depth was affected by inferior prefrontal damage. No areas of brain damage were associated with deviations in interestingness or preference judgments. The perception of conceptual and formal attributes in artwork may in part dissociate from each other and from evaluative judgments. More generally, this approach demonstrates the feasibility of quantitative approaches to the neuropsychology of art.

Modeling and optimization of sensory changes and shelf-life in vacuum-packaged cooked ham treated by E-beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedito, J.; Cambero, M. I.; Ortuño, C.; Cabeza, M. C.; Ordoñez, J. A.; de la Hoz, L.

2011-03-01

The E-beam irradiation of vacuum-packaged RTE cooked ham was carried out to establish the dose required to achieve the food safety objective (FSO) and to minimize changes in selected sensory attributes. Cooked ham was irradiated with doses ranging 1-4 kGy. After the treatment, the microbial inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes, the shelf-life of the product and some sensory attributes (appearance, odor, and flavor) were determined. The inactivation of L. monocytogenes was satisfactorily described by a first-order kinetics equation ( R2=0.99). The influence of the irradiation dose on appearance, odor, and flavor was modeled through Gompertz ( R2=0.99, for appearance) and Activation/Inactivation ( R2=0.99, for odor and flavor) equations. A model was also developed to determine the shelf-life of irradiated cooked ham depending on the irradiation dose ( R2>0.91). The dose that maximized the scores of the sensory attributes was 0.96 kGy resulting in an acceptable sensory quality for 80 days. It is possible to apply up to 2 kGy to ensure microbial safety, while provoking no significant changes in the above mentioned sensory attributes.

Mapping by sequencing in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) line MD52ne identified candidate genes for fiber strength and its related quality attributes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fiber strength, length, maturity and fineness determine the market value of cotton fibers and the quality of spun yarn. Cotton fiber strength has been recognized as a critical quality attribute in the modern textile industry. Fine mapping along with quantitative trait loci (QTL) validation and candi...

Preferences of processing companies for attributes of Swiss milk: a conjoint analysis in a business-to-business market.

PubMed

Boesch, I

2013-04-01

This study aimed to determine key attributes of milk that drive a processor's supply decisions and possibilities for differentiation based on these product attributes. Feedback-driven exploration was applied to derive product attributes relevant to the buying decision. Conjoint analysis with hierarchical Bayes estimation methods was used to determine the relative importance of attributes. Results show that the technical aspects of milk, as well as the price and country of origin, dominate the buying decision. Potential for differentiation was found for environmental and societal attributes as well as freedom from genetically modified products. Product and supplier criteria also provide the potential to segment the market if the price premium is held within limits. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extension of quality-by-design concept to the early development phase of pharmaceutical R&D processes.

PubMed

Csóka, Ildikó; Pallagi, Edina; Paál, Tamás L

2018-03-27

Here, we propose the extension of the quality-by-design (QbD) concept to also fit the early development phases of pharmaceuticals by adding elements that are currently widely applied, but not yet included in the QbD model in a structured way. These are the introduction of a 'zero' preformulation phase (i.e., selection of drug substance, possible dosage forms and administration routes based on the evaluated therapeutic need); building in stakeholders' (industry, patient, and regulatory) requirements into the quality target product profile (QTTP); and the use of modern quality management tools during the composition and process design phase [collecting critical quality attributes (CQAs) and selection of CPPs) for (still laboratory-scale) design space (DS) development. Moreover, during industrial scale-up, CQAs (as well as critical process parameters; CPPs) can be changed; however, we recommend that the existing QbD elements are reconsidered and updated after this phase. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteomic approach to characterize biochemistry of meat quality defects.

PubMed

Schilling, M W; Suman, S P; Zhang, X; Nair, M N; Desai, M A; Cai, K; Ciaramella, M A; Allen, P J

2017-10-01

Proteomics can be used to characterize quality defects including pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) meat (pork and poultry), woody broiler breast meat, reddish catfish fillets, meat toughness, and beef myoglobin oxidation. PSE broiler meat was characterized by 15 proteins that differed in abundance in comparison to normal broiler breast meat, and eight proteins were differentially expressed in woody breast meat in comparison to normal breast meat. Hemoglobin was the only protein that was differentially expressed between red and normal catfish fillets. However, inducing low oxygen and/or heat stress conditions to catfish fillets did not lead to the production of red fillets. Proteomic data provided information pertaining to the protein differences that exist in meat quality defects. However, these data need to be evaluated in conjunction with information pertaining to genetics, nutrition, environment of the live animal, muscle to meat conversion, meat quality analyses and sensory attributes to understand causality, protein biomarkers, and ultimately how to prevent quality defects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Taking advantage of ground data systems attributes to achieve quality results in testing software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sigman, Clayton B.; Koslosky, John T.; Hageman, Barbara H.

1994-01-01

During the software development life cycle process, basic testing starts with the development team. At the end of the development process, an acceptance test is performed for the user to ensure that the deliverable is acceptable. Ideally, the delivery is an operational product with zero defects. However, the goal of zero defects is normally not achieved but is successful to various degrees. With the emphasis on building low cost ground support systems while maintaining a quality product, a key element in the test process is simulator capability. This paper reviews the Transportable Payload Operations Control Center (TPOCC) Advanced Spacecraft Simulator (TASS) test tool that is used in the acceptance test process for unmanned satellite operations control centers. The TASS is designed to support the development, test and operational environments of the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) operations control centers. The TASS uses the same basic architecture as the operations control center. This architecture is characterized by its use of distributed processing, industry standards, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software components, and reusable software. The TASS uses much of the same TPOCC architecture and reusable software that the operations control center developer uses. The TASS also makes use of reusable simulator software in the mission specific versions of the TASS. Very little new software needs to be developed, mainly mission specific telemetry communication and command processing software. By taking advantage of the ground data system attributes, successful software reuse for operational systems provides the opportunity to extend the reuse concept into the test area. Consistency in test approach is a major step in achieving quality results.

Sensitivity analyses of factors influencing CMAQ performance for fine particulate nitrate.

PubMed

Shimadera, Hikari; Hayami, Hiroshi; Chatani, Satoru; Morino, Yu; Mori, Yasuaki; Morikawa, Tazuko; Yamaji, Kazuyo; Ohara, Toshimasa

2014-04-01

Improvement of air quality models is required so that they can be utilized to design effective control strategies for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system was applied to the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan in winter 2010 and summer 2011. The model results were compared with observed concentrations of PM2.5 sulfate (SO4(2-)), nitrate (NO3(-)) and ammonium, and gaseous nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonia (NH3). The model approximately reproduced PM2.5 SO4(2-) concentration, but clearly overestimated PM2.5 NO3(-) concentration, which was attributed to overestimation of production of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). This study conducted sensitivity analyses of factors associated with the model performance for PM2.5 NO3(-) concentration, including temperature and relative humidity, emission of nitrogen oxides, seasonal variation of NH3 emission, HNO3 and NH3 dry deposition velocities, and heterogeneous reaction probability of dinitrogen pentoxide. Change in NH3 emission directly affected NH3 concentration, and substantially affected NH4NO3 concentration. Higher dry deposition velocities of HNO3 and NH3 led to substantial reductions of concentrations of the gaseous species and NH4NO3. Because uncertainties in NH3 emission and dry deposition processes are probably large, these processes may be key factors for improvement of the model performance for PM2.5 NO3(-). The Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system clearly overestimated the concentration of fine particulate nitrate in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan, which was attributed to overestimation of production of ammonium nitrate. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for factors associated with the model performance for nitrate. Ammonia emission and dry deposition of nitric acid and ammonia may be key factors for improvement of the model performance.

Evaluating the Vertical Distribution of Ozone and its Relationship to Pollution Events in Air Quality Models using Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osterman, G. B.; Neu, J. L.; Eldering, A.; Pinder, R. W.; Tang, Y.; McQueen, J.

2014-12-01

Most regional scale models that are used for air quality forecasts and ozone source attribution do not adequately capture the distribution of ozone in the mid- and upper troposphere, but it is unclear how this shortcoming relates to their ability to simulate surface ozone. We combine ozone profile data from the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and a new joint product from TES and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument along with ozonesonde measurements and EPA AirNow ground station ozone data to examine air quality events during August 2006 in the Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) and National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC) models. We present both aggregated statistics and case-study analyses with the goal of assessing the relationship between the models' ability to reproduce surface air quality events and their ability to capture the vertical distribution of ozone. We find that the models lack the mid-tropospheric ozone variability seen in TES and the ozonesonde data, and discuss the conditions under which this variability appears to be important for surface air quality.

Identification of sensory attributes, instrumental and chemical measurements important for consumer acceptability of grilled lamb Longissimus lumborum.

PubMed

Oltra, O R; Farmer, L J; Gordon, A W; Moss, B W; Birnie, J; Devlin, D J; Tolland, E L C; Tollerton, I J; Beattie, A M; Kennedy, J T; Farrell, D

2015-02-01

In this study, important eating quality attributes that influence consumer liking for grilled lamb loin have been identified using preference mapping techniques. The eating quality attributes identified as driving the consumer liking of lamb loin steaks were “tenderness”, “sweet flavour”, “meaty aftertaste”, “roast lamb flavour” and “roast lamb aftertaste”. In contrast, the texture attribute “rubbery” and the flavour attributes “bitter flavour” and "bitter aftertaste" had a negative influence on consumer perceptions. Associations were observed between eating quality and a number of instrumental and chemical measurements. Warner Bratzler Shear Force showed an association with “rubbery” texture and a negative association with “tenderness” and consumer liking scores. The compounds, glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, inosine, inosine monophosphate and adenosine monophosphate were associated with the attributes, “sweet flavour”,“meaty aftertaste”, “roast lamb flavour”, “roast lamb aftertaste” and with consumer scores for liking of lamb which is probably caused by the role some of these compounds play as precursors of flavour and as taste compounds.

The marketing implications of affective product design.

PubMed

Seva, Rosemary R; Duh, Henry Been-Lirn; Helander, Martin G

2007-11-01

Emotions are compelling human experiences and product designers can take advantage of this by conceptualizing emotion-engendering products that sell well in the market. This study hypothesized that product attributes influence users' emotions and that the relationship is moderated by the adherence of these product attributes to purchase criteria. It was further hypothesized that the emotional experience of the user influences purchase intention. A laboratory study was conducted to validate the hypotheses using mobile phones as test products. Sixty-two participants were asked to assess eight phones from a display of 10 phones and indicate their emotional experiences after assessment. Results suggest that some product attributes can cause intense emotional experience. The attributes relate to the phone's dimensions and the relationship between these dimensions. The study validated the notion of integrating affect in designing products that convey users' personalities.

Recent Advances and Uses of Grape Flavonoids as Nutraceuticals

PubMed Central

Georgiev, Vasil; Ananga, Anthony; Tsolova, Violeta

2014-01-01

Grape is one of the oldest fruit crops domesticated by humans. The numerous uses of grape in making wine, beverages, jelly, and other products, has made it one of the most economically important plants worldwide. The complex phytochemistry of the berry is characterized by a wide variety of compounds, most of which have been demonstrated to have therapeutic or health promoting properties. Among them, flavonoids are the most abundant and widely studied, and have enjoyed greater attention among grape researchers in the last century. Recent studies have shown that the beneficial health effects promoted by consumption of grape and grape products are attributed to the unique mix of polyphenolic compounds. As the largest group of grape polyphenols, flavonoids are the main candidates considered to have biological properties, including but not limited to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective activities. Here, we discuss the recent scientific advances supporting the beneficial health qualities of grape and grape-derived products, mechanisms of their biological activity, bioavailability, and their uses as nutraceuticals. The advantages of modern plant cell based biotechnology as an alternative method for production of grape nutraceuticals and improvement of their health qualities are also discussed. PMID:24451310

Improving the sensory quality of flavored liquid milk by engaging sensory analysis and consumer preference.

PubMed

Zhi, Ruicong; Zhao, Lei; Shi, Jingye

2016-07-01

Developing innovative products that satisfy various groups of consumers helps a company maintain a leading market share. The hedonic scale and just-about-right (JAR) scale are 2 popular methods for hedonic assessment and product diagnostics. In this paper, we chose to study flavored liquid milk because it is one of the most necessary nutrient sources in China. The hedonic scale and JAR scale methods were combined to provide directional information for flavored liquid milk optimization. Two methods of analysis (penalty analysis and partial least squares regression on dummy variables) were used and the results were compared. This paper had 2 aims: (1) to investigate consumer preferences of basic flavor attributes of milk from various cities in China; and (2) to determine the improvement direction for specific products and the ideal overall liking for consumers in various cities. The results showed that consumers in China have local-specific requirements for characteristics of flavored liquid milk. Furthermore, we provide a consumer-oriented product design method to improve sensory quality according to the preference of particular consumers. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Programmable diffractive optic for multi-beam processing: applications and limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gretzki, Patrick; Gillner, Arnold

2017-08-01

In the field of laser ablation, especially in the field of micro-structuring, the current challenge is the improvement of productivity. While many applications, e.g. surface fictionalization and structuring, drilling and thin film ablation, use relatively low pulse energies, industrial laser sources provide considerably higher average powers and pulse energies. The main challenge consist of the effective energy distribution and depositions. There are essential two complementary approaches for the up-scaling of (ultra) short pulse laser processes: Higher repetition frequency or higher pulse energies. Using lasers with high repetition rates in the MHz region can cause thermal issues like overheating, melt production and low ablation quality. In this paper we pursuit the second approach by using diffractive optics for parallel processing. We will discuss, which technologies can be used and which applications will benefit from the multi-beam approach and which increase in productivity can be expected. Additionally we will show, which quality attributes can be used to rate the performance of a diffractive optic and and which limitations and restrictions this technology has.

Effect of branched-chain fatty acids, 3-methylindole and 4-methylphenol on consumer sensory scores of grilled lamb meat.

PubMed

Watkins, P J; Kearney, G; Rose, G; Allen, D; Ball, A J; Pethick, D W; Warner, R D

2014-02-01

Tenderness, flavour, overall liking and odour are important components of sheepmeat eating quality. Consumer assessment of these attributes has been made for carcasses from the Information Nucleus Flock (INF) of the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation. The concentrations of three branched chain fatty acids, 4-methyloctanoic (MOA), 4-ethyloctanoic (EOA) and 4-methylnonanoic acids (compounds related to 'mutton flavour' in cooked sheepmeat) and 3-methylindole and 4-methylphenol (compounds related to 'pastoral' flavour) were determined for 178 fat samples taken from INF carcasses. Statistical modelling revealed that both MOA and EOA impacted on the 'Like Smell' consumer sensory score of the cooked meat product (P<0.05), with increasing concentration causing lower consumer acceptance of the product. None of the compounds though had an effect on the liking of flavour. Obviously, reducing the effect of MOA and EOA on the odour of grilled lamb will improve consumer acceptance of the cooked product but other factors affecting the eating quality also need to be considered. Copyright © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Epi-fingerprinting and epi-interventions for improved crop production and food quality

PubMed Central

Rodríguez López, Carlos M.; Wilkinson, Mike J.

2015-01-01

Increasing crop production at a time of rapid climate change represents the greatest challenge facing contemporary agricultural research. Our understanding of the genetic control of yield derives from controlled field experiments designed to minimize environmental variance. In spite of these efforts there is substantial residual variability among plants attributable to Genotype × Environment interactions. Recent advances in the field of epigenetics have revealed a plethora of gene control mechanisms that could account for much of this unassigned variation. These systems act as a regulatory interface between the perception of the environment and associated alterations in gene expression. Direct intervention of epigenetic control systems hold the enticing promise of creating new sources of variability that could enhance crop performance. Equally, understanding the relationship between various epigenetic states and responses of the crop to specific aspects of the growing environment (epigenetic fingerprinting) could allow for a more tailored approach to plant agronomy. In this review, we explore the many ways in which epigenetic interventions and epigenetic fingerprinting can be deployed for the improvement of crop production and quality. PMID:26097484

Broadening our understanding of clinical quality: from attribution error to situated cognition.

PubMed

Artino, A R; Durning, S J; Waechter, D M; Leary, K L; Gilliland, W R

2012-02-01

The tendency to overestimate the influence of personal characteristics on outcomes, and to underestimate the influence of situational factors, is known as the fundamental attribution error. We argue that medical-education researchers and policy makers may be guilty of this error in their quest to understand clinical quality. We suggest that to truly understand clinical quality, they must examine situational factors, which often have a strong influence on the quality of clinical encounters.

Towards the implementation of quality by design to the production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies with desired glycosylation patterns.

PubMed

del Val, Ioscani Jimenez; Kontoravdi, Cleo; Nagy, Judit M

2010-01-01

Quality by design (QbD) is a scheme for the development, manufacture, and approval of pharmaceutical products. The end goal of QbD is to ensure product quality by building it into the manufacturing process. The main regulatory bodies are encouraging its implementation to the manufacture of all new pharmaceuticals including biological products. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are currently the leading products of the biopharmaceutical industry. It has been widely reported that glycosylation directly influences the therapeutic mechanisms by which mAbs function in vivo. In addition, glycosylation has been identified as one of the main sources of monoclonal antibody heterogeneity, and thus, a critical parameter to follow during mAb manufacture. This article reviews the research on glycosylation of mAbs over the past 2 decades under the QbD scope. The categories presented under this scope are: (a) definition of the desired clinical effects of mAbs, (b) definition of the glycosylation-associated critical quality attributes (glycCQAs) of mAbs, (c) assessment of process parameters that pose a risk for mAb glycCQAs, and (d) methods for accurately quantifying glycCQAs of mAbs. The information available in all four areas leads us to conclude that implementation of QbD to the manufacture of mAbs with specific glycosylation patterns will be a reality in the near future. We also foresee that the implementation of QbD will lead to the development of more robust and efficient manufacturing processes and to a new generation of mAbs with increased clinical efficacy. Copyright © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Effects of dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) on the fermentation of litchi juice by Lactobacillus casei as an alternative of heat treatment.

PubMed

Yu, Yuanshan; Xiao, Gengsheng; Xu, Yujuan; Wu, Jijun; Wen, Jing

2014-05-01

This study investigated the effects of dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) on the fermentation of litchi juice by Lactobacillus casei as an alternative of heat treatment that may have undesirable effect on the juice. Quality attributes and products stability of both the fermented heat- and DMDC-treated litchi juice by L. casei were compared. It was found that residual indigenous microorganisms in both the heat- and DMDC-treated litchi juice cannot grow into dominant bacteria during further fermentation of litchi juice by L. casei. Compared with fermented heat-treated litchi juice, fermented DMDC-treated litchi juice showed a better color, flavor, and overall acceptance, and also retained more total phenolics and antioxidant capacity. The viability counts of L. casei in both the heat- and DMDC-treated litchi juice were more 8.0 lg CFU/mL after 4 wk of storage at 4 °C. Also, some quality attributes in both the fermented heat- and DMDC-treated litchi juices, including pH, total phenolics, ascorbic acid, antioxidant capacity, and so on, showed the tendency to slow decrease during storage at 4 °C, but the scores of overall acceptance showed no reduction after the storage of 4 wk at 4 °C. On the whole, the application of DMDC treatment could be an ideal alternative of heat treatment to ensure the microbial safety, consistent sensory, and nutritional quality of fermented litchi juice prior to fermentation. The pasteurization treatment is often recommended prior to fermentation of fruit juice by probiotics, as it would lead to a rapid inactivation and inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, and ensure the fermented products with consistent sensory and nutritional quality. Dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) is a powerful antimicrobial agent, which was approved for use as a microbial control agent in juice beverages by FDA. This study provides a scientific basis for the application of DMDC prior to fermentation of litchi juice. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Transcriptomic analysis of apple fruit ripening and texture attributes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular events regulating cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and sensory quality are largely unknown. Such knowledge is essential for genomic-assisted apple breeding and postharvest quality management. The ripening behavior and texture attributes of two apple cultivars, ‘Pink Lady’ and ‘Honey...

Using ArchE in the Classroom: One Experience

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

The Architecture Expert (ArchE) tool serves as a software architecture design assistant. It embodies knowledge of quality attributes and the relation...between the achievement of quality attribute requirements and architecture design . This technical note describes the use of a pre-alpha release of

Close relationships and attributions for peer victimization among late adolescents.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaochen; Graham, Sandra

2012-12-01

This study examined the effect of close relationships (best friendship and romantic relationship) on late adolescents' casual attributions for peer victimization. A total of 1106 twelfth grade students completed self-report measures of perceived peer victimization, self-blame attribution, psychological maladjustment (loneliness and social anxiety), and quality of close peer relationships. Results indicated that self-blame partly mediated the link between peer victimization and psychological maladjustment. Relationship quality moderated the victimization-self-blame relation. Participants were more likely to endorse self-blame attributions for peer victimization when they had a negative relationship with a best friend or romantic partner. The moderated effect of negative best friendship quality was only significant for girls, whereas the moderated effect of negative romantic relationship quality was only significant for boys. Implications of these findings for future research on close relations during adolescence and for interventions to reduce the effects of peer victimization were discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-Scale Transient Transfection of Suspension Mammalian Cells for VLP Production.

PubMed

Cervera, Laura; Kamen, Amine A

2018-01-01

Large-scale transient transfection of mammalian cell suspension cultures enables the production of biological products in sufficient quantity and under stringent quality attributes to perform accelerated in vitro evaluations and has the potential to support preclinical or even clinical studies. Here we describe the methodology to produce VLPs in a 3L bioreactor, using suspension HEK 293 cells and PEIPro as a transfection reagent. Cells are grown in the bioreactor to 1 × 10 6 cells/mL and transfected with a plasmid DNA-PEI complex at a ratio of 1:2. Dissolved oxygen and pH are controlled and are online monitored during the production phase and cell growth and viability can be measured off line taking samples from the bioreactor. If the product is labeled with a fluorescent marker, transfection efficiency can be also assessed using flow cytometry analysis. Typically, the production phase lasts between 48 and 96 h until the product is harvested.

A Consideration of Quality-Attribute-Property for Interoperability of Quality Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarumi, Shinya; Kozaki, Kouji; Kitamura, Yoshinobu; Mizoguchi, Riichiro

Descriptions of attribute and quality are essential elements in ontology developments. Needless to say, science data are description of attributes of target things and it is an important role of ontology to support the validity of and interoperability between the description. Although some upper ontologies such as DOLCE, BFO, etc. are already developed and extensively used, a careful examination reveals some rooms for improvement of them. While each ontology covers quality and quantity, the mutual interchangeability among these ontologies is not considered because each has been designed intended to develop a ``correct'' ontology of quality and quantity. Furthermore, due to variety of ways of data description, no single ontology can cover all the existing scientific data. In this paper, we investigate ``quality'' and ``value'' from an ontological viewpoint and propose a conceptual framework to deal with attribute, property and quality appearing in existing data descriptions in the nanotechnology domain. This framework can be considered as a reference ontology for describing quality with existing upper ontology. Furthermore, on the basis of the results of the consideration, we evaluate and refine a conceptual hierarchy of materials functions which has been built by nanomaterials researchers. Through the evaluation process, we discuss an effect of the definition of a conceptual framework for building/refining ontology. Such conceptual consideration about quality and value is not only the problem in nanomaterials domain but also a first step toward advancement of an intelligent sharing of scientific data in e-Science.

Reuse Metrics for Object Oriented Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bieman, James M.

1998-01-01

One way to increase the quality of software products and the productivity of software development is to reuse existing software components when building new software systems. In order to monitor improvements in reuse, the level of reuse must be measured. In this NASA supported project we (1) derived a suite of metrics which quantify reuse attributes for object oriented, object based, and procedural software, (2) designed prototype tools to take these measurements in Ada, C++, Java, and C software, (3) evaluated the reuse in available software, (4) analyzed the relationship between coupling, cohesion, inheritance, and reuse, (5) collected object oriented software systems for our empirical analyses, and (6) developed quantitative criteria and methods for restructuring software to improve reusability.

A top-down technique to improve the solubility and bioavailability of aceclofenac: in vitro and in vivo studies.

PubMed

Narayan, Reema; Pednekar, Abhyuday; Bhuyan, Dipshikha; Gowda, Chaitra; Koteshwara, K B; Nayak, Usha Yogendra

2017-01-01

The aim of the present work was to tackle the solubility issue of a biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS)-II drug, aceclofenac. Although a number of attempts to increase the aqueous solubility have been made, none of the methods were taken up for scale-up. Hence size reduction technique by a top-down approach using wet milling process was utilized to improve the solubility and, consequently, the dissolution velocity of aceclofenac. The quality of the final product was ensured by Quality by Design approach wherein the effects of critical material attributes and critical process parameters were assessed on the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of nanocrystals. Box-Behnken design was applied to evaluate these effects on critical quality attributes. The optimized nanocrystals had a particle size of 484.7±54.12 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.108±0.009. The solid state characterization of the formulation revealed that the crystalline nature of the drug was slightly reduced after the milling process. With the reduced particle size, the solubility of the nanocrystals was found to increase in both water and 0.1 N HCl when compared with that of unmilled pure aceclofenac. These results were further supported by in vitro release studies of nanocrystals where an appreciable dissolution velocity with 100.07%±2.38% release was observed for aceclofenac nanocrystals compared with 47.66%±4.53% release for pure unmilled aceclofenac at the end of 2 h. The in vivo pharmacokinetic data generated showed a statistically significant increase in the C max for aceclofenac nanocrystals of 3.75±0.28 µg/mL (for pure unmilled aceclofenac C max was 1.96±0.17 µg/mL). The results obtained indicated that the developed nanocrystals of aceclofenac were successful in improving the solubility, thus the absorption and bioavailability of the drug. Hence, it may be a viable and cost-effective alternative to the current therapy.

Developing a Dynamic SPARROW Water Quality Decision Support System Using NASA Remotely-Sensed Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Hamdan, M. Z.; Smith, R. A.; Hoos, A.; Schwarz, G. E.; Alexander, R. B.; Crosson, W. L.; Srikishen, J.; Estes, M., Jr.; Cruise, J.; Al-Hamdan, A.; Ellenburg, W. L., II; Flores, A.; Sanford, W. E.; Zell, W.; Reitz, M.; Miller, M. P.; Journey, C. A.; Befus, K. M.; Swann, R.; Herder, T.; Sherwood, E.; Leverone, J.; Shelton, M.; Smith, E. T.; Anastasiou, C. J.; Seachrist, J.; Hughes, A.; Graves, D.

2017-12-01

The USGS Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) surface water quality modeling system has been widely used for long term, steady state water quality analysis. However, users have increasingly requested a dynamic version of SPARROW that can provide seasonal estimates of nutrients and suspended sediment to receiving waters. The goal of this NASA-funded project is to develop a dynamic decision support system to enhance the southeast SPARROW water quality model and finer-scale dynamic models for selected coastal watersheds through the use of remotely-sensed data and other NASA Land Information System (LIS) products. The spatial and temporal scale of satellite remote sensing products and LIS modeling data make these sources ideal for the purposes of development and operation of the dynamic SPARROW model. Remote sensing products including MODIS vegetation indices, SMAP surface soil moisture, and OMI atmospheric chemistry along with LIS-derived evapotranspiration (ET) and soil temperature and moisture products will be included in model development and operation. MODIS data will also be used to map annual land cover/land use in the study areas and in conjunction with Landsat and Sentinel to identify disturbed areas that might be sources of sediment and increased phosphorus loading through exposure of the bare soil. These data and others constitute the independent variables in a regression analysis whose dependent variables are the water quality constituents total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and suspended sediment. Remotely-sensed variables such as vegetation indices and ET can be proxies for nutrient uptake by vegetation; MODIS Leaf Area Index can indicate sources of phosphorus from vegetation; soil moisture and temperature are known to control rates of denitrification; and bare soil areas serve as sources of enhanced nutrient and sediment production. The enhanced SPARROW dynamic models will provide improved tools for end users to manage water quality in near real time and for the formulation of future scenarios to inform strategic planning. Time-varying SPARROW outputs will aid water managers in decision making regarding allocation of resources in protecting aquatic habitats, planning for harmful algal blooms, and restoration of degraded habitats, stream segments, or lakes.

Genetic and cultural management solutions to improve potato storage quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Potato storage quality is most easily described in terms of tuber attributes that maintain the value of the harvested crop. Among these attributes are attractive appearance, low shrink, low incidence of bruising and, for chip and fry processing varieties, specific gravity and reducing sugars appropr...

Measuring Website Quality: Asymmetric Effect of User Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kincl, Tomas; Strach, Pavel

2012-01-01

Website quality measurement tools have been largely static and have struggled to determine relevant attributes of user satisfaction. This study compares and contrasts attributes of user satisfaction based on usability guidelines seeking to identify practical easy-to-administer measurement tools. The website users assessed business school homepages…

Textural, nutritional and functional attributes in tomato genotypes for breeding better quality varieties.

PubMed

Saha, Supradip; Hedau, Nirmal K; Mahajan, Vinay; Singh, Gyanendra; Gupta, Hari S; Gahalain, Anita

2010-01-30

Screening of natural biodiversity for their better quality attributes is of prime importance for quality breeding programmes. A set of 53 tomato genotypes was measured for their textural [skin firmness, pericarp thickness, total soluble solids (TSS)], nutritional [phosphorus (P), potassium (K), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and titrable acidity (TA)] and functional (beta-carotene, lycopene and ascorbic acid) quality attributes. Three sets of data (textural, nutritional and functional attributes) were obtained and analysed for their mutual relationships. Wide variations were observed in most of the measurements, e.g. skin firmness (coefficient of variability (CV) 269-612 g), pericarp thickness (CV 1.4-4.9 mm), potassium (CV 229-371 mg 100 g(-1)), iron (CV 611-1772 mg 100 g(-1)), ascorbic acid (CV 12-86 mg 100 g(-1)), suggesting that there are considerable levels of genetic diversity. Significant correlations (P < 0.05, 0.01) were also detected among different attributes of tomato genotypes, such as phosphorus and zinc with a correlation coefficient of 0.74, ascorbic acid and copper of 0.57, pericarp thickness and lycopene of - 0.52. However, there were no correlations between textural and nutritional attributes. Five factors were computed by principal component analysis that explained 66% of the variation in the attributes, among which all micronutrients other than iron, TSS, firmness and beta-carotene were most important. Functional attributes except beta-carotene played a less important role in explaining total variation. This knowledge could aid in the efficient conservation of important parts of the agricultural biodiversity of India. These results are also potentially useful for tomato breeders working on the development of new varieties. (c) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry.

Air quality comparison between two European ceramic tile clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minguillón, M. C.; Monfort, E.; Escrig, A.; Celades, I.; Guerra, L.; Busani, G.; Sterni, A.; Querol, X.

2013-08-01

The European ceramic tile industry is mostly concentrated in two clusters, one in Castelló (Spain) and another one in Modena (Italy). Industrial clusters may have problems to accomplish the EU air quality regulations because of the concentration of some specific pollutants and, hence, the feasibility of the industrial clusters can be jeopardised. The present work assesses the air quality in these ceramic clusters in 2008, when the new EU emission regulations where put into force. PM10 samples were collected at two sampling sites in the Modena ceramic cluster and one sampling site in the Castelló ceramic cluster. PM10 annual average concentrations were 12-14 μg m-3 higher in Modena than in Castelló, and were close to or exceeded the European limit. Air quality in Modena was mainly influenced by road traffic and, in a lower degree, the metalmechanical industry, as evidenced by the high concentrations of Mn, Cu, Zn, Sn and Sb registered. The stagnant weather conditions from Modena hindering dispersion of pollutants also contributed to the relatively high pollution levels. In Castelló, the influence of the ceramic industry is evidenced by the high concentrations of Ti, Se, Tl and Pb, whereas this influence is not seen in Modena. The difference in the impact of the ceramic industry on the air quality in the two areas was attributed to: better abatement systems in the spray-drier facilities in Modena, higher coverage of the areas for storage and handling of dusty raw materials in Modena, presence of two open air quarries in the Castelló region, low degree of abatement systems in the ceramic tile kilns in Castelló, and abundance of ceramic frit, glaze and pigment manufacture in Castelló as opposed to scarce manufacture of these products in Modena. The necessity of additional measures to fulfil the EU air quality requirements in the Modena region is evidenced, despite the high degree of environmental measures implemented in the ceramic industry. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified four factors in Modena, attributed to: road traffic + metalmechanical industry, mineral, ceramic, and background; and three factors in Castelló, attributed to: mineral, ceramic (with influence of road traffic) and regional background. The additional measures to improve the air quality should be focused mainly on road traffic in Modena, and on the ceramic industry in Castelló.

The influence of direct compression powder blend transfer method from the container to the tablet press on product critical quality attributes: a case study.

PubMed

Teżyk, Michał; Jakubowska, Emilia; Milczewska, Kasylda; Milanowski, Bartłomiej; Voelkel, Adam; Lulek, Janina

2017-06-01

The aim of this article is to compare the gravitational powder blend loading method to the tablet press and manual loading in terms of their influence on tablets' critical quality attributes (CQA). The results of the study can be of practical relevance to the pharmaceutical industry in the area of direct compression of low-dose formulations, which could be prone to content uniformity (CU) issues. In the preliminary study, particle size distribution (PSD) and surface energy of raw materials were determined using laser diffraction method and inverse gas chromatography, respectively. For trials purpose, a formulation containing two pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was used. Tablet samples were collected during the compression progress to analyze their CQAs, namely assay and CU. Results obtained during trials indicate that tested direct compression powder blend is sensitive to applied powder handling method. Mild increase in both APIs content was observed during manual scooping. Gravitational approach (based on discharge into the drum) resulted in a decrease in CU, which is connected to a more pronounced assay increase at the end of tableting than in the case of manual loading. The correct design of blend transfer over single unit processes is an important issue and should be investigated during the development phase since it may influence the final product CQAs. The manual scooping method, although simplistic, can be a temporary solution to improve the results of API's content and uniformity when compared to industrial gravitational transfer.

E-Services quality assessment framework for collaborative networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stegaru, Georgiana; Danila, Cristian; Sacala, Ioan Stefan; Moisescu, Mihnea; Mihai Stanescu, Aurelian

2015-08-01

In a globalised networked economy, collaborative networks (CNs) are formed to take advantage of new business opportunities. Collaboration involves shared resources and capabilities, such as e-Services that can be dynamically composed to automate CN participants' business processes. Quality is essential for the success of business process automation. Current approaches mostly focus on quality of service (QoS)-based service selection and ranking algorithms, overlooking the process of service composition which requires interoperable, adaptable and secure e-Services to ensure seamless collaboration, data confidentiality and integrity. Lack of assessment of these quality attributes can result in e-Service composition failure. The quality of e-Service composition relies on the quality of each e-Service and on the quality of the composition process. Therefore, there is the need for a framework that addresses quality from both views: product and process. We propose a quality of e-Service composition (QoESC) framework for quality assessment of e-Service composition for CNs which comprises of a quality model for e-Service evaluation and guidelines for quality of e-Service composition process. We implemented a prototype considering a simplified telemedicine use case which involves a CN in e-Healthcare domain. To validate the proposed quality-driven framework, we analysed service composition reliability with and without using the proposed framework.

Characterizing potential water quality impacts from soils treated with dust suppressants.

PubMed

Beighley, R Edward; He, Yiping; Valdes, Julio R

2009-01-01

Two separate laboratory experiment series, surface runoff and steady-state seepage, were performed to determine if dust suppressant products can be applied to soils with an expected minimal to no negative impact on water quality. The experiments were designed to mimic arid field conditions and used two soils (clayey and sandy) and six different dust suppressants. The two experiments consisted of: (i) simulated rainfall (intensities of 18, 33, or 61 mm h(-1)) and associated runoff from soil trays at a surface slope of 33%; and (ii) steady-state, constant head seepage through soil columns. Both experiment series involved two product application scenarios and three application ages (i.e., to account for degradation effects) for a total of 126 surface runoff and 80 column experiments. One composite effluent sample was collected from each experiment and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate. Paired t tests at 1 and 5% levels of significance and project specific data quality objectives are used to compare water quality parameters from treated and untreated soils. Overall, the results from this laboratory scale study suggest that the studied dust suppressants have minimal potential for adverse impacts to selected water quality parameters. The primary impacts were increased TSS for two synthetic products from the surface runoff experiments on both soils. The increase in TSS was not expected based on previous studies and may be attributed to this study's focus on simulating real-world soil agitation/movement at an active construction site subjected to rough grading.

The impact of cigarette pack shape, size and opening: evidence from tobacco company documents.

PubMed

Kotnowski, Kathy; Hammond, David

2013-09-01

To use tobacco industry documents on cigarette pack shape, size and openings to identify industry findings on associations with brand imagery, product attributes, consumer perceptions and behaviour. Internal tobacco industry research and marketing documents obtained through court disclosure contained in the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library were searched using keywords related to pack shapes, sizes and opening methods. The search identified 66 documents related to consumer research and marketing plans on pack shape, size and openings, drawn from 1973 to 2002. Industry research consistently found that packs that deviated from the traditional flip-top box projected impressions of 'modern', 'elegant' and 'unique' brand imagery. Alternative pack shape and openings were identified as an effective means to communicate product attributes, particularly with regard to premium quality and smooth taste. Consumer studies consistently found that pack shape, size and opening style influenced perceptions of reduced product harm, and were often used to communicate a 'lighter' product. Slim, rounded, oval and booklet packs were found to be particularly appealing among young adults, and several studies demonstrated increased purchase interest for tobacco products presented in novel packaging shape or opening. Evidence from consumer tracking reports and company presentations indicate that pack innovations in shape or opening method increased market share of brands. Consumer research by the tobacco industry between 1973 and 2002 found that variations in packaging shape, size and opening method could influence brand appeal and risk perceptions and increase cigarette sales. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Applying image quality in cell phone cameras: lens distortion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baxter, Donald; Goma, Sergio R.; Aleksic, Milivoje

2009-01-01

This paper describes the framework used in one of the pilot studies run under the I3A CPIQ initiative to quantify overall image quality in cell-phone cameras. The framework is based on a multivariate formalism which tries to predict overall image quality from individual image quality attributes and was validated in a CPIQ pilot program. The pilot study focuses on image quality distortions introduced in the optical path of a cell-phone camera, which may or may not be corrected in the image processing path. The assumption is that the captured image used is JPEG compressed and the cellphone camera is set to 'auto' mode. As the used framework requires that the individual attributes to be relatively perceptually orthogonal, in the pilot study, the attributes used are lens geometric distortion (LGD) and lateral chromatic aberrations (LCA). The goal of this paper is to present the framework of this pilot project starting with the definition of the individual attributes, up to their quantification in JNDs of quality, a requirement of the multivariate formalism, therefore both objective and subjective evaluations were used. A major distinction in the objective part from the 'DSC imaging world' is that the LCA/LGD distortions found in cell-phone cameras, rarely exhibit radial behavior, therefore a radial mapping/modeling cannot be used in this case.

Defining Hardwood Veneer Log Quality Attributes

Treesearch

Jan Wiedenbeck; Michael Wiemann; Delton Alderman; John Baumgras; William Luppold

2004-01-01

This publication provides a broad spectrum of information on the hardwood veneer industry in North America. Veneer manufacturers and their customers impose guidelines in specifying wood quality attributes that are very discriminating but poorly defined (e.g., exceptional color, texture, and/or figure characteristics). To better understand and begin to define the most...

Biases in Quality Attribution to Mother-Child and Caregiver-Child Interaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shpancer, Noam; Britner, Preston A.

1995-01-01

Examined the possible existence, direction, and nature of subconscious, cognitive biases in participants' quality attributions to maternal and nonmaternal child-care interactions, the relationship of such biases to subject's background, and their attitudes toward child care and maternal employment. Potential explanations for the biases and the…

Monsters, Lovers and Former Friends: Exploring Relationships with Mathematics via Personification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zazkis, Dov

2015-01-01

Personification is the attribution of human qualities to non-human entities. The method of eliciting personification, which requires participants to attribute human qualities to non-human entities, takes advantage of a naturally occurring means through which (some) people discuss the emotional relationship they have with those entities. Eliciting…

Characterizing CO and NOy Sources and Relative Ambient Ratios in the Baltimore Area Using Ambient Measurements and Source Attribution Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Modeled source attribution information from the Community Multiscale Air Quality model was coupled with ambient data from the 2011 Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality Baltimore field study. We assess ...

The Role of Negative Affect in the Assessment of Quality of Life among Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Gawlik, Nicola R.

2018-01-01

Background The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of negative affect (defined in terms of lack of optimism, depressogenic attributional style, and hopelessness depression) on the quality of life of women with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods Participants (n=177) completed either an online or paper questionnaire made available to members of Australian diabetes support groups. Measures of optimism, attributional style, hopelessness depression, disease-specific data, and diabetes-related quality of life were sought. Bivariate correlations informed the construction of a structural equation model. Results Participants were 36.3±11.3 years old, with a disease duration of 18.4±11.2 years. Age and recent glycosylated hemoglobin readings were significant contextual variables in the model. All bivariate associations involving the components of negative affect were as hypothesized. That is, poorer quality of life was associated with a greater depressogenic attributional style, higher hopelessness depression, and lower optimism. The structural equation model demonstrated significant direct effects of depressogenic attributional style and hopelessness depression on quality of life, while (lack of) optimism contributed to quality of life indirectly by way of these variables. Conclusion The recognition of negative affect presentations among patients, and an understanding of its relevance to diabetes-related quality of life, is a valuable tool for the practitioner. PMID:29199406

Comprehensive model for predicting perceptual image quality of smart mobile devices.

PubMed

Gong, Rui; Xu, Haisong; Luo, M R; Li, Haifeng

2015-01-01

An image quality model for smart mobile devices was proposed based on visual assessments of several image quality attributes. A series of psychophysical experiments were carried out on two kinds of smart mobile devices, i.e., smart phones and tablet computers, in which naturalness, colorfulness, brightness, contrast, sharpness, clearness, and overall image quality were visually evaluated under three lighting environments via categorical judgment method for various application types of test images. On the basis of Pearson correlation coefficients and factor analysis, the overall image quality could first be predicted by its two constituent attributes with multiple linear regression functions for different types of images, respectively, and then the mathematical expressions were built to link the constituent image quality attributes with the physical parameters of smart mobile devices and image appearance factors. The procedure and algorithms were applicable to various smart mobile devices, different lighting conditions, and multiple types of images, and performance was verified by the visual data.

Scientific assessment of accuracy, skill and reliability of ocean probabilistic forecast products.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, M.; Rowley, C. D.; Barron, C. N.; Hogan, P. J.

2016-02-01

As ocean operational centers are increasingly adopting and generating probabilistic forecast products for their customers with valuable forecast uncertainties, how to assess and measure these complicated probabilistic forecast products objectively is challenging. The first challenge is how to deal with the huge amount of the data from the ensemble forecasts. The second one is how to describe the scientific quality of probabilistic products. In fact, probabilistic forecast accuracy, skills, reliability, resolutions are different attributes of a forecast system. We briefly introduce some of the fundamental metrics such as the Reliability Diagram, Reliability, Resolution, Brier Score (BS), Brier Skill Score (BSS), Ranked Probability Score (RPS), Ranked Probability Skill Score (RPSS), Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS), and Continuous Ranked Probability Skill Score (CRPSS). The values and significance of these metrics are demonstrated for the forecasts from the US Navy's regional ensemble system with different ensemble members. The advantages and differences of these metrics are studied and clarified.

Advances in edible coatings for fresh fruits and vegetables: a review.

PubMed

Dhall, R K

2013-01-01

Edible coatings are an environmentally friendly technology that is applied on many products to control moisture transfer, gas exchange or oxidation processes. Edible coatings can provide an additional protective coating to produce and can also give the same effect as modified atmosphere storage in modifying internal gas composition. One major advantage of using edible films and coatings is that several active ingredients can be incorporated into the polymer matrix and consumed with the food, thus enhancing safety or even nutritional and sensory attributes. But, in some cases, edible coatings were not successful. The success of edible coatings for fresh products totally depends on the control of internal gas composition. Quality criteria for fruits and vegetables coated with edible films must be determined carefully and the quality parameters must be monitored throughout the storage period. Color change, firmness loss, ethanol fermentation, decay ratio and weight loss of edible film coated fruits need to be monitored. This review discusses the use of different edible coatings (polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and composite) as carriers of functional ingredients on fresh fruits and vegetables to maximize their quality and shelf life. This also includes the recent advances in the incorporation of antimicrobials, texture enhancers and nutraceuticals to improve quality and functionality of fresh-cut fruits. Sensory implications, regulatory status and future trends are also reviewed.

Impact assessment of mechanical harvest on fruit physiology and consequences on oil physicochemical and sensory quality from 'Manzanilla de Sevilla' and 'Manzanilla Cacereña' super-high-density hedgerows. A preliminary study.

PubMed

Morales-Sillero, Ana; García, José M

2015-09-01

Super-intensive cultivation facilitates olive mechanized harvesting, allowing substantial savings in the production cost of virgin olive oil (VOO). However, the number of varieties adapted to this type of cultivation is small. This study explores the impact that harvesting with a grape straddle harvester of 'Manzanilla de Sevilla' and 'Manzanilla Cacereña' olives grown in super-intensive cultivation has on the physiology of the fruit and the quality of the oil subsequently extracted. For both cultivars, fruits harvested mechanically showed higher respiration and ethylene production and lower firmness than fruits harvested by hand. Their oils exhibited lower phenol contents, lower oxidative stability and lower presence of positive sensory attributes. However, in these oils the values of parameters used to assess the level of quality of VOO remained within the limits required for the best commercial category. Mechanical harvesting of 'Manzanilla de Sevilla' and 'Manzanilla Cacereña' super-high-density hedgerows induced physiological alterations in the fruits and a reduction in the contents of natural antioxidants and flavour components in the oils, though it did not result in a loss of the 'Extra' level of quality. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integrated Biorefining: Coproduction of Renewable Resol Biopolymer for Aqueous Stream Valorization

DOE PAGES

Wilson, A. Nolan; Price, Mariel J.; Mukarakate, Calvin; ...

2017-07-13

Phenol-formaldehyde resins are major material classes that are used in a range of applications including composites, adhesives, foams, electronics, and insulation. While efforts have been made to produce renewable resins, there has yet to be an approach that offers potential for economic viability and meets all critical quality metrics. This failure can be attributed largely to the use of phenol and cresol homologues and to high separation costs. In this work, the use of phenol, cresol, and alkyl phenols derived from the aqueous phase generated from catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass to produce a high-quality biobased resin is demonstrated. Production,more » through catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP), separation, through distillation and adsorption unit operations, and synthesis, through typical resol chemistry, produced a resin with properties, such as curing kinetics and molecular weight, competitive with petroleum-derived resin. In conclusion, this work explores a pathway to value-added coproducts from a CFP waste stream, which has the potential to improve the economic viability of biofuels production.« less

Integrated Biorefining: Coproduction of Renewable Resol Biopolymer for Aqueous Stream Valorization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, A. Nolan; Price, Mariel J.; Mukarakate, Calvin

Phenol-formaldehyde resins are major material classes that are used in a range of applications including composites, adhesives, foams, electronics, and insulation. While efforts have been made to produce renewable resins, there has yet to be an approach that offers potential for economic viability and meets all critical quality metrics. This failure can be attributed largely to the use of phenol and cresol homologues and to high separation costs. In this work, the use of phenol, cresol, and alkyl phenols derived from the aqueous phase generated from catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass to produce a high-quality biobased resin is demonstrated. Production,more » through catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP), separation, through distillation and adsorption unit operations, and synthesis, through typical resol chemistry, produced a resin with properties, such as curing kinetics and molecular weight, competitive with petroleum-derived resin. In conclusion, this work explores a pathway to value-added coproducts from a CFP waste stream, which has the potential to improve the economic viability of biofuels production.« less

Opportunities for bio-based packaging technologies to improve the quality and safety of fresh and further processed muscle foods.

PubMed

Cutter, Catherine Nettles

2006-09-01

It has been well documented that vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging materials, made from polyethylene- or other plastic-based materials, have been found to improve the stability and safety of raw or further processed muscle foods. However, recent research developments have demonstrated the feasibility, utilization, and commercial application of a variety of bio-based polymers or bio-polymers made from a variety of materials, including renewable/sustainable agricultural commodities, and applied to muscle foods. A variety of these bio-based materials have been shown to prevent moisture loss, drip, reduce lipid oxidation and improve flavor attributes, as well as enhancing the handling properties, color retention, and microbial stability of foods. With consumers demanding more environmentally friendly packaging and a desire for more natural products, bio-based films or bio-polymers will continue to play an important role in the food industry by improving the quality of many products, including fresh or further processed muscle foods.

Descriptive sensory analysis of marinated and non-marinated wooden breast fillet portions.

PubMed

Maxwell, A D; Bowker, B C; Zhuang, H; Chatterjee, D; Adhikari, K

2018-05-14

The wooden breast (WB) myopathy influences muscle composition and texture characteristics in broiler breast meat. It is unknown if marination reduces the negative influence of WB on meat sensory quality or if WB effects are uniform throughout the Pectoralis major. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of marination on the sensory attributes and instrumental shear force measurements of the ventral (skin-side) and dorsal (bone-side) portions of normal and severe WB meat. Sixty butterfly fillets (30 normal and 30 severe WB) were selected from the deboning line of a commercial processing plant. Individual fillets were portioned into ventral and dorsal halves. Portions from one side of each butterfly were used as non-marinated controls, and portions from the other side were vacuum-tumble marinated (16 rpm, -0.6 atm, 4°C, 20 min) with 20% (wt/wt) marinade to meat ratio. Marinade was formulated to target a concentration of 0.75% (w/v) salt and 0.45% (w/v) sodium tripolyphosphate in the final product. Descriptive sensory analysis (9 trained panelists) was conducted to evaluate visual, texture, and flavor attributes (0-15 point scale) of breast portions along with Warner-Bratzler shear force. Significant interaction effects between WB and marination were not observed for the sensory attributes. Greater springiness, cohesiveness, hardness, fibrousness, and chewiness scores were observed in WB samples (P < 0.001). Marination decreased cohesiveness, hardness, and chewiness (P < 0.05) and increased juiciness (P = 0.002). The effects of WB on sensory texture attributes were more apparent in the ventral portions of the breast fillets. Flavor attributes (salty and brothy) increased (P < 0.001) with marination. In non-marinated samples, shear force was similar between normal and WB samples. In marinated samples, however, shear force was greater (P < 0.001) in WB samples. Data suggest that the WB effect on meat sensory quality is not uniform throughout the Pectoralis major and that WB-related differences in cooked meat sensory texture attributes are lessened but not eliminated by vacuum-tumbling marination.

Using Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method for determining product temperature-dependent sensory-attribute variations: A case study of cooked rice.

PubMed

Pramudya, Ragita C; Seo, Han-Seok

2018-03-01

Temperatures of most hot or cold meal items change over the period of consumption, possibly influencing sensory perception of those items. Unlike temporal variations in sensory attributes, product temperature-induced variations have not received much attention. Using a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method, this study aimed to characterize variations in sensory attributes over a wide range of temperatures at which hot or cold foods and beverages may be consumed. Cooked milled rice, typically consumed at temperatures between 70 and 30°C in many rice-eating countries, was used as a target sample in this study. Two brands of long-grain milled rice were cooked and randomly presented at 70, 60, 50, 40, and 30°C. Thirty-five CATA terms for cooked milled rice were generated. Eighty-eight untrained panelists were asked to quickly select all the CATA terms that they considered appropriate to characterize sensory attributes of cooked rice samples presented at each temperature. Proportions of selection by panelists for 13 attributes significantly differed among the five temperature conditions. "Product temperature-dependent sensory-attribute variations" differed with two brands of milled rice grains. Such variations in sensory attributes, resulted from both product temperature and rice brand, were more pronounced among panelists who more frequently consumed rice. In conclusion, the CATA method can be useful for characterizing "product temperature-dependent sensory attribute variations" in cooked milled-rice samples. Further study is needed to examine whether the CATA method is also effective in capturing "product temperature-dependent sensory-attribute variations" in other hot or cold foods and beverages. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Risk management and statistical multivariate analysis approach for design and optimization of satranidazole nanoparticles.

PubMed

Dhat, Shalaka; Pund, Swati; Kokare, Chandrakant; Sharma, Pankaj; Shrivastava, Birendra

2017-01-01

Rapidly evolving technical and regulatory landscapes of the pharmaceutical product development necessitates risk management with application of multivariate analysis using Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD). Poorly soluble, high dose drug, Satranidazole was optimally nanoprecipitated (SAT-NP) employing principles of Formulation by Design (FbD). The potential risk factors influencing the critical quality attributes (CQA) of SAT-NP were identified using Ishikawa diagram. Plackett-Burman screening design was adopted to screen the eight critical formulation and process parameters influencing the mean particle size, zeta potential and dissolution efficiency at 30min in pH7.4 dissolution medium. Pareto charts (individual and cumulative) revealed three most critical factors influencing CQA of SAT-NP viz. aqueous stabilizer (Polyvinyl alcohol), release modifier (Eudragit® S 100) and volume of aqueous phase. The levels of these three critical formulation attributes were optimized by FbD within established design space to minimize mean particle size, poly dispersity index, and maximize encapsulation efficiency of SAT-NP. Lenth's and Bayesian analysis along with mathematical modeling of results allowed identification and quantification of critical formulation attributes significantly active on the selected CQAs. The optimized SAT-NP exhibited mean particle size; 216nm, polydispersity index; 0.250, zeta potential; -3.75mV and encapsulation efficiency; 78.3%. The product was lyophilized using mannitol to form readily redispersible powder. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the conversion of crystalline SAT to amorphous form. In vitro release of SAT-NP in gradually pH changing media showed <20% release in pH1.2 and pH6.8 in 5h, while, complete release (>95%) in pH7.4 in next 3h, indicative of burst release after a lag time. This investigation demonstrated effective application of risk management and QbD tools in developing site-specific release SAT-NP by nanoprecipitation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Headache-attributed burden and its impact on productivity and quality of life in Russia: structured healthcare for headache is urgently needed.

PubMed

Ayzenberg, I; Katsarava, Z; Sborowski, A; Chernysh, M; Osipova, V; Tabeeva, G; Steiner, T J

2014-05-01

The study evaluated headache-attributed burden and its impact on productivity and quality of life (QoL) in Russia. Its purpose was to support recommendations for change. A countrywide population-based random sample of 2725 biologically unrelated adults (aged 18-65 years) in 35 cities and nine rural areas of Russia were interviewed in a door-to-door survey. The structured questionnaire enquired into symptom burden, functional disability, lost productive time and QoL (applying the WHOQoL-8 question set), as well as willingness to pay (WTP) for adequate headache treatment, if it were available. Mean lost paid-work days due to headache in the previous 3 months were 1.9 ± 4.2, and mean lost household work days were 3.4 ± 5.7. The estimated annual indirect cost of primary headache disorders was USD 22.8 billion, accounting for 1.75% of gross domestic product. QoL was reduced by all types of primary headaches. According to WHOQoL-8, it was significantly lower in those with headache on ≥15 days/month than in those with episodic headache (24.7 ± 4.6 vs. 28.1 ± 5.0; P < 0.05) and lower in those with migraine than in those with tension-type headache (TTH) (27.1 ± 4.9 vs. 28.8 ± 5.0; P < 0.05). Average WTP for adequate headache treatment was RUB 455 ± 494 per month (median RUB 300), a sum sufficient in most cases, and correlated with illness severity (higher for headache on ≥15 days/month than for migraine, and for migraine than for TTH). Headache is common, burdensome and costly in Russia and, manifestly, poorly mitigated by existing healthcare. Structured healthcare services for headache need to be urgently put in place. © 2014 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2014 EFNS.

Media milling process optimization for manufacture of drug nanoparticles using design of experiments (DOE).

PubMed

Nekkanti, Vijaykumar; Marwah, Ashwani; Pillai, Raviraj

2015-01-01

Design of experiments (DOE), a component of Quality by Design (QbD), is systematic and simultaneous evaluation of process variables to develop a product with predetermined quality attributes. This article presents a case study to understand the effects of process variables in a bead milling process used for manufacture of drug nanoparticles. Experiments were designed and results were computed according to a 3-factor, 3-level face-centered central composite design (CCD). The factors investigated were motor speed, pump speed and bead volume. Responses analyzed for evaluating these effects and interactions were milling time, particle size and process yield. Process validation batches were executed using the optimum process conditions obtained from software Design-Expert® to evaluate both the repeatability and reproducibility of bead milling technique. Milling time was optimized to <5 h to obtain the desired particle size (d90 < 400 nm). The desirability function used to optimize the response variables and observed responses were in agreement with experimental values. These results demonstrated the reliability of selected model for manufacture of drug nanoparticles with predictable quality attributes. The optimization of bead milling process variables by applying DOE resulted in considerable decrease in milling time to achieve the desired particle size. The study indicates the applicability of DOE approach to optimize critical process parameters in the manufacture of drug nanoparticles.

Enhancement of water removing and the quality of fried purple-fleshed sweet potato in the vacuum frying by combined power ultrasound and microwave technology.

PubMed

Su, Ya; Zhang, Min; Bhandari, Bhesh; Zhang, Weiming

2018-06-01

The combination of ultrasound and microwave in vacuum frying system was investigated to achieve higher drying efficiency and quality attributes of fried products. Purple-fleshed potato were used as test specimen and different power levels of microwave (0 W, 600 W, 800 W) and ultrasound (0 W, 300 W, 600 W) during vacuum frying. Drying kinetics, dielectric properties, moisture state variation and quality attributes of fried samples were measured in a vacuum frying (VF), and an innovatively designed ultrasound and microwave assisted vacuum frying (USMVF) equipment. The USMVF process markedly increased the moisture evaporation rate and effective moisture diffusivity compared to VF process. The oil uptake was reduced by about 16-34%, the water activity and the shrinkage was lowered, the texture (crispness) and the color of fried samples were greatly improved. The higher ultrasound and microwave power level in USMVF made a greater improvement. The total anthocyanin levels and retention of fried purple-fleshed potato chips was the highest (123.52 mg/100 g solids and 79.51% retention, respectively) among all treatments in US600M800VF process. The SEM analysis revealed a more porous and disruption microstructure in USMVF sample. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature and light conditions at different latitudes affect sensory quality of broccoli florets (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica).

PubMed

Johansen, Tor J; Mølmann, Jørgen Ab; Bengtsson, Gunnar B; Schreiner, Monica; Velasco, Pablo; Hykkerud, Anne L; Cartea, Elena; Lea, Per; Skaret, Josefine; Seljåsen, Randi

2017-08-01

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) is a popular vegetable grown at a wide range of latitudes. Plants were grown in 2009-2011 in pots with standardized soil, irrigation and nutrient supply under natural temperature and light conditions at four locations (42-70° N). A descriptive sensory analysis of broccoli florets was performed by a trained panel to examine any differences along the latitudinal gradient for 30 attributes within appearance, odour, taste/flavour and texture. Average results over three summer seasons in Germany, southern Norway and northern Norway showed that the northernmost location with low temperatures and long days had highest scores for bud coarseness and uniform colour, while broccoli from the German location, with high temperatures and shorter days, had highest intensity of colour hue, whiteness, bitter taste, cabbage flavour, stale flavour and watery flavour. Results from two autumn seasons at the fourth location (42° N, Spain), with low temperatures and short days, tended toward results from the two northernmost locations, with an exception for most texture attributes. Results clearly demonstrate that temperature and light conditions related to latitude and season affect the sensory quality of broccoli florets. Results may be used in marketing special quality regional or seasonal products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bringing a probiotic-containing functional food to the market: microbiological, product, regulatory and labeling issues.

PubMed

Sanders, M E; Huis in't Veld, J

1999-01-01

Properly formulated probiotic-containing foods offer consumers a low risk, low cost dietary component that has the potential to promote health in a variety of ways. Several such products are available commercially, although markets in Japan and Europe are more developed than in the USA. Once healthful attributes of a probiotic product have been identified, there remain microbiological, product, regulatory and labeling issues to be addressed prior to marketing. Microbiological and product issues include safety, effective scale-up for manufacturing, definition of probiotic activity, probiotic stability in the product over the course of product manufacture, shelf-life and consumption, definition of effective dose and target population(s), and development of quality assurance approaches. Examples of probiotic-containing foods are given. Regulatory and labeling issues are complicated because they differ for each country, but are likewise critical because they provide the means for communication of the product benefits to the consumer. The regulatory climate worldwide appears to be one of caution about overstating the benefits of such products but at the same time not preventing corporate commitment to marketing.

CALiPER Application Summary Report 21. Linear (T8) LED Lamps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-03-01

This report focuses on the bare lamp performance of 31 linear LED lamps intended as an alternative to T8 fluorescent lamps. Data obtained in accordance with IES LM-79-08 indicated that the mean efficacy is similar to that of fluorescent lamps, but that lumen output is often much lower. This presents a situation where something must change in order for energy savings and equivalent illumination levels to be achieved simultaneously. In this case, the luminous intensity distribution of all the tested lamps was directional or semi-directional, rather than omnidirectional. Also discussed in this report are several issues related to the electricalmore » configuration of the lamps, such as the required socket types and power feed location. While no configuration is necessarily better, the multitude of options can make specifying and installing linear LED lamps more difficult, with the potential for safety issues. Similarly, the variety of color and power quality attributes adds a layer of complexity to the specification process. Many products offered good or excellent quality attributes, but some did not and thus could be perceived as inferior to fluorescent lamps in some installations.« less

Physicochemical and biochemical characterization of transgenic papaya modified for protection against Papaya ringspot virus.

PubMed

Roberts, Madeen; Minott, Donna A; Pinnock, Simone; Tennant, Paula F; Jackson, Jose C

2014-03-30

Papaya, a nutritious tropical fruit, is consumed both in its fresh form and as a processed product worldwide. Major quality indices which include firmness, acidity, pH, colour and size, are cultivar dependent. Transgenic papayas engineered for resistance to Papaya ringspot virus were evaluated over the ripening period to address physicochemical quality attributes and food safety concerns. With the exception of one transgenic line, no significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in firmness, acidity and pH. Lightness (L*) and redness (a*) of the pulps of non-transgenic and transgenic papaya were similar but varied over the ripening period (P < 0.05). Fruit mass, though non-uniform (P < 0.05) for some lines, was within the range reported for similar papaya cultivars, as were shape indices of female fruits. Transgene proteins, CP and NPTII, were not detected in fruit pulp at the table-ready stage. The findings suggest that transformation did not produce any major unintended alterations in the physicochemical attributes of the transgenic papayas. Transgene proteins in the edible fruit pulp were low or undetectable. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Using Quality Attributes to Bridge Systems Engineering Gaps : A Juno Ground Data Systems Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubon, Lydia P.; Jackson, Maddalena M.; Thornton, Marla S.

2012-01-01

The Juno Mission to Jupiter is the second mission selected by the NASA New Frontiers Program. Juno launched August 2011 and will reach Jupiter July 2016. Juno's payload system is composed of nine instruments plus a gravity science experiment. One of the primary functions of the Juno Ground Data System (GDS) is the assembly and distribution of the CFDP (CCSDS File Delivery Protocol) product telemetry, also referred to as raw science data, for eight out of the nine instruments. The GDS accomplishes this with the Instrument Data Pipeline (IDP). During payload integration, the first attempt to exercise the IDP in a flight like manner revealed that although the functional requirements were well understood, the system was unable to meet latency requirements with the as-is heritage design. A systems engineering gap emerged between Juno instrument data delivery requirements and the assumptions behind the heritage flight-ground interactions. This paper describes the use of quality attributes to measure and overcome this gap by introducing a new systems engineering activity, and a new monitoring service architecture that successfully delivered the performance metrics needed to validate Juno IDP.

Pre-harvest methyl jasmonate treatment enhances cauliflower chemoprotective attributes without a loss in postharvest quality.

PubMed

Ku, Kang Mo; Choi, Jeong-Hee; Kushad, Mosbah M; Jeffery, Elizabeth H; Juvik, John A

2013-06-01

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment can significantly increase glucosinolate (GS) concentrations in Brassica vegetables and potentially enhance anticancer bioactivity. Although MeJA treatment may promote ethylene biosynthesis, which can be detrimental to postharvest quality, there are no previous reports of its effect on cauliflower postharvest quality. To address this, cauliflower curds in field plots were sprayed with either 0.1 % Triton X-100 (control) or 500 μM MeJA solutions four days prior to harvest, then stored at 4 °C. Tissue subsamples were collected after 0, 10, 20, and 30 days of postharvest storage and assayed for visual color change, ethylene production, GS concentrations, and extract quinone reductase inductive activity. MeJA treatment increased curd GS concentrations of glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, and neoglucobrassicin by 1.5, 2.4, and 4.6-fold over controls, respectively. MeJA treated cauliflower showed significantly higher quinone reductase activity, a biomarker for anticancer bioactivity, without reducing visual color and postharvest quality for 10 days at 4 °C storage.

Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid treatment affects citrate and amino acid accumulation to improve fruit quality and storage performance of postharvest citrus fruit.

PubMed

Sheng, Ling; Shen, Dandan; Luo, Yi; Sun, Xiaohua; Wang, Jinqiu; Luo, Tao; Zeng, Yunliu; Xu, Juan; Deng, Xiuxin; Cheng, Yunjiang

2017-02-01

The loss of organic acids during postharvest storage is one of the major factors that reduces the fruit quality and economic value of citrus. Citrate is the most important organic acid in citrus fruits. Molecular evidence has proved that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt plays a key role in citrate metabolism. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous GABA treatment on citrate metabolism and storage quality of postharvest citrus fruit. The content of citrate was significantly increased, which was primarily attributed to the inhibition of the expression of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). Amino acids, including glutamate, alanine, serine, aspartate and proline, were also increased. Moreover, GABA treatment decreased the fruit rot rate. The activities of antioxidant enzymes and the content of energy source ATP were affected by the treatment. Our results indicate that GABA treatment is a very effective approach for postharvest quality maintenance and improvement of storage performance in citrus production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calcium dips enhance volatile emission of cold-stored 'Fuji Kiku-8' apples.

PubMed

Ortiz, Abel; Echeverría, Gemma; Graell, Jordi; Lara, Isabel

2009-06-10

Despite the relevance of volatile production for overall quality of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) fruit, only a few studies have focused on the effects of calcium treatments on this quality attribute. In this work, 'Fuji Kiku-8' apples were harvested at commercial maturity, dipped in calcium chloride (2%, w/v), stored at 1 degrees C and 92% relative humidity for 4 or 7 months under either air or ultralow oxygen (ULO; 1 kPa of O(2)/2 kPa of CO(2)), and placed subsequently at 20 degrees C. Ethylene production, standard quality parameters, emission of volatile compounds, and the activities of some related enzymes were assessed 7 days thereafter. Calcium concentration was higher in CaCl(2)-treated than in untreated fruit, suggesting that the treatment was effective in introducing calcium into the tissues. Higher calcium contents were concomitant with higher flesh firmness and titratable acidity after storage. Furthermore, calcium treatment led to increased production of volatiles in middle-term stored apples, probably arising from enhanced supply of precursors for ester production as a consequence of increased pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activities. After long-term storage, higher volatile emission might have arisen also from the enhancement of alcohol o-acyltransferase (AAT) activity, which was increased as a result of calcium treatment. In addition to storage period, the effects of calcium treatment were also partially dependent on storage atmosphere and more noticeable for fruit stored in air.

Validation of the manufacturing process used to produce long-acting recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein

PubMed Central

McCue, J; Osborne, D; Dumont, J; Peters, R; Mei, B; Pierce, G F; Kobayashi, K; Euwart, D

2014-01-01

Recombinant factor IX Fc (rFIXFc) fusion protein is the first of a new class of bioengineered long-acting factors approved for the treatment and prevention of bleeding episodes in haemophilia B. The aim of this work was to describe the manufacturing process for rFIXFc, to assess product quality and to evaluate the capacity of the process to remove impurities and viruses. This manufacturing process utilized a transferable and scalable platform approach established for therapeutic antibody manufacturing and adapted for production of the rFIXFc molecule. rFIXFc was produced using a process free of human- and animal-derived raw materials and a host cell line derived from human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293H cells. The process employed multi-step purification and viral clearance processing, including use of a protein A affinity capture chromatography step, which binds to the Fc portion of the rFIXFc molecule with high affinity and specificity, and a 15 nm pore size virus removal nanofilter. Process validation studies were performed to evaluate identity, purity, activity and safety. The manufacturing process produced rFIXFc with consistent product quality and high purity. Impurity clearance validation studies demonstrated robust and reproducible removal of process-related impurities and adventitious viruses. The rFIXFc manufacturing process produces a highly pure product, free of non-human glycan structures. Validation studies demonstrate that this product is produced with consistent quality and purity. In addition, the scalability and transferability of this process are key attributes to ensure consistent and continuous supply of rFIXFc. PMID:24811361

Where Would You Go for Your Next Hospitalization?

PubMed Central

Jung, Kyoungrae; Feldman, Roger; Scanlon, Dennis

2014-01-01

We examine the effects of diverse dimensions of hospital quality – including consumers’ perceptions of unobserved attributes – on future hospital choice. We utilize consumers’ stated preference weights to obtain hospital-specific estimates of perceptions about unmeasured attributes such as reputation. We report three findings. First, consumers’ perceptions of reputation and medical services contribute substantially to utility for a hospital choice. Second, consumers tend to select hospitals with high clinical quality scores even before the scores are publicized. However, the effect of clinical quality on hospital choice is relatively small. Third, satisfaction with a prior hospital admission has a large impact on future hospital choice. Our findings suggest that including measures of consumers’ experience in report cards may increase their responsiveness to publicized information, but other strategies are needed to overcome the large effects of consumers’ beliefs about other quality attributes. PMID:21665300

Global mortality attributable to aircraft cruise emissions.

PubMed

Barrett, Steven R H; Britter, Rex E; Waitz, Ian A

2010-10-01

Aircraft emissions impact human health though degradation of air quality. The majority of previous analyses of air quality impacts from aviation have considered only landing and takeoff emissions. We show that aircraft cruise emissions impact human health over a hemispheric scale and provide the first estimate of premature mortalities attributable to aircraft emissions globally. We estimate ∼8000 premature mortalities per year are attributable to aircraft cruise emissions. This represents ∼80% of the total impact of aviation (where the total includes the effects of landing and takeoff emissions), and ∼1% of air quality-related premature mortalities from all sources. However, we note that the impact of landing and takeoff emissions is likely to be under-resolved. Secondary H(2)SO(4)-HNO(3)-NH(3) aerosols are found to dominate mortality impacts. Due to the altitude and region of the atmosphere at which aircraft emissions are deposited, the extent of transboundary air pollution is particularly strong. For example, we describe how strong zonal westerly winds aloft, the mean meridional circulation around 30-60°N, interaction of aircraft-attributable aerosol precursors with background ammonia, and high population densities in combination give rise to an estimated ∼3500 premature mortalities per year in China and India combined, despite their relatively small current share of aircraft emissions. Subsidence of aviation-attributable aerosol and aerosol precursors occurs predominantly around the dry subtropical ridge, which results in reduced wet removal of aviation-attributable aerosol. It is also found that aircraft NO(x) emissions serve to increase oxidation of nonaviation SO(2), thereby further increasing the air quality impacts of aviation. We recommend that cruise emissions be explicitly considered in the development of policies, technologies and operational procedures designed to mitigate the air quality impacts of air transportation.