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Optimising the flavour and aroma of gin using mixture design and single botanical distillation : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Food Innovation at Lincoln University
No full textThis dissertation investigates the optimisation of gin production through single botanical distillation and the Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology, focusing on blending ratios of botanicals to enhance consumer preference. The single botanical distillation allows for the individual distillation of botanicals at their optimal cutting points, enabling precise flavour and aroma expression. This contrasts with traditional one-shot distillation, where all botanicals are distilled simultaneously, often leading to over- or under-expression of flavours. Using a mixture design within the DoE framework, the research identifies optimal blending ratios for five botanicals: juniper berries, kawakawa, horopito, mānuka, and tarata. Sensory analysis with Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) and a 9-point hedonic scale revealed that "smooth" was a critical factor for consumer preference, while attributes like "nutty" and "chemical" were less favoured. Additionally, Preference mapping highlighted "juniper," "floral," and "citrus" as key drivers of liking. Mixture design analysis found that Botanical 1 and Botanical 2 positively influenced liking scores in higher proportions, while Botanical 3 and Botanical 4 showed negative trends at higher concentrations, and Botanical 5 contributed positively when used moderately. The predicted optimal formulation was identified as Botanical 1-5 with specific percentages, yielding a liking score of 6.04 on a 9-point scale. However, further refinement and larger-scale evaluations are recommended to achieve higher scores. This research underscores the potential of single botanical distillation and DoE in crafting gins that align with consumer preferences, emphasising the importance of "smooth" and balanced botanical proportions. The findings offer valuable insights for craft distilleries aiming to innovate and optimize gin formulations, paving the way for future research in flavour and aroma optimisation and consumer-driven product development
Stock market bubbles and the forecastability of gold returns and volatility
No full textIn this article, multi-scale LPPLS confidence indicator approach is used to detect both positive and negative bubbles at short-, medium-, and long-term horizons for the stock markets of the G7 and the BRICS countries. This enables detecting major crashes and rallies in the 12 stock markets over the period of the 1st week of January, 1973 to the 2nd week of September, 2020. Similar timing of strong (positive and negative) LPPLS indicator values across both G7 and BRICS countries was also observed, suggesting interconnectedness of the extreme movements in these stock markets. Next, these indicators were utilized to forecast gold returns and its volatility, using a method involving block means of residuals obtained from the popular LASSO routine, given that the number of covariates ranged between 42 and 72, and gold returns demonstrated a heavy upper tail. The finding was, these bubbles indicators, particularly when both positive and negative bubbles are considered simultaneously, can accurately forecast gold returns at short- to medium-term, and also time-varying estimates of gold returns volatility to a lesser extent. The results of this paper have important implications for the portfolio decisions of investors who seek a safe haven during boom-bust cycles of major global stock markets
Do social media sentiments drive cryptocurrency intraday price volatility? New evidence from asymmetric TVP-VAR frequency connectedness measures
No full textIn this paper, we investigate interdependencies between cryptocurrencies and investor sentiment by introducing the asymmetric TVP-VAR frequency connectedness approach. Our empirical results provide evidence of pronounced and time-varying interconnectedness between sentiment and cryptocurrency. In addition, we find that negative short-term interconnectedness dominates positive short-term interconnectedness until mid-2020 when this effect was reversed, persisting until the end of the sample period. While Ripple and Bitcoin are both found to be the main net transmitters of shocks, Stellar, Ethereum, and NEM are considered net receivers of shocks. Overall, our findings suggest that market sentiment is mainly driven by cryptocurrency volatility in both the short and the long run
The great sport myth: Children's nonelite sport in New Zealand
No full textDrawing on a larger study of coaches, parents, and children involved in nonelite sport in New Zealand, this chapter examines Jay Coakley's (2021) concept of the “Great Sport Myth” (GSM), whereby a strong belief in the innate purity and goodness of sport produces a reluctance to criticize it. This chapter emphasizes the developmental outcomes that parents and children believe are gained through sport and demonstrates the ways that parents relinquish control to coaches and reinforce the dominance of the coach as the decision-maker through their belief in the strength of the GSM. These findings are significant, given the large number of abuse cases that have come to light in sport in recent decades where the absence of parental intervention is marked. Not only are children socialized by their time in sport, but so too are parents, who are taught that they are “good” parents if they trust the work of the coach. The findings are also at odds with a prevailing neoliberal emphasis on individualization, especially in education policy and practice, where parents are more likely to intervene to assert the individualized needs of their children. This study is unique in addressing the relatively neglected experiences of those who play at the competitive, but not serious or elite, end of sport
Flush toilet use and its impact on health and non-health expenditures
No full textThis study analysed the effects of flush toilet use on health and non-health expenditures incurred by rural Chinese. The instrumental-variable-based Tobit and endogenous treatment regression models were used to analyse the 2016 China Labour Force Dynamics Survey data while addressing the selection bias inherent in flush toilet use. The results showed that by improving rural residents' physical and mental health, flush toilet use reduced per capita health expenditure while increasing non-health expenditure. Furthermore, using flush toilets had positive spillover effects, reducing the health expenditures of even those who did not use them. Factors affecting flush toilet use were also analysed
Demand for residential land: The economic cycle influence
No full textThe interplay between the demand for land and the economic cycle, in particular the interest rates, has changed significantly within the space of three years. The period before COVID was mostly characterised by a moderate interest rate environment, while the quick-acting response from Central Banks at the onset of the pandemic lowered the rates significantly. Currently, most interest rates have returned to moderate and higher levels, which has implications for the demand for residential land use. This study aims to examine the interplay between residential land demand and interest rate movements through economic and space demand modelling. The results reveal a substantial change for land demand through housing typology shifts and provide policy recommendations for city development in changing interest rates environments
Through the AI thinking space: An autoethnographic tale of unexpected insight
No full textPurpose: Throughout history, storytelling has been a cornerstone of human experience. Our ancestors told tales around their fires that became the bedrock of entire cultures. Beyond mere entertainment, these stories were crucial in imparting essential cultural values, wisdom, and a sense of collective identity. They served as a medium for passing down knowledge and strengthening communal bonds, blending reality with imagination to expand the realms of possibility. This age-old tradition is not just about recounting events; it is a way of making sense of the world, interpreting the past, and envisioning what the future might hold. In the same spirit, I present to you my narrative, not just as a recounting of events, but as a journey of sensemaking. It’s a story captured in real-time, reflecting my experiences with collective real and artificial insights as I navigate extensive engagement with ChatGTP4.
Design/Methodology/Approach: In a quiet corner of an academic's mind, a dialogue began – not with a colleague, nor a book, but with an AI named ChatGPT4. This narrative unfolds over several months, during which each textual exchange could catalyze a surge in creative thought and higher-order thinking.
Findings: As a reflective interface, ChatGPT4 reveals oblivious habitual patterns, that were obstructing the next level of creative and advanced thinking. This autoethnographic narrative, a blend of technology and introspection, weaves a story that transcends conventional research, portraying AI as an analytical tool allied with the unintended quest for cognitive insight.
Practical Implications: The scholar, initially the conductor of queries and task setting, unwittingly becomes a student of their own mental landscape, resulting from inquisitions into their extensive textual communication.
Originality/Value: This approach is crucial as it extends traditional ethnographic focus from solely human societies to the complex dynamics of digital communities, including AI entities
The Chinese domestic tourists’ perceptions of Beijing heritage food
No full textMany researchers have taken an interest in the relationship between food and heritage, including as it relates to food tourism. Food makes a significant contribution to destination development and tourist experiences, including as a medium embodying elements of cultural heritage to visitors. However, to date most academic studies have investigated food more generally in the tourism system, with studies specifically focused on heritage food relatively limited. This paper aims to explore domestic tourists’ perspectives on Beijing heritage food in Beijing, China, with three main research questions: (i) what do tourists understand about heritage food, (ii) What and how do tourists engage with Beijing heritage food during their travels, and (iii) what do tourists understand about heritage food authenticity and why. Food is shown to have played a relatively significant role in respondents’ travel experiences in Beijing, with many tourists likely to seek out local Beijing cuisine. This is particularly the case for the identified ‘foodies’ in the sample, who express more positive attitudes towards local food and a stronger intention to consume Beijing heritage food
User perception and acceptance of softshell headgear amongst youth rugby players
No full textThis study investigated the attitudes, preferences, motivations and acceptance of softshell headgear among youth rugby players. Female and male rugby players (ages 13-17) were surveyed regarding headgear use during training and matches, discontinuation reasons, preferred brands, motivations for use, and reasons for non-use. We assessed confidence without headgear, head injuries, familiarity with specifications, and awareness of benefits/risks. Most (86%) didn't wear headgear during training; 74.4% abstained in matches. Reasons for discontinuation included discomfort and perceived ineffectiveness. Parental advice (78%) and injury protection (52%) drove headgear use. Non-use reasons: lack of ventilation (67%), bulkiness (50%), discomfort (44%), non-compulsory use (36%), and lack of consideration (36%). 44.2% believed headgear protects against head injuries; 30.2% were unsure. The results of this study indicate a range of attitudes among youth rugby players towards the use of headgear. Understanding their motivations and concerns is crucial for improving player safety. While some players see headgear as a valuable protective measure, others are deterred by factors such as discomfort and lack of ventilation. There is a need for greater awareness and education about headgear benefits and risks among rugby players, potential modifications to headgear design to enhance comfort and ventilation should be explored and further research conducted to explore the benefits that headgear has for head impact protection
Calcium caseinate enhancement of bread and its role in manipulating the glycaemic response and antioxidant potential of the product
No full textThe impact of supplementing bread with calcium caseinate was studied at substitution levels of 5%, 10% and 15%. The research assessed the baking properties, nutritional value, glycaemic response and antioxidant activity of the experimental bread samples. Addition led to a significant increase in protein content, reaching up to 22% of the total energy supply at 15% substitution. Essential amino acids, such as valine, leucine and isoleucine, more than doubled in concentration at the 15% substitution level. Furthermore, the incorporation of calcium caseinate improved the textural properties of the bread, significantly increasing the bread volume and reducing setback viscosity (P< 0.05). The predicted glycaemic response, as measured by the area under the glucose release curve, showed a notable reduction in sugar levels at 15% substitution. These results suggest that bread enriched with calcium caseinate can serve as a valuable protein source for the population, offering both enhanced nutritional benefits and favourable baking characteristics