1,720,997 research outputs found
Inversion of a numerical model to estimate the effective moisture diffusivity in baking cake
No full textUniversity-industry collaboration in food engineering for food production and storage
No full textA note on the food engineer The field of food plant design reflects the same enormous heterogeneity of food materials. A quick glance at the list of the product sectors represented in exhibitions such as Cibus Tec in Parma or Fruit Logistica in Berlin is able to show a huge variety of industrial sectors, unit operations and their corresponding plant implementations (e.g. packaging, transport of liquid, solid or pasty products, heating, refrigeration, clarification, homogenisation). Therefore necessarily different professional skills converge within it. In particular, in the space between the world of biological sciences and that of engineering, operates both the plant designer and the food technologist of food engineer, as named in USA and UK. This last professional figure, perhaps less known in the engineering world, is not called to choices that directly concern the design of the machines but rather the layout of the plant in the production area, the choice between different solutions commercially available, the calibration and the drafting of maintenance plans. The strong point in the connection between the technologist and the plant designer lies in the knowledge of the food product and of the transformation processes, in relation to specific commercial, technological and hygienic requirements. In this perspective, the food technologist plays a decisive role in the machinery and plant sector, not only to verify the quality of the product under the chemical-analytical and organoleptic aspect. To such roles must be added those related to the regulation of the plants according to the characteristics of the product, to the sanitary controls and safety at work
In field Vis/NIR hyperspectral imaging to measure soluble solids content of wine grape barriers during ripening
Full text linkMonitoring the quality attributes of grapes is a practice that allows to check the grapes' state of ripeness and to decide when it is appropriate to proceed with the harvest. In the present study, a non-destructive method based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology was developed. Analyses were carried out directly in the field using a Vis/NIR (400-1000 nm) hyperspectral camera (HSC) between the rows of 'Sangiovese' (Vitis vinifera L.) vineyard destined for wine production. One vineyard row was analyzed on 13 different days. During the trials, 33 berries were collected and the soluble solids content (SSC) expressed in terms of degrees Brix (degrees Bx) was measured by a portable digital refractometer. The mean spectra of the selected berries were extracted from each hyperspectral (HS) image. The pre-treated mean spectra were used to predict the SSC of the berries by means of partial least squares (PLS) regression, obtaining a value of R-2 = 0.75 in cross-validation, with RMSECV = 0.84 degrees Bx. The present study shows the potential of the use of HSI technology directly in the field through proximal measurements under natural light conditions for the prediction of the SSC quality attribute of grapes
Potential of the on-field hyperspectral imaging to measure the sugar content in grape.
Full text linkRipeness evaluation of kiwifruit by hyperspectral imaging
Full text linkRapid, non-destructive fruit sorting techniques are increasingly being adopted to ensure that producers, industry, and consumers receive products that meet their quality requirements. Quality attributes typically used to assess fruit ripeness include soluble solids content (SSC) and flesh firmness (FF). In this study, hyperspectral imaging operating at 400–1000 nm (Vis/NIR) was adopted to evaluate the ripeness degree of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit. Partial least square (PLS) regression models were developed to estimate SSC and FF, while two different types of PLS discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to classify samples according to three repining classes (defined on the base of SCC and FF values). To reduce the computation complexity, and simplify the calibration models, two variable selection methods (genetic algorithm GA, and variable importance in projection VIP) were adopted. For SSC, the prediction R2 values ranged from 0.85 (RMSE = 1.10 °Brix) to 0.94 (RMSE = 0.73 °Brix), and for FF from 0.82 (RMSE = 14.51 N) to 0.92 (RMSE = 9.87 N). Classification sensitivity reached values of 97% and 93%, for the model considering the SCC and FF classes, respectively. Prediction and classification performances remained substantially unchanged by reducing the number of wavelengths. Therefore, hyperspectral imaging appears to be suitable for prediction of kiwi quality attributes and their classification
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Pallets and bags
No full textPackaging can be an important resource for improving efficiency in the supply
chain and advertising products and companies. The main processes of the supply
chain, such as storage and transportation, are usually facilitated by reusable
transport items (RTIs) (Zhou et al., 2018). A unit load is an assemblage into
which a number of individual items are combined, typically on a pallet, to facil itate material handling and storage operations. With logistic and technology
development demanding express transportation service and commerce on a
global scale, the unit mode is widely implemented in logistics. Integrated pack aging, such as pallets, container cages, and bags, is employed for a cheap, effi cient, and convenient unitized logistics mode (Zhou et al., 2018).
Packaging can be thought of as composed of three parts: the primary pack age, in contact with the product; the secondary package, usually a shipping con tainer, case or bags to group packages; and the tertiary package, such as a pallet,
which has the function of a load unifier for transportation, storage, and distri bution (Twede et al., 2007). Considering handling and transport, the pallet is
the most used type of packaging worldwide. Rarely, it could be found that a
logistic service is provided by the company without considering pallets. Despite
the fundamental role of pallets, they are one of the most neglected constituents
within handling transactions (Clarke, 2004). Generally, packaging is widely
studied and designed, but only a brief description of pallets is given, although they
can be considered the joint component between packed goods and transport in
order to be efficient for handling management and cost reduction (Clarke, 2004).
A suitable definition of a pallet is: “Pallet is a portable, rigid platform used
as a base for assembling, storing, stacking, handling, and transporting goods”
(Bouffier et al., 1996). As a standardized platform for unit loads, pallets are
widely utilized in manufacturing facilities, warehouses and distribution centers, and stores. Many pallets are designed to be repairable and reusable, so they can
be reused for several shipping cycles.
Pallets in circulation can be considered as trade indicators of global eco nomic trends. If the economy is strong, the demand for goods increases, which
translates to a larger demand for pallets (Accorsi et al., 2019). There are roughly
5 billion pallets in use worldwide, and this value is anticipated to increase over
the next 5 years (Murray, 2021). Although 95% of the produced pallets are made
of wood, the use of nonwooden pallets, such as metal and plastic pallets, is
increasing. For the food industry, nonwooden pallets are often used in applica tions where hygiene is a concern (Ibrahim, 2019).
Several associations, such as the US Grocery Manufacturers Association
(GMA), the Canadian Pallet Council (CPC), and the European Pallet Associa tion (EPAL), provide directives and good practices to use, collect, repair, and
return pallets. This chapter summarizes the use of pallets and bags for unit load
operations and provides a detailed description of the manufacturing methods,
materials, tests, cleaning operations, requirements, and supply chain management considerations for pallets
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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