Unripe Cavendish banana (Musa acuminata) and enzymatic hydrolysis (Flavourzyme®) enhance sensorial and nutritional profiles of functional chicken nugget

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corine Sze Xuan Teo ◽  
See Wan Yan
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Fibre ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Texture Profile ◽  
Chicken Nugget ◽  
Cavendish Banana ◽  
High Antioxidant Activity ◽  
Hedonic Scale

PurposeHealth promotion and disease prevention by means of functional foods have become more popular among consumers due to the rising trend of non-communicable diseases. Driven by the increased demand, the authors aimed to investigate sensorial, nutritional and physicochemical properties of chicken nugget incorporated with unripe Cavendish banana and Flavourzyme® [Control (without banana and Flavourzyme®), F1 (banana only), F2 (Flavourzyme® only), F3 (banana and Flavourzyme®)].Design/methodology/approachSensory evaluation was carried out by means of 9-point hedonic scale among consumer panels (n = 83) to evaluate control, F1, F2 and F3. These were then subjected to chemical (moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrate, total dietary fibre, potassium and antioxidant contents) and physical (texture profile and water activity) analyses.FindingsSensory acceptance of control was significantly higher compared to other formulations. Fibre, antioxidant and potassium contents were significantly higher, although moisture, protein and fat contents were significantly lower in F1 and F3 compared to control. Remarkably, F1 and F3 were eligible to be declared as “source of dietary fibre”. Therefore, F1, F2 and F3 can serve as healthier alternatives with high antioxidant activity without compromising consumers' acceptance.Originality/valueThis innovative study generates unique findings pertaining to the nutritional values of novel functional chicken nugget and the formulation enables it to be declared as a source of dietary fibre. Results have contributed knowledge to existing literature as well as benefits food manufacturers in creating healthy functional food to better meet the needs and expectations of health-conscious consumers, healthcare providers, governmental organisations and consumer advocacy groups.

Consumers' perception and physicochemical properties of novel functional cookie enriched with medicinal plant Strobilanthes crispus

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elsa Uttamo Wirawan ◽  
See Wan Yan
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plant ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Texture Profile ◽  
Overall Acceptability ◽  
Strobilanthes Crispus ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
And Control

PurposeOver the past decades, there has been a rising trend in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and their risk factors in Malaysia. Consequently, functional food is gaining interest amongst health-conscious consumers. This study aimed to evaluate the functional potential of cookie enhanced with Strobilanthes crispus (SC) and to evaluate its physicochemical and organoleptic properties.Design/methodology/approachSensory evaluation was carried out using nine-point hedonic and line scales and the ranking test amongst consumer panels (n = 150) to evaluate control, 2, 4 and 6% SC cookies. Preferred formulation and control cookies were then subjected to chemical (moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrate, calcium, sodium and potassium contents) and physical (texture profile and water activity [Aw]) analyses.FindingsThere was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in terms of overall acceptability and ranking scores between control and 2% SC cookies upon gender discrimination. Results indicated that incorporation of 2% SC into cookie caused significant enhancement (p < 0.05) of moisture, fat, ash, calcium and potassium contents but did not cause a significant effect on hardness, although loss of crispiness was observed after two weeks of storage at room temperature. This study showed that the 2% SC cookie did not diminish consumers' acceptance while increasing potassium content. Most notably, it can be declared as a source of calcium.Originality/valueThis original research features the incorporation of medicinal plant SC in the development of novel functional cookie and the results constitute unique findings pertaining to its nutritional contents. Remarkably, the findings of this research have contributed knowledge to existing literature as well as benefits food manufacturers in creating nutritious functional cookie to better meet the needs and expectations of consumers, healthcare providers, governmental organisations and consumer advocacy groups while maintaining health benefits without compromising consumers' acceptance.

scholarly journals Improving Tanzanian childbirth service quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennie Jaribu ◽  
Suzanne Penfold ◽  
Cathy Green ◽  
Fatuma Manzi ◽  
Joanna Schellenberg
Keyword(s):  
Health Facility ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Rural District ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Primary Health Facilities ◽  
Childbirth Care

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a quality improvement (QI) intervention in primary health facilities providing childbirth care in rural Southern Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach A QI collaborative model involving district managers and health facility staff was piloted for 6 months in 4 health facilities in Mtwara Rural district and implemented for 18 months in 23 primary health facilities in Ruangwa district. The model brings together healthcare providers from different health facilities in interactive workshops by: applying QI methods to generate and test change ideas in their own facilities; using local data to monitor improvement and decision making; and health facility supervision visits by project and district mentors. The topics for improving childbirth were deliveries and partographs. Findings Median monthly deliveries increased in 4 months from 38 (IQR 37-40) to 65 (IQR 53-71) in Mtwara Rural district, and in 17 months in Ruangwa district from 110 (IQR 103-125) to 161 (IQR 148-174). In Ruangwa health facilities, the women for whom partographs were used to monitor labour progress increased from 10 to 57 per cent in 17 months. Research limitations/implications The time for QI innovation, testing and implementation phases was limited, and the study only looked at trends. The outcomes were limited to process rather than health outcome measures. Originality/value Healthcare providers became confident in the QI method through engagement, generating and testing their own change ideas, and observing improvements. The findings suggest that implementing a QI initiative is feasible in rural, low-income settings.

How label and nutritional claims affect consumers’ acceptance, buying intention and quality perception toward a beverage made from cashew nut

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1243-1251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Cabral Rebouças ◽  
Maria do Carmo Passos Rodrigues ◽  
Silvia Maria de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
New Product ◽  
Quality Attributes ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cashew Nut ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Perception Of Quality ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Mango Juice ◽  
Hedonic Scale

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of the front of a package label and the nutritional claims linked to it over consumers’ expectations as to acceptance, purchase attitude and perception of quality characteristics of a new functional beverage made from cashew nut milk and added with mango juice and prebiotic substances. Design/methodology/approach Three versions of the front label were developed, which differed just by the type of nutritional claim presented (“0 per cent lactose and 0 per cent cholesterol; 0 per cent lactose, 0 per cent cholesterol and source of fibers, 0 per cent lactose, 0 per cent cholesterol and antioxidants”) and were evaluated in two phases, expectation and informed. For the evaluation, consumers used a multi-attribute scale, the nine-point hedonic scale and a nine-point semi-structured buying attitude scale. Findings The labels created a positive expectation on the consumers regarding the quality attributes, overall impression (mean = 6.0 “Like slightly”) and buying attitude (mean = 6.0 “Would probably buy”). After tasting the beverage associated with labels (informed phase), consumers kept a positive evaluation. The t-test performed between the pair of means of both phases showed that there has not been a significant difference regarding the quality attributes (p > 0.05), special, attractive, nutritive, healthy and buying attitude (Label 1, p = 0.26; Label 2, p = 0.18; Label 3, p = 0.26) in all labels. Originality/value The authors evaluated how the influence of label and nutritional claims in regards to a new product, a beverage made from cashew nut, affects its acceptance, buying attitude and characteristics of quality. Until this moment, there are no studies that evaluate how external attributes affect the acceptance of this beverage totally unique in the Brazilian market.

scholarly journals Chemical Composition and Functional Properties of Dietary Fibre Concentrates from Winemaking By-Products: Skins, Stems and Lees

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1510
Author(s):  
María Ángeles Rivas ◽  
Rocío Casquete ◽  
María de Guía Córdoba ◽  
Santiago Ruíz-Moyano ◽  
María José Benito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Functional Properties ◽  
Dietary Fibre ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Water Retention Capacity ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Oil Retention ◽  
High Antioxidant Activity ◽  
By Products

The objective of this study was to evaluate, from a technological and nutritional point of view, the chemical composition and functional properties of the industrial winemaking by-products, namely skins, stems and lees. The chemical and physical characteristics, as well as the functional properties (fat and water retention and swelling capacity, antioxidant capacity, and their prebiotic effect), of the dietary fibre of these by-products were studied. The results showed that the skins, stems, and lees are rich in fibre, with the stem fibre containing the highest amounts of non-extractable polyphenols attached to polysaccharides with high antioxidant activity and prebiotic effect. Lee fibre had the highest water retention capacity and oil retention capacity. The results reveal that winemaking by-products could be used as a source of dietary fibre with functional characteristics for food applications.

scholarly journals A sociology for other animals: analysis, advocacy, intervention

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 242-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Cudworth
Keyword(s):  
Animal Studies ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Political Strategy ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Central Argument ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to map the field of sociological animal studies through some examples of critical and mainstream approaches and considers their relation to advocacy. It makes the argument that while all these initiatives have made important contributions to the project of “animalising sociology” and suggest a need for change in species relations, the link between analysis and political strategy is uncertain. Design/methodology/approach – The paper develops its argument by using secondary sources, reviewing sociological positions and offering illustrations of possible interventions. Findings – Sociological interventions in the field of animal studies have been informed by critical perspectives, such as feminism and Marxism, or taken less critical routes deploying actor-network theory and symbolic interactionism. Whilst those working in critical traditions may appear to have a more certain political agenda, an analysis of “how things are” does not always lead to a clear position on “what is to be done” in terms of social movement agendas or policy intervention. In addition, concepts deployed in advocacy such as “liberation”, “quality of life” or “care” are problematic when applied beyond the human. Despite this, there are possibilities for coalition and solidarity around certain claims for change. Research limitations/implications – If the central argument of the paper were taken seriously by general sociologists, then sociology may be more open to “animal studies”. In implications for exisitng sociological animal studies scholarship is to trouble some of the certainties around advocacy. Practical implications – If the central argument of the paper were taken seriously by advocacy groups, then the hiatus between “welfarism” and “liberation” might be overcome. Originality/value – There have been recent attempts to map the field of scholarship in animal studies, but surprisingly little consideration of how different emergent positions inform questions of advocacy and the possibilities for political intervention.

Satisfaction of tuberculosis patients with health services in Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 545-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Bonsu ◽  
Felix Afutu ◽  
Nii Nortey Hanson-Nortey ◽  
Mary-Anne Ahiabu ◽  
Joshua Amo-Adjei
Keyword(s):  
Client Satisfaction ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sputum Production ◽  
Interview Guide

Purpose Within human services, client satisfaction is highly prioritised and considered a mark of responsiveness in service delivery. A large body of research has examined the concept of satisfaction from the perspective of service users. However, not much is known about how service providers construct client satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to throw light on healthcare professionals’ perspectives on patient satisfaction, using tuberculosis (TB) clinics as a case study. Design/methodology/approach In-depth interviews were conducted with 35 TB clinic supervisors purposively sampled from six out of the ten regions of Ghana. An unstructured interview guide was employed. The recorded IDIs were transcribed, edited and entered into QSR NVivo 10.0 and analysed inductively. Findings Respondents defined service satisfaction as involving education/counselling (on drugs, nature of condition, sputum production, caregivers and contacts of patients), patient follow-up, assignment of reliable treatment supporters as well as being attentive and receptive to patients, service availability (e.g. punctuality at work, availability of commodities), positive assurances about disease prognosis and respect for patients. Practical implications Complementing opinions of health service users with those of providers can offer key performance improvement areas for health managers. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a first study that has examined healthcare providers’ views on what makes their clients satisfied with the services they provide.

The bidirectional mistrust

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 1336-1350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annica Björkman ◽  
Martin Salzmann-Erikson
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Data ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
The Body ◽  
Care Seeking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Care Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and describe online communication about the experiences and attitudes toward Swedish Healthcare Direct, a national telephone advice nursing (TAN) service. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive research design was adopted using a six-step netnographic method. Three Swedish forums were purposefully selected and data from the virtual discussions were collected. Findings Three themes emerged: expectancy and performativity of the nurses, absurdity in accessibility and the scrutinizing game. The most prominent finding was the scrutinizing game, which included aspects of bidirectional mistrust from both nurses and callers. Another salient finding was the attitudes that callers held toward nurses who used a technique interpreted as “passing the buck.” Research limitations/implications The use of a nethnographic method is novel in this area of research. Consequently, the body of knowledge has regarding telephone advise nursing service has significantly been broadened. A limitation in this study is that demographic data for the posters are not available. Practical implications Bidirectional distrust is an important issue that must be acknowledged by TAN services, since it might damage the service on a fundamental level. Healthcare providers, politicians, and researchers should account for the power and availability of virtual discussions when seeking consumers’ opinions and evaluating the quality of the care provided. Originality/value This analysis of the ongoing discussions that take place on the internet provides insight into callers’ perceptions of a national TAN service. The bidirectional mistrust found from both the nurses and the callers might be a threat to callers’ compliance with the advice given and their care-seeking behavior.

Financing employee healthcare: fusing the preferences of employees in decision-making

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Ouma Ochieng'a ◽  
Maurice Ogada
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Probit Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employee Preferences

Purpose Good health is important for the happiness and productivity of employees of any organization and a nation. With the declining government funding for public Universities in Kenya, providing health cover for employees is a real challenge. Thus, the universities have to explore widely acceptable and sustainable options. This study aims to explore the correlations of employee preferences for health care schemes and evaluated the cost implications of each of the available Schemes.Design/methodology/approach The study applied a multinomial probit analysis on cross-sectional data from Taita Taveta University (TTU) in Kenya's coastal region. Cost-benefit analysis was used to rank alternative healthcare schemes. For triangulation of information, individual interviews were supplemented with key informant interviews.Findings Two sets of factors, personal attributes of employees and the attributes of the health care provider, were found to drive employee preferences for health care schemes. Thus, the universities need to consider these attributes in their choice sets of health care schemes to gain employee support.Research limitations/implications The study was based on a cross-sectional survey that may not capture the dynamic elements in institutional management. Thus, future research may build panel data on the current one for further analysis.Practical implications The study found that household characteristics and the perceived attributes of the healthcare providers are key drivers of the preferences. Thus, it is important to consider the characteristics of the employees (for example, age, family sizes, etc.) and attributes of healthcare providers before selecting a healthcare scheme for the workersOriginality/value This is a pioneer study on the choice of healthcare scheme for institutions of higher learning in Kenya. Universities are made aware of what informs employee's preferences for health schemes. This is important for tailoring health care schemes to match employee preferences for greater satisfaction.

National study of emergency medical services core competencies in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-255
Author(s):  
Talal AlShammari ◽  
Paul Jennings ◽  
Brett Williams
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Core Competency ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
National Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergency Medical

PurposeEmergency medical services (EMS) educational standards in Saudi Arabia have developed at an unprecedented rate, and the rapid pace of development has resulted in a considerable disparity of educational approaches. Therefore, an empirically based core competency framework should be developed. The aim was to utilize exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in the reduction and generation of a theoretical Saudi competency model.Design/methodology/approachA purposive sample was utilized in a national quantitative cross-sectional study design of Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) healthcare workers. The instrument comprised 41 core competency items rated on a Likert scale. EFA alpha factoring with oblique promax rotation was applied to the 41 items.FindingsA total of 450 EMS healthcare providers participated in the study, of whom 422 (93.8 per cent) were male and 28 (6.2 per cent) female. Of the participants, 230 (60 per cent) were aged 29–39 years and 244 (54.2 per cent) had 5–9 years of experience. An EFA of instrument items generated five factors: professionalism, preparedness, communication, clinical and personal with an eigenvalue > 1, representing 67.5 per cent of total variance. Only variables that had a loading value >0.40 were utilized in the factor solution.Originality/valueThe EFA model Saudi ParamEdic Competency Scale (SPECS) has been identified, with 27 core competency items and five overarching factors. The model has considerable similarities to other medical competency frameworks. However, some aspects are specifically unique to the Saudi EMS context. The SPECS model provides an academic blueprint that can be used by paramedic educational programs to ensure empirical alignment with the needs of the industry and community.

Measuring change attitudes in health care organizations

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-285
Author(s):  
Kira Isabel Hower ◽  
Holger Pfaff ◽  
Christoph Kowalski ◽  
Michel Wensing ◽  
Lena Ansmann
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Attitudes Toward Change ◽  
Change Attitude

Purpose Measuring attitudes of healthcare providers and managers toward change in health care organizations (HCOs) has been of widespread interest. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the psychometric characteristics and usability of an abbreviated German version of the Change Attitude Scale. Design/methodology/approach The Change Attitude Scale was used in a survey of healthcare providers and managers in German hospitals after the implementation of a breast cancer center concept. Reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling and bivariate analysis were conducted. Findings Data from 191 key persons in 82 hospitals were analyzed. The item-scale structure produced an acceptable model fit. Convergent validity was shown by significant correlations with measures of individuals’ general opinions of the breast center concept. A non-significant correlation with a scale measuring the hospital’s hierarchical structure of leadership verified discriminant validity. The interaction of key persons’ change attitude and hospitals’ change performance through change culture as a mediator supported the predictive validity. Research limitations/implications The study found general support for the validity and usability of a short version of the German Change Attitude Scale. Practical implications Since attitudes toward change influence successful implementation, the survey may be used to tailor the design of implementation programs and to create a sustainable culture of high readiness for change. Originality/value This is the first study finding that a short instrument can be used to measure attitudes toward change among healthcare providers and managers in HCOs.

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