Modernizing Batik Clothes for Community Enterprises Using Creative Design and Colorimetry

The objective of this study was to modernize batik clothes, a cultural heritage of Southeast Asia, through creative design, color characterization, and collection presentation. Three community enterprises from the southern regions of Thailand participated in designing batik motifs based on their local identities. The pattern of the first manufacturer group was influenced by stones and ancient beads of vivid orange and blue shades. The second community was inspired by the nearby sea, resulting in ocean blue, white, and emerald green colors on batik fabrics. Floras in the south of Thailand dominated the design of the final manufacturer group. Smartphone colorimetry was then used to characterize the batik fabrics. It was demonstrated that this proposed color quantification was not confined to the laboratory, and could easily be carried out by vendors or customers. The collaboration encouraged local batik artisans to use a variety of inspirations, new tools, as well as professional design and production methods. To introduce modernized batik to the public, collections of these newly designed clothes were displayed in a fashion show staged under the theme “Southern Chic.” The presentation of Thai batik clothes in seasonal collections highlighted the transformations of local manufacturers and products with increasing appeal to younger people. In addition to conservation and commercial advantages, the modernized approach is accessible and attractive for education purposes, engaging students in cultural heritage. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2021-01319 Full Text: PDF

The Effect of Brine Temperature on Smokehouse Yield, Sensory Characteristics, and Color Scores of Bacon

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to determine if an increased brine temperature could impact smokehouse yield, sensory characteristics, and color scores of bacon.Materials and MethodsFresh pork bellies (n = 30) were randomly assigned to one of three brine temperatures: –1°C (COLD), 10°C (MED), and 21°C (WARM). Bellies were injected using a multi-needle injector at 13% of the green weight containing a 1.5% salt inclusion level. All bellies were heat treated in a smokehouse to 50°C. Bellies were chilled for 24 h to an internal temperature of 4°C. After chilling, weights were measured to calculate smokehouse yield. Bellies were tempered to –4°C, sliced 4 mm in thickness, and vacuum packaged into 0.22 kg packages. Samples from each treatment were placed under UV lighting to mimic a retail setting. Trained sensory and color panels were conducted on d 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Panelists evaluated sliced bacon packages for cured color intensity, cured color characterization, cured color fading, and off odor. Samples were cooked in a convection oven for 15 min at 177°C and were evaluated for saltiness, oxidized flavor, and flavor intensity. Data were analyzed using the MIXED models procedure of SAS. Least-squares means were computed for each dependent variable, and statistically separated by a pair-wise t-test with predetermined α = 0.05.ResultsGreen weight pump percentage, smokehouse weight percentage, and chilled weight percentage for all treatments were similar (P > 0.05). Trained sensory panel results revealed no significant differences (P > 0.05) for salt flavor between treatments on d 1, 28, and 35. The MED brine was more acceptable than the COLD and WARM brines for salt flavor on d 7 and 14 (P < 0.05). Oxidized flavor on d 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were similar for all treatments (P > 0.05), but by d 35 the COLD treatment had significantly less oxidized flavor than the MED and WARM treatments. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found for flavor intensity between treatments for each day. No differences (P > 0.05) were found between treatments on d 1, 7, or 14 for cured color intensity and characterization. However, on d 21 and 35 the MED brine temperature had the most intense cured color (P < 0.05). On d 35, cured color characterization for the MED brine revealed a darker cured color (P < 0.05) compared to the COLD treatment but was similar to the WARM treatment. Cured color fading showed no differences (P > 0.05) between treatments on d 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28. On d 35 the COLD brine exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of cured color fading compared to both the MED and WARM brines. No significant differences were found between treatments for all days for off odor (P > 0.05); however, d 35 was significantly higher than all other days within treatments (P < 0.05).ConclusionProcessing yields were not significantly affected by brine temperature. Salt flavor and flavor intensity were not affected by brine temperature. In conclusion, cured meat color and oxidized flavor can be affected by brine temperature.

A Multispectral Backscattered Light Recorder of Insects’ Wingbeats

Most reported optical recorders of the wingbeat of insects are based on the so-called extinction light, which is the variation of light in the receiver due to the cast shadow of the insect’s wings and main body. In this type of recording devices, the emitter uses light and is placed opposite to the receiver, which is usually a single (or multiple) photodiode. In this work, we present a different kind of wingbeat sensor and its associated recorder that aims to extract a deeper representational signal of the wingbeat event and color characterization of the main body of the insect, namely: a) we record the backscattered light that is richer in harmonics than the extinction light, b) we use three different spectral bands, i.e., a multispectral approach that aims to grasp the melanization and microstructural and color features of the wing and body of the insects, and c) we average at the receiver’s level the backscattered signal from many LEDs that illuminate the wingbeating insect from multiple orientations and thus offer a smoother and more complete signal than one based on a single snapshot. We present all the necessary details to reproduce the device and we analyze many insects of interest like the bee Apis mellifera, the wasp Polistes gallicus, and some insects whose wingbeating characteristics are pending in the current literature, like Drosophila suzukii and Zaprionus, another member of the drosophilidae family.

A novel electronic gate that identifies and counts bees based on their RGB backscattered light

In this work, we present an electronic gate that aims to extract a deeper representational signal of the color characterization of the main body of an insect, namely: a) we record the backscattered light and not the extinction light as commonly done, b) a color sensor analyses backscattered light to individual RGB channels independently to grasp the melanization, microstructural and color features of the wing and body of the insects passing the gate. We present all the necessary details to reproduce the device and we analyze many insects of interest like the bee Apis mellifera and the wasp Polistes gallicus. The electronic gate is attached to the entrance of the beehive and counts foraging activity. The backscattered light intensity can quantify the size of the incoming insect and discern a drone and a worker bee from a queen bee while the color measurements aim to recognize invasive species so that the gate closes and the beekeepers are alerted.