Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2025, Food Science and Technology

A diverse diet is essential for a healthy lifestyle. However, historically, dietary nutrients have often been studied individually, and our knowledge of their interactions is limited. Iron and vitamin A, which can come from provitamin A carotenoids, are among the most commonly deficient micronutrients globally, raising significant health concerns. Additionally, coenzyme Q10 is gaining attention for boosting energy and combating post-COVID fatigue. While emulsification and encapsulation can enhance the delivery of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids and coenzyme Q10, the effectiveness of the food-grade emulsifier phospholipid in improving bioaccessibility remains inconsistent. In relation to iron, novel electric processing has created an iron enriched kale, but its iron delivery compared to other iron sources is still unclear. Additionally, novel plant-based fortificant iron chlorophyll derivatives (ICDs) can enhance iron delivery to intestinal cells when co-digested with albumin. However, the impact of various food proteins, particularly plant proteins, on iron absorption requires further exploration. In Objective 1, an in vitro digestion + Caco-2 intestinal cell model was used to evaluate the dose-response effect of phospholipid on carotenoid bioaccessibility and cell uptake, as well as whether liquid and powder forms of bioactive compounds encapsulated with phospholipid improve these parameters compared to a non-encapsulated control. Objective 2 examined the impact of novel electric treatment on the concentrations of antioxidants and carotenoids in kale. An in vitro digestion + Caco-2 model was used to determine if iron bioaccessibility and iron cell uptake from this kale surpass those from iron sulfate (the most common commercial iron supplement) and heme iron. For Objective 3, ICDs were digested alone and co-digested with whey, soybean, or pea protein isolates in vitro. A Caco-2 model was used to assess iron delivery. Metabolites in the digesta w (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2025, History

This dissertation examines Spanish language manuscript cookbooks from the fifteenth through the mid-seventeenth centuries that combine advice on cooking, medicine, and cosmetics in order to show how academic theories about health were utilized by non-academically trained individuals for everyday use. Much of scholarship on the early modern Hispanic Kingdoms has been afflicted by the so-called “Black Legend of Spain,” the idea that Spain was religiously backward, scientifically stunted, and culturally cruel and superstitious. This view was rooted in sixteenth-century accounts of the Spanish Empire and promoted by English and Dutch propaganda that pitted the Catholic fanaticism of the Spanish against the virtuous colonization efforts of the English and the Dutch. This had the effect of casting the Spanish Empire and its predecessors, the Hispanic Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, as being outside the scientific mainstream of the rest of Europe. Other than English and Dutch propaganda that cast their empires as scientifically progressive and religiously tolerant, much of the “Black Legend” resulted from the dysfunctional nature of empires in general and the waning power of Spain in the eighteenth century. This dissertation focuses on illustrating the ways in which the late medieval and early modern Hispanic Kingdoms and the Empire were thoroughly involved in the development of science in Western Europe by arguing that the role of women in healthcare and women's health concerns were an important facet of the growth of medical science in the period. I begin by examining the basic treatises of humoral theory by Galen, Avicenna and Dioscorides, and by tracing their development and influence through the formal academic systems of the middle to late Middle Ages. Toledo was an important translation site for Arabic medical texts into Latin. I then illustrate how important texts on women's health utilized recipes to promote humoral theories of health through food, medicine an (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2025, Food Science and Technology

Antibiotic resistance is a major global health challenge. The host gut microbiota plays a key role in the emergence, enrichment, and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes and bacteria within ecosystems. In addition, disrupted gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to various modern diseases and the proper function of which is critical to the overall health of the host. This study intends to assess the detailed impact of representative antibiotic usage on host microbiota and resistome, and further examine the impact of a popular gut microbiota replenish approach, particularly fermented food consumption on host gut microbiota. Fermented dairy products (cheeses and yogurt) were once a major reservoir of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Major improvement in fermentation processes about 15 years ago have mitigated this issue in mainstream retail fermented dairy products. However, many traditional fermented foods, which rely on natural fermentation, continue to harbor antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The results of this study revealed the high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in traditionally fermented foods, including multidrug-resistant pathogens, posing significant public health risks. Consumption of antibiotic-resistance-rich fermented food led to an increase in consumers' gut resistance gene pool. Increased consumption of such fermented foods could potentially contribute to antibiotic resistant infections in vulnerable populations. Additionally, the patient case study and the rat study demonstrated the profound impact of antibiotics on host gut microbiota profile and resistome, supporting the importance of drug administration and excretion routes in mitigating microbiota damage. Finally, the study developed an innovative fermentation approach Helenization, involving chemical sanitation and starter culture application, that effectively reduced the mentioned food safety ri (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2025, Consumer Sciences

Food-borne illnesses presented signifcant public health and fnancial chal lenges to people, healthcare systems, and the food industry. This dissertation contributed to our understanding of foodborne illnesses by estimating their economic and societal costs, examining how consumers and retailers reacted to outbreaks, and evaluating medical expenses. We adopted interdisciplinary approaches to provide pertinent information to stakeholders in the food in dustry, lawmakers, and medical professionals. In Chapter 2, I analyzed the socioeconomic costs of foodborne illnesses, focusing on the connections between pathogens and vehicles and how they impacted the economy (Yang and Scharf, 2024). Using probabilistic food attribution modeling, I estimated that up to 9.18% (90% CI: 5.81%–15.18%) of foodborne illnesses linked to identifed pathogens were attributed to leafy greens. Including illnesses from unknown sources, leafy greens accounted for up to 2.3 million (90% CI: 1.1 million–4.1 million) illnesses annually in the United States, with associated costs reaching $5.3 billion (90% CI: $4.2 billion–$8.2 billion). Key pathogens such as Norovirus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella drove the majority of these burdens, with romaine lettuce emerg ing as a critical contributor to E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks. Chapter 3 mainly examined how consumers and retailers responded to the onion outbreaks in 2020 and 2021. When demand shifts were quantifed us ing the Heckman selection model and Google Trends (GT) data, the fndings indicated that onion purchases fell by 20.37–27.14% during outbreak peri ods. GT data, which captured the dynamics of risk perception, suggested that public awareness moderated demand reductions. In 2021, outbreaks cost around $1.346 billion, compared to $1.158 billion in 2020. States with dense populations were most afected. These results underscored the sig nifcance of unambiguous information, efcient recall procedures, (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2025, Food Science and Technology

This study aims to provide a rapid analytical tool for assessing important quality traits of tomato fruits and tomato products for both in-field and in-plant applications. It addresses a bottleneck in advancing genetic strategies by offering a high-throughput phenotyping technique that facilitates rapid decision-making and varietal selection of fresh market tomatoes and processing varieties. Additionally, we evaluated the applicability of novel miniaturized spectrometers for non-destructive and rapid in-situ analysis of important quality parameters in tomato paste samples, streamlining quality analysis for the tomato processing industry. A portable Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and a MEMS based handheld near-infrared (NIR) scanner were used to develop predictive regression algorithms for the rapid characterization of non-volatile flavor traits (brix, titratable acidity (TA), glucose, fructose, citric acid and ascorbic acid) in fresh market tomatoes. Furthermore, the portable FTIR was used to determine important quality traits in processing tomato fruits (Brix, pH and predicted paste Bostwick (PPB) of raw juice and brix, juice Bostwick (JB), serum viscosity (KVost) and PPB of cooked samples) and NIR systems were evaluated to quantitatively predict the quality traits of processed tomato pastes including, Brix, TA, Bostwick consistency, and the a/b ratio. Portable IR system operating in attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode were used to acquire spectra, while a transflectance approach (0.50 pathlength) was employed to collect spectral data using NIR systems. Reference levels of quality parameters were determined using official or conventional laboratory analytical methods. Multivariate regression algorithms, specifically Partial least square regression (PLSR) and Orthogonal Partial least square regression (OPLSR), were used to correlate the spectral data to the reference parameters and generate predictive algorithms. Along with generating the models (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2025, Horticulture and Crop Science

Apples are the most consumed fruit in the U.S. and so play a crucial role in the nation's economy. However, traditional apple breeding is hampered by a prolonged juvenility period, during which seedlings do not produce flowers or fruit for up to 10 years. This delay poses significant challenges in the development of new cultivars that can meet the growing demands of an increasing population, evolving market preferences, and changing climate conditions. This study outlines the development and implementation of an accelerated breeding pipeline designed to address these issues by enhancing traits related to aesthetics, yield, and phytochemicals beneficial to human health by implementing the short juvenile period (SJP) trait, so improvement of these traits, consolidations of new trait combinations, and the rate of genetic gain is enhanced more rapidly through manipulating the apple breeding cycle. The foundation for this accelerated approach was lain by Henryk Flachowski in 2007 by using Agrobacterium-mediated transfer of the BpMADS4 gene from silver birch to the apple genotype named PinS (Pinova  Idared). These SJP genotypes are capable of significantly reducing breeding cycle duration via their implementation into crossing schemes, making them ideal candidates for inclusion in an advanced breeding program. This project has successfully integrated these SJP trees into a systematic breeding strategy conducted under greenhouse conditions. Over the course of three years, we utilized environmental controls, detailed genotypic data, and selected genetically diverse parents to cultivate more than 10,000 seedlings. This effort resulted in achieving two apple harvests within 14 months, thereby validating the effectiveness of the accelerated breeding pipeline. A key component of our strategy involved the use of a 50k SNP array and analysis of variation of gametophytic self-incompatibility diplotypes (S-alleles) to maintain and enhance genetic diversity while optimizing crossb (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

The popularity of snacking has increased significantly, particularly among younger populations. Different types of snacks are present among which puffed/expanded snacks are very common. Extrusion processing is the most common method to produce puffed snacks. But most snack products are calorie-dense and lack essential nutrients, such as dietary fiber. Fiber plays a crucial role in improving health, yet the intake remains below the recommended levels in many populations. But the addition of dietary fiber in extruded snacks present some challenges. This study aimed to address this gap by fortifying corn-based extruded snacks with oat β-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber with known health benefits, The objective was to investigate the effect of fiber addition and feed moisture content on physicochemical properties, as well as microstructure. Four formulations were developed with varying oat β-glucan concentrations (0 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 25 %) and feed moisture levels (19 %, 20 %, and 21 %). Nutritional analysis indicated that increasing oat β-glucan significantly raised the fiber content from 4.56±0.14 % in the control sample to 21.24±0.02 % in the highest fiber formulation, while reducing starch content from 74.3±0.05 % in the control to 56.38±0.07 %. Higher fiber concentrations interfered with expansion properties which is critical factor for consumer appeal. Expansion indices, including sectional expansion index (SEI), longitudinal expansion index (LEI), and volumetric expansion index (VEI), showed a negative correlation with fiber content. The control sample, containing no fiber, had the highest expansion ratios, with SEI measuring 41.52±0.02 and VEI at 14.53±0.03 that reduced to 33.14±0.05 and 11.93±0.04 respectively in high fiber formulation. These reductions are attributed to the interaction of fiber with starch, which lowers starch gelatinization and creates denser cellular structures. Functional property analysis indicated that β-glucan enrichment increased the (open full item for complete abstract)

Masters of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Miami University, 2024, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health

Taste perception is influenced by many factors, including taste buds, health, age, and genetics. Limited research is available identifying how Augmented Reality (AR)-based dining environments affect the psycho-physiological determinants that influence taste perception. AR combines the real world with computer-generated three-dimensional environmental scenes.This pilot study aims to determine if the integration of AR- based environments can influence taste perception. Participants (n=30) wore AR goggles (Holo-lens 2), while experiencing AR-based dining environments. Participants were instructed to sample five different foods with various textures, temperatures, and tastes across three AR-based dining environments (control- no scene, lake scene and hospital scene). Participants utilized a sliding scale to rate each food sample across categories of appearance, mouthfeel, smell, flavor, and overall product acceptability. Ratings were based on a sliding scale ranging between 1-100 accompanied by the use of a hedonic scale. A significant difference (p= 0.002) in taste perception was observed with the lake scene associated with more favorable taste perception compared with the hospital scene. AR-based dining environments can also be used to positively impact taste perception and encourage food intake in behavioral and clinical nutrition settings in cases of decreased appetite due to chronic disease(s).

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Typical sensory and consumer testing is often done in isolated booths where external environmental stimuli and extrinsic product attributes are removed or controlled for the purpose of yielding responses from panelists that are influenced solely by a product's intrinsic sensorial products. The issue with this is that food is not consumed in such neutral environments, but rather in environments with various contextual elements that influence human behavior and perception of food. There is currently a growing body of research investigating the reintroduction of contextual elements into sensory and consumer tests using immersive technologies. A gap that currently lies in this body of literature is the impact of social context on panelist perception, liking, and behavior. This is a large oversight as many food consumption scenarios are completed in social contexts. In these commensal scenarios, humans exhibit behaviors and changes in perception as a result of social elements in the environment. By not including these social elements, responses from panelists may not be reflective of real-life perceptions of food. Therefore, we aimed to introduce social elements to sensory evaluations using immersive technologies such as video walls and VR headsets. In Chapter 3, panelists evaluated popcorn samples in three different environments: a solo environment, and two environments where social context was added via video of an actor eating popcorn playing on a video wall. The two social environments differed in rate of popcorn consumption of the actor. Results revealed that panelists consumed more popcorn when evaluating in the social environments than in the solo environment. Ecological validity increased in the social environments as evidenced by the observation of the social facilitation of eating, a phenomenon commonly observed in commensal scenarios. In Chapter 4, we investigated emotional responses to a positive carbonated cola and a negative flat cola when evaluations occur (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2024, Business Administration

This qualitative exploratory case aimed to understand what businesses do when faced with economic conditions developed through a sports strike. The study delves into the strategies employed by successful hospitality business owners to navigate sports labor negotiation experiences. The researcher seeks to understand how these experienced small business owners have managed to survive and thrive despite the economic upheavals caused by work stoppages in sports. The key to this adaptation lies in neighborhood adaptability, economic impact, cultural framework structures, and contingency thinking using the theoretical aspects of Servant Leadership when economic development can disrupt typical economic activities. This study and its voice could contribute to the next time a sports labor negotiation impacts a city district's economic system or any economic system where an indirect business component is suddenly stopped or taken away. This research was a collective effort, not just about sports labor negotiations and seasonal expectations, but for hospitality leaders in the business industry, empowering them to face future challenges. Three category themes emerged from twelve semi-structured interviews: (1) Change in Operations, (2) Employee and Staff Developments, and (3) Patron Experience, which helped develop 12 sub-themes assist as a road map to adaptability in the change in a business culture or economic ecosystem. There were recommendations to move forward with another indirect area outside sports, such as travel or city development. Another identified research potential by opening the participation area or demographics from a neighborhood to a city or region.

Master of Food and Nutrition (MFN), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Food and Nutrition

This thesis addresses new methods to communicate the nature of upcycled foods with consumers. Food waste is a detrimental issue to both the environment and global economy. Upcycled foods, which revert food from the waste system, are a proposed solution that are safe for human consumption, to decrease this; however, consumers lack understanding of the identity of these products. The use of food production side streams to make new foods creates disgust and fear when consumers are aware of the upcycled food's association with waste. The goal of this study was to identify messages that would increase consumer acceptance and improve sensory perception of upcycled products while decreasing waste association. An online pilot study was first used to determine the messages most widely accepted by participants, which was frugal framing. This message was then compared against the industry standard (rescued framing) in a secondary consumer sensory evaluation. Participants examined overall liking and taste liking, purchase intention, willingness to pay, waste association, and perceived safety upcycled bread and cookies. Frugal messaging was found to increase consumer acceptance and decrease waste association of upcycled foods among participants while improving experienced sensory qualities of upcycled foods. Moral satisfaction and trust, as person-related factors, predicted consumer acceptance of upcycled foods.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Jam was made with different types of pectin, amounts of sucrose, types of sweeteners, levels of pH, amount of peel, and observed at different steps of the jam making process. Grape puree was studied over time to observe enzymatic reactions. High methoxyl pectin was used in jams with 58-78 °Brix, jams with sucrose, allulose, fructose, sorbitol and isomaltulose, jams with pH from 2.7-3.3, jams with and without the presence of peels, a control jam that was studied at each step of jam making. Low methoxyl pectin was used in jams with 25-50 °Brix, and jams with pH from 2.5-5.5. The volatiles were measured with SIFT-MS and analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey's HSD. There were three replicates for each condition. Increasing sucrose amounts decreased the concentration of jam volatiles in both high methoxyl and low methoxyl pectin conditions. The type of sweetener had no effect on the concentration of volatiles. The level of pH, within the range studied, had no effect of the concentration of volatiles. The presence of peel lowered the concentration of volatiles. The enzymatic activity of red table grapes was very low, creating no net increase or decrease in volatile differences. When making jam, dissolving the ingredients decreased the volatile concentrations, heating the jam mixture had no effect on the volatile concentrations, and the gelling of jam decreased the volatile concentrations.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Traditional sensory consumer testing methodologies utilize testing environments and procedures that are extensively controlled to reduce potential bias during sensory evaluations. However, when consumers make real life purchasing decisions, they are presented with a plethora of information (e.g. marketing claims, certifications, etc.) to utilize in the decision-making process. This contextual information is subsequently lost during the traditional approach to sensory consumer testing. The phenomenon of lost contextual information during the sensory evaluation process may contribute to the fact that despite a wide range of sensory testing methodologies, there is an abundantly high failure rate of new food products when launched in market. To address the loss of contextually relevant information within the traditional sensory testing paradigm, the work presented herein aims to introduce product specific contextual information via the usage of Discrete Choice Experiments (DCEs). A DCE is a method that allows for the simultaneous evaluation of multiple product attributes to determine consumer preferences for specific product attributes and levels. However, despite the widespread usage of DCEs across various fields of research, its implementation with sensory consumer research is spare, and sensory attributes are rarely incorporated within the experimental framework. This research aims to incorporate sensory attributes within the DCE framework and to compare the results obtained against traditional sensory methods to determine the viability of a DCE as an alternative testing methodology within sensory consumer testing. The initial investigation into utilizing DCEs within the sensory consumer testing space is presented in Chapter 3. Homogenized puree from the North American Pawpaw fruit was separated and treated to create three distinct taste levels to control for confounding sensory perceptions allowing for a direct comparison against traditional sensory methodologie (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Foodborne illnesses caused by spore-forming bacteria remain a persistent public health concern. Thus, improved methods to mitigate this situation are desirable. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based metabolomics as an alternative in identifying significant metabolites associated with Bacillus subtilis spore germination using two nutrient germinants. The experiment utilized Bacillus subtilis OSU 494 spores as the test strain. These were induced to germinate using tryptic soy broth (TSB) and a solution containing L-asparagine, D-glucose, D-fructose, and potassium chloride (AGFK). At hourly intervals up to 4 hours, metabolites from the samples were analyzed using an NMR spectrometer equipped with a triple-resonance cryoprobe at 850 MHz frequency. The 1D-1H NOESY and 2D 1H-13C HSQC spectra obtained were subjected to spectral binning and further data analyses. Linear models were used to select significant features from the NMR data. The results showed that identified metabolites including dipicolinic acid (DPA), L-alanine, acetate, L-phenylalanine, formic acid, succinic acid and fumaric acid were released during AGFK induced germination. However, dipicolinic acid (DPA), L-alanine, acetate, L-phenylalanine, and fumaric acid, were released during TSB germination. In conclusion, these identified metabolites could serve as putative biomarkers for monitoring or detecting Bacillus subtilis OSU 494 spore germination in various applications. This information has significant positive benefits to the food and other industries. Food manufacturers could leverage these potential biomarkers to develop rapid and reliable methods for detecting Bacillus subtilis spore germination in food products.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

This study promotes the film degradation by incorporating Clostridium acetobutylicum into bio-based packaging films such as pectin films, gelatin films and blended films of gelatin and polylactic acid (PLA). The primary object is to use these biodegradable packaging films as alternatives to current petroleum-based plastics to solve the problem of waste accumulation in landfills. Incorporation of spores requires evaluation of the film from two aspects. The first and most important one is to understand the degrading effect of spores on the film. By monitoring the content of carbon dioxide and by-products such as organic acids and solvents produced during spore growth, as well as the detection of optical density, the degradation process of the film by the spores and the growth of microorganisms can be known. A significant production of carbon dioxide, acetic acid, butyric acid and the ethanol and butanol formed by their conversion were detected. At the same time, the increased optical density was also considered to be the turbidity of the culture solution caused by the germination of a large number of microorganisms. These test results indicate that the spores can use the films as a nutrient source to accelerate growth. The films with spores can be efficiently degraded in an anaerobic environment. On the other hand, while pursuing the degradation rate, the films as a packaging needs to ensure that spores will not have a negative impact on its function, by checking the mechanical and thermal properties, barrier properties and morphology. The storage and loss modulus and tan delta, glass transition temperature, water vapor permeability and crystallinity of the films were rigorously analyzed. A significant impact was not revealed from the addition of spore in the films. This shows that the addition of spores not only increases the degradation rate of film packaging when it is thrown into an anaerobic landfill environment, but also maintains the performance of th (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Foodborne disease is a major public health concern in Ethiopia, where inadequate food safety measures and lack of infrastructure contribute to the spread of diseases caused by contaminated food, particularly those attributed to foods of animal origin. In Ethiopia, poor food safety and hygiene practices among meat handlers have been identified as significant sources of foodborne diseases. The overall objective of this thesis was to evaluate the role of a meat safety and hygiene training intervention in reducing microbial contamination of beef carcasses in butcher shops in Addis, Ababa, Ethiopia. A total of 60 butcher shop that receive beef carcasses from municipal abattoirs were enrolled in the study from November 2021 to May 2022. Visits were conducted 4 to 8 weeks before and 12 to 16 weeks after a 1-day in-person training on basic meat safety and hygiene. Swab samples were collected from three areas (flank, lateral thorax, brisket) of a carcass in the morning when carcasses arrived from the abattoir, and again in the afternoon. Fecal contamination was assessed using total coliform counts of colony-forming units. Results indicated that, at pre-training, mean total coliform counts increased from 1.0 ± 1.0 in the morning to 1.5 ± 1.3 log10 CFU/cm2 in the afternoon. Post-training, mean total coliform counts increased from 1.7 ± 1.6 in the morning to 1.8 ± 1.5 log10 CFU/cm2 in the afternoon. Using a linear mixed model approach, the expected morning-to-afternoon increase in total coliform counts on a carcass was smaller post-training (0.066, 95% CI: [0.008, 0.124] Log CFU/cm2) compared to pre-training (0.447, 95% CI: [0.243, 0.650] Log CFU/cm2), indicating that the training intervention was associated with better control of total coliform counts growth on carcasses at butcher shops. These findings highlight the persistent challenges of microbial contamination of beef carcasses in butcher shops in Addis Ababa and underscores the potential of targeted training intervention (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

With colorants ubiquitously used in foods, cosmetics, and consumer goods, the palette of coloring solutions appears plentiful. Yet, with synthetic colorants falling out of favor and with many nature derived colorants having stability challenges, demand for color innovation remains. Pyranoanthocyanins are a promising class of nature derived colorants formed by the reaction of anthocyanins with small molecule cofactors (i.e. hydroxycinnamic acids) and are best known for contributing to the color of an aged wine. As seen from the bold, long-lasting color of a red wine, pyranoanthocyanins can produced vibrant colors generally more orange-red in hue, and exhibit exceptional color stability to conditions like pH, storage, and bleaching, leading to interest in using them as nature derived colorants for foods and consumer goods. A diverse array of chemically unique pyranoanthocyanins are possible, with each one providing a unique hue and stability characteristics to the colorant palette. With hundreds of potential anthocyanin to cofactor permutations, our work took a systematic approach to evaluate how the chemical structure (presence of hydroxyl, methoxy, and glycosyl substitutions) affected the coloring properties of hydroxyphenyl-pyranoanthocyanins. Properties included their color expression, solubility, and stability at both acidic and alkaline pH and in isolated and mixed environments with various ingredients (buffer salts and food ingredients). While there are many types of pyranoanthocyanins, our efforts focused on evaluating the class of hydroxyphenyl-PACNs which contain an additional, fifth, conjugated ring. This provides an additional location for chemical structure variability and these pyranoanthocyanins form efficiently and showed excellent thermal stability in our previous work. Small changes in the number of hydroxyl and methoxy substitutions had a major influence on the color and solubility of hydroxyphenyl-pyranoanthocyanins (Objective 1/Chapter 3). (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Pyranoanthocyanins (PACN) are anthocyanin (ACN) derived colorants, typically found in red wine, formed during fermentation and aging by the interaction of grape ACNs with yeast metabolites or hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs). These colorants are believed to maintain wine's color vibrancy for longer. PACNs exhibit higher stability to heat and ascorbic acid degradation than ACN, making them ideal candidates as colorants for food products subjected to harsh processing conditions. Yet, PACN application as food colorants is limited by its scarcity in nature and slow production. Recent advancements in PACN formation have postulated that higher yields can be obtained at pH ~3, temperatures ~45˚C, and by using the decarboxylated products of HCAs, 4-vinylphenols (4VPs), as cofactors for the reaction. During fermentation of some plant materials led by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), enzymatic decarboxylation of HCAs has been reported, yielding the 4VPs needed for the reaction. However, fermenting plant materials containing HCAs and ACNs focused on an efficient PACN formation is challenging because LAB's ideal growth conditions differ from the ones needed for pigment production. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of modulating incubation conditions on the decarboxylation of HCAs by 3 LAB strains isolated from dairy products and the formation of PACN using a plant material rich in ACNs. LAB strains were incubated with p-coumaric (pCA), caffeic (CA), and ferulic acid (FA) at an initial equimolar concentration of 1.4 mM. The experiment was conducted to compare the decarboxylation efficiency at incubation conditions ideal for LAB growth (pH 6) versus conditions closer to the ones needed for PACN production (pH 4). L. plantarum, E. mundtii, and P. pentosaceus were chosen because of their reported ability to decarboxylate HCAs. Decarboxylation over time was evaluated for 24 hr by HPLC-PDA analysis and concentrations were calculated from standard curves. All LAB decarboxylated pCA a (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

Vitamin D is a secosteroid with numerous benefits for human health, including its effects in skeletal health, immunomodulation, cell proliferation, and cellular differentiation. Despite these benefits, vitamin D deficiency is a global health concern. While supplementation is common in many countries and is commonly conducted by oral delivery, individuals with fat malabsorption face challenges with vitamin D absorption. Thus, transdermal delivery is therefore considered a suitable alternative for these individuals. However, the stability of vitamin D in most commercially available cosmetic products is questionable due to its sensitivity to temperature, light, pH, and oxygen. Therefore, this study aims at developing a vitamin D3 delivery system using hemp seed oil for enhanced transdermal delivery and Maillard reacted lecithin conjugates. Further the study focuses on characterizing and optimizing the encapsulation method to achieve thermal and oxidative stability of hemp seed oil and vitamin D3. Hemp seed oil was chosen as the carrier for vitamin D3 due to its excellent skin permeation ability and rich polyunsaturated fatty acid profile, which provides additional health benefits. According to results, moisture and water activity data conform with recommended values for low moisture food products whereas the p-anisidine test indicated good lipid quality during the period of storage. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry results demonstrate that the proposed wall matrix provides adequate thermal and oxidative stability for the encapsulated vitamin D3. The study did not identify a significant difference (p < 0.05) in retention of vitamin D3 based on the temperature treatment provided. Moreover, 50 °C heat treatment achieved the best encapsulation efficiency of 59.5 % compared to 100 °C and the control. Overall, the use of Maillard-reacted glycated lecithin wall matrix appears to be a promising approach for protecting vitamin D3 from external st (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Food Science and Technology

In response to high consumer demand, the food industry is increasingly focused on developing plant-based beverages (PBMA) that mimic the desirable sensory properties of animal-based beverages. While extensive research has characterized the differences in appearance, aroma, taste, and flavor between PBMAs and cow's milk, limited research exists that comprehensively characterizes the textural and mouthfeel differences between these two types of beverages. Moreover, the complexity of texture and mouthfeel perception poses a challenge in formulating these beverages. Formulation changes that have minimal impact on analytical measurements can still result in significant perceptual differences in texture and mouthfeel sensations. Finally, there has been little research exploring the mechanical underpinnings of textural and mouthfeel perception of food within oral cavity. To address these gaps, this dissertation aimed to comprehensively characterize textural and mouthfeel differences between PBMAs and cow's milk and relate these sensations back to oral tactile sensitivity. Utilizing a “top-down” approach, trained panelists were used to develop a comprehensive texture and mouthfeel lexicon to characterize sensory differences between animal and plant-based beverages. Sixteen unique texture and mouthfeel attributes were identified and used by trained panelists to evaluate 14 different liquid beverages, categorized by protein content: low protein (LP; 8g of protein/8fl. oz) and high protein (HP; 13g of protein/8fl. oz). Each beverage group included two types of animal-based beverages (commercial skim milk [CSM] and milk protein isolate [MPI]) and five types of plant-based beverages (pea protein isolate [PPI], soy protein concentrate [SPC] and three types of soy protein isolates [SPI 1-3]). Textural and mouthfeel similarities were evident between LP animal-based beverages, while only nuanced differences were observed within the LP-SPIs. In contrast, LP-SPC was significantly di (open full item for complete abstract)