Global brands:The Evolution of Multinationals in Alcoholic Beverages. By Teresa da Silva Lopes. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. xxii + 303 pp. Illustrations, tables, appendix, bibliography, notes, index. Cloth, $50.00. ISBN: 978-0-521-83397-4.

Book review

The effects of excise tax changes on alcoholic beverages and tobacco consumption in Thailand

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the factors affecting the likelihood of consumption and the amount spent on alcoholic beverages and tobacco in Thailand using the 2009 Socio-Economic Survey of Thailand. Results suggest that household size, tenure and occupation have significant impacts on both the probability of alcohol and tobacco consumption and spending levels. Income also plays a key role in explaining the amount spent on alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Demand elasticities are calculated under the Extended Linear Expenditure System (ELES). Demand for alcoholic beverages and tobacco is found to be inelastic. The effects of increasing taxation on alcohol and tobacco consumption in Thailand are estimated. The findings are that excise taxes in Thailand are efficient taxes with only a modest rise in deadweight loss. Taxes result in a small decrease in consumption but generate higher expenditure and government tax revenue. Excise tax on alcoholic beverages results in a net benefit to the Thai economy. Tobacco taxes increase total expenditure and government revenue as well as increasing net benefit to the Thai economy. However, the low elasticities of demand also mean that excise taxes have only a small impact on reducing the costs associated with drinking and smoking.

Biochemical parameters response to weight loss in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease that is capable of progressing to end-stage liver disease, but generally has a benign course. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a growing public health problem with no approved therapy. NASH projected to be the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States by 2020. Obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia are the most common associations of the disease. Global prevalence of NASH is 10-24% amongst general population but increases to 25-75% in obese diabetic individuals. Objective: There is an urgent need for efficient therapeutic options as there is still no approved medication. The aim of this study was to detect changes in biochemical parameters including insulin resistance, cytokines, blood lipid profile and liver enzymes following weight loss in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Materials and methods: One hundred obese patients with NASH, their age between 35-50 years, body mass index (BMI) from 30 to 35 Kg/m2 were included in the study in two subgroups; the first group (A) received moderate aerobic exercise training in addition to diet regimen , where the second group (B) received no treatment intervention. Results: The mean values of leptin, TNF-α, IL6, IL8, Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance- index (HOMA-IR), Total Cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-c) , Triglycerides (TG) and BMI were significantly decreased in group (A), where the mean value of Adiponectin and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-c) were significantly increased, while there were no significant changes in group (B). Also, there was a significant difference between both groups at the end of the study. Conclusion: Weight loss modulates insulin resistance, adiponectin, leptin, inflammatory cytokine levels and markers of hepatic function in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Reduced lipoapoptosis, hedgehog pathway activation and fibrosis in caspase-2 deficient mice with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

International audience

Use of BARD scoring system in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients and its correlation with ultrasonographic grading in Gizan, Saudi Arabia

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of the BARD scoring system in Saudi non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients attending Gizan General Hospital and to identify the clinical variables associated with advanced fibrosis. . Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 120 patients aged ≥ 18 years who attended the Ultrasound Department of Gizan General Hospital, Gizan, Saudi Arabia, during January – June 2013. BARD scoring system comprised the following variables: body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 = 1 point, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio ≥ 0.8 = 2 points, and type 2 diabetes mellitus = 1 point. Results: Patients with advanced fibrosis were older (55.0 years) than patients with no/mild fibrosis (48.6 years), albeit not significantly so. A higher BMI was associated with advanced fibrosis in males, females and all study participants (p = 0.013, 0.016 and 0.001, respectively). Advanced fibrosis was more common in older patients with a higher weight to height ratio. Logistic regression suggested that age ≥ 50 years was associated with a 2.52-fold increase in the risk of advanced fibrosis, but this did not have a significant clinical impact (p = 0.087). BMI > 28 was associated with a 26.73-fold increased risk of advanced fibrosis, while AST/ALT ≥ 0.8 was associated with an 18.46-fold increased risk of advanced liver fibrosis (p = 0.002 and 0.006, respectively). Conclusion: The major risk factors for advanced fibrosis using BARD scoring system in patients with NAFLD were old age, BMI > 28, and AST/ALT ≥ 0.8. In addition, grade 3 ultrasonographic fatty liver significantly correlated with advanced fibrosis.

Análise do processo de formulação de uma proposta de regulamentação de propagandas de alimentos: um estudo de caso

O consumo de alimentos processados tem crescido mundialmente e esse aumento tem sido relacionado em parte, pelas estratégias de marketing utilizadas pelas indústrias alimentícias que tem como objetivo aumentar as vendas e expandir o mercado consumidor. Segundo documento Recomendações da Consulta de Especialistas da Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde sobre a Promoção e a Publicidade de Alimentos e Bebidas Não Alcoólicas para Crianças nas Américas, a publicidade televisiva é a forma mais utilizada de marketing de alimentos para crianças e está associada a maior preferência e aumentos nos pedidos de compra de alimentos e bebidas com elevado teor de gordura, açúcar e sal. No âmbito da discussão mais recente sobre a possível influência da propaganda de alimentos na epidemia mundial de obesidade e doenças crônicas, o governo brasileiro, por meio da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), formulou uma proposta de Regulamento Técnico que normatiza os termos das atividades publicitárias e que se concretizou na Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada n 24 de 2010 (RDC24/2010). Logo após sua publicação, grupos de interesse empresarial entraram na justiça e obtiveram diversas liminares que suspenderam a aplicação da RDC 24/2010 com base em parecer contrário da Advocacia Geral da União (AGU). O debate sobre ações regulatórias no campo da alimentação e nutrição como estratégia de controle e prevenção da obesidade envolve diversos atores sociais e opiniões bastante distintas e antagônicas, principalmente quando se trata dos argumentos do grupo de indivíduos que acredita na regulamentação da publicidade como uma forma de promover a saúde versus os argumentos contrários dos setores econômicos ligados ao tema a ser regulado. Neste sentido, este trabalho teve a intenção de descrever como e por que, neste processo, algumas práticas se estabeleceram no cotidiano das instituições e identificar os embates, argumentos e conflitos de interesses que apareceram nas discussões a respeito da formulação da resolução. Para isso, foi feita, primeiramente, análise documental de todo o processo de formulação, através de arquivos institucionais, documentos, pareceres, relatórios, entre outros. Posteriormente, foram identificados e caracterizados os sujeitos que participaram do processo e em seguida, realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com atores chaves. Foram encontradas duas teses centrais no debate em torno da formulação da resolução: a primeira, se o Estado deve estabelecer uma regulamentação sobre publicidade de alimentos e a segunda diz respeito à competência legal da ANVISA em exercer o papel regulador sobre a propaganda de alimentos. As disputas em torno destas duas teses e os argumentos que se apresentaram para defendê-las são evidentemente incomensuráveis entre si, não havendo esperança de acordo entre as partes. O caso descrito elegeu a ANVISA como o território da disputa e a aparente maioria no jogo democrático desta arena mostrou-se ineficaz diante da captura pelo questionamento da pertinência desta Agência para função de regular a publicidade de alimentos.

How to increase brand value expanding the category and brand presence to the main meal occasion for Sumol- Compal

Having registered negative retail value growth of 4% in Portugal in 2014, the juice category is set to decline further by 5,5% until 2019. Manufacturers of juices and nectars are therefore increasingly looking for new categories in order to balance this negative forecast in their home territory. One apparent growth opportunity for Compal, the leading producer of juices and nectars, is to expand its commercial reach to new occasions of consumption. This report carefully analyzes the opportunities related to an expansion to the main meal occasion and introduces a complete marketing and communications plan for a possible new main meal juice, Compal à Mesa. The product concept represents a rather premium positioning for the main meal occasion, including new flavor mixes that are targeted at different occasions of meals. The justification of the introduced concept includes a discussion of the primary and secondary research that was performed

Tropical Paradise: una propuesta exportadora

El proyecto de grado de Administración de Negocios Internacionales expuesto en este trabajo académico, tiene su marco estructural en la empresa Tropical Paradise, comercializadora de cócteles tropicales liofilizados sin alcohol, con el cual se busca demostrar la factibilidad y viabilidad de que Colombia exporte un producto innovador en contrapuesta de los productos que exporta tradicionalmente a nivel mundial. Dentro del plan exportador de la empresa Tropical Paradise, Alemania será el primer país importador de cócteles tropicales liofilizados sin alcohol y se constituirá como distribuidor del producto al interior del país y a otros países de la Unión Europea.

Caracterização físico-química, energética e sensorial de refresco adoçado de jabuticaba

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Conflitos de uso do solo em APPs na bacia hidrográfica do córrego Barra Seca (Pederneiras/SP) em função da legislação ambiental

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Uso da padronização interna em espectrometria de absorção atômica em forno de grafite na determinação de 'SE' e 'NI' em bebidas não alcoólicas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Expectativa do consumidor de bebida funcional não alcoólica e percepção de alimentos funcionais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Teores de nutrientes, valores energéticos e legalidade em bebidas não alcoólicas comerciais de manga e de goiaba

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Suco integral de amora (Morus nigra L.) obtido através de prensagem e despolpamento: rendimento e caracterização físico-química

Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a fruit with a great potential for technological uses, which could be employed to manufacture of syrups, ice cream, candies, yoghurts, beverages, jam, etc. Only the leaf from mulberry trees is commercially used for silkworm feeding. This tree is cultivated on many agricultural environments such as small rural proprieties and settlements. Small farmers waste a great amount of their production for not knowing about mulberry technology. Thus, the objective of this work was to access extraction yield and physical-chemical properties of mulberry whole juice from ripe, green and a mixture of both by using press and depulper. Statistical analysis of results was carried by media and standard deviation calculations. 173 kg of mulberry were picked being 49.31% ripe and 50.68% green. Press delivered greater extraction yield of whole juice (80.50% to 81.60%) when compared to press (71.43% to 77.50%). Whole juice obtained from both equipments has shown the following values: soluble solids 7.45% - 12.11%, titrable acidity 0.45 – 1.23%, ratio 6.03 – 26.84, pH 3.69 – 4.35, total reducing sugar 4.05% – 9.96%, reducing sugar 3.95% - 9.15%, sucrose 0.00% - 0.04%, turbidity 221.25 NTU - >4,000 NTU. Whole juices obtained from both equipments has shown similar physical-chemical characteristics except turbidity. The authors concluded that press was the best extraction equipment due to its greater yield and whole juice quality regarding turbidity