Form, size and volumetric expansion of Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis) during soaking

This study analyzed the variation in shape and size of Adzuki beans during soaking at different temperatures. In addition, different mathematical models were fitted to the experimental values of volumetric expansion, selecting the best one. Grains of Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis) with moisture content of approximately 0.25 (decimal d.b.) were manually harvested; they were, then, dried to 0.128 (decimal d.b.). The beans were subjected to soaking in distilled water at the temperatures 18 ± 1, 27 ± 1, 36 ± 1, and 45 ± 1 °C, in five repetitions. Recipients containing 80 mL of distilled water and 20 g of beans for each sample were used. The samples were periodically weighed in order to determine the water absorption. After that, the samples were removed from the recipients and placed on filter papers for two minutes to drain the surface water. Water absorption continued until the beans reached the saturation moisture content. It was concluded that, the form of the Adzuki beans was altered regularly, the orthogonal axes expanded differentially in the radial and axial directions, and that the linear model appropriately described the volumetric expansion of the Adzuki beans, among the series of models analyzed for the temperatures 18, 27, 36 and 45 °C.

Development of effervescent products, in powder and tablet form, supplemented with probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus and Saccharomyces boulardii

Probiotics are living microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer health benefits on the host through a beneficial influence on the intestinal microbiota related to competition and to antagonistic and immunological effects. Thus, the objective of this study was the development of effervescent products (tablets and powder) supplemented with the probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus and Saccharomyces boulardii, and the identification of the best formulation in terms of viability of these microorganisms. The physical properties of the tablets (compressive force applied, mean weight, hardness, and friability) were assessed, and the viability of the microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract and their stability during storage were also determined. The results show that the microorganisms remained stable and viable during the 60-day storage period in the effervescent powder. However, the results indicated that the effect of compression force affected the viability of the microorganisms during the production of the effervescent tablets.

Optimization of extrusion variables for the production of snacks from by-products of rice and soybean

This study aimed to define the process conditions to obtain snacks from the by-products of rice and soybean with physical characteristics suitable for marketing. Therefore, the effects of moisture and extrusion temperature on the expansion and color of the products obtained experimentally obtained were evaluated, and the proximate composition of the by-products and that of the snack with greater desirability were determined. Response surface methodology and rotational central composite design were used, and desirability test based on the regression models adjusted was applied. The most desirable snack, with the highest expansion index (3.39), specific volume (13.5 mL.g-1), and the chromaticity coordinate a* (2.79), was obtained under 12 g.100 g-1 moisture and 85ºC of temperature in the third zone of the extruder. The snack produced under these conditions attained content of protein and lipid content 41 and 64% higher than that of the traditional corn snack. It can be concluded that producing extruded snack made form a mixture of broken grains, rice bran, and soybean okara (81:9:10) is technologically feasible, enabling the development of a new product with good nutritional value that can improve the diet of children, the main consumers of this type of food.

Content marketing performance measurement system in the context of customer acquisition

This thesis examines how content marketing is used in B2B customer acquisition and how content marketing performance measurement system is built and utilized in this context. Literature related to performance measurement, branding and buyer behavior is examined in the theoretical part in order to identify the elements influence on content marketing performance measurement design and usage. Qualitative case study is chosen in order to gain deep understanding of the phenomenon studied. The case company is a Finnish software vendor, which operates in B2B markets and has practiced content marketing for approximately two years. The in-depth interviews were conducted with three employees from marketing department. According to findings content marketing performance measurement system’s infrastructure is based on target market’s decision making processes, company’s own customer acquisition process, marketing automation tool and analytics solutions. The main roles of content marketing performance measurement system are measuring performance, strategy management and learning and improvement. Content marketing objectives in the context of customer acquisition are enhancing brand awareness, influencing brand attitude and lead generation. Both non-financial and financial outcomes are assessed by single phase specific metrics, phase specific overall KPIs and ratings related to lead’s involvement.

The effect of different concentrations of pre-harvest gibberellic acid on the quality and durability of ‘Obilnaja’ and ‘Black Star’ plum varieties

Abstract The research work aimed at investigating the effect of pre-harvest gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment on the quality of ‘Obilnaja’ and ‘Black Star’ Japanese plum varieties. GA3 was sprayed onto the trees during the fruit color break at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm concentrations. After pre-cooling, the plums were placed in modified atmosphere packages and exposed to the following conditions as follows: short storage-transportation (ST) [20 days at 2 °C and 90% relative humidity (RH)]; distribution center (DC) (5 days at 6 °C and 80% RH), and shelf life conditions (SL) (2 days at 20 °C and 70% RH). Pre-harvest GA3 treatments increased the fruit weight and size. Treatment of GA3 at 50, 75, and 100 ppm increased the fruit flesh firmness and total soluble substances (TSS) values in both the plum varieties during storage, transport, and marketing; it also limited the weight loss during the marketing process. Treatment of GA3 had no significant effects on the color, titratable acidity (TA), and the total phenolic and antioxidant activity values of plums. Pre-harvest GA3 treatment at 50 ppm GA3 can be thus recommended for both the plum varieties due to its effect on the fruit quality.

Impact of Word-of-Mouth on consumer decision-making: An information processing perspective in the context of a high-involvement service

This doctoral study conducts an empirical analysis of the impact of Word-of-Mouth (WOM) on marketing-relevant outcomes such as attitudes and consumer choice, during a high-involvement and complex service decision. Due to its importance to decisionmaking, WOM has attracted interest from academia and practitioners for decades. Consumers are known to discuss products and services with one another. These discussions help consumers to form an evaluative opinion, as WOM reduces perceived risk, simplifies complexity, and increases the confidence of consumers in decisionmaking. These discussions are also highly impactful as WOM is a trustworthy source of information, since it is independent from the company or brand. In responding to the calls for more research on what happens after WOM information is received, and how it affects marketing-relevant outcomes, this dissertation extends prior WOM literature by investigating how consumers process information in a highinvolvement service domain, in particular higher-education. Further, the dissertation studies how the form of WOM influences consumer choice. The research contributes to WOM and services marketing literature by developing and empirically testing a framework for information processing and studying the long-term effects of WOM. The results of the dissertation are presented in five research publications. The publications are based on longitudinal data. The research leads to the development of a proposed theoretical framework for the processing of WOM, based on theories from social psychology. The framework is specifically focused on service decisions, as it takes into account evaluation difficulty through the complex nature of choice criteria associated with service purchase decisions. Further, other gaps in current WOM literature are taken into account by, for example, examining how the source of WOM and service values affects the processing mechanism. The research also provides implications for managers aiming to trigger favorable WOM through marketing efforts, such as advertising and testimonials. The results provide suggestions on how to design these marketing efforts by taking into account the mechanism through which information is processed, or the form of social influence.