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1 – 10 of over 15000Tianliang Wang, Ya-Meng He, Zhen Wu and Jun-jun Li
This paper aims to study the impacts of groundwater seepage on artificial freezing process of gravel strata, the temperature field characteristics of the strata, and the strata…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the impacts of groundwater seepage on artificial freezing process of gravel strata, the temperature field characteristics of the strata, and the strata process, closure time and thickness evolution mechanism of the frozen wall.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper several laboratory model tests were conducted, considering different groundwater seepage rate.
Findings
The results show that there is a significant coupling effect between the cold diffusion of artificial freezing pipes and groundwater seepage; when there is no seepage, temperature fields upstream and downstream of the gravel strata are symmetrically distributed, and the thickness of the frozen soil column/frozen wall is consistent during artificial freezing; groundwater seepage causes significant asymmetry in the temperature fields upstream and downstream of the gravel strata, and the greater the seepage rate, the more obvious the asymmetry; the frozen wall closure time increases linearly with the increase in the groundwater seepage rate, and specifically, the time length under seepage rate of 5.00 m d−1 is 3.2 times longer than that under no seepage; due to the erosion from groundwater seepage, the thickness of the upstream frozen wall decreases linearly with the seepage velocity, while that of the downstream frozen wall increases linearly, resulting in a saddle-shaped frozen wall.
Originality/value
The research results are beneficial to the optimum design and risk control of artificial freezing process in gravel strata.
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The purpose of this paper is to define the sustainability attributes of frozen and fresh food consumption in a typical household. The reason for writing this paper is that food…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to define the sustainability attributes of frozen and fresh food consumption in a typical household. The reason for writing this paper is that food preservation is often overlooked when developing sustainability strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses established carbon footprint data for specific food types and consumer survey data to determine how consumers use fresh and frozen products in the home. Consumption and waste data for 83 households was obtained using a combination of narrative and graphical association questions.
Findings
The results show greenhouse gas emissions associated with a diets containing frozen food are reduced because 47 per cent less frozen foods is wasted as compared to fresh foods with a typical household wasting 10.4 per cent of fresh food and 5.9 per cent frozen food.
Research limitations/implications
This research has highlighted the importance of understanding the waste impacts of catering and food service consumption outside the home.
Practical implications
This research will guide future product development for frozen foods with regard to dietary planning and portion control.
Social implications
The cost and sustainability benefits of meal planning are identified and these will inform policy making and education to improve dietary choices.
Originality/value
This work extends the scope of current consumer surveys that assess quality, value and taste attributes to sustainability criteria and it will enable collaboration between fresh and frozen product categories to deliver sustainable dietary options.
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Santosh Hooda and Asha Kawatra
Baby corn (Zea mays) is young, finger‐like, unfertilized cobs of maize with one to three centimeters of emerged silk, preferably harvested within 24 hours of silk emergence…
Abstract
Purpose
Baby corn (Zea mays) is young, finger‐like, unfertilized cobs of maize with one to three centimeters of emerged silk, preferably harvested within 24 hours of silk emergence depending upon the growing season. It is a very perishable vegetable and hence the purpose of this present study is to standardize the freezing method for extending the shelf life of baby corn and to study the effect of frozen storage of 90 days on its nutritional composition.
Design/methodology/approach
Frozen baby corn was analysed for various nutritional parameters, namely proximate composition, minerals, in vitro starch and protein digestibility and vitamin, at regular intervals of 30 days for nine months.
Findings
Moisture, crude protein, crude fat and crude fibre content of baby corn showed no significant change during 90 days of frozen storage. A significant reduction was observed in calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron content of frozen baby corn. In vitro starch and protein digestibility showed a non‐significant change during frozen storage. Ascorbic acid and beta‐carotene content of frozen baby corn decreased significantly by 11.60 and 10.75 percent, respectively, by the end of 90 days of storage.
Originality/value
The present study indicates that freezing is an effective processing technology to enhance the storage life of baby corn.
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Hristina Dzhogleva Nikolova, J. Jeffrey Inman, Jim Maurer, Andrew Greiner and Gala Amoroso
In the age of “big data,” one of the most important capabilities that differentiates the winners from the losers in the intensely competitive grocery market is how successfully a…
Abstract
In the age of “big data,” one of the most important capabilities that differentiates the winners from the losers in the intensely competitive grocery market is how successfully a firm can harness its vast amounts of shopper data to become more shopper-centric. Grocery retailers struggle with how to manage the tremendous amount of data available to them and best leverage their frequent shopper data to derive insights. These data also present an opportunity for academic research on decision-making and evaluation of strategic initiatives. This chapter discusses three case studies that illustrate the various capabilities of frequent shopper data in generating shopper insights. Specifically, using frequent shopper data for millions of shoppers, the three case studies demonstrate how frequent shopper data can be used as an important information asset for understanding differences and similarities among different shopper groups (Case Study 1), as a means to assess the effectiveness of store redesigns/environment changes (Case Study 2), and as a key tool for evaluating program success (Case Study 3). The chapter concludes with a discussion of how successful collaboration between practitioners and academics can be a boon to both business success and academic research.
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This chapter examines two 21st-century Disney fairy tale adaptations, Frozen (2013) and its sequel Frozen II (2019), focussing on the representation of male characters and the…
Abstract
This chapter examines two 21st-century Disney fairy tale adaptations, Frozen (2013) and its sequel Frozen II (2019), focussing on the representation of male characters and the discourse on masculinity that can be inferred from both films.
Despite featuring two prominent female protagonists – Queen Elsa and Princess Anna – and dealing with themes such as sisterhood and female bonding, a close reading of the two films reveals that they are as much about masculinity as they are about femininity. For instance, filmmakers introduce heterosexual romance where there was none before, as well as male characters Prince Hans and Kristoff, who are not present in the literary source that they draw from, Hans Christian Andersen's ‘The Snow Queen’ (1844).
Furthermore, these male characters are given names, personalities, and motivations, which cannot be said of previous Disney fairy tale Prince Charming-type figures. Therefore, Hans and Kristoff are proposed to be variations of this archetype and can be read as an attempt on Disney's part to complicate it, undermine the patriarchal masculinity that it stood for in its previous Disney renderings, and propose alternative models for the implied 21st-century audience.
Although Prince Hans is initially presented as a stereotypical Disney fairy tale prince, he is eventually revealed to be a narcissistic lover and a patriarchal villain. Kristoff, by contrast, is the humble, lower-class, sensitive ‘new’ man who is presented as a socially acceptable alternative and finally takes Prince Charming's place by becoming the princess's love interest and partner. Frozen can be read as a cautionary tale that urges young women to choose their romantic (male) partners wisely and warns both male and female audiences against the dangers of fragile patriarchal masculinity.
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Erica van Herpen and Koen Jaegers
Bread waste is one of the largest contributors to the environmental footprint of supermarkets, mostly because of the short shelf life of fresh bread. This study examined a…
Abstract
Purpose
Bread waste is one of the largest contributors to the environmental footprint of supermarkets, mostly because of the short shelf life of fresh bread. This study examined a possible solution: offering frozen bread with a considerably longer shelf life. Professional freezing of bread can preserve its quality better than freezing at home. In introducing frozen bread, supermarkets can communicate either a high construal social benefit (food waste reduction) or a low construal personal benefit (product quality).
Design/methodology/approach
An online experiment (n = 367) with a three group between subjects design was used. Dutch participants saw an offering of frozen bread accompanied by (1) a communication message about food waste, (2) a communication message about product quality, or (3) no communication message (control condition).
Findings
In line with expectations, emphasizing food waste reduction influenced general attitudes toward frozen bread and the bakery department more strongly than the benefit of higher product quality, while the opposite was true for purchase intentions.
Practical implications
Retailers who include frozen bread in their assortment have to make a trade-off between especially stimulating consumer attitudes toward the bakery department by focusing on a food waste reduction message, or especially stimulating sales by focusing on a quality message.
Originality/value
This study provides new insights into the effects of benefit communication on attitudes and purchase intentions. The results show that these effects differ for attitudes and intentions, depending on the communication message.
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Daniela Mariana de Lima Bragion and Helena Maria André Bolini
Carob has been proposed as a healthy, stimulant-free alternative to chocolate in frozen desserts. In order to make carob a viable and attractive alternative, food producers need…
Abstract
Purpose
Carob has been proposed as a healthy, stimulant-free alternative to chocolate in frozen desserts. In order to make carob a viable and attractive alternative, food producers need to know how it interacts with sweeteners and frozen dessert dispersion matrices. The purpose of this paper is to find the optimal sweetener concentration in three plant-based frozen desserts and carob-flavoured milk dispersion matrix ice cream.
Design/methodology/approach
The ideal sucrose concentrations (per cent) were determined through an affective test using the “just-about-right” scale for carob-flavoured frozen desserts made with cashew nut, coconut and soy beverage, as well as milk dispersion matrix. The sweetness equivalence of artificial sweeteners relative to sucrose was determined by the magnitude estimation test.
Findings
The authors identified the concentrations of sucrose, stevia and sucralose that produced ideal sweetness in carob-flavoured frozen desserts. Concentrations for soy-based frozen desserts differed from the other dispersion mediums tested. Plant-based frozen desserts exhibited a higher ratio of sweetening power of stevia and sucralose to sucrose compared to milk-based ice cream by a factor of 1.18 and 1.14, respectively.
Originality/value
This study undertook a comprehensive survey of a dairy-free and chocolate-free alternative to chocolate ice cream and found new sweetener interactions with dispersion matrices in carob-flavoured frozen desserts. The findings in this study can be applied in the development of carob-flavoured soybean-, coconut-, cashew nut- and milk-based frozen desserts.
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Beate Silvia Kölzer, Jasmin Geppert, Astrid Klingshirn, Harald Weber, Lilla Brugger, Antje Engstler, Jochen Härlen, Thomas Ertel, Thomas Gindele and Rainer Stamminger
More than 50 per cent of all German households own a freezing appliance and so far the market of frozen foods is constantly increasing (1 per cent from 2017 to 2018). Despite…
Abstract
Purpose
More than 50 per cent of all German households own a freezing appliance and so far the market of frozen foods is constantly increasing (1 per cent from 2017 to 2018). Despite frozen foods playing an important role in our everyday life, little is known about the consumer’s habits at home. The purpose of this paper is to uncover gaps in the knowledge about consumer behaviour when handling frozen food. Moreover, the impact of consumers on the quality of frozen products should be assessed.
Design/methodology/approach
A representative online survey was carried out to investigate different aspects of consumer behaviour concerning frozen foods. Respondents (n=2,053) were questioned about their general handling habits regarding eight different food groups: fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, bread, pastries, ready-to-eat meals and leftovers. The focus was on freezing, pre-handling, packaging and thawing – depending on the age of those questioned and combined with best practice advice regarding quality storage of frozen products.
Findings
Most Germans have the opportunity to freeze food and keep their freezers full or medium loaded. Older participants act more efficiently towards quality storage, but more education about freezing and frozen storage would be generally helpful to maintain quality of frozen foods and increase utilisation of freezers, using their full preservation potential.
Research limitations/implications
No open questions were asked due to the scope of more than 2,000 participants, which, in retrospect, would have been instructive.
Originality/value
Consumer handling of frozen food in Germany was investigated in a representative way for the first time, covering age groups from 18 to 69 and household sizes from 1 to >4 people, focussing on eight major food groups.
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Wayne Martindale and Walter Schiebel
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationship between food preservation and reducing consumer waste is of value in developing sustainable meal options. The research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationship between food preservation and reducing consumer waste is of value in developing sustainable meal options. The research reports insights into Austrian marketplace for frozen and fresh foods that have been obtained from a consumer survey.
Design/methodology/approach
The consumer survey methodologies indicate how preservation can change meal planning and lower food waste across frozen and fresh and ambient food purchases using freezing preservation methods.
Findings
The results show food waste can be reduced by six-fold when frozen foods are compared with fresh foods.
Research limitations/implications
This study highlights the requirement for a greater understanding of the probability that specific foods will be wasted with respect to the frequency of purchase. This is a limitation of the current study that has been investigated by other researchers.
Practical implications
This research has enabled the identification of different food waste amounts for different food product categories. The data presented could be used to guide food product development so that less consumer waste is produced.
Social implications
The research suggests a decision matrix approach can be used to can guide new product development and a model of this matrix is presented so that it may provide fit-for-purpose food preservation options for consumers.
Originality/value
This paper will continue to highlight the overlooked value of food preservation during processing and manufacturing of foods and their preparation in households.
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Wei Xiao, Enlong Liu, Xiao Yin, Guike Zhang, Chong Zhang and Qihao Yu
The purpose of this paper is to perform the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) numerical analysis in order to study the thawing process for frozen soil and to predict the thawing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to perform the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) numerical analysis in order to study the thawing process for frozen soil and to predict the thawing settlement.
Design/methodology/approach
A new one-dimensional multi-field physical coupled model was proposed here to describe the thawing process of saturated frozen soil, whereby the void ratio varied linearly with effective stress (Eq. 10) and hydraulic conductivity (Eq. 27b). The thawing process was simulated with different initial and boundary conditions in an open system with temperature variations. The mechanical behavior and water migration of the representative cases were also investigated.
Findings
The comparisons of representative cases with experimental data demonstrated that the model predicts thawing settlement well. It was found that the larger temperature gradient, higher overburden pressure and higher water content could lead to larger thawing settlement. The temperature was observed that to distribute height linearly in both frozen zone and unfrozen zone of the sample. Water migration forced to a decrease in the water content of the unfrozen zone and an increase in water content at the thawing front.
Research limitations/implications
In this study, only the one-directional thawing processes along the frozen soil samples were investigated numerically and compared with test results, which can be extended to two-dimensional analysis of thawing process in frozen soil.
Originality/value
This study helps to understand the thawing process of frozen soil by coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical numerical simulation.
Details