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The purpose of this paper was to find out the appropriate enzymatic hydrolysis conditions of alkali pretreated olive pomace (OP) which enable maximum yield of reducing sugar.

The commercial enzymatic preparation (Viscozyme^® L) was used for the hydrolysis of OP. The effects of pretreatment, time, temperature, pH, enzyme quantity and substrate loading on the hydrolysis yield were investigated.

This study showed that enzymatic hydrolysis of OP using Viscozyme^® L can be successfully performed at 50°C. Alkaline pretreatment step of OP prior the enzymatic hydrolysis was indispensable. The hydrolysis yield of alkaline pretreated OP was 2.6 times higher than the hydrolysis yield of untreated OP. Highest hydrolysis yield (33.5 ± 1.5 per cent) was achieved after 24 h using 1 per cent (w/v) OP load in the presence of 100 μl Viscozyme^® L at 50°C and pH 5.5 with mixing rate of 100 rpm (p = 0.05).

Reaction time, temperature, pH value and enzyme quantity were found to have a significant effect on enzymatic hydrolysis yield of alkali pretreated of OP. Although high-solid loadings of OP lowered the hydrolysis yield, it produced higher concentration of reducing sugars, which may render the OP conversion process more economically feasible.

Investment decisions by agribusiness firms are costly and subject to high volatility and uncertainty. In many cases, the project value is not only determined by its cash‐flows stream and financial side effects but also by the presence of substantial future uncertainty such as project implementation delay and growth opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate an agribusiness project taking into account these two options and to illustrate the how risks that evolve over time can affect sequential investment decisions in the oleic oil industry in Tunisia.

The methodology used to capture the investment project value and analyze the impact of lags between the initial investment decision and its implementation on project value is based on a decision tree method and binomial lattice method (which adds growth option). The project valuation is based, first on actual data at the time of the initial decision and second the authors use the full information to report on the true value of the investment opportunity as real time evolved.

Findings show that time to build is a very important factor in valuing an agribusiness especially when efficiency is strongly governed by climatic conditions and international market uncertainty. Our real options approach shows that production delays can deteriorate the follow‐on project value by as much as 53 percent. The implicit growth option falls to only 27 percent of the total project value while it was about 58 percent according to the standard forecast. The delay in project implementation not only affects the firm project financing costs and the loss of revenue, but also it contributes to modify the initial marketing strategy.

The paper is a first application of real option approach to the oleic oil industry. The methodology used in the paper can be adapted by practitioners and investors to adequately value oleic projects.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of olive cake (OC) on oxidant/antioxidant biomarkers, lipase activity and on the histological analysis of epididymal fat, in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats.

Male obese rats were divided into two groups and were fed an HFD supplemented (HFD-OC) or not (HFD) with OC for 28 days. A control group was fed a standard diet for the same experimental period.

HFD significantly increased body weight, which was reduced by OC in the HFD-OC compared to HFD (p = 0.038). Lipase activity was higher (52%; p = 0.009) in the HFD group than the control group. Administration of OC to the obese rats decreased significantly this activity (38%; p = 0.025) compared to the HFD group. Serum thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, lipid hydroperoxide and advanced oxidation protein products levels were significantly increased in the HFD group than the control group (p = 0.032, p = 0.023 and p = 0.017, respectively). These levels were significantly reduced in HFD-OC compared to the HFD group (p = 0.030, p = 0.021 and p = 0.010, respectively). Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were decreased (53%; p = 0.04), (61%; p = 0.03) and (32%; p = 0.002), in the HFD group than the control group. OC restored these activities (46%; p = 0.01), (58%; p = 0.003) and (30%; p = 0.0003) in the HFD-OC rats than the HFD rats. Consumption of the HFD resulted in adipocyte hypertrophy. Indeed, epididymal adipocyte size was significantly larger in the HFD group than the control group (p = 0.0001), whereas it was reduced in the HFD-OC compared to the HFD group (p = 0.012).

OC possesses an anti-obesity effect. This effect might be mediated by lipase inhibition, reduced oxidative stress and increased antioxidant activities. In addition, the reduction of fat accumulation in adipose tissue by OC consumption is reflected by reducing adipocyte size.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of olive cake (CO) on glycaemia and lipemia and lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activities in erythrocytes and tissues, in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (55 mg/kg BW). In total, 12 diabetic D rats, weighing 260 ± 20 g, were divided into two groups fed a casein diet supplemented (D-OC) or not (D) with OC (7.5 per cent), for four weeks.

In D-OC compared with D, glycaemia, total cholesterol and triglycerides values (−40 per cent; p = 0.007, 27 per cent; p = 0.007 and −27 per cent; p = 0.0019). In erythrocyte, liver, kidney, heart, muscle and brain, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances contents were respectively, (−19 per cent; p = 0.03, −32 per cent; p = 0.002, −20 per cent; p = 0.04, −68 per cent; p = 0.003, −74 per cent; p = 0.0003 and −38 per cent; p = 0.04). In erythrocyte, SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activities were respectively, (+14 per cent; p = 0.01, +74 per cent; p = 0.012 and +34 per cent; p = 0.0009). In the liver, kidney, heart and muscle, SOD activity was respectively, (+31 per cent; p = 0.004, +12 per cent; p = 0.038, +43 per cent; p = 0.001 and +23 per cent; p = 0.18). GSH-Px activity was respectively, (+121 per cent; p = 0.0009, 89 per cent; p = 0.0006, + 95 per cent; p = 0.008, +71 per cent; p = 0.02 and +26 per cent; p = 0.01), in the liver, kidney, heart, muscle and brain. Catalase activity was (+21 per cent; p = 0.008) in the liver, (+88 per cent; p = 0.0002 in the kidney, +53 per cent; p = 0,002 in the heart and 83 per cent; p = 0.00004 in the muscle).

In diabetic rats, OC reduces hyperglycaemia induced by STZ and attenuates triglyceridemia and cholesterolemia. This residue is able to decrease the oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidant enzymes activity in erythrocytes and tissues. The high contents of phytoconstituents present in OC are considered to be responsible for this effect.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of olive cake (OC) on lipid peroxidation as well as antioxidant enzymes activities of serum, red blood cells (RBCs) and liver, in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced-diabetic rat fed cholesterol-enriched diet.

Hypercholesterolemic male rats were rendered diabetic (HC-D) by a single intraperitoneal injection dose of STZ (35 mg/kg BW). HC-D rats were divided into two groups fed for 28d a diet supplemented with OC at 7.5 percent (HC-D-OC) or not (HC-D). A control group (C) was submitted to standard diet containing 20 per cent casein for the same experimental period.

RBCs, serum and liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) contents were significantly increased in HC-D, compared to C group (p = 0.04, p = 0.02 and 0.03). These values were significantly decreased (48 per cent and 64 per cent; p = 0.02 and p = 0.0007) in serum and liver of HC-D-OC vs HC-D group. In RBCs, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were, respectively, 1.5, 2- and 1.7-fold higher (p = 0.03, p = 0.008 and p = 0.03) in HC-D group compared to HC group. In serum and liver, SOD, CAT and GST activities were, respectively, 1.3-, 2.6- and 1.6-fold increased (p = 0.03, p = 0.007 and p = 0.02). In HC-D-OC compared to HC-D group, RBCs glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), CAT and GST activities were, respectively, 2.1-, 3.3- and 2.1-fold higher (p = 0.04, p = 0.0009 and p = 0.03). In serum, SOD and CAT activities were, respectively, 1.5- and 1.9-fold increased (p = 0.02, p = 0.02). In liver, SOD, GSH-PX, CAT and GST activities were significantly increased (p = 0.005, p = 0.03, p = 0.02 and p = 0.04).

In diabetic rats-fed cholesterol-enriched diet, OC was able to reduce oxidative stress by decreasing lipid peroxidation and increasing antioxidant enzymes activities in serum, RBCs and liver.

This paper aims to evaluate hematological parameters, blood glutathione (GSH), serum glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6-PD) and liver function in favism animals' models after oral intake with a mixture of pickled olives and Vicia faba (V. faba) seeds.

Favism is a life-threatening hemolytic crisis. It results from the ingestion of V. faba by the individuals. The hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), serum glucose, blood GSH, serum G6-PD, serum thiobarbaturic acid reactive substances (TBARS), liver protein and liver function were evaluated after oral administration with a mixture of pickled olives with V. faba seeds in favism animals' models.

The favism-, vicine- and convicine-treated animals showed a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in Hb (6.42, 7.23 and 5.96 g/dl), Hct (25.4, 26.4 and 25.1%), RBCs (2.56, 2.45 and 2.60 106 cells/mm³, WBCs (4.35, 4.25 and 4.30 103 cells/mm³), serum glucose (95.8, 97.1 and 96.5 mg/dl), blood GSH (24.7, 26.6 and 23.8 mg/dl), serum G6-PD (15.8, 15.9 and 15.7 U/L), serum aspartate aminotransferase (6.35, 6.59 and 5.97 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (4.49, 4.61 and 4.50 U/L), total protein (6.54, 6.59 and 6.40 g/dl), albumin (3.84, 3.91 and 3.75 g/dl), globulin (2.70, 2.48 and 2.65 g/dl) and liver protein (3.37, 3.10 and 3.42 g/g tissue) but a significant increase (p < 0.01) in serum TBARS (38.7, 38.9 and 39.4 nmol/dl), alkaline phosphatase (275, 271 and 281 U/L) and total bilirubin (0.93, 0.89 and 0.91 mg/dl) compared to Hb (16.3 g/dl), Hct (45.3%), RBCs (5.80 106 cells/mm³), WBCs (9.45 103 cells/mm³), serum glucose (96.5 mg/dl), blood GSH (39.7 mg/dl), serum G6-PD (36.1 U/L), serum TBARS (18.0 nmol/dl), serum aspartate aminotransferase (19.8 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (9.23 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (214 U/L), total bilirubin (0.57 mg/dl), total protein (8.76 g/dl), albumin (4.85 g/dl), globulin (3.91 g/dl) and liver protein (6.28 g/g tissue) in control group. The oral administration with pickled olives + V. faba, pickled olives + vicine and pickled olives + convicine into favism animals' models, vicine-treated animals and convicine-treated animals, respectively pushed all the above-mentioned parameters to near the control levels.

V. faba contains vicine and convicine glycosides. Vicine and convicine glycosides in V. faba are hydrolyzed by intestinal microflora to aglycones divicine and isouramil, respectively. Divicine and isouramil are highly reactive compounds generating free radicals where divicine and isouramil are the main factors of favism. The ß-glucosidase in pickled olives converts both vicine and convicine glycosides into aglycones divicine and isouramil, respectively, in aerobic condition outside the human body (in inactive forms) and prevent these glycosides to cause favism.

This paper aims to: better understand the country of origin (COO) construct by adopting a lens of marketplace mythology; and develop a conceptual framework delineating the process of mythologizing a country through the use of packaging.

Analysis of narratives on food product packages that claim a connection to Italy lets this qualitative study join two streams of research – on COO effect and marketplace mythology.

The work proposes four mythological properties of the country of origin construct, discusses their major dimensions, establishes their relationship, and develops a conceptual framework delineating the mythological nature of the country of origin construct.

Several directions for future research may enhance this study. For example, the interpretation of the narratives by the consumers of food products claiming an Italian connection will allow exploring how the mythic structures employed by marketers are read by the intended readers.

The importance of COO effects on consumer decision making is expected to become even stronger with current globalization trends that increasingly move products across countries and force marketers to engage in a battle to differentiate their brands – in many cases by capitalizing on the origin of products.

By exploring food package stories, the paper focuses on the carrier of mythic meaning that is under‐researched in both COO and marketplace mythology studies. The present study adds to the understanding of how geography ceases being a mere informational “Made in” statement and is transformed into a powerful cultural marker, full of symbolically framed meaning.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the links between olive growing, hospitality and tourism in an emerging olive growing region, as well as challenges olive grove operators face.

A qualitative approach is taken in the form of face‐to‐face and telephone interviews among 23 olive grove operators in Western Australia from a sample of 33 operations identified.

Almost half of the respondents indicated being open to the public in some form, including cellar door sales and hospitality facilities, such as a café. Other respondents are currently in the process of developing hospitality facilities or plan to be associated to tourism. However, some responses identified existing marketing issues and outside competition from cheaper products as current constraints.

That only 23 respondents participated in the study does clearly limit the generalisability of the findings in regards to olive growing in Western Australian or elsewhere. Despite this limitation, this exploratory study provides first insights into an unexplored emerging and increasingly multifunctional industry.

In view of some operators' concerns of being able to market their products in the future, the findings illustrate that the mix of strategies combining the olive products, hospitality and/or tourism could have several positive impacts on this emerging industry for those operators willing and able to pursue such paths.

The current developmental stage of olive growing and its potential for further extending into “olive tourism” or related concepts suggests opportunities for future research.

Mr. LEVENSTEIN, the President of the Society of Chemical Industry, in his address delivered at Liverpool recently, dealt very fully with the question of the commercial position of Great Britain as compared with other countries, more especially Germany, and emphasised the fact that if this country is to compete successfully with her contemporaries she must, to use the words of the Prince of Wales at the Gúildhall, “wake up.” After reviewing the chief factors making for Germany's advance in industry and commerce Mr. LEVENSTEIN says: “How are we to defend ourselves? Shall we rest content as we are or bestir ourselves and awake to the irresistible fact that continued apathy and indifference mean ruin to our national position?” This is strong language but not stronger than the occasion demands, for the statistics by which these observations are backed clearly indicate a marked decadence in the national prosperity notwithstanding the years of apparent “record” trade, which, however, cannot be regarded so favourably when subjected to detailed analysis and comparison. Mr. LEVENSTEIN'S suggestions to meet this situation are as follows: (1) The appointment of a competent and expert Minister of Commerce. (2) The nationalisation and extension of our canals and waterways. (3) A measure for greatly extending and improving our secondary education. (4) A sensible reform of our patent laws.

The Protection of Consumers (Trade Descriptions) bill which, owing to the General Election, did not quite make the Statute Book in the last Parliament, is, at the moment of writing, passing through its readings, with every likelihood of becoming law in the near future. It has been criticised for the extent of the control to be exercised over general trading and that in “coddling the customer” it will place unreasonable responsibilities upon retailers. In fact, it is impossible to foresee just how far its provisions may extend, but there will be few who will disagree that new and more searching requirements are long overdue.