Spanish Validation of the Self-Perceived Food Literacy Scale: A Five-Factor Model Proposition.

Food literacy is a combination of functional, critical, and relational skills that pave the way for navigating the food system properly, taking personally and contextually available resources into account. The aim was to validate the Spanish version of the self-perceived food literacy scale in university students to explore the factorial structure of it and to correlate food literacy with other variables. The sample was composed of 362 Spanish university students (314 women). The full questionnaire was administered online and also assessed adherence to a Mediterranean diet, impulsivity, and health-related quality of life for convergent validity testing purposes. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure of the food literacy scale. The Spanish version of the scale showed good indices of internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.894). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a five-factor model that had a better fit index than the seven-factor model of the original scale. External validity was assessed by showing significant correlations with the rest of the variables. Therefore, the Spanish version of the scale is a reliable and valid measure of food literacy. It could be used to promote policies at Spanish universities to improve the food-related behaviors of students.

Inhibition of the lemon brown rot causal agent Phytophthora citrophthora by low-toxicity compounds.

BACKGROUND: Phytophthora spp., soil-borne oomycetes, cause brown rot (BR) on postharvest lemons. The management of this disease is based on cultural practices and chemical control using inorganic salts of limited efficacy. In the search for new alternatives, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of low-toxicity compounds to inhibit the growth of P. citrophthora and to control BR disease on lemons. Sodium bicarbonate, potassium sorbate, polyhexamethylene guanidine, Ascophyllum nodosum extract and a formulation containing phosphite salts plus A. nodosum (P+An) were evaluated. RESULTS: All tested products inhibited mycelial growth, sporangia formation and zoospore germination of P. citrophthora in vitro. In postharvest applications on artificially inoculated lemons, only P+An exhibited a BR curative effect, with incidence reduction of around 60%. When this formulation was applied in field treatments, BR incidence was reduced by 40% on lemons harvested and inoculated up to 30 days post application. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the in vitro direct anti-oomycete effect of low-toxicity compounds and the in vivo efficacy of P+An formulation to control BR, encouraging the incorporation of the latter in the management of citrus BR. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Synthesis and Characterization of Acetylated Cassava Starch with Different Degrees of Substitution

Abstract Acetylated cassava starch with low and medium degrees of substitution (DS) were synthesized. Also, the effect of DS on swelling power, solubility, morphological properties, gelatinization temperature, paste clarity and moisture sorption were studied. Swelling power and solubility in water between 50ºC and 90°C were determined. Acetylated cassava starches with low DS showed an increased in both parameters, while at higher DS values a reduction of them was observed. Maximum swelling power values were measured in acetylated starch with DS of 0.2 and maximum solubility was registered at DS of 0.72. Equilibrium moisture content values from sorption isotherms presented a good fit using the GAB model (R2>0.96). SEM micrographs showed that as acetyl groups are incorporated the granules suffer surface changes and eventually lose their structure at DS of 1.5. Clarity of acetylated starch pastes with low DS was lighter than native starch paste. In addition, the increase in DS produced a reduction in gelatinization temperature.