BACKGROUND Children use all of their senses when exploring new foods, and sensory-based food education provides new possibilities for promoting healthy dietary habits. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of sensory-based food education activities on children's willingness to eat test samples of selected vegetables and berries. DESIGN Two kindergartens in Hanko, Finland, participated in the stu...

The influence of dietary composition on dental caries experience has been well documented in experimental animals1'2 and in man.3-5 Conflicting reports exist regarding the role of cereals in the genesis of, or protection against, dental caries.6-8 It would be helpful for dietary counseling of the adolescent child if information could be generated to determine whether consumption of modern ready...

Minimally processed vegetables go through various steps during their preparation, with many modifications to their natural structure. However, they must maintain the same quality as the fresh produce. The aim of the present study was to quantify mesophilic and psychrotrophic microorganisms and total and faecal coliforms, and to assess the presence of Escherichia coli, parasites, and dirt materi...

Several studies have shown that enteric viruses can be transferred onto the surface of vegetables and fruits through spray irrigation, but, recently, reports have suggested viral contamination of vegetables sub-irrigated with reused wastewater. Hydroponic cultures, used to grow ready to eat fresh lettuce, have also been used to study the possibility of viral absorption through roots. This study...