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- Demystifying thickener classes food additives though molecular gastronomyPublication . Gomes, Lígia Rebelo; Simões, Catarina D.; Silva, CláudiaIn order to meet the nutritional needs of the increasing world population, a higher demand for food production seems to be imperative. This challenge is peremptory because it is necessary to find sustainable forms of production that have, in one hand, to meet the requirements of safety and quality and, simultaneously, the increase in demand. One way to achieve such a goal is to reduce waste along the food supply chain, which implies ensuring that most of the food produced reaches the population in conditions to be consumed. Food additives allow manufacturers to overcome the problem of limited supply of natural ingredients, increase the shelf life of food and simplify the complex procedures involved in cooking: they contribute to the reduction of waste and, thus, to the sustainability of nutrition of the global population. Nevertheless, food additives raise a number of ethical issues, such as consumer sovereignty, that is, “the consumer's ability to act in accordance with their informed judgments". In this revision, some of the physical chemical properties of widely used additives belonging to E400 to E490 types, namely alginates, agar-agar, methyl-celluloses, and pectin are revised in a simple manner using models derived from molecular gastronomy. Recipes models are presented to explain how the physical chemical properties allow food processing in order to attain of a particular characteristic of the food formulation. Preparations coming from the discipline of molecular gastronomy have been chosen to illustrate the concepts since they are based in laboratory related procedures and they use only a few ingredients. This work aims to add a valuable contribution for demystifying the use of the referred additives in food processing, thus contributing to rise consumer sovereignty.
- Demystifying emulsifiers as additives through molecular gastronomy: a contribution to rise consumer’s sovereigntyPublication . Gomes, Lígia Rebelo; Silva, Cláudia; Simões, Catarina D.According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, one third of food produced annually for human consumption results in food losses or wastage, which is environmentally degrading, economically unviable, ethically incorrect, and does not contribute to sustainable development. The use of additives can help prevent the waste of food that is still fit for consumption in a world where about 16% of the world’s population goes hungry. Food additives may overcome the problem of limited supply of natural ingredients, increase the shelf life of foods and simplify the complex cooking procedures. To raise the consumer’s knowledge about food additives, this work presents and explain in a simple manner some physical/chemical properties of emulsifiers, namely fatty acids esters and sucrose esters of fatty acids. Moreover, this work reviews and illustrates, recurring to recipes of molecular gastronomy, how these additives are used in food preparation to achieve and maintain certain desirable characteristics, how they contribute to obtain a better result in final preparation, and how they can be used in modern cuisine. Preparations coming from the discipline of molecular gastronomy have been chosen since they are based on laboratory related procedures and only use few ingredients, including an additive.
- Generation Z: fitting project management soft skills competencies—a mixed-method approachPublication . Magano, José; Silva, Cláudia; Figueiredo, Cláudia; Vitória, Andreia; Nogueira, Teresa; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaGeneration Z is arriving in the workforce. Do these youngsters have the skills and traits to fit project teams? This study reviews the literature concerning project management competencies and the traits that are associated with Generation Z. To deepen the understanding of its members (Gen Zers) traits, we explore the self-awareness of their profile, strengths and weaknesses with an empirical study. We used a mixed-method approach, implementing a survey on a sample of 211 college students about to enter the labor market. Comparing our survey results with the literature, we identified differences that reveal some of the lack of awareness of Gen Zers about their traits. Further analysis also revealed a significant correlation between the most highlighted Generation Z traits and essential project management soft skills, pointing to Generation Z as a promissory asset in the project management field. However, other essential project management (PM) soft skills were not grounded in personality traits. Our findings, namely the lack of awareness and association results, suggest the need for further research on educational approaches and re-thinking and targeting education and training policies that could strengthen Generation Z soft skills. Our results also suggest reflections about whether the Gen Zers traits fit the PM competencies sought by organizations.
- Sustainable Management Systems Standards (SMSS): structures, roles, and practices in corporate sustainabilityPublication . Silva, Cláudia; Magano, José; Moskalenko, Anna; Nogueira, Teresa; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; e Sousa, Hélder Fernando PedrosaCompanies need to develop more sustainable management models to support a strategy focused on the environment and society, preventing the sole ambition to maximize economic profits. Several specific tools and frameworks have been developed for the implementation of sustainability management. However, the isolated adoption of new management practices could increase bureaucracy and constrain the development of an effective and systematic sustainability strategy. Based on the development of four case studies of relevant companies based in Portugal, this research presents a cyclical process with the structures, inputs and outputs, and roles in embodying sustainability in Integrated Management Systems (IMS). The originality of the work lies in the level of integration. Beyond identifying interconnection areas, it also specifies the Management Systems Standards (MSS) requirements in each area, assigning different roles in the integration process: drivers, efficient enablers, pathways, and evaluators. These four roles promote the claimed integration in a systematic cyclical process, plan–do–check–act (PDCA), to assist the consolidation of sustainability management. This research reinforces the added value of the IMS. It expands its scope, helping companies implement sustainability effectively and systematically, resulting in the presentation of Conceptual Sustainable Management Systems Standards (SMSS).