Objective: SENSORY processing refers to reception, adjustment, and integration of SENSORY information sequentially and generates adaptive responses. People need to have appropriate SENSORY processing abilities for functioning adequately in the environment and be able to participate in activities of daily living. Dunn' s SENSORY processing model consists of two constructions. The first construction involves neurological thresholds, and the second construction concerns self-regulation. When the two continuums are connected, four basic patterns of SENSORY processing appear. The four models are: sensation seeking (including representation of high thresholds and active self-regulation strategy), SENSORY avoiding (including representation of low thresholds and active self-regulation strategy), SENSORY sensitivity (including representation of low thresholds and passive self-regulation strategy), and low registration (including representation of high thresholds and passive self-regulation strategy). SENSORY processing patterns can be seen in each age group from infancy to adulthood. These patterns are different for people with disabilities such as autism, attention deficit disorder/ hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, Asperger syndrome, developmental disorders, and learning disabilities compared to those without disability. Dunn SENSORY profile school companion is provided to assess SENSORY processing patterns in children. As SENSORY processing plays an important role in the daily life of people, the purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of Dunn's SENSORY profile school companion in children and students in the age group of 3-11 years.Materials & Methods: The study was a descriptive-analytical one. The population consisted of all children and students aged between 3 and 11 years and studying in Tehran schools in the academic year 94-95 and those who attended preschools. The sample consisted of 384 children and students who were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. Dunn's SENSORY profile companion was used to collect data. Dunn' s SENSORY profile companion is a standardized measurement tool for assessing SENSORY processing abilities of children and students in the classroom and school and preschool environment. This tool was built by Winne Dunn. This profile are using for age range from 3 years to 11 years and 11 months and be completed by teachers and educators. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha was used to draw inferences from the data.Results: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the validity of the SENSORY processing profile school companion. The results showed that SENSORY processing profiles are school companion and four factors had construct validity (P<0.001). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was used to evaluate the reliability. Cronbach’s alpha for the entire questionnaire was 0.879, and for SENSORY registration, sensation seeking SENSORY sensitivity and SENSORY avoiding was 0.818, 0.885, 0.825, 0.812 respectively.Thus, this confirms that the SENSORY processing profile school companion and four factors are reliable.Conclusion: The results showed that Dunn's SENSORY profile has good reliability and validity. Dunn's SENSORY profile is a useful tool for assessing SENSORY processing patterns in school and kindergarten settings, and can be used by occupational therapists in clinical environments and by psychologists in educational environments.Information obtained from this profile can have diagnostic value and could also be used for the design of curriculum and classroom space.

Jujube is a functional fruit with a great source of fibers, vitamins and nutritional elements and has a sweet, delicious flavor. Replacement effects of wheat flour with varying levels of jujube powder (0, 5, 15 and 25 % w/w) on the physicochemical, texture and SENSORY PROPERTIES of the cakes based on completely randomized design, was investigated. The viscosity of cake batter increased from 744. 5 cp (% 0 jujube powder) to 9872. 5 cp (% 25 jujube powder) as the replacement level of wheat flour with jujube powder increased (p <0. 05). The physicochemical (moisture content, volume, porosity, firmness, fiber and ash) and SENSORY PROPERTIES of the cake prepared by replacing wheat flour with jujube powder were changed significantly (p <0. 05). As the replacement level of wheat flour with jujube powder increased, the volume and porosity of the cake were decreased and the hardness, fiber, ash, browning index and the lightness of them were increased (p <0. 05). Cakes made with the % 5 and then the higher level (up to % 15) as compared to control, received the highest SENSORY overall scores (p <0. 05). The cakes containing % 5 jujube powder, showed the least physicochemical changes similar to control samples and found to be more acceptable from SENSORY points as compared to other treatments (p <0. 05).

Yoghurt is one of the fermented dairy products with high nutritional value and short shelf life where its shelf-life can be prolonged by drying. Therefore, in the present study, the fresh yoghurt with different amounts of dry matter (10, 20 and 28% w/w) was dehydrated by microwave-vacuum dryer at different levels of microwave powers (35, 135, and 260 W) and definite absolute pressure (125±5 mbar). Then, the effects of type (gum tragacanth, guar gum, locust bean gum, Persian gum, and casein powder), quantity (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1% w/w) in singular and combined forms (tragacanth: guar, Tragacanth: locust been gum, and guar: locust been gum), combination ratio (80: 20, 50: 50), and adding stage (pre/post drying) of hydroclloids over SENSORY and rheological PROPERTIES of instant yoghurt were evaluated. Results showed that higher microwave powers and dry matter percent led to the shorter and higher drying rate, respectively. Regarding rheological PROPERTIES, the storage modulus was significantly higher than loss modulus (G'>G'') and elastic behavior was observed in majority of samples. However, sample with Guar: locust bean gums showed inverse features, also Complex viscosity and loss tangent of most samples (pre drying method) were similar to control, except one with guar: locust been gum. Furthermore, the most accepted reconstituted yoghurt was one containing gum tragacanth, and baking powder followed by one with 0.6% tragacanth: locust bean gum (80: 20, 0.6%) which were prepared with pre-drying method. Moreover, it was found that the adding stage of hydrocolloids had significant effect on the evaluated PROPERTIES of instant yoghurt where pre-drying method was recognized as the most appropriate one.

Background and Objectives: Probiotic foods include therapeutic characteristics such as anti diarrhea, cancer and pediatric infections characteristics as well as improving lactose digestion. In this study, addition of hazelnut (15%) with lactobacillus casei (108 log CFU/g) for the introduction of probiotic butters with hazelnut powder was investigated. Materials & Methods: Butter samples (500 g) were packaged and stored at 4 and-18 ° C for 60 and 120 d, respectively, and the storage effects on physicochemical (moisture content and acid, peroxide and iodin values), SENSORY PROPERTIES (texture, aroma, flavor and overall acceptability) of the butter samples and lactobacillus casei survivals were assessed. Results: Results showed that samples containing hazelnut with probiotic bacteria included peroxide value, acidity, moisture content, hardness and lightness (L*) indices lower than and iodine value, redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) indices higher than those of control samples. During storage at 4 and-18 ° C for 60 and 120 d respectively, peroxide value, acidity, redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) indices increased. Furthermore, moisture content, iodine value and hardness and lightness (L*) indices decreased. However, results from refrigerator and frozen treatments were in standard ranges. Furthermore, Lactobacillus casei decreased at 4 and-18 ° C; however, survival rates of the probiotic bacteria were appropriate at all storage times. In SENSORY evaluation, both samples were approved. Conclusion: The probiotic butter flavored with hazelnut is suggested in industrial scales due to the high essential fatty acids of hazelnut as a functional food.

Background and Objectives: Numerous methods have been used to prolong the shelf life of date fruit including fumigation, packaging, irradiation, ozonation, cold storage, freezing, etc. Each of these methods has some advantages and disadvantages. However, the amount of loss dates in Iran is approximately 20% annually. The aim of this study was to apply a new method (hurdle technology) to prolong the shelf life while keeping the natural mode of the date fruit.Materials and Methods: There were 27 different treatments of canned date in this study by the combination of three hurdles: pH (4.5, 4.0 and 3.5), temperature (boiling in date syrup for 30, 25 and 20 minutes) and aw (by increasing the total soluble solids to 70, 65 and 60%). Zahidi variety and date syrup were used to produce the treatments. The pH value and total soluble solids, as well as microbial and SENSORY PROPERTIES (colour, taste, texture, appearance and overall acceptability) were evaluated in six months. The hardness of date flesh was evaluated after six months of production. T-test was used to analyze the pH, brix and hardness, and ANOVA test was used to evaluate the effect of time on SENSORY PROPERTIES.Results: The pH value and total soluble solids significantly (p<0.05) increased in the date syrup during six months. No growth was seen on the microbial media. The effect of time on the SENSORY PROPERTIES of canned date was not significant (p>0.05), and the treatment number 5 had the best overall acceptability point.Conclusion: The canned date - produced using hurdle technology- had satisfactory microbial and SENSORY PROPERTIES. So, this process can be applied for replacing the traditional and contemporary methods for preserving date fruit.