Author: Rachel Weng

Pickled vegetables have a long shelf life, which is achieved through a combination of preservation techniques and science. Acidity, salinity, and microbial activity in the pickling process enable longevity in the product. Depending on the time, temperature, and quality of the pickling process, these can significantly affect the flavor, texture, and color of the final product. For instance, higher temperatures tend to fasten the process which may not allow much complex flavor development, unlike lower temperatures. 

How Pickling Works

Pickling typically involves submerging vegetables in a solution of vinegar (acetic acid) or saltwater brine. Sometimes salt can be used as a pretreatment in order to create safe lactic acid fermentation (Sawada 2021). A key factor in the pickling process is fermentation, particularly lactic acid fermentation which results in the tangy flavor of the product. Fermentation is a metabolic process where microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, convert sugars into acids, gases, or alcohol (Sato 2023). 

The acid or high-salt environment prevents the growth of spoilage-causing bacteria while encouraging the activity of beneficial microbes, particularly lactic acid bacteria. The vegetable is also placed into an airtight container because the presence of oxygen can encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria and promote undesirable microorganisms. The airtight container enables lactic acid bacteria to thrive due to lack of oxygen, thus allowing fermentation to occur. These microbes convert natural sugars into lactic acid, further lowering the pH and creating a hostile environment for pathogens. The result is a flavorful product that remains safe for consumption over extended periods.

Key Factors Contributing to Longevity

The low pH achieved during pickling is important for preservation. The optimal pH range is typically between 3.4 and 4.6 for pickling (Sato 2023). Fermentation-based pickling allows lactic acid bacteria to produce lactic acid over time. This method ensures the environment is inhospitable to harmful microorganisms. In fermentation-based pickling, salt concentrations between 2-5% are optimal for promoting the growth of lactic acid bacteria (Sawada 2021). This balance ensures both preservation and the development of the tangy flavors. Lastly, sealing the pickling container reduces oxygen levels, which is important for anaerobic microbes like lactic acid bacteria to grow. This prevents the growth of aerobic spoilage organisms and helps the fermentation process.

Example of Pickled Vegetable

When asked about what pickled foods there are, one might think cucumbers. However, there are many foods other than cucumbers that are pickled. A common example of pickled vegetables seen in Korean cuisine is kimchi. Some raw vegetables used for kimchi are cabbage, parsley, perilla leaf, green pepper leaf, garlic, and red pepper. This has many complex flavors and a crispy texture due to the numerous biochemical changes during kimchi fermentation. Kimchi not only tastes good but also brings nutritional value such as dietary fiber and vitamins from the B group, β-carotene, and ascorbic acid (Montaño 2016).

Why Pickled Foods Last

The longevity of pickled vegetables arises from a combination of microbial inhibition, acidification, and proper storage. When stored in cool, dark places, pickled foods can last for months or even years. This makes pickling a great technique for food preservation. Next time you visit the grocery store, take a moment to explore the variety of pickled products and you might just discover a new favorite!

Sources Cited

Encyclopedia of food and health. (n.d.). ScienceDirect. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from http://www.sciencedirect.com:5070/referencework/9780123849533/encyclopedia-of-food-and-health

Pickling—An overview | sciencedirect topics. (n.d.). ScienceDirect; Encyclopedia of Food and Health. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/pickling

Sato, T. (2023). The science behind food pickling: Understanding the fermentation process. 7(4), 190. https://www.alliedacademies.org/articles/the-science-behind-food-pickling-understanding-the-fermentation-process.pdf

Sawada, K., Koyano, H., Yamamoto, N., & Yamada, T. (2021). The effects of vegetable pickling conditions on the dynamics of microbiota and metabolites. PeerJ, 9, e11123. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11123

Rise to Popularity

Gel nail polish has become popular through the internet and social media platforms such as TikTok for its durability and easy application. It is relatively new to the market so there is not much research done on the side effects. Online, users have easy access to do it yourself (DIY) gel nail polish kits. However, the improper application of these products, particularly when DIY-ing, can lead to severe allergic reactions due to the exposure of uncured chemicals. This could lead to allergic contact dermatitis and ultraviolet-induced lesions. While it may appear to be a faster, cheaper, and easier manicure method than other options, it is important to know the health implications of using gel nail products and how user informed choices can protect nail health and prevent adverse effects.

UV/LED Lamps

Gel nail polish is a type of nail polish that is made up of oligomers and ultraviolet (UV) catalysts. After application of the polish, it is hardened or cured under a UV or LED lamp for a period around 2 minutes or 30 seconds depending on the lamp and the strength of energy emitted. The lamp causes oligomers in the polish to change their structure, hence curing the liquid and leading to polymerization (Putek 202). While this may seem harmless, in reality, cumulative exposure to UV light may cause ocular toxicity (cataracts, macular degeneration) and UV lamps can emit 4.2 times more energy than the sun (Litaiem 2022).

Nail Lesions 

The usage of gel nail polish is also associated with various nail lesions. These include pterygium inversum unguis (a triangular wedge of tissue), pseudoleukonychia (white spots on the nail surface), lamellar splitting, brittle nails, thinning of the nail plate, yellow discoloration, pincer nail deformity, and ridged nails (Litaiem 2022). Such damage can result from both the application and removal processes, which often involve mechanical peeling, soaking in acetone, or exposure to other harsh chemicals. During the removal process, oftentimes the nail is often wrapped in aluminum soaked with acetone and then a cuticle pusher and nail buffer are used to remove the remaining gel. Hence, exposing the nails to harsh chemicals.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Additionally, gel nail polish may cause allergic contact dermatitis due to its chemical components, particularly methacrylates like 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) (Litaiem 2022). These acrylic monomers, responsible for many acrylate-induced allergic reactions, are polymerized under UV or LED lamps during curing. However, incomplete polymerization, especially in DIY setups without professional-grade equipment, can leave methacrylates on the skin. As a result, increasing the risk of allergic reactions. Once allergic contact dermatitis develops, there is no cure, only avoidance of products containing the triggering compounds. Studies suggest that improper application techniques and removals, such as at-home gel manicures performed by non-professionals, may further increase the risk of side effects. 

Takeaways

Making sure one is informed about the potential risks of side-effects associated with gel nail polish, such as nail damage and allergic reactions, is critical to making safer and more conscious decisions. However, it is disheartening that despite these risks, many people feel compelled to prioritize beauty standards over their health and would continue to get gel manicures. This reflects how societal pressures and cultural norms often place appearance above well-being, perpetuating choices that may lead to long-term harm. Greater awareness and education are important to challenge these norms.

Sources Cited

Litaiem, N., Baklouti, M., & Zeglaoui, F. (2022). Side effects of gel nail polish: A systematic review. Clinics in Dermatology, 40(6), 706–715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2022.07.008

Putek, J., Przybyła, T., Szepietowski, J. C., Baran, W., & Batycka-Baran, A. (2020). Side-effects associated with gel nail polish: A self-questionnaire study of 2,118 respondents. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 100(18), 5931. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3684

What is it?

The first time I heard about what a blind box is, I was skeptical about the appeal. The first blind box I ever got was gifted to me and they came from the Sonny Angel series. I wondered what about these mostly naked babies with their butt cheeks out could be cute and desirable by the masses. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of my blind box figurine collection.

The idea of blind boxes originated in Japan around the 1980s where the earliest form is called fukubukuro, also known as “lucky bag” (Tse 2023). Blind boxes contain collectable figurines that come packaged in a box where the buyer does not know what character they will receive. The figurine designs are often centered around different themes. Within each theme, there are secret figurines that are rare and there are often less than 1% manufactured out of the entire series (Nguyen 2024). This article explores the psychology behind a consumer’s motive on buying blind boxes and how it makes them feel.  

Why do people buy blind boxes?

Places that sell blind boxes often have many options for customers to choose from. Due to the various selections possible, consumers are overwhelmed by curiosity and excitement surrounding which character they could pull. This is one of the biggest incentives for people to want to buy a blind box. When they open the box, they either feel happy for getting what they want or disappointment for getting a duplicate or feeling of wanting to buy another one to test their luck (Nguyen 2024). Consumers often want to obtain secret figurines or complete the series collection, which results in feeling the need to buy more. The act of purchasing a blind box draws upon the concept of sunk cost fallacy, where the amount already spent increases one’s commitment to continue buying until they achieve the desired result (Ronayne 2021). 

The sunk cost fallacy effect is attributed to high-stakes decisions which can be applied to various scenarios such as the decision on whether to buy a blind box or not. In a research conducted by Harvard on the sunk cost fallacy, participants were tested with eight different scenarios on their decision making. The finding from this was that “those with above average susceptibility scores (10 or higher) were almost three times as likely (36% vs 13%) to fall prey to the effect than those scoring below the average (9 or lower) when money was on the table” (Ronayne 2021). This relates to consumers’ motive for buying blind boxes as the fallacy manifests when they continue buying blind boxes because they’ve already invested money, rather than evaluating each new purchase decision independently. Specific triggers for the sunk cost fallacy in blind box purchases include, trying to complete a collection, attempting to get rare or secret figurines due to its scarcity nature, wanting to “make up for” previous disappointing pulls, and the desire to keep trying after getting duplicates.

The uncertainty factor in blind boxes is attributed to positive emotion, information gap theory, uncertainty resolution, and innate optimism theory (Zhang 2022). Due to uncertainty in what character the buyer could obtain, it enables a higher arousal state in turn increases physiological arousal. This causes people to experience their emotions more intensely and so positive uncertainty increases consumers’ positive feelings when making purchase decisions (Zhang 2022). In terms of information gap, this theory explores the idea of “an information gap between the known information of a person and the unknown and desired information” (Zhang 2022). As a result, increasing one’s desire to know the information. This ties into the uncertainty resolution theory where “human beings are born with an inherent desire to solve uncertainty” (Zhang 2022). Furthermore, the innate optimism theory enables people to subconsciously perceive themselves as lucky, estimating outcomes optimistically, which drives their motivation to desire or logically believe they need to buy a blind box. These all contribute to consumer’s action and motive behind their purchases as they perceive the product’s value as beneficial. 

Lastly, blind boxes build anticipation for its consumers. With the combination of uncertainty, dopamine is released when the consumer opens the box. The anticipation and surprise cause the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Additionally, opening the blind box triggers the brain’s reward circuitry, particularly pathways in the mesolimbic system that generate feelings of reward and enjoyment. (Nguyen 2024). 

Expansion and Influence

Not only are consumers driven to buy blind boxes due to the overwhelming nature of displays when shopping in-person, but also the community it builds. Online, social media platforms feature communities dedicated to blind box culture. Collectors share unboxing videos, showcase their finds, and discuss their collections. These platforms allow consumers to connect with others who share their passion. As the popularity of blind boxes continues to rise, companies are finding new ways to innovate within this trend. Some examples are advent calendars or mystery items that come along with purchases, such as cosmetics. It is interesting to see how blind boxes have transformed today, and I’m excited to see how it continues to grow whether that is in popularity, influence, or in design concepts.

Sources cited

Nguyen, P. (2024, March 21). What psychological factors influence consumers’ decision about buying blind boxes? Cognitive NeuroEconomics @ UCSD. https://medium.com/cognitive-neuroeconomics/what-psychological-factors-influence-consumers-decision-about-buying-blind-boxes-a3440992273b

Ronayne, D., Sgroi, D., & Tuckwell, A. (2021, July 15). How susceptible are you to the sunk cost fallacy? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/07/how-susceptible-are-you-to-the-sunk-cost-fallacy

Tse, A. (2023, March 24). Diving into blind box culture. Generasian. https://generasian.blog/2023/03/24/diving-into-blind-box-culture/

Zhang, Y., & Zhang, T. (2022). The effect of blind box product uncertainty on consumers’ purchase intention: The mediating role of perceived value and the moderating role of purchase intention. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 946527. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.946527

I joined STEMComm this semester because I was interested in writing articles centered around science and helping out with coordinating events. This semester I got the opportunity to work on the Atlanta Science Festival event after-party, particularly with the shrinky dink activity. I had a lot of fun throughout the entire process, starting with ideation to the final product. Initially, my group and I were uncertain what we wanted to do that would be scientific and fun. However, during the brainstorming, we decided to host a shrinky dink workshop. This turned out to be engaging and didn’t cost too much money. 

A shrinky dink is a toy that was invented in 1973 and was super popular in the 1980s. The process involves drawing one’s design on thin, flexible sheets of polystyrene (a type of thermoplastic), cutting it out, and then heating it thus shrinking it into a thicker, more rigid form (Gelfand). Polystyrene is a common plastic and is considered similar to recycled plastic #6 (Magazine). These sheets are created by extrusion, where the material is melted and die-cut into the final product (Gelfand). By heating the plastic, the long polymer chains in the plastic that are stretched out go back to their original state. As a result, the design “shrinks” to around a third of its size and is marketed as magic.

In our workshop, we cut the plastic sheets into smaller sections for the participants and had a variety of art materials. These included colored pencils, sharpies, markers, hole punchers, and scissors. The product options we decided on were keychains, pins, and magnets. To maintain a safe environment for everyone, we had some team members stationed with heating guns to do the shrinking process. This ensured no participants were harmed in the heating process. Additionally, we had resin that hardened under the UV lamp to create a more secure encasing and fun gloss layer if anyone wanted. The UV light cures the resin through a photochemical reaction. This process does not take too long, depending on how much resin is needed to harden. 

Before the event started, we also created several examples to display as well as posters and slideshows to explain the process of shrinky dinks, and resin. Once the event started, the workshop received many curious participants and positive feedback. All the participants were surprised and intrigued by the shrinking process. It was fascinating to see how small the designs became when heated up. While some designs became too small or shrunk a little funky, after a few tries, participants were able to grasp how large they should go with the design before shrinking. 

The workshop was a big success and many participants came back to make more than one item. I enjoyed the setup process and seeing the participant’s faces light up in delight during the event. Running the event and seeing the final product of all the planning come together was a rewarding experience. I am looking forward to helping coordinate and run more events in the future!

Sources Cited

Magazine, Smithsonian. “The Science of Shrinky Dinks.” Smithsonian.Com, Smithsonian Institution, 14 Oct. 2010, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-science-of-shrinky-dinks-36715644/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

University, Carnegie Mellon. “Shrinky Dinks – Gelfand Center – Carnegie Mellon University.” Shrinky Dinks – Gelfand Center – Carnegie Mellon University, www.cmu.edu/gelfand/lgc-educational-media/polymers/molecular-rearrangement/shrinky-dinks.html#:~:text=Prior%20to%20heating%2C%20the%20thin,while%20retaining%20the%20colored%20design. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.