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Shelf-life study of osmodehydrated white cabbage packaged in modified atmosphere: A mathematical approach
No full textOsmotic treatment (OT) is a process applied for drying of fruits and vegetables where the hypertonic solution is osmotic medium. White cabbage (cultivar,"Futoski") shelf-life analysis was conducted after OT in three different hypertonic solutions: a mixture of commercial sucrose and NaCl (S1), a mixture of S1 and molasses in the ratio 1:1 (S2) and. pure sugar beet molasses (85.4% dry matter) (S3). After the OT, cabbage samples were packed in high barrier bags in the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The composition of two mixtures of used gas (40:60/CO2:N-2 and 80:20/CO2:N-2) was imported into bags. The samples were analysed for L-ascorbic acid content, pH, acidity and a total number of microorganisms and sensorial attributes during 90 days of storage in a refrigerator at 4-8 degrees C in defined time intervals. During the 90-day storage in the MAP, microbiological analysis showed that the number of microorganisms decreased during the storage in the MAP. The highest retention of ascorbic acid (27.35%) was observed in OT cabbage dehydrated in pure molasses solution and 80:20/CO2:N-2 gas mixture after 90 days of storage. Sensory analysis showed that osmodehydrated cabbage for 20 days in S1, and 45 days for OT cabbage in solutions S2 and S3 had acceptable consumable characteristics
Formulation of Novel Liqueurs from Juice Industry Waste: Consumer Acceptance, Phenolic Profile and Preliminary Monitoring of Antioxidant Activity and Colour Changes During Storage
No full textResearch background. Apple juice is one of the most popular and liked beverages worldwide. Due to the increased health consciousness among consumers, beetroot and chokeberry juices have also rising consumption trends. Despite representing a considerable percentage of the processed fruit and rich source of bioactive compounds, fruit pomace, remaining after juice production, has still been underutilised. Here, the possibility of using apple, beetroot and chokeberry pomace in liqueur formulations is investigated. Experimental approach. Apple and chokeberry liqueurs were produced from apple and chokeberry pomace extracts, respectively. Apple/chokeberry and apple/beetroot liqueurs were obtained by combining apple pomace with chokeberry and beetroot pomace extracts in ratios 50:50 and 70:30, respectively. The sensory quality and acceptability of freshly prepared liqueurs were evaluated by experts and consumers. Sugars and phenolics were identified and quantified by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed-amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS), respectively. Storability was preliminarily evaluated based on monitoring of total phenolic concentration, antioxidant activity and colour each month during 6 months of storage at 4 and 22 degrees C. Results and conclusions. The expert and the consumer testing indicated that apple and chokeberry pomace could be used as raw materials without any flavour corrections while apple/beetroot pomace liqueur would require modification. High total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were found in all freshly prepared liqueurs, with chokeberry liqueur being by far superior. Among identified phenolics, ellagic acid and phlorizin were quantified as the most prominent, except in chokeberry liqueur, where phlorizin was not quantified. Despite the decrease in total phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity after 6 months, liqueurs still represented a rich source of phytochemicals. The highest phenolic compound retention and antioxidant activity maintenance were observed in chokeberry liqueur. Also, the appealing colour was retained despite the changes detected in chromatic characteristics. Novelty and scientific contribution. The possibility of apple, beetroot and chokeberry pomace restoration into the food chain by the production of liqueurs has been demonstrated for the first time. Functional and sensorial properties of newly developed liqueurs indicated that the selected pomace represents the promising raw material for liqueur production. The applied approach represents a contribution to the circular economy in juice production
Single-component panchromatic white light generation, and tuneable excimer-like visible orange and NIR emission in a Dy quinolinolate complex
No full textPanchromatic single-component pure white light generation with a PLQY of similar to 14.5% is obtained from a dysprosium complex with the 5,7-dichloro-8-quinolinol ligand (HClQ) thanks to a peculiar orange-red excimer-like emission induced by pi-staking interactions between discrete dimeric units in the crystal packing. The emission color is highly tunable by phase change and mechanical stimuli. Remarkably, this compound also displays Dy-centered NIR emission at telecommunication wavelengths upon photoexcitation over an extraordinarily broad spectral range
Natural Pigment from Madder Plant as an Eco-Friendly Cathode Material for Aqueous Li and Na-Ion Batteries
No full textModifying commercial Li-ion batteries to become more environmentally friendly is of a growing concern. This paper provides an examination of a potential replacement for commercial cathode material using a naturally occurring purpurin in aqueous solutions of lithium and sodium salts. The purpurin is extracted from the Madder plant (Rubia tinctorum) and characterized through XRPD, FTIR, and SEM methods. The intercalation and de-intercalation capacities obtained for the purpurin as a cathode material in the aqueous solution of LiNO3 are approximately 40 mAh g(-1). Compared to the capacity of similar to 35 mAh g(-1) obtained for commercially used transition metal oxides in an aqueous solution of Li salt, results presented make the purpurin a promising material for the "green" development of Li-ion batteries. Although the initial purpurin capacity in NaNO3 solution is almost doubled (similar to 73 mA h g(-1)) compared to that of Li-salt, it is unstable and fades during cycling. The possible explanation of the electrochemical behavior of purpurin as the cathode material in aqueous solutions of Li and Na salts is discussed in detail
Climate change and agriculture management: Western Balkan region analysis
No full textBackground This paper aims to analyze the possibilities of the agricultural sector of the Western Balkan to assess compliance with the European Green Deal, which provides for the implementation of activities, which should enable the transition to sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation. This paper is among the first to present the causality of agriculture and climate change (status, mitigation, and perspectives) in general and in light of the European Green Deal for the Western Balkan territory. Main text Agricultural production is a leading industry in the Western Balkan. Climate change and predictions that temperatures will increase by 4 degrees C in the coming decades pose a risk not only to agricultural production but also to the safety of the population, because agriculture is the main source of income for a significant part of it. Uncontrolled floods and droughts caused by climate change are a particular danger for agriculture and human existence. This paper demonstrates that agriculture in the WB can be considered critically affected by climate change. Conclusions Unless appropriate measures are taken and risk management for water resources and agriculture is improved, there will be a further decrease in precipitation and an increase in dry days by 20%. Such a scenario endangers not only the already vulnerable climate sustainability and biodiversity of the region but also the existence of a population employed in agriculture and the contribution of the agricultural sector to the gross domestic product. However, future planning based on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and European Green Deal, the adoption of a related regulatory framework, the establishment and regular monitoring of supporting financing mechanisms, regional cooperation, and improving risk management (with emphasis on the local level) can mitigate the present impact and decrease the expected negative impact of climate change on agriculture and biodiversity in the WB region
Which Is a More Reliable Bioindicator—Mussels or Seagrass? A Case Study of the Toxic Metal Pollution in the Seawater of Boka Kotorska Bay, Adriatic Sea
No full textIn the last decades, human and industrial activities in the coastal areas have increased and that resulted in different types of contamination, including trace elements. Therefore, investigations of the southeastern Adriatic marine environment quality are intensified following seawater, biota, and sediment quality related to metals pollution. Since standard chemical analysis methods cannot provide accurate information about concentrations of trace elements in seawater, the seagrass Posidoniaoceanica (L.) Delile and the mussel Mytilusgalloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819, were used as water pollution bioindicators for identifying, especially, toxic trace elements in the Mediterranean. Surface sediment, seawater, seagrass (P. oceanica), and mussel (M. galloprovincialis) samples were collected in different seasons from the coastal area of Boka Kotorska Bay in the last 10 years (2006–2016), and analyzed in order to determine the seawater quality mainly related to Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Co, Cd, As, Pb, and Hg. Based on the analysis of the metal pollution index values (MPIs) in both species the highest metal concentrations were measured in winters for most of the studied trace elements. The Hg accumulation in both investigated organisms was the lowest and almost the same
Chamomile essential oil quality after postharvest separation treatments
No full textEkološki uslovi proizvodnog područja, tehnologija gajenja kao i žetva, ali i posležetveni tretmani značajno utiču na prinos i kvalitet kamilice. Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio da se odredi uticaj metoda separacije, kao posležetvenog tretmana, na kvalitet etarskog ulja, sa ciljem da se unapredi process primarne prerade ove lekovite biljke. Da bi se objasnila struktura laboratorijskih podataka, procenile i sagledale sličnosti i razlike između uzoraka etarskih ulja kamilice dobijenih primenom različitih metoda separacije, korišćena je PCA metoda. Dobijeni rezultati pokazuju da separacija sirovine kamilice kao posležetveni tretman koji prethodi sušenju, ima značajnog uticaja na broj identifikovanih komponenti u etarskom ulju, ali i njihov udeo. Najmanji broj pojedinačnih komponenti u etarskom ulju je imao uzorak cvetnih glavica sa kratkom drškom, pri čemu je zabeležen najveći sadržaj a-bisabolol, hamazulen, Z-spiroeter i E-b-famesen. U etarskom ulju dobijenom od biljne sirovine sa većim udelom stabla kamilice, sadržaj a-bisabolola i hamazulena je bio značajno niži, dok je sadržaj E-b-famesena i Z-spiroetera bio značajno viši. Dalje, u etarskom ulju dobijenom od bioljnog materijala bez separacije, zabeležen je najniži sadržaj abisabolola i Z-spiroetera, i najveći sadržaj E-b-farnesena. Analiza korelacije je izvedena da bi se ispitala sličnost u sadržaju aktivnih komponenti u etarskom ulju dobijenom primenom različitih procesa separacije kamilice. Svi rezultati ukazuju na značaj primene posležetvenih tretmana, jer se jasno vidi njihov uticaj na kvalitet etarskog ulja ove veoma važne lekovite biljke.Ecological conditions of the growing areas, growing practices as well as harvest and postharvest processing influence the yield and quality of chamomile. The aim of this research was to determine the influence of chamomile separation methods, as postharvest treatments, on the essential oil quality and content, with a view to improve current primary processing of this valuable medicinal plant. In order to explain the structure of laboratory data that would give deeper assessment of similarities among various samples of chamomile essential oil, PCA was employed. Tested results showed that separation of chamomile plant material, as postharvest and pre-drying treatment, had significant influence on the number of identified compounds in the chamomile essential oil. The highest content of individual essential oil compounds had chamomile flowers with short stems, especially a-bisabolol, chamazulene, Z-spiroether and E-b-famesene. In the essential oil obtained from chamomile flowers with long stems, content of a-bisabolol and chamazulene were significantly lower, while E-b-famesene and Z-spiroether contents were significantly higher. Furthermore, in the essential oil obtained from chamomile plant material without separation, the lowest content of abisabolol and Z-spiroether, and the highest content of E-b-farnesene were recorded. The correlation analysis was performed to investigate the likeness in the amounts of the active compounds of essential oil from differently processed chamomile samples. All these results indicate the importance of precise and controlled postharvest treatments, since it clearly affects the essential oil quality and content in the primary processing of this valuable medicinal plant