1,720,970 research outputs found
Foreword Special Issue in '‘Short food supply chains in Europe: Evidence from the SKIN project’
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Project QUAFETY: An EC-funded R&D project on quality and safety of fresh-cut produce
No full textQUAFETY, a collaborative R&D project co-funded by the European Commission, aims to improve safety and quality of ready-to-eat fresh produce throughout the whole chain. Objectives of the proposal will be reached through the realization of 9 Work Packages in three years. There are 14 participants from seven countries, including six small and medium enterprises, two public research institutes and six universities, assorted in terms of scientific and technological expertise. During the first period of activity, interesting results were achieved related to the developments of diagnostic kits to predict quality and safety of raw material and final product, non-destructive and rapid evaluation tools, and innovative processes to improve quality and safety of fresh-cut products. Potential impacts may be related to the increase in scientific evidence about safety and quality, expansion of consumer awareness, increase of the innovation capacity of the industry strengthening its competitiveness, provision of scientific evidence to EC and other health authorities (also for campaigns for healthy nutrition), and a reference point for mass media
Comparison of different gas compositions on fresh-cut peach quality: A preliminary study
No full textThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different atmosphere compositions on fresh-cut peaches, and to identify a suitable gas mixture to extend their shelf-life. The research was performed on a yellow fleshed peach (Prunus Persica L. 'Tardi Belle'), cut into wedges and stored at 5°C for 7 days. During storage, peach samples were subjected to continuous and humidified flows of different atmosphere compositions (respectively air; 2 kPa O2; 2 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2; 2 kPa O2 + 20 kPa CO2). Visual quality, physical attributes (color, weight loss, firmness) and chemical composition (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C, total phenols, acetaldheyde and ethanol) of fresh-cut peaches were evaluated upon cutting and during storage. Among the different gas compositions tested, 2 kPa O2 alone and/or combined with 10 kPa CO2 was not beneficial to the quality of peach slices. In particular peach stored in these conditions as well as samples stored in air showed a poor visual quality due to the low value of b∗and to browning development. On the other hand, the gas mixture with 2 kPa O2 + 20 kPa CO2 seemed more appropriate to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut peaches, even though in these conditions a higher fermentative metabolism may occur, leading to significant higher contents in ethanol and acetaldehyde, with a possible negative influence on sensorial quality
Degradation patterns for external and internal quality attributes of fresh-cut apples
No full textThe aim of this work was to find possible relationships between degradation of appearance attributes and the retained nutritional and organoleptic value of fresh-cut apples ('Stark red delicious'), and the influence of temperature on quality degradation. Apple pieces were stored for 9 days in air at 5 and 10°C and 99% RH. Initially and after 1, 2, 5, 7 and 9 days of storage external (color, appearance score) and internal (acidity, soluble solids, phenol content, antioxidant activity) quality parameters were monitored. For each parameter a degradation over time curve was obtained, which was fitted in kinetics of zero and first order. For apple pieces stored at 5°C, appearance score, color attributes L∗, a∗, and b∗showed significant kinetics, together with sensorial evaluation of taste, texture and aroma. At 10°C, appearance score, color attributes, sensorial evaluations, phenol content, and antioxidant activity, showed significant kinetics. Sensorial evaluations were fit in an order 0 kinetic, together with a∗values, while L∗and b∗, and phenols and antioxidant activity at 10°C were fit in an order 1 kinetic. Appearance score degradation over time at 10°C showed a kinetic slope that was doubled than at 5°C, while taste and aroma kinetic rates increased almost 10 times when temperature varied from 5 to 10°C. According to the highest kinetic rate, shelf-life of fresh-cut apples was limited by the appearance degradation at 5°C and by aroma and taste degradation at 10°C. Using appearance score 3 and 2, which were respectively defined as the limits of marketability and edibility, as reference for comparing the percentage of quality changes over time, the following relation can be found. A variation of 34% of appearance score at 5°C, corresponded to 19% variation of aroma, 17% of taste and 10% for texture. At 10°C all sensorial (taste, texture, aroma) decreased about 40%, while phenols increased by 29% and antioxidant activity decreased by 28%. When the score reached the value of 2 (i.e., 56% of initial variation) at 5°C, aroma decreased by 32%, taste by 28% and texture by 18%. At 10°C, all sensorial decreased by about 70%, phenols increased by 75% and antioxidant activity decreased by about 41%
Influence of quality attributes of early, intermediate and late peach varieties on suitability as fresh-convenience products.
No full textWhat about blockchain oracles inserting tracking data through smart contracts? Exploring an Italian winery through a case study approach
No full textEffects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on quality of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L. 'Ferrovia') during storage
No full text'Ferrovia' cherries were exposed to 1 ppm of 1-MCP for 24 hours at 4°C, and then stored at 4 and 20°C for 13 days. Initially, and after 6 and 13 days of storage, respiration rate, weight loss, cherry appearance score, peduncle appearance score, dehydration score for peduncle abscission zone, decay incidence, fruit color (L∗, a∗, b∗, hue angle, and Chroma), and peduncle chlorophyll content, were monitored. Each treatment was replicated 3 times, and for each replicate 350 g of cherries were used. Fruits stored at 20°C, were evaluated only at 6 days due to the high incidence of decay showed after that date. 1-MCP treated and untreated, control cherries were stored at 4°C showed a higher storability than those stored at room temperature, however, little effect of 1-MCP was observed on quality of cherry fruits at both temperatures. After 6 days at 20°C treated fruits showed lower weight loss and respiration rate comparing to the untreated cherries. In cherries stored at 4°C for 13 days, 1-MCP was only effective in slowing down respiration rate and delaying peduncle deterioration, whereas no other differences were detected between treated and untreated fruits. In conclusion, 1-MCP did not prevent quality loss of cherry fruits during storage at both temperatures, whereas at 4°C an effect on delaying peduncle discoloration was observed. Due to its minor impact on quality and storability, the commercial application of this technology is not advisable for cherries
Application of antioxidant compounds to preserve fresh-cut peaches quality
No full textOne of the most limiting factors for the shelf life of fresh-cut fruits is the browning of cut surfaces. In the case of fresh-cut peaches, cut surface browning as well as excessive flesh softening and pit cavity breakdown are the major causes of quality deterioration. Surface treatments are necessary to delay physiological decay in fruit tissues, thus stabilizing the fruit surface and preventing degradative processes that affect the quality of the product. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of postharvest chemical treatments, as antioxidants and firming agents, on fresh-cut peach fruits quality. The study was developed on a yellow fleshed nectarine (Prunus persica L. var. Nectarina 'Venus'), a yellow fleshed peach (Prunus persica L. 'K18'), and a clingstone peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch 'Federica']. Fruits were cut into wedges and dipped in antioxidant solutions for 3 minutes. The solutions contained respectively, ascorbic acid (2%), cysteine (0.5%), calcium lactate (1%) and their combinations (2% ascorbic acid + 1% calcium lactate, and 0.5% cysteine + 1% calcium lactate). After treatment, wedges were stored at 5°C for 8 days. Initially and during storage, chemical, physical, enzymatic, and sensorial analyses were performed. Among treatments, only cysteine showed a positive effect on quality retention, in particular on product appearance. Browning development and polyphenol oxidase activity were both lower for cysteine treated samples than for other treatments. Obviously, ascorbic acid treatment increased vitamin C concentration, and slightly affected the total phenolics content. The presence of calcium lactate affected the firmness only in 'Venus'. For color, the total color change (ΔE) values were very low in all samples. Our results confirmed that the high variability among cultivars may influence the effect of antioxidant and firming agents. Above all cysteine might be useful to keep visual quality of fresh-cut peaches during cold storage
Color Degradation Kinetics of Rehydrated ‘Borlotto’ Beans Stored in Different Gas Atmospheres as Measured by Image Analysis
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