1,720,967 research outputs found
Portugal and Common Blond Oranges: are they the same Variety? Characteristics and Enhancement of the Oldest European Sweet Orange Variety
Full text linkBackground:
Today, old citrus fruit varieties with traits suited to a market more attentive to a limited territorial distribution of certain species and the preservation of biodiversity are being promoted. One of these is the Portugal orange. The name 'Portugal' disappeared from the writings on citrus fruit growing in the first half of the last century, systematically replaced by the name 'Common Blond'.
Methods:
One hundred fruits of ‘Portugal’ and ‘Common Blond’ oranges come from two varietal collections found in Sicily. Physico-chemical and sensory analyses were carried out to evaluate the qualitative characteristics of both varieties and to confirm or confute the previous hypothesis.
Results:
These analyses confirm that from the point of view of fruit quality, there are no significant differences between 'Portugal' and 'Common Blond' oranges. The differences found can be attributed to the different growing environments, i.e. cultural practices, microclimate, fertilization, etc.
Conclusion:
Furthermore, the historical information provided also supports the hypothesis that the 'Portugal' orange simply changed its name to 'Common Blond', even though there were numerous bud variations that led to the selection of different clones
Effects of combinational use of controlled atmosphere, cold storage and edible coating applications on shelf life and quality attributes of fresh-cut persimmon fruit
Full text linkBackground: Persimmon fruits are cherished for their unique flavor and high nutrient content. In the present study, the effects of Aloe vera-based edible coatings (EC) added with 1% ascorbic acid, 1% citric acid and 5% calcium chloride in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and their impact on shelf-life quality of fresh-cut persimmon fruit, were investigated. The experimental design consisted of four treatments 1) Aloe vera edible coating + modified atmosphere packaging (EC + MAP), 2) untreated fruit packaged with MAP (CTR + MAP); 3) Aloe vera-based edible coating in passive atmosphere (EC PASSIVE); 4) untreated fruit in passive atmosphere (CTR PASSIVE). Persimmon fruit were stored at 5 degrees C for 3, 6 and 9 days. At each storage time, firmness, weight loss, sugar content, organic acids, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), browning index respiration rate, sensory and microbiological analysis, were investigated.Results: Our results were confirmed also by the sensory analysis in which both EC-treated fruit scored the highest values for positive descriptors.EC + MAP treatment showed the most effective result in maintaining total carotenoids, ascorbic acid, glucose and CO2 inside packaging reducing the PPO activity and the flesh browning of persimmon slices. EC + MAP treatment controlled the growth of total mesophilic microorganisms, pseudomonads, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and molds.Conclusions: The obtained results confirmed the importance of coating composition in controlling post-harvest decay and maintaining fruit quality
Chemical–physical characteristics, polyphenolic content and total antioxidant activity of three Italian-grown pomegranate cultivars
Full text linkBackground
In Mediterranean countries, there is an increasing demand for pomegranate fruits due to their antioxidant properties and nutritional values. The large diffusion of new genotypes and cultivars requires the knowledge of all fruit characteristics in connection with the cultivation area, to satisfy the market demand. This study seeks to determine the fruit quality attributes and nutraceutical values of three pomegranate cultivars (Wonderful, Acco and Kamel) grown in the Mediterranean climate.
Methods
The fruits were evaluated for their main physico-chemical traits (weight, volume, height, width, thickness, total arils number, total arils weight, juiciness, fruit index, peel index and total soluble solids content/titratable acidity ratio), bioactive compounds (total phenolic content and total anthocyanin content) and antioxidant activities (radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power).
Results: The data showed that Acco fruit is bigger, juicier and sweeter when compared with the cultivars Wonderful and Kamel. Wonderful is the smallest, least juicy and least sweet but the reddest among all the studied cultivars. Regarding the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity (radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power), cultivar Wonderful has the highest values and cultivar Acco contains the most anthocyanin content.
Conclusions
This study showed that pomegranate cultivars grown in the Mediterranean area exhibit an appreciable quality, but there are significant differences in quality properties of the arils and juice
Postharvest application of sulphur dioxide fumigation to improve quality and storage ability of "red globe" grape cultivar during long cold storage
No full textTable grape cv 'Red Globe' is produced in Sicily and in other areas of Southern Italy. This produce is very appreciated by consumers, having the best rankings in the world market for exports and quality. Nevertheless, despite it is a non-climacteric fruit, table grape is very perishable, both after harvest, and during postharvest handling and cold storage. In fact, also at low temperatures, table grape is very sensitive to fungal infection (Botrytis cinerea) and other diseases, like gray mold, which is very aggressive. For this reason, a standard practice is to fumigate table grape with sulphur dioxide (SO2), after storage in chambers. The growing market request of table grape cv. 'Red Globe' enhanced postharvest research on better techniques aimed to maintain the grapes for longer periods, in order to satisfy the demand. Therefore, the object of this study is to assess the effect of cold storage, at 1±0.5 °C and 93±2% relative humidity (RH), of table grape cv 'Red Globe', for 4 months, with low concentrations of SO2 (0.20%), with the aim to extend their post-harvest shelf life. Two samples of Red Globe table grape were stored at 1±0.5°C, the first for control without SO2, and the other treated with low concentration of SO2. Both samples were moved every 15 days, to 20 °C for 3 days, for simulating shelf life and berry decay. Results showed that, 'Red Globe' table grape treated with low concentration of SO2, prolonged its shelf life for three months after harvest. More particularly, firmness, weight loss, total soluble solids content and titratable acidity maintained good values, and rachis and berry decay were inhibited. This technique is a good alternative to the SO2 one or dual release generating pads for maintaining grape quality in extended storage, with lower impacts for the environment and lower costs
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Tray-drying is a new way to valorise white-fleshed peach fruit
Full text linkPescabivona is a highly appreciated fruit by consumers for its sweet flavour and juicy flesh; however, it has a short shelf life and is susceptible to postharvest damage, such as mechanical injury, loss of texture and alteration of organoleptic properties. Therefore, it's necessary to develop new methods of processing and conservation for this fruit. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of tray-drying in white peach slices and cubes at 70 °C for 12 hours in order to extend their shelf-life and increase its commercial availability over a long period and to obtain a new food product. The physicochemical and sensory properties of dried fruits were assessed during 30 days of storage in polyamide/polyethene (PA/PE) bags containing two gas mixtures (treatments): MAP-N2 (100% N2) and MAP-P (78% N2, 21% O2 and 0.04% CO2), at room temperature (20 ± 1 °C). Both MAP treatments kept the fruit firmness, with MAP-P slightly more effective. Slicing produced fruit with a good appearance and firmness, while cubing produced sweet fruit with a caramel flavour and a chewier firmness. In addition, packing with MAP-N2 reduced the phenomenon of fruit browning. Overall, this study provides significant information on the drying process (time-temperature treatments) and packaging techniques (MAP) of white-fleshed peach to obtain a novel food product
Boosting post-harvest quality of 'Coscia' pears: Antioxidant-enriched coating and MAP storage
Full text linkThis study investigated the effects of combining an edible coating (EC) formulation with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the postharvest quality of Coscia pears (Pyrus communis L.). The EC formulation consisted of Aloe vera gel, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), ascorbic acid, and citric acid. Pears were sliced and subjected to three treatments: untreated (CTR), EC with MAP1 (70% CO2 + 30% N2), and EC with MAP2 (30% CO2 + 70% N2). Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses, as well as assessments of proximate compounds and vitamin content, were conducted over a 9-day storage period at 4 ± 1 °C and 90% ± 5% relative humidity. The results showed that combining EC with MAP significantly reduced juice leakage, delayed browning, and preserved firmness compared to untreated samples. Additionally, MAP treatments, particularly MAP2, improved color stability by minimizing both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Sensory evaluations indicated that treated samples had superior visual appearance and texture. Microbiological analyses confirmed that all samples maintained high hygienic standards throughout the storage period. Furthermore, mineral and vitamin content analyses demonstrated that EC and MAP treatments helped retain essential nutrients in the pear slices. In conclusion, the combination of EC and MAP effectively extended the shelf-life and preserved the nutritional quality of fresh-cut Coscia pears, offering substantial benefits for both consumers and the food industry
Shading Net and Partial Covering Plastic Film Do Not Affect Phenology, Photosynthetic Activity or Fruit Quality Traits of Kensington Pride Mango
Full text linkMango cultivation in a protected environment is becoming widespread in the Mediterranean basin where the species has to face unfavorable weather conditions which do not occur in its native cultivation areas. Besides open-air cultivation, greenhouses—and other protection systems such as shading nets and partial covering of plastic films—have been tested recently. In this study, we focused on assessing the effect of a shading net, and a partially covering plastic film, on the development of “Kensington Pride” mango fruit skin-color, its final quality, and the plants’ photosynthetic activity. A new method of measuring mango skin-color on different sides of the fruit is proposed. No difference was observed with regard to the observed parameters between the plants cultivated under the two different protection systems and those growing in the open air. It can, therefore, be stated that such cultivation techniques do not alter the development of the mango fruit and its appearance, nor the plant’s photosynthetic activity
Fresh-Cut Mangoes: How to Increase Shelf Life by Using Neem Oil Edible Coating
Full text linkThe mango is the most widely cultivated tropical fruit. Fresh-cut mango is very useful, but it is very perishable. The purpose of this study was to highlight the effects of neem oil on fresh-cut mango fruits kept for 9 days at 4 ± 1 °C and 80 ± 5% relative humidity. The neem plant (Azadirachta indica) has numerous antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Despite this, very few studies have been carried out on neem oil added to edible coatings (EC) to retard ripening processes. Two formulations were tested: EC1 (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose + CaCl2) and EC2 (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose + CaCl2 + neem oil), both compared with an untreated sample (control). Physicochemical, microbial, proximate and sensory analyses were carried out. Neem oil reduced loss of firmness and colour, while hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and CaCl2 reduced normal cell degradation (weight loss and soluble solids content). Microbiological investigation showed that the EC2 inhibited the development of the main spoilage bacteria during the entire storage period, prolonging the preservation of fresh-cut fruits. The sensory analysis showed a rapid degradation after 5 d in the control sample, while the EC2 was the best
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