1,360,272 research outputs found
An NMR study on internal browning in pears
No full textInternal browning in pears (Pyrus communis L. cv. Blanquilla) has been studied by NMR and MRI in order to develop a non-destructive procedure for on-line disorder identification. For NMR relaxometry, disordered tissue shows higher transverse relaxation rates compared to sound tissue, especially at higher magnetic field strength and for long pulse spacing. Membrane alteration and therefore tissue disintegration, as well as water evaporation, appear to be the main causes of this response. Correlation between relaxation times and diffusion showed that the proton pools in disordered tissue are grouped into a smaller number of populations compared to sound tissue, also highlighting cell decompartmentation in disordered tissue. At a macroscopic level, fast low angle shot MR images, effective transverse relaxation-weighted (TR 11 ms and TE 3.7 ms) and proton density-weighted (TR 7.6 ms and TE 2.5 ms), were acquired for pears at a rate of 54 mm/s. Images have been discriminated for internal breakdown according to histogram characteristics. Up to 94 and 96% of pears, respectively, were correctly classified in the former and the latter type of images. In this study a minimum value of 12% of tissue affected by breakdown was always clearly identifie
Ethylene has proven effective in shortening the postharvest cold storage period required for Anjou pears to ripen, allowing for market availability early in season. To analyze ethylene’s effect on eating quality and elicit consumers’ preferences and values, three sensory tests plus choice experiments were conducted at different points in time after harvest. Results indicate that consumers were willing to pay 0.20/lb and $0.29/lb).
No full textConditioned Anjou pears, willingness-to-pay
Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Treatment-Induced Quality Attributes in Anjou Pears
No full textEthylene treatments provide an effective method for shortening post-harvest ripening periods for winter Anjou pears and allow market availability throughout the year. However, pear quality may vary under different treatments. A sensory experiment and a consumer survey including questions that address valuation, assessments of sensory characteristics, purchasing habits, and demographics were conducted. Analyses indicate that treatment-induced quality losses significantly affect consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP). Mean WTP for each treatment reveals that consumers prefer pears with a six-day ethylene treatment and are willing to pay a premium of $0.25/pound compared to the market price.pears, sensory, willingness to pay, Consumer/Household Economics, Crop Production/Industries, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,
The Development of a Quality Scale to Measure the Impact of Quality on Supermarket Fruit Demand
No full textThis research examines how fluctuations in quality affect consumer expenditures for fresh fruit at the retail level. This paper examines how consumersÂ’' purchasing behaviors react to changes in fresh fruit quality by quantifying quality characteristics based on weekly observations. A four-point scale was created and used to quantify four different quality characteristics: bruising, markings, brilliance, and maturity. A non-linear Almost Ideal Demand System was used to model the share equations for Gala apples, Fuji apples, Red Delicious apples, other sweet apples, tart apples, pears, bananas, and oranges. Seventy-nine weeks of data on weekly store sales were collected from two grocery stores in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Results from the quality measures are provided and discussed. Suggestions are made for modifications to the quality measures to improve the modeling results of future fruit-demand studies.Demand and Price Analysis,
Marketing Order Impact on the Organic Sector: Almonds, Kiwifruit and Winter Pears
No full textMarketing,
A Handheld low-mass, impact instrument to measure nondestructive firmness of fruit
No full textA portable, handheld impact firmness sensor was designed for nondestructive measurement of fruit firmness while the fruit remain attached to the tree or for use in other remote locations where the use of a benchtop instrument would be impractical. The instrument design was based on the low-mass, constant velocity, impact-type measurement concept. Validation tests of the handheld sensor using `Bartlett' pears from orchards in California and Washington showed excellent agreement (r2 = 0.92 and 0.96, respectively) with both ASAE Standard method S368.2 for determining the apparent modulus of intact fruit and the impact firmness scores from a commercial benchtop impact firmness instrument
Production costs of pears and apples in Xinjiang (China)
No full textChina is the most important pear producing country in the world, and one of the most important as far as it concerns apples. Nevertheless, its international role is not so relevant: traded volume in relation to production is relatively small yet growing fast. Xinjiang is a large and mainly deserted region in northwest China that covers one-sixth of China's land. However, thanks to abundant water resources, good lighting conditions and altitude, this area represents an ideal setting for pomefruit production, and has in fact a very long tradition. Unfortunately, due to a disadvantaged location and a poor economy this province do not attract enough capitals, passing unnoticed despite of its valuable resources. Economic analysis are therefore necessary to assess to which extent this market turns out to be approachable. The aim of this paper is to describe in detail the situation of the fruit growing industry in Xinjiang, as far as it concerns two important pomefruit varieties: Xiang Li pear, a local and very appreciated variety, and Fuji apple. After locating the most vocated producing areas for both species and identifying the productive standards, we then proceed on counting up the production costs, using a well-established methodology adapted to the particular situation. The target of the analysis are small and mid-size farms, since they represent the vast majority of the orchards of the area. The costs aggregates are: base orchard management cost (BOMC), farm full cost (FFC) and total production cost (TPC). These aggregates group together costs related to similar productive factors. The picture of the situation outlined by this survey is that of a marginal area, where however fruit growing, compared to other agricultural activities, grants a good income. It also emerges that fruit growers in Xinjiang (and in China), are hardly coming out of a situation of general backwardness, striving to adapt to a larger business mainly through exportation to other provinces. Farms are however mainly familiar and small, and only a few big local enterprises seem to possess the right requirements to give local production the right impetus to reach successfully outside markets.Xiang Li fragrant pear, Fuji apple, Production cost, China, Fruit growing
The impact of different drying methods on pears quality
No full textProcessed pears present a worldwide consumed product. This paperwork presents an
impact analysis of different dehydrating methods on pears quality indices. There was made a
comparative appreciation of dried by different methods pears, as by organoleptic method as well
as using CIELAB instrumental method
Pears and renal stones: possible weapon for prevention? A comprehensive narrative review
No full textUrinary stones have been recognized as a human disease since dawn of history and treatment of this condition is reported by Egyptian medical writings. Also, pears have a very long history, being one of the earliest cultivated fruit trees and also known for medicinal use. Urinary tract stone formation represents a common condition and also a significant burden for health care service, due also to possible frequent relapses. Furthermore, urinary stones have been reported to have relationship with different metabolic derangements, and appropriate diet could contribute to avoid or reduce urinary stone formation. Citrate is an inhibitor of crystal growth in the urinary system, and hypocitraturia represents a main therapeutical target in stone formers. Pears contain a significant amount of malic acid, a precursor of citrate, and have antioxidant activity as well. A diet supplemented with pears, and associated with low consumption of meat and salt could impact positively cardiometabolic risk and urinary tract stone formation. However, very few studies evaluated the impact of pears utilization on health, and none on urinary tract stone formation in particular. High content in malate could warrant protection against stone formation, avoiding patients at high risk to be compelled to assume a considerable and expensive amount of pills
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