Characterization and development of different methods to extend shelf life of fresh cut fruit. Case study: novel controlled release system by layer-by-layer assembly

The research project aimed at the investigation of different methods for the storage of fresh-cut fruit. This case study relates to the proposal of an innovative controlled release system to improve the shelf life of ready-to-eat fruit. The methods applied during three research years included the application of active molecules from natural substances, some widely used in commerce and other tested for the first time; first analyzed in vitro and then applied in vivo. The under consideration methods concerned dipping, coating and the layer-by-layer assembly. The analysis carried out on the fruit have monitored pomological traits performances (soluble solids content, titratable acidity, pH, color, flesh firmness), the chemical profile (polyphenoloxidase, carotenoids) and microbial growth

Use of xanthan gum and calcium ascorbate to prolong cv. Butirra pear slices shelf life during storage

After cut, pear fruit (Pyrus communis L.) during shelf life can be subjected to color and flavor changes. To maintain flesh colour and firmness, different technologies could be employed during shelf life, such as chemical, physical and edible coating treatments. In the present study, the effects of two edible coating formulations containing xanthan gum and calcium ascorbate on fresh­cut pear fruit were investigated. After harvest, 200 fruits were cut and coated with Xanthan Gum (XAN) and distilled water or Xanthan gum + Calcium Ascorbate (ASC), respectively, while control (CTR) pear fruit slices were soaked in distilled water and lastly packed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packages sealed with a composite film (PP­PET). All samples were stored at 5±0.5°C with RH 90% for 10 days. Measurements were carried out at 3, 5, 7 and 10 days of storage evaluating visual quality score, browning index, color, total solid soluble content (TSS), flavor, ascorbic acid content and total phenols content. The results showed that ASC treatment was the most efficient treatment in terms of color changes, ascorbic acid content, visual quality score and browning index, until the 7th day of storage. Moreover, (ASC) treatment reported lower mean values in terms of taste and flavor score if compared to CTR and XAN treatments. Untreated pear slices (CTR) kept good values concerning flavor score until the 3rd day of storage while on the 5th and 7th day off­flavor values were the same as treated samples

Fruit growth stage transitions in two mango cultivars grown in a mediterranean environment

Studying mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit development represents one of the most important aspects for the precise orchard management under non‐native environmental conditions. In this work, precision fruit gauges were used to investigate important eco‐physiological aspects of fruit growth in two mango cultivars, Keitt (late ripening) and Tommy Atkins (early‐mid ripening). Fruit absolute growth rate (AGR, mm day−1 ), daily diameter fluctuation (ΔD, mm), and a development index given by their ratio (AGR/ΔD) were monitored to identify the prevalent mechanism (cell division, cell expansion, ripening) involved in fruit development in three (‘Tommy Atkins’) or four (‘Keitt’) different periods during growth. In ‘Keitt’, cell division prevailed over cell expansion from 58 to 64 days after full bloom (DAFB), while the opposite occurred from 74 to 85 DAFB. Starting at 100 DAFB, internal changes prevailed over fruit growth, indicating the beginning of the ripening stage. In Tommy Atkins (an early ripening cultivar), no significant differences in AGR/ΔD was found among monitoring periods, indicating that both cell division and expansion coexisted at gradually decreasing rates until fruit harvest. To evaluate the effect of microclimate on fruit growth the relationship between vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and ΔD was also studied. In ‘Keitt’, VPD was the main driving force determining fruit diameter fluctuations. In ‘Tommy Atkins’, the lack of relationship between VPD and ΔD suggest a hydric isolation of the fruit due to the disruption of xylem and stomatal flows starting at 65 DAFB. Further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis

Retrospective Long-Term Evaluation of Miltefosine-Allopurinol Treatment in Canine Leishmaniosis

: Miltefosine-Allopurinol (MIL-AL) combination is reported to be one of the most effective treatments for canine leishmaniosis, thanks to its oral administration and MIL-documented low impact on renal function. However, MIL-AL is considered a second-choice treatment when compared to meglumine-antimoniate-allopurinol combination, mainly due to the risk of earlier relapses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the MIL-AL protocol during a long-term follow-up with an average duration of nine years. Dogs were living in Southern Italy (Puglia, Italy) in an area considered endemic for Canine leishmaniosis (CanL). Inclusion criteria were clinical and/or clinicopathological signs consistent with CanL; positive result to Leishmania quantitative ELISA; and negativity to the most frequent canine vector-borne infections. All dogs received 2 mg/kg MIL for 28 days, and 10 mg/kg AL, BID, for a period varying between 2 and 12 months. Ancillary treatments were allowed according to the clinical condition of the dog. A total clinical score and a total clinicopathological score were calculated at each time point by attributing one point to each sign or alteration present and then by adding all points. Improvement after each treatment was defined by the reduction of at least 50% of the total score. A survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier curve) was performed for quantifying the probability of the events occurring during the study follow-up. The following events were considered: decreased and negative ELISA results; improvement/recovery of the clinical and clinicopathological alterations; and relapse of leishmaniasis. One hundred seventy-three dogs (75f and 98m) were retrospectively included in the study by examining their clinical records since the first diagnosis of CanL. One hundred forty-three (83%) dogs were under five years of age. The mean duration of the follow-up period was 5.4 (±1.1) years with a minimum of 3.2 years and a maximum of 9 years. All dogs received a first treatment of MIL-AL at inclusion; then, during the follow-up course, 30 dogs required a second treatment, 2 dogs required a third treatment and 1 dog required a fourth and a fifth treatment. The mean time interval between the first and the second treatment was 27.2 (±18.3) months. After the first treatment, all dogs had decreased ELISA levels, in an average interval of 2.6 (±1.6) months. One hundred seventy dogs (98%) experienced a clinical improvement (mean time 3.0 ± 4.9 months); 152 (88%) dogs were considered clinically recovered after a mean time of 16.7 ± 13.5 months. A similar trend was observed for clinicopathological alterations; interestingly, proteinuria decreased in most dogs (p < 0.0001-Chi-square for trends). Thirty dogs experienced relapses, the earliest after 4.8 months. The mean time without relapse was 90.4 (±2.5) months. In relapsed dogs, the mean time for clinical improvement after the second treatment was 8.6 (±12.6) months, whereas it was 11.0 (±15.4) months for clinicopathological alterations. Five dogs had limited gastrointestinal side effects associated with MIL treatment. The present study confirms that the MIL-AL protocol can be considered one of the most effective treatments for CanL therapy, mainly for its capacity to provide a long-time clinical improvement in a large majority of treated dogs. As reported in the literature, the clinical stabilization of dogs does not occur immediately after treatment, probably due to the particular pharmacokinetic properties of MIL. The efficacy of MIL-AL decreases in dogs that need more than one treatment, suggesting the necessity to alternate anti-Leishmania drugs for the treatment of relapses. Side effects were transient and slight, even in dogs that required several treatments

Effect of Opuntia ficus-indica Mucilage Edible Coating in Combination with Ascorbic Acid, on Strawberry Fruit Quality during Cold Storage

Strawberry fruit is a nonclimacteric fruit and is one of the most consumed berries in the world. It is characterized by high levels of vitamin C, folate, vitamin E, β-carotene, and phenolic constituents as well asanthocyanins that are strictly related to health benefits. Strawberries are highly perishable fruit with a very short postharvest life due to their susceptibility to mechanical injury, rapid texture softening, physiological disorders, and infection caused by several pathogens (yeast and mold) that can rapidly reduce fruit quality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the application of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage in combination with ascorbic acid, as edible coating, on quality, sensorial parameters, and microbiological characteristics of strawberry fruit during cold storage at 4 ± 0.5°C and 85% RH. Strawberries were characterized by a linear increase of weight loss during the storage at 4°C that was significantly higher (+11.3% on average) in the uncoated strawberries. The coating affected the ascorbic acid content of the strawberries that increased by 36.0% in coated strawberries; total soluble solid content and color of the strawberries were only affected by storage. Visual quality and sensorial analysis recorded higher scores in the coated samples at the end of the cold storage period. Furthermore, the mucilage coating did not negatively affect the natural taste of strawberries. The application of O. ficus-indica gel-based edible coating in combination with ascorbic acid, although not able to inhibit the microbial growth, limited significantly their development in coated strawberry fruits. Our results suggest that Opuntia mucilage plus 5% ascorbic acid could be a useful biochemical way of maintaining strawberry fruit quality and extending their postharvest life

Microstructural white-matter abnormalities and their relationship with cognitive dysfunction in obsessive-compulsive disorder

open5Background: In recent years, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have detected subtle microstructural abnormalities of white matter (WM) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, findings have been inconsistent, and it is unclear whether WM abnormalities are related to cognitive processes. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of WM alterations with cognitive variables in OCD in order to investigate the structural correlates of behaviorally relevant features of the disorder. Methods: We compared DTI-derived fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and radial diffusivity (RD) measures between OCD patients (n = 16) and healthy controls (n = 18) using a whole-brain tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) approach. We also explored the correlations of WM alterations with clinical and cognitive variables. Results: Patients with OCD demonstrated increases in MD in the bilateral posterior corona radiata; left anterior corona radiata; bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus; genu, body, and splenium of the corpus callosum; and left posterior limb of the internal capsule. An increase in RD values was also found in some of the same tracts (right posterior corona radiata, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, left anterior corona radiata, and corpus callosum). Furthermore, increased MD value in the internal capsule was correlated with the percentage of errors made during a target detection task, which was greater in the OCD group overall. Conclusions: These findings indicate that OCD patients show greater diffusivity in several white-matter regions. The correlation between cognitive performance and diffusivity in the internal capsule suggests that microstructural WM alternations may have functional consequences for the disorder.openMagioncalda, P; Martino, M; Ely, B.A.; Inglese, M; Stern, E. R.Magioncalda, P; Martino, M; Ely, B. A.; Inglese, M; Stern, E. R

Evaluation of the antioxidant/antimicrobial performance of Posidonia oceanica in comparison with three commercial natural extracts and as a treatment on fresh-cut peaches (Prunus persica Batsch)

This research aimed at extending the choice of natural antimicrobials/antioxidants for food applications. Four plant extracts, Posidonia oceanica (PO), Green Tea (GT), Grape seeds (GS) and Grape skin (GK), were analyzed to determine their total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and in vitro antimicrobial performance. PO extract showed the highest total phenolic content (711 mg gallic acid/g extract) and antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum. The highest antioxidant (3.81 mg/L EC50) and antibacterial activities (bactericidal against Gram positives and bacteriostatic against Gram negatives) were found for GT extract. The best performing extracts (PO and GT) were applied by dipping on peach slices in storage trials. Microbiological and pomological parameters were evaluated during 7 d storage. Total aerobic count, Pseudomonas as well as yeasts and moulds populations, were reduced by about 0.5 log cfu/g, mainly up to 5 d in all treated samples compared to the control. Total soluble solids, titratable acidity and colour (L*a*b*) changes were also delayed in treated fruit