Alginate Coatings Preserve Fruit Quality and Bioactive Compounds during Storage of Sweet Cherry Fruit

Sweet cherry fruits harvested at commercial maturity stage were treated with an edible coating based on sodium alginate at several concentrations (1%, 3% or 5% w/v). The coatings were effective on delaying the evolution of the parameters related to postharvest ripening, such as colour, softening and loss of acidity, and reducing respiration rate. In addition, the edible coatings showed a positive effect on maintaining higher concentration of total phenolics and total antioxidant activity, which decreased in control fruits associated with the over-ripening and senescence processes. Results from quality parameters and antioxidant activity suggested that the maximum storability period for control fruits was 8 days at 2 °C plus 2 days at 20 °C, while alginate-coated cherries could be stored with optimal quality and enhanced antioxidant activity up to 16 days at 2 °C plus 2 days at 20 °C

Off-odor compounds responsible for quality loss of minimally processed baby spinach stored under MA of low O2 and high CO2 using GC–MS and olfactometry techniques

Strong off-odor development is still one of the major problems associated with quality loss of baby spinach stored in MA with low O2 and high CO2. Freshness has been generally evaluated by sensory techniques that allow the description of aromatic profiles but it does not identify the responsible compound(s). An approach including sensory analysis and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)/Gas Chromatography-Olfactometric (GC-O) techniques were applied to elucidate the complex combination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for the off-odor perception of intact baby spinach without generation of new volatiles due to tissue manipulation. After 14 days, levels of low O2 and high CO2 (0.3 and 9.3 kPa, respectively) were achieved and off-odors development was detected. After GC–MS/GC-O analysis, there were 39 main compounds with olfactory activity, identified as alcohols associated with lipid peroxidation or LOX pathway; sulfur compounds from amino acid degradation; and alkanes from lipid autoxidation processes or carotenoid degradation. Odor-active compounds were grouped into the six odor categories as described by the sensory panel, with rotten and fishy being the strongest odors perceived after storage. The isolated VOCs grouped in the rotten descriptor were the alcohols 1-pentanol, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and 1-octen-3-ol, and the sulfur compounds methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide. A compound responsible for fishy notes was dimethyl sulfide but some evidence indicated that amine compounds with low odor thresholds could be also implicated. Since sulfur compounds were perceived by all sniffers and easily detected by mass spectrometry, they may be good candidates as biomarkers of off-odors in baby spinach

Polyamines as an ecofriendly postharvest tool to maintain fruit quality

Polyamines (PAs) are natural compounds involved in a wide range of plant growth and developmental process, such as cell division, dormancy breaking, germination, development of flower buds, fruit set, growth and ripening, as well as in plant responses to environmental stresses including chilling injury. This chapter will focus on the role of PAs in fruit growth and ripening, with special emphasis on the effects of pre- and postharvest PA treatment on fruit quality attributes, bioactive constituents with antioxidant activity, and tolerance of fruit to chilling injury damage. The results of this chapter provide evidence for the numerous beneficial effects of the exogenous PA treatments, both at pre- and postharvest time in fruit quality attributes including their concentration in antioxidant compounds. Taking into account that PAs are naturally occurring molecules their application as pre- or postharvest treatment could be considered as an environmentally compatible tool as they can be metabolized by fruit cells. In addition, it should be pointed out that although exogenous application of PAs enhances their endogenous levels, the concentrations remain far lower than the toxic ones. Since modern agriculture is searching for effective biological molecules with well-known metabolic effects but without toxicological effects, a possible answer may be related to PA treatments

Sensory, Nutritive and Functional Properties of Sweet Cherry as Affected by Cultivar and Ripening Stage

In this article 11 commercial sweet cherry cultivars were selected to evaluate sensory, nutritive and functional properties over the maturation process on tree. Fruit quality was significantly different among cultivars and maturity stages at harvest, with the highest quality scores being found in the harvest which was 4 days beyond current commercial harvest maturity for all the cultivars tested. Taking into account all of the measured parameters (weight, firmness, color, acidity and total soluble solids), ‘NY-6479’, ‘Prime Giant’ and ‘Sunburst’ could be classified as having the highest quality in terms of sensory attributes. However, ‘Cristalina’ and ‘Sonata’ had the highest functional quality, as determined by the measurement of bioactive compound content and antioxidant capacity. We conclude that a delay of a few days in harvesting of sweet cherries would lead to achieve maximal nutritional (highest sugar and organic acid contents), sensory (greatest firmness and color development) and functional (greatest phenolics content, anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity) quality to provide both eating enjoyment and health benefits to the consume

Maturity Stage at Harvest Determines the Fruit Quality and Antioxidant Potential after Storage of Sweet Cherry Cultivars

Eleven sweet cherry cultivars were harvested at three maturity stages (S1 to S3) based on skin color and stored at 2 °C for 16 days and a further period of 2 days at 20 °C (shelf life, SL) to analyze quality (color, total soluble solids, and total acidity) and bioactive compounds (total phenolics and anthocyanins) and their relationship to total antioxidant activity (TAA), determined in hydrophilic (HTAA) or lipophilic (L-TAA) fraction. For all cultivars and maturity stages, the ripening process advanced during postharvest storage with increases in color intensity and decreases in acidity, as well as enhancements in phenolics, anthocyanins, and TAA in both H-TAA and L-TAA, although important differences existed among cultivars. The results showed that sweet cherry should be harvested at stage S3 (4 days later than the commercial harvest date) since after 16 days of cold storage + SL, the highest antioxidant capacity was achieved for both H-TAA and L-TAA

Trabajo colaborativo como propuesta de formación interdisciplinar del Dibujo Industrial en I.T.I. en Química Industrial

Nos encontramos en un momento de transición en la universidad, en el que son muy importantes los desarrollos de experiencias de innovación docente de cara a su posible implementación en el desarrollo de las materias, la evaluación de los procesos y, sobre todo, los resultados. En el presente trabajo expondremos una experiencia llevada a cabo en la EPS de Linares que nos ha permitido encontrar alternativas al modelo tradicional de enseñanza-aprendizaje y mejorar la efectividad de los procesos a través de la aplicación como técnica docente del aprendizaje cooperativo entre distintas materias pertenecientes al área de expresión gráfica en la ingeniería y su empleo en grupos reducidos en los que los alumnos han trabajado juntos para maximizar su propio aprendizaje y el de los demás lo que ha permitido resolver problemas tradicionales, entre ellos la capacidad de visión espacial de los alumnos de nuevo ingreso en los estudios de ingeniería y alcanzar, dentro del marco de la expresión gráfica en la ingeniería, objetivos comunes

Individual Shrink Wrapping of Zucchini Fruit Improves Postharvest Chilling Tolerance Associated with a Reduction in Ethylene Production and Oxidative Stress Metabolites

We have studied the effect of individual shrink wrapping (ISW) on the postharvest performance of refrigerated fruit from two zucchini cultivars that differ in their sensitivity to cold storage: Sinatra (more sensitive) and Natura (more tolerant). The fruit was individually shrink wrapped before storing at 4°C for 0, 7 and 14 days. Quality parameters, ethylene and CO2 productions, ethylene gene expression, and oxidative stress metabolites were assessed in shrink wrapped and non-wrapped fruit after conditioning the fruit for 6 hours at 20°C. ISW decreased significantly the postharvest deterioration of chilled zucchini in both cultivars. Weight loss was reduced to less than 1%, pitting symptoms were completely absent in ISW fruit at 7 days, and were less than 25% those of control fruits at 14 days of cold storage, and firmness loss was significantly reduced in the cultivar Sinatra. These enhancements in quality of ISW fruit were associated with a significant reduction in cold-induced ethylene production, in the respiration rate, and in the level of oxidative stress metabolites such as hydrogen peroxide and malonyldialdehyde (MDA). A detailed expression analysis of ethylene biosynthesis, perception and signaling genes demonstrated a downregulation of CpACS1 and CpACO1 genes in response to ISW, two genes that are upregulated by cold storage. However, the expression patterns of six other ethylene biosynthesis genes (CpACS2 to CpACS7) and five ethylene signal transduction pathway genes (CpCTR1, CpETR1, CpERS1, CpEIN3.1 and CpEN3.2), suggest that they do not play a major role in response to cold storage and ISW packaging. In conclusion, ISW zucchini packaging resulted in improved tolerance to chilling concomitantly with a reduction in oxidative stress, respiration rate and ethylene production, as well as in the expression of ethylene biosynthesis genes, but not of those involved in ethylene perception and sensitivity.This work was supported by grants AGL2011-30568-C02/ALI from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and AGR1423 from the Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia, Junta de Andalucía, Spain. Z.M. acknowledges FPU program scholarships from MEC, Spain. S.M. is funded by grant PTA2011-479-I from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation

Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Economic Growth in Developing Asia

Global sea level rise (SLR) variations have undeniably begun to make an impact on highly vulnerable economies. These impacts of SLR are a key component of the projected economic damage of climate change, an important input to climate change policies and adaptive measures. This paper considers SLR projections and its impact on the economy and includes a consolidation of various related studies. Estimated global gross domestic product (GDP) loss by 2100 ranges from 0.3% to as high as of 9.3% (Hinkel et al. 2014; Pycroft, Abrell, and Ciscar 2015). Climate change impact should be addressed at the global level through a locally focused effort where education and acceptance by all stakeholders are crucial and warranted. Further, this paper tackles several adaptive strategies as a response to SLR which include retreat, accommodation, and protection. The retreat strategy simulates that SLR causes the loss of inundated land and incurs planned relocation (migration) costs above a certain sea level. The accommodation strategy allows usage of vulnerable areas or land and limits damage by floodproofing or raising structures. Finally, the protection strategy projects that land will be protected from SLR damage by sea walls or other barriers of a certain height. On the other hand, Diaz (2016) estimates a median adaptation cost from migration at 16% of GDP under the least-cost strategy by 2050. In general, the education of and the acceptance by the concerned local community will be crucial in the successful implementation of SLR adaptation strategies, notwithstanding parallel mitigation efforts on a global scale

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

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