Effect of controlling ethylene on ripening of avocado cv. hass fruit

Rigorous control of ethylene inside storage atmosphere is cardinal to maintain quality of climacteric fruit, including avocado cv. Hass. This can be achieved using the ethylene action inhibitor, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). The recent development of a novel palladium (Pd)-based ethylene scavenger, e+® Ethylene Remover, provides a new opportunity to delay avocado fruit ripening. A new method was developed to sequentially extract and quantify both lipids and sugars from the same avocado mesocarp tissue sample. Extraction by homogenization with hexane yielded slightly less oil than the standard Soxhlet technique whilst the fatty acid profiles of the oil extracts were similar. Extraction of the resulting filter residue with methanol (62.5%, v/v) better recovered sucrose, perseitol and mannoheptulose as compared to ethanol (80%, v/v). The new method has a shorter extraction time, lower extraction temperature and requires less solvent. Presence of e+® Ethylene Remover in storage atmosphere removed all ethylene and accordingly delayed the ripening of avocado cv. Hass stored at low temperature. 1-MCP also inhibited ripening, yet, unlike e+® Ethylene Remover it impaired subsequent ripening. It was possible to slow down the ripening rate after the climacteric has been induced by removing ethylene below 1 μL L-1 in presence of e+® Ethylene Remover, and the scavenger was effective in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Blocking ethylene action or removing ethylene did very slightly affect the fatty acid composition of the mesocarp oil. Depending on the origin and maturity of the fruit, 1-MCP and e+® Ethylene Remover better maintained seven-carbon sugars concentrations in mesocarp. Results support the view that mannoheptulose and perseitol could be important features of the avocado ripening process but more research is necessary to elucidate their exact function. Mesocarp abscisic acid (ABA) was quantified using a newly developed LC-ESIMS/ MS method. ABA increased as fruit ripened but appeared to be at least partly regulated by ethylene. Whether ABA influences the ethylene-associated ripening in avocado cv. Hass remains to be determined in future

Investigation into the role of endogenous abscisic acid during ripening of imported avocado cv. Hass

BACKGROUND The importance of ethylene in avocado ripening has been extensively studied. In contrast, little is known about the possible role of abscisic acid (ABA). The present work studied the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) (0.3 μL L−1), e+® Ethylene Remover and the combination thereof on the quality of imported avocado cv. Hass fruit stored for 7 days at 12 °C. Ethylene production, respiration, firmness, colour, heptose (C7) sugars and ABA concentrations in mesocarp tissue were measured throughout storage. RESULTS Treatment with e+® Ethylene Remover reduced ethylene production, respiration rate and physiological ripening compared with controls. Fruit treated with 1-MCP + e+® Ethylene Remover and, to a lesser extent 1-MCP alone, had the lowest ethylene production and respiration rate and hence the best quality. Major sugars measured in mesocarp tissue were mannoheptulose and perseitol, and their content was not correlated with ripening parameters. Mesocarp ABA concentration, as determined by mass spectrometry, increased as fruit ripened and was negatively correlated with fruit firmness. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest a relationship between ABA and ethylene metabolism since blocking ethylene, and to a larger extent blocking and removing ethylene, resulted in lower ABA concentrations. Whether ABA influences avocado fruit ripening needs to be determined in future research. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industr

Active compounds and distinctive sensory features provided by American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) extract in a new functional milk beverage

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) has recognized neurocognitive effects, and a ginsenoside-rich extract of the root of the plant has been shown to improve cognitive functions in young adults. This study aimed at assessing the chemical and sensory profiles of a UHT-treated, low-lactose functional milk containing American ginseng. Individual ginsenosides in the milk were analyzed by HPLC. Descriptive sensory analysis was performed by a trained panel to quantitatively document sensory changes resulting from the addition of ginseng and the UHT process on flavored and unflavored milks. Consumer acceptance of the product was also investigated. Total ginsenoside content in the UHT-treated milk enriched with the ginseng extract after UHT process treatment was 7.52. mg/100. g of milk, corresponding to a recovery of 67.6% compared with the content in the unprocessed extract. The intake of 150 to 300. mL of this ginseng-enriched milk provides the amount of total ginsenosides (11.5 to 23. mg) necessary to improve cognitive function after its consumption. Both the presence of ginsenosides and their thermal treatment affected some sensory properties of the milk, most notably an increase in bitterness and metallic taste, the appearance of a brownish color, and a decrease in milky flavor. Levels of brown color, bitterness, and metallic taste were highest in the industrially processed ginseng-enriched milk. The bitterness attributable to ginseng extract was reduced by addition of vanilla flavor and sucralose. A consumer exploratory study revealed that a niche of consumers exists who are willing to consume this type of product.The financial support of the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain (Madrid, Spain) for the project SENIFOOD (CENIT Programme) and for the contract with A. Tárrega (Juan de la Cierva Programme) is acknowledged. We gratefully acknowledge Juan Duato Aguilar, from Naturex Spain S.L. (Quart de Poblet, Spain), for his valuable technical support

Evaluation of the implementation of an integrated primary care network for prevention and management of cardiometabolic risk in Montréal

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The goal of this project is to evaluate the implementation of an integrated and interdisciplinary program for prevention and management of cardiometabolic risk (PCMR). The intervention is based on the Chronic Care Model. The study will evaluate the implementation of the PCMR in 6 of the 12 health and social services centres (CSSS) in Montréal, and the effects of the PCMR on patients and the practice of their primary care physicians up to 40 months following implementation, as well as the sustainability of the program. Objectives are: 1-to evaluate the effects of the PCMR and their persistence on patients registered in the program and the practice of their primary care physicians, by implementation site and degree of exposure to the program; 2-to assess the degree of implementation of PCMR in each CSSS territory and identify related contextual factors; 3-to establish the relationships between the effects observed, the degree of PCMR implementation and the related contextual factors; 4-to assess the impact of the PCMR on strengthening local services networks.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The evaluation will use a mixed design that includes two complementary research strategies. The first strategy is similar to a quasi-experimental "before-after" design, based on a quantitative approach; it will look at the program's effects and their variations among the six territories. The effects analysis will use data from a clinical database and from questionnaires completed by participating patients and physicians. Over 3000 patients will be recruited. The second strategy corresponds to a multiple case study approach, where each of the six CSSS constitutes a case. With this strategy, qualitative methods will set out the context of implementation using data from semi-structured interviews with program managers. The quantitative data will be analyzed using linear or multilevel models complemented with an interpretive approach to qualitative data analysis.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Our study will identify contextual factors associated with the effectiveness, successful implementation and sustainability of such a program. The contextual information will enable us to extrapolate our results to other contexts with similar conditions.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01326130">NCT01326130</a></p

Spatio-temporal postharvest changes in texture and fatty acid profiles in avocado fruit from different origins

The degree of ripeness of many climacteric fruits, such as avocado, can be correlated with fleshfirmness and other rheological properties. However, there remains a paucity of information on not only thepostharvest changes in texture of avocado fruit from different origins, but also on the spatial variation in texturewithin individual fruit. In addition, the relationship between changes in texture and lipid profile of fruit tissueduring postharvest ripening is unknown.The aim of the present study was to assess and discriminate between avocado cv. Hass fruit from threedifferent origins (viz. Spain, Peru and Chile) on the basis of temporal and spatial changes in both texture andfatty acid profiles of fruit flesh. Texture of different horizontally-cut slices from individual fruit within aconsignment was measured during ripening using a previously unreported technique. Maximum load, elasticityand viscosity of fruit tissue was measured using an Instron 5542 universal testing machine fitted with either a500 N or 5 N load cell. The same fruit slice was immediately snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and freeze-driedprior to subsequent extraction, identification and determination of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) profiles usinggas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The results were used to differentiate avocado fruit into definable groups using partial least squares discriminant analysis. Significant differences inmaximum load, elasticity, viscosity were found in avocado fruit flesh during ripening, and between origins andto a lesser extent between different locations within the fruit. Lipid profiles showed dissimilar compositionaccording to origin and changed slightly from apex to base. The textural changes and lipid profile in avocadofruit is therefore related to origin and the spatial variation within individual fruit

Biochemical and textural ripeness assessment of avocado fruit from different origins

Stage of ripeness and quality of avocado is notoriously difficult to assess by conventional methods. Texture is a very important determinant of avocado fruit quality and can change radically during storage. The difficulties in determining avocado quality are related, in part, to the spatial heterogeneity of fruit characteristics during ripening. The aim of this study was to assess the discriminatory capabilities of physiochemical properties to determine ripeness of imported 'Hass' avocado fruit. Fruit were stored at 12°C and sampled at regular intervals. Using a previously unreported method, the texture of different slices from individual fruit was measured during ripening. Maximum load, elasticity and viscosity of fruit tissue were measured using a universal testing machine fitted with a 500N or 5N load cell. The same tissue slice was then further processed prior to subsequent quantification of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) and fatty acid methyl esters using standard high performance liquid chromatography coupled to evaporative light scattering detection and gas chromatography coupled to flame ionisation detection, respectively. Spatio-temporal differences in maximum load, elasticity, viscosity, NSCs and fatty acid composition were found in avocados from different origins. Results of measured texture and target analytes were used to differentiate avocado fruit into definable groups using partial least squares discriminant analysis