A new concept for the measurement of total volatile compounds of food

The aim of our work was to develop a rapid and reliable method for the evaluation of the total volatile fraction of fruits (strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes and apples). Our method consists of trapping the volatile compounds of fruits on a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibre and determining the total amount of the adsorbed substances after desorption in a GC system, without performing any separation. The patterns obtained by using several types of SPME fibre permitted us to differentiate between the total volatile compounds present in the sample depending upon their chemical nature. Using strawberries as a model, we could show that our method: (1) leads to easily reproducible results; (2) allows differentiation between six varieties in a way which is consistent with an hedonic evaluation of these varieties; (3) shows the variation in total volatile compounds between individual fruits. The technique is rapid, practical, cheap, and promising for an objective evaluation of the volatile fraction of fruits

Assessment of the Bioactive Compounds, Color, and Mechanical Properties of Apricots as Affected by Drying Treatment

Consumer acceptance of dried apricots depends on them having an intense orange color, a gummy texture, and a characteristic flavor. In addition, the growing demand for healthy and nutritive foods has increased the interest in this product, as apricot fruits can be considered a good source of phytochemicals, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamins. Microwave energy may be an interesting drying method, an alternative to conventional sun or hot air drying, with which to obtain dried apricots with good sensorial, nutritive, and functional properties in a shorter time. This paper aims to evaluate the effect of sulfur pretreatment and the drying process (hot air and/or microwaves) on the color, mechanical properties, and ascorbic acid, vitamins A and E, and total carotenoid content of apricot. The obtained results mean that the use of microwave energy, either in combination or not with mild-hot air, may be recommended to obtain dried apricots, without needing to apply sulfur pretreatment.The authors wish to thank the Education and Science Ministry and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) for the financial support given throughout the Project AGL2005-05994.García Martínez, EM.; Igual Ramo, M.; Martín-Esparza, M.; Martínez Navarrete, N. (2013). Assessment of the Bioactive Compounds, Color, and Mechanical Properties of Apricots as Affected by Drying Treatment. Food and Bioprocess Technology. 6(11):3247-3255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-012-0988-1S32473255611Adams, J. B. (1997). Food additive–additive interactions involving sulphur dioxide and ascorbic and nitrous acids: A review. Food Chemistry, 59(3), 401–409.Akin, E. B., Karabulut, I., & Topcu, A. (2008). Some compositional properties of main Malatya apricot Prunus armeniaca L. varieties. 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Phenotypic diversity and relationships of fruit quality traits in apricot ( Prunus armeniaca L.) germplasm

16 pages, 1 figure, 7 tables.Fruit quality attributes were studied for two consecutive years in forty-three apricot cultivars and selections grown in a Mediterranean climate. Physical parameters (weight, size, flesh and skin colour, percentage of blush, firmness and percentage of dry matter), chemical parameters (total soluble solids content and acidity) and sensory parameters (attractiveness, taste, aroma and texture) were evaluated. A high variability was found in the set of the evaluated apricot genotypes and significant differences were found among them in all studied quality attributes. Year-by-year variations were observed for some pomological traits such as harvest date, flesh colour, fruit weight, firmness and soluble solids content. A high correlation was found among some apricot quality attributes. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) made it possible to establish similar groups of genotypes depending on their quality characteristics as well as to study relationships among pomological traits in the set of apricot genotypes evaluated.The authors are grateful to Spanish CICYT (Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología) Projects AGL2004-04126-C02-01 for financial support, and the MEC, for financially assisting Dr. Ruiz.Peer reviewe