Using jasmonates and salicylates to reduce losses within the fruit supply chain

The fresh produce industry is constantly growing, due to increasing consumer demand. The shelf-life of some fruit, however, is relatively short, limited by microbial contamination or visual, textural and nutritional quality loss. Thus, techniques for reducing undesired microbial contamination, spoilage and decay, as well as maintaining product’s visual, textural and nutritional quality are in high demand at all steps within the supply chain. The postharvest use of signalling molecules, i.e. jasmonates and salicylates seems to have unexplored potential. The focus of this review is on the effects of treatment with jasmonates and salicylates on the fresh produce quality, defined by decay incidence and severity, chilling injury, maintenance of texture, visual quality, taste and aroma, and nutritional content. Postharvest treatments with jasmonates and salicylates have the ability to reduce decay by increasing fruit resistance to diseases and reducing chilling injury in numerous products. These treatments also possess the ability to improve other quality characteristics, i.e. appearance, texture maintenance and nutritional content. Furthermore, they can easily be combined with other treatments, e.g. heat treatment, ultrasound treatment. A good understanding of all the benefits and limitations related to the postharvest use of jasmonates and salicylates is needed, and relevant information has been reviewed in this paper

Natural acquisition of Helicobacter pylori in adultdyspeptic patients with or without previousinfection—a 7-year follow-up study

Background and Aim Epidemiological studies have suggestedthat H. pylori infection is acquired mainly in childhood, but rarely inadults. The aim of this study was to prospectively determine the inci-dence of exposure to Helicobacter pylori and subsequent successful col-onization in adults.Methods A total of 252 dyspeptic patients, 147 with successful H.pylori eradication therapy and 105 without previous H. pylori infec-tion, were scheduled for visits at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60, 72and 84 months. A validated 13C-urea urea breath test and a validatedIgG serological test were used to detect H. pylori status at each visit.Clinical, demographic and socio-economic factors were collected atthe entry of the study.Results Overall, 227 patients were followed up for at least 3months. Of these patients, 30 (13.2%) were exposed to H. pyloriduring the follow-up; 20 with previous H. pylori infection and 10without, giving an annual incidence of 3.2% and 2.6%, respectively.The high crude incidence of exposure to H. pylori was associated witha fewer number of bedrooms at home (OR = 0.38, 95% CI:0.18–0.84, c2= 5.98, P = 0.014), and multivariate analysis alsoshowed that number of bedrooms was the independent risk factor forthe exposure to H. pylori (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.12–0.91, c2= 4.61,P = 0.033). H. pylori successfully colonized in the stomachs of 11patients; 10 with previous H. pylori infection and one without, givingan annual rate of 1.6% and 0.3%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analy-sis revealed that previous H. pylori infection was associated with sub-sequent successful H. pylori colonization (Log Rank Test, P = 0.042).Conclusion There is a constant exposure to H. pylori in adults,regardless of previous infection. However, the incidence of successfulH. pylori colonization is significantly higher in patients with previousH. pylori infection than in those without the infection.link_to_subscribed_fulltex