Impact of Alternative Thermal and Non-Thermal Processing on the Enzymatic Activity of Papaya and Strawberry Nectars and Their Blends

Pectin methylesterase (PME) in papaya nectar results in undesirable gel formation and peroxidase (POD) in strawberry nectar leads to nutrient loss, browning, and off-flavor production. Because of this, the effect of alternative processing techniques including ultra high temperature (UHT, 20-135°C, 1-3 s), high pressure processing (HPP, 20 or 60°C, 200-600 MPa) and irradiation (0-10 kGy) on PME and POD activity in papaya and strawberry nectar and their respective blends were compared to traditional thermal processing (80-130°C, 0-10 min). Traditional thermal (110°C, 5 min, 71.5% reduction) and UHT (110°C, 1-3 s, 98.0% reduction) processing were able to sufficiently reduce PME activity and prevent gel formation in papaya nectar. PME reduction was enhanced by synergistic reductions in nectar blends after UHT at 80°C. HPP was unable to prevent gel formation in papaya nectar, with enhanced activity at 400 MPa. Exposure of a blend 50P:50S to 10 kGy irradiation prevented gel formation. UHT enhanced POD activity at 110°C and synergistic reductions resulted for POD activity in nectar blends after irradiation. These findings highlight the benefits of alternative processing in reducing enzyme activity in fruit nectars and nectar blends

Gas Chromatography–Olfactometry Analyses of Volatiles Produced by ‘Fallglo’ and ‘US Early Pride’ Tangerines

‘Fallglo’ is a popular tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco) cultivar with high eating quality. However, ‘Fallglo’ may contain as many as 30–40 seeds per fruit. ‘US Early Pride’ is a seedless mutation of ‘Fallglo’ with similar quality attributes. The objective of the current study was to determine if ‘Fallglo’ and ‘US Early Pride’ fruit differed in the composition or quantity of aroma-active volatiles produced over time. Fruit were harvested bi-weekly from October to December. Juice was carefully extracted from 50 fruit, and volatiles were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). Two subjects evaluated the GC effluents by olfactometry in triplicate runs for each sample. Volatile identification was done by GC-mass spectrometry and confirmed by sniffing of authentic standards. The same 32 aroma-active compounds were perceived in ‘Fallglo’ and ‘US Early Pride’, of which 25 were identified. Compounds were classified in odor descriptor groups: fatty (10 compounds), plastic or rubber (seven compounds), fruity or citrus (four compounds), floral (four compounds), mushroom (two compounds), green (two compounds) and other (one compound). ‘Fallglo’ and ‘US Early Pride’ had similar aroma intensities for the three first harvests (26 Oct., 3 Nov., 17 Nov.), but ‘Fallglo’ had higher levels of two fruity odorous peaks (E-2-pentenal and the coeluting compounds E-2-hexenal and ethyl 2 methyl butanoate) than did ‘US Early Pride’ at the December harvest. The last harvest showed significantly higher aroma intensity for six peaks in each cultivar, with only two peaks in common in both cultivars

Valoración de los niveles de condición física de escolares de 11-12 años, mediante la aplicación de la Batería ALPHAFITNES

The state of health in the schoolchildren shows a high rate of sedentary lifestyle and therefore it is necessary to know the state of health of schoolchildren and use the concepts in a correct way in order to be able to apply a precise intervention. The aim of this study is the health status in schoolchildren aged 11 to 12 years using the ALPHA-Fitness battery. The sample consists of 79 subjects, 38 boys and 41 girls. The results show how the levels of fitness related to health are low or very low of those established for the age of 13 years. An interventional work based on the improvement of the physical condition is necessary and more in the girls than in the boys.El estado de salud en la población escolar muestra un elevado índice de sedentarismo y por ello es necesario conocer el estado de salud de los escolares para así poder realizar una adecuada intervención orientada a la actividad física saludable. El objetivo de este estudio es el conocer los niveles de condición física como referencia para orientarnos en el estado de salud de los escolares de 11 a 12 años a través de la aplicación de la Batería ALPHA-Fitness. La muestra consta de N= 79, (38 niños; 41 niñas). Los resultados muestran cómo los niveles de condición física relacionada con la salud están entre los valores muy bajos y bajos de los establecidos por los referentes de la propia batería.  Resulta necesario un trabajo de intervención basado en la mejora de la Condición Física y más en las niñas que en los niños

Development of an Araucaria araucana Beer-like Beverage: Process and Product

The seed from the Araucaria araucana (in Spanish, piñon) tree, native to Chile and Argentina, is sold mainly as raw seed. Engineering a process to add value to piñon has the potential to positively impact local indigenous communities with very little ecological impact because it is routinely harvested in the wild. This study evaluated the feasibility of using 100% piñon, or as a blend with barley malt, to produce a beer-like beverage, while also evaluating consumer acceptance of the beverage’s piñon characteristics. Prototypes generated based on 93% piñon and 7% oat (enzymatic treatment of α-amylase, glucoamylase, protease and β-glucanase), as well as 50% piñon and 50% barley (no external enzymatic treatment), were evaluated. Overall acceptability by a consumer acceptance panel (21 consumers) rated the 100% piñon and the piñon–barley malt blend 5/9 and 7/9, respectively. The piñon–barley malt blend prototype stood out for its low level of carbohydrates, high potassium content and banana and clove aromas

Assessment of the physical condition levels of schoolchildren aged 11-12 years, through the application of the ALPHAFITNES Battery

El estado de salud en la población escolar muestra un elevado índice de sedentarismo y por ello es necesario conocer el estado de salud de los escolares para así poder realizar una adecuada intervención orientada a la actividad física saludable. El objetivo de este estudio es el conocer los niveles de condición física como referencia para orientarnos en el estado de salud de los escolares de 11 a 12 años a través de la aplicación de la Batería ALPHA-Fitness. La muestra consta de N= 79, (38 niños; 41 niñas). Los resultados muestran cómo los niveles de condición física relacionada con la salud están entre los valores muy bajos y bajos de los establecidos por los ref- erentes de la propia batería. Resulta necesario un trabajo de intervención ba- sado en la mejora de la Condición Física y más en las niñas que en los niños.The state of health in the schoolchildren shows a high rate of sedentary lifestyle and therefore it is necessary to know the state of health of schoolchildren and use the concepts in a correct way in order to be able to apply a precise intervention. he aim of this study is the health status in schoolchildren aged 11 to 12 years using the ALPHA-Fitness battery. he sample consists of 79 subjects, 38 boys and 41 girls. he results show how the levels of itness related to health are low or very low of those established for the age of 13 years. An interventional work based on the improvement of the physical condition is necessary and more in the girls than in the boys

In-Field Thermal Treatment of Huanglongbing (HLB) infected Trees

To decrease Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus titer and increase the productive life of infected trees, thermal treatment of orange trees was proposed.  A moving greenhouse was developed to cover single trees during the summer of 2012.  Four trees (~ 2.5×2.5×2.5 m) were treated, one tree per day, during the months of September (trees T1 through T3) and October (tree T4).  From each tree, three symptomatic branches were sampled to determine microbial kill before (0 h) and at 2, 3, 4, and 5 h during the treatment.  Temperature distribution throughout the canopy and on the sampled branches was also recorded.  Maximal temperatures in the ranges 50 to 53 °C were reached at the top (2.4 m) of the canopy whereas at the bottom of the canopy (i.e., 0.6 m) maximal temperatures ranged from 36 to 43 °C.  Due to varied micro-meteorological conditions during the treatment, temperatures of the T1 through T4 sampled branches reached above 40⁰C for 217, 166, 35, 228 min, respectively.  For T1, T2 and T4 trees, average temperatures of the sampled branches reached above 45 °C for 87, 35, and 49 min or more.  Attempts to quantitatively determine microbial kill by determining percent live bacteria at selected time intervals during thermal treatment was unreliable due to the very uneven distribution of initial proportion of live-to-dead bacteria and analysis variability.  However, overall, after thermal treatments, live microbial populations decreased.  These findings indicate that adequate thermal treatment of trees required forced convection air flow and supplemental heating