Safety, quality, and processing of fruits and vegetables

Nowadays, one of the main objectives of the fruit and vegetable industry is to develop innovative novel products with high quality, safety, and optimal nutritional characteristics in order to respond with efficiency to the increasing consumer expectations. Various emerging, unconventional technologies (e.g., pulsed electric field, pulsed light, ultrasound, high pressure, and microwave drying) enable the processing of fruits and vegetables, increasing their stability while preserving their thermolabile nutrients, flavour, texture, and overall quality. Some of these technologies can also be used for waste and by-product valorisation. The application of fast noninvasive methods for process control is of great importance for the fruit and vegetable industry. The following Special Issue \u201cSafety, Quality, and Processing of Fruits and Vegetables\u201d consists of 11 papers, which provide a high-value contribution to the existing knowledge on safety aspects, quality evaluation, and emerging processing technologies for fruits and vegetables

On the environmental impacts of voluntary animal-based policies in the EU: Technical and political considerations

The livestock sector has a large influence on direct and indirect (via land use change) greenhouse gas emissions, with potential negative impacts on climate change. We quantify the environmental impacts related to the introduction of a voluntary animal-based policy supported by the European Union (EU), the Measure 14 of Rural Development Programmes 2014–2020 on animal welfare. In particular, we focus on methane and nitrous oxide emissions (direct impacts), and on carbon-based and nitrous oxide emissions from land use change (indirect impacts). Our case study is the dairy sector of the EU Member States. We found that the animal-based measures have (on average) limited environmental impacts, although marked differences exist across Member States

Rancang Bangun Perangkat Kendali Pintu Rumah Menggunakan Fingerprint Berbasis Arduino Leonardo

Pada zaman modern seperti saat ini, perancangan sistem dibuat semakin praktis pengoperasiannya dan tentunya faktor keamanan yang menjadi prioritas mengingat tingginya tingkat pencurian didalam rumah. Akses pintu yang masih manual memiliki banyak kekurangan diantaranya sering kehilangan kunci, butuh waktu yang cukup lama saat membuka pintu, sistem keamanan kunci yang lemah sehingga mudah dibobol seseorang. Keamanan pintu dalam suatu ruangan dengan menggunakan sensor fingerprint dibuat sebagai salah satu bentuk pengaman dalam skala kecil. Sistem keamanan ini mengandalkan sidik jari untuk mengamankan sebuah pintu. Fingerprint yang telah diakses oleh jari-jari dari anggota keluarga akan memberikan data kepada mikrokontroler untuk diolah yang kemudian akan memberikan perintah kepada motor stepper untuk membuka pintu secara otomatis. Untuk membuka pintu secara otomatis maka digunakan mikrokontroller Arduino Leonardo sebagai dasar pengendali untuk menggerakan motor stepper dan pemanfaatan sensor PIR untuk menutup pintu secara otomatis. Dari hasil pengujian pintu akan terbuka jika ID sidik jari yang dicocokan sesuai dengan sidik jari yang sudah tersimpan dalam database. Tombol Button digunakan untuk membuka dan menutup pintu secara otomatis apabila anggota keluarga akan keluar rumah atau ruangan.Penggunaan yang mudah dan sistem keamanan dengan teknologi digital yang lebih terjaga dibanding dengan kunci pintu konvensional. Sebagai hasil dari skripsi ini dapat diimplementasikan pada kondisi sesungguhnya untuk pengamanan pintu rumah

Effect of plasma-activated water (PAW) soaking on the lipid oxidation of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) fillets

The efficacy of plasma-activated water (PAW) as a chemical-free and environmentally friendly preservative has been documented for a variety of foods, but the onset of lipid oxidation induced by plasma-reactive species has been less extensively studied. In this work, global indices (peroxide value, UV specific absorbance) and direct analytical determinations of volatile and non-volatile oxidation products were performed on sardine lipids extracted from fish fillets immersed in PAW (treatments) and distilled water (controls) for 10-30 min. Evidence of PAW-induced lipid oxidation was provided by higher UV specific absorbances and higher levels of C5-C9 secondary volatile oxidation products in the treated samples. However, the degree of fatty acid oxidation was not sufficient to cause a significant reduction in nutritionally valuable eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Twelve cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) were identified in the sardine lipids, but no significant differences in total COPs content were found between PAW processed and control samples

Gaping of pectoralis minor muscles: magnitude and characterization of an emerging quality issue in broilers

Recently, a certain number of broiler abattoirs located in different Countries around the World have signaled an emerging quality issue termed "gaping" because of the separation of the fiber bundles affecting the external portion of the bipinnate pectoralis minor muscle. Thus, after defining the criteria to classify the muscles as Normal (NORM), Moderate (MOD), or Severe (SEV) cases, the incidence of gaping under commercial conditions was assessed on a total of 8,600 P. minor obtained from broiler chickens belonging to 43 flocks during a 6-mo period. Then, a total of 180 P. minor were selected based on previously defined criteria to evaluate the main quality traits (pH, color, water-holding/-binding capacity and tenderness), proximate composition, water mobility, and thermal properties as well as metabolic profile through 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. The average incidence of gaping defect was found to be 16.8% (8.8 and 8.0% MOD and SEV cases, respectively). As for the main quality traits, a reduction in ultimate pH was observed as the severity of the gaping defect increased, with SEV muscles displaying significantly lower values in comparison with NORM (5.96 vs. 6.02; P < 0.01), while MOD showed intermediate values (5.99). Concurrently, if compared with their NORM counterpart, MOD and SEV exhibited higher lightness (53.6 and 54.2 vs. 51.8; P < 0.01) coupled with higher (P < 0.05) cooking losses and longer (P < 0.05) transversal relaxation time of extra-myofibrillar water fraction. Overall, no significant differences were found concerning proximate composition and thermal properties. With regard to the metabolic profile, a significantly lower (P < 0.001) glutamine concentration was found in MOD and SEV muscles that, concurrently, revealed significant (P < 0.05) variations in the metabolites involved in energy-generating pathways. Overall, these findings evidenced that the gaping defect affecting broilers' P. minor muscles have strong similarities with the pale-soft-exudative condition previously described in poultry and likely results from the biochemical processes taking place during the post-mortem conversion of muscle to meat

The Impact of Plasma Activated Water Treatment on the Phenolic Profile, Vitamins Content, Antioxidant and Enzymatic Activities of Rocket-Salad Leaves

Plasma activated water (PAW) recently received much attention as an alternative food preservation method. However, its effects on food quality are still scarce. This study evaluates the effect of PAW processing time on bioactive compounds of rocket-salad leaves including: 18 phenolic compounds, vitamin C, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide. Moreover, the impact of PAW on both antioxidant (DPPH) and peroxidase (POD) activities was also investigated. This was performed using HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS/MS, and spectrophotometric analysis. All treatments induced non-significant increases in total phenolic contents. However, depending on processing time, significant increases or decreases of individual phenolic compounds were observed. PAW-10 and -20 increased the ascorbic acid content to 382.76 and 363.14 mg/100 g, respectively, compared to control (337.73 mg/100 g). Riboflavin and nicotinic acid contents were increased significantly in PAW-20 (0.53 and 1.26 mg/100), compared to control (0.32 and 0.61 mg/100 g, respectively). However, nicotinamide showed non-significant increase in all treatments. Antioxidant activity improved significantly only in PAW-20, while peroxidase activity was reduced up to 36% in the longest treatment. In conclusion, PAW treatment could be an effective technique for rocket decontamination since it positively influenced the quality of rocket, improving the retention of polyphenols and vitamins

The impact of pulsed electric field on the extraction of bioactive compounds from beetroot

Beetroot is a root vegetable rich in different bioactive components, such as vitamins, minerals, phenolics, carotenoids, nitrate, ascorbic acids, and betalains, that can have a positive effect on human health. The aim of this work was to study the influence of the pulsed electric field (PEF) at different electric field strengths (4.38 and 6.25 kV/cm), pulse number 10\u201330, and energy input 0\u201312.5 kJ/kg as a pretreatment method on the extraction of betalains from beetroot. The obtained results showed that the application of PEF pre-treatment significantly (p &lt; 0.05) influenced the efficiency of extraction of bioactive compounds from beetroot. The highest increase in the content of betalain compounds in the red beet\u2019s extract (betanin by 329%, vulgaxanthin by 244%, compared to the control sample), was noted for 20 pulses of electric field at 4.38 kV/cm of strength. Treatment of the plant material with a PEF also resulted in an increase in the electrical conductivity compared to the non-treated sample due to the increase in cell membrane permeability, which was associated with leakage of substances able to conduct electricity, including mineral salts, into the intercellular space

Effect of plasma activated water (PAW) on rocket leaves decontamination and nutritional value

Plasma Activated Water (PAW) obtained by exposing water to cold atmospheric pressure plasma, has recently emerged as a promising alternative for food decontamination, compared to the use of traditional chemical sanitizers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of PAW treatments for rocket salad decontamination. Washing with PAW for 2, 5, 10 and 20 min was assessed against different endogenous spoilage microorganisms and compared to untreated water and hypochlorite solution. The chemical composition of PAW as a function of treatment and delay time was characterized and the effect on product quality and nutritional parameters was evaluated. Results showed that PAW allowed an average reduction of 1.7–3 Log CFU/g for total mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae following 2–5 min washing with minimal variation of qualitative and nutritional parameters. Overall, experimental results highlighted the potentiality of PAW treatments as a promising alternative to chlorine having the advantage of a minor adverse impact on environment and consumers' health. Industrial relevance: To meet consumers demand, the minimally processed fruit and vegetable industry needs to find sustainable solutions as alternative to the use of traditional chemical sanitizers that allow to increase product shelf-life and preserve safety, qualitative and nutritional characteristics. Plasma activated water represents a promising strategy for food decontamination, but its effects on foods have been only limitedly investigated. The present research is the first study on the use of plasma activated water on fresh rocket leaves, providing new and important information on microbial inactivation and quality of the fresh cut product

Guideline on management of the acute asthma attack in children by Italian Society of Pediatrics

Background: Acute asthma attack is a frequent condition in children. It is one of the most common reasons for emergency department (ED) visit and hospitalization. Appropriate care is fundamental, considering both the high prevalence of asthma in children, and its life-threatening risks. Italian Society of Pediatrics recently issued a guideline on the management of acute asthma attack in children over age 2, in ambulatory and emergency department settings. Methods: The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was adopted. A literature search was performed using the Cochrane Library and Medline/PubMed databases, retrieving studies in English or Italian and including children over age 2 year. Results: Inhaled f2 agonists are the first line drugs for acute asthma attack in children. Ipratropium bromide should be added in moderate/severe attacks. Early use of systemic steroids is associated with reduced risk of ED visits and hospitalization. High doses of inhaled steroids should not replace systemic steroids. Aminophylline use should be avoided in mild/moderate attacks. Weak evidence supports its use in life-threatening attacks. Epinephrine should not be used in the treatment of acute asthma for its lower cost / benefit ratio, compared to \u3b22 agonists. Intravenous magnesium solphate could be used in children with severe attacks and/or forced expiratory volume1 (FEV1) lower than 60% predicted, unresponsive to initial inhaled therapy. Heliox could be administered in life-threatening attacks. Leukotriene receptor antagonists are not recommended. Conclusions: This Guideline is expected to be a useful resource in managing acute asthma attacks in children over age 2

Use of green solvents as pre-treatment of dissolving pulp to decrease CS2 consumption from viscose production

Choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents are widely used in biomass processing. In this work, four different green solvent mixtures were used as pre-treatment of acid sulphite dissolving pulp with the hypothesis of increasing the possibilities to produce viscose fibres and decreasing the use of the harmful and toxic carbon disulphide in the process. The experiments were performed at two different pulp to solvent mass ratios. Pulp quality parameters were also measured to determine the suitability of the pretreatment: a-cellulose, viscosity, lignin and pentosan content. In addition, X-ray diffraction analysis of pulps at the best solid to liquid ratio was performed to obtain the influence of the crystallinity index. Best results were obtained with the use of lactic acid, with reactivity values close to 94%, giving a reduction of CS2 usage of 15.83%. Furthermore, a linear relationship between the crystallinity index calculated by the XRD and reactivity with a regression factor of 0.87 was found