Bioactive and Antioxidant Activity from Citrus bergamia Risso (Bergamot) Juice Collected in Different Areas of Reggio Calabria Province, Italy

The chemical composition and antioxidant activity of juice extracted from seven samples of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) collected in different areas of Reggio Calabria Province were investigated. The ascorbic acid, total polyphenol, and flavonoid contents were determined. Total flavonoids and polyphenols were analyzed by ultraviolet spectra, while flavanone content was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity of the fractions was assessed using three representative assays: 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid), 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical quenching and β-carotene bleaching test. The main flavanones were naringin, neohesperedin, and neoeriocitrin, and their average content 242.4 ± 1.8, 183.0 ± 0.6, and 247.0 ± 1.4 mg mL–1, respectively. The results showed that bergamot juice possessed a good quality and a valuable source of health promoting constituents. In fact it contained eriocitrin, naringin, neoeriocitrin, and neohesperedin, which may ..

Effect of summer pruning on some fruit quality traits in Hayward kiwifruit

Introduction. The aim of our study was to analyze the effect of various levels of light availability in the fruit microenvironment (induced by summer pruning) on some fruit quality traits. Materials and methods. Two levels of summer pruning were set: removal of either 30% or 60% of the canopy leaf area. These treatments were compared with the control (unpruned vines). Two canopy layers (upper and lower) were identified in each treatment and in the control vines. At harvest, yield per cane and per shoot was recorded in the two canopy layers; fruit fresh weight, flesh firmness, total soluble solid content and total titratable acidity were measured. Fruit Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and Total Polyphenols (TPH) were determined at kiwifruit harvest and post-harvest (60 days after storage at 1 °C) in relation to their position within the canopy (layer) and to the pruning treatment applied. Results. Removing 60% of the canopy leaf area induced higher titratable acidity and flesh firmness of kiwifruits at harvest; it reduced fruit weight and crop yield, but increased TAC and TPH compared with kiwifruits of control. Removing 30% leaf area did not reduce mean fruit weight and crop yield; it increased TAC and TPH at harvest by 20%. Post-harvest TAC and TPH evolution did not differ among treatments. Discussion and conclusion. Pergola-trained kiwifruit vines showed good performances in terms of crop yield and fruit quality when summer pruning reduced the Leaf Area Index (LAI) to 3. More intense pruning resulted in a significant increase in fruit TAC, but reduced fruit weight and crop yield, and delayed softening of pulp

Polypyrrole Solid-State Supercapacitors Drawn on Paper

Solid-state supercapacitors with areal capacitance in the order of 100 mF⋅cm−2 are developed on paper substrates, using eco-friendly, low-cost materials and a simple technology. The electrochemically active material used as the electrode is prepared from a stable water-based ink, obtained by doping commercial polypyrrole (PPY) powder with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA), and characterized by optical and electrical measurements, Raman investigation and Atomic Force Microscopy. The PPY:DBSA ink can be directly applied on paper by means of rechargeable water pens, obtaining, after drying, electrically conducting solid state tracks. The PPY:DBSA layers are then interfaced to one another through a polymer gel based on potassium hydroxide and chitosan, acting both as the ion-conducting medium and as the separator. The areal capacitance of the devices developed by following such a simple rule can be improved when the PPY:DBSA ink is applied in combination with other nanostructured carbon material