Red-orange Research Articles

H2O2 assisted steel slag nanocomposite for degradation of organic pollutant in an advanced oxidation process for suspension and Spin-Coated mode

Electrical Furnace Steel slag (EAF) was converted into steel slag nanocomposite (SSNC) by solvothermal preparation technique and assisted by H2O2 for Fenton and photo-Fenton-like degradation of six different dyes in both suspension and spin-coated modes. The physico-chemical properties were evaluated using various characterization tools. The result reveals that the EAF-SSNC exhibited nanocomposite behaviour. As a substrate for studying the advance oxidataion processes, methylene blue (MB) was first used. The kinetic study followed the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The effect of operating factors was studied using the response surface methodology. Based on the optimum parameters, five reusability test was performed for both suspension and spin-coated mode, where 92.89% of MB was degraded in the fifth cycle for suspension mode and 88.21% for spin-coated mode. The photodegradation efficiency of methylene blue, methyl red, rhodamine-B, Congo red, acid blue-25, and methyl orange were 85.84%, 74.62%, 70.53%, 58.66%, 45.21%, and 40.38%, respectively, at a neutral pH. The effect of scavenger and total organic carbon (TOC) were analyzed. Moreover, the degradation pathway was identified using an LC-mass spectrometer. This work showed that slag nanocomposite is effective for dye degradation and lowering the overall cost of the Fenton process at a neutral pH.

Influence of Different Rootstocks on Fruit Quality and Primary and Secondary Metabolites Content of Blood Oranges Cultivars.

Blood oranges have high concentrations of bioactive compounds that are beneficial to health. In Europe, the cultivation of blood oranges is increasing due to their excellent nutritional properties. In Citrus crops, rootstocks play an important role in juice and can increase the content of bioactive compounds. The morphological, qualitative and nutritional parameters were analyzed in cultivars 'Tarocco Ippolito', 'Tarocco Lempso', 'Tarocco Tapi' and 'Tarocco Fondaconuovo' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla and Citrus reshni. 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla obtained the highest values of weight (275.78 g), caliber (81.37 mm and 76.79 mm) and juice content (162.11 g). 'Tarocco Tapi' grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained the most interesting qualitative parameters (15.40 °Brix; 12.0 MI). 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained the most intense red juice (a* = 9.61). Overall, the highest concentrations of primary metabolites were in proline, aspartate, citric acid, and sucrose. The results showed that 'Tarocco Ippolito' juice grafted onto Citrus reshni had the highest levels of total hydroxycinnamic acids (263.33 mg L-1), total flavones (449.74 mg L-1) and total anthocyanins (650.42 mg L-1). To conclude, 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla obtained the best values of agronomic parameters, and the cultivars grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained significantly higher concentrations in primary and secondary metabolites.

Multi-factorial investigation of the effect of biochar of the secondary medicinal residue of snow lotus on the adsorption of two azo dyes,methyl red and methyl orange.

Azo dye residues pollute water, which are difficult to decompose, and posing a major threat to the ecological environment. The residues of Chinese medicine still have many possibilities for use after its medicinal value has been brought into play. In this study, secondary residue biochar activation (Na2 CO3 -modified, SBA) and secondary residue biochar (unmodified, SBC) were prepared from the secondary residue of snow lotus at 200-600°C. Surface features were obtained by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller N2 method and combined with scanning electron microscopy, and their structures were analyzed by x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier infrared and near-infrared spectroscopy. The effects of five factors, including initial concentration, contact time and adsorption temperature and so forth, on the adsorption of methyl red (MR) and methyl orange (MO) solutions were investigated. Results showed that the biochar yield, specific surface area, and pore size increased after modification. modification promoted the formation of the internal structure aromatization and oxygen-containing functional groups. Adsorption experiments showed that the surroundings pH = 8, the dyes adsorption concentration of 8 mg/L, adsorption temperature of 20-40°C and time of about 1 h were more stable. Under the condition, the removal of MO by SBA could reach approximately 60%-80% (480-640 mg/g), while the removal of MR could reach more than 90% (>720 mg/g).The charcoal prepared and modified under high temperature conditions was more effective for MO adsorption, while MR relied on low temperature effectively. This study provides a new choice of adsorbent for MR and MO and finds a new direction for the utilization of snow lotus residues.

Acute Liver Failure Secondary to Anthocyanidin Use–A Case Report

Drug-induced liver injury has become the main cause of acute liver failure (ALF). Injury may be dose-dependent or occur idiosyncratically. We report the case of a 37-year-old female patient admitted with grade 4 hepatic encephalopathy. Morosil use was initiated 30 days prior, and after 2 weeks, the case evolved with jaundice and diarrhea interspersed with constipation when the medication was discontinued. Morosil is a dry extract of the juice of red Moro oranges (Citrus species), grown in eastern Sicily (Italy). It is an important source of anthocyanidin pigments, which act as antioxidants and are used in the care and prevention of obesity, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and cardiovascular diseases. According to the clinical picture and tests performed, the diagnosis of ALF was confirmed,bythe criteria of Clichy and King's College. The patient was listed for liver transplantation as a priority, with the model for end stage liver disease (MELD) score: 41. Orthotopic liver transplantation was uneventfully performed using the Piggy-back technique. There are few reports in the literature of acute liver injury by other Citrus species, and we found no case reports of ALF related to the use of Morosil.

Red Fruit Juice Concentration by Osmotic Distillation: Optimization of Operating Conditions by Response Surface Methodology.

Osmotic distillation (OD) was implemented at laboratory scale to concentrate a red fruit juice produced from a blend of blood orange, prickly pear, and pomegranate juice. The raw juice was clarified by microfiltration and then concentrated by using an OD plant equipped with a hollow fiber membrane contactor. The clarified juice was recirculated on the shell side of the membrane module, while calcium chloride dehydrate solutions, used as extraction brine, were recirculated on the lumen side in a counter-current mode. The influence of different process parameters, such as brine concentration (20, 40, and 60% w/w), juice flow rate (0.3, 2.0, and 3.7 L min-1), and brine flow rate (0.3, 2.0, and 3.7 L min-1) on the performance of the OD process in terms of evaporation flux and increase in juice concentration, was investigated according to the response surface methodology (RSM). From the regression analysis, the evaporation flux and juice concentration rate were expressed with quadratic equations of juice and brine flow rates, as well as the brine concentration. The desirability function approach was applied to analyse the regression model equations in order to maximize the evaporation flux and juice concentration rate. The optimal operating conditions were found to be 3.32 L min-1 brine flow rate, 3.32 L min-1 juice flow rate, and an initial brine concentration of 60% w/w. Under these conditions, the average evaporation flux and the increase in the soluble solid content of the juice resulted in 0.41 kg m-2 h-1 and 12.0 °Brix, respectively. Experimental data on evaporation flux and juice concentration, obtained in optimized operating conditions, resulted in good agreement with the predicted values of the regression model.

Reactive Black-5, Congo Red and Methyl Orange: Chemical Degradation of Azo-Dyes by Agrobacterium

The commercial processing of various biomaterials extensively uses azo dyes (including reactive, direct, acidic, and basic dyes). These industrial applications produce wastewater containing a large volume of solubilized azo dye and hydrolyzed by-products. The treatment of such wastewater is primarily carried out by chemical and, to an extent, physical methods, which lack selectivity and efficiency. Notably, the chemical methods employ free radicals and oxidizing agents that further increase the chemical waste and produce non-biodegradable side-products. Therefore, there is an increasing trend of using microbial-assisted methods. The current study identified a specific Agrobacterium strain (JAS1) that degraded the three structurally distinct azo dyes (Reactive Black 5, Methyl Orange, Congo Red). JAS1 can tolerate high concentrations and be used to perform the in-solution degradation of azo dyes, respectively: Methyl Orange (5.5 g/L and 5.0 g/L), Congo Red (0.50 g/L and 0.40 g/L), and Reactive Black 5 (0.45 g/L and 0.40 g/L). Our study elucidated the molecular mechanisms (primarily enzymatic degradation and adsorption) responsible for the JAS-1-assisted decoloration of azo dyes. The JAS-1-assisted degraded products from these azo dyes were found biodegradable as the germination and seedling growth of wheat seeds were observed. To enhance the scope of the study, JAS1-assisted decolorization was studied for cellulosic materials, indicating a potential application in de-inking and de-dyeing process in recycling industries.

Electrospun Fe doped TiO2 fiber photocatalyst for efficient wastewater treatment

Water pollution caused by industrial wastewater is the most critical environmental problem in the world. Synthetic dyes are commonly used in various industries such as paper, plastic, printing, leather and textile for their ability to impact color. Complex composition, high toxicity and low biodegradability of dyes make them difficult to degrade which causes a substantial negative impact on overall ecosystems. To address this issue we synthesized TiO2 fibers photocatalyst using the combination of sol-gel and electrospinning techniques to be used in the degradation of dyes which causes water pollution. We doped Fe in TiO2 fibers to enhance the absorption in the visible region of the solar spectrum which will also help to increase the degradation efficiency. As synthesized pristine TiO2 fibers and Fe doped TiO2 fibers were analyzed using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. 5% Fe doped TiO2 fibers show excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for rhodamine B (99% degradation in 120 min). It can be utilized for degradation of other dye pollutants such as methylene blue, Congo red and methyl orange. It shows good photocatalytic activity (97%) even after 5 cycles of reuse. The radical trapping experiments reveals that holes, •O2− and •OH has a significant contribution in the photocatalytic degradation. Due to the robust fibrous nature of 5FeTOF the process of collection of photocatalysts was simple and without loss as compared to powder photocatalysts. This justifies our selection of electrospinning method of synthesis of 5FeTOF which is also useful for large scale production.

Thermal Fabrication of Magnetic Fe3O4 (Nanoparticle)@Carbon Sheets from Waste Resources for the Adsorption of Dyes: Kinetic, Equilibrium, and UV–Visible Spectroscopy Investigations

Thermal treatment is applied for the direct conversion of palm stalk waste to Fe3O4 (np)@carbon sheets (Fe3O4 (np)@CSs). The effect of conversion temperature was investigated. The TEM examination of the prepared magnetic Fe3O4 (np)@CSs showed the formation of Fe3O4 (np) in a matrix of carbon sheets as a coated layer with surface functional groups including carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. Removal of dyes such as methyl orange, methylene blue, and neutral red was achieved using fabricated Fe3O4 (np)@CSs which were prepared at 250 °C, 400 °C, and 700 °C in a weak acidic medium. By studying the contact time effect for the adsorption of methylene blue, neutral red, and methyl orange, using the fabricated Fe3O4 (np)@CSs which were prepared at 250 °C and 400 °C, equilibrium occurred between 120 min and 180 min. In addition, the first-order and second-order kinetic models were applied to the adsorption data. The results revealed that the adsorption data fit better with the second-order kinetic model. Furthermore, the Freundlich model was found to be more suitable for describing the process of the separation of the dyes onto Fe3O4 (np)@CSs which were prepared at 250 °C and 400 °C, suggesting heterogenous surfaces and multi-layer adsorption.

Effect of Foliar Application of Jasmonic Acid and Ennne Fertilizer on Growth and Chemical Content of Local Cultivars and Blood Orange

To find out the impact of spraying with jasmonic acid at 0, 5, and 10 ml/litre-1 and adding a high nitrogen fertilizer (NPK) (30,10,10) at 0, 2.5, and 5 g/l-1 on the chemical content characteristics of two types of citrus fruits in the year 2021, the experiment was carried out in the wooden canopy of the College of Agriculture/University of Samarra (domestic and blood orange). When the plants were sprayed with (JA) 10 ml/L-1 + (NPK) fertilizer at 5 g/L-1, the percentage of nitrogen in the leaves and roots was much higher than the control, as was the percentage of total nitrogen in the plant. Leaf and root concentrations of phosphorus. In the leaves and roots, the amount of potassium. Carbohydrate content in leaves as a proportion of total weight.

Effect of Brassinolide and Chitosan on Vegetative Growth and some Qualitative Parameters of Local and Blood Orange Fruits. Citrus sinensis L.

The experiment was conducted on orange trees variety(Local orange and blood orange) Citrus sinensis L. for the season 2021, to study the effect of the variety and spraying with Brassinolide regulator at a concentration of 0.015, 0.025 mg L-1 and Chitosan 0.5%, 1% on some vegetative growth characteristics and qualitative characteristics of orange fruits. It was designed using a randomized complete block design, and the difference between the means was tested using the least significant difference test at the 5% probability level. The results showed the superiority of the variety factor, as the local variety (V1) achieved a significant increase in the area of one leaf and the content of leaves from chlorophyll and carbohydrates, while the blood variety (V2) was significantly superior in reducing the acidity of the fruit juice and increasing the content of the fruits of total sugars. Concerning spraying treatments, the spraying with Brassinolide BL2 at a concentration of 0.025 mg L−1 was superior in the area of one leaf, the content of leaves from chlorophyll and carbohydrates and the increase in the content of fruits from total sugars, and the treatment of spraying with Chitosan Ch2 at a concentration of 1% had a significant role in increasing the area of one leaf and Leaves of chlorophyll and carbohydrates.

11-year survey of yield and fruit quality of blood orange as affected by rootstock

11-year survey of yield and fruit quality of blood orange as affected by rootstock

Fruit Quality and Primary and Secondary Metabolites Content in Eight Varieties of Blood Oranges

In Europe, the cultivation of blood oranges for fresh consumption is increasing due to their excellent organoleptic and nutraceutical properties, which give this fruit the status of functional food. Blood orange has a higher content of bioactive compounds, which confer additional benefits for human health. The main morphological and qualitative parameters were studied together with the content of primary metabolites by 1H NMR and secondary metabolites by HPLC-ESI-DAD-MSn from eight varieties of blood orange grafted on Citrus macrophylla. Tarocco Dalmuso was the variety with the highest values of weight (350.6 g), caliber (86.4 mm and 88.6 mm) and juice content (214.2 g). Tarocco Gallo obtained the most interesting qualitative parameters (13.95 °Brix; 22.75 MI). The most intense red juice was in Sanguinelli (a* = 9.45) and, in crust, it was in Tarocco Scirè (a* = 40.13). The most abundant primary metabolites were proline, aspartate and asparagine, citric acid and sucrose. The results showed that the juice of the Moro had the highest levels of total flavones and flavanones (90.07 and 592.88 mg L−1, respectively), and Sanguinelli in total anthocyanins (101.06 mg L−1). To conclude, Tarocco Dalmuso obtained the best values of agronomic parameters, and Moro and Sanguinelli in the content of phenolic compounds.

Micro-mechanism insights into the adsorption of anionic dyes using quaternary ammonium-functionalised chitosan aerogels

The development of adsorbents with outstanding adsorption capacities, wide versatility, and excellent recyclability for the removal of organic dyes remains a challenge. In this study, a quaternised chitosan-based aerogel (QCSA) was fabricated via a facile method to effectively treat concomitant anionic dyes. Porous QCSA with high hydrophilicity, nontoxicity, excellent thermal stability, and sustainability exhibits adsorption properties superior to most previously reported adsorbents. The equilibrium adsorption capacities for Congo red, Sunset yellow, and Methyl orange were 1259.6, 550.2, and 607.5 mg/g, respectively. Notably, the spent QCSA exhibits excellent cyclic performance. The multilayer adsorption, external–internal mass transfer resistance, and adsorption on the active site models were employed to enable a more accurate description of the dynamic characteristics, confirming that double-layer chemisorption was the dominant process. A quantitative analysis of the electrostatic potential and the independent gradient model further verified that electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces led to the highly efficient adsorption of dye molecules. Therefore, the eco-friendly and recyclable QCSA is a promising adsorbent for trapping anionic dyes from aquatic systems.

Dependency of Crystal Violet Dye Removal Behaviors onto Mesoporous V2O5-g-C3N4 Constructed by Simplistic Ultrasonic Method

This research examined the production of a V2O5-g-C3N4 nanocomposite to remove organic dyes from wastewater. To generate the V2O5-g-C3N4 nanocomposite, the sonication method was applied. The testing of V2O5-g-C3N4 with various dyes (basic fuchsin (BF), malachite green (MG), crystal violet (CV), Congo red (CR), and methyl orange (MO)) revealed that the nanocomposite has a high adsorption ability towards BF, MG, CV, and CR dyes in comparison with MO dye. It was established that the modification of pH influenced the removal of CV by the V2O5-g-C3N4 nanocomposite and that under optimal operating conditions, efficiency of 664.65 mg g−1 could be attained. The best models for CV adsorption onto the V2O5-g-C3N4 nanocomposite were found to be those based on pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm. According to the FTIR analysis results, the CV adsorption mechanism was connected to π–π interactions and the hydrogen bond.

Selective adsorptive removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solutions using MIL-101@GO: Effect of GO

Metal−organic framework (MOF)@graphene oxide (GO) composite materials possess the advantages of both GO and MOFs, and thus, they can be employed as effective dye adsorbents. This paper proposes a simple strategy for the preparation of MIL-101 @GO composite materials to effectively adsorb anionic dyes (Congo red, o-cresolsulfonphthalein, methyl orange, and acid chrome blue K) by adding GO to MIL-101 to form a nano-packed structure. The maximum adsorption uptakes of MIL-101 @GO were 2734.9, 484.5, and 1762.8 mg g–1 for Congo red, o-cresolsulfonphthalein, and methyl orange, respectively. These values significantly exceed the corresponding values of the original MIL-101 because of additional factors that promoted adsorption, namely hydrogen bonding and the presence of agglomerate pores. Only the maximum adsorption uptake for acid chrome blue K was lower than that of MIL-101, because of steric hindrance. Our analysis showed that the adsorption behavior of MIL-101 @GO toward Congo red, o-cresolsulfonphthalein, and methyl orange is governed by a synergistic interplay of hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, π–π interactions, the adsorption space, and agglomerate pores in the composite, whereas the adsorption behavior toward acid chrome blue K is mainly limited by steric hindrance. Understanding these interactions may contribute to the development of improved sustainable composite adsorbents.

Effect of size on physicochemical, antibacterial, and catalytic properties of Neolamarckia cadamba (burflower-tree) synthesized silver/silver chloride nanoparticles.

Aqueous extract of Neolamarchia cadamba leaves were used in the synthesis of silver/silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl NPs). Further they were separated based on their using step-wise centrifugation approach at 09,000, 12,000, and 15,000rpm. Thus obtained NPs were characterized for their physicochemical features. NPs showed maximum absorbance at 455nm, 415nm, and 402nm. All the NPs were found to be crystalline in nature with average crystallite size (nm) of 58.31, 23.43, and 09.56. Particle size distribution (nm) of NPs was observed to 435.43, 276.75, and 105.49, Surface charge (-mV) of NPs was observed to be 14.59, 23.90, and 32.17. Ag/AgCl NPs-rpm@15,000 showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, coagulase-negative Staphylococci, and Staphylococcus aureus with zone of inhibition (mm) of 16.65, 13.69, and 14.02 at 50µg per well, respectively. Ag/AgCl NPs-rpm@15,000 showed excellent catalytic activity in degradation of methyl red, methylene blue, rhodamine-B, and methyl orange dyes in the presence of sodium borohydride under 4, 6, 5, and 4min with pseudo-first order rate constant (min-1) of 0.981 (96.4%), 0.666 (97.1%), 0.905 (98.1%), and 1.032 (96.6%), respectively. Furthermore, Ag/AgCl NPs-rpm@15,000 showed good catalytic efficiency even under different dye combinations. Total combination was degraded under 18min.

프리티와 섹시 이미지의 걸 그룹 메이크업 연구

This study aimed to make a comparative analysis of color and shape in eye and lip makeup between South Korean girl groups with a wide appeal of pretty and sexy image to understand ingredients of South Korean style makeup in order to provide basic data for Chinese girl groups to apply to their makeup. First of all, when it comes to color for pretty image, eye shadow saw orange red or reddish orange have its desired effect, and so do orange on cheeks and red on lips. With regard to shape for pretty image, penciling eyebrows naturally straight and drawing eye lines extended horizontally with no emphasis on the outer corner of the eye to make eyes look long had the much more desired effect. In addition, incurved lips, with cupid’s bow upper lip and lip lines not clear, proved to be effective. In brief, such makeup designs may be what is recommended as an effective option for Chinese girl groups to have their pretty image. Secondly, as far as color for sexy image goes, eye shadow saw orange red or orange enjoy its apposite effect, and so does red purple, red or orange red on cheeks and on lips. As regards shape for sexy image, penciling eyebrows naturally straight and drawing eye lines extended horizontally with an emphasis on the outer corner of the eye to make eyes look long had its desired effect. Besides, out curved lips, with cupid’s bow upper lip and lip lines underscored, turned to work well. In short, this makeup design option can be a good suggestion for Chinese girl groups to have their sexy image.

Cynodon dactylon derived fluorescent N-doped carbon dots: Implications of photocatalytic and biological applications

CQDs possess various appealing properties like excellent light harvesting capability, unique photo-induced electron transfer ability, low toxicity, and good biocompatibility. This work aims to demonstrate the potential of CQDs from natural waste resources in wastewater treatments and biomedical applications. Herein we report the eco-friendly approach for preparing nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) using the Cynodon dactylon (grass) as a carbon precursor via a highly effective hydrothermal process. The structural aspects and chemical nature of N-CQDs were considered using FTIR, XRD, SEM & EDX, TEM, AFM, EPR, and XPS. In addition, UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy elucidated the optical performance of N-CQDs. N-CQDs possess stable fluorescent properties, good biocompatibility, and acceptable quantum yield (24.44%). In this study, five dyes, namely Toluidine Blue (TB), Amido Black (AB), Congo Red (CR), and Xylol Orange (XO), were chosen to investigate the photocatalytic performance of the nanomaterial under UV–vis light irradiation. The synthesized N-CQDs exhibited remarkable photocatalytic activity for various model dyes of varying concentrations (5, 10, 50, and 100 ppm), highlighting the pivotal role of N-CQDs in promoting the separation migration efficiency of photoexcited e−- h+ pairs. Moreover, the impact of pH, contact time, and amount of catalyst on the degradation of dyes were also examined. Additionally, we investigated the interaction of N-CQDs with lysozyme protein using fluorescence quenching. Thus, the developed nanomaterial efficiently treats wastewater and holds great promise in biosensing applications.

Viologens and extended viologen derivatives with mono- and di-hexyl substituents for highly stable all-in-one ECDs and solar cell powered large-area ECDs

Viologen-based electrochromic devices (ECDs) have attracted considerable attention due to their potential applications in smart windows. Herein, two viologen derivatives with N-substituted monohexyl (MHEV) and dihexyl (DHEV), and two extended viologen derivatives with a thiophene unit inserted between the bipyridine moieties and N-substituted monohexyl (m-MHEV) and dihexyl (m-DHEV) were synthesized. All-in-one ECDs were assembled using these materials. m-DHEV and m-MHEV-based ECDs exhibited red and dark orange colors, while DHEV and MHEV-based ECDs exhibited blue and magenta colors. The extended conjugation of the chromophore by the thiophene unit endowed the devices with visible-NIR absorption and excellent cyclic stability. After 10000 cycles, ECDs based on m-DHEV and m-MHEV retained 94.2% and 95.0% of their initial optical contrasts, respectively. A binary chromophore mixture of DHEV and m-DHEV was used to fabricate a uniform large-area ECD (8 cm × 8 cm) with strong sunlight absorption ability. The device maintained high optical contrast (80.2% of initial state) after 2000 cycles. Furthermore, a solar cell powered ECD (8 cm × 8 cm) with negligible loss of optical contrast after 100 cycles of coloring and bleaching under sunlight was developed, demonstrating the application potential of self-powered smart windows using these materials.

Italian consumers’ awareness, preferences and attitudes about Sicilian blood oranges (Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI)

The objective of the paper is describing the results of a survey on the consumer's awareness, preferences and attitudes of certified quality products such as fruit and vegetable, and in particular of Sicilian Blood Oranges (Arancia Rossa di Sicilia) which is PGI product. A total of 26 participants with heterogenous socio-demographic background took part in the study. The aim of the study was achieved using focus groups (FGs). Three sessions of FGs were held in September 2021 in three Italian cities chosen as a convenience sample to represent the entire Italian territory. The results show that fruit and vegetables have a particularly relevant role in the eating habits of the sample. For the interviewees, the quality label of food products is a guarantee of being Italian, of compliance with production norms and standards, of natural and genuine products and of a more intense and good taste and flavour. For the whole target, Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI is a premium product of reliable excellence and whose quality can be assured because it is certified, as long as the consumer recognizes the certification logo on the product.