Brix Content Research Articles

Influence of Ultrasound on the Rheological Properties, Color, Carotenoid Content, and Other Physical Characteristics of Carrot Puree

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasonic frequencies (21 and 35 kHz) on the physical properties of carrot puree at different concentrations (9, 12, and 21 °Brix). The viscosity, total soluble content, density, color, and β-carotene content were tested. It was found that the viscosity of the puree, determined with respect to shear rate, concentration, and the use of ultrasonic treatment, indicates that the purees should be defined as shear thinning fluids. Moreover, a decrease in activation energy was observed with the increase in extract and ultrasonic treatment, which may cause changes in the rate of reactions occurring in the tested material. A significant effect of this may be the observed change in the color of the puree after ultrasonic treatment; the increase in frequency from 21 to 35 kHz caused an increase in redness and yellowness and a decrease in lightness, independently of concentration. The most significant color difference was noted in the puree with a 21 °Brix concentration, where a ΔE value of 21 was recorded. In contrast, the ΔE values for the other purees post-treatment remained below 5. The content of carotenoids did not change after sonication, independently of the concentration of carrot puree.

Characterization of Robusta Coffee Powder with Addition of Palm Sugar and Vanilla Powder to Improve The Quality of Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre)

Bondowoso Robusta Coffee is a type of Robusta coffee that has a distinctive taste and high quality. The distinctive taste and high quality are obtained from the results of harvest management and post-harvest processing in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). This research will be carried out by testing the characteristics of Robusta ground coffee with a mixture of palm sugar and vanilla flavoring to improve the quality of Robusta ground coffee. This was done by knowing the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of the mixed Robusta ground coffee. The aim of this research is to determine the interaction between roasting level and the composition of palm sugar and vanilla powder on the physiochemical and organoleptic properties of 3 in 1 Robusta Coffee. This research uses an experimental plan arranged factorially with the basic pattern of a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 replications. This design has two factors, the first factor is the roasting level and the second is the mixture composition. The results of this research show (1) The interaction of Roasting Level and Mixture (palm sugar and vanilla powder) has no significant effect on all observed variables such as water content, Brix content, pH value, and powder bulk density. (2) The effect of the main level of roasting has a very significant effect on the observed variables of rainfall density and an insignificant effect on the variables of air content, Brix content and pH value. (3) The effect of the main mixture has a very significant effect on the observed variables of air content, Brix content and powder bulk density and has no significant effect on the variable pH value.

PENGARUH WAKTU DAN LETAK PEMANGKASAN DAUN TERHADAP PRODUKSI DAN KANDUNGAN GULA TANAMAN JAGUNG MANIS (Zea mays L. Saccharate Sturt)

The study aims to determine the effect of leaf pruning time on the production and sugar content of sweet corn plants, analyze the effect of the location of sweet corn leaf pruning that provides the best production and sugar content, and analyze the effect of the interaction between leaf pruning time and pruning location on the production and sugar content of sweet corn plants. The study was conducted in January - March 2024 in an experimental field at the Gowa Agricultural Development Polytechnic (POLBANGTAN) Campus, Romanglopoa Village, Bontomarannu District, Gowa Regency. This study was conducted using a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of two factors. The first factor is the pruning time which consists of 3 levels: Leaf pruning at the age of 30 Day After Planting (DAP); Leaf pruning at the age of 40 DAP; and Leaf pruning at the age of 50 DAP. The second factor is the location of leaf pruning which consists of 3 levels, namely: Pruning 3 upper leaves; Pruning 3 lower leaves, and Pruning 1 upper leaf and 2 lower leaves. The results showed that pruning the three upper leaves at the age of 50 DAP produced the weight of the cob with the heaviest husk of 420.00 g and was significantly different from other treatments at the same age. The treatment between pruning at the age of 50 DAP and pruning the three upper leaves significantly affected the characteristics of sweet corn cobs, namely the diameter of the cob with the highest husk reaching 50.72 mm. The treatment of pruning at the age of 50 DAP with pruning the three upper leaves also affected the sugar content, with a brix content value reaching 15%, which was significantly different from other treatments at the same age.

Produção de aguardente de abacaxi da Amazônia

Pineapple brandy represents an exotic fusion between the traditional Brazilian drink and the tropical flavor of pineapple. Its production involves a process of fermentation and distillation. This study explored the spirit production process on a laboratory and pilot scale, in which it is worth highlighting that no amounts of sugar were used to favor the fermentation reaction, as the brix content of the juice was 14° brix. To obtain the spirit, on a laboratory scale, a blender was used to obtain the juice, precision scales, and beakers for the fermentation process. In the simple distillation process, a distillation flask, heating blanket and a condenser were used. At the pilot scale, a mill, a reactor where fermentation took place and a copper still for distillation were used. The results of the production processes generated a drink with the characteristic appearance of traditional spirits, with an alcohol content of 45% vol/vol and an average density of 0.980969 g/ml. Therefore, its potential as a differentiated product can be seen, with possible application in the beverage market in Brazil.

A CHEAPLY NON-DESTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUE TO ESTIMATE HONEY QUALITY: THERMAL IMAGING AND MACHINE LEARNING

The aim of this study was to estimate honey quality based on proline and Brix content using a thermal imaging and machine learning algorithm. The proline, Brix and color properties of twenty honey samples were determined. Proline and Brix values were classified and estimated using the classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm. The mean proline and Brix content in honey samples was 678.83±192.16 mg/kg and 83.2±0.79%, respectively. CART analysis revealed that high proline honey samples had L values above 48.143 and b* values below 35.416. In contrast, honey samples with low Brix values were characterized by L and a* values below 55.860 and 53.660, respectively, and were identified as freshly harvested. The CART algorithm classified the proline and Brix values with an accuracy of 95% and 100%, respectively (p< 0.001). As a result, whitish, bluish, blackish and greenish honeys are of higher quality due to high proline and low Brix content. However, to accurately assess honey quality based on its color traits, comprehensive studies with more honey samples and origin, are required.

Evaluation of sugar content and bioethanol production of Ethiopian local varieties “Nech Tinkish” and “Hawaye” sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.))

Diversifying the use of climate-smart crops such as sweet sorghum has the potential to solve integrated food, bioenergy, feed, and land management problems. The study’s purpose is to quantify the sugar content of Nech Tinkish (v1) and Hawaye (v2) Ethiopian sweet sorghum varieties and investigate the interaction effect of fermentation parameters to determine their capacity for ethanol production. Sweet sorghum varieties were analyzed to determine their difference in °Brix content by extracting their juices. The juice was clarified using milk lime. Its total soluble sugars, total carbohydrates, and reducing sugars were determined using a digital refractometer, phenol sulfuric acid, and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, respectively. A completely randomized factorial was employed to evaluate ethanol production capacity, and the ethanol content was estimated using a potassium dichromate solution. The °Brix results revealed that v2 had a higher sugar concentration than v1. Additionally, the estimated carbohydrate content of the juice ranged from 37.402 to 157.641 g/L. The estimated reducing sugar also varied from 4.644 to 33.412 g/L. Therefore, the estimated reducing sugar showed the hydrolysis of sweet sorghum juice by invertase and sulfuric acid produced more fermentable sugars. Fermentation at 30 °C with pH 4.5 incubated for 4 days yields the highest ethanol, and v2 yields higher (15.31%) ethanol, compared to v1 produced 14.85%. This study showed a basis for the existence of two sugar-rich climate smart sweet sorghum varieties with an extraordinary amount of sugar used as a source of biofuel and food simultaneously in a single plot of land.

Pengolahan Pati Rumbia menjadi Serbuk Glukosa secara Hidrolisis Enzimatis dengan Variasi Perbandingan Pati dan Air, Suhu Evaporasi, dan Suhu Pengeringan

Glucose is a simple sugar that can be used as an sucrose alternative. Rumbia starch is rich in carbohydrates and abundant in Indonesia, potentially being used as a raw material for the production of glucose powder. The process involves starch hydrolysis, evaporation, and drying. The purpose of this study was to obtain optimal conditions of reducing sugar content, evaporation, and drying temperature based on variations in starch and water ratio (1:3, 1:4, 1:5, and 1:6), evaporation temperature (100 °C and 115 °C), and drying temperature (50 °C, and 70 °C). From this study, the optimal ratio of starch and water was 1:4 with a reduced sugar content of 99,77%. The optimal evaporation temperature was 115 °C, the brix content obtained is 85%, and the optimal drying temperature was 70°C, the water content obtained is 3,60%. Based on SNI of glucose, the glucose powder products meet the standard for water content and ash content. However, only in the ratio of starch and water 1:4 and 1:5, the reducing sugar content met the SNI of glucose.

Identification of pleiotropic loci mediating structural and non-structural carbohydrate accumulation within the sorghum bioenergy association panel using high-throughput markers.

Molecular characterization of diverse germplasm can contribute to breeding programs by increasing genetic gain for sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] improvement. Identifying novel marker-trait associations and candidate genes enriches the existing genomic resources and can improve bioenergy-related traits using genomic-assisted breeding. In the current scenario, identifying the genetic loci underlying biomass and carbon partitioning is vital for ongoing efforts to maximize each carbon sink's yield for bioenergy production. Here, we have processed a high-density genomic marker (22 466 550) data based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) using a set of 365 accessions from the bioenergy association panel (BAP), which includes ~19.7 million (19 744 726) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) and 2.7 million (~2 721 824) insertion deletions (indels). A set of high-quality filtered SNP (~5.48 million) derived markers facilitated the assessment of population structure, genetic diversity, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for various traits related to biomass and its composition using the BAP. The phenotypic traits for GWAS included seed color (SC), plant height (PH), days to harvest (DTH), fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), brix content % (BRX), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC), and lignin content. Several novel loci and candidate genes were identified for bioenergy-related traits, and some well-characterized genes for plant height (Dw1 and Dw2) and the YELLOW SEED1 locus (Y1) were validated. We further performed a multi-variate adaptive shrinkage analysis to identify pleiotropic QTL, which resulted in several shared marker-trait associations among bioenergy and compositional traits. Significant marker-trait associations with pleiotropic effects can be used to develop molecular markers for trait improvement using a marker-assisted breeding approach. Significant nucleotide diversity and heterozygosity were observed between photoperiod-sensitive and insensitive individuals of the panel. This diverse bioenergy panel with genomic resources will provide an excellent opportunity for further genetic studies, including selecting parental lines for superior hybrid development to improve biomass-related traits in sorghum.

Biostimulatory Activity of Pyroligneous Acid Enhanced Metabolites Accumulation in Grape Wine

Pyroligneous acid (PA) is a known biostimulant in agriculture, but its effects on metabolite accumulation in grape berries and wine are not well understood. This study investigated the impact of varying PA concentrations (0%, 2%, 4%, 8%, and 12%) on metabolite profiles in grape wine (Vitis vinifera cv. KWAD7-1). Using a randomized complete block design, PA was applied to grape leaves at 14-day intervals. Wine samples were analyzed using NMR spectroscopy, identifying 52 metabolites across seven compound groups. The 12% PA treatment resulted in the highest o Brix content: 0.14-fold higher than the control. This treatment significantly (p<0.05) altered the concentrations of organic acids, increasing most except for malic and acetic acids, which decreased by 0.16-fold and 0.60-fold, respectively. Notably, 12% PA increased total amino acid content by 5.96- fold compared to the control and enhanced glucose and fructose contents by 0.25- and 1.40-fold, respectively. A 0.53-fold increase in myo-inositol was also observed with 12% PA, suggesting potential improvements in nutritional value. Principal component analysis revealed distinct metabolic profiles for grapes treated with 12% PA, characterized by elevated levels of phenolics, alcohols, volatiles, and carbohydrates. These findings suggest that PA application can be used to manipulate grape wine metabolites, potentially enhancing sensory attributes and nutritional value. This study provides insights into the use of PA as a tool for modulating wine quality to meet consumer preferences.

Optimization of parameters for bio-ethanol production from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) stalk juice and finger millet malt using Taguchi method

Bio-ethanol is a promising renewable energy but its production is expensive from high cost of feedstocks. In this study, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) stalk juice was investigated for bio-ethanol production. Most reports on bio-ethanol productions use commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae as yeast. However, this study used finger millet (Eleusine coracana) malt with already high adaptation to local conditions and high economic viability as it is being utilized by the indigenous communities. Five sweet sorghum varieties of IESV-92001-DL (V1), NTJ (V2), 15233-IESV (V3), 92008-DJ (V4) and IESV-92028-DL (V5) were planted at 0°3'45.4644" North, 34°17'16.1052" South, in Kenya. °Brix content of juice was determined at 11th to 16th weeks after sowing. Highest °Brix for all varieties were at 15th week where V1 was highest at 22.07. V1 was then harvested for the juice. Factors affecting fermentation; temperature, time, pH and yeast to substrate ratio were optimized using Taguchi method and were obtained as 30 ℃, 48 hours, pH 5 and 5 g/L, respectively. Kinetics parameters of Vmax and Km were 0.35 g/L/h and 12.56 g/L, respectively. The optimized and kinetic parameters were within literature values and therefore finger millet malt has a great potential, as a substitute yeast source, in commercial bio-ethanol production.
 KEY WORDS: Bio-ethanol, Sweet sorghum juice, Taguchi method
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(1), 55-67. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i1.5

Lignocellulosic Composition Not Associated with Stem Borer Resistance in Select Louisiana Sugarcane Cultivars

The two most economically damaging insect pests of sugarcane in Louisiana are the sugarcane borer (SCB) and the newly invasive Mexican rice borer (MRB), both of which can be managed in part with cultivar resistance. High stalk fiber levels is a well-documented aspect of stem borer resistance but is inversely correlated with recoverable sugar levels. However, lignocellulosic components such as hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin are associated with resistance to other borer species in poaceous crops, potentially indicating mechanisms that may provide resistance without substantial trade-offs in yield. The goal of this study was to determine whether lignocellulosic composition varied among four cultivars—HoCP 85-845, HoCP 04-838, Ho 07-613, and HoCP 00-950—selected based on known variation in SCB and MRB resistance and total fiber content. We estimated lignocellulosic composition as well as Brix throughout the growing season and the total stalk fiber and recoverable sugar content at harvest for both plant cane and first ratoon crop years. We found that the Brix content throughout the growing season, as well as total fiber and sugar content at harvest, were significantly associated with the cultivar, aligning with previously documented trends in borer resistance (i.e., higher Brix and lower total fiber indicate a more susceptible cultivar). While lignocellulosic composition during the growing season was not associated with cultivar or resistance to either borer species, it was significantly impacted by sampling month and crop year. These data indicate the potential influence of alternative resistance mechanisms and interactions with abiotic conditions.

Optimizing Sugarcane Growth, Yield, and Quality in Different Ecological Zones and Irrigation Sources Amidst Environmental Stressors.

The imbalanced use of fertilizers and irrigation water, particularly supplied from groundwater, has adversely affected crop yield and harvest quality in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). In this experiment, we evaluated the impact of potassium (K) and micronutrients [viz. Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), and Boron (B)] application and irrigation water from two sources, viz. canal, and tube well water on sugarcane growth, yield, and cane quality under field trails. Water samples from Mardan (canal water) and Rahim Yar Khan (tube well water) were analyzed for chemical and nutritional attributes. The results revealed that tube well water's electrical conductivity (EC) was three-fold that of canal water. Based on the EC and total dissolved salts (TDS), 83.33% of the samples were suitable for irrigation, while the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) indicated only a 4.76% fit and a 35.71% marginal fit compared with canal water. Furthermore, the application of K along with B, Fe, and Zn had led to a significant increase in cane height (12.8%, 9.8%, and 10.6%), cane girth (15.8%, 15.6%, and 11.6%), cane yield (13.7%, 12.3%, and 11.5%), brix contents (14%, 12.2%, and 13%), polarity (15.4%, 1.4%, and 14%), and sugar recovery (7.3%, 5.9%, and 6%) in the tube well irrigation system. For the canal water system, B, Fe, and Zn increased cane height by 15.3%, 13.42%, and 11.6%, cane girth by 13.9%, 9.9%, and 6.5%, cane yield by 42.9%, 43.5%, and 42%, brix content by 10.9%, 7.7%, and 8%, polarity by 33.4%, 28%, and 30%, and sugar recovery by 4.0%, 3.9%, and 2.0%, respectively, compared with sole NPK application. In conclusion, the utilization of tube well water in combination with canal water has shown better results in terms of yield and quality compared with the sole application of canal water. In addition, the combined application of K and B significantly improved sugarcane yields compared with Zn and Fe, even with marginally suitable irrigation water.

Aplikasi berbagai jenis pemberian konsentrasi asam amino sitokinin dan giberelin pada tanaman melon (Cucumis melo L.) hidroponik

Introduction: This study aims to determine the growth and yield of melon plants in drip irrigation systems in conventional and hydroponic cultivation techniques. Method: The research was carried out in July – September 2022, on the Smart GreenHouse area of ​​the Jember State Polytechnic with an altitude of ± 89 meters above sea level and an air temperature of 22 – 32 °C. Parameters observed were plant height (cm), plant diameter (cm), number of leaves (strands), fruit weight per sample (kg), fruit brix content per sample (0brix), fruit diameter per sample (cm). Result: Based on the results the t-test recapitulation of the use of drip irrigation systems in conventional and hydroponic melon cultivation gave a significant effect on the observation of plant height at 2 – 6 WAP, plant diameter at 2 WAP and 3 WAP, number of leaves at 2 – 6 WAP, as well as giving effect on yield parameters, namely fruit weight, fruit brix content, and melon fruit diameter. Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is that the use of drip irrigation systems in conventional and hydroponic melon cultivation has a significant effect on all plant parameters. However, it did not affect the parameters of plant diameter at the age of 4 - 6 WAP. The use of this drip irrigation system is well applied to the cultivation of melon plants with substrate hydroponic cultivation techniques using coco peat growing media.

Effect of irrigation schedules and drought tolerance varieties on productivity and profitability of sugarcane

An experiment conducted at Agricultural Research Station-Ummedganj, Kota (Rajasthan) during 2020-21 and 2021-22 on sugarcane. The experiment consisted twelve treatment combinations of two irrigation schedules viz. (IW/CPE ratio 1.0 and 0.3) and six sugarcane varieties (CoPk 5191, CoLk 14201 & CoLk 11203 early maturing and Co 05011, Co 09022 and CoLk11206 mid late maturing) were under taken in strip plot design with four replications. Results showed that the maximum brix content (20.42 and 23.15 %), sucrose content (17.77 and 20.50 %) and CCS yield (10.83 and 12.54 t/ha) at 10- and 12-months crop were recorded in the pooled analysis under application of irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 1.0 over application of irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 0.3. Pooled data of two years showed that the significantly higher cane yield (86.16 t/ha), net return (Rs. 145524.00/ha) and B: C ratio (2.26) was recorded with application of irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 1.0 as compared to application of irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 0.3 in sugarcane. Two years pooled data showed that the early maturing variety of CoPk 05191 was found better in respect to brix content (20.33 and 22.58 %), sucrose content (17.62 and 20.62 %) and CCS yield (10.75 and 12.40 t/ha) at 10- and 12-month crop and mid late maturing variety of Co 05011 brix content (20.52 and 22.48 %), sucrose content (17.55 and 20.37 %) and CCS yield (10.65 and 12.30 t/ha) at 10- and 12-month crop as compared to remaining sugarcane varieties. The maximum cane yield (87.61 and 86.75 t/ha), net returns (Rs. 153790.00 and Rs. 153940.00 /ha) and B:C ratio (2.33 and 2.29) was recorded with sowing of of early maturing variety CoPk 05191 mid late maturing variety of Co 05011 over rest of the sugarcane varieties.

Modeling the Effect of Temperature on Brix Concentration of Tomato Juice during Vacuum Concentration

Concentrated tomato is produced typically from tomatoes by the conventional method of concentration. Recently, vacuum-concentration processes have been developed to concentrate and reduce the variation caused by high temperature. The aim of this study is to simulate water evaporation and change of tomato juice concentration during vacuum concentration. Mathematical and simulation models for vacuum condensate system are proposed and implemented. Matlab's ode45 function is used to solve differential equations and simulate systems. The effect of the concentration and condensate temperature on the Brix concentration of the solution was investigated based on the model. Experiments were carried out with 10kg of tomato juice, the initial Brix concentration was 4, with the concentration temperatures of 60 oC and 65 oC, resulting in the correlation coefficient R2 reaching 0.9624 and 0.9837, respectively. This result shows a high compatibility between simulation and experiments. The simulations accurately represent the kinetics of the concentration process and the change in temperature and Brix of tomato juice products in the concentration chamber.

The effect of differences in the use of cocopeat on the yield of melon (Cucumis melo L.) Honey globe with a drip irrigation system

Melon (Cucumis melo. L) one of horticultural commodity where highly demand and has a relatively high price for both the domestic and export markets and its production in 2013 (125,207 tons), 2014 (150,365 tons) and 2015 (137,887 tons) and only meet the national needs of around 40% (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2017). Cocopeat has the advantage of being able to bind and store water strongly and contains elements such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (N), and phosphorus (P). Drip irrigation maintains soil moisture at optimal levels for plant growth. The purpose of this study was to determine growth and production and was carried out in April - July 2020 at SGH Polije. Analysis using t-test, the test results showed that plant height was not significantly different (ns) at 28 DAP, but at 42 DAP it was very significantly different. The number of leaves for the whole was not significantly different, while the diameter of the fruit was very significantly different. Fruit weight and Brix content were not significantly different. This study shows that the planting media used can affect production results but not all of them are different.

PENAMPILAN KARAKTER AGRONOMI DAN KOMPONEN HASIL EMPAT VARIETAS SORGUM MANIS (Sorghum bicolor L.) PADA BERBAGAI JARAK TANAM

High productivity of sweet sorghum can be achieved by applying optimal cultivation technology, including the use of high-yielding varieties. Differences in sorghum varieties will refer to genetic factors in each sorghum variety. Increasing sorghum production and land use efficiency, it can be done by adjusting the spacing to obtain the ideal spacing. This study aims to determine and analyze the effect of variety and spacing on the appearance of agronomic characters and yield components of sorghum. This study was arranged based on a two-factor Randomized Block Design (RAK), as the first factor was four varieties of sorghum (V), namely Super 1 (V1), Super 2 (V2), Bioguma 2 Agritan (V3) and Numbu (V3) varieties. V4), the second factor was the spacing (J) with three treatment levels, namely 75 cm × 15 cm (J1), 75 cm × 20 cm (J2), and 75 cm × 25 cm (J3) so that 12 treatment combinations were obtained and repeated as many as 3 times. Each variety consists of 4 rows that are placed randomly. The results showed that the Bioguma 2 Agritan variety produced the appearance of agronomic characters with the highest plant average (293.82 cm), the highest number of leaves (13.59 strands), the highest number of internodes (13.68 books), and yield components in the form of an average the fastest flowering age (63.89 days), the fastest harvest age (103.11 days), the longest panicle (26.94 cm), the heaviest seed weight per panicle (81.58 g), the heaviest 1000 seed weight (31.33 g), highest brix content (18.21%) and highest production (2.24 kg plot-1 or 3.73 ton hectare-1). While the Super 2 variety produced an average stem with the widest diameter (21.80 mm). There is no effect of spacing on agronomic characters and yield components and there is no interaction effect between varieties and spacing on agronomic characters and yield components.

Estimation of Sugar Content in Wine Grapes via In Situ VNIR-SWIR Point Spectroscopy Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence Techniques.

Spectroscopy is a widely used technique that can contribute to food quality assessment in a simple and inexpensive way. Especially in grape production, the visible and near infrared (VNIR) and the short-wave infrared (SWIR) regions are of great interest, and they may be utilized for both fruit monitoring and quality control at all stages of maturity. The aim of this work was the quantitative estimation of the wine grape ripeness, for four different grape varieties, by using a highly accurate contact probe spectrometer that covers the entire VNIR-SWIR spectrum (350-2500 nm). The four varieties under examination were Chardonnay, Malagouzia, Sauvignon-Blanc, and Syrah and all the samples were collected over the 2020 and 2021 harvest and pre-harvest phenological stages (corresponding to stages 81 through 89 of the BBCH scale) from the vineyard of Ktima Gerovassiliou located in Northern Greece. All measurements were performed in situ and a refractometer was used to measure the total soluble solids content (°Brix) of the grapes, providing the ground truth data. After the development of the grape spectra library, four different machine learning algorithms, namely Partial Least Squares regression (PLS), Random Forest regression, Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), coupled with several pre-treatment methods were applied for the prediction of the °Brix content from the VNIR-SWIR hyperspectral data. The performance of the different models was evaluated using a cross-validation strategy with three metrics, namely the coefficient of the determination (R2), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the ratio of performance to interquartile distance (RPIQ). High accuracy was achieved for Malagouzia, Sauvignon-Blanc, and Syrah from the best models developed using the CNN learning algorithm (R2>0.8, RPIQ≥4), while a good fit was attained for the Chardonnay variety from SVR (R2=0.63, RMSE=2.10, RPIQ=2.24), proving that by using a portable spectrometer the in situ estimation of the wine grape maturity could be provided. The proposed methodology could be a valuable tool for wine producers making real-time decisions on harvest time and with a non-destructive way.

PENGARUH KOMBINASI PROSES TERMAL DAN JENIS KEMASAN TERHADAP MUTU CIMPLUNG SINGKONG SIAP SAJI

Cassava cimplung is a traditional processed food made from cassava which is boiled in coconut sap water. Cassava has not been widely produced in ready-to-eat packaging as a selling value food. This is because cimplung is a semi-wet food so it easily spoils and does not last long. In an effort to maintain the quality of cassava cimplung, in this study a thermal pasteurization process was carried out with variations in the length of 10 minutes and 15 minutes and the use of EVOH (Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol) and boilpack packaging. Quality parameters observed included texture, pH, color, and brix content for 6 weeks of storage. The aims of this study were 1) To determine the effect of packaging type on the quality of cassava cimplung, 2) To determine the effect of pasteurization time on the quality of cassava cimplung, and 3) To determine the interaction effect of packaging type and pasteurization duration on the quality of cassava cimplung. The results of this study were 1)The treatment of the type of packaging was significantly different on the value of texture, pH, and color but was not significantly different on the brix content of cassava cimplung, 2) Pasteurization time treatment was significantly different to color value but not significantly different to texture, brix content, and pH of cassava cimplung, and 3) The interaction between the type of packaging and the duration of pasteurization was not significantly different on all quality parameters of cassava cimplung

Comprehensive analysis of ethanol production from coffee mucilage under sustainability indicators

This article shows the results obtained by analyzing an emerging technology to produce bioethanol from coffee mucilage under sustainable development constraints. The investigation showed that the addition of an antibiotic is important to avoid contamination of the mucilage related to the presence of bacteria since these microorganisms can eat the sugars present in the biomass for their metabolism. On the other hand, for the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into simple reducing sugars present in coffee mucilage, the addition of the enzyme pectinase was necessary. The ANOVA analysis showed that the cellulase dose is the most significant factor in the hydrolysis process. The adequate doses of enzymes for the enzymatic hydrolysis process of coffee mucilage were obtained by the response surface method, finding an optimal value of 0,352 mL and 0,134 mL of cellulase and hemicellulase, respectively, per 100 mL of mucilage. From the logistics approach, the supply of coffee mucilage to a second-generation ethanol pilot plant with an installed capacity of 15.000 liters of mucilage per week was considered. Ideally, the pulping process must be carried out mechanically without water, ensuring a mucilage Brix content between 16 and 21, which would favor an ethanol yield close to 8% (v/v) in the must. A potential production of 4,137 liters of ethanol could be achieved with a total logistics cost of USD 305 if the available mucilage is collected. A potential reduction of 7,650 kg of carbon dioxide is possible if the ethanol produced is used to replace the same amount of gasoline in the transportation industry.