Common Fruit Research Articles

In vitro digestive behavior of emulsifier-stabilized excipient emulsions affects the bioaccessibility of flavonoids.

Flavonoids, found in common vegetables and fruits, have health benefits that are often limited by their low bioavailability. Excipient emulsions provide an effective strategy to overcome these obstacles. However, the nature of the emulsifier used to formulate excipient emulsions and the chemical structure of the flavonoids both affect the bioaccessibility of the flavonoids. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the interfacial properties of excipient emulsions on the in vitro gastrointestinal fate of representative structural flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, and apigenin) through the INFOGEST method. Tween 80 (TW80) (a nonionic surfactant) was more effective at reducing the oil-water interfacial tension than whey protein isolate (WPI) (a protein-based emulsifier) or octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified starch (MS) (a polysaccharide-based emulsifier). Moreover, TW80 created excipient emulsions with smaller oil droplets, which were more resistant to oral and gastric conditions. The WPI-emulsions underwent severe flocculation in the gastric phase, leading to an appreciable increase in particle size (from 220 to 3000 nm). The TW80-coated oil droplets were more digestible than WPI- or MS-coated ones. This was attributed to the larger lipid surface area for lipase attachment. The bioaccessibility of quercetin, kaempferol, and apigenin was also affected by emulsifiers: TW 80 (25% to 45%) > WPI (14% to 29%) ≈ MS (15% to 25%). Flavonoid bioaccessibility appeared to be related to their molecular properties. This study provides guidance for the design of effective excipient emulsions to enhance the bioavailability of flavonoids. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cultural Perspectives on the Sustainable Use and Added Value of Plant-Based Food Dyes—A Case Study from Bulgaria

Raised personal health awareness and social environmental responsibility put pressure on the agri-food industry to adopt more sustainable ways of production, including the use of more natural ingredients, reducing waste, conservation and the regeneration of resources and energy. Plant-based colorants are ecologically friendly alternatives to artificial food dyes, especially with regards to the current reports on the adverse effects of some of the latter on human health. Various plants are traditionally used by many cultures to obtain vivid food coloration; however, the knowledge and means to produce them becomes less and less accessible to urbanized societies, and affordable organic alternatives are not always available on the market. An online questionnaire was performed to explore the awareness on plant-based dyes and pro-environmental attitudes of Bulgarian customers through the lens of Orthodox Easter eggs dyeing and the obtaining of plant dyes. From a total of 294 adult participants, only 5% reported a strict preference for natural dyes, while more than half of them (54%) were found to use natural and artificial ones concomitantly or switching between both. Of 45 plant taxa used for egg coloration, 12 were most frequently cited with many new additions of imported plants. Most of the used plant-based dyes were common fruits, spices, herbal infusions and even food waste like onion peels and avocado pits that were readily available from home gardens, markets and food shops. Additionally, we made a review of the scientific literature regarding their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against food spoilage bacteria and foodborne pathogens isolated from eggs. All frequently used taxa were reported to exhibit antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and possess antioxidant activity due to the presence of various polyphenols, essential oils and other compounds. Grape and red wine, roselle and stinging nettle are the species with the most diverse antibacterial activity, effective against 15 out of the 16 bacterial species of spoilage and foodbourn microorganisms included in our focus. The antimicrobial activities, however, were found mostly tested against bacterial strains in vitro, and further studies are needed to confirm their potential antibacterial activity when applied to Easter/boiled eggs or other food products. Our findings suggest that traditional cultural practices, as a multifaceted and engaging phenomenon, have the potential to promote environmental responsibility and a healthy lifestyle using both contemporary and traditional knowledge.

Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Tucuma (Astrocaryum vulgare Mat.) Postprocessing Cake Mediated by Rhamnolipids: Evaluation of Its Antifungal Potential against Common Fruit Pathogens

Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Tucuma (<i>Astrocaryum vulgare</i> Mat.) Postprocessing Cake Mediated by Rhamnolipids: Evaluation of Its Antifungal Potential against Common Fruit Pathogens

The Role of the most Important Fruits in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases in Persian Traditional Medicine

Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of health problems worldwide. CVD are defined as conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. Mortality due to cardiovascular diseases has increased in recent years. However, they can be easily controlled by reducing risk factors, including lipid profile, blood pressure, tobacco, alcohol, and low physical activity. Fruits have an important role in improving the risk factors of CVD. Ancient medical sources can play an important role in generating ideas for new research. In this study, the most common fruits that have been recommended by Persian traditional physicians in patients with CVD were reviewed. New documents supporting these effects were also extracted through a search on electronic databases. The findings showed that some fruits have a therapeutic role in CVD, according to Persian traditional medicine. Old Persian traditional physicians, such as Avicenna, advised fruits, including apples, lemon, pomegranate, pineapple, quince, cucumber, plums, and citron, for the treatment of CVDs. Several studies have been carried out on the effects of the above fruits, including apple (Malus pumila), pomegranate (Punica granatum), pineapple (Ananas comosus), Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.), fig (Ficus carica L.), and olive (Olea europaea). Modulation of signaling pathways and molecular properties that leads to reducing lipid metabolism disorders, correcting endothelial dysfunction, reducing blood pressure, reducing oxidative stress, and suppressing inflammation responses are the major mechanisms conducted by these fruits in preventing CVD. These pieces of evidence show that the opinion of Iranian medicine physicians regarding choosing fruits for treating CVD is worthy of consideration and an entry for deriving hypotheses for future studies.

Orange peel-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles with antioxidant and antitumor activities

Orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is a common fruit crop widely distributed worldwide with the peel of its fruits representing about 50% of fruit mass. In the current study, orange peel was employed to mediate the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a low-cost green approach. Aqueous extracts of suitably-processed peel were prepared using different extraction methods; and their phytochemical profile was identified. Based on phytochemical screening, amount of main phytochemicals, free radical-scavenging ability, reducing power and antioxidant activity, the peel extract prepared by boiling seemed to be the most promising. Thus, major compounds of this extract were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Potency of the peel extract to mediate the synthesis of AgNPs was then monitored by visual observation, UV-visible spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy and zetametry. Color change of the reaction mixture to brown and absorption peak at 450 nm indicated AgNPs formation. Characterization of AgNPs revealed spherical shape, size of 30–40 nm, zeta potential of -18.2 mV and yield conversion of 82%. The as-synthesized AgNPs had antioxidant capacity (free radical-scavenging ability, reducing power and antioxidant activity) lower than that of the orange peel extract. However, these biogenic AgNPs had antitumor activity (IC50 of 16 ppm against HCT-116 and 1.6 ppm against HepG2 cell lines) much higher than the peel extract that was completely non-toxic to the considered cell lines.

Valorisation and sensory evaluation of natural colorants for a sustainable food supply

The study explored the potential of several typical Tunisian food plants as sources of natural colorings, focusing on sustainability and ecology. Five common fruits and vegetables were studied: spinach, beetroot, red cabbage, carrot, and turmeric. Their deep pigments, affected by pH, were examined. Red cabbage was found to be the richest in condensed tannins, while turmeric contained the highest levels of anthocyanins. These natural colorings were then incorporated into the formulation of two bakery products, one sweet and the other savory, to give an attractive appearance and stimulate the appetite, as the food industry commonly does with synthetic colorings. Additionally, orange and lemon peels were upcycled by extracting essential oils for analysis. The primary findings indicate that these essential oils are complicated blends of many substances, with monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes being the most prevalent. The last part of this project required using gluten-free flour to make two food products (zouza and ravioli dough), substituting fructose for sucrose, and adding other colorings that had been produced and tested. We also improved the flavor by adding essential oils. Sensory research with sixty unsuspecting panelists revealed that our items were well-liked by all. The result of a very successful initiative is the packaging for these goods and the market research that went into it.

Systems Approach to Investigate the Role of Fruit and Vegetable Types on Vascular Function in Pre-Hypertensive Participants: Protocol and Baseline Characteristics of a Randomised Crossover Dietary Intervention.

The evidence on the impact of fruits and vegetable types on cardiovascular risk factors remains limited. Specifically, the utilisation of biomarkers to objectively measure dietary compliance and metabolic responses is emerging. This protocol and baseline characteristics of a pilot randomised controlled, crossover, dietary intervention study aimed to examine the effects of citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, or common fruits and vegetables on cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 39 volunteers with untreated prehypertension was recruited and consumed a standardised, provided diet with eight daily portions of citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables, common fruits and vegetables, or a low fruit and vegetable diet (two portions/d, control diet) in a random order for 2 weeks each, separated by a wash-out week. A targeted cohort-based recruitment strategy was utilised and resulted in 74% of participants recruited by re-contacting preselected individuals from two cohort studies with a 15% average enrolment rate. Participants had an average age of 54.4 years (±6.1 years), BMI of 27.9 kg/m2, and BP of 135/81 mmHg and were mainly male (67%). The primary outcome was office blood pressure; secondary outcomes included arterial stiffness, lipid profiles, inflammation, cognitive function, and subjective mood. Biofluids, i.e., 24 h urine, stool, and blood samples, were collected for biomarker measurements with multiple metabolomic platforms and the gut microbial composition, together with traditional dietary biomarkers.

Anthocyanins in Vascular Health and Disease: Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Potential.

Unhealthy lifestyles have placed a significant burden on individuals' cardiovascular health. Anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoid pigments found in a wide array of common foods and fruits. Anthocyanins have the potential to contribute to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease by improving lipid profiles and vascular function, reducing blood glucose levels and blood pressure, and inhibiting inflammation. These actions have been demonstrated in numerous clinical and preclinical studies. At the cellular and molecular level, anthocyanins and their metabolites could protect endothelial cells from senescence, apoptosis, and inflammation by activating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/endothelial nitric oxide synthases, silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), or nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2 pathways and inhibiting the nuclear factor kappa B, Bax, or P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Furthermore, anthocyanins prevent vascular smooth muscle cell from platelet-derived growth factor -induced or tumor necrosis factor-α-induced proliferation and migration by inhibiting the focal adhesion kinase and extracellular regulated protein kinases signaling pathways. Anthocyanins could also attenuate vascular inflammation by reducing the formation of oxidized lipids, preventing leukocyte adhesion and infiltration of the vessel wall, and macrophage phagocytosis of deposited lipids through reducing the expression of cluster of differentiation 36 and increasing the expression of ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 1. At the same time, anthocyanins could lower the risk of thrombosis by inhibiting platelet activation and aggregation through down-regulating P-selectin, transforming growth factor-1, and CD40L. Thus, the development of anthocyanin-based supplements or derivative drugs could provide new therapeutic approaches to the prevention and treatment of vascular diseases.

QuEChERS-HPLC-MS for the determination of coronatine residues in paddy field environment and five common fruits and vegetables

The residue of coronatine in the paddy field environment, as well as five common fruits and vegetables, was analyzed using the QuEChERS pre-treatment technique combined with HPLC-MS in this experiment. Acetonitrile was used as the extractant, while C18 and multi-walled carbon nanotubes served as adsorbents for sample extraction and purification. Subsequently, the samples were filtered through a 0.2 μm organic filter membrane before detection on the machine. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for coronatine in the paddy field environment and five common fruits and vegetables were determined to be 0.0005–0.0035 mg/kg and 0.0018–0.0118 mg/kg, respectively, exhibiting good linear correlation coefficients (R2≥0.9900) at spiked levels ranging from 0.01 to 1 mg/kg. The average intra-day recoveries ranged from 75.19 % to 107.9 %, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.24 %-12.66 % at spiked levels of 0.05–0.5 mg/kg.

Bacillus Species’ Gaseous Metabolites Prolong the Shelf Life of Apples and Grapes

In view of the threat to the environment posed by the widely used plant and fruit preservation chemicals in current agricultural practices, and the indispensability of fruit and plant preservatives in ensuring the yield of agricultural products, it is urgent to explore environmentally friendly and efficient preservative alternatives. Against this backdrop, bacterial preservatives stand out as a potential green solution. In this study, 12 strains of Bacillus derived from different ecological niches were carefully screened to evaluate the inhibitory efficacy of their gaseous metabolites against Anthracnose colloidospora, a common fruit pathogen, by bisectional method. The results showed that the bacterial suspension of strain B4 was the most prominent in inhibiting the growth of Colloidosporum anthracnose, and it significantly narrowed the growth circle of pathogenic bacteria, so it was selected as the object for further optimization and application. Subsequently, we designed a practical application test for fruit preservation, in which the bacteria of strain B4 were directly placed in the same environment as the fruit to be preserved, and the observation was continued for five days. By comparing and analyzing the fruit state before and after treatment, we were pleased to find that strain B4 showed a positive effect on inhibiting fruit rot, indicating its great potential as a natural fruit preservative. This discovery not only provides a scientific basis for reducing the use of chemical preservatives, but also contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture and the protection of the ecological environment.

An Efficient Detection of the Pitaya Growth Status Based on the YOLOv8n-CBN Model

The pitaya is a common fruit in southern China, but the growing environment of pitayas is complex, with a high density of foliage. This intricate natural environment is a significant contributing factor to misidentification and omission in the detection of the growing state of pitayas. In this paper, the growth states of pitayas are classified into three categories: flowering, immature, and mature. In order to reduce the misidentification and omission in the recognition process, we propose a detection model based on an improvement of the network structure of YOLOv8, namely YOLOv8n-CBN. The YOLOv8n-CBN model is based on the YOLOv8n network structure, with the incorporation of a CBAM attention mechanism module, a bidirectional feature pyramid network (BiFPN), and a C2PFN integration. Additionally, the C2F module has been replaced by a C2F_DCN module containing a deformable convolution (DCNv2). The experimental results demonstrate that YOLOv8n-CBN has enhanced the precision, recall, and mean average precision of the YOLOv8n model with an IoU threshold of 0.5. The model demonstrates a 91.1% accuracy, a 3.1% improvement over the original model, and an F1 score of 87.6%, a 3.4% enhancement over the original model. In comparison to YOLOv3-tiny, YOLOv5s, and YOLOv5m, which are highly effective target detection models, the mAP@0.50–0.95 of our proposed YOLOv8n-CBN is observed to be 10.1%, 5.0%, and 1.6% higher, respectively. This demonstrates that YOLOv8n-CBN is capable of more accurately identifying and detecting the growth status of pitaya in a natural environment.

Black Mulberries (Morus nigra L.) Modulate Oxidative Stress and Beta-Amyloid-Induced Toxicity, Becoming a Potential Neuroprotective Functional Food.

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a common edible fruit from the Moraceae family with a wide variety of nutritional and medicinal applications, mainly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this work was to investigate the cytoprotective and neuroprotective capacity of a hydrophilic black mulberry solvent-free extract rich in polyphenols, including the antioxidant, antiradical, and enzymatic mechanisms that would explain these effects. Its neuroprotective potential was evaluated in vitro using the Neuro-2a cell line and in vivo through the Caenorhabditis elegans organism model. Neuro-2a cells were treated at different concentrations of the extract (25-500 µg/mL) and hydrogen peroxide (300 µM) as an oxidant agent, simultaneously. From these treatments, redox status (intracellular ROS production) and cellular activity (MTT) were also quantified in Neuro-2a. Regarding the C. elegans assay, the protection of the extract against β-amyloid toxicity was measured against the CL4176 strain, which is a model of Alzheimer disease. As a complementary neuroprotective assay, its potential to inhibit the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) enzyme was measured. In addition, an Artemia salina bioassay was performed for preliminary toxicity screening. And its antioxidant properties were evaluated by means of the FRAP assay. The results confirm its neuroprotective potential and its ability to scavenge free radicals and decrease ROS production, also acting as a moderate MAO-A inhibitor. Moreover, the polyphenolic extract alleviates the toxicity induced by β-amyloid accumulation in C. elegans. Concluding, Morus nigra can be considered a functional food with bioactive compounds that may prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

Sea Buckthorn: A Review on the Hidden Treasure of the Temperates

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is one of the most common yet underutilized dioecious fruit crop of the temperate region. This plant is known as the gold mine of the cold deserts due to its exceptional winter hardiness and multiple uses. It is a potential functional food which is rich in nutritional and medicinal values and holds the potential to emerge as a future food cum medicinal crop. Traditionally, the crop is used as a folk medicine, fence, wind break, firewood and fodder. The fruits are rich in tannins, flavonoids, sterols, carotenoids, tocopherols and lipids. The cultivation of sea buckthorn is low demanding and it is seen growing wild in the valleys, riverbanks, slopes and mountains in the temperate regions. Though extensive research and developmental activities are progressing, commercial cultivation and popularization of sea buckthorn is still in the nascent stage. Some of the challenges faced by the sea buckthorn industry include lack of awareness regarding its potential, its short harvest season and high moisture content that prevents the farmers from cultivating crop and also hinders development of value-added products. An enhancement in the production aspects of this crop can be a boon to the horticulture industry. Proper interventions and policies from government, standardization of production technology, production of quality planting material of promising cultivars etc. are some of the ways towards popularizing the crop.

Mediterranean Food By-products as a Valuable Source of Bioactive Compounds with Health Properties.

Recently, considerable attention has been focused on the recovery and re-use of waste plant matrices as promising sources of bioactive compounds with health effects. As the Mediterranean diet involves the consumption of great amounts of fruits and vegetables, large quantities of agro-food by-products are generated, causing economic and environmental problems. Such by-products contain a great variety of bioactive compounds whose potential health benefits include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-- cancer, antimicrobial, hypoglycemic, antidepressant, cardio- and neuro-protective activities. Therefore, in this review, by-products from the most common fruits and vegetables processed in the Mediterranean area, such as tomato, olive, citrus fruit, almond, pomegranate, carob, date, and grape, were taken into account, pointing out the content of bioactive ingredients in extracts obtained from different parts of plants, fruits, and vegetables. Furthermore, studies performed to assess the beneficial effects of extracts obtained from Mediterranean agro-food by-products were reviewed, highlighting the potential benefits of waste plant matrices re-usage in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic fields.

Survey of knowledge on calcium carbide use in fruit ripening and associated health risks among fruit sellers and consumers in Ado-Ekiti Nigeria

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the methods used for ripening fruits by sellers and to examine the knowledge regarding the health risks associated with the use of calcium carbide (CaC2) among both fruit sellers and consumers in Ado-Ekiti.MethodsThe study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire administered in major markets within Ado-Ekiti. Knowledge levels were categorized into good (> 70% score), fair (50–69% score), and poor (< 50% score). One way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Independent sample t-test was used to indicate knowledge score difference with respect to socio demographic characteristics.ResultsThe study involved 357 consumers and 20 fruit sellers, with a majority being females (54.9% of consumers; 80.0% of sellers) and aged predominantly between 18–27 years and 28–39 years. The findings revealed that the use of CaC2 (50%) and natural ripening methods (100%) were common among fruit sellers. Sellers cited cancer (60%), bacterial infections (35%), and chest tightness (15%) as associated risks with CaC2 usage. Similarly, consumers expressed concerns about consuming CaC2-ripened fruits, attributing risks such as abdominal burns (70%), cancer (70.6%), and diarrhoea (67.3%). A significant proportion of sellers (90%) exhibited poor knowledge regarding the risks associated with CaC2, while 24.6% of consumers demonstrated fair knowledge on the subject.ConclusionThe study identified common fruit ripening practices among sellers. Fruit sellers showed poor knowledge, while consumers displayed fair to poor understanding of health risks linked to calcium carbide use in artificial fruit ripening.

Development of Banana Peel Powder Incorporated Functional Cookies

Nendran Banana is one of the most common fruits consumed worldwide, and it contributes significantly to the waste produced by food consumption. Banana peel waste has a significant amount of food fibre, phenols, flavonoids, antioxidants, antibacterial, and anticarcinogenic substances. Repurposing banana processing waste, such as peel, has the potential to boost raw material output and, as a result, reduce food industry waste while simultaneously improving the availability of nutritional and nutraceutical potential among the human population. This study is aimed to assess the nutritional, functional and bioactive compounds of prepared nendran banana peel flour and its incorporation in to various proportion of cookies formulation. Nendran bananas were purchased from a local market, sorted, peeled, soaked in 2% lime juice for 15 minutes, dried, powdered with a mixer grinder, sieved to produce a fine powder, and analysed for physical and functional properties such as length, width, and dimension, water and oil holding capacity, swelling powder, and proximate composition such as moisture, ash, carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fibre. The approximate composition of the banana flour was determined using AOAC standard techniques. Bioactive components were also assessed. The two varieties of cookies were prepared with the incorporation of nendran banana peel powder at the rate of 5 % and 10% and analysed for their nutritional components. The functional features of nendran banana peel powder revealed that it had a higher water-holding capacity, good oil-holding capacity, high solubility, and a high swelling capacity. Nendran Banana Peel Flour was discovered to be high in protein and crude fibre. It possesses greater antioxidant scavenging activity as well as possible polyphenolic substances. The produced food formulation was organoleptically evaluated using a 5-point hedonic rating scale, and the best product was chosen based on the sensory scores. The study suggested that the nendran banana peel flour is a versatile nutritional supplementation and provides a great health impact.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Citrus Limetta

One of the most common fruit crops grown in tropical and subtropical areas is Citrus limetta. Upon processing, about40-47% percent of the fruit's non-edible mass is discarded as waste that impacts the environment. The aromatic compounds calledessential oils (EOs) are concentrated in oil glands found in leaves, flowers, and fruit peels. The study's primary objective was toevaluate the biological activity of fresh and heated peels extracted essential oil from Citrus limetta (CLEO). The study emphasizedthe determination of bioactive compounds from the CLEO antioxidant and antimicrobial activity assessment. CLEO's main volatilecomponent was D-Limonene in both oils, with RA (%) values of 44.14 and 77.50 in fresh and heated peel oil, respectively. Theantioxidant activity was comparable to the standard used for ascorbic. The activity (%) reached its highest (83±1.53%) at theconcentration of of100μL/mL for fresh peel oil, which is higher than the heated peel oil. Comparative antimicrobial activity wasdetermined to assess the effects of CLEO against ten bacterial pathogens, which implies that seven pathogens were significantlysensitive against heated oil. The current findings suggest that CLEO could be an impressive natural source with significant potentialto show good biological activity in both fresh and treated forms. A complex composition with approximately 20 components inCitrus limetta essential oil has been scientifically proven beneficial in aromatherapy, medications, beverages, food color enhancers,and aromatic-nature infusions for personal health care.

Anthocyanin physiology and biochemistry in fleshy fruit species: Mangosteen as a model

AbstractMangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is a popular, common tropical fruit grown in Southeast Asian countries. The pericarp contains a high anthocyanin content and various other bioactive compounds that are associated with medicinal and pharmaceutical properties. In marked contrast, the white edible aril contains no anthocyanins. The anthocyanins are the major pigments in the pericarp and produce red‐to‐purple coloration, which serves as a maturity index when fruit are ripe. The major anthocyanins consist mainly of cyanidin‐sophoroside and cyanidin‐glucoside. The synthesis of anthocyanin in mangosteen involves the coordinated expression of many genes with at least eight genes encoding enzymes and three transcription factors having been identified. Ripening‐induced anthocyanin accumulation is regulated by endogenous ethylene that controls the expression of key genes. Comparisons are made between anthocyanin synthesis in mangosteen and other fruit species under various conditions including light and temperature and the influence of plant growth regulators.

Fruit allergy and anaphylaxis in children: Culprit fruits and clinical findings.

Background: Fruit allergy usually presents with mild-to-moderate symptoms but serious systemic reactions, e.g., anaphylaxis, may also occur. Objective: This study aimed to examine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with fruit allergy and fruit-induced anaphylaxis. Methods: Patients diagnosed with fruit allergy at Dışkapı Hematology and Oncology Hospital and Bilkent City Hospital between January 2017 and January 2023 were included in the study. The diagnosis of anaphylaxis was made according to the European Allergy and Clinical Immunology Anaphylaxis Guideline. Results: During the study period, skin-prick tests with food allergens were performed on 9432 patients in our clinic, and fruit allergy was detected in 78 patients (0.82%). Five patients with inaccessible medical records were excluded from the study. 40 (54.8%) were boys. The median (interquartile range) age at the onset of symptoms was 72 months (12.5-144 months). Sixty-eight of the patients (93.2%) had a concomitant allergic disease, the most common of which was allergic rhinitis (n = 48 [65.8%]). The 73 patients had a history of reaction to 126 fruits. Twenty-five patients (19.8%) were allergic to multiple fruits. The most common fruit allergen was banana (22/126 [17.4%]), followed by peach (18/126 [14.2%]) and kiwi (17/126 [13.5%]). Mucocutaneous findings were observed most frequently after fruit consumption (120/126 [95.2%]). Anaphylaxis occurred in 17 patients (23.2%) with 21 fruits.The fruits most commonly associated with anaphylaxis were banana (6/21 [28.6%]) and kiwi (6/21 [28.6%]). Conclusion: Fruit allergy generally presents with mild symptoms, e.g., oral allergy syndrome, but severe systemic symptoms, e.g., anaphylaxis, can also be observed. Kiwi and banana are the fruits that most commonly cause anaphylaxis. Although more comprehensive studies are needed to comment on the development of tolerance, especially in patients with anaphylaxis, responsible fruit avoidance is still the most important strategy.

Development of breadfruit flour (Artocarpus altilis) with the addition of gelatine as a potential edible film

The potential application of biodegradable films for food applications has gained interest as an alternative to synthetic plastic packaging. Breadfruit is a common starchy fruit in nature and due to its unique and wide availability, it can be good a source for developing biopolymers. This study aimed to develop packaging films made from unripe green breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) flour with different concentrations of bovine gelatine. The ratios of gelatine and breadfruit flour (G:BF) were 0:5 (G0), 1:5 (G2), 2:5 (G4), 3: 5(G6), 4:5 (G8) and 5:5 (G10). The physical, mechanical and optical properties of these films were investigated. The findings of this study showed that the addition of bovine gelatine in flour solutions had significantly (P&lt;0.05) improved the film thickness, tensile strength (TS), optical properties and water vapour permeability (WVP). Breadfruit film with no gelatine (control) showed the lowest WVP (P&lt;0.05). Based on the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, the chemical interaction of hydroxyl group from gelatine and the carboxyl group of breadfruit flour occurred. Therefore, gelatine helped to improve the water barrier and mechanical properties of the BF films as supported by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Further study to enhance film properties is necessary to apply the material to food products.