Degree Of Ripeness Research Articles

The effect of potassium permanganate concentration and storage time after harvesting fruit on physiological ripeness on the quality of sapodilla (Manilkara zapota L. cv. Dawan) during storage

Climacteric fruit is a type of fruit that will continue to undergo a respiration process after the fruit is harvested, ethylene gas increases so that the fruit ripens more quickly than non-climacteric fruit. Sapodilla is a climacteric fruit, so a proper postharvest handling technique is needed to prolong ripening and damage to the fruit relatively quickly. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of potassium permanganate and the best degree of fruit ripeness to maintain the quality of the sapodilla cv. Dawan fruit during storage. This research used a completely randomized design with two factors and three replications. The first factor is the concentration of potassium permanganate with four levels, i.e., control level (P0), concentration of 75 mg/100 ml of water (P1), concentration of 90 mg/100 ml of water (P2), and concentration of 105 mg/100 ml of water (P3). The second factor was the level of maturity with three levels, i.e., physiological immature fruit (Tk), fruit with physiological ripeness level (Tm), and fruit with a degree of maturity after physiological maturity (Ts). The results showed that the concentration of potassium permanganate and the level of maturity and the interaction had a significant effect on the quality of sapodilla during storage. On the first factor, the concentration of potassium permanganate 105 mg/100 ml of water gave the best sapodilla quality with the lowest decrease in fruit weight, the lowest increase in weight loss, and the lowest decrease in fruit water content. On the second factor, the level of physiological immature fruit gives the best quality of sapodilla with the lowest decrease in fruit weight, the lowest increase in weight loss, and the lowest decrease in fruit water content.

Development of evidence-based approaches to the design of targeted food products for gerodietary nutrition

Relevance. Creation of models and normative documentation for four groups of canned food, technological schemes of production and control will allow creating the production of canned products for gero-dietic purposes at Russian enterprises. Four types of canned food are produced under production conditions. The creation of operator models of subsystems of technological flows of production is one of the most significant technological tasks and allows you to unify existing technologies and really increase labor productivity and product quality.Objects and methods of research. Apples, cherry plums, beets, oats, watermelons, walnuts in a milky-wax degree of ripeness, pasteurized whey, canned drinks, creams, kissels, desserts. As the main indicators characterizing the quality and value of new types of geroproducts, standard physicochemical and organoleptic indicators, as well as indicators characterizing the nutritional value and microbiological indicators, were chosen.Conclusions. System analysis and system synthesis of technological flows for the production of functional food products of a new generation were applied and element-wise flow structures were worked out on a simulation model. The information obtained is systematized in accordance with the scheme of the functional structure of the search for a technical solution and applied to create operator models. Models of four groups of canned food (drinks, kissels, creams, desserts) for gero-dietic purposes have been developed, the technological flow has been worked out in production conditions.

Effect of pre-treatment on the change of frozen pineapple texture

Extending pineapple shelf-life and controlling freezing is a trade concern. This study investigated the effect of 5 degrees of ripeness (DR) and 4 pre-treatment methods on the texture of frozen pineapple. Freezing time, freezing rate, degree of pectin esterification (DE), relative hardness (RH) and core temperature change mechanism (TCM) during freezing were evaluated. Kinetic models were developed to describe the RH change. Pineapples (25 % greenish yellow), the shortest freezing time was observed. The TCM was divided into 3 stages. The DE remained stable after freezing but decreased with increasing DR. A blanching method, followed by soaking in CaCl2, and a blanching method using a CaCl2 solution were effective in preserving the texture of frozen pineapple. A fractional conversion model was proposed to describe the mechanism of texture changes in pineapple during freezing. This study serves as a basis for enhancing the texture and promoting the international trade of pineapple.

Enabling chlorophyll photo-response for in-line real-time noninvasive direct probing of the quality of palm-oil during mill process

During the milling process of palm oil, the degree of palm fruit ripeness is a critical factor that affects the quality and quantity of the oil. As the palm fruit matures, its chlorophyll level decreases, and since chlorophyll in oil has undesirable effects on hydrogenation, bleachability, and oxidative degradation, it’s important to monitor the chlorophyll content in palm oil during the milling process. This study investigated the use of light-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (LICF) for non-invasive and real-time monitoring of chlorophyll content in diluted crude palm oil (DCO) located at the dilution and oil classification point in palm oil mill. An LICF probe was installed at the secondary pipe connected to main DCO pipeline, and the system communicates with a computer located in a separate control room via a Wi-Fi connection. Continuous measurements were recorded with an integration time of 500 ms, averaging of 10, and a time interval of 1 min between each recording during the oil mill’s operation. All data were stored on the computer and in the cloud. We collected 60 DCO samples and sent them to the laboratory for American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) measurement to compare with the LICF signal. The LICF method achieved a correlation coefficient of 0.88 with the AOCS measurements, and it also provided a direct, quantitative, and unbiased assessment of the fruit ripeness in the mill. By incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and cloud storage, this LICF system enables remote and real-time access to data for chemometrics analysis.

Mask R-CNN for quality control of table olives

In this paper we propose an object detector based on deep learning for scanning samples of table olives. For the construction of the system we have used a Mask R-CNN neural network. This network is able to segment the image providing a mask for each of the olives in the sample from which we can obtain the calibre of the object. In addition, the system is able to measure the degree of ripeness of the olives classifying them as green, semi-ripe and ripe, and identifying those fruits that are defective due to disease or damage caused by the harvesting process. The proposed system achieves success rates of 99.8% in the detection of olive fruits in photograms, 93.5% in the classification of fruit by ripeness and close to 80% in the detection of defects.

Main determinants of the fruits consumed by diabetic patients managed at the Antidiabetic Center of Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

Fruit, commonly eaten raw, contains contain some nutrients good for diabetics health. Since most fruits taste sweet, it was interesting to investigate the dietary behaviour of diabetics towards fruits in the main diabetic center in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Of a total of 846 patients surveyed of the antidiabetic center in Abidjan, 73.3% awared of the health benefits of fruit for diabetics. 48.5%, awared fruit contained free sugar considered harmful for them. Regarding frequency and fruit, 29.8% of them consumed at least one fruit one or two days and 62.2% preferred to consume whole fruits rather than fruit juices (9.7%) while almost half (44.6%) consumed them much more after the meal. As for their amount, the majority of respondents consumed an average of 1 (20.57%) or 2 (69.50%) pieces of fruit at each intake and paid attention to their degree of ripeness (58%). The most consumed fruits were orange (61.5%), apple (57.4%), sweet banana (46.1%), papaya (39.6%), and mango (29.6%), contained between 2.21 and 9.02% total free sugars and between 0.52 and 1.33% total fiber. A large proportion of diabetic patients regularly consumed them at ripe (37.1%) or very ripe (32.7%) stage, ingesting a significant amount of fast sugar. Fruit consumption should be promoted to diabetics to enable them making more healthy choices.

EVALUATION OF SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEM AND POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE ON EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF PLANTAIN

Background: Plantain is a climacteric fruit, which means that as it ripens, it increases its respiration rate and ethylene production. Therefore losses are recorded along its production chain value. Post-harvest loss is a major problem limiting the production of plantain in African due to unavailability of established storage conditions that can guarantee long shelf life. In the quest of extending the shelf life and quality of plantain, this study was carried out to evaluate the synergistic effect of Evaporative cooling system (ECS) and Potassium permanganate (KMnO4). Methods: Unripe plantain fruit were stored under four different condition, ECS, KMnO4 only, ECS with KMnO4 and a control. The storage was done for a period of 12 days with laboratory analysis carried out through this period to analyze the quality of the stored fruits. The pH, weight loss, Total soluble solid (TSS), peel color, Total titratable acid, firmness test and dry matter was carried out. Result: The pH, which is a major factor in determining the degree of ripening of fruit was obtained to be 4.85, 4.94, 5.00 and 5.77 for control, KMnO4, ECS and ECS with KMnO4 storage condition respectively. Also, the TSS which is also directly proportional to the degree of ripeness was recorded to be 24.00, 21.00, 12.10 and 10.80 for control, KMnO4, ECS and ECS with KMnO4 storage condition respectively. The least percentage weight loss was obtained in ECS with KMnO4 storage condition which is favorable to a better firmness result. 31%, 15.13% and 11.11% weight loss was obtained in control, KMnO4 and ECS storage condition. After day 6 of storage, the plantain fruits in ECS and ECS with KMnO4 ¬¬storage condition maintained their stage 1 characteristics as different from what was obtainable in control and KMnO4 storage. At the end of the storage period, the quality of the stored plantain fruits stored in ECS with KMnO4 was examined to be better in color, firmness, weight loss, pH, TSS and dry matter. Conclusion: When compared to the individual performances of KMnO4 and ECS, it can be concluded that the synergistic effect further extend the shelf life and quality of plantain fruits.

Use of Portable Devices and an Innovative and Non-Destructive Index for In-Field Monitoring of Olive Fruit Ripeness

A new non-destructive index of absorbance difference (IAD), calculated with different wavelengths as references, near the chlorophyll absorbance peak or that for anthocyanin, has been used to determine the fruit ripening of several fruit species using portable devices such as Standard DA-Meter® and Kiwi-Meter®. In this study, for the first time, the application of the IAD was evaluated on single, intact olives of the Leccino cultivar, as a single non-destructive maturity index to follow ripening in the field, directly on the tree. The IAD determined by both devices was found to be useful for monitoring the olive ripening, however, better performance was achieved with the Kiwi-Meter®. In fact, the IAD determined by this device was more effective at measuring all the studied olive ripening parameters in the calibration and validation datasets with acceptable accuracy. Specifically, better performance of the IDA by Kiwi-Meter® was observed in estimation of the color index (R2 = 0.817, DRMSEC = 0.404 and RPIQ = 3.863 for calibration and R2 = 0.752, DRMSECV = 0.574 and RPIQ = 3.244 for validation), confirming its potential for evaluating the degree of olive ripeness. This novel index has significant applicative possibilities, since it would allow rapid, on-site screening of the best harvesting time to improve the olive production in terms of both yield and quality.

Uticaj distribucije veličine i zrelosti na neke fizičke i mehaničke osobine plodova voća Spondias mombin

The effect of size distribution and ripeness on some properties of Spondias mombin fruits was investigated in this study. The mean length of a ripe small, medium, and large Spondias mombin fruit is 27.3, 35.2, and 38.5 mm, respectively. Also, the width and thickness varied from 19.9 to 29.9 mm and 19.2 to 30.0 mm, respectively. In half-ripe fruits, the length, width, and thickness for small, medium, and large size distribution also varied from 28.2 to 38.7 mm; 20.9 to 28.9 mm and 19.6 to 28.7 mm, respectively. The length of the unripe small, medium, and large sized fruits was 28.1, 35.1, and 38.9 mm, respectively. The width and thickness increased from 21.8 to 29.2 mm and 20.6 to 29.2 mm, respectively. As the size increased from small to large, the moisture content increased in each case for the three conditions of ripeness. The sphericity and bulk density of the fruit increased with the sizes and ripeness of the fruits. The effect of size and degree of ripeness on physical properties was significant. An increase in size and change in orientation increased compressive strain, with the highest being 0.169 at the large size and longitudinal position. The highest compressive stress of the fruit was observed as 9.00 N/mm 2 when in a transverse position. The energy required for breaking the fruit was highest (2.5 J) in a longitudinal orientation. The effect of size, degree of ripeness, and orientation of the fruit on the compressive properties were significant.

A System for the Direct Monitoring of Biological Objects in an Ecologically Balanced Zone

This article discusses a model of a robotic platform that can be used for the proximal probing of biological objects in an ecologically balanced zone. The proximal probing is for scanning deciduous and fertile parts of biological objects with a hyperspectral camera at a distance of no more than a few meters. It allows for the obtention of information about the presence of phyto-diseases of tissues and also about the degree of ripeness and other parameters of the internal quality of the fruit. In this article, we report the methods and approaches used to detect fruits in the crown of a tree and also to identify their diseases such as scab and decay with an accuracy of at least 87%. For the autonomous movement of the platform in an ecologically balanced area, visual and inertial navigation is based on a Zed 2i stereo camera. This allows for the moving of biological objects in accordance with a given route indicated on the 2D map. The analysis of the information received from this platform allows for the building of maps of the presence of phyto-deseases in an ecologically balanced zone, and decisions are promptly made regarding the implementation of technical and protective measures that ensure high-quality products.

Technological development in maize cultivation

With limited financial, material and labour resources, agricultural production has to optimize technology solutions for important crop cultivation. “Green” economy current trends recommend using soil treatment and crop tending technologies that are able to minimize doses of organic and mineral fertilizers applied, to reduce the degree to which plants have been treated with chemicals. This will generally improve the environmental safety of farming. Maize is one of the most important raw materials for animal feed, in varying degrees of cob ripeness it is used as green feed, harvested as silage or as mature grain. An affordable way of livestock product cost reduction is to save on direct production costs. It has been proposed to improve the maize cultivation technology under the specific farm conditions in the Nonchernozem belt of Russia, through replacing mechanic means, combining several operations in one run and substituting fertilizers in a rational way. It has been proposed to replace tractors MTZ-82.1 and K744R1 with more productive and economical New Holland T8.390 and New Holland T4 F. Ploughing can be performed with simultaneous application of complex fertilizers (diasophoska) and disс ploughing. The Vaderstad TopDown 900 is offered as a seedbed maker. The Challenger CH9824 seed planter has been replaced with the John Deere DB37, which provides simultaneous fertilizer application. The picker Acros 595 has been replaced with the more efficient and economical John Deere X9. Original pesticides have also been replaced with cheaper counterparts. As a result of the technological development, direct costs were reduced by 9.6%.

Optimization of Processing Technology of Chinese Chestnut Stuffing by Response Surface Methodology

[Objective] To enrich the variety of Chinese chestnut products, promote the transformation of Chinese chestnut raw materials and increase added value, we developed a Chinese chestnut stuffing method and optimized the compounding process in order to provide a reference for the industrial development of Chinese chestnut stuffing. [Method] The degree of Chinese chestnut ripening, Chinese chestnut particle size, job’s tear dosage, red bean dosage and date paste dosage were optimized through single-factor experiments; then orthogonal experiments were conducted for the dosage of job’s tear, red bean and date paste. The Box-Behnken experimental results were then analyzed by response surface method. [Results] Firstly, it was determined that when the Chinese chestnut was steamed to the fifth to seventh degree of ripeness and crushed to 4-6 mesh size, the optimal amount of job’s tear was 10 g/25 g chestnut, red bean 10 g/25 g chestnut, and red date paste was 6 g/25 g chestnut.. The results of the orthogonal experiment showed that the compounding effect was better with the barley dosage of 9 g/25 g chestnut, red bean 10 g/25 g chestnut and red date paste 7 g/25 g chestnut. Response surface analysis yielded the regression equation Y (sensory score) = 8.2-0.27χ1 -0.059χ2 +0.26χ3 -0.22χ1 χ2 +0.062χ1 χ3 -0.46χ2 χ3 -0.81χ12 -0.41χ22 - 0.32χ32. The model had a low coefficient of variation (CV= 0.023), indicating that the equations fit well with high confidence. [Conclusion] A better quality Chinese chestnut filling could be obtained by compounding diced chestnuts of five to seven minutes steam ripening and crushed in 4-6 mesh with job’s tear, red beans and date paste in the ratio of 8.96 g/25 g, 9.77 g/25 g 7.37 g/25 g respectively. The error between the theoretical value (8.32 points) and the experimental value (8.28 points) was small (0.48%), indicating the optimized parameters are accurate and have practical value.

Foliar Fertilizers as A Method Of Phenolic Ripeness Control

Due to global warming, there is a problem to correlate technical and phenolic ripeness in modern viticulture. This study is focused on the use of foliar fertilizers in order to combine the time of beginning of phenolic and technical ripeness. The studies were carried out in 2022 in the conditions of mountain-valley coastal viticulture zone of the Republic of Crimea. Foliar top dressing was carried out with the preparation ‘Agrogemo’ (LLC Pontis, Russian Federation) on wine grape varieties ‘Bastardo Magarachskiy’ and ‘Malbec’. The Glories method was used to estimate the ripeness degree of grapes. The principle of it is to determine the total and extractable anthocyanin potential of grapes. Using of foliar fertilizers made it possible to increase the yield of ‘Bastardo Magarachskiy’ variety by 15.3%, and ‘Malbec’ variety by 18.1%. It was found that the experimental treatment scheme contributed to the later beginning of technical ripeness of grapes, i.e. a low percentage of non-extractable anthocyanins from grape skin compared to the control. Base wines obtained from grapes with the use of organic-mineral fertilizer were characterized by the intense color, balanced aroma and flavor.

Effect of Drying and Maturity on the Antioxidant Properties of the Blueberry (Vaccinium Floribundum Kurth) from the Ecuadorian Moorland and Sensory Evaluation of its Infusion

The mortiño (Vaccinium floribundum) is characterized by its high content of polyphenols and anthocyanins, as well as high antioxidant activity. This research analyzed the effect of drying (convection drying and lyophilization) together with the degree of ripeness (50% and 100%) on the fruit’s antioxidant properties. Additionally, a sensory evaluation of an infusion prepared with the dried product was conducted. The treatment consisting of lyophilization and 100% ripeness had the highest values for polyphenols and anthocyanins, 4733.50 mg of gallic acid/100 g DW and 778.70 mg of cyanidin 3-glucoside chloride / 100 g DW, respectively. The ascorbic acid content was highest in the treatment with lyophilization and 50% ripeness, with 69.50 mg / 100 g DW. The antioxidant activity for the treatments with 100% ripeness had similar results for convection drying and lyophilization, 87.28 and 88.62 mmol TE / kg DW, respectively. An infusion was made from the dried mortiño product and subjected to a sensory evaluation from a panel of tasters. The samples with 100% ripeness, regardless of the drying method, received a “Like very much” qualification for color, aroma, and taste attributes. Testing for antioxidant activity, it was found that between 2.5 to 3.5 % of the original antioxidant content is transferred to the infusion. The findings suggest that mortiño can be used in the preparation of an infusion with functional properties, creating an opportunity for the local communities of venturing into this crop for industrial purposes.

Rheological Properties of Purple Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) Fruits at Different Ripening Stages

Proper postharvest handling and management of perishable horticultural commodities require the proper understanding and the need for basic information on the mechanical properties of these commodities specifically for avocados to preserve quality and reduce losses and waste. Physical characterization and compression tests were conducted on avocados to develop an understanding of the rheological properties of avocados at different ripening stages, sizes, and compression loads. An appropriate equation in predicting volume from its weight and its shape signature that specifically represents the shape of the purple fruited avocado variety in a one-dimensional function were established. The shape of avocado fruits tends toward being spherical and expected to roll not slide as indicated by the mean values of sphericity and aspect ratio. The compressive strength of avocado varied with ripeness were small size can withstand up to 5 kg of load by weight after harvest without significant internal damage and 6 kg of load for medium size. Avocado fruits had a time-dependent stress relaxation behavior like other viscoelastic material. The threeterm Maxwell model with six parameters described the stress relaxation behavior of avocado fruit at different compressive loads, ripeness and sizes based on the maximum relative difference (MRD), R2 , and residual MSE. The advancing degree of ripeness have a corresponding decrease in the decay stress value (σ1) and time of relaxation (τ1) component of the model. To minimize mechanical damage, avocado should be packed in vertical orientation with cushion (bubble wrap, foam, or paper) and can be stacked up to 10 layers for small size and 12 layers for medium size at harvest using 10 kg capacity cartons.

Role of Yeasts on the Sensory Component of Wines.

The aromatic complexity of a wine is mainly influenced by the interaction between grapes and fermentation agents. This interaction is very complex and affected by numerous factors, such as cultivars, degree of grape ripeness, climate, mashing techniques, must chemical–physical characteristics, yeasts used in the fermentation process and their interactions with the grape endogenous microbiota, process parameters (including new non-thermal technologies), malolactic fermentation (when desired), and phenomena occurring during aging. However, the role of yeasts in the formation of aroma compounds has been universally recognized. In fact, yeasts (as starters or naturally occurring microbiota) can contribute both with the formation of compounds deriving from the primary metabolism, with the synthesis of specific metabolites, and with the modification of molecules present in the must. Among secondary metabolites, key roles are recognized for esters, higher alcohols, volatile phenols, sulfur molecules, and carbonyl compounds. Moreover, some specific enzymatic activities of yeasts, linked above all to non-Saccharomyces species, can contribute to increasing the sensory profile of the wine thanks to the release of volatile terpenes or other molecules. Therefore, this review will highlight the main aroma compounds produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other yeasts of oenological interest in relation to process conditions, new non-thermal technologies, and microbial interactions.

Method of opening the fruits, biometry and anatomical description of embryonic development in pau-branco (<i>Cordia oncocalyx</i> Allemão) seeds

The tree species Pau-branco, Cordia oncocalyx Allemão has great economic potential, especially for logging, but its extraction is uncontrolled and can cause depredation. This type of harvest does not guarantee sufficient raw material to supply the demanding sectors such as furniture industries. The propagation of the species in plant nurseries starting from fruits and seeds could offer a solution to this problem. However, the fruits obtained from native plants comprise different sizes and different degrees of ripeness, making germination and propagation processes a difficult task. Knowledge of the final zygotic embryogenesis (fruit phase) anatomy is very important to establishing a propagation protocol for this species, especially to achieve a successful seed rescue of those containing mature zygotic embryos. The objectives of the present work was to establish a method to open the fruits and to study the microstructure and anatomy of the embryo in seeds of pau-branco, never shown before, with the goal of determining in which phase of development seed rescue is most appropriate for subsequent planting and seedling propagation. Mature fruits of pau-branco at different developmental stages were collected and subjected to microscopic investigation or biometrics determination. Transverse and longitudinal sections were obtained and processed for optical and scanning electron microscopy for the anatomical description of fruits and seeds. It was observed that the fruit has an exocarp and mesocarp. The mesocarp is divided into a sub exocarp-like mesocarp and a sclerenchymatous mesocarp, the latter of which gives hardness and rigidity to the fruit. The embryo, generally approximately 1.5 cm, is visible inside the fruits. When the embryo reaches 2.0 cm, it is considered fully developed, and it is recommend that excision can take place at this stage. the use of a hydraulic press was the most viable method for the extraction of seeds from the fruits. Furthermore, it was also concluded that the embryo of pau-branco seeds contain protein reserves.

An Endemic Plant of the Mediterranean Area: Phytochemical Characterization of Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) Fruits Extracts at Different Ripening Stages.

This work focused on the extraction, quantification, and characterization of bioactive compounds of Arbutus unedo L. fruits, comparing the results obtained from the different ripening states. Extractions were performed by different methods (such as maceration extraction and ultrasonic extraction) and food grade solvents (aqueous and hydroalcoholic solvents) in each of the all ripening states (four states considered, associated with four different colors, i.e., green, yellow, orange, and red). The presence of (poly)phenols was quantified and characterized, and scavenging activity was determined by the Folin–Ciocâlteu reagent and the DPPH method, respectively. The content of bioactive compounds was characterized by LC-MS/MS, such as multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry. The results showed that ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) performed better than maceration extraction; ethanol–water mixture extracts showed a more positive effect than the use of aqueous extracts regarding the content of total phenolic compounds. Overall, the total phenolic compounds in the EtOH:H2O mixture at a ratio of 7:3 (v:v) were higher than that of the other solvents for both extraction methods. Some bioactive molecules were characterized for the first time in the extracts of A. unedo. The chemical profile of the strawberry tree extracts depended on the degree of fruit ripeness. The results suggest that A. unedo fruits may be of great interest for food and nutraceutical applications.

Color of extra virgin olive oils enriched with carotenoids from microalgae: influence of ultraviolet exposure and heating

A carotenoid-rich extract containing 2.5 mg/mL of lutein and 3.3 mg/mL of β-carotene from the microalga Scenedesmus almeriensis was added to ten extra virgin olive oils from four Spanish cultivars with differing degrees of ripeness, obtaining carotenoid enriched oils with lutein and β-carotene concentrations of 0.082 and 0.11 mg/mL, respectively. Extra virgin olive oils enriched with carotenoids from microalgae were studied by analyzing the effect on color of three different treatments: ultraviolet exposure, microwave heating and immersion bath heating. The methodology was designed to simulate, in controlled laboratory conditions, the effects of household treatments. Spectrophotometric color measurements were then performed to monitor color changes in the enriched and non-enriched extra virgin olive oil samples. Enriched oils are much more chromatic, darker and redder than natural oils. After 55 days UV irradiation, 40 min microwave heating, and 72 hours thermostatic heating, the average color differences for natural/enriched extra virgin olive oils were 98/117, 15/9 and 57/28 CIELAB units, respectively. In general, increasing temperature and ultraviolet exposure produced higher CIELAB color differences in the non-enriched samples. The addition of microalga extracts to extra virgin olive oils was found to induce some color stability and may constitute a future way of increasing the daily intake of beneficial bioactive compounds such as carotenoids.

New solutions in the horticultural industry

The paper discusses the issues of increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of the production of fruits and berries, which largely depends on the level of automation and digitalization of manufacturing processes. Due to the lack of serial domestic dedicated machines fitted with the automation of a number of planting, care and harvesting operations in horticulture, Russian farmers are forced to purchase and use foreign equipment. Many foreign companies that are manufacturers of agricultural machinery use current technological solutions in their projects, such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, data analysis, etc. From seventy to eighty percent of foreign agricultural machines are equipped with sensors and automatic systems. Robotic tools are used to pick fruits and berries such as common garden strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) and hautbois strawberry (Fragaria moschata). At the same time, the robot can find fruits, determine the degree of ripeness, carefully pick and place them into a container. Russian companies are beginning to actively introduce digital technology in the development of modern technical means, including those intended for horticulture. An urgent area in the development of digital technology in agriculture is the use of mobile applications that allow reducing the cost of production, overdue, etc. Mobile online applications can contain the coordinates of fields, types of crops planted, data from past harvests and recommendations for subsequent operations taking into account the analysis of many current factors. The applications combine data from sensors of agricultural machinery, drones, satellites, etc. Field navigators allow for the use of precision farming technology even in poor visibility conditions. Artificial intelligence-based programs offer solutions, recommendations and consultations.