Ethanol Vapor Treatment Research Articles

Electrospun Silk-ICG Composite Fibers and the Application toward Hemorrhage Control.

In trauma and surgery, efficient hemorrhage control is crucial to avert fatal blood loss and increase the likelihood of survival. There is a significant demand for novel biomaterials capable of promptly and effectively managing bleeding. This study aimed to develop flexible biocomposite fibrous scaffolds with an electrospinning technique using silk fibroin (SF) and indocyanine green (ICG). The FDA-approved ICG dye has unique photothermal properties. The water permeability, degradability, and biocompatibility of Bombyx mori cocoon-derived SF make it promising for biomedical applications. While as-spun SF-ICG fibers were dissolvable in water, ethanol vapor treatment (EVT) effectively induced secondary structural changes to promote β-sheet formation. This resulted in significantly improved aqueous stability and mechanical strength of the fibers, thereby increasing their fluid uptake capability. The enhanced SF-ICG interaction effectively prevented ICG leaching from the composite fibers, enabling them to generate heat under NIR irradiation due to ICG's photothermal properties. Our results showed that an SF-ICG 0.4% fibrous matrix can uptake 473% water. When water was replaced by bovine blood, a 25 s NIR irradiation induced complete blood coagulation. However, pure silk did not have the same effect. Additionally, NIR irradiation of the SF-ICG fibers successfully stopped the flow of blood in an in vitro model that mimicked a damaged blood vessel. This novel breakthrough offers a biotextile platform poised to enhance patient outcomes across various medical scenarios, representing a significant milestone in functional biomaterials.

Ethanol vapor ameliorates chilling injury and maintains postharvest quality by increasing antioxidant capacity of hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta)

Hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) stored at room temperature has a limited shelf life, and improper low-temperature storage can cause chilling injury. To address this issue, we applied ethanol vapor pre-treatment at concentrations of 250, 500, and 1000 μL L−1 and evaluated postharvest quality under low-temperature conditions (1 ± 1 °C). Our research revealed that lower concentrations of ethanol vapor (250–500 μL L−1) effectively mitigated chilling injury, delayed adverse physiological changes, such as superficial scald, softening, and rot, and enhanced the antioxidant system of A. arguta fruit. Ethanol treatment increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes like peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase while maintaining higher levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants like total phenolics, total flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and glutathione. It also improved the antioxidant capacity as assessed by various methods. Principal component analysis and overall scores demonstrated that ethanol vapor treatment significantly improved A. arguta fruit's antioxidant capacity and postharvest quality, extending the optimal consumption period by 14 d. This highlights ethanol's potential application in preserving A. arguta fruit's postharvest quality and enhancing its antioxidant capacity.

Surface Engineering Methods for Powder Bed Printed Tablets to Optimize External Smoothness and Facilitate the Application of Different Coatings.

In a previous attempt to achieve ileo-colonic targeting of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (BIAP), we applied a pH-dependent coating, the ColoPulse coating, directly on powder bed printed (PBP) tablets. However, the high surface roughness necessitated an additional sub-coating layer [Nguyen, K. T. T., Pharmaceutics 2022]. In this study, we aimed to find a production method for PBP tablets containing BIAP that allows the direct application of coating systems. Alterations of the printing parameters, binder content, and printing layer height, when combined, were demonstrated to create visually less rough PBP tablets. The addition of ethanol vapor treatment further improved the surface's smoothness significantly. These changes enabled the direct application of the ColoPulse, or enteric coating, without a sub-coating. In vitro release testing showed the desired ileo-colonic release or upper-intestinal release for ColoPulse or enteric-coated tablets, respectively. Tablets containing BIAP, encapsulated within an inulin glass, maintained a high enzymatic activity (over 95%) even after 2 months of storage at 2-8 °C. Importantly, the coating process did not affect the activity of BIAP. In this study, we demonstrate, for the first time, the successful production of PBP tablets with surfaces that are directly coatable with the ColoPulse coating while preserving the stability of the encapsulated biopharmaceutical, BIAP.

Using Ethanol Degradation as Accelerated Chemical Seed Ageing Indicator For Different cultivars of Soybean

Indonesia has a wide range of swampy lands that need to be recovered for safe agriculture. The swampy lands and vegetation are a source of soil contamination through root exudates that need serious improvement. The plant exudates in soil could disturb seed germination. This study aimed to determine the effect of ethanol vapor treatment on the decrease in the vigor of four soybean seed cultivars. This study used a randomized block design with two treatment factors, namely ethanol-based ageing treatments as the main factor and cultivars as subfactor. The observation variables consisted of the percentage of germination, growth rate, vigor index, sprout length and sprout dry weight. The results showed that there was an interaction effect between fast ageing time and ethanol treatments and soybean cultivars which caused a decrease in the seed vigor. The soybean seeds of the cv. Gema was able to maintain more vigor compared to the cv. Grobogan which experienced more decline in germination. The 5 minutes of ageing time induced fewer damages with the highest vigor while 20 minutes of ageing the seeds induced maximum damage with the lowest seed vigor.

Integrated transcriptomics-proteomics analysis reveals the regulatory network of ethanol vapor on softening of postharvest blueberry

Fruit firmness is an important trait of postharvest blueberry, and ethanol vapor treatment has been shown to can retard blueberry softening by inhibiting the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides in our previous work. However, fruit softening is a complex process regulated by many factors. Here, the regulation mechanism of ethanol mediated delaying blueberry softening at the levels of mRNA and protein were explored with integrated transcriptomics-proteomics analysis. Results revealed that, 9158 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1223 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in the ethanol vapor-treated blueberry (E20) compared with the control (C20) at the 20th day of cold storage, 351 correlation molecules (DEG/DEP) were obtained through correlation analysis. Ethanol treatment reduced the overall metabolism level of blueberry, downregulated the gene expression of polygalacturonase, glucan-1,3-β-glucosidase and endoglucanase in carbohydrate metabolism pathway, and slowed down the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides such as pectin and cellulose; downregulated the gene expression of ACC oxidase, the key enzyme for ethylene synthesis, reduced the production of ethylene, reducing the ripening and softening effect of ethylene on the fruit, and then delayed the softening process of blueberry fruit. Collectively, ethanol vapor is a promising technology for retarding the softening of fruit and vegetables.

Dynamics of ethanol and its metabolites in fruit: The impact of the temperature and fruit species

The objectives of this study were to: i) determine the effect of temperature on the ethanol vaporization rate, ii) determine the effect of temperature on the uptake rate of fruit species and cultivars, iii) understand the relationship between the temperature that ethanol is applied, ethylene metabolism, and respiration rate of fruit, and iv) evaluate the interaction between temperature that fruit are submitted to ethanol treatment on the metabolites produced by them as a response to ethanol treatment. The ethanol vaporization rate was performed in an empty container experiment at 2, 10, and 20 °C. Four experiments were conducted to identify the ethanol uptake rate in ‘Maxi Gala’ and ‘Cripps Pink’ apples, ‘BRS Isis’ table grapes, and ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmons at 2, 10, and 20 °C. The metabolites produced by the fruit as a response to the ethanol treatment were determined using HS-SPME-GC/MS analysis. Our findings showed that the ethanol vaporization rate increases exponentially with the temperature and has a linear relationship with time. Moreover, the temperature and fruit species/cultivar affected the ethanol uptake rate, with the highest uptake rate at 20 °C. Furthermore, ethanol vapor uptake rate was positively correlated to respiration rate when all fruit species/cultivars were evaluated together, showing that fruit metabolism affects ethanol uptake rate. The temperature impacted the metabolite produced by fruit from ethanol application, evidencing the possibility of managing the volatile compounds produced from ethanol based on the ethanol treatment temperature. The fruit species has a decisive impact if ethanol is esterified or transformed to acetaldehyde, being predominantly esterified in apples and grapes, and converted to acetaldehyde in persimmons. Ethanol vapor treatment reduced the ethylene metabolism in apples at 20 °C, although ethanol increased ethylene in persimmons at 2 °C. Moreover, the respiration rate was generally unaffected or reduced in ethanol-treated fruit compared to untreated fruit of the same species/cultivar.

The isolated and combined impacts of ethanol and ethylene application on sugars and organic acids dynamics in ‘Elstar’ and ‘Nicoter’ apples

The aim was to evaluate the isolated or combined effects of ethanol vapor (500 ppm) and ethylene treatments (150 ppm), on the ethylene production, respiration, sugars and organic acids dynamics of ‘Elstar’ and ‘Nicoter’ apples after harvest, during 14 d at 20 °C. Another aim was to identify at which step of fruit metabolism ethanol vapor acts. Fruit were exposed to ethanol vapor and/or ethylene for 24 h. Metabolites were evaluated at 0, 7 and 14 d at 20 °C. Ethanol vapor treatment significantly inhibited the effect of ethylene on the ethylene production and respiration, but had no significant effect on the starch metabolization and sucrose dynamics. Its application also resulted in higher succinate, malate and total organic acids concentrations. Ethanol application reduced significantly the sucrose conversion to glucose and fructose, while the ethanol + ethylene treatment resulted in high total sugars, fructose and sorbitol concentration after 14 d at 20 °C. The ethanol application (500 ppm) also affected conversion of succinate to fumarate, suggesting the succinate dehydrogenase activity as one possible action point of ethanol on the apple fruit metabolism. According to the PCA analysis, the combination of ethanol + ethylene treatments had a different response as their isolated application, affecting sugars and organic acids metabolism differently. Additionally, it can be verified that the response to treatments of both apple cultivars is differently affected by the holding time, being the response latter for ‘Nicoter’ apples when compared to ‘Elstar’.

Impact of ethanol vapor treatment on the quality of water bamboo ( Zizania caduciflora L.) shoots during cold storage

This study evaluated the effect of ethanol vapor treatments on the physicochemical characteristics and quality of postharvest water bamboo shoots (WBS) (Zizania caduciflora L.). WBS were treated with ethanol vapor at doses of 0 (control), 500, 750, and 1000 μl/L at 0 ± 1°C for 35 days. The fruit were evaluated for weight loss, firmness, color, total soluble solids, soluble sugars, malondialdehyde, lignin, and lignification-related enzyme activities. The results revealed that all ethanol treatments could inhibit the weight loss and softening of WBS, reduce the reduction of soluble solids and soluble sugars content, inhibit the lignification-associated enzymes peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase activities, and reduce the synthesis of lignin. Among them, the 750 μl/L ethanol vapor treatment had a significant effect on all tested parameters and maintained the storage quality of WBS better than other treatments. Practical applications Water bamboo shoot is a nutritionally rich aquatic vegetable. However, its quality deteriorates rapidly after harvest due to wilting, softening, and lignification. The ethanol vapor treatment in this study significantly reduced the softening and lignification of WBS. The ethanol vapor treatment is simple and has less residue, which is effective in maintaining the fruit quality and reducing the nutritional loss of WBS after harvest. It is a safe and environmentally friendly preservation method for WBS.

Diethyldithiocarbamate/silk fibroin/polyethylene oxide nanofibrous for cancer therapy: Fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation

Cancer has become a serious disease threatening human health. To tackle this issue, developing the existing potent anticancer drugs is critical to reducing the time and cost associated with creating a new drug from scratch. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) – an anticancer drug- has received considerable attention due to its selectivity and reactivity. In this study, we prepared a nanofibrous matrix from silk fibroin/polyethylene oxide loaded with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC@SF/PEO) from an aqueous solution via an electrospinning process. Upon DDC incorporation, the nanofiber's diameter has increased from 450 nm (SF/PEO) to 1202 nm (DDC@SF/PEO) confirming the successful incorporation of DDC. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of DDC@SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix was improved by turning SF structure from random coil (silk I) to β-sheet (silk II) through ethanol vapor treatment. Biocompatibility of DDC@SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix on human normal cells (Wi-38) showed it was safe and the apoptosis-mediated anticancer activity of DDC was enhanced. Thus, loading DDC on SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix is the key descriptor for enhanced anticancer efficacy of DDC. Considering the all-aqueous and simplistic process, the DDC@SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix could be a promising candidate for cancer treatment applications.

Fabrication and Characterization of Silk Fibroin-Based Nanofibrous Scaffolds Supplemented with Gelatin for Corneal Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is a promising approach to overcome the severe worldwide shortage of healthy donor corneas. In this work, we have developed a silk-gelatin composite scaffold using electrospinning and permeation techniques to achieve the properties comparable to cornea analog. In particular, we present the fabrication and comparative evaluation of the novel gelatin sheets consisting of silk fibroin nanofibers, which are prepared using silk fibroin (SF) (in formic acid) and SF (in aqueous) electrospun scaffolds, for its suitability as corneal stromal analogs. All the fabricated samples were treated with ethanol vapor (T) to physically crosslink the silk nanofibers. Micro/nano-scale features of the fabricated scaffolds were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy micrographs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed characteristic peaks of polymeric functional groups and modifications upon ethanol vapor treatment. Transparency of the scaffolds was determined using UV-visible spectra. Among all the fabricated samples, the gelatin-permeated SF (in formic acid; T) scaffold showed the highest level of transparency, i.e., 77.75 ± 2.3%, which is similar to that of the native cornea (∼70%–90% [variable with age group]) with healthy acute vision. Contact angle of the samples was studied to estimate the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds. All the scaffolds except non-treated SF (in aqueous; NT) were found to be significantly stable up to 14 days when incubated in phosphate buffered saline at 37°C. Treated samples showed significantly better stability, both physically and microscopically, in comparison to nontreated samples. Proliferation and viability assays of rabbit corneal fibroblast cells (SIRC) and mouse fibroblast cells (L929 RFP) when cultured on fabricated scaffolds revealed remarkable cellular compatibility with gelatin-permeated SF (in formic acid; T) scaffolds compared to SF (in aqueous; T). Unlike other reports in the existing literature, this work presents the design and development of a nanofibrous silk-gelatin composite that exhibits acceptable transparency, cellular biocompatibility, as well as improved mechanical stability comparable to that of native cornea. Therefore, we anticipate that the fabricated novel scaffold is likely to be a good candidate for corneal tissue construct. Moreover, among the fabricated scaffolds, the outcomes depict gelatin-permeated SF (in formic acid; T) composite scaffold to be a better candidate as a corneal stromal analog that carries properties of both the silk and gelatin, i.e., optimal transparency, better stability, and enhanced cytocompatibility.

Ethanol vapor, initial low O 2 , and high CO 2 stresses in the storage of Laetitia Plums

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of treatments with ethanol vapor, and initial low O2 (ILOS) and high CO2 (IHCO2S) stresses on the ripening and maintenance of the quality of Laetitia plums, especially regarding internal browning (IB). The treatments evaluated were control, ethanol vapor (0.5 and 1.5%), ILOS (1.5 kPa), and IHCO2S (15 kPa). Respiratory and ethylene production rates, flesh firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids, peel color, and incidence and severity of IB were evaluated after 20 (20CS + 4SL) and 30 (30CS + 4SL) days of cold storage [0.5 ± 0.1°C and relative humidity (RH) of 96 ± 2%] plus 4 days of shelf life under room condition (23 ± 5°C and RH of 60 ± 5%). Ethanol vapor treatments (0.5 and 1.5%) and ILOS (1.5 kPa) delayed the ripening of “Laetitia” plums. These treatments prevented IB for up to 20CS + 4SL and reduced the incidence and severity of this disorder for up to 30CS + 4SL. Practical applications This study analyzes a method of treatment with ethanol vapor and low initial O2 (ILOS) and high CO2 (IHCO2S) stresses as a way to preserve the quality of “Laetitia” plums along with refrigeration. It is a good method to reduce the incidence of internal darkening of this fruit during cold storage. Also, it provides guidelines for the application of a modified atmosphere along with refrigeration for better conversation but “Laetitia” plums.

Ethanol vapor delays softening of postharvest blueberry by retarding cell wall degradation during cold storage and shelf life

Blueberry fruit were treated with 500 μL L−1 ethanol for 18 h and then stored at 0 ± 0.5 °C with 90 % relative humidity (RH) for 40 d. The firmness, contents of cell wall polysaccharides, activities of cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), and cell wall ultrastructure in the blueberry fruit were determined during storage. The results showed that the decline in firmness of blueberries was delayed by ethanol vapor treatment during cold storage and shelf life, compared to the control. The contents of water-soluble pectin (WSP) and 4 % KOH-soluble fraction (4KSF) in ethanol-treated blueberries were reduced compared to those in the control. The contents of EDTA-soluble pectin (ESP), Na2CO3-soluble pectin (SCSP), 24 % KOH-soluble fraction (24KSF), and cellulose in ethanol-treated blueberries were higher than the control. The activities of pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), β-glucosidase (β-Glu), β-galactosidase (β-Gal), α-galactosidase (α-Gal), and α-mannosidase (α-Man) in blueberries were suppressed by ethanol vapor treatment. However, there was no significant difference in the activity of α-arabinofuranosidase (α-Af) between ethanol-treated blueberries and the control. Moreover, ethanol vapor treatment delayed the destruction of the cell wall structure of the blueberry fruit via ultrastructural observations. Ethanol vapor treatment can retard the disassembly of cell wall polysaccharides by inhibiting CWDEs activities, thereby delaying blueberry softening.

Effect of Ethanol Vapor Treatment on the Growth of Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea and Defense-Related Enzymes of Fungi-Inoculated Blueberry During Storage.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ethanol vapor on the inhibition of Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea in postharvest blueberry and the induction of defense-related enzymes (DREs) activities in fungi-inoculated blueberries stored at 0±0.5°C for 16days. Results indicated that ethanol vapor markedly inhibited the mycelial growth of A. alternata and B. cinerea in a dose-dependent manner, with inhibition rates of 9.1% (250μlL−1), 36.4% (500μlL−1), and 5.5% (1,000μlL−1) on A. alternata and 14.2% (250μlL−1), 44.7% (500μlL−1), and 76.6% (1,000μlL−1) on B. cinerea, respectively. Meanwhile, ethanol vapor also enhanced the activities of DREs in fungi-inoculated blueberries, including β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), chitinase (CHI), phenylalnine ammonialyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In particular, 500μlL−1 ethanol vapor increased the activities of DREs by 84.7% (GLU), 88.0% (CHI), 37.9% (PAL), 85.5% (POD), and 247.0% (PPO) in A. alternata-inoculated blueberries and 103.8% (GLU), 271.1% (CHI), 41.1% (PAL), 148.3% (POD), and 74.4% (PPO) in B. cinerea-inoculated blueberries, respectively. But, the activity of PPO was decreased by 55.2 and 31.9% in 500μlL−1 ethanol-treated blueberries inoculated with A. alternata and B. cinerea, respectively, after 8days of storage. Moreover, the surface structure and ultrastructure of 500μlL−1 ethanol-treated blueberry fruit cells were more integrated than those of other treatments. The findings of the present study suggest that ethanol could be used as an activator of defense responses in blueberry against Alternaria and Botrytis rots, by activating DREs, having practical application value in the preservation of postharvest fruit and vegetables.

Ethanol vapor treatment inhibits apple ripening at room temperature even with the presence of ethylene

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of two ethanol vapor doses (250 and 500 ppm), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) (0.650 ppm) with or without ethylene application (150 ppm) on the aerobic and anaerobic metabolism and quality of ‘Elstar’, a fast ripening apple cultivar, and ‘Nicoter’, a slowly ripening apple cultivar, over 14 d of holding at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C). Fruit were subjected to treatments for 24 h and analyses performed after 0, 7 and 14 d holding at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C). For both cultivars studied, ethanol vapor treatments, especially 500 ppm, inhibited the ripening of apples even when combined with 150 ppm of ethylene, but not as much as 1-MCP treatment in ‘Nicoter’ apples. Fruit treated with ethanol vapor maintained lower electrolyte leakage, higher flesh firmness, greener color and had more healthy fruit. However, its application increased the pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate accumulation, but in concentrations below the odor threshold reported in the literature. The 1-MCP treatment increased decay incidence, reducing the healthy fruit amount in ‘Nicoter’ apples after 14 d, but maintained a very low ethylene production and respiration rate, which allowed higher acidity maintenance after 14 d holding at room temperature. There was no incidence of external and internal physiological disorders in both cultivars.

Postharvest ethanol vapor treatment of tomato fruit stimulates gene expression of ethylene biosynthetic enzymes and ripening related transcription factors, although it suppresses ripening

Postharvest ethanol vapor treatment suppresses tomato fruit ripening. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of suppression at the molecular level. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. ‘Micro Tom’) fruit harvested at mature green and breaker stages was continuously treated with ethanol using an ethanol pad at 20 °C in the dark. Ethanol treatment stimulated ethylene production and increased gene expression of LeACS2 and LeACS4, which are related to ethylene-related ripening. The expression of genes encoding ripening-specific transcription factors acting upstream of ethylene was also induced, when the fruit was treated with ethanol. In the ethylene-dependent ripening process, ethanol inhibited the expression of RIN-dependent and ethylene-dependent ripening-related genes, suggesting that ethanol could inhibit some processes downstream of ethylene perception. In the ethylene-independent ripening process, expression of RIN-dependent and ethylene-independent ripening related genes was inhibited by ethanol, suggesting that ethanol could inhibit some processes downstream of RIN. Inhibition of each process by ethanol could be a mechanism by which ethanol inhibits ripening, although it stimulates ethylene production and factors upstream of the ripening process.

Ethanol vapor treatment of ‘Laetitia’ plums stored under modified atmosphere

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of ethanol vapor during storage in modified atmosphere on the ripening and maintenance of the postharvest quality of ‘Laetitia’ plums. The plums were obtained from an orchard in the municipality of Lages, SC. The experimental design adopted was completely randomized. The treatments evaluated were ethanol vapor doses (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mL kg-1 of fruit). The fruits were stored at 0.5±0.2°C and 92±2% RH for 30 days. Upon their removal from storage followed by another three days in room conditions (20±5ºC and 63±2% RH), the fruits were evaluated in relation to their physical and chemical attributes, incidence and intensity of internal browning, quantification of ethanol, acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate, and the activity of enzymes peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. The application of ethanol vapor was efficient in maintaining the fruits flesh firmness, reducing the evolution of the red coloring, and resulted in greater activity of enzymes peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. However, the doses evaluated were not efficient in reducing the internal browning.

Quality maintenance of ‘Laetitia’ plum by application of 1- methylcyclopropene, ethanol vapor and heat treatment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), ethanol and heat treatment on ripening behavior and internal browning occurrence of ‘Laetitia’ plum stored under regular air. The treatments were: control, 1-MCP (1,0 µL L-1), ethanol (500 and 1500 µL L-1) and heat treatment (37 and 40 °C) for 24 h. Fruit were stored under regular air for 25 or 35 d at 0.5±0,1 °C and 96±1% relative humidity (RH), and assessed for respiration rate, ethylene production, skin color, flesh firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids content, incidence of decay and incidence and severity of internal flesh browning. In both storage periods, immediately at removal from cold room, fruit from all the treatments showed lower respiration rate and ethylene production than control fruit. Ethanol vapor at 1500 µL L-1, 1-MCP at 1,0 µL L-1 and heat treatment at 40 °C allowed a less reddish skin after 35 d of storage, as well as higher flesh firmness and lower intensity of internal flesh browning than control fruit, in both evaluated storage periods. In either 25 or 35 d of storage period, heat treatment at 40 °C increased the occurrence of decay. All the treatments provided lower incidence of internal flesh browning than control fruit in both evaluations. The postharvest application of ethanol at 1500 µL L-1, 1-MCP at 1,0 µL L-1 and heat treatment at 40 °C for 24 h delay the ripening process and reduce the incidence of internal flesh browning of ‘Laetitia’ plum.

Electrospun sandwich configuration nanofibers as transparent membranes for skin care drug delivery systems

The development of biocompatible nanocomposites for biomedical applications such as drug release has attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this work, electrospun membranes composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) and shellac were fabricated because PCL has favorable mechanical and biological properties, such as high biocompatibility and biodegradability. Meanwhile, shellac is biocompatible and non-toxic; as a result, the fabricated membranes are attractive for controlled drug delivery. Here, PCL/shellac/PCL nanofiber membranes were treated by ethanol vapor to improve their properties for use in drug delivery applications. Salicylic acid was loaded in the drug delivery system as a model drug, and three PCL/shellac/PCL membrane configurations were investigated. Ethanol vapor treatment increased the tensile strength, flexibility, and transparency of the membranes. Both the tensile strength and drug release properties of the membranes strongly depended on the ratio of PCL to shellac.

Postharvest treatments to mitigate the internal browning in ‘Bartlett’ pears

Internal browning is an important disorder in pear fruit which can lead to considerable economic losses. Pears (Pyrus communis L. cv. Bartlett) were harvested at early harvest maturity of 90 N from a commercial orchard in southern Brazil. Methyl jasmonate, ethanol, and 1-methylcyclopropene vapor treatments were carried out for 24 hours in order to mitigate the internal browning disorder. Fruit were stored for up to 150 days at 0 ± 1 °C and 90 ± 5 % RH. Pears exhibited internal browning in the control samples after 90 days of cold storage. However, no internal browning symptoms were observed in the 1-MCP treatment. The first symptoms in 1-MCP samples were noticed after 120 days of cold storage (12 %) and reached 100 % in five days at room temperature. 1-MCP-treated pears showed flesh firmness values of 82 N after 90 days of cold storage and 18.7 N when they were removed from the cold storage and kept at 20 °C. The greatest acceptance index was attributed to 1-MCP pears after 90 days at 0 ± 1 °C followed by 5 days at 20 ± 1 °C (89.35). High acceptance indexes were attributed to MeJa (77.95) and control pears (76.40) after 30 days in cold storage followed by 5 days at room temperature. 1-MCP (0.3 µL L-1, 24 hours at 0 ± 1 °C) treatment delays ripening and mitigates the internal browning in early harvested ‘Bartlett’ pears, that can be stored for up to 90 days at 0 ± 1 °C.

Effect of deastringency treatment of intact persimmon fruits on the quality of fresh-cut persimmons

The changes in the quality characteristics of the fresh-cut products prepared from intact ‘Cheongdobansi’ persimmons treated with different deastringency methods (nontreated, carbon dioxide gas, warm water, ethanol vapour) have been investigated for 6days at 10°C. Flesh firmness of the persimmons decreased after ethanol vapour treatment. The decrease in L∗ value and flesh firmness in the slices prepared from persimmons treated with warm water was retarded. Soluble solids content and titratable acidity of the persimmons decreased after all deastringency treatments. Soluble tannins and radical scavenging activity of the slices from untreated persimmons were maintained at higher concentrations, unlike slices from astringency-removed persimmons. These results suggest that pre-slicing deastringency treatments affect the characteristics of fresh-cut persimmons, and that warm-water treatment could be a useful method to control the browning and softening of fresh-cut persimmons.