Fresh Berries Research Articles

COMMERCIAL INDICATORS OF NEW INTRODUCED SPECIES OF GARDEN STRAWBERRY

The article presents the comprehensive studies results of fresh berries of garden strawberry of the introduced species
 Alba, Vibrant, Cupid, Matis, Hanoi, Elsanta in comparison with the zoned species Zenga-Zengana. 
 In terms of hardness, all the studied species surpassed the standard Zenga-Zengana species (the average hardness was
 2.6 N/cm2). The average content of soluble solids was 8.7 %. In terms of berry size (the average berry weight is more than 12 g), the species Alba, Vibrant, Cupid, Mathis, Hanoi, Elsanta are distinguished. The garden waste and losses in the studied
 strawberry species amounted to 2.3–3.5 %, which leads to small losses during processing. The studied species are heartshaped
 or round-shaped; the berry shape index ranged from 0.9 to 1.3. The size of berries in all studied species in terms
 of the largest transverse diameter was 27.4–34.4 mm. Fresh berries of all studied garden strawberry species had an attractive
 appearance and colour, juicy texture, pronounced aroma and good taste. The average degustation score ranged from 4.5 to 4.9.
 In the process of research, it was found that the garden strawberry species of the foreign selection Alba, Vibrant, Cupid,
 Mathis, Hanoi, Elsanta had high commercial qualities.

QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FREEZED SEA BUCKTHORN POWDER

The use of phytopowders as food additives allows you to create highly nutritious mixtures with a pronounced taste and aroma of fresh fruits and berries. Fruit and berry powders are already used in the production of jelly, fruit drinks, drinks, juices and sauces based on domestic plant raw materials with a high proportion of biologically active substances. The most important phytonutrients of sea buckthorn fruits (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) are carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, sugars, organic and amino acids, tannins and pectin substances, phospholipids, macro- and microelements. The aim of the research was to study the quality and nutritional value of freezedried sea buckthorn powder. Sublimated sea buckthorn was the object of study (TU 10.39.25-007-0111115841-2018) manufactured by IP A.N. Mazurina (Russia, Kaluga region, Borovsky district, Borovsk). The quality of packaging and labeling, as well as organoleptic characteristics, nutritional value and mineral composition of raw materials have been studied. It was determined that the marking of sublimated sea buckthorn does not comply with the regulated requirements of GOST R 51074-2003 and TR CU 022/2011. Organoleptic characteristics of phytopowder are identified as characteristic of this type of raw material. The actual protein and fat content of the test material does not correspond to the levels stated by the manufacturer. The studied raw materials are distinguished by a variety of chemical composition, namely, the content of protein, carotenoids, vitamins E and A, lipids, dietary fiber, unique trace elements – Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Ti, Zn.

Ribes himalense as potential source of natural bioactive compounds: Nutritional, phytochemical, and antioxidant properties.

Ribes himalense Royle ex Decne. (family Saxifraaceae, subfamily Grossulariaceae, genus Ribes) is a wild berry fruit with illustrated health‐promoting features, which widely distributed in Northwest China are deficiently exploited. This study aimed to assess the potential of a Ribes himalense as a source of natural bioactive compounds through characterizing its nutraceutical characteristics, phytochemicals properties, and antioxidant ability. Fresh berries were quantitatively analyzed for proximate composition, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, anthocyanins, procyanidin, and polysaccharides contents through China National Food Safety Standard; the characterization and identification of extracts of wild berries obtained with ethanol 30%, ethanol 50%, and ethanol 95% were firstly performed by UPLC‐Triple‐TOF‐MS2. Furthermore, antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract was evaluated via different assay methods such as DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP. The results indicated that the most important bioactive composition was procyanidin (0.72%), polyphenols (0.49%), total flavonoids (0.38%), vitamin C (64.6 mg/100g FW), and K (218.44 mg/100 g FW), and a total of 95 compounds were detected with polyphenols, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins as the dominant, and also ethanol extract possessed stronger antioxidant activity. These results suggested that Ribes himalense fruit has great potential in protecting human health, with the focus on the development of functional products.

Physical Properties of Sixteen Indigenous Barberry Genotypes

Introduction: Barberries are a wide class of spiny evergreen or deciduous shrubs belonging to Berberidaceae family that are of great importance due to their nutritional and medicinal properties of their different parts and also their ornamental applications. Genus Berberis, the biggest genus in Berberidaceae, includes more than 660 species. Barberry grows in Asia and Europe; and has been used extensively as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine. In Iranian and Turkish traditional medicine, several properties, such as antibacterial, antipyretic, antipruritic and antiarrhythmic activities have been reported with unknown mechanisms of action. Amazing structural diversity among barberries’ active components makes them a useful source of novel therapeutic compounds. Seedless barberry (Berberis integerrima ‘Asperma’) is one of the Iran’s indigenous valuable medicinal plants. Common asexual propagation of this plant over years and consequently low genetic diversity in populations of the seedless barberry restricts selection outcome in breeding programs. Utilizing the indigenous wild genotypes of barberry genus, which are easily able to cross-pollinate is one of the best methods to increase the genetic diversity. To meet this purpose, several wild seedy barberry genotypes were identified from all over the Iran, collected and established in a collection in Mashhad; then 16 genotypes were selected and their physical properties were studied. Materials and Methods: In this study mature fruits of sixteen unique genotypes (i.e. Iranian seedless barberry and fifteen seedy genotypes) were harvested in October- November, 2015 and kept in refrigerator in order to measure some of their physical properties in fresh fruits (berry dimension, weight of one hundred fresh berries, juice content and color indexes). For other properties, fruits were dried at room temperature. Fruit cluster length was measured by means of a ruler, number of berries/cluster and number of set and aborted seeds/berry by counting, berry dimensions by a digital coulis, weight of one hundred fresh and dried berries, percentage of pulp and seed as well as fruit juice content by a scale with 0.001 accuracy. Moisture content was determined by using an oven with 75 oC temperature for 48 hour. Color indexes including “L”, “a” and “b” were measured by using a chromometer (Model Konica Minolta Chroma Meters CR-410). This study was performed using a completely randomized design with 3 replications. Data were analyzed by Minitab software version 16 using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and differences among means were determined for significance at p

Metabolomics of Photosynthetically Active Tissues in White Grapes: Effects of Light Microclimate and Stress Mitigation Strategies.

The effects of climate change are becoming a real concern for the viticulture sector, with impacts on both grapevine physiology and the quality of the fresh berries and wine. Short-term mitigation strategies, like foliar kaolin application and smart irrigation regimes, have been implemented to overcome these problems. We previously showed that these strategies also influence the photosynthetic activity of the berries themselves, specifically in the exocarp and seed. In the present work, we assessed the modulating effects of both canopy-light microclimate, kaolin and irrigation treatments on the metabolic profiles of the exocarp and seed, as well as the potential role of berry photosynthesis herein. Berries from the white variety Alvarinho were collected at two contrasting light microclimate positions within the vine canopy (HL—high light and LL—low light) from both irrigated and kaolin-treated plants, and their respective controls, at three fruit developmental stages (green, véraison and mature). Untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) profiling of semi-polar extracts followed by multivariate statistical analysis indicate that both the light microclimate and irrigation influenced the level of a series of phenolic compounds, depending on the ripening stage of the berries. Moreover, untargeted gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) profiling of polar extracts show that amino acid and sugar levels were influenced mainly by the interaction of irrigation and kaolin treatments. The results reveal that both photosynthetically active berry tissues had a distinct metabolic profile in response to the local light microclimate, which suggests a specific role of photosynthesis in these tissues. A higher light intensity within the canopy mainly increased the supply of carbon precursors to the phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathway, resulting in increased levels of phenolic compounds in the exocarp, while in seeds, light mostly influenced compounds related to carbon storage and seed development. In addition, our work provides new insights into the influence of abiotic stress mitigation strategies on the composition of exocarps and seeds, which are both important tissues for the quality of grape-derived products.

Effectiveness of water and sanitizer washing solutions for removing enteric viruses from blueberries

The presence of enteric viruses on fresh berries poses a health risk to consumers. After berries are picked, a washing step can reduce microbial counts on fruit surfaces to increase their safety. This study compared the effectiveness of tap water, commercial solutions of fruit and vegetable sanitizer composed of peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (PAA) and neutral electrolyzed oxidizing water (NEW) for washing fresh blueberries that had been inoculated with either murine norovirus (MNV-1), bacteriophage MS2, bovine rotavirus (boRV) or hepatitis A virus (HAV). Initially, inactivation levels were measured after blueberries were washed for 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 min. Subsequently, the effect of combining up to three sequential 1-min washes was evaluated. Washes with water lasting up to 20 min reduced MNV-1, MS2 and HAV populations by 1–2 log10 (PFU) and boRV by less than 4 log10. Increasing washing time did not have a significant effect, except where NEW washes were increased by up to 3 min for MS2 and by 10 min for boRV, with viral titers decreasing by > 4 log10 and >5 log10, respectively. Viral counts were further reduced through additional washes as follows: reduction of MS2 with water, of MNV-1 with NEW and HAV with PAA. PAA achieved significant and rapid inactivation of boRV (>6 log10 PFU after 1 min), MNV-1 (>4 log10 after 10 min) and MS2 (>3 log10 after 3 min). HAV was moderately affected (<3 log10 after 20 min or 3 log10 after 3 washes). NEW was effective at inactivating MNV-1 (>4 log10 after 1 min), MS2 (>4 log10 after 3 min) and HAV (>4 log10 after 1 min). For boRV, washing time needed to be increased to 10 min or three sequential washes were needed to reach >5 log10 reduction. These results highlight the efficiency of PAA at reducing infectivity of MNV-1, MS2 bacteriophage and boRV, and NEW to inactivate the four viruses.

Morphological characterization and yield of pepper (Piper nigrum L.) types grown in Morogoro District, Tanzania

BackgroundPepper (Piper nigrum L.) is among key spice crops grown in Morogoro district of Tanzania. Most of the pepper types grown in the district are only known by their local names as Babu kubwa, Babu ndogo, Babu kati and Ismailia. This may limit information on germplasm collection or genetic resource for plant improvement and trade in markets with variety specifications. The aim of this study was to generate preliminary information of the pepper types based on their morphological characteristics for easy comparison with other known pepper varieties in the spices industry.MethodsThe evaluation of pepper morphological characters was conducted following a randomized complete block design with three replications and four treatments (pepper types). Observations were recorded with respect to 28 characters (9 qualitative and 19 quantitative) which entail vegetative (8) and reproductive (20) traits. The quantitative data for vegetative, inflorescence and berry characters were subjected to analysis of variance. Mean separation test was conducted using Turkey’s Honest Significance Test at (α = 0.05). Correlation and regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between yield and yield attributes of pepper.ResultsBabu kubwa and Babu ndogo pepper types were characterized by erect and horizontal branching habit, whereas the others showed hanging habit. Babu kubwa had longer spikes (12.4 cm), leaves blade (17.9 cm), leaf petiole (2.8 cm), wider leaves (12.9 cm) and larger berries (5.8 mm) than all other pepper types. Babu kubwa and Babu kati had cordate and acute leaf bases, respectively while other types had round leaf base shapes. The highest number of flowers was recorded on Babu kubwa (93.5) and Ismailia (90.7) with spikes weighing 7.6 g and 7.5 g, respectively compared to other types. Babu ndogo and Ismailia had compact spikes, while other types had medium loose spikes. Babu kati had the highest number of spikes kg−1 (282.6) due its lower spike weight compared to other types. The highest weight of 100 fresh spikes (704.3 g) and 1000 fresh berries (164.2 g) was recorded on Ismailia. Spike length was significantly positively correlated to yield (r = 0.23, R2 = 0.08, p < 0.001). However, yield had a significant negative correlation with the number of spikes kg−1 (r = −0.85, R2 = 0.017, p = 0.001) and fresh weight of 1000 berries (r = −0.91, R2 = 0.003, p = 0.04).ConclusionsThe pepper types grown in Morogoro district differed significantly based on most of the evaluated traits. This information can be used to formulate methods and strategies for conservation and in turn genetic improvement of the crop. Despite that the pepper types literary matched with characters of some well-known commercial varieties, confirmation of genetic relatedness is yet needed. Further studies need to be conducted in consecutive years and involve assessment of internal quality attributes. Other studies should encompass wider range of pepper types from other producing areas in Tanzania in order to establish their morphological distinctness, genetic diversity and interrelationships in relation to the globally known commercial varieties.

Influence of different drying methods on antioxidant activity, total phenol, and phenolic compounds of myrtle (Myrtus communisL.) fruits

The antioxidant activity increased from 25.43% to 83.55% when dried at room temperature. Methanolic extracts of the all dried berries showed strong antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals in comparison to fresh samples. The highest total phenolics (135.07 mg/100 g) were detected in microwave-dried fruit, and followed by (115.63 mg/100 g) in samples dried at room temperature. 1,2-Dihydroxybenzene (118.57 mg/100 g), catechin (52.71 mg/100 g), and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (29.01 mg/100 g) in fresh berries were increased to 251.43, 158.98, and 110.99 mg/100 g in microwave dried ones, respectively. However, only gallic acid contents decreased from 131.54 mg/100 g in fresh samples to 23.74 mg/100 g in microwave treated one. It can be inferred that dried myrtle fruit is good source of antioxidant and phenolic compounds. Myrtle fruit can be effectively used for the recovery of bioactive compounds which have useful functional properties and can be employed in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Practical applications Drying processes are also applied to extract bioactive compounds from plant matrix (seed, fruit, leaf, etc.). Different drying methods can cause changes in the contents and availability of biologically important compounds from these matrices. Microwave energy and oven drying have been widely used in various processes. The results of current study are hence useful for the optimal processing of plant materials for the recovery of different phytochemicals and their use.

Main Agro-Morphological and Biochemical Berry Characteristics of Wild-Grown Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L. ssp. caucasica Rousi) Genotypes in Turkey

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L. ssp. caucasica Rousi) is one of the most important wild edible fruits, grown in Turkey for centuries without any chemical treatments. The plant is extremely resistant to adverse environmental conditions. In this study, the main agro-morphological and biochemical berry traits and, to a lesser extent, other plant morphological traits of 10 sea buckthorn genotypes sampled from the eastern Anatolia (Sivas province) region were assessed. Among the 10 genotypes, five of them presented a shrub growth habit, whereas five of them presented tree growth habit, with leaf area ranging from 2.56 to 4.22 cm2. The majority of genotypes had an oblong berry shape with variable berry skin color ranging from dark orange to orange, light orange, and yellow. The weight of 100 berries varied from 13.85 to 23.87 g, while juice yield and vitamin C content was found to be 44.87–57.15% and 37.45–62.85 mg/100 g fresh berry base, respectively. Soluble solid content (SSC) was in the range of 12.56–14.67%. The genotypes exhibited a great variability in total anthocyanin content (from 9.1 to 38.7 mg/L), with relatively dark-orange sea buckthorn berries containing more anthocyanin than orange, light-orange, and yellow berries. Linoleic acid was the main fatty acid detected in the pulp of sea buckthorn berries, ranging from 24.11% to 36.37%, depending on the genotype. Investigated genotypes proved also to be rich in total phenolic content, showing at the same time great variability in this trait. The results obtained from the relatively limited number of genotypes show promising traits for further valorization of both horticultural and nutritional traits, suggesting potentially even higher variability, if more genotypes are going to be considered in the future.

Use of organic soil amendments to improve soil health and yield of immature pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

At present, there is little information on the effects of organic amendments on black pepper farms particularly in Sarawak, Malaysia. The objective was to study the effects of organic amendments on selected soil properties, morphological characteristics, and yield of immature vines and its economic viability on immature pepper productions. There were five treatments each replicated five times in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were (i) F0—NPK 15:15:15 compound fertilizers, (ii) F1—fermented plant juice (FPJ), (iii) F2—FPJ incorporated with biochar, and compost, (iv) F3—fermented fruit juice (FFJ), and (v) F4—FFJ incorporated with biochar, and compost. The soil organic amendments which were consisted of fermented juices, biochar, and compost have positively improved soil bulk density, soil porosity, pH, CEC, TOC, C/N ratio, available P, exchangeable Ca, soil respiration, and soil microorganism count (bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi). The fermented juices only or fermented juices with biochar and compost had lower effect on LAI and fruit spike length. The effect of soil organic amendments on fresh berry yield was comparable to that of NPK fertilizer. The economic viability study showed that the organic approach was comparable to the conventional NPK fertilization program. Through the interaction of beneficial microorganisms, biochar, and compost, introducing organic amendments in immature pepper cultivation is a reasonable option due to its contribution to yield that can lead to income sustainability for farmers.

Application of ionizing radiation for increasing of microbiological safety and shelf life of cultivated garden berries

Healthy nutrition must include fresh fruit and vegetable products containing several nutrients, which are necessary to healthy human body maintaining. Healthy foods, such as fresh cultivated berries, can have dangerous levels of microbiological contamination after their harvesting. There are several methods, including various types of ionizing radiation, which can achieve the safety of plant raw materials safety without damaging their native structure. Thus, environmentally friendly ionizing β-radiation was used in our experiments. Freshly cultivated garden berries were packed into plastic bags and sealed in a vacuum packaging machine in a passive mode. Then packed samples were processed with ionizing radiation with a dose from 1 to 3 kGy. After irradiation, the samples were stored for 21 days at 4 ºC. The optimal radiation doses were established for all studied types of cultivated garden berries for increasing their microbiological safety and extend their shelf life. During the experiment, an organoleptic assessment of irradiated berries was carried out in comparison with control samples. It is established that ionizing radiation is an effective way to reduce contamination of berries with pathogenic microorganisms. The research results can be applied for practical purposes to increase the quality and safety of fresh products of plant origin.

РОБОТИЗИРОВАННЫЕ МИНИ-ТЕПЛИЦЫ И УСТАНОВКИ ДЛЯ ВЫРАЩИВАНИЯ АГРОКУЛЬТУР В ДОМАШНИХ УСЛОВИЯХ

The traditional system of agricultural production meets the needs less and less, forcing us to look for new ways and solutions. The Urban Farming movement is gaining more and more popularity around the world in its various manifestations and scales. From the device of farms for growing agricultural crops in urban conditions to small plants for growing flowers and herbs at home or in the office. In both cases, an important advantage is the automation and robotization of the process of growing plants, reducing the complexity of maintenance and minimal human participation. The article discusses the innovative directions of the development of city farming. The development of an installation for growing agricultural crops at home with a control system that provides automatic maintenance of optimal microclimate parameters on the Arduino platform is presented. The control system provides measurement of illumination, temperature and humidity of the air, as well as measures soil moisture and water level in the tank using sensors. A mathematical model is given for optimizing the parameters of the microclimate based on the physical processes of body and mass transfer. Expressions are given for determining the temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide content in the installation. The conducted studies have shown the efficiency and effectiveness of the experimental installation. The use of robotic mini-greenhouses and installations for growing agricultural crops at home allows you to get fresh vegetables, berries and herbs all year round in an apartment or office, automating and reducing the complexity of the growing process.

РОБОТИЗИРОВАННЫЕ МИНИ-ТЕПЛИЦЫ И УСТАНОВКИ ДЛЯ ВЫРАЩИВАНИЯ АГРОКУЛЬТУР В ДОМАШНИХ УСЛОВИЯХ

The traditional system of agricultural production meets the needs less and less, forcing us to look for new ways and solutions. The Urban Farming movement is gaining more and more popularity around the world in its various manifestations and scales. From the device of farms for growing agricultural crops in urban conditions to small plants for growing flowers and herbs at home or in the office. In both cases, an important advantage is the automation and robotization of the process of growing plants, reducing the complexity of maintenance and minimal human participation. The article discusses the innovative directions of the development of city farming. The development of an installation for growing agricultural crops at home with a control system that provides automatic maintenance of optimal microclimate parameters on the Arduino platform is presented. The control system provides measurement of illumination, temperature and humidity of the air, as well as measures soil moisture and water level in the tank using sensors. A mathematical model is given for optimizing the parameters of the microclimate based on the physical processes of body and mass transfer. Expressions are given for determining the temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide content in the installation. The conducted studies have shown the efficiency and effectiveness of the experimental installation. The use of robotic mini-greenhouses and installations for growing agricultural crops at home allows you to get fresh vegetables, berries and herbs all year round in an apartment or office, automating and reducing the complexity of the growing process.

Innovative technology of processing berries by osmotic dehydration

The present study is devoted to the influence of osmotic agent type and of its concentration on processing fresh berries with subsequent freezing. Freezing berries without preliminary protection destroys their texture, and during defreezing berries lose their consumer properties and vitamin content. The study describes the physical and chemical processes of osmotic dehydration: crystallization temperature; sucrose syrup concentration; changing the mass; frozen moisture amount; water activity; change of the mass fraction of mono-, disaccharides and vitamin C in the berries. As a result, crystallization temperature of dehydrated berries was calculated: from -1.1°C to -2.6°C (60°Brix) and from -1.7°C to -4.8°C (70°Brix). Frozen moisture amount was estimated at 83.2%-92.8% (60°Brix) and 52.2%-87.95% (70°Brix), water activity was 0.9756-0.9891 (60°Brix) and 0.9551-0.9838 (70°Brix). The obtained data allowed determining that the amount of monosaccharides in frozen berries which were preliminarily osmo-dehydrated with 70°Brix sucrose solution rose up to 20%, and the amount of vitamin C to 14.8% (compared with freshly frozen berries). Osmotic dehydration with sucrose solution of specified concentration protects the smooth texture of berries and preserves their organoleptic properties and valuable nutritional composition.

THE MAIN PHENOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF STRAWBERRY VARIETIES IN THE SAMARA REGION

The study of the timing of the onset of phenological phases, depending on the weather conditions of the Samara region, makes it possible to assess the adaptive capabilities of strawberry varieties and recommend them for growing in the specified area. The article presents the results of studying in the Research Institute of Horticulture and Medicinal Plants” Zhigulevskiye Sady” the timing of the onset and duration of the phenological phases in 118 varieties of strawberries of various genetic origin. The dates and duration of the phenophases of flowering and fruiting are indicated. In the Samara region, the growing season of strawberry plants begins in mid-April, when a positive average daily temperature of + 5…+8°C is established. Flowering occurs in the first or second decade of May with the sum of active temperatures (above +5°С) ( ∑ t &gt; 5°С) 209–519°С and effective (above +10°С) ( ∑ t &gt; 10°С) 126,4–424,8°C. Early flowering varieties are the least demanding in terms of heat accumulation for the beginning of flowering compared to late flowering ones. From flowering to ripening, an average of 28 days pass. The beginning of ripening occurs in the first or second decade of June, with the accumulation of the sum of active temperatures 585–1063°C and effective 376,4–971,4°C. On average, berries ripen for 18 days. As a result of research in the Samara region, it was found that the timing and duration of the phenological phases of strawberries are significantly influenced by weather conditions. Based on long-term data (2006–2018), the studied varieties are divided into groups according to flowering and ripening periods. The early group included 35 varieties, middle — 58 varieties, and 25 — late varieties. To increase the period of consumption of fresh berries, it is important to have varieties of different ripening periods.

Analysis and features of methods for low-calorie dessert sauce production

Fruit and berry sauces are an important and valuable component of nutrition due to sugars, organic acids and biologically active substances. Sauce recipe development should include methods of pre-processing of berries to provide the highest yield of puree while preserving the valuable components of fresh berries. The study focuses on effective methods for processing cornel berries to obtain the maximum yield of puree with high physical and chemical properties. It is shown that the yield of puree can be increased through maximum disruption of the cell cytoplasmic membrane before pulping raw materials that can be attained by blanching (short-term action of steam or hot water for 5–15 minutes), freezing, and microwave treatment. Fresh, ripe, pure, odorless, and mold-free cornel berries of the same pomological variety were taken to conduct the study. The berries pre-sorted and prepared were subjected to freezing, steam and hot water blanching, and microwave treatment at three power modes of the microwave oven. The processed mass of cornel berries was pulped to determine the content of solids, vitamin C, and pH value. It was found that the highest yield of puree (77.5%) from cornel berries is attained through microwave treatment at 350 W. Freezing and steam blanching provide the puree yield of 71.5 and 69.3%, respectively. However, freezing of berry raw materials is accompanied by losses during defrosting. Hot water blanching reduces the amount of soluble solids, which is confirmed by the values of physical and chemical properties of cornel puree.

Determination of selected terpenic substances in grapes and wine of the cultivar Pálava

The presented study is focused on the determination of the content of terpenic substances in grapes and subsequently produced a wine of Czech variety Pálava (the Czech Republic, wine region Morava), which is a protected landscape with long-term tradition and culture. The aim of this study was the analysis of the aromatic profile of the cultivar Pálava, which was fermented by the original yeast strains from the Moravian wine region. Larger amounts of flavoring substances occur in grapes as bound flavoring substances, most often in the form of glycosides. One of the basic groups of aromatic substances is monoterpenes. The content of twelve free and bound terpenic substances was measured by the GC-MS method, namely linalool, ho-trineol, α-terpeniol, β-citronellol, nerol, geraniol, furan linalool oxide 1, furan linalool oxide 2, nerol oxide, epoxylinalol 1, epoxylinalol 2 and 2,6-dimethyl-3,7-octadiene-2,6-diol. The results were statistically compared by using a simple descriptive statistical method and ANOVA method. We noted a difference between the content of free and bound terpenes was very significant (p ≤0.05). We found that using uncommercial yeasts could have an effect on the content of the volatile and terpenic compounds in wines. An important finding was that in fresh berry extracts there was a higher proportion of bound terpenes than free terpenes. The results have shown that the production technology of wine and the fermentation process has a clear impact on the content of the substances.

A tale of 3 scales: How do the 9-pt, Labeled Affective Magnitude, and unstructured Visual Analog scales differentiate real product sets of fresh berries?

Selection of scales for measuring liking remains an active area of discussion in sensory science, but there is still no real consensus on which scale a sensory scientist working in industry should use to measure actual hedonic responses to food products. Key criteria for a hedonic scale are whether it sensitively and efficiently discriminates among consumer responses to products. Therefore, the key question this study investigates is whether the use of different scales by the same subjects on the same products in a real-world situation would provide different results for the sensory analyst. To address this question, this study comprises the evaluation of 6 for-market varieties each of 4 berries—raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, and blueberry—by the same N = 147 untrained subjects using 3 popular scales—the 9-pt hedonic scale, the Labeled Affective Magnitude Scale (LAM), and the unstructured Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data were analyzed by mixed-effects ANOVA with subsequent scale-performance and post-hoc measures, and by bootstrapping simulation studies to estimate the empirical power of each scale to detect differences. For each berry type, significant differences in liking were detected by at least one scale, but scale performance differed. The 9-pt scale was the only one of the three to detect differences among the blueberry samples, and examination of ANOVA and post-hoc results for all berries showed that the 9-pt scale consistently discriminated among samples as well or better than the other two scales. In simulation studies, the 9-pt scale showed reliable detection of differences at sample sizes smaller or equal to the other two scales. It is apparent that—in terms of real-world applications and expected detection of differences—the 9-pt scale discriminates consumer liking for different products as well or better than two continuous scales and can be retained in industry research programs.

Dependence of Fresh Grapes and Wine Taste Scores on the Origin of Varieties and Weather Conditions of the Harvest Year in the Northern Zone of Industrial Viticulture in Russia

Climate change affects all characteristics of grapes, including the taste of fresh berries and wine. The purpose of this study was to reveal the dependence of fresh grapes taste scores (GS) and wine taste scores (WS) on the origin of the varieties and weather conditions of the harvest year in the northern zone of industrial viticulture in Russia. The material used in the study were taste scores of 232 grape varieties from the Don Ampelographic Collection (47°25′ N 40°03′ E) 1981–2019. The correlation analysis, ANOVA, and regression were used. It was shown that GS negatively correlated with productivity, and WS with the berry mass of variety. In recent decades, GS have increased in groups of varieties of various interspecies origin, and WS have not changed. Regression models revealed that the reason for GS improvement was in the growth of average temperature above 15 °C, while WS varied depending on the sum of precipitation for the period with temperatures above 20 °C, which did not have a reliable trend. Together with data on the growth of grape yield and sugar content, the results indicate that observed climate warming is favorable for grapevine cultivation in the northern zone of industrial viticulture in Russia.

The insertion of Mexico into the global value chain of berries

Trade liberalisation has promoted the spatial fragmentation of production processes and the development of Global Value Chains (GVCs). The global industry of fresh berries (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry) manages a highly perishable product, which requires high levels of coordination between agents. This study uses the GVC approach, emphasising governance forms and structures, to understand Mexico’s berry boom and its drivers. The study implements a grounded theory methodology to analyse data from interviews, agri-food databases, and a documentary review. We find that the governance of GVC of berries lies in globally trading companies, who determine and coordinate its operation. We observe that the greater the complexity in transactions between growers and traders, the higher levels of coordination are established through hierarchical and captive governance structures. Agricultural producers play a subordinate role, although the local conditions, as proximity to the United States market, climate, and labour availability, determine their specific functioning. The study shows the opportunities and threats of the successful insertion of a peripheral country into a GVC, as a supplier of a very perishable product, with highly seasonal production.