Vegetable Research Articles

Vegetable Salad as a Healthy Food Alternative: Organoleptic Test Method

Vegetables have health benefits. Tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, corn, cucumbers and mayonnaise as flavourings provide a taste that respondents like. The number of respondents is 22 students. The method used is a simple organoleptic test and the product SWOT test. Products are presented and evaluated. The results showed that the vegetable salad was well received in terms of taste, aroma, presentation. Overall, vegetable salad products can be used as an alternative to healthy food.

Potensi Oleoresin Gulma Daun Siam (Chromolaena odorata) pada Mortalitas Hama Lalat Buah (Bactrocera cucurbitae) pada Uji in-vitro

Fruit flies are the main pests that attack various types of fruit vegetables and fruits that can caused a damage in the quality and quantity of production. Fruit flies controlling by chemical insecticides is common to use nowadays, but excessive use of chemical insecticides has a negative impact on the health and environment. One alternative to control the fruit flies is using oleoresins of Chromolaena odorata leaf. This study aims to determine the effect of C. Odorata leaf oleoresin on increasing the mortality of fruit fly pests (Bactrocera cucurbitae). This research used an experimental method with Completely Randomized Design (CRD) which had 6 treatment levels, namely: N0 (Aquadest), N1 (Oleoresins 2%), N2 (Oleoresins 4%), N3 (Oleoresins 6%), N4 (Oleoresins 8%), N5 (Oleoresins 10%), was replicated 4 times so there were 24 experimental units. The results showed that the application of C. Odorata leaf oleoresin had no sigificant effect on mortality percentage and mortality rates, but oleoresin had the potential to increasing fruit fly mortality as concentrations increased. It is necessary to test the increasing concentration of oleoresin > 10% to control fruit fly pests.

Assessment of vegetable crop cultivation in open ground conditions in Ukraine

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of official statistical data concerning the state of open field vegetable production in Ukraine and the level of population’s access to fresh vegetables during the period from 2009 to 2021. The research reveals a marginal expansion of open field vegetable cultivation area (only by 0.9%) in 2021 compared to 2009. Meanwhile, production volumes have grown by 13.2% over the same period, reaching 9.45 million tons. This accounts for over 240 kg of vegetables (excluding potatoes) per person, aligning with established medical norms. However, there remains inadequate consumption of green crops, particularly dill and leaf parsley, which stands at 0.363 kg per capita, or 9% below the norm. The study ranks and groups major vegetable types based on gross production in farms of all categories from 2018 to 2021. Notably, 10 primary vegetable types are extensively cultivated in Ukraine with gross production exceeding 1 million tons, including the "borscht set" crops, cucumbers, pumpkins, and zucchinis. This segment constitutes 97.2% of the total gross vegetable yield. The second group (gross production ranging from 100.1 to 1000 thousand tons) encompasses eggplants, sugar corn, leeks, green peas, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, and Napa cabbage, comprising 2.3% of the overall production structure. The third group, with gross production below 100 thousand tons, involves 25 crops and contributes 0.5% to the total vegetable yield. These include various leafy vegetables, lettuce types, some root and fruit vegetables, etc. An examination of regional vegetable production (excluding potatoes) reveals that major contributors and suppliers to the domestic food market in 2021 were the regions of Kherson (12.4% of total production), Lviv (8.3%), Dnipropetrovsk (7.9%), Kyiv (7.1%), and Mykolaiv (6.3%). In 2021, an expansion of open field vegetable cultivation areas by 7–16% was observed in Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv regions. Conversely, eight regions experienced reductions in cultivation areas ranging from 5% to 18%. Notably, open field vegetable production is primarily carried out by households, accounting for nearly 92% of planting areas and 86% of production volume. Nevertheless, the yield per area in household settings is only half of that achieved by commercial enterprises. Specialization in vegetable production, particularly for green and less common varieties, among households is closely linked to their geographical proximity to major cities and industrial centers.

Ingestion of vegetable salads before rice inhibits the increase in postprandial serum glucose levels in healthy subjects.

This study aims to confirm the "vegetable-first" effect. In addition, because we aimed dietary fiber in vegetable salad, the effect after the ingestion of vegetable salad extract (vegetable salad from which solids have been removed) before carbohydrates on postprandial serum glucose level was also evaluated. A total of 13 healthy men were given meals after one-night of fasting: rice-vegetable salad, vegetable salad-rice, and vegetable salad extract-rice. Blood samples were taken at 0, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120min after the ingestion of the test meal to measure serum glucose levels. Serum glucose levels were significantly lower after 45 and 60min in the vegetable salad-rice group compared to the rice-vegetable salad group. No significant difference was found between the vegetable salad extract-rice group and the vegetable salad-rice/rice-vegetable salad group. The result suggested that it might be important to ingest vegetables to obtain the "vegetable-first" effect.

Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella in Raw Salad Vegetables in Dhaka Metropolitan Area

Raw salad vegetables have become very popular among consumers due to their multiple health benefits. The bacteriological quality of these salad vegetables is of great public health concern. This study was conducted to determine the presence of potential pathogenic and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in raw salad vegetables served in different restaurants in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. A total of 50 samples, comprising different types of raw salad vegetables were collected from restaurants in Mirpur (n=10), Dhanmondi (n=10), Old Dhaka (n=10), Gulshan (n=10) and Bashundhara Residential Area (n=10). The highest counts for total coliforms and fecal coliforms were 4.02 × 103 cfu/ml and 1.3×103 cfu/ml, respectively. The isolates were E. coli, total coliform, fecal coliform and Salmonella spp. Among them, fecal coliform and Salmonella spp. were found to be more pathogenic. As potential pathogenic bacteria, Salmonella spp. were tested for antibiotic sensitivity and all of them showed resistance against amoxicillin, ampicillin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, norfloxacin, and trimethoprim. The findings assist to understand the level of contamination of pathogenic and MDR bacteria in raw salad vegetables, which will create awareness of food safety and public health.

The Effect of Different Light Intensities on the Growth and Yield of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.)

Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.) is one of the popular fruit vegetables, especially rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Inconsistent light intensity, due to unfavorable weather conditions, reduced tomato performance. Response of one tomato variety (Diamante Max F1), under different light intensities (T1: Control, T2: Single net T3: Double net,) was assessed in field trials. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Effects of different light intensities were measured in terms of plant height, number of days to flower, number of fruits, the weight of fruits, yield per hectare, and light intensity received in every treatment. All results were significantly different at a 1% level of significance for all parameters. Treatment 2 manifested the highest mean for plant height, treatment 1 for the number of days to flower, and treatment 3 for the number of fruits. Treatment 3 obtained the highest yield per hectare and Treatment 1 for the highest light intensity received per treatment. Treatment 2 has the least mean for all parameters measured, in conclusion, the effect using a double net is highly recommended in tomato production.

Effects of red and blue light ratio on the morphological traits and flower sex expression in Cucurbita moschata Duch.

Squash (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) is an important fruit vegetable that can be long-term transport and storage. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are commercially used light sources applied to improve the producing of leaf vegetables in plant factory. However, the influences of LEDs on the plant growth and flower development of fruit vegetables remain unknown. In this study, five effective light quality treatments, including white light, a 10:8 ratio of blue (B) to red (R) light, a 10:4 mixture of blue/red light, red light, and blue light, were used for growing squash and inducing female flowers to maximize production. Our results show that varying light quality influence morphological traits and flower appearance. Both blue and red light improved the development of first and second internodes and induced larger leaves and petiole lengths, whereas 10:4 mixture caused shorter plant heights and decreased internode and petiole lengths. Although 10:8 mixture treatment reduced chlorophyll content, this spectral regime increased leaf number and influenced flower sex development, inducing more female flowers and more fruits. Light quality manipulation thus beneficially influences the growth and flower sex proportion in squash plants. Squash plants under 10:8 mixture treatment exhibited increase in yield, and can be used as a supplementary light treatment in plant factory.

DESIGNING SERIOUS GAMES TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF THE ANTHROPOCENE

AbstractThe challenges of the Anthropocene require a deep transformation of the world's economic organization. In order to manage such a change, it is necessary to have a systemic vision of the resources, processes at stake and their interdependencies. One possible approach to modeling part of this complexity is biophysical flow accounting. One of the challenges is to involve populations in participatory processes. It is therefore important to understand the systemic effects. However, biophysical accounting tools remain too complicated.This is why we have designed serious games to present the issues in a simple way, to articulate them with concrete experiences already lived by citizens and to take a step back, by mobilizing their participation, their emotions and the discussions.The first game was designed to show the geographical transfer of pressure through the description of the steps leading to the purchase of a chicken, starting with the vegetable culture allowing to feed it.The second game was designed to show the competition of use between resources. Designed as a board game, it also involves reflection on the cooperative and competitive aspects of many societal situations.

Partial Characterization and Immunomodulatory Effects of Exopolysaccharides from Streptococcus thermophilus SBC8781 during Soy Milk and Cow Milk Fermentation.

The immunomodulatory properties of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by Streptococcus thermophilus have not been explored in depth. In addition, there are no comparative studies of the functional properties of EPSs produced by streptococci in different food matrices. In this work, EPSs from S. thermophilus SBC8781 were isolated after soy milk (EPS-s) or cow milk (EPS-m) fermentation, identified, and characterized in their abilities to modulate immunity in porcine intestinal epithelial cells. Fresh soy milk and cow milk were inoculated with S. thermophilus SBC8781 (7 log CFU/mL) and incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. The extraction of EPSs was performed by the ethanol precipitation method. Analytical techniques, including NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy, and chromatography, identified and characterized both biopolymer samples as polysaccharides with high purity levels and similar Mw. EPS-s and EPS-m had heteropolysaccharide structures formed by galactose, glucose, rhamnose, ribose, and mannose, although with different monomer proportions. On the other hand, EPS-s had higher quantities of acidic polymer than EPS-m. The biopolymer production of the SBC8781 strain from the vegetable culture broth was 200-240 mg/L, which was higher than that produced in milk, which reached concentrations of 50-70 mg/L. For immunomodulatory assays, intestinal epithelial cells were stimulated with 100 µg/mL of EPS-s or EPS-m for 48 h and then stimulated with the Toll-like receptor 3 agonist poly(I:C). EPS-s significantly reduced the expression of IL-6, IFN-β, IL-8, and MCP-1 and increased the negative regulator A20 in intestinal epithelial cells. Similarly, EPS-m induced a significant reduction of IL-6 and IL-8 expressions, but its effect was less remarkable than that caused by EPS-s. Results indicate that the structure and the immunomodulatory activity of EPSs produced by the SBC8781 strain vary according to the fermentation substrate. Soy milk fermented with S. thermophilus SBC8781 could be a new immunomodulatory functional food, which should be further evaluated in preclinical trials.

High nutrition literacy linked with low frequency of take-out food consumption in chinese college students

BackgroundThe excessive consumption of take-out food has increased the risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases. Nutrition literacy (NL) is an important influencing factor of food choice. This study aimed to explore the relationship between nutrition literacy and take-out food consumption.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 2130 college students in Bengbu, China. A self-reported questionnaire that included demographic information, lifestyle behavior, take-out food consumption, and nutrition literacy scale was used. Ordinal logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between nutrition literacy and take-out food consumption.ResultsOf the students surveyed, 61.5% consumed take-out food at least once a week. NL was significantly associated with the frequency of take-out food consumption ≥ 4 times/week (OR = 0.995, 95% CI = 0.990-1.000); the difference specifically was discovered for applying skills, interactive skills, and critical skills. Moreover, students with high level NL ate less (Spicy) hot pot (OR = 0.996, 95% CI = 0.992-1.000), but more vegetable and fruit salad (OR = 1.009, 95% CI = 1.002–1.015).ConclusionsNL, especially in applying skills, interactive skills, and critical skills, is not only associated with consumption frequency of take-out food among college students, but also links with types of take-out food consumption. Our findings emphasize that targeted interventions on nutritional skills literacy should be needed to improve dietary behaviors for student’s good health.

Hazard identification and characterization of Listeria monocytogenes in salad vegetables and milk products in Mymensingh district in Bangladesh

The objectives of the present study were to isolate and identify Listeria monocytogenes in salad vegetables and milk products sold in different markets of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh, and to characterize this organism (serogroups, virulence genes) along with antibiogram study. A total of 85 samples of salad vegetables (tomato, carrot and cucumber) were collected from six different markets of five upazilas of Mymensingh district, and 83 milk products such as cheese, yogurt and icecream of two available brands were collected from Mymensingh sadar upazila. Isolation and identification of Listeria monocytogenes was done by cultural, biochemical, PCR and MALDI-TOF assays. The presence of serogroups (lineage I, lineage II, lineage III) and virulence-associated genes (inlA, actA, prfA, and hlyA) were determined by multiplex PCR. The antimicrobial susceptibility test of the isolates was done with 22 antimicrobial agents using disk diffusion assay. The overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 7.1%. Among salad vegetables, contamination of cucumber was highest (19.2%), and among milk products, the highest contamination was in icecream (7.1%). Five isolates (41.7%) belonged to Lineage II and seven isolates (58.3%) to Lineage III. Only two isolates (16.67%) harbored one or more virulence-associated genes. The highest resistance was observed to oxacillin and nalidixic acid followed by erythromycin and meropenem. Findings of the present study would be useful to evaluate the risk posed by salad vegetables and milk products, and to the concerned authorities for eventual future food regulations.

A worldwide review of illness outbreaks involving mixed salads/dressings and factors influencing product safety and shelf life.

The trends toward healthy living, vegetarianism, and busy schedules have increased salad popularity. Salads are usually consumed raw without any thermal treatment, and therefore, without proper care they can become major vehicles for foodborne illness outbreaks. This review examines the microbial quality of 'dressed' salads which contain two or more vegetables/fruits and salad dressings. The possible sources of ingredient contamination, recorded illnesses/outbreaks, and overall microbial quality observed worldwide, besides the antimicrobial treatments available are discussed in detail. Noroviruses were most frequently implicated in outbreaks. Salad dressings usually play a positive role in influencing microbial quality. However, this depends on several factors like the type of contaminating microorganism, storage temperature, dressing pH and ingredients, plus the type of salad vegetable. Very limited literature exists on antimicrobial treatments that can be used successfully with salad dressings and 'dressed' salads. The challenge with antimicrobial treatments is to find ones sufficiently broad in spectrum, compatible with produce flavour which can be applied at competitive cost. It is evident that renewed emphasis on prevention of produce contamination at the producer, processor, wholesale and retail levels plus enhanced hygiene vigilance at foodservice will have a major impact on reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses from salads.

Fecal Coliform Bacteria in Vegetable Salads Prepared in Baghdad Restaurants

This study aimed to evaluate the presence of coliforms in 50 samples (25 ready-to-eat vegetable salads and 25 handlers’ hands) collected randomly from restaurants in Baghdad. The total coliform count in the samples of vegetable salads from Al-Sadria and Hay al-Amel reached 4.78 and 4.32 log cfu/g, respectively, whereas those in the swab samples of handlers’ hands from the same areas reached 3.70 and 3.90 log cfu/g, respectively. The percentages of fecal coliform bacteria in the salad samples from Al-Sadria and Hay al-Amel were 35% and 32%, respectively, whereas those in the hand swabs from the same areas were 41% and 36%, respectively. Two isolates of the serotype Escherichia coli O157:H7 were detected in the study samples from the same areas, where the rates of E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria increased. Considering the virulence of this bacterial serotype and its direct impact on consumer safety, we highly recommend implementing quality programs in ready-to-eat vegetable salad production chains, raising the cultural level and health awareness of restaurant owners and workers preparing these salads, and raising public awareness of the potential health risks of consuming contaminated food products.

Contamination Levels and Phenotypic and Genomic Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolated from Fresh Salad Vegetables in the United Arab Emirates.

Contaminated fresh produce has been identified as a vehicle for human foodborne illness. The present study investigated the counts, antimicrobial resistance profile, and genome-based characterization of Escherichia coli in 11 different types of fresh salad vegetable products (n = 400) sampled from retailers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. E. coli was detected in 30% of the tested fresh salad vegetable items, with 26.5% of the samples having an unsatisfactory level (≥100 CFU/g) of E. coli, notably arugula and spinach. The study also assessed the effect of the variability in sample conditions on E. coli counts and found, based on negative binominal regression analysis, that samples from local produce had a significantly higher (p-value < 0.001) E. coli count than imported samples. The analysis also indicated that fresh salad vegetables from the soil-less farming system (e.g., hydroponic and aeroponic) had significantly (p-value < 0.001) fewer E. coli than those from traditional produce farming. The study also examined the antimicrobial resistance in E. coli (n = 145) recovered from fresh salad vegetables and found that isolates exhibited the highest phenotypic resistance toward ampicillin (20.68%), tetracycline (20%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (10.35%). A total of 20 (13.79%) of the 145 E. coli isolates exhibited a multidrug-resistant phenotype, all from locally sourced leafy salad vegetables. The study further characterized 18 of the 20 multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates using whole-genome sequencing and found that the isolates had varying numbers of virulence-related genes, ranging from 8 to 25 per isolate. The frequently observed genes likely involved in extra-intestinal infection were CsgA, FimH, iss, and afaA. The β-lactamases gene blaCTX-M-15 was prevalent in 50% (9/18) of the E. coli isolates identified from leafy salad vegetable samples. The study highlights the potential risk of foodborne illness and the likely spread of antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes associated with consuming leafy salad vegetables and emphasizes the importance of proper food safety practices, including proper storage and handling of fresh produce.

The Prevalence of Aeromonas Species in Salad Vegetables Sourced from Four Local Government Areas of Plateau State

The current study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Aeromonas species in five salad vegetables, namely lettuce, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, and green pepper, in four local government areas of Plateau state. Aeromonas species have been linked to a number of gastroenteritis outbreaks connected to the consumption of contaminated fresh vegetables and fruits. In Nigeria, the use of untreated wastewater in irrigation is often regarded as an unavoidable alternative for compensating for water scarcity. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Aeromonas species in salad vegetables from four local government areas of Plateau State. 800 lettuce samples, including 160 lettuces, 160 cabbages, 160 carrots, 160 cucumbers and 160 green peppers, were analyzed for the presence of Aeromonas species using standard isolation, identification and characterization methods. Of the 800 samples, 202 samples were positive. Aeromonas spp. was isolated from 60(7.50%) lettuce samples, 52(6.50%) cabbage samples, 35(4.38%) carrot samples, 30(3.77%) cucumber samples and 25(3.12%) green pepper samples making lettuce the vegetable with the highest prevalence of the organism. According to the findings, samples of salad vegetables from Lamingo had the highest percentage prevalence of Aeromonas species, at 45 (6.25%), followed by samples from Miango, at 42 (5.25%), and samples from Vom, at 37 (4.64%) had the lowest percentage prevalence of the organism. According to the statistical analysis's findings, the prevalence of the organism in various vegetable types with relation to the study locations did not differ significantly (p&gt;0.05) at the 95% confidence level. The incidence of Aeromonas species isolated from the various study regions varied significantly depending on the season, with the organism being more prevalent during the wet season (3.7%) than during the dry season (1.35%).

Quantitative proteomics analysis of bacteriocin-like substance producing Lactococcus spp. in simulated vegetable and fruit media

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their metabolites such as bacteriocins have gained considerable interest in terms of their bio-preservative properties to improve food safety and quality. In this study, a quantitative proteomic investigation employing stable isotope labeling by peptide demethylation was carried out to investigate changes in intracellular proteins of bacteriocin-like substance (BLS) producing Lactococcus spp. 7.17 grown in vegetable or fruit juice culture media at 10 °C for 0, 3 or 7 days. In total, 1053 proteins in vegetable medium and 1113 in fruit medium were identified and quantified. Proteins that changed more than two- fold were identified as increased or decreased ones and grouped into four clusters. Those increased proteins were involved in the events of low temperature and ROS stress responses, DNA processing, transcription and translation, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism, amino acid and cell wall biosynthesis. Key proteins in relation to BLS producing property were also identified suggesting that at least one bacteriocin IIa production system exists in Lactococcus spp. 7.17. These findings provide insights into protein changes of L. lactis at low temperature and lay foundations for further investigations on BLS producing LAB using targeted quantitative proteomic approaches. Significance of the researchThe inhibitory effects of Lactococcus spp. 7.17 on Listeria innocua in fruit and vegetable juice culture media were confirmed.Using a quantitative proteomic approach employing stable isotope labeling by peptide demethylation, 99 or 113 significantly changed proteins of Lactococcus spp. 7.17 grown in vegetable or fruit juice medium were determined, respectively.The significant change in protein abundance suggested an adaptive mechanism of Lactococcus spp. to culture condition at low temperatures.This research provides insights on protein changes of Lactococcus spp. which has potential application in fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables at low temperature.

The Occurrence of Serotypes and Virulence Genes of Listeria monocytogenes in Various Food Products

Background: Given that controlling Listeria contamination is very important in food chain system, the knowledge of their prevalence in food is very important. Therefore, this study aims to examine the prevalence of important Listeria species in various food types and evaluate serotype distribution, as well as the study of the virulence factors of L. monocytogenes.&#x0D; Methods: During July 2018 and January 2020, 900 food samples were collected in the North of Iran, including beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, milk and yogurt, green vegetables, mixed vegetable salad, Olivier salad, and cottage cheese. After isolation and identification steps, each bacterial DNA was extracted. Then, using specific primers, species, serotypes, and virulence genes of Listeria isolates were evaluated in the samples by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method.&#x0D; Results: The test results of 136 samples (15.1%) were positive for Listeria spp. and the most contaminated food was beef (35%) followed by chicken (29%) and green vegetables (23%). The most isolated Listeria spp. was L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii. Among L. monocytogenes isolates, the dominant serogroups were 1/2a and 4b; furthermore, all of the isolates of this species harbored four virulence genes, including hlyA, plc, iap, and actA.&#x0D; Conclusion: These reports highlighted the importance of food safety in various food products, particularly raw meats and vegetables. Moreover, contamination of healthy foods such as fish and vegetables with Listeria is an indicator of public health.

The Prevalence of Aeromonas Species in Salad Vegetables Sourced from Four Local Government Areas of Plateau State

The Prevalence of Aeromonas Species in Salad Vegetables Sourced from Four Local Government Areas of Plateau State

Performance Assessment of Evaporative-Cooled Storage System in Short-Term Storage of Fruit Vegetables during Transportation

The study presents the performance and potential of an evaporative-cooled storage system for the short-term storage of fruit vegetables during transportation. The evaporative cooler, storage unit, power supply, control panel, and real-time data monitoring system are the components of the evaporative-cooled storage system. In this study, the system performance was assessed in terms of the cooling profile of the storage unit (temperature and relative humidity profiles), and postharvest quality of the selected fruit vegetables (chili, tomato, and long bean) for the fresh market. Three storage treatments for the selected fruit vegetables were investigated, i.e., evaporative-cooled storage unit (T1), ambient room (T2), and cold room (T3). The average temperature inside the storage unit was T3 &lt; T2 &lt; T1. T1 demonstrated RH of &gt; 90 %, in agreement with recommended RH for vegetable storage. Post-five-hour storage treatments, vegetables stored under T1 exhibited the least weight loss as compared to T2 and T3. The application of an evaporative-cooled storage system provided potential to preserve fruit vegetable postharvest quality during transportation.

Fruit vegetables in indoor farming – potential of chili pepper production

Fruit vegetables in indoor farming – potential of chili pepper production