Internal Quality Parameters Research Articles

Assessment of External and Internal Quality Traits of Eggs of Wild Double-spurred Francolinus Pternistic bicalcaratus sourced from three States in Nigeria

This research experiment was carried out to examine egg parameters of wild Double-spurred francolin eggs sourced from three different states. A total of 27 eggs from three states were used in evaluating internal and external traits quality of the wild eggs which components of their internal and external parameters were measured. Collected data was subjected to One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Among the states, egg quality parameters were significantly different relative to yolk width and albumen index (p≤0.05) while the egg morphometric parameters relative to egg width (p≤0.01) and egg weight (p≤0.05). Results of Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed significant association (p≤0.05) between egg weight and different external and internal egg quality parameters. This study concluded that wild Double-spurred eggs will be best sourced in Ogun state if domestication objective is based on quality of eggs and best source in Oyo State and Osun state if the objective is on Morphometric parameters.

Influence of Organic Iron Enriched Diets on Performance, Egg Quality, Blood Haematological and Biochemical Constituents in Quails

The current research was carried out to investigate the effect of diets enriched with different levels of organic iron on performance, egg quality, blood haematological parameters, and serum biochemical constituents in laying quails. In the study, 120 female quails at 20 weeks of age were allocated to 5 treatment groups with 6 replicates of 4 quails in each. Experimental diets were formed by adding 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg of iron (iron-glycine) to the diet containing 96 mg/kg of iron. Performance parameters of quails were not affected by the supplementation of organic iron to diet (P>0.05). The supplementation of organic iron affected as quadratic only the eggshell breaking strength among the egg external quality parameters, and it was maximum at 150 mg/kg organic iron addition (P<0.01). Egg yolk a* value, which is one of the egg internal quality parameters, was linearly affected by organic iron addition, but other parameters were not affected (P<0.01). The administration of organic iron to the diet linearly increased the serum iron level (P<0.01), the serum phosphorus level was affected quadratically (P<0.05) and reached a maximum at 150 mg/kg. Among the blood haematology parameters, white blood cell and monocyte counts linearly increased with the addition of organic iron to the diet (P<0.01), but other parameters were not affected. According to the results obtained from current research, it can be said that enrichment of laying quail diets with organic iron up to 150 mg/kg level improved eggshell breaking strength without affecting performance, however, it negatively affected blood parameters by increasing white blood cell and monocyte without changing blood red cell parameters.

Corn Silk Extract: A Potential Modulator for Producing Functional Low Cholesterol Chicken Eggs

The chicken egg is one of the most globally-consumed animal protein sources with high-quality protein value. However, there is a growing concern about the association between excessive egg consumption and the increasing risk of cardiovascular disease incidence. Meanwhile, corn silk extract (CSE) is known to have hypo-lipidemic bioactive properties, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of feeding laying hens three different CSE levels on egg cholesterol content as well as egg production performance and oxidative stress marker levels. A total of 240, 40-week-old, Hy-Line Brown laying hens were divided into 4 symmetric groups (10 hens × 6 replicates). The control group was fed a basal diet while the other three groups were given the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg, 200 mg, or 400 mg CSE per kg feed, respectively. Egg production performance was monitored for eight successive weeks. Internal and external egg quality parameters were also measured. At the end of week 48 of age, blood samples were collected to determine the plasma lipid profile, stress markers, and liver function indicators. Data revealed that supplementation of 200 mg and 400 mg CSE to laying hen diets had a positive effect on egg production performance with a significant increase in egg numbers and egg weight as well as significantly improved feed efficiency. Egg quality parameters were significantly improved with CSE supplementation. Lipid peroxidation levels and inflammation marker concentrations significantly decreased for the experimental groups that were fed 200 mg and 400 mg CSE compared with the control group. Meanwhile, blood total cholesterol decreased significantly with CSE supplementation, along with an increase in high-density and a decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol content. A high positive correlation was found between liver and egg cholesterol contents (r = 0.902, p < 0.0001) which was linearly decreased with the increasing level of CSE supplementation. Egg cholesterol content significantly decreased by 9 to 19% in the CSE-supplemented groups compared with the control group. The present study demonstrated that CSE at 100 mg/kg and up to 400 mg/kg diets can be safely used to improve laying hen egg production performance with a direct effect on lowering egg cholesterol content as well as improving the redox status.

Detection of Alternaria alternata infection in winter jujubes based on optical properties and their correlation with internal quality parameters during storage

In this work, a single integrating sphere system was applied to characterize the optical absorption (μa) and reduced scattering (μs′) properties (550 – 1050 nm) in winter jujube flesh infected by Alternaria alternata during storage at 4 and 20 °C, respectively. Meanwhile, physical (L*, a*, weight loss) and biochemical characteristics (soluble solids content, titratable acids, chlorophyll, total phenolic, and ascorbic acid) of winter jujubes were measured. Among them, chlorophyll, weight loss and ascorbic acid were highly correlated with μa at 680 nm, 690 nm, while chlorophyll and a* had the best correlations with μs′ at 700 – 920 nm. These optimal optical properties were proved efficiently contributed to the disease detection of winter jujubes after 12 days at 4 °C and 3 days at 20 °C during storage, with satisfactory discrimination accuracies (acc > 93.75 %). Consequently, optical properties in Vis-NIR region were available to detect the postharvest disease in winter jujubes.

Effects of chitosan and nano-SiO2 concentrations on the quality of postharvest guavas (Psidium guajava L.)

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a perishable fruit susceptible to postharvest losses at tropical ambient temperature. Therefore, the development of green storage solution such as biodegradable film could be an alternative to increase guavas’ shelf life. The primary objective of the present work was to explore the effects of combining chitosan and nano-SiO2 coating at different concentrations on the external and internal quality parameters of guavas during 12-d storage at 15°C, and 8-d storage at 30°C. Weight loss, skin colour, firmness, ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids (TSS), decay incidence, and sensory taste score during storage were also analysed. Guavas coated with 2% chitosan and 0.02% nano-SiO2 film were economically optimum to maintain the tested postharvest quality parameters, including better skin colour, higher TSS, fruit firmness, ascorbic acid content, and good taste scores, while keeping lower weight loss and decay incidence when compared with those of other treatments at both tested temperatures. Therefore, chitosan and nano-SiO2 as a coating is a promising strategy for improving the postharvest quality of guavas.

The effects of diets incorporating natural source of tannins on laying hens’ production performances and physical parameters of eggs

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the effects of natural tannins in laying hens’ diets on production parameters and the alterations of eggs’ physical properties during storage time and temperature. A six weeks experiment was carried out on 168 Lohmann Brown laying hens, 51 weeks of age, accommodated within digestibility cages, structured on 3 levels. The dietary basic structure was the same for all 3 tested groups. The difference between the experimental and control groups was established by the type of plant additive added E1 (0.5% chestnut flour) vs. E2 (0.5% bark oak). At the end of the experiment, 36 eggs/group were collected to evaluate internal and external quality parameters of eggs during storage. These eggs were divided into two parts: 18 eggs/group were kept at room temperature (22°C) and 18 eggs/group were kept in the refrigerator (4°C) for 42 days and analysed to determine shelf time. The results obtained showed that the physical parameters of eggs laid by hens fed with diets supplemented with natural source of tannins (chestnut powder and oak bark) were improved in terms of Haugh Units, yolk colour and eggshell thickness, but only in refrigeration storage conditions.

Effect of replacing wheat with broken rice on nutrients metabolisability, egg production and quality in White Pekin ducks

A study was conducted in the tropical coastal region of Odisha in 2019 to find out the effect of replacing wheat with broken rice (BR) on nutrients metabolisability, egg production and quality in White Pekin ducks. White Pekin ducks (45, 165 days) were divided into three groups with three replicates in each group and each replicate had five ducks. Three experimental diets without (BR-0) and with BR, replacing 50 (BR-50) and 100 (BR-100), per cent wheat were prepared. The above diets were offered randomly to the groups till 40 weeks followed by conduction of a metabolic trial. The dry matter intake (g/d) was similar among the groups. The metabolisability percentage of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract and crude fibre in BR-0 and BR-50 were similar and higher than BR-100. There was no significant difference in N balance (g/d) among the groups. The total egg production, duck day egg production percentage and feed conversion ratio were similar among the groups. The external and internal egg quality parameters were similar among the groups as well. It was concluded that wheat can be replaced with broken rice at 50% level in the diets of White Pekin ducks during first phase of laying under intensive rearing system with increase in the metabolisability of the nutrients of the feed without affecting the performance.

Using hyperspectral imaging technology and machine learning algorithms for assessing internal quality parameters of apple fruits

The important internal quality parameters of apples are firmness and soluble solids content (SSC); features that affect consumers' preferences and the marketing of apples. Hyperspectral imaging systems are novel and non-destructive methods that have various applications in the food industries. The regression methods offer many advantages due to the learning capability, non-destructive measurements, reduced assumptions, process compliance, and tolerance of missing data in agricultural commodities. In the present study, hyperspectral images of Pink Lady apples at different harvest stages (three periods) were analyzed to predict some internal characteristics (firmness and SSC). The hyperspectral camera was used to acquire reflectance data in 300 spectral bands in the range of 386 and 1028 nm in a total of 100 samples for each harvest period. In addition, prediction performance of artificial neural network (ANN), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), decision tree (DT), partial least squares regression (PLSR) and multiple linear regression (MLR) were evaluated. Determination coefficients (R2) were respectively determined as 0.910 and 0.684 for ANN, 0.881 and 0.679 for DT, 0.781 and 0.684 for KNN, 0.666 and 0.762 for MLR and 0.819 and 0.661 for PLSR in the prediction of firmness and SSC. Besides, better firmness prediction was achieved by using spectral bands of 511, 505, 704, and 689 nm. The present study demonstrated the potential use of hyperspectral imaging with ANN and DT methods was more effective for firmness, while DT and MLR were more effective for SSC and the methods were proved to be quite feasible for industrial applications.

Influence of pigments on the shelf life of eggs from layers hens in the final phase of production

The objective of this work was to determine the influence of natural (marigold flower extract) and synthetic (canthaxanthin) pigments on the shelf life of eggs from light laying hens in the final stages of production. 288 birds were distributed in a completely randomized design, with eight treatments, consisted in four levels of marigold flower extract (2.1; 2.4; 2.7 and 3 ppm) and four levels of canthaxanthin (0.4 ; 0.7; 1,0 and 1.3 ppm), each treatment with six replicates of six birds/experimental unit. In the last ten days of the experimental period (75-78 weeks of age) a total of 960 eggs were collected, selected and randomly distributed, which 480 eggs were stored at ambient temperature and 480 under refrigeration. Ten different storage periods were analyzed (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 days), one egg each repetition (six eggs per treatment). Internal and external quality parameters were evaluated in the eggs. Egg yolk color was evaluated using the La Roche colorimetric fan (LCR), showing a significant interaction between canthaxanthin level and storage period. Yolk height (YH), albumen percentage (%A) and yolk percentage (%Y) showed significant interaction between marigold flower level and storage period. It is concluded that the use of natural (marigold flower) and synthetic (canthaxanthin) pigments for the shelf life of eggs from hens in the final stage of production did not influence most of the egg quality variables in the present study, however, eggs stored in a refrigerated environment had better results for egg conservation.

Biostimulatory Response of Easily Extractable Glomalin-Related Soil Protein on Soil Fertility Mediated Changes in Fruit Quality of Citrus

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi secrete glomalin deposited into the soil as glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), which possess multiple utility to benefit both soil as well as plant health. The present study aimed to assess the effects of the foliar application of an easily extractable GRSP (EE-GRSP) on the fruit quality, soil nutrients, and soil structural changes in three important citrus varieties (Satsuma mandarin Oita 4, Newhall navel orange, and Cocktail grapefruit). The exogenous EE-GRSP significantly elevated root mycorrhizal fungal colonization and soil hyphal length in Newhall and Oita 4 varieties, but without any such response in Cocktail grapefruit variety. The foliar spray of the EE-GRSP improved different external (e.g., pericarp, sarcocarp, and single fruit weight) and internal (e.g., soluble solids, titratable acids, and sugar contents) qualities of fruits to varying magnitudes, depending on citrus variety, with a more prominent effect on Cocktail grapefruit. EE-GRSP-treated fruits of Newhall and Oita 4 were more suitable for processing than non-treated control because of a low fruit hardness. However, no significant effect of the EE-GRSP was observed on the internal quality parameters of Newhall. EE-GRSP-treated citrus trees represented higher soil available nutrients over control, to some extent, especially on Oita 4. The foliar application of the EE-GRSP also increased various GRSP fractions to varying proportions and improved the distribution of water-stable aggregates in the size fraction of 0.25–2 mm, thereby increasing the mean weight diameter, particularly in Newhall and Cocktail grapefruit varieties. These observations provided clues about the stimulatory role of the EE-GRSP through soil structure and nutrient pool-mediated improvements in fruit quality.

Egg production, economic indices, and external and internal egg quality parameters of laying Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) fed palm (Elaeis guineensis) kernel cake

The feeding trial aimed to evaluate the egg production, quality parameters and economic benefits of using palm kernel cake, a byproduct of palm oil production in the diets of laying Japanese quails. Two hundred (200) nine-week-old laying Japanese quails were randomized into 5 groups replicated 4 times of 10 birds each in a six weeks trial. Palm kernel cake (PKC) was incorporated at 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 % in formulating feed for the quails. The form of oil removal affected the PKC such that it had 91.51% dry matter, 15.70 % crude protein, 21.43 % crude fibre, 12.30 % ether extract, 1.44 % ash, 40.78 % nitrogen-free extract and 12.67MJkg-1 metabolizable energy. All egg production parameters were significantly different (P ≤ 0.05). The results in this study showed that feed cost/ kg, feed cost per crate, profit per crate and egg-feed-price ratio were significantly influenced (P ≤ 0.05) as well as the shell percentage, yolk-albumen weight, albumen weight, yolk height, colour and yolk index. In conclusion, laying Japanese quails can permit up to 40 % dietary PKC without negative effect on laying performance, better cost-benefit, improved shell percentage, albumen weight and percentage, and yolk index, however, the yolk colour becomes lighter with increased PKC inclusion.

Application of Non-Destructive Testing Techniques (NDTT) to Characterize Nanocarriers Used for Drug Delivery: A Mini Review

The synthesis of tailored and highly engineered multifunctional pharmaceutical nanocarriers is an emerging field of study in drug delivery applications. They have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, aiding the targeted drug’s biodistribution and pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, the characterization of nanocarriers is critical for understanding their physicochemical properties, which significantly impact their molecular and systemic functioning. To achieve specific goals, particle size, surface characteristics, and drug release properties of nanocarriers must be managed. This mini review provides an overview of the applications of non-destructive testing techniques (NDTT) to reveal the characteristics of nanocarriers, considering their surface charge, porosity, size, morphology, and crystalline organization. The compositional and microstructural characterization of nanocarriers through NDTT, such as dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, confocal laser scanning microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, have been comprehensively reviewed. Furthermore, NDTT is only used to characterize physicochemical parameters related to the physiological performance of nanocarriers but does not account for nanocarrier toxicity. Hence, it is highly recommended that in the future, NDTT be developed to assess the toxicity of nanocarriers. In addition, by developing more advanced, effective, and precise techniques, such as machine vision techniques using artificial intelligence, the future of using NDTT for nanocarrier characterization will improve the evaluation of internal quality parameters.

Cryogenic freezing preserves the quality of whole durian fruit for the export market

Durian (Durio zibethinus cv. Musang King; D197) is a popular durian cultivar due to its thick flesh and strong sweet taste. The high market demand and shortage of out-of-season supply contribute to the increase in durian price. Other than that, durian has a short storage life, and to prolong the storage life of Malaysian durian, freezing treatment has been applied. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of freezing methods on the physical and sensory qualities of the whole durian. The freezing method included conventional (at -18°C) and cryogenic freezing (-110°C). The frozen durian was thawed and evaluated after 12-hours, 24-hours, and 36-hours for external and internal quality, dehiscence incidence, and physicochemical parameters (pulp colour, soluble solids content, total titratable acidity, and percentage of moisture) during 36-hours storage. The results showed that conventional freezing at -18°C adversely affected the quality of durian. The fruits were severely dehiscent due to the slow freezing rate. Later, the freezing injury became obvious when exposed to ambient temperature. In comparison, during cryogenic freezing durian fruit froze rapidly without any dehiscence. The freezing methods used in this study did not affect the physicochemical parameters of durian pulp during 36-hours storage. Cryogenic freezing is noted to be a promising method for preserving the quality of durian fruit, thus extending the storage life for market expansion.

Development of a spent cinnamon bark‐incorporated egg box and analysis of its effectiveness on internal quality characteristics of chicken eggs

In the present study, two types of egg boxes were manufactured using spent cinnamon bark (SCB) and cardboard pulp mixture (CPM) as 40%:60% and 50%:50%, respectively, and 100% CPM was considered as the control. Eggs (190) of Shaver Brown strain (56 weeks old) were packed in three types of boxes and stored for 3 weeks at room temperature (31 ± 0.55°C). The drop, lid, and lock tests were practiced and they had not difference (p > .05). The eggs stored in the control had the lowest (p < .05) weight loss (WL) (2.88%). In the case of Haugh Unit (HU) and Yolk Index (YI), eggs in three boxes could be stored up to the second week, and values were changed from 32.25–40.81 to 0.25–0.26, respectively, at that week of storage period. Sensory data revealed that eggs from 40% SCB-incorporated and control boxes had similar (p < .05) overall acceptability. Thus, SCB powder can be effectively used to replace 60% CPM in the production of egg boxes. Practical applications SCB has become an environmental issue in cinnamon distillation areas since it takes a long time to decompose. The replacement of CPM by SCB has not influenced changes in internal quality parameters (HU, YI, albumen, and yolk pH) of eggs stored in any boxes at high temperatures (31°C). Based on current results, a novel egg box can be produced by replacing 60% CPM without affecting the physical strength and usability of the egg boxes while utilizing an agricultural by-product which can be problematic to the environment.

Quality Evolution and Aroma Profile of Pointed Cabbage in Different Storage Regimes.

With its increasing popularity, the need for optimal storage conditions of pointed cabbages becomes more important to meet the year-round demand. Storage of the pointed varieties, however, is more difficult compared to the traditional, round varieties and is limited to a few weeks in normal air. Pointed cabbages are more susceptible to quality loss (shriveling, yellowing of leaves, weight loss, fungal, and bacterial infections) and tend to spoil much faster. In order to provide a year-round availability of the fresh product, storage under controlled atmosphere (CA) could offer a solution. In this study, pointed, white cabbage heads (Brassica oleracea var. capitata for. alba L. subv. Conica cv. ‘Caraflex’) were stored at 1°C from November 2018 to May 2019 under four different CA conditions (1 kPa O2 + 1.5 kPa CO2, 1 kPa O2 + 5 kPa CO2, 3 kPa O2 + 1.5 kPa CO2, and 3 kPa O2 + 5 kPa CO2), and compared to storage under normal air. Results showed that CA storage resulted in a prolonged storage life with a good quality retention for both texture and aroma. CA-stored cabbages showed less weight loss, shriveling, and yellowing. Internal quality parameters [color, soluble solids content (SSC)] were stable over the whole storage period for all objects. The aroma profiles of both the storage atmosphere and cabbage samples were impacted by storage duration. The aroma of cabbage juice was also affected by the storage regime. A clear separation was found for cabbage stored under CA compared to the reference group. From the CA-treatments studied, a combination of low oxygen (1 kPa O2) and elevated carbon dioxide levels (5 kPa CO2) showed the best results maintaining quality. Storage under CA resulted in a better resemblance to the aroma of freshly, harvested produce compared to cabbages stored in normal air.

Using hyperspectral imaging technology for assessing internal quality parameters of persimmon fruits during the drying process

The crucial features of persimmon are required to detect real-time moisture, water-soluble tannin, and soluble solids contents during the drying process. This study developed a method based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to execute online and non-destructive assaying of persimmon features. A total of 144 samples were collected, and 150 bands were scanned. The spectral data were analyzed by partial least squares regression (PLSR), principal component regression (PCR), least squares support vector regression (LS-SVR), and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) with seven preprocessing methods. LS-SVR provided excellent performance for moisture content prediction, while PLSR was better in the analysis of water-soluble tannin and soluble solids contents. Successive projection algorithm (SPA) was used to select the optimal wavelengths to simplify the models, and about twenty important variables were chosen. Overall, these results indicate that HSI could be considered a valuable technique to quantify chemical constituents in dried persimmon fruits.

Effect of age on egg quality traits of Dahlem Red chicken under intensive system of management in Himachal Pradesh

The present study was carried on Dahlem Red chicken breed to assess the effect of age on egg quality traits. Total 250 eggs were collected from birds at different age groups, i.e. 21, 28, 40, 52 and 64 weeks of age for studying the external and internal egg quality parameters. The external characters like egg weight, egg length and egg width were measured. Thereafter, the egg was broken and the internal traits like albumen length, height, width of albumen, yolk height, yolk width, shell thickness were recorded using standard procedure. The derived traits like shape index, albumen index, yolk index and Haugh unit, were estimated. Most of the egg quality traits differed significantly at different age of measurements. Egg weight increased as the age of bird advanced and egg weight varied from 39.35±0.69 at 21 week of age to 59.3±1.22 at 64 week of age. Analysis of variance revealed that shape index did not differ significantly with age. Length, width and height of albumen increased as the age of bird progressed. Albumin index was significantly higher at 21 and 40 weeks of age. Similarly, yolk height and width increased as the age of bird advanced. The differences for Haugh unit scores were non-significant among the different age groups and varied within a very narrow range (96.94–98.94) at different ages indicating uniform internal egg quality over the age. Significant differences in shell thickness were observed among different age groups. Correlation coefficient between egg weight with egg length, egg width, albumen length, albumen height and yolk width were positive. Albumen index and Haugh unit were negatively correlated with egg weight at 21, 52 and 64 week of age. The result indicate that the age of bird significantly affects the egg quality parameters.

Comparative study of the auxins 2,4-D, fluroxypyr, dicamba, MCPA and hydrogen sulphide to inhibit postharvest calyx senescence and maintain internal quality of Valencia oranges

ABSTRACT The synthetic auxin 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is sometimes applied commercially to delay calyx senescence, decay and maintain citrus fruit internal quality parameters, however, there is a need to find alternative treatments to reduce calyx senescence and maintain fruit quality during storage. In this study, the effectiveness of pre-storage dips of different auxin formulations, 2-(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoropyridin-2yl) oxyacetic acid (fluroxypyr), 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba) and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), were assessed against the standard 2,4-D treatment using Valencia oranges at concentrations of 0.2 and 1 mM. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) a gaseous signalling compound known to delay senescence in postharvest produce was also assessed by fumigating Valencia oranges at 100 µL L−1. During four weeks storage at 20°C, fluroxypyr produced the greatest reduction in calyx abscission, calyx browning and fruit decay and down regulation in endogenous ethylene production, respiration rate and ethanol formation, relative to other treatments. Fluroxypyr dip at 1 mM was most effective, with the 0.2 mM concentration still superior to 2,4-D. MCPA showed only modest activity, while dicamba was ineffective. H2S fumigation significantly reduced calyx deterioration and delayed the loss of internal quality factors. Therefore fluroxypyr or H2S, as a non-auxin treatment, have the potential to replace 2,4-D for commercial use.

Nondestructive determination of soluble solids content, firmness, and moisture content of “Longxiang” pears during maturation using near‐infrared spectroscopy

Nondestructive evaluation of the internal quality of pears during maturation is helpful to instruct production and give advice on harvesting. This study explores the feasibility of predicting the soluble solids content (SSC), firmness, and moisture content (MC) of pears during maturation stage using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The NIR spectra of 185 “Longxiang” pears were obtained in the wavelength range of 833–2500 nm. Partial least square (PLS) and least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) were used to develop determination models. The LSSVM obtained better performance than PLS, among which the FS-LSSVM model had the best prediction results for SSC (Rp = 0.880, RMSEP = 0.302%, RPD = 2.649, RER = 11.258), firmness (Rp = 0.826, RMSEP = 4.834 N, RPD = 1.345, RER = 5.772), and MC (Rp = 0.872, RMSEP = 0.570%, RPD = 2.281, RER = 6.842). This study demonstrates that NIR spectroscopy technique can be applied for nondestructive detection of SSC, firmness, and MC of pears during maturation. Practical applications Postharvest quality of fruit depends largely on the maturity degree and internal quality parameters at harvest. Soluble solids content, firmness, and moisture content (MC) are the most essential internal quality indicators, which directly determine pears’ unique taste and purchase decision of consumers. For this, near-infrared spectroscopy was simultaneously applied to determine soluble solids content, firmness, and MC of pears during maturation stage, and FS-LSSVM model had the best prediction results. The result of this study is helpful to instruct pear production and give advice on harvesting.

Apple Fruit Growth and Quality Depend on the Position in Tree Canopy.

Modern apple orchard systems should guarantee homogeneity of fruit internal and external qualities and fruit maturity parameters. However, when orchards reach productive age, a variation of these parameters takes place and mostly it is related to uneven light distribution within the tree canopy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the canopy position’s effect on fruit internal and external quality parameters. This is the first study where all the main fruit quality and maturation parameters were evaluated on the same trees and were related to the light conditions and photosynthetic parameters. Four fruit positions were tested: top of the apple tree, lower inside part of the canopy, and east and west sides of the apple tree. Fruit quality variability was significant for fruit size, blush, colour indices, total sugar content, dry matter concentration, accumulation of secondary metabolites and radical scavenging activity. Fruit position in the canopy did not affect flesh firmness and fruit maturity parameters such as the starch index, Streif index and respiration rate. At the Lithuanian geographical location (55°60′ N), significantly, the highest fruit quality was achieved at the top of the apple tree. The tendency was established that apple fruits from the west side of the canopy have better fruit quality than from the east side and it could be related to better light conditions at the west side of the tree. Inside the canopy, fruits were distinguished only by the higher accumulation of triterpenic compounds and higher content of malic acid. Light is a main factor of fruit quality variation, thus all orchard management practices, including narrow two-dimensional tree canopies and reflecting ground covers which improve light penetration through the tree canopy, should be applied.