Postharvest Period Research Articles

Pigmental composition and physico-chemical characteristics of Bittergourd (Momordica charantia L. cv. Jadeite) during postharvest period as influenced by illumination colors

Fruits and vegetables that exhibit a higher chlorophyll content, as reflected in their visual appearance, are the preferred choice of consumers. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on the physical, chemical, and pigmentation quality of bitter gourd using white, blue, and red at 1.5 W/135 lumens (Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd [FSL], China). Bitter gourd, with a short postharvest life of 4-5 days due to physical and chemical disorders, was harvested weighing 300–400 g and 25 x 5 cm from the farm and subjected to varying illuminations within a 4-hour period for five days, with measurements taken daily. Statistical differences between treatments were observed in physicochemical parameters such as fruit shrivelling, yellowing, visual appearance, weight loss, dry matter content, total chlorophyll, pH values, and TA. The quality and shelf-life of bitter gourd fruits were found to be improved by the white LED. The visual appearance was maintained, and fruit shrivelling and yellowing were delayed, with lower weight loss observed. Slight changes in chlorophylls and carotenoids, vitamin C, and a shelf-life of 5 days were recorded.

Relationship between Damages and other Postharvest Stress Factors Affecting Quality of Fruit and Vegetables

Stress is the main concern hindering the maintenance of postharvest quality of fruit and vegetables. From production to consumption, fruit and vegetables are subjected to various handling activities in which some of these activities result in damaging commodity which make them susceptible to stress through entire post-harvest period. Stresses mostly come from biological and environmental factors such as harvest conditions, temperature, relative humidity, and gas composition of storage environment, as well as metabolic activities and microbial infections which all correlate with damages for one way or another and bring about quality loss and shortening of commodity’s shelf life.

The effect of different LED wavelengths used in the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus on quality parameters of the mushroom during the storage process

This study aimed to investigate the effects of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of different wavelengths (white, red, blue and green) used in Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation on post-harvest mushroom quality, storage process and maintenance of mushroom quality characteristics during storage. The mushroom was exposed to different LED wavelengths for 8 and 12 h per day during fructification period. The effects of these treatments were observed during post-harvest and storage periods, focusing on changes in color, weight loss, antioxidant capacity (FRAP), and total phenolic content (TPC). The harvested mushrooms were stored at 1 °C for 12 days, and samples were taken every 4 days to analyze mentioned parameters. After harvest, L*,a*,b* values of the fruiting bodies grown under different LEDs ranged 56.5 − 69.8, 2.0 − 3.84, 12.2 − 15.9 respectively, whereas TPC and FRAP values varied from 54.4 to 78.5 mg GAE/100 g fw and 6.14 to 7.59 µmol TE/g fw, respectively. The values of L*, a*, b*, browning index (BI), and yellowness index (YI) demonstrated a clear postponement of discoloration in the samples exposed to 8 h of red LED and 12 h of green LED compared to the control group at the end of the storage period. The TPC of the fruitbody cultivated under red LED (8 h per day) was markedly increased after 12 days (54.4 to 95.1 mg GAEs/100 g fw), but LEDs did not affect the maintenance of antioxidant capacity in P. ostreatus. The results showed that red LED applied for 8 h per day during the fructification period enhanced TPC with minimal effects on the color during cold storage.

Effect of post-harvest drying period on the chemical composition of Zingiber zerumbet Sm. Rhizomes essential oil and its biological activities.

Zingiber zerumbet Sm. (Family: Zingiberaceae) is an important perennial medicinal oil-bearing herb that is native to the Southeast Asia. This study examines the impact of different durations of post-harvest shade drying (ranging from 1 to 12months) on essential oil yield and chemical composition of Z. zerumbet, in comparison to the freshly collected oil sample. This study explores how post-harvest shade drying impact the composition and longevity of Z. zerumbet rhizomes as well as its antimicrobial, antibiofilm activity. The oils were analyzed for their chemical composition analysis using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The post-harvest periods of drying (1-12months) were discovered to enhance the concentration of marker constituents in the oil. The primary constituent, Zerumbone, was detected in concentrations ranging from 69.38 ± 5.63% to a maximum of 80.19 ± 1.53% as the drying duration of the rhizome was extended. The output of the essential oil was not significantly affected by drying times; however, it did have a noticeable impact on the proportions of monoterpenes. Both disc diffusion and broth microdilution assay were used in freshly collected Z. zerumbet oil for its antimicrobial potential against S. aureus, L. monocytogens, S. hominis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, P. aeruginosa, S. intermedius, E. coli, and C. albicans. For the first time, the oil reported to exhibit antibiofilm activity against S. aureus which was validated using fluorescence microscopy, and effectively disrupts the biofilm by 47.38% revealing that essential oil was able to disintegrate the clusters of the pathogen. Z. zerumbet rhizome oil is effective to reduce food-borne microorganisms. Therefore, its essential oil, a natural source of bioactive zerumbone, may improve flavor, aroma, and preservation.

Apple Bitter Rot and Glomerella Leaf Spot: A Comprehensive Review of Causal Species and Their Biology, Fungicide Sensitivities, and Management Strategies.

Bitter rot and Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) are two distinct diseases of apple fruit and foliage caused by members of the ascomycete fungal genus Colletotrichum. While GLS is restricted to subtropical and in some areas to temperate climates, bitter rot is responsible for significant yield loss worldwide, particularly during the post-harvest period. Initially thought to be caused by just two species of Colletotrichum, C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides, advances in molecular biology and sequencing techniques enabled the identification of 25 different species capable of causing bitter rot and/or GLS of apple belongs to the C. gloeosporioides species complex (CGSC), C. acutatum species complex (CASC) and C. boninense species complex (CBSC). Three species (C. gloeosporioides, C. fructicola, and C. chrysophilum) of CGSC cause both bitter rot and GLS, 18 species (6 of CGSC and 12 of CASC) only cause bitter rot, and four species (C. aenigma and C. asianum of CGSC, C. limetticola of CASC and C. karstii of CBSC) only cause GLS. These species were found to differ in their geographical distribution, environmental and host tissue preference, pathogenicity, and fungicide sensitivities. In this review, we summarize the distribution, life cycle, and pathogenicity mechanisms of all currently known Colletotrichum species responsible for bitter rot and GLS of apple. Furthermore, we describe known apple defense mechanisms and management strategies for the control of these economically significant pathogens and identify gaps in our present understanding for future research.

Normalised difference moisture index in water stress assessment of maize crops

Remote sensing is a promising technique for better management of water resources in agriculture through improvement of dynamic control and operational scheduling on irrigated croplands. The main goal of this study was to identify the possibilities of application of the normalised difference moisture index (NDMI) to water stress monitoring in maize crops, and to determine the relationship between the index and soil moisture content. The study was carried out in 2019–2021 in the experimental fields of disturbed maize, cultivated on dark-chestnut soils in the Southern Ukraine at the NAAS Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture. The crop cultivation technology was common for the conditions of the steppe zone of Ukraine. Actual soil moisture content was determined by gravimetric method in the pre-sowing and post-harvest period. The NDMI values were calculated using cloudless aerospace images from the satellites Landsat 8, Sentinel-2, and MODIS with 250 m resolution. It was revealed that the seasonal NDMI dynamics perfectly reflected the water-supply conditions of the disturbed maize, and could be used for operational monitoring and scheduling of irrigation. The parameters of the water-supply conditions were determined in 2021, which was the wettest year of the study: the cumulative seasonal NDMI reached 1.71, while the highest water stress was recorded in the driest year, 2020, – the cumulative NDMI was 0.15. Additionally, there was a moderately strong negative correlation between NDMI and soil moisture content, and the coefficient of determination was 0.62. The linear regression models, developed to predict soil moisture content in the 0–100 cm layer depending on the NDMI values, had good fitting quality and reasonable accuracy, but they required further calibration and extension of the initial dataset to provide more robust and reliable results for practical implementation. Based on the results of the study, spatial NDMI could be considered a good and reliable tool for improving irrigation water management. Further studies should focus on the practical implementation of the NDMI-based model of moisture-content estimation, as well as on the possibilities of the index usage for mapping irrigated lands.

Multiple organic tracer analyses of biomass changes affected by the open burning of rice residues

Daily PM2.5 samples were collected at a rural site in Fukui City, Japan, over two months from September to November 2019, covering the rice harvest and postharvest periods, to understand the changes in levels of combustion of various types of biomass during the autumn season. Four organic tracer components of biomass combustion—levoglucosan, mannosan, vanillic acid, and dehydroabietic acid—were analyzed from the PM2.5 samples to reveal their relationships with different types of biomass, such as plants and forests. The ratio of levoglucosan-to-mannosan, a typical organic tracer component of biomass combustion, changed from an average value of 36 ± 17 during the rice harvest season to a value of 13 ± 4 after the rice harvest season, indicating a shift in the primary combustibles from crop residues such as rice straw to other combustibles. The concentration and proportion of mannosan and dehydroabietic acid increased after the rice harvest season, indicating an increase in the proportion of conifers among biomass-burning species. Our new analysis of multiple organic biomass burning (BB) traces indicated the availability of the elucidation of compositional changes in different BB types.

Effect of calcium on fruit quality: A review

Calcium (Ca) plays a crucial role as a nutrient influencing the ripening, post-harvest duration, and quality of fruits. Its impact on the cell wall and its function as a secondary messenger at the cellular level underscore its significance. While recently there has been an increase in studies examining the effects of Ca on fruit quality, there remains a need to consolidate and expand the literature on pre-harvest and post-harvest applications of Ca concerning the physical-chemical properties of fruits. This review aims to compile information on the mechanisms of Ca absorption by plants, as well as the interaction of Ca with the cell wall in fruit development and growth; the review also aims to synthesize literature on the effects of calcium on the physical and chemical properties of fruits that ultimately influences their quality. The review considers a comprehensive analysis of studies published in reputable scientific publishers (Elsevier, Springer, Frontiers, Wiley, MDPI, Hindawi, SciELO) over the last ten years, encompassing various relevant topics. Calcium proves effective in retarding the loss of firmness in fruits, increasing their mass, mitigating mass loss during storage, and extending postharvest life, thereby enhancing marketability. Furthermore, Ca demonstrates a role in decreasing the activity of enzymes responsible for cell wall degradation. Additionally, it reduces ethylene production in fruits, delaying the climacteric peak and reducing its intensity. Its application results in delayed color changes in fruits. For soluble solids, Ca diminishes sugar values and postpones their peak during the post-harvest period while maintaining high total acidity values. Notably, Ca applications contribute to a decreased incidence of certain physiological disorders.

Biocidal activity of Ziziphora hispanica L and Satureja calamintha Scheele L essential oils against the Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) pest on cowpea seeds during storage

IntroductionThe post-harvest period of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp] is marked by substantial losses due to the insect pest Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius). The primary goal of the current study is to identify environmentally appropriate substitutes for synthetic pesticides in the management of stored seed pests. Thus, in a laboratory setting, the insecticidal activity of essential oils (EOs) from Ziziphora hispanica and Satureja calamintha against the cowpea weevil C. maculatus was assessed.MethodsThe fumigant effects of these two EOs were tested with concentrations (4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 μL L−1 of air per 10 g of cowpea seeds) on four biological parameters of C. maculatus: adult mortality, fecundity, fertility, and adult emergence, while concentrations of 4, 12, 16, and 20 μL/cm2 of air were used for the repulsion test.Results and discussionThe fumigant effects of these two EOs were tested with concentrations (4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 μL L−1 of air per 10 g of cowpea seeds) on four biological parameters of C. maculatus: adult mortality, fecundity, fertility, and adult emergence, while concentrations of 4, 12, 16, and 20 μL/cm2 of air were used for the repulsion test. The results of fumigation tests showed a remarkable efficacy of both essential oils against adult C. maculatus after 24 h of exposure. Z. hispanica EO yielded a mortality rate of 80 ± 20%, with an LC50 of 2.77 μL L−1 for males and 66.66 ± 11.54% with an LC50 of 3.57 μL L-1 for females at 4 μL L−1 of air. However, the S. calamintha EO resulted in a mortality rate of 100% for males and 86.66 ± 23.09% with an LC50 of 2.17 μL L−1 for females at low doses. The fecundity was 1.33 ± 0.57 eggs per female. In contrast, this parameter was absent with S. calamintha EO at the low dose, while fertility and emerging adults were missing for both EOs. Furthermore, both EOs showed highly repellent activity towards C. maculatus adults, with 81.66% for Z. hispanica and 91.67% for S. calamintha EO. According to the results of the GC–MS analysis, the primary components of Z. hispanica EO were found to be pulegone (28.17%), alpha-naphtonitrite (10.77%), and 3-(3-thienyl) pro-2-enoic acid (10.62%). Similarly, the main constituents of S. calamintha EO were pulegone (21.48%), piperitenone oxide (17.71%), and eucalyptol (11.99%). Hence, these substances are regarded as the volatile compounds accountable for controlling C. maculatus activities. The study reports that Z. hispanica and S. calamintha show promising fumigant and repellent efficacy and offer new avenues for their potential use as an alternative to synthetic pesticides against stored seed pests.

Morphological, molecular, and biological characterization of bulb rot pathogens in stored Lanzhou lily and the in vitro antifungal efficacy of three plant essential oils.

Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. willmottiae) is an exclusive sweet lily variety indigenous to China, which is susceptible to bulbous rot caused by fungal infection during storage. This experiment tests the pathogenicity of the pure culture isolated from the diseased tissue was confirmed in accordance with Koch's postulates, and the pathomycetes were identified based on their morphological and molecular characteristics. Furthermore, the biological characteristics of the pathogens were investigated, followed by an evaluation of the antifungal effects of three plant essential oils against them. The results showed that two strains of fungi were isolated from Lanzhou lily rot, which were identified as Fusarium oxysporum Schl. and Aspergillus sydowii (Bain. Et sart.). In addition, the pathogenicity of these two strains of fungi was demonstrated that only F. oxysporum induced rot with similar symptoms during the post-harvest storage period. The biological characteristics of F. oxysporum indicated the potato maltose agar and lily dextrose agar were identified as the most suitable media. Sucrose was determined to be the optimal carbon source, while ammonium nitrate was found to be the best nitrogen source for the growth of F. oxysporum. Mycelial growth and sporulation of F. oxysporum occurred at an optimum pH value of 6. Total darkness facilitated mycelial growth and conidial germination. The ideal temperature for growth was found to be 28°C, while relative humidity did not significantly impact mycelial growth; however, a relative humidity of 55% was most favorable for spore production. Among the three essential oils tested, cinnamon essential oil displayed superior antifungal efficacy against F. oxysporum, whereas angelica essential oil and tea tree essential oil also exhibited moderate inhibitory effects against this pathogen. This research provides valuable theoretical insights for disease control during the storage and transportation of Lanzhou lily.

Preharvest calcium application boosts the biostimulatory effect of protein hydrolysate by improving the postharvest life of gerbera cut flower

Among the various categories of plant biostimulants currently available on the market, protein hydrolysates, primarily composed of a heterogeneous mixture of peptides and amino acids, have gradually gained prominence. Nevertheless, the positive effects of these products on the production and longevity of cut flowers are still not well-explored. The purpose of this research was thus to fill this gap by assessing the impacts of a plant-derived protein hydrolysate, with and without the addition of calcium (PH and PH+Ca), on the growth, quality, and vaselife of two cultivars of gerbera with different pigmentation (Brunello and Tommy, red and yellow, respectively). Regardless of cultivar, foliar application of PH improved growth, flower production, absorption of key nutrients, and photosynthetic performance, compared to the control. On the other hand, the PH+Ca treatment exhibited the best results during vaselife. For both cultivars, the application of PH+Ca increased the durability of gerbera flowers, reducing the weight loss by an average of 19 % on day 10 compared to untreated flowers. Although cultivar-dependent, the positive effects of the PH+Ca biostimulant were also observed on petal pigmentation during vase life. For the Tommy cultivar, for instance, the Chroma values of treated flowers remained unchanged during the post-harvest period, unlike what was observed for untreated flowers. Therefore, considering the positive effects resulting from the use of PH and PH+Ca on gerbera, it would be interesting to further investigate the use of biostimulants in floriculture to increase the sustainability of the sector and especially with regard to cut flower production, without reducing or even improving the performance that is conventionally achieved.

Optimization and Characterization of Protein Extraction from Asparagus Leafy By-Products.

Asparagus production generates significant amounts of by-products during the summer and post-harvest growth period. By-products can be good sources of nutrients and phytochemicals. The interest in increasing the availability of proteins for human consumption has led to the use of new plant sources rich in proteins. The objective of this study was to use response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the aqueous extraction process of proteins from asparagus leafy by-products, for the production of new protein ingredients. The optimum extraction condition was at pH 9, with 40 min of extraction at 50 °C, and the concentration was fixed at 5 g·L-1. The isolate obtained presented 90.48% protein with 43.47% protein yield. Amino acids such as alanine, proline, valine, leucine/isoleucine, asparagine, and phenylalanine were identified, and the antioxidant activity for 2,2 AZINO BIS (3-ethylbenzo thiazoline 6 sulfonic acid diammonium salt) was 145.76 equivalent to Trolox μmol.100g-1 and for DPPH 65.21 equivalent to Trolox μmol.100g-1. The product presented favorable technological properties (water absorption capacity 4.49 g·g-1 and oil absorption capacity 3.47 g·g-1) and the color tended towards dark green (L* 31.91, a* -1.01, b* -2.11). The protein isolate obtained through the extraction optimization process showed high potential to be used as a protein ingredient.

Machine learning-based metabolomics analysis reveals the early biomarkers for Diplodia stem-end rot in grapefruit caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae

Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a key postharvest pathogen causing Diplodia stem-end rot (SER) disease in grapefruit. While the disease remains quiescent before harvest, its symptoms become evident during the postharvest period. This dormant behavior poses a challenge in managing fruits after harvest. To effectively detect asymptomatic fruit and detect SER disease at an early stage, it's crucial to identify early-stage biomarkers that can serve as disease indicators. In this study, a machine learning-based metabolomics analysis was utilized to identify characteristic metabolites and to elucidate the underlying biosynthetic mechanisms. Six machine learning algorithms were used, and Gradient boosting (GBT) exhibited the highest accuracy identifying early biomarkers such as shikimate, succinic acid, quinic acid, coumaric acid, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. Moreover, dynamic time warping (DTW), was used to investigate the trend of metabolites across timepoints. Our result revealed that the metabolic analysis enabled differentiating infected from non-infected fruits within 1 day, even though symptoms appeared after 7 days of inoculation. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that three pathways (biosynthesis of plant hormones, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and glutamate metabolism) were strongly involved in the defense mechanism. Metabolite mapping analysis showed the behavior of each compound against the pathogen. With these novel strategies, our findings suggest a prediction model for identifying asymptomatic grapefruit affected by Diplodia SER.

Evaluating the effects of chitosan incorporated with seabuckthorn leaf extract composite edible coatings on the shelf life of peach (Prunus persica L.) fruits

Peaches are highly nutritious and delicious fruits with a limited shelf life. The present study was aimed to test the efficiency of chitosan (CHI) coatings incorporated with seabuckthorn leaf extract (ST) in extending the shelf life of peach fruits at refrigerated temperature. Peach fruits of ‘Elberta’ cultivar were coated with one of the following treatment combinations: distilled water (control), CHI (1.0%), CHI (1%) + ST (0.5%), CHI (1%) + ST (1.0%), CHI (1%) + ST (1.5%) and CHI (1%) + ST (2.0%) and then stored at 4 °C for 25 days. The combined treatment of CHI and ST showed a synergistic effect in significantly decreasing the skin browning and maintaining the firmness during the storage period, corroborated by the decline in the polyphenol oxidase, cellulase and pectinase enzyme activity. In particular, fruits treated with CHI (1%) + ST (1.5%) and CHI (1%) + ST (2.0%) showed maximum efficiency in retaining the physico-chemical attributes, increasing the antioxidant potential and controlling the browning during post harvest period upto 25 days under refrigerated temperature at 4 °C. Furthermore, besides maintaining the quality parameters, the treated fruits showed a significant reduction in microbial spoilage and maintaining the acceptable sensory attributes. Therefore, the study employing the incorporation of Seabuckthorn leaf extract into chitosan edible coating could be a valuable addition and promising approach to different existing preservation techniques towards extending the shelf life of peach fruits.

Transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal the underlying mechanism of drought treatment on anthocyanin accumulation in postharvest blood orange fruit

BackgroundAnthocyanins are the most important compounds for nutritional quality and economic values of blood orange. However, there are few reports on the pre-harvest treatment accelerating the accumulation of anthocyanins in postharvest blood orange fruit. Here, we performed a comparative transcriptome and metabolomics analysis to elucidate the underlying mechanism involved in seasonal drought (SD) treatment during the fruit expansion stage on anthocyanin accumulation in postharvest ‘Tarocco’ blood orange fruit.ResultsOur results showed that SD treatment slowed down the fruit enlargement and increased the sugar accumulation during the fruit development and maturation period. Obviously, under SD treatment, the accumulation of anthocyanin in blood orange fruit during postharvest storage was significantly accelerated and markedly higher than that in CK. Meanwhile, the total flavonoids and phenols content and antioxidant activity in SD treatment fruits were also sensibly increased during postharvest storage. Based on metabolome analysis, we found that substrates required for anthocyanin biosynthesis, such as amino acids and their derivatives, and phenolic acids, had significantly accumulated and were higher in SD treated mature fruits compared with that of CK. Furthermore, according to the results of the transcriptome data and weighted gene coexpression correlation network analysis (WGCNA) analysis, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL3) was considered a key structural gene. The qRT-PCR analysis verified that the PAL3 was highly expressed in SD treated postharvest stored fruits, and was significantly positively correlated with the anthocyanin content. Moreover, we found that other structural genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway were also upregulated under SD treatment, as evidenced by transcriptome data and qRT-PCR analysis.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that SD treatment promotes the accumulation of substrates necessary for anthocyanin biosynthesis during the fruit ripening process, and activates the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes during the postharvest storage period. This is especially true for PAL3, which co-contributed to the rapid accumulation of anthocyanin. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the postharvest quality control and water-saving utilization of blood orange fruit.

The Impact of Rootstock on "Big Top" Nectarine Postharvest Concerning Chilling Injury, Biochemical and Molecular Parameters.

Peaches and nectarines have a short shelf life even when harvested at appropriate physiological maturity. Market life is increased by storage at low temperatures. However, chilling injury symptoms can appear, causing physiological disorders and limiting shipping potential. The rootstock effect on the post-harvest quality has hardly been explored. Thus, the principal aim of this work was to study the influence of seven different Prunus rootstocks on the "Big Top" nectarine cv, considering harvest and post-harvest quality parameters and their correlation with chilling injury disorders. Basic fruit quality traits, individual sugars and organic acids analyzed by HPLC and other biochemical compounds such as relative antioxidant capacity, total phenolics content, flavonoids, anthocyanins, vitamin C and related enzyme activities (PAL, POD, PPO) were considered. In addition, correlations with possible candidate genes for chilling injury (CI) tolerance were searched by qPCR. Although a low susceptibility to CI symptoms has been found in "Big Top", rootstocks "PADAC 9902-01", "PADAC 99-05" and "ReplantPAC" exhibited lower CI symptoms. A statistically significant influence of the evaluated rootstocks was found concerning the parameters of this study. Phenols and anthocyanins seem to be important parameters to be considered in the prevention of chilling injury disorders. Moreover, PAL1, PPO4, PG2 and LDOX genes relative expressions were positively associated with chilling injury susceptibility. This study opens new perspectives for understanding peach fruit adaptation and response to cold storage temperatures during the post-harvest period.

Impact of the Post-Harvest Period on the Chemical and Sensorial Properties of planifolia and pompona Vanillas.

Vanilla production in Guadeloupe is expanding. The main species grown is Vanilla planifolia, but other species such as Vanilla pompona are also present and required by industries. To upgrade the value of vanilla production on this Caribbean Island, this study was performed to evaluate the aromatic specifies of these vanilla species according to the length of the post-harvest period (2 months and 9 months). For this purpose, Vanilla planifolia and Vanilla pompona were compared through scald and scarification transformation processes, as well as two different refining times (T1 and T2). For chemical characterization, 0.1 g of vanilla bean seeds was used for SMPE/GC-MS measurements, while 0.05 g of vanilla samples was subjected to infusion in milk (0.15%) for sensory evaluation. The latter involved generation of terms of aroma through olfaction and gustation sessions. The chemical results showed a significant difference between the two species, where vanillin was mostly present in Vanilla planifolia, unlike Vanilla pompona, where it was mainly rich in 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol. Interestingly, the second refining time was characterized by the appearance of two major components, 1,3-octadien and acetic acid. For sensory analysis, all the vanillas exhibited a high diversity of aromas including "sweet", "gourmand", "spicy" flavors and so on. The application of factorial correspondence analysis (FAC) as well as the agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) showed differences between the vanilla samples according to both the species and refining time. The combination of these analyses makes it possible to establish a chemical and organoleptic profile of vanillas. Varietal and processing factors both have a major impact on the aroma profile of vanillas.

Influence of Hibernation and Dehydration on the Hatching Percentage of Artemia Cyst Collected from Solar Saltpan

The brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is an important live feed for fin and shell fish larval culture. Cysts of Artemia are naturally found in a wide variety of harsh environments where they are exposed to different changing environmental conditions. Artemia cysts are also exposed to different hydration/dehydration (H/D) conditions during the post-harvest processing period in the Artemia processing industry. India has enormous quantity of cyst production every year from solar saltpans. But due to the lack of proper post-harvest processing technology, most of the cyst are sold to very low price to larval rearing industries. The aim of the present study was to find out the effect of different rate of dehydration, and different preservation temperatures for enhancing cyst hatchability. The cysts were collected from Thamarikulam saltpan in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu, India. The collected cysts were dehydrated to different percentages and preserved at 0º, -10˚ and -20˚C for different durations. The study disclosed that the cyst required 1.3h for full hydration in 30ppt saline water and reached full dehydration at 16h in saturated saline solution. Among the three preservation conditions, the maximum hatching percentage (77.95%) was observed in the cyst that preserved at -20˚C for 400days.Among the different rate of dehydration and hibernation, the 40% dehydrated cyst allowed to hibernate at -20˚C had the maximum hatching percentage. From this study, it is concluded that the optimum of all dehydration percentage, level of chillness and duration of cold storage had equally influenced in the improvement of cyst quality.

A Machine Learning-Assisted Three-Dimensional Image Analysis for Weight Estimation of Radish

The quality of radish roots depends largely on its cultivar, production environment, and postharvest management along the supply chain. Quality monitoring of fresh products is of utmost importance during the postharvest period. The purpose of this study is to nondestructively estimate the weight of a radish using random forests based on color and shape information obtained from images, as well as volumetric information obtained by analyzing a point cloud obtained by combining multiple forms of shape information. The explanatory variables were color and shape information obtained through an image analysis of still images of radishes captured in a constructed photographic environment. The volume information was calculated from the bounding box and convex hull applied to the point cloud by combining the shape information obtained from the image analysis. We then applied random forests to relate the radish weight to the explanatory variables. The experimental results showed that the models using color, shape, or volume information all exhibited good performance with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient (COR) ≥ 0.80, suggesting the potential of nondestructive monitoring of radish weight based on color, shape, and volume information. Specifically, the model using volume information showed very high performance, with a COR of 0.95 or higher.

Development and Analysis of Silver Nitroprusside Nanoparticle-Incorporated Sodium Alginate Films for Banana Browning Prevention

Banana (Musa acuminate) has been popular among consumers worldwide due to its rich nutrients and minerals. However, bananas are highly susceptible to the physical and biological factors that lead to postharvest loss during transportation and storage. In this work, novel sodium alginate (SA) films incorporated with silver nitroprusside nanoparticles (AgNNPs) were prepared to extend the shelf life of bananas through antibacterial and antioxidant coating. The results exhibited that AgNNPs were cubical and that their size was <500 nm, with metal composition being Ag and Fe. Additionally, the incorporation of AgNNPs in the SA film was seen in FE-SEM and zeta analysis, with an average size of about 365.6 nm. Furthermore, the functional and crystalline properties of AgNNPs were assessed through FTIR and XRD. Transmittance testing of the SA-AgNNPs films confirmed they have good UV barrier properties. SA-AgNNPs films exhibited excellent high antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens including L. monocytogenes, S. enterica, and E. coli at the concentration of 500 µg/mL. Moreover, during the storage of bananas, SA-AgNNPs nanocomposite coatings act as a barrier to microbial contamination and slow down the ripening of bananas. As a result, compared with SA-coated and uncoated bananas, SA-AgNNPs-coated bananas exhibited the lowest weight loss and lowest total bacterial colonies, thus greatly extending their shelf life. Particularly when coated with SA-AgNNPs films, total bacterial colonies (TBC) in the banana peel and pulp were as low as 1.13 × 103 and 51 CUF/g on the ninth day of storage, respectively. Our work offers an efficient strategy to improve the quality of bananas during the postharvest period, with extensive applications in fruit preservation and food packing.