Fresh Fruit Quality Research Articles

Ambient Parameter Monitoring in Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chains Using Internet of Things-Enabled Sensor and Communication Technology.

Up to half of the global fruit and vegetable production is wasted or lost along the supply chain, causing wastage of resources and economic losses. Ambient parameters strongly influence quality and shelf life of fresh fruit and vegetables. Monitoring these parameters by using Internet of things (IoT)-enabled sensor and communication technology in supply chains can help to optimize product qualities and hence reduce product rejections and losses. Various corresponding technical solutions are available, but the diverse characteristics of fresh plant-based produce impede establishing valuable applications. Therefore, the aim of this review is to give an overview of IoT-enabled sensor and communication technology in relation to the specific quality and spoilage characteristics of fresh fruit and vegetables. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), O2, CO2 and vibration/shock are ambient parameters that provide most added value regarding product quality optimization, and can be monitored by current IoT-enabled sensor technology. Several wireless communication technologies are available for real-time data exchange and subsequent data processing and usage. Although many studies investigate the general possibility of monitoring systems using IoT-enabled technology, large-scale implementation in fresh fruit and vegetable supply chains is still hindered by unsolved challenges.

Plant Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Okra in the Forest Savanna Transition and Semi-Deciduous Forest Agro-Ecologies of Ghana

Okra is an important vegetable crop in Ghana. Plant-parasitic nematodes infect okra, reducing the quality and quantity of fresh immature and dry fruits. This study was carried out to determine diversity, density and distribution of plant parasitic nematodes attacking okra in the Forest savanna transition and Semi-deciduous forest agro-ecologies of Ghana. In each agro-ecology, soils from okra rhizosphere were sampled from 15 farms for plant-parasitic nematodes assessment. Nematodes were extracted using the modified Baermann nematodes extraction method. Six nematode genera were identified; Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Xiphinema, Helicotylenchus, Rotylenchulus and Scutellonema. Meloidogyne occurred with 64.9% relative abundance and 100% frequency. Rotylenchulus, Pratylenchus, and Helicotylencus nematodes also occurred with 100% frequency. Xiphinema were the least abundant (0.05%) and the least frequent (15%). The findings have shown that a large number of nematodes exist on okra plants and therefore there is the need for educational campaigns to be stepped up by Agricultural Extension Services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on plant parasitic nematode infections in okra production.

Melatonin-mediated postharvest quality and antioxidant properties of fresh fruits: A comprehensive meta-analysis.

At postharvest, fruits have a short shelf life. Recently, there has been much literature on the effects of melatonin on the postharvest quality of horticultural crops. However, reports of various findings comprise mixed claims and product-specific conclusions. Therefore, a meta-analysis systematically dissects the comprehensive effect on several fruits. In this meta-analysis, standard mean difference (SMD) was adopted using a random-effect model. The study used 36 articles and isolated 24 indicator parameters of postharvest quality and antioxidant properties based on the inclusion criteria. As exhibited in the forest plot, melatonin reduced chilling injury, weight loss, respiration rate, and ethylene content (SMD -0.90, 95% CI [-1.14, -0.65]; I2 =81%; p<.00001). Similarly, the application of melatonin significantly suppressed electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, lipoxygenase, and polyphenol oxidase (SMD -0.89, 95% CI [-1.09, -0.69]; I2 =70%; p<.00001). In addition, exogenous melatonin application induced endogenous melatonin content, phenolic content, and flavonoid and anthocyanin contents (SMD 1.15, 95% CI [0.91, 1.39]; I2 =71%; p=.01). Moreover, melatonin treatment enhanced antioxidant activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyse) (SMD 1.37, 95% CI [1.03, 1.71]; I2 =86%; p<.00001). Thus, in the whole study, the overall effect was significantly high in treated fruit (p<.0001), and the overall heterogeneity was above (I2 )>70%. In addition, the funnel plot showed symmetry in the most selected studies. To sum up, the result gives a further understanding of melatonin's capabilities in reducing postharvest losses and maintaining the quality of fresh fruits.

Prediction of Strawberries’ Quality Parameters Using Artificial Neural Networks

Strawberry is a very popular fruit, appreciated for its unique flavor and many beneficial traits such as antioxidants and useful amino acids, which strongly contribute to the overall quality of the product. Indeed, the quality of fresh fruit is a fundamental aspect for consumers, and it is crucial for the success of breeding activities as well as for enhancing the competitiveness and profitability of the fruit industry. Nowadays, the entire supply chain requires simple and fast systems for quality evaluation. In this context, the pomological and chemical traits (i.e., soluble solids, firmness, titratable acidity, dry matter) as well as nutritional ones such as total phenols, total anthocyanins and antioxidant potential were evaluated and compared for seven strawberry cultivars and three harvest times. The prediction of the qualitative traits was carried out using color space coordinates (L*, a* and b*) and two statistical techniques, i.e., the multiple linear regression models (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Unsatisfactory prediction performances were obtained for all parameters when MLR was applied. On the contrary, the good prediction of the internal quality attributes, using ANN, was observed, especially for both antioxidant activity and the total monomeric anthocyanin (R2 = 0.906, and R2 = 0.943, respectively). This study highlighted that color coordinates coupled with ANN can be successfully used to evaluate the quality of strawberry.

Inline nondestructive internal disorder detection in pear fruit using explainable deep anomaly detection on X-ray images

To preserve the quality of fresh fruit after harvest and to meet the year-round demand for high-quality fruit, pears are stored under a controlled atmosphere. However, due to preharvest events or suboptimal storage conditions, internal disorders might develop resulting in severe quality loss. Examples include internal browning and cavities, which are invisible externally. Here, X-ray radiography is investigated as a technique for internal quality inspection. The detection of defect fruit is approached as an anomaly detection (AD) problem, in which a model is constructed using nominal data and an anomaly score is used to identify defect fruit. In this work, multiple deep AD methods are shown to be effective to detect pears with internal cavity and browning disorders using X-ray radiographs (mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) up to 0.962). The best performing methods were found on par with a state-of-the-art multisensor disorder detection method (mean AUC up to 0.966). By investigating AD performance in function of internal disorder severity, it was shown that defect fruit with a cavity volume percentage > 1.0% could be detected 100% accurate using inline X-ray imaging. For lower cavity area percentages, the accuracy depended on the internal browning severity. Additionally, the explainability of the deep AD methods, i.e., how well human interpretable insight can be provided from each method’s predictions, were qualitatively evaluated using anomaly heatmaps, which provided useful insight in the execution of the deep learning algorithms.

Recent developments in cold plasma-based enzyme activity (browning, cell wall degradation, and antioxidant) in fruits and vegetables.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations reports, approximately half of the total harvested fruits and vegetables vanish before they reach the end consumer due to their perishable nature. Enzymatic browning is one of the most common problems faced by fruit and vegetable processing. The perishability of fruits and vegetables is contributed by the various browning enzymes (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) and ripening or cell wall degrading enzyme (pectin methyl-esterase). In contrast, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) assist in reversing the damage caused by reactive oxygen species or free radicals. The cold plasma technique has emerged as a novel, economic, and environmentally friendly approach that reduces the expression of ripening and browning enzymes while increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes; microorganisms are significantly inhibited, therefore improving the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. This review narrates the mechanism and principle involved in the use of cold plasma technique as a nonthermal agent and its application in impeding the activity of browning and ripening enzymes and increasing the expression of antioxidant enzymes for improving the shelf life and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables and preventing spoilage and pathogenic germs from growing. An overview of hurdles and sustainability advantages of cold plasma technology is presented.

Fresh Produce Safety and Quality: Chlorine Dioxide's Role.

Maintaining microbial safety and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables are a global concern. Harmful microbes can contaminate fresh produce at any stage from farm to fork. Microbial contamination can affect the quality and shelf-life of fresh produce, and the consumption of contaminated food can cause foodborne illnesses. Additionally, there has been an increased emphasis on the freshness and appearance of fresh produce by modern consumers. Hence, disinfection methods that not only reduce microbial load but also preserve the quality of fresh produce are required. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has emerged as a better alternative to chlorine-based disinfectants. In this review, we discuss the efficacy of gaseous and aqueous ClO2 in inhibiting microbial growth immediately after treatment (short-term effect) versus regulating microbial growth during storage of fresh produce (long-term effect). We further elaborate upon the effects of ClO2 application on retaining or enhancing the quality of fresh produce and discuss the current understanding of the mode of action of ClO2 against microbes affecting fresh produce.

Mango Industry Development Status of China in 2020

China has been the second largest mango cultivation country in the world in 2020.Mango has become the main source of income for mango farmers in some southern provinces and regions such as Guangxi, Yunnan, Hainan and Sichuan. At present, there are more than 40 different varieties cultivated in China. Through the combination of varieties and different climatic regions, and the adoption of comprehensive technical measures such as moving the harvest time forward and postponing the harvest time, China has become the only country in the world that can produce mango annually. At the same time, China has widely adopted a series of technical measures, such as topworking, bagging, integrated disease and pest control, water and fertilizer integration, intercropping cultivation and so on, which has significantly improved the quality of mango fruit, increased its market competitiveness，which can not only meet the domestic market, but also export to foreign countries. In the future, China will further improve the quality of fresh mango fruits, increase the proportion of processed products, and increase the income of mango practitioners.

The association between the observed and perceived neighbourhood food environment and household food insecurity in a low-income district in Lima, Peru.

The objective of the present study was to assess the association between the observed and perceived food environment and food insecurity among households with children <18 years in Lima, Peru. This was a cross-sectional study including an income-stratified random sample of households (n 329) in Villa el Salvador, a low-income district in Lima, Peru. Data were collected with a household questionnaire - including the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and the University of Pennsylvania's Perceived Nutrition Environment Survey (NEMS-P) - and a neighbourhood food outlet census, including recording of food outlets' GPS coordinates. Three-quarters of the households interviewed were food insecure. Compared with food secure households and adjusting for socio-demographic covariates, food insecure households were more likely to disagree to having easy access (OR 5⋅4; 95 % CI 2⋅1, 13⋅4), high quality (OR 3⋅1; 95 % CI 1⋅7, 5⋅5) and variety (OR 2⋅5; 95 % CI 1⋅4, 4⋅6) of fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighbourhood. About 60 % (513 out of 861) of the food outlets identified in participants' neighbourhoods were classified as fresh, including markets, bodegas, and fruit and vegetable vendors. There was no difference in distance to fresh food outlets by household food insecurity; all households were on average within 52-62 m from a fresh food outlet (~2-min walk). Despite negative perceptions of their neighbourhood food environment, food insecure households had similar physical access to fresh food sources than their food secure counterparts. Thus, changes to the food environment may not alleviate food insecurity in urban poor areas of Peru.

Quality enhancement of fruits conserved with essential oils prolonging storage

Description of the subject. Raspberries and strawberries are highly perishable due to postharvest fungal development. Numerous studies have shown that essential oils can be promising biopesticides for maintaining the quality of fresh fruit during postharvest storage. Objectives. This work aimed to evaluate the potential of Ismelia carinata and Cladanthus arabicus (Asteraceae) essential oils (EOs) to extend the shelf life of raspberries and strawberries. Method. The chemical composition of EOs from I. carinata and C. arabicus was analyzed using GC/MS. In vitro antifungal effects of EOs using agar dilution and disk diffusion methods were tested against Botrytis cinerea. The I. carinata and C. arabicus EOs were used as bioactive agents to preserve the quality of berries during 15 days in cold storage. Also, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and maturity index of berries treated with 400 mg·l-1 of I. carinata EO are analyzed. Results. The GC/MS analysis revealed that the major compounds were tau-cadinol (65.93%) and tau-muurolol (24.65%) for I. carinata, β-pinene (23.58%), and tau-cadinol (9.54%) for C. arabicus. Both EOs tested showed best inhibition percentages against B.cinerea using the agar dilution method. Ismelia carinata EO was an efficient preservative agent for raspberries and strawberries during storage at 4 °C. The maturity index of both berries was significant compared to untreated controls (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions. Ismelia carinata EO holds promise for extending fruit quality in cold storage, with subsequent benefit to fruit marketing supply chains.

PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCERS IN THE MARKET OF FRUITS AND BERRIES OF UKRAINE

The conducted study of the fruit and berries market of Ukraine shows significant opportunities for the further development of their producers both in the domestic and foreign markets. This is because the demand for them is growing and Ukraine is characterized by favorable location and favorable natural and climatic conditions. The development of this market is negatively affected by the short shelf life of fruits and berries in fresh form, as a result of which a significant part of them are exported in processed and frozen form. Ukrainian enterprises have significant opportunities for the supply of berries in the form of dried products, taking into account the existing EU standards for these products, the prices of which on the world market are quite high. To ensure the proper quality of fresh fruits and berries, their proper storage and transportation should be organized, the functioning of the “cold” chain in the form of “manufacturer – transport – warehouses – transport – the final retail network of trade.” Organic berries today are a fashionable and sought-after niche product. Ukrainian manufacturers have great opportunities to supply these products to the foreign market. The data of secondary marketing information indicates that Ukraine ranks 11th among all European countries in terms of the total area of land that is certified as organic. Organic land accounts for less than 1% of all agricultural land in Ukraine, which determines Ukraine’s significant potential in this area. However, the entry of domestic producers into the world market of fruits and berries requires obtaining certificates under international standards, which requires additional funds and efforts from them. The built trend models show that raspberry and blackberry and gouge berry crops are promising for cultivation by farms and the population in Ukraine. Due to the existing climatic conditions, berry crops can be grown throughout Ukraine. Most of them are grown and harvested in such regions as Zhytomyr, Kyiv, and Donetsk. New opportunities under quarantine restrictions for domestic producers of fruits and berries to find new consumers and markets opens online promotion (through participation in world exhibitions, website development in several languages, social media presence, etc.) and online sales.

PCR-based SNP Markers for Sex Identification in Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv. KL1

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a valuable commercial plant in the Arecaceae family. It is a sweet, edible fruit containing a lot of nutrients including carbs, sugar, protein, and potassium. Maejo 36 or KL1 is a Thai date palm with excellent fresh fruit quality that is mostly grown in Thailand's northern and northeastern areas. The main issue with date palm farming is that there is no reliable way to discriminate between male and female seedlings prior to flowering, which takes 3 - 5 years after planting. An increase in the number of female date palm plants in commercial orchards may increase in date production and profitable investment. The present research aims to develop Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) markers for the sex identification of date palm cv. KL1. The SNP markers were designed by analysis of nucleotide sequence difference from GenBank (accession number GL746268.1). The results revealed that SNP primers; PH02F - PdaNu01 (PdaNU02 or PdaNU03) - PdaNU05 used in multiplex PCR technique can precisely distinguish the sex of date palm by generating 2 different sizes of PCR-products in male plants, and only 1 size of PCR-product in female plants. This research indicates that SNP markers with multiplex-PCR technique are a high potential method for identifying the sex of date palm cv. KL1 may be used to increase female plants for cultivation at the seedling stage, which is highly beneficial for commercial date palm production. HIGHLIGHTS Date palm is currently an economic fruits crops in Thailand The sex of date palm can be identified by phenotype in flowering stage until five years after planting The amplicon patterns in male and female date palm generated by SNP marker are applicable to predict their genders at an early seedling stage The use of SNP marker is highly beneficial for commercial date palm production GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Effect of Sodium Alginate in Combination with Zataria multiflora Boiss. on Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Browning Enzymes of Fresh In-Hull Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.)

The color of fresh pistachio is used as a postharvest quality indicator. The present study was performed to investigate the chemical properties of fresh pistachios coated with different sodium alginate concentrations (1 and 1.5%), various amounts of Shirazi thyme essential oil (0.3 and 0.5%), and their combination during storage (2 ± 1°C and 85 ± 5% RH). Over the storage duration, chemical parameters were measured on days 13, 26, and 39. The results showed that although the application of sodium alginate in combination with thyme essential oil decreased polyphenol oxidase activity in comparison with other treatments, the highest total phenolics and phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity were found in pistachios coated with alginate (1%) + thyme essential oil (0.3% and 0.5%). In general, it was proven that treatments containing 1% alginate + 0.3% essential oil had the ability to maintain the quality of fresh pistachio fruit approximately over 39 days of storage.

Effect of Aloe vera gel‐based active coating incorporated with catechin nanoemulsion and calcium chloride on postharvest quality of fresh strawberry fruit

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of edible coating based on Aloe vera containing free and encapsulated catechin (0% and 5%) and calcium chloride (0% and 2%) on the postharvest quality of strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) under cold storage. The physicochemical and qualitative characteristics of strawberries, including pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, antioxidant properties, total phenol, total yeast and mold counts, total anthocyanins, and firmness, were measured under refrigerated storage after 14 days. The FTIR and particle size tests were also used to evaluate the properties of produced emulsion and nanoemulsion for encapsulation of catechin. The results showed that Aloe vera gel-based coating containing nano encapsulated catechin and calcium chloride had a significant effect on all qualitative characteristics and maintained the quality of the strawberries. Sample 5 (Aloe vera coating containing 5% catechin nanoemulsion and 2% calcium chloride) was the best coating for storage. Practical applications Protecting fruits with edible coatings has a variety of safety, organoleptic and economic benefits. Interest in using edible coating is growing; hence the results of the present study are helpful to achieve this particular target. Factors such as environmental issues related to the use of packaging materials, the necessity for alternative approaches, and incentives to build different markets for consumption of agricultural products, the need for the food industry to prolong product shelf life, and the tendency of consumers to eat more natural foods have made a profound impact on this viewpoint.

Exploring the optimisation of mulching and irrigation management practices for mango production in a dry hot environment based on the entropy weight method

Rational application of field-management technology can not only improve mango (Mangifera indica L.) fresh fruit yield and quality but also improve irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). However, few studies have involved the simultaneous use of mulch and irrigation-management techniques in hot and dry environments to achieve a relatively good level of performance. We used the entropy weight method (EWM) to explore an optimal mulching and irrigation-management technology for mango production in a dry hot environment. Three irrigation levels [FI, 100% mango evapotranspiration (ETC); DI75, 75% ETC; DI50, 50% ETC] were designed with (SM) and without (NM) sugarcane leaf mulching in 2018 and 2019 in a dry hot environment. The results showed that the photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf water-use efficiency, and carboxylation efficiency in the SM treatment were 12.5% to 83.7% higher than those in the NM treatment in both years. Compared with the NM treatment, the SM treatment increased the fresh fruit yield and IWUE by 45.7% and 49.7% in 2018 and by 46.1% and 63.2% in 2019. The solid-to-acid ratio and sugar-to-acid ratio in the SM treatment were 48.5% and 50.4% higher than those in the NM treatment, respectively, but the titratable acid content decreased by 31.3%. Compared with FI, DI75 increased carotenoid content, total soluble solids, solid-to-acid ratio and sugar-to-acid ratio by 8.4%–40.7%, while it reduced titratable acid by 22.8%. Compared with FI, DI50 reduced fresh fruit yield by 24.3% and 21.9% in 2018 and 2019, respectively, while it increased IWUE by 13.6% and 17.7%. The fresh fruit yield of SMDI75 was the highest, which was 1.42 and 1.44 times that of NMFI in both years, respectively. A comprehensive evaluation by EWM also showed that the SMDI50 treatment had the highest comprehensive scores of mango yield, quality and water-use efficiency, which could provide a basis for the scientific management of mango fertiliser in dry and hot areas of China.

Artificial top-light is more efficient for tomato production than inter-light

Studies of whole-plant responses of tomato to light environments are limited and cannot be extrapolated from observations of seedlings or short-term crops in growth chambers. Effects of artificial light sources like high pressure sodium (HPS) and light emitting diodes (LED) are mainly studied as supplement to sunlight in greenhouses. Since natural sunlight is almost neglectable in Norway during wintertime, we could study effects of different types of artificial light on crop growth and production in tomato. The goal of this experiment was to quantify the effects of artificial HPS top-light, installed at the top of the canopy, and LED inter-light, installed between plant rows, on fresh and dry matter production and fruit quality of greenhouse tomatoes under controlled and documented conditions. Our aim was to optimize yield under different light conditions, while avoiding an unfavourable source-sink balance. Tomato plants were grown under HPS top light with an installed capacity of 161, 242 and 272 W m−2 combined with LED inter-light with an installed capacity of 0, 60 or 120 W m−2. We used stem diameter as a trait to regulate air temperature in different light treatments in order to retain plant vigour. Results show that both HPS top light and LED inter-light increased tomato yield. However, the positive effect of supplemental LED inter-light decreased at higher amounts of HPS top light. Under the conditions in this experiment, with neglectable incoming solar radiation, an installed amount of 242 Watt m-2 HPS top light and a daily light integral (DLI) of 30 mol m-2 day-1 resulted in best light use efficiency (in gram fresh tomato per mol). Addition of LED inter-light to HPS top light reduced light use efficiency. Results show that winter production using artificial light in Norway is more energy efficient compared to production under sunlight in southern countries. Results can be used for modelling purposes.

Heat shock treatment maintains the quality attributes of postharvest jujube fruits and delays their senescence process during cold storage.

The effects of heat shock (HT), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), or their combination (HT+1-MCP) on the quality of fresh jujube fruits during cold storage were studied. Among them, HT showed the best preservation effect on jujube fruits, which was more effective than others in inhibiting the increase of red index, decay incidence, and weight loss and delaying the decrease of firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), and ascorbic acid (AsA) content. Besides, it could delay the degradation rate of the cell wall to maintain the integrity of cell membrane, and keep the high activity of active oxygen scavenging enzymes. During cold storage, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrolyte leakage (REL) of the HT group were significantly lower than those of the control group, 1-MCP, and HT+1-MCP group (p<.05), while superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly higher than those of other groups (p<.05). It was concluded that the postharvest HT treatment could effectively delay the senescence and decay of jujube fruits. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Jujube fruits have high nutritional value used for food and medicine. However, they are not tolerant to storage after harvest, resulting in high economic losses. Therefore, it is of great significance to find a suitable method to maintain the quality of jujube fruits. Our results revealed the effect of HT, 1-MCP, and their combination on the quality maintenance of jujube fruits, and found that HT could effectively maintain the quality of them, which could be used as an effective method for keeping jujube fruits fresh.

Effect of Zone and Climate on Yields, Quality and Ripening Characteristics of Montecristo Bananas Grown in Puerto Rico

A study was conducted to determine the effect of zone and climate on yields, ripening characteristics and quality of Montecristo bananas. Experimental plots were established at the Fortuna Substation on the southern coast of Puerto Rico at sea level, and the Adjuntas Substation located in the humid mountainous area at an elevation of 1,800 feet. In plots planted monthly throughout the year, the interval from planting to flowering ranged at the Adjuntas Substation from 371 to 448 days and from 319 to 388 days at the Fortuna Substation. At Fortuna, the length of the flowering period ranged from 120 to 147 days, while at Adjuntas it ranged from 107 to 200 days. A direct relationship was observed at Adjuntas between the length of the flowering period and time of planting. The flowering pattern of the combined monthly plots was different for the two zones. Two flowering cycles were observed at Adjuntas, with the highest percentage of plants flowering from June to December. Although three flowering cycles were observed at Fortuna, the distribution was similar to a normal frequency distribution. Bunch development was much slower at Adjuntas than at Fortuna. The age for harvesting at a given stage of development varied with the time of flowering, but this relationship was more marked at Adjuntas than at Fortuna. The fruit harvested at Adjuntas was quite different in characteristics from the fruit harvested at Fortuna. The bunches were heavier and the fruit weighed more. The bunches also had more hands and more fruit than those harvested at Fortuna. At Adjuntas, the weight of the bunch remained fairly constant throughout the year, while at Adjuntas the weight of the bunch varied with the month of flowering. The weight of the fingers at both locations varied with the time of flowering while the number of fruit per bunch at Fortuna varied only slightly throughout the year. Because the seed material used in these studies was obtained from two farms in the Adjuntas region, another set of experiments was conducted to study the behavior of the Montecristo bananas produced from seed from the experimental plots from each Substation when planted on the other. The results from these experiment showed that the seed material used in our previous studies were of uniform character and that differences observed in flowering patterns, yields, fruit quality and other characteristics were due to the effect of ecological conditions and not to clonal variation. The fruit from both locations when processed into purees gave products of good quality. Fruit from Adjuntas produced purees of a more pronounced yellow color and the flavor was better than fruit from Fortuna. From the standpoint of fresh fruit quality, however, the fruit from Fortuna was better than the fruit from Adjuntas. The fruit from Fortuna had better ripening characteristics, ripening more evenly and with a more attractive yellow color, than the fruit from Adjuntas.

Microbiological quality and safety of commercial fresh fruit and vegetable juices in Korea

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices that have not been pasteurized can cause foodborne diseases. Therefore, microbial quality monitoring of fresh fruit and vegetable juices sold domestically is necessary. Here, 100 fresh fruit and vegetable juices were purchased from online and offline stores in Korea and monitored quantitatively and qualitatively for general microbial quality and foodborne pathogens. Total aerobic bacteria (TAB), coliform, yeast/mold (Y/M), Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were evaluated by the selective agar method. TAB were detected in 51 out of 100 samples at an average level of 4.21 ± 1.10 log CFU/mL, and coliform and Y/M were detected in 39 and 52 samples at average levels of 3.24 ± 1.13 and 3.47 ± 1.12 log CFU/mL, respectively. E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the tested samples, but B. cereus and S. aureus were detected in 12 and 1 samples, respectively. This study can be used as basic data for technology development to secure the microbial quality and safety of fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

Ingenuity in packaging maintains the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables in mixed cargo exported by sea

AbstractGlobal agricultural exports are expected to increase in the future. Sea transportation facilitates the carrying of an incomparably large amount of cargo for a much lower cost than by air freight. However, sea transportation takes much longer and the produce quality is inferior to that transported by air. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop technologies to create a more suitable environment for sea transportation. For this reason, a method was devised in which all fruit and vegetables packaged for domestic distribution are wrapped from the outside of the package as additional packaging with a more versatile film, and an actual export demonstration using this method was conducted in this study. Namely, two sets of 28 different kinds of fruits and vegetables were prepared, one that was wrapped in additional packaging and the other with ordinary packaging. These sets were then exported from Japan's Shimizu Port to Singapore as mixed cargo. Following transportation, instrumental analysis and sensory evaluation were performed to compare the quality of the additionally packaged produce with that of the ordinarily packaged produce. This additional packaging greatly reduced the loss of fresh weight of Chinese cabbage, lettuce, cabbage and Japanese white radish. Moreover, the additional packaging reduced the drying of ‘Shine Muscat’ grape stems. However, some produce such as peaches deteriorated in quality due to slight changes in gas concentration. For many items, additional packaging can be a low‐cost option for maintaining quality when exporting fruits and vegetables packaged for routine domestic distribution.