Total Solids Content Research Articles

Mechanistic insights into how mixing factors govern polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexation in RNA lipid nanoparticle formulation

Hypothesis: Lipid nanoparticle self-assembly is a complex process that relies on ion pairing between nucleic acids and hydrophobic cationic lipid counterions for encapsulation. The chemical factors influencing this process, such as formulation composition, have been the focus of recent research. However, the physical factors, particularly the mixing protocol, which directly modulates these chemical factors, have yet to be mechanistically examined using a reproducible mixing platform comparable to the industry standard. We here utilize Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP), a scalable rapid mixing platform, to isolate and systematically investigate how mixing factors influence this complexation step, first by using a model polyelectrolyte-surfactant system and then generalizing to a typical RNA lipid nanoparticle formulation.Experiments: Aqueous polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) solutions are rapidly homogenized using reproducible FNP mixing and controlled flow rates at different stoichiometric ratios and total solids concentrations to form polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PESCs). Then, key mixing factors such as total flow rate, inlet stream relative volumetric flow rate, and magnitude of flow fluctuation are studied using both this PESC system and an RNA lipid nanoparticle formulation.Findings: Fluctuations in flow as low as ± 5 % of the total flow rate are found to severely compromise PESC formation. This result is replicated in the RNA lipid nanoparticle system, which exhibited significant differences in size (132.7 nm vs. 75.6 nm) and RNA encapsulation efficiency (34.0 % vs. 82.8 %) under fluctuating vs. steady flow. We explain these results in light of the chemical variables isolated and studied; slow or nonuniform mixing generates localized concentration gradients that disrupt the balance between the hydrophobic and electrostatic forces that drive complex formation. These experiments contribute to our understanding of the complexation stage of lipid nanoparticle formation and provide practical insights into the importance of developing controlled mixing protocols in industry.

Optimizing Sweet Cherry Attributes through Magnesium and Potassium Fertilization

Plant nutrition through fertilizer application plays a crucial role in enhancing crop quality and yield, necessitating a balanced fertilization approach. Sweet cherry, esteemed as one of the most prized crops worldwide, was the focus of this three-year study spanning from 2019 to 2021, involving the sweet cherry cultivar Burlat. This study investigated the foliar application of magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) to enhance fruit quality parameters. Different doses of Mg (250 g hL−1 and 125 g hL−1) and K (100 g hL−1 and 50 g hL−1) and a control treatment were administered to sweet cherry trees to assess their impact on fruit quality. At the commercial ripening stage, fruits from each treatment were harvested for comprehensive evaluation, including biometric and chromatic parameters, fruit firmness, routine parameters, sensory profile, and nutrient content analysis. Results from the study revealed notable enhancements in fruit weight and dimensions, particularly in the control treatment in 2020. Furthermore, Mg125 and Mg250 treatments exhibited improved color development and accelerated maturity by increasing the total soluble solids content while decreasing titratable acidity. Sensorial profiling indicated that Mg125 and Mg250 treatments intensified color intensity and sweet taste while mitigating sour taste perceptions. Conversely, potassium fertilization, especially the K50 treatment, led to increased fruit firmness and nutrient content. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing sweet cherry production practices globally.

Rapid measurement of soluble xylo-oligomers using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and multivariate statistics: calibration model development and practical approaches to model optimization

BackgroundRapid monitoring of biomass conversion processes using techniques such as near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy can be substantially quicker and less labor-, resource-, and energy-intensive than conventional measurement techniques such as gas or liquid chromatography (GC or LC) due to the lack of solvents and preparation methods, as well as removing the need to transfer samples to an external lab for analytical evaluation. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of rapid monitoring of a biomass conversion process using NIR spectroscopy combined with multivariate statistical modeling, and to examine the impact of (1) subsetting the samples in the original dataset by process location and (2) reducing the spectral range used in the calibration model on model performance.ResultsWe develop multivariate calibration models for the concentrations of soluble xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), monomeric xylose, and total solids at multiple points in a biomass conversion process which produces and then purifies XOS compounds from sugar cane bagasse. A single model using samples from multiple locations in the process stream showed acceptable performance as measured by standard statistical measures. However, compared to the single model, we show that separate models built by segregating the calibration samples according to process location show improved performance. We also show that combining an understanding of the sample spectra with simple multivariate analysis tools can result in a calibration model with a substantially smaller spectral range that provides essentially equal performance to the full-range model.ConclusionsWe demonstrate that real-time monitoring of soluble xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), monomeric xylose, and total solids concentration at multiple points in a process stream using NIR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate statistics is feasible. Segregation of sample populations by process location improves model performance. Models using a reduced spectral range containing the most relevant spectral signatures show very similar performance to the full-range model, reinforcing the importance of performing robust exploratory data analysis before beginning multivariate modeling.

Antibacterial rice protein nanoparticles with a high curcumin loading for fruit preservation

Curcumin (Cur) exhibits potential as a food preservative because of its natural antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, its practical application is challenging due to poor water solubility and physicochemical instability. In this study, we prepared Cur-loaded protein nanoparticles (RCs) with a high loading capacity. The water-dispersible nanoparticles (10–30 nm) enclosing Cur with a loading capacity of up to 302 mg/g protein were formed by neutralizing rice proteins (RPs) from alkali-unfolded RPs utilizing cation exchange resin in the presence of Cur. Compared to free Cur, RCs improved the heat-stability and photo-stability of Cur by 26.7% and 23.2%, respectively. The RCs demonstrated significantly higher antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) compared to free Cur, with inhibition rates exceeding 94.45% and 91.00%, respectively. Additionally, RCs exhibited superior antioxidant activities across multiple assays, with RCs5 showing increases of 122.22% (DPPH), 64.99% (ABTS), and 94.72% (FRAP) compared to free curcumin. RCs significantly preserved freshly-cut apples, with the RCs5 group showing the lowest bacterial count (1.46 log CFU/g) and the highest total soluble solid content (10.45%) after 7 days of storage. RCs also reduced weight loss to 34.35% of the control and effectively minimized browning by at least 5.83% compared to the control group. These findings highlight the potential use of RCs to improve the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of encapsulated phytochemicals, which may have numerous applications in, for example, food preservations.

Camembert-Type Cheese with Sweet Buttermilk: The Determination of Quality Properties and Microstructure.

Camembert is a type of surface-mold-ripened soft cheese traditionally produced from cow's milk. Buttermilk, a by-product of butter production with beneficial nutritional and technological properties, is increasingly being used in various applications, including cheesemaking. Therefore, this study aimed to use sweet buttermilk (BM) in combination with milk at concentrations of 10% (w/w) (BM10) and 20% (w/w) (BM20) for the production of Camembert-type cheese. A control cheese made entirely from milk was also produced. The cheese samples underwent a 28-day ripening process during which their composition, acidity, water activity, color, and sensory properties were examined at 1-week intervals. The microstructure of the matured Camembert-type cheese samples was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their texture was evaluated. The production yield of BM20 cheese (18.03 ± 0.29 kg/100 kg) was lower (p < 0.05) than that of the control (19.92 ± 0.23 kg/100 kg), with BM10 showing the distinctly lowest yield (14.74 ± 0.35 kg/100 kg). The total solid and fat content of BM Camembert-type cheese samples was lower than the control. However, the total protein content in cheese BM20 at the end of the ripening period was the same as that of the control. The changes in acidity in all samples were typical for Camembert cheese, and water activity was high (above 0.92). The sensory properties of all samples were characteristic of the cheese type, while the color of BM cheese samples differed from the control. The microstructure of BM10 and BM20 cheese variants was similar, namely homogenous and less porous compared to the control. In terms of texture, the BM samples had significantly lower hardness, adhesiveness, and gumminess. This study indicates that sweet BM, particularly at a concentration of 20%, may be effectively used in the production of Camembert-type cheese.

The use of mare's milk for yogurt ice cream and synbiotic ice cream production.

During the last years, growing interest in the use of mare's milk in food production is observed. The subject of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of mare's milk for the production of yogurt ice cream and synbiotic ice cream. Four variants of mare's milk ice cream were developed: ice cream with yogurt bacteria without inulin (YO) and with 2% of inulin (YO+I), synbiotic ice cream with 2% inulin and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LCR+I) and with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP+I). Ice creams were enriched with inulin in order to evaluate its influence on the viability of LAB and on the product quality. Physicochemical, textural and sensory analyses were performed. Count of viable bacteria cells was also evaluated. Obtained ice creams did not differ in terms of protein, fat and total solids content (1.85-1.91%, 7.33-7.58% and 24.66-26.96% respectively), but differed in acidity. Ice cream YO, the only one without inulin, had the highest acidity, what suggests that inulin decrease this parameter. Regardless the type of LAB starter culture and inulin addition, samples had the same range of overrun (35.20-44.03%) and melting rate (73.49-79.87%). However the variant of ice cream influenced textural properties and colour parameters. All obtained mare's milk ice creams had high overall sensory quality. It was noticed, that ice cream with inulin had higher count of LAB (>7logCFU/g), than sample without inulin (>6logCFU/g). In conclusion, mare's milk may be considered as feasible raw material for yogurt ice cream and synbiotic ice cream production.

An Overview: Specificities and Novelties of the Cheeses of the Eastern Mediterranean

The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the specificities (milk characteristics, production process, ripening biochemistry, composition, and sensory properties) and novelties of the world-famous traditional cheeses of the Eastern Mediterranean (EM). The EM area is remarkably heterogeneous (11 countries—Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia) in terms of cheese production, but there are some common features that can be associated with EM which are connected to the difficult geoclimaticconditions (hilly terrain and hot summers). Cheesemakers resort to some preservation methods, such as high salt content (in white-brined cheeses), high total solids content (in hard cheeses), the use of hot water in the treatment of the curd (in pasta filata cheeses), the addition of some local herbs with antimicrobial properties, and the use of animal skin sacks for cheese ripening. Due to the high proportion of whey as a by-product, whey is traditionally used in EM for the production of whey cheeses. Preserving the production of traditional EM cheeses is critical to maintaining their cultural significance and meeting the demand of consumers interested in the provenance, craftsmanship, and nutritional value of these unique products.

Total Soluble Solid Content and Nutritional Values of Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum) in the Chihuahuan Desert as Affected by Rainy Season and Topography

Total Soluble Solid Content and Nutritional Values of Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum) in the Chihuahuan Desert as Affected by Rainy Season and Topography

Physicochemical and sensory properties of vegan ice cream using upcycled Aquasoya powder

SummaryAquasoya (AS) powder arouses great interest as a cost‐effective vegan ingredient. In our study, AS was used to develop vegan ice cream products. Different total solid content (TSC) (31%, 33%, 35%, 37%, and 39% w/w) of ice cream mix was changed by the addition of AS powder. pH, emulsion properties, brix, colour, viscosity, overrun, melting properties, texture profile analysis (TPA), and sensory evaluations were investigated. The pH of each AS (31%, 33%, 35%, 37%, 39%) ice cream mix sample was 5.70–5.81, with no significant variance in AS content. Notably, the 39% AS led to higher Brix and viscosity scores. Moreover, the highest overrun in AS ice cream was observed in the sample containing 39% TSC. In contrast, the 31%, 33%, and 35% samples exhibited lower viscosities. However, the 37% and 39% samples displayed higher viscosities, leading to a longer‐lasting appearance. Regarding sensory evaluation, the 39% sample received the highest ratings for overall taste intensity, colour, smell, bean smell, flavour, taste, astringency, and bitterness. However, it scored the lowest for sweetness, softness, and melting degree. Generally, a higher AS content corresponds to stronger overall characteristics. Additionally, acceptance evaluations showed that panels tended to favour ice cream with lower AS content. All these findings suggest that AS ice cream could be potentially developed using vegan ingredients, offering enhanced nutritional and sensory attributes while serving as an effective emulsifier.

Impact of harvest time on cold storage performance in Kiwifruit

In the present study the fruits of the cultivar 'Hayward' kiwifruit were harvested at a total soluble solid content of 5–6 % (Harvest I, H1), 6.1–7.0 % (Harvest II, H2), 7.1–8.0 % (Harvest III, H3) and 8.1–9.0 % (Harvest IV, H4) and stored at 0±1°C temperature and 85–90 % relative humidity (RH) conditions for 6 months. Changes in fruit flesh color, flesh firmness, soluble solids content (%), titratable acidity (TA), individual sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose), ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP), total phenolic content, weight loss and marketable fruit were observed at one month intervals. In kiwifruits, an increase was observed in health benefit compounds such as ascorbic acid and total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity by progressing of harvest times. However, early (H1) and late (H4) harvest times led to faster loss in fruit firmness, significant loss in titratable acidity and soluble solid content, higher weight loss rates in fruit. The results show that the second and third harvest times, when the soluble solids content of the fruit is 6.1–7.0 % (H2) and 7.1–8.0 %(H3), seem to be optimum in terms of quality preservation for 'Hayward' kiwis grown in the Black Sea Coast and provides health benefits with a higher marketable fruit rate after 180 days of cold storage. Finally, there was a positive correlation between SCC and sucrose, glucose, fructose. There was a negative relationship between fruit SSC and flesh firmness, TA, L*, C*, h° after 6 months of storage. And also there was a negative correlation between weight loss and marketable product quantity, fruit flesh firmness.

Nanoselenium foliar application boosts antioxidant capacity and soluble solids in kiwifruit

Nanoselenium is an important pleiotropic and non-toxic signaling molecule with multiple roles in regulating plant responses to environmental stresses. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of nanoselenium on the soluble solids content and antioxidant capacity of kiwifruit. The effects of nanoselenium on kiwifruit's antioxidant capacity and soluble solids content were investigated by foliar spraying at different concentrations during a two-year field trial. We demonstrated that nanoselenium (15 mg/L) was the most effective treatment strategy, resulting in increased total soluble solids content (34.9%), as well as increased selenium (0.025 mg/kg), superoxide dismutase (25.9%), peroxidase (22.5%) and catalase (29.5%) content in kiwifruit. In addition, nanoselenium treatment activated the signal transduction and galactose pathways of the plant and increased the expression of genes related to secondary metabolism. These changes led to higher antioxidant and sugar levels, enhancing the taste of the selenium-enriched kiwifruit. This study established a nanoselenium agricultural strategy to improve kiwifruit's value and functionality.

Development and characterization of innovative bio-based edible films supplemented with cell-free supernatant and whole-cell postbiotic of Lactobacillus gasseri

More recently, the concepts of cell-free supernatants (CFS, so-called postbiotics) and whole-cell postbiotics (WCP) of probiotics have gained increasing attention for the development of bio-based films. However, reports on CFS and WCP of Lactobacillus gasseri remain scarce. In this study, pea protein isolate/psyllium mucilage was incorporated with CFS and WCP of L. gasseri to produce bio-based edible films. pH, total soluble solid content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, antimicrobial activity, and structural analyses were conducted to characterize the CFS and WCP of L. gasseri. Furthermore, the effects of CFS (10% and 20%, v/v) and WCP (10% and 20%, v/v) on the physicochemical, mechanical, barrier, optical, microstructural, and antimicrobial properties of the bio-based films were investigated. The results showed that CFS and WCP exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial activities and were significant sources of phenolic compounds. The incorporation of 20% WCP caused a significant increase in the thickness and water vapor permeability of films, while a significant increase in moisture content was observed with 10% WCP. The control and 10% WCP films had the highest tensile strength values. Furthermore, the addition of 10% WCP resulted in a significant increase in elasticity. Films incorporating CFS and WCP exhibited lower opacity values and darker, yellow, and red color intensities. The addition of CFS and WCP caused a rough texture and cracked structure on the surface of the film. In conclusion, pea protein/psyllium mucilage-based films containing CFS and WCP of L. gasseri can be considered as a new alternative for environmentally friendly bio-based films.

Counteracting Grey Mould (Botrytis cinerea) in Grapevine 'Glera' Using Three Putative Biological Control Agent Strains (Paraburkholderia sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Acinetobacter sp.): Impact on Symptoms, Yield, and Gene Expression.

This study examined the potential use of three bacterial strains-Paraburkholderia sp. strain CRV74, Pseudomonas sp. strain CRV21, and Acinetobacter sp. strain CRV19-as biocontrol agents of Botrytis cinerea in grapevine. These strains were selected for their ability to inhibit B. cinerea growth in vitro and used in field conditions for the control of grey mould symptoms in 'Glera' grapes. To this end, after inoculating these microorganisms onto plants sprayed with B. cinerea spores, the final yield, the physicochemical characteristics of the must, disease incidence, and the possible influence on the expression of plant-defence proteins were evaluated. Strain CRV21 resulted as being the most effective in combating grey mould (-20% of disease incidence). Although yield was not affected, significantly different values of total soluble solids content was observed. Additionally, a significant up-regulation of the genes PR-1, PR-5, β-1,3-glucanase, and class III chitinase was observed. These findings highlight the potential application of strains with anti-botrytis activity as sustainable alternatives to chemical defence for the control of this pathogen.

Pelletized Straw for Biogas Production—Substrate Characterization and Methane Formation Potential

The use of agricultural residues in biogas plants is becoming increasingly important, as they represent an efficient and sustainable substrate alternative. Pelletizing straw can have positive effects on transportation, handling, and biogas production. In this study, different grain straw pellets from mobile and stationary pelleting plants in Germany as well as the corresponding untreated straw were characterized and investigated for their suitability for anaerobic digestion (AD). Therefore, tests on the biochemical methane potential (BMP) and the chemical–physical characterization of unpelletized straw and straw pellets were carried out. The characterization of the pellets and the straw revealed a high average total solid content of 91.8% for the industrially produced straw pellets and of 90.8% for the straw. The particle size distribution within the tested pellet samples varied greatly depending on the pelleting process and the pre-treatment of the straw. In addition, a high C/N ratio of 91:1 on average was determined for the straw pellets, whereas the average higher heating value (HHV) content of the pellets was 17.58 MJ kg−1. In the BMP tests, the methane production yields ranged from 260–319 normal liter (NL) CH4 kg−1 volatile solids (VS) for the straw pellets and between 262 and 289 NL CH4 kg−1 VS for the unpelletized straw. Overall, pelleting increases the methane yield on average from 274 to 286 NL CH4 kg−1 VS, which corresponds to an increase in methane yield of 4.3%. Based on the results, the feasibility of using straw pellets for AD could be confirmed, which can facilitate the possibility of increased biogas production from agricultural residues such as straw pellets and thus make the substrate supply more sustainable.

Comparative evaluation of high solids anaerobic digestion of rice husk and rice straw: Impact of substrate characteristics and solids concentration on biogas yield and digestate quality

Open burning of crop residues in agricultural fields causes soil infertility and contributes to global warming. Solid-state or dry anaerobic digestion (AD) is an emerging process for converting high solids (90 ̶ 95%) biomass such as rice husk (RH) and rice straw (RS) into energy and resources without the need for large volmes of water. This paper describes laboratory experiments investigating the dry AD of RH and RS across a range of total solids (TS) concentrations from 20 to 60%. Conducted in 500 mL bioreactors under batch mode at mesophilic temperatures, the experiments had a batch retention time of 45 days. An increase in the F/I ratio from 8.37 to 25.01 correlated with a rise in biogas generation from 2.9 to 4.6 L in RH reactors. The highest biogas yield from RS (0.49 L/g VS) and RH (0.17 L/g VS) was obtained at 20 and 50% TS, respectively. From the mass balance, 68.7 g of biomanure and 4.6 g of biogas were produced from the 50H reactor, while the 20S reactor yielded 20.9 g of biomanure and 8.4 g of biogas. From the modified Gompertz model a shorter lag phase of 1.9 days was observed in reactor 50H compared to the 4.6 days observed in reactor 20S. HIGHLIGHTS Dry AD of rice straw and husk at variable total solids (20–60% TS) Maximum biogas yield of 0.49 L/g VSreduced was observed at 20% TS from rice straw Maximum biogas yield of 0.17 L/g VSreduced was observed at 50% TS from rice husk Rice husk yielded concentrated digestate than rice straw with good nutrient quality Shorter lag phase was observed for 20S and 50H reactors

Characterization of solid wastes from sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) in intensive culture

Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) is a Pacific marine species that adapts well to aquaculture, grows extremely fast, and command a high market price. Because of environmental and regulatory concerns, increased production of this species is likely to occur in land-based systems. Little is known about the waste production characteristics of sablefish, information that will have a critical impact on the design of aeration, solid removal, and biofilter design for this species. It was found that the concentration of total suspended solids (TSS) in the effluent was extremely low and the mean TSS ranged from 0.9 to 1.7 mg/L. Compared to other important culture fish, sablefish produce significantly less fecal solids (5.2–7.9 % based on feed inputs) and less of their solids settled out (57.3–65.8 % of total suspended solids). TSS production following feeding of a special feed for reuse systems was significantly higher (51.9 %) compared to fish fed a conventional diet. The reduced production of TSS by sablefish is due to higher apparent digestibility coefficients and possible production of wastes that are not retained on the standard filter used for TSS analysis. Additional rinsing of the filters to remove salt and the use of large sampling volumes can significantly improve the accuracy of TSS analysis for marine culture species.

Sustainable apple juice concentration: A fusion of pasteurization and membrane distillation

Apple juice concentrate offers significant advantages in terms of transportation and storage. However, the conventional concentration method is known for its high energy consumption and has been observed to negatively affect the quality of the apple juice. This study investigated an efficient and sustainable process combining pasteurization and membrane distillation (MD) for apple juice concentration. The effects of operational conditions on flux, membrane fouling control, product quality and energy consumption were evaluated. When a single MD was used as a pre-concentration method, apple juice could be concentrated by more than 3.65 times. The final product with a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 60 °Brix after VE re-concentration has better quality, especially in terms of acidity and total phenols content. The flux recovery rate of hydraulic washing can reach more than 96 %. The MD pre-concentration process used uncooled pasteurized apple juice as the feed reduced the energy consumption by 60.6 % compared with thermal concentration.

Thermal pretreatment of swine waste to improve biodegradability in the anaerobic digestion process. Effect on the physicochemical characteristics of the substrate

In anaerobic digestion (AD) processes, hydrolysis is considered the limiting stage in the degradation of solid wastes. Such is the case of swine manure digestion, which due to the complex physical and chemical structure of the lignocellulosic material that composes it, an energy wastage has been observed in terms of methane production. Among the strategies used to improve the hydrolysis stage, it is possible to mention the thermal pretreatment of the substrate, which can significantly improve the biodegradability of the material used as raw material in AD. In this study, the effect of temperature (60–177 °C) and exposure time (30–60 min) on the physicochemical properties of the substrate such as pH, volatile organic acids (VOAs), total inorganic carbonates (TIC), volatile solids (SV), total solids (ST), soluble chemical oxygen demand (CODs) and biochemical methane potential (BMP) were determined. The temperature factor had a higher level of significance compared to the exposure time on the parameters of pH, VOAs, and TIC before and after the biogas generation process. However, the effect was different for CODs, where time was more significant than treatment temperature. As for the parameters of total and volatile solids content (ST and SV), the factors evaluated (temperature and exposure time) did not show significant effect. Also, the pretreatments showed an increase in biochemical methane potential, outperforming the untreated substrate by up to 70.4 % (121.74vs.71.44 mLCH4 gVS-1). The best combination of heating temperature and operating time was 120 °C and 45 min, which promoted the hydrolysis step that was reflected in an increase in CODs and improvement in methane production by 42 % over the untreated substrate

Use of crude glycerin in dairy goat feeding and its effects on milk and cheese performance and quality

This study aimed to assess the impact of stepwise dietary inclusion of crude glycerin (CG) on the productive traits of dairy goats and the quality of their milk and cheese. Sixteen Saanen goats, averaging 55 ± 6 kg live weight and 45 days in milk, were allocated into four simultaneous Latin squares (4×4) and fed on diets containing 0 (control), 50, 100, and 150 g/kg of CG in the dry matter (DM). A linear decrease (P < 0.05) was observed in DM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and non-fibrous carbohydrates intake with increasing CG levels in the diet, with a significant reduction (P < 0.05) noted at 100 and 150 g/kg of CG. Additionally, CP digestibility, nitrogen balance, and plasma urea nitrogen decreased (P < 0.05) with CG inclusion. Milk yield corrected for 3.5 % fat, total solids content, and total fatty acid (FA) amounts in goat milk decreased (P < 0.05) with 100 and 150 g/kg of CG. Furthermore, inclusion of 150 g/kg of CG decreased (P < 0.05) fat content in "coalho" cheese, although cheeses from goats fed up to 50 g/kg of CG showed superior (P < 0.05) appearance, global impression, and purchase intention. The CG inclusion increased (P < 0.05) short and odd-chain FA contents while decreasing (P < 0.05) long-chain and polyunsaturated FA levels in goat milk. Overall, we recommend incorporating up to 50 g/kg of CG in dairy goat diets as it does not affect milk and "coalho" cheese performance and quality.

Effects of Ripening Phase and Cultivar under Sustainable Management on Fruit Quality and Antioxidants of Sweet Cherry

Sweet cherry grown under sustainable management produces highly valuable fruits, whose quality shows important biochemical and morphological changes during ripening. Research was carried out in Iasi (Romania), with the aim to assess the quality characteristics of the sweet cherry fruits of three cultivars (Van, Andreiaș, Margonia), grown in an inner or outer position inside the tree crown, at the pre-ripening or full ripeness phase. In 2022, the colour component a* showed higher values in cv. Van and Andreias red fruits and in an inner position, whereas the components L* and b* at the full ripeness phase were highest in cv. Margonia. The dry matter and total soluble solids contents increased from the pre-ripening to the full ripeness phase and were highest in cv. Van sweet cherry fruits; the DM of fruit from the outer part of crown was higher than that of fruit from the inner part at the pre-ripening phase. The content of phenolics was the highest in cv. Margonia fruits at the pre-ripening stage and in cv. Van at the full ripeness phase and higher in the inner tree crown zones. The cultivar Margonia generally showed the highest vitamin C content in both years and development phases. The yellow fruit cv. Margonia mostly showed the highest values of chlorophyll a and b. The fruit’s content of carotene, lycopene, and anthocyanins was generally the highest in the red fruits of cv. Andreias. The examined sweet cherry cultivars showed a high variability in fruit nutritional quality and proved to be a rich source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential.