Research

10 pages, 1038 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Rootstock on the Volatile Profile of Mandarins

by María Ángeles Forner-Giner, Paola Sánchez-Bravo, Francisca Hernández, Amparo Primo-Capella, Marina Cano-Lamadrid and Pilar Legua

Foods 2023, 12(8), 1599; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081599 - 10 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1247

Abstract

Mandarin production has increased in recent years, especially for fresh consumption, due to its ease of peeling, its aroma, and its content of bioactive compounds. In this sense, aromas play a fundamental role in the sensory quality of this fruit. The selection of [...] Read more.

Mandarin production has increased in recent years, especially for fresh consumption, due to its ease of peeling, its aroma, and its content of bioactive compounds. In this sense, aromas play a fundamental role in the sensory quality of this fruit. The selection of the appropriate rootstock is crucial for the success of the crop and its quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the influence of 9 rootstocks (“Carrizo citrange”, “Swingle citrumelo CPB 4475”, “Macrophylla”, “Volkameriana”, “Forner-Alcaide 5”, “Forner-Alcaide V17”, “C-35”, “Forner-Alcaide 418”, and “Forner-Alcaide 517”) on the volatile composition of “Clemenules” mandarin. For this, the volatile compounds of mandarin juice were measured using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction in a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Seventy-one volatile compounds were identified in the analyzed samples, with limonene being the main compound. The results obtained showed that the rootstock used in the cultivation of mandarins affects the volatile content of the juice, with “Carrizo citrange”, “Forner-Alcaide 5”, “Forner-Alcaide 418”, and “Forner-Alcaide 517” being those that presented the highest concentration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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11 pages, 2322 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in the Fruit Quality, Phenolic Compounds, and Antioxidant Potential of Red-Fleshed Kiwifruit during Postharvest Ripening

by Yi Chen, Xiaomin Hu, Qingke Shi, Yue Lu, Jing Yan, Ding-Tao Wu and Wen Qin

Foods 2023, 12(7), 1509; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071509 - 03 Apr 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1485

Abstract

Kiwifruit is very popular for its unique flavor and nutritional value, and for its potential health benefits, which are closely related to its richness in a variety of natural antioxidant substances, in which polyphenolics play a non-negligible role. This study investigated changes in [...] Read more.

Kiwifruit is very popular for its unique flavor and nutritional value, and for its potential health benefits, which are closely related to its richness in a variety of natural antioxidant substances, in which polyphenolics play a non-negligible role. This study investigated changes in the fruit quality, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant potential of Chinese red-fleshed kiwifruit “Hongshi No. 2” during postharvest ripening at room temperature (20 ± 1 °C). Results showed that the weight loss rate slowly increased, the firmness rapidly decreased, and the soluble solid concentration gradually increased during the postharvest ripening of red-flesh kiwifruit. In addition, the total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), and total proanthocyanidin (TPAC) contents gradually increased during postharvest ripening. The most abundant phenolic compounds in kiwifruit throughout postharvest ripening were catechin (CC), proanthocyanidin B1 (PB1), and proanthocyanidin B2 (PB2). Furthermore, the methanolic extracts of red-flesh kiwifruit exhibited remarkable antioxidant activities throughout postharvest ripening stages. Indeed, some phenolic compounds showed good correlations with antioxidant activities; for instance, chlorogenic acid (CHL) showed a significantly positive correlation with ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and isoquercitrin (IS) showed a significantly negative correlation with DPPH free radical scavenging ability. The findings from this study are beneficial to better understanding the quality profile of red-flesh kiwifruit “Hongshi No. 2” during postharvest ripening. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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15 pages, 1342 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Stability Kinetics of Anthocyanins of Grumixama Berries (Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.) during Thermal and Light Treatments

by Elivaldo Nunes Modesto Junior, Mayara Galvão Martins, Gustavo Araujo Pereira, Renan Campos Chisté and Rosinelson da Silva Pena

Foods 2023, 12(3), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030565 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1741

Abstract

Grumixama (Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.) are red-colored fruits due to the presence of anthocyanins. In this paper, anthocyanin-rich extracts from grumixama were submitted to different temperatures and light irradiations, with the aim of investigating their stabilities. The thermal stability data indicated that a [...] Read more.

Grumixama (Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.) are red-colored fruits due to the presence of anthocyanins. In this paper, anthocyanin-rich extracts from grumixama were submitted to different temperatures and light irradiations, with the aim of investigating their stabilities. The thermal stability data indicated that a temperature range from 60 to 80 °C was critical to the stability of the anthocyanins of the grumixama extracts, with a temperature quotient value (Q₁₀) of 2.8 and activation energy (E_a) of 52.7 kJ/mol. The anthocyanin-rich extracts of grumixama fruits showed the highest stability during exposure to incandescent irradiation (50 W), followed by fluorescent radiation (10 W). The t_1/2 and k were 59.6 h and 0.012 h⁻¹ for incandescent light, and 45.6 h and 0.015 h⁻¹ for fluorescent light. In turn, UV irradiation (25 W) quickly degraded the anthocyanins (t_1/2 = 0.18 h and k = 3.74 h⁻¹). Therefore, grumixama fruits, and their derived products, should be handled carefully to avoid high temperature (>50 °C) and UV light exposure in order to protect the anthocyanins from degradation. Furthermore, grumixama fruits showed high contents of anthocyanins that can be explored as natural dyes; for example, by food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In addition, the results of this study may contribute to the setting of processing conditions and storage conditions for grumixama-derived fruit products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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26 pages, 3337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Juices and By-Products of Red-Fleshed Sweet Oranges: Assessment of Bioactive and Nutritional Compounds

by Jaime Zacarías-Garcia, Guiselle Carlos, José-Vicente Gil, José Luís Navarro, Lorenzo Zacarías and María-Jesús Rodrigo

Foods 2023, 12(2), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020400 - 14 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1802

Abstract

The content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity were assessed in the juices from two red-fleshed oranges, Cara Cara and Kirkwood, and compared with that of a standard Navel orange. Two juice extraction procedures, hand-squeezing and industrial, and two treatments, pasteurization [...] Read more.

The content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity were assessed in the juices from two red-fleshed oranges, Cara Cara and Kirkwood, and compared with that of a standard Navel orange. Two juice extraction procedures, hand-squeezing and industrial, and two treatments, pasteurization (85 °C/30 s) and high-pressure homogenization (HPH, 150 MPa/55 °C/1 min), were evaluated. For most of the nutrients and bioactive compounds, the hand and industrial juice squeezing rendered similar extraction efficiency. Individual composition of carotenoids in the juices were differentially affected by the extraction procedure and the treatments, but the red-fleshed orange juices contained between 3- to 6-times higher total carotenoids than the standard Navel juices, being phytoene and phytofluene the main carotenoids. The industrial and treated juices of both red-fleshed oranges contained 20–30% higher amounts of tocopherols but about 20% lower levels of vitamin C than Navel juices. Navel juices exhibited higher hydrophilic antioxidant capacity, while the red-fleshed orange juices showed an improved lipophilic antioxidant capacity. The main distinctive characteristic of the industrial juice by-product of the red-fleshed oranges was a higher content of carotenoids (×10) and singlet oxygen antioxidant capacity (×1.5–2) than the Navel by-product. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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14 pages, 1974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Assessment of Functional Components and Antioxidant Activities between Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis and H. tibetana Berries in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

by Tingting Su, Juan Wei, Jinmei Zhao, Yumei Jiang, Yang Bi and Galitsyn George

Foods 2023, 12(2), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020341 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2017

Abstract

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the main production area of Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis (Rha) and H. tibetana (Tib), but studies on the types and contents of soluble sugars, organic acids, free phenolics, bound phenolics, vitamin C (V_C), tocopherol (V_E) [...] Read more.

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the main production area of Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis (Rha) and H. tibetana (Tib), but studies on the types and contents of soluble sugars, organic acids, free phenolics, bound phenolics, vitamin C (V_C), tocopherol (V_E) and carotenoids of the two sea buckthorn berries from this region have not been reported. In this paper, we found that the soluble sugars in Rha and Tib were mainly glucose and fructose; Rha exhibited a higher content of total sugar and fructose compared to Tib. The organic acids were mainly quinic acid and malic acid; Rha exhibited a higher content of total acids and quinic acid, but lower tartaric acid and citric acid compared to Tib. Rha also possessed a higher total (free and bound) phenolic as well as total (free and bound) flavonoid content than those in Tib; twelve phenolic compounds were analyzed, among which flavonols were dominant. Catechin, isorhamnetin and quercetin were the main phenolic substances. V_C and V_E (γ-tocopherol (γ-V_E) and δ-tocopherol (δ-V_E)) were higher in Rha than Tib. The total carotenoid, lutein, β-carotene and lycopene content of Tib was remarkably higher than that in Rha. Moreover, both Rha and Tib showed good in vitro and cellular antioxidant activities, and Rha had a stronger antioxidant activity. Taken together, Rha had a higher antioxidant activity, which may be due to its higher content of phenolics, flavonoids, V_C and V_E. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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14 pages, 1473 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chinese Traditional Pear Paste: Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant Activities and Quality Evaluation

by Yunxiao Feng, Hong Cheng, Yudou Cheng, Jiangli Zhao, Jingang He, Nan Li, Jinxiao Wang and Junfeng Guan

Foods 2023, 12(1), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010187 - 01 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1770

Abstract

As a traditional folk medicine, pear paste has important nutritional and health effects. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of pear pastes prepared from 23 different cultivars were investigated, including color parameters ( L*, a*, b* and h°), transmittance, [...] Read more.

As a traditional folk medicine, pear paste has important nutritional and health effects. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of pear pastes prepared from 23 different cultivars were investigated, including color parameters ( L*, a*, b* and h°), transmittance, pH, titratable acidity (TA), soluble sugar content, total phenolics content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), DPPH and ^•OH radical scavenging activity (RSA), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). It was demonstrated that the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of pear pastes from various cultivars differed significantly. Pear cultivars of “Mantianhong”, “Xiangshui” and “Anli” possessing higher TPC and TFC exhibited excellent antioxidant activity determined by DPPH RSA, ^•OH RSA and FRAP, while the lowest TPC and TFC was observed for the cultivars of "Xueqing", "Nansui", "Hongxiangsu", and “Xinli No. 7”, which also demonstrated the poor antioxidant activity. Multivariate analyses, including factor and cluster analysis, were used for the quality evaluation and separation of pear pastes based on their physicochemical and antioxidant properties. Factor analysis reduced the above thirteen parameters to final four effective ones, i.e. DPPH RSA, color b*, FRAP and TA, and subsequently these four parameters were used to construct the comprehensive evaluation prediction model for evaluating the quality of pear pastes. The pear pastes could be separated into three clusters and differentiated for the diverse of pear cultivars via cluster analysis. Consistently, “Mantianhong”, “Xiangshui” and “Anli” pear with higher quality clustered into one group, in contrast, "Xueqing", "Nansui", "Hongxiangsu", and “Xinli No. 7” with lower quality clustered into the other group. It provided a theoretical method to evaluate the quality of pear paste and may help the fruit processing industry select the more suitable pear cultivars for pear paste making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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14 pages, 2579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing Volatile Compounds of Young and Mature Docynia delavayi Fruit by HS-SPME-GC-MS and rOAV

by Yun Wang, Yuheng He, Yun Liu and Dawei Wang

Foods 2023, 12(1), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010059 - 22 Dec 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2466

Abstract

This study focused on the examination of the volatile compounds and fragrance properties of the young and mature fruit of Docynia delavayi. Headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was applied for identifying 42 volatile compounds, with young and mature [...] Read more.

This study focused on the examination of the volatile compounds and fragrance properties of the young and mature fruit of Docynia delavayi. Headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was applied for identifying 42 volatile compounds, with young and mature fruit containing 36 and 42 compounds, respectively. Heat map cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and independent sample t-testing were used to analyze sample differences. Based on a variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1 and p < 0.05, 23 key volatile compounds such as octanal, geranylacetone, butyl acetate, and dihydro-β-ionone were screened. β-Ionone and phenethyl acetate made the largest contribution to the aroma of D. delavayi after analyzing the relative odor activity value (rOAV) of the key volatile compounds and their aroma descriptors. Young D. delavayi fruit exhibited a prominent woody scent, while mature D. delavayi fruit had more intense floral and rosy aromas. The findings may lay a foundation for comprehensively developing and utilizing D. delavayi fruit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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15 pages, 1756 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study on Grape Berry Anthocyanins of Various Teinturier Varieties

by László Kőrösi, Szilárd Molnár, Péter Teszlák, Ágnes Dörnyei, Erika Maul, Reinhard Töpfer, Tamás Marosvölgyi, Éva Szabó and Franco Röckel

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3668; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223668 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2549

Abstract

The red-fleshed grape cultivars, called teinturier or dyer grapes, contain anthocyanins in both the skin and flesh. These phenolic compounds exhibit excellent coloring ability, and as antioxidants, they are important bioactive compounds in food crops. In this work, anthocyanin patterns of grape berries [...] Read more.

The red-fleshed grape cultivars, called teinturier or dyer grapes, contain anthocyanins in both the skin and flesh. These phenolic compounds exhibit excellent coloring ability, and as antioxidants, they are important bioactive compounds in food crops. In this work, anthocyanin patterns of grape berries of fifteen teinturier varieties collected from the gene bank located at Pécs in the southwest of Hungary were compared. Anthocyanin profiles of numerous varieties originating from Hungary such as ‘Bíborkadarka’, ‘Kármin’, ‘Kurucvér’, and ‘Turán’ are reported for the first time. Anthocyanins extracted separately from the skin and juice were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. For the identification of compounds, high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry was used. All in all, twenty-one anthocyanins were identified and quantified. We found that anthocyanin patterns differed significantly in the skin and juice for all investigated cultivars. For Vitis vinifera varieties, the predominant anthocyanin in the skin was malvidin-3-O-glucoside, while the main pigment in the juice was peonidin-3-O-glucoside. For the first time, a significant amount of diglucosides was detected in two Vitis Vinifera cultivars with a direct relationship. In general, the pigment composition of the skin was much more complex than that of the juice. The comparative study with presented patterns gives valuable and beneficial information from a chemotaxonomical point of view. Our results also help to choose the appropriate teinturier varieties with the desired anthocyanins for food coloring or winemaking purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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18 pages, 12208 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Targeted Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal the Pigmentation Mechanism of Hippophae (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit

by Jialong Liang, Guoyun Zhang, Yating Song, Caiyun He and Jianguo Zhang

Foods 2022, 11(20), 3278; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11203278 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1471

Abstract

The genus Hippophae (sea buckthorn) is widely cultivated and consumed in Asia and Europe. The fruit color is an important appearance and commercial trait for sea buckthorn, which is closely related to the biosynthesis and accumulation of various nutrients and pigments. The fruit [...] Read more.

The genus Hippophae (sea buckthorn) is widely cultivated and consumed in Asia and Europe. The fruit color is an important appearance and commercial trait for sea buckthorn, which is closely related to the biosynthesis and accumulation of various nutrients and pigments. The fruit colors of sea buckthorn are varied, which appear as yellow, orange, red, and brown. However, the nutrients and pigments forming different the fruit colors of sea buckthorn remain unclear. To investigate the mechanism of pigmentation of sea buckthorn fruit, integrative analyses of the transcriptome and targeted metabolome, including the carotenoids, flavonoids, and chlorophylls, were performed in five sea buckthorn varieties with different fruit colors. A total of 209 flavonoids and 41 carotenoids were identified in five sea buckthorn fruits of different colors. The types and contents of flavonoids and carotenoids in the five sea buckthorn fruits were significantly different. Interestingly, we only found a high content of chlorophyll (772.7 mg/kg) in the sea buckthorn fruit with a brown color. The quantities and relative proportions of the flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophyll led to the different colors of the sea buckthorn fruits. Using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), the key genes related to the carotenoids and chlorophyll metabolism were identified. The high content of chlorophylls in the brown fruit was closely related to the downregulated expression of key genes in the chlorophyll degradation pathway, including SGR, SGRL, PPH, NYC1, and HCAR. Our results provide new insights into the roles of flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in the formation of fruit color in sea buckthorn. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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14 pages, 2423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Providing Insights into the Coloring Mechanism of Docynia delavayi

by Yuchang Wang, Yuyang Song and Dawei Wang

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2899; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182899 - 18 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1518

Abstract

The metabolome and transcriptome profiles of three different variations of mature Docynia delavayi fruit were synthesized to reveal their fruit color formation mechanism. A total of 787 secondary metabolites containing 149 flavonoid metabolites, most of which were flavonoids and flavonols, were identified in [...] Read more.

The metabolome and transcriptome profiles of three different variations of mature Docynia delavayi fruit were synthesized to reveal their fruit color formation mechanism. A total of 787 secondary metabolites containing 149 flavonoid metabolites, most of which were flavonoids and flavonols, were identified in the three variations using ultra performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and we found that the secondary metabolites cyanidin-3-O-galactoside and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside were the major coloring substances in D. delavayi. This was associated with the significant upregulation of the structural genes F3H and F3′H in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway and the control genes WRKY, MYB, bZIP, bHLH, and NAC in RP. F3′H expression may play a significant role in the selection of components for anthocyanin synthesis. Our results contribute to breeding and nutritional research in D. delavayi and provide insight into metabolite studies of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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13 pages, 1809 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Fruit Sorbet Matrices with Added Value from Zizyphus jujuba and Stevia rebaudiana

by Teodora Petkova, Pavlina Doykina, Iordanka Alexieva, Dasha Mihaylova and Aneta Popova

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2748; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182748 - 07 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2081

Abstract

Sorbets are healthy ice cream alternatives and desired frozen desserts by vegetarians and vegans. This study focuses on assessing the effects of sorbet recipe alteration through the addition of different percentages of Zizyphus jujuba powder. Stevia rebaudiana was used as a sugar substituent. [...] Read more.

Sorbets are healthy ice cream alternatives and desired frozen desserts by vegetarians and vegans. This study focuses on assessing the effects of sorbet recipe alteration through the addition of different percentages of Zizyphus jujuba powder. Stevia rebaudiana was used as a sugar substituent. A control sample and five variables were developed. Peaches from the “Laskava” (native Bulgarian) variety were used as the main ingredient. The new sorbet matrices were characterized based on their moisture and ash content, overrun, melting behavior, melting rate, water holding capacity, pH, nutritional data, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, vitamin C content, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The microbial load and CIELAB color of the sorbet alternatives was also evaluated. A sensory evaluation revealed the most preferred variant. Panelists evaluated the appearance (n = 6), aroma (n = 5), flavor (n = 5), mouthfeel (n = 7), and aftertaste (n = 5). The soluble solids content varied from 17.50 to 33.03%, the ash content from 0.36 to 5.21%, the moisture content from 63.77 to 80.21%. The studied sorbet matrices have an overrun in the range from 8.11 to 12.32%. Results showed that a potential for the development of peach sorbet matrices with added value and a reasonable consumer acceptability exists. Further research can perfect the recipe and provide a reference for other frozen desserts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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13 pages, 313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioactive Compounds and In Vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Cambuci and Uvaia: An Extensive Description of Little-Known Fruits from the Myrtaceae Family with High Consumption Potential

by Isabela Barroso Taver, Poliana Cristina Spricigo, Horst Bremer Neto, Severino Matias de Alencar, Adna Prado Massarioli and Angelo Pedro Jacomino

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2612; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172612 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1699

Abstract

Cambuci (Campomanesia phaea O. Berg Landrum) and uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Cambess), both native Atlantic Rainforest fruits, are noteworthy for being rich in bioactive compounds and their significant antioxidant capacity. Despite the numerous known edible fruits in the world, consumption by humans [...] Read more.

Cambuci (Campomanesia phaea O. Berg Landrum) and uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Cambess), both native Atlantic Rainforest fruits, are noteworthy for being rich in bioactive compounds and their significant antioxidant capacity. Despite the numerous known edible fruits in the world, consumption by humans is most often restricted to a few dozen of them. Such behavior occurs, among other reasons, due to the lack of knowledge about fruits not yet commercialized on a large scale. This study quantified the bioactive compound content (total phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid in cambucis and uvaias; proanthocyanidins in cambucis, and total carotenoid profile and individual carotenoids for grapes) and antioxidant capacity of the edible parts (peel and pulp) of cambuci and uvaia accessions, using three methods (ABTS•+, ROO• radical scavenging and HOCl elimination). Cambuci contained higher phenolic compound levels and displayed higher antioxidant capacity determined by the ABTS•+ and ROO• radical scavenging methods than uvaia (139 and 119 mg 100 g⁻¹ of GAE, 10.5 and 7.73 μmol g⁻¹ of TE; 9.17 and 5.92 μmol g⁻¹ of TE, respectively). Vitamin C content and the antioxidant capacity determined by the HOCl elimination method were about 1.5- and 6-fold higher in uvaia compared to cambuci, with the latter being a first-time report for uvaia. Both fruits contained higher levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity than other commonly consumed fruits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

16 pages, 1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physico-Chemical Attributes of Lemon Fruits as Affected by Growing Substrate and Rootstock

by Juan José Martínez-Nicolas, Dámaris Núñez-Gómez, Vicente Lidón, Rafael Martínez-Font, Pablo Melgarejo, Francisca Hernández and Pilar Legua

Foods 2022, 11(16), 2487; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11162487 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2981

Abstract

Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the lemon is considered one of the most relevant species around the world. Its great economic importance is motivated, in addition to its fresh consumption, by its applications in the medical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, [...] Read more.

Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the lemon is considered one of the most relevant species around the world. Its great economic importance is motivated, in addition to its fresh consumption, by its applications in the medical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, etc. However, the chemical and nutritional composition of lemon is not constant and can be influenced by external factors such as variety, weather conditions, crop management, etc. Determining the compositional variations of the fruit, essential to defining its potential use, was the main objective of this study. The physicochemical characteristics of the ‘Verna’ lemon were studied as a function of two controlled variables, the growing substrate and the rootstock. For this, 90 lemon trees were cultivated in three rootstocks and three different culture media. Lemon trees cultivated with 50% sediment/peat mix substrate presented a higher total production (590 lemons and 90.53 kg) while this production was 80% lower on trees cultivated with 75% marine sediment. Citrus macrophylla and Citrus aurantium/Citrus sinensis rootstocks showed a significantly higher production than the Citrus aurantium. All the fruits presented a predominantly yellow color appropriate for the market (0 < CI < +5). Nutritional and chemical parameters were consistent with data reported for the ‘Verna’ clones. All the obtained lemons were suitable for marketing and consumption both in fresh and processed forms. The results indicated the limited influence that the studied variables have on the quality parameters of lemon fruits, but they also could confirm the potential of marine sediment as a culture substrate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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11 pages, 1426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Sweeteners (Sucrose, Sucralose, and Stevia) on Bioactive Compounds in a Model System Study for Citrus–Maqui Beverages

by Francisco J. Salar, Vicente Agulló, Raúl Domínguez-Perles and Cristina García-Viguera

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2266; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152266 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2120

Abstract

Recently, new formulations of beverages with low sugar and high bioactive compound contents are being demanded because of their association with metabolic health. However, the sweeteners’ influences on the bioactive compounds remain underexplored. In this sense, this work aims to evaluate the interactions [...] Read more.

Recently, new formulations of beverages with low sugar and high bioactive compound contents are being demanded because of their association with metabolic health. However, the sweeteners’ influences on the bioactive compounds remain underexplored. In this sense, this work aims to evaluate the interactions between different bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, vitamin C, and sweeteners (sucrose, stevia, and sucralose) in a functional citrus–maqui beverage. For this purpose, the phytochemical behavior was studied, in model system solutions, during one-month storage at 4 °C. The results obtained corroborated previous descriptions of the interactions between these compounds. However, when studying the bioactives in the model solutions, the loss of flavanones in the citrus solution increased up to 29%, while anthocyanin losses decreased to 27%. The vitamin C losses ranged from 100% (beverage) to 46% (ascorbic acid solution). Regardless, an influence of the sweeteners was observed. Sucrose reduced the anthocyanin and flavanone losses in both model solutions and the beverage, while sucralose increased flavanone loss. Finally, all sweeteners increased vitamin C degradation (up to 75%) when compared to the model solution. In conclusion, sweeteners added to beverages should be taken into account, depending on the bioactive compounds that should be preserved during storage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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16 pages, 5701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beneficial Effects of Sodium Nitroprusside on the Aroma, Flavors, and Anthocyanin Accumulation in Blood Orange Fruits

by Zhong-Wei Zhang, Han Liu, Hao Li, Xin-Yue Yang, Yu-Fan Fu, Qi Kang, Chang-Quan Wang, Ming Yuan, Yang-Er Chen and Shu Yuan

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2218; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152218 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1890

Abstract

The quality of Tarocco blood orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck), which has been cultivated for many years, has degraded substantially. Decreased sugar content, decreased blood color, and increased sour flavor have developed as a result. To improve fruit quality, we studied the [...] Read more.

The quality of Tarocco blood orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck), which has been cultivated for many years, has degraded substantially. Decreased sugar content, decreased blood color, and increased sour flavor have developed as a result. To improve fruit quality, we studied the effects of bagging and sodium nitroprusside, as a nitric oxide (NO) donor, on the fruit quality of Tarocco blood orange two months before picking. The results showed that NO treatment effectively improved the content of total soluble solids and limonene in the fruit, as well as the color and hardness of the fruit, but reduced the tannin content. It also increased the contents of soluble sugar, fructose, sucrose, vitamin C, amino acids, and mineral elements. NO treatment inhibited the activities of polygalacturonase and pectin esterase, delayed the degradation of protopectin, and promoted the accumulation of anthocyanins, total flavonoids, and flavonoids synthesis. Thus, NO treatment improved the aroma, flavors, and physical properties of blood orange fruit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruits and Fruit-Based Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds)

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