Kinetic modelling of the degradation of quality of osmo-dehydrofrozen tomatoes during storage

Tomato slices were submitted to osmotic pretreatment in a high DE maltodextrin syrup and were subsequently frozen. The objective was to evaluate the quality stabilisation of the osmo-dehydrofrozen samples during their frozen storage over a wide temperature range from −5 to −20 °C. Colour change, total lycopene content and vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) loss were kinetically studied, and their temperature dependence was modelled by the Arrhenius equation. Dehydrofrozen samples exhibited significantly improved stability, with the rates of colour change, total lycopene and l-ascorbic acid loss being reduced by up to 64% for osmotically pretreated tomatoes, compared to the untreated samples.     

Changes in major antioxidant components of tomatoes during post-harvest storage

The objective of this study was to study overall nutritional implication of storage on tomatoes (cv. Tradiro), harvested from a commercial greenhouse in Canterbury, New Zealand. The harvested tomatoes were stored at 7, 15 and 25 °C, for a period of 10 days. The soluble phenolics and ascorbic acid contents of tomatoes showed slight increases during storage, regardless of temperature. The mean lycopene content of tomatoes stored at 15 and 25 °C on the 10th day of storage was, approximately, 2-fold (7.5 mg/100 g) than of the tomatoes stored at 7 °C (3.2 mg/100 g). The soluble antioxidant activity increased from 17–27% during the storage period of tomatoes.     

Changes in post-harvest phytochemical qualities of broccoli florets during ambient and refrigerated storage

The effect of ambient and refrigerated storage temperature on post-harvest phytochemical qualities of broccoli florets was investigated during storage. Fresh broccoli florets were packed in polypropylene (PP) micro-perforated film bags and stored, under open ambient storage conditions (15 ± 1 °C, 55 ± 2% RH), and laboratory refrigerated storage (4 ± 0.5 °C, 50 ± 2% RH) for a total period of 144 h. Quality of broccoli florets was evaluated in terms of physiological weight loss (PLW), ascorbic acid content, chlorophyll content, β-carotene and total antioxidant activity. Samples packed in PP micro-perforated film showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower losses of PLW, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll, β-carotene and total antioxidant activity (5.51%, 4.53%, 18.9%, 4.04% and 16.4%, respectively), during storage for up to 144 h under refrigerated conditions. For better phytochemical retention, the broccoli florets should be packed in PP micro-perforated film bags and stored under refrigerated conditions.     

Influence of chromoplast morphology on carotenoid bioaccessibility of carrot,mango, papaya,and tomato

Based on the observation of outstanding dissimilarities of the morphology of pigment-containing chromoplasts in nutritionally important carotenoid sources, the bioaccessibility (BA) of carotenoids from edible portions of carrot, mango, papaya, and tomato was compared using an in vitro digestion model. While carrot and tomato contained large carotenoid crystals clearly visible by light microscopy, mango and papaya contained different types of carotenoid-bearing structures. Particularly, β-carotene is deposited in globular and tubular elements in papaya and mango chromoplasts, where carotenoids accumulate in a lipid-dissolved and liquid-crystalline form, respectively. The highest BA of β-carotene was found for mango (10.1%), followed by papaya (5.3%), tomato (3.1%), and carrot (0.5%). In our digestion model, differences between total lycopene BA from papaya and tomato were insignificant, possibly since both pigments occur in a solid crystalline deposition form in both fruits. Furthermore, the BA of lutein, β-cryptoxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin esters was shown to be superior to that of the carotenes from the respective food sources. The effect of lipid addition to the different food sources was studied. Although BA was enhanced for most carotenoids, the above-mentioned ranking of BAs of β-carotene remained unchanged after lipid addition. Consequently, the physical form of carotenoid deposition in plant chromoplasts is suggested to have major impact on their liberation efficiency from the food matrices.     

Effects of various sulphuring methods and storage temperatures on the physical and chemical quality of dried apricots

The effects of different sulphuring methods, i.e. sulphuring by “burning the elemental sulphites (BES),” “SO₂ gas from liquified SO₂ tank (SG)” and “dipping into sodium metabisulphite solution (DSM)” on the colour (brown colour formation and carotenoid degradation) and the loss of SO₂ in apricots from Hac?halilo?lu and Kabaa?? varieties stored at 5, 20 and 30 °C for a year were investigated. There were significant effects of variety, sulphuring method and especially storage at 30 °C on the brown colour formation and loss of SO₂ (P < 0.05). As storage temperature–time increased, β-carotene content decreased. Sulphuring methods and variety did not show significant effect on β-carotene content (P > 0.05). The changes in L^∗, b^∗ and C^∗ values were directly associated with β-carotene content and browning values. The most suitable method for all samples, except for Hac?halilo?lu variety stored at 30 °C (BES), is SG, because the samples retained their attractive golden yellow colour during storage.     

Microstructure and bioaccessibility of different carotenoid species as affected by high pressure homogenisation: A case study on differently coloured tomatoes

The effect of high pressure homogenisation (HPH) on structure (Bostwick consistency, particle size distribution and microstructure) and carotenoid in vitro bioaccessibility of different tomato pulps was investigated. HPH decreased tomato particle size due to matrix disruption and increased product consistency, probably due to the formation of a fibre network. Homogenisation also resulted in a decrease of in vitro bioaccessibility of lycopene, ζ-carotene, and lutein. Such decrease was attributed to the structuring effect of HPH. An inverse relation between tomato consistency and carotenoid in vitro bioaccessibility was found. This dependency was affected by carotenoid species and its localisation within the matrix. It could be observed that one matrix (e.g. (homogenised) red tomato pulp) can contain carotenoids with a very low bioaccessibility (lycopene) as well as carotenoids with a very high bioaccessibility (lutein), indicating that carotenoid bioaccessibility is not solely dependent on the matrix.     

Studies on the usefulness of Cucurbita maxima for the production of ready-to-eat dried vegetable snacks with a high carotenoid content

Recent research indicates a beneficial influence of a diet rich in β-carotene on human health. For that reason, experiments were undertaken to process winter squash with a high carotenoid content into ready-to-eat dried snacks. Sensory quality and dietary value of chips and crispy cubes made from different cultivars were investigated.The suitability of winter squash for drying purposes depended mainly on the dry matter content in the raw material. Although all the investigated cultivars can be used for producing chips, obtaining high quality porous cubes requires at least 15% of dry matter. ‘Justynka F1’ emerged as the most suitable cultivar for processing; both chips and cubes produced from its fruits were characterized by a high sensory quality and contained significant amounts of beta-carotene (225- 253 μg g-1). Also, the cultivar ‘Amazonka’ could be considered for the production of chips as it allowed us to obtain a product with a high beta-carotene content (200 μg g-1) and good sensory properties. The dried ready-to-eat crispy vegetable snacks made from the new cultivars of winter squash could be exploited as a novel attractive product with the attractive taste and colour to serve as a valuable source of carotenoids in human diet.     

Effects of high pressure processing on antioxidant activity, and total carotenoid content and availability, in vegetables

High pressure processing (HPP) is a relatively new food preservation processing technology that enhances food safety and shelf-life without compromising organoleptic qualities. There has been little research on the impact of HPP on the nutritional and health-promoting properties of foods to date and most of it has focused on juices and purees of fruit such as oranges and tomatoes. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of HPP treatment at two pressure levels (400 MPa; 600 MPa) on antioxidant activity, total carotenoid content and carotenoid availability in vitro, of three commonly consumed vegetables. Antioxidant capacity and total carotenoid content differed between vegetables but were unaffected by HPP treatment. In vitro availability of specific carotenoids also varied greatly between vegetables (3–35%). HPP altered availability of carotenoids according to the type of vegetable treated and processing pressure applied, however the magnitude of the responses was minor.

Industrial relevance

This study provides further scientific evidence of the benefits of high pressure processing in retaining the nutritional attributes of fresh foods. Antioxidant activity and levels of carotenoids before and after exposure to high pressures (up to 600 MPa for 2 min) were essentially no different. Also, the data suggest that micronutrients and phytochemicals in certain vegetables may be made more bioavailable by high pressure treatment. From a nutritional perspective, high pressure processing is an attractive food preservation technology and clearly offers opportunities for horticultural and food processing industries to meet the growing demand from consumers for healthier food products.     

A novel and enhanced approach for the assessment of the total carotenoid content of foods based on multipoint spectroscopic measurements

We have devised a more sensible approach to estimate the carotenoid content of orange juices, which can be regarded as a model system of food with intricate carotenoid pattern. For this purpose spectroscopic information at several wavelengths and spectra of the juices and not from their carotenoid extracts were considered, such that more accurate and rapid quantitative assessments can be achieved. The wavelengths proposed on the basis of the characteristic vector method were 420, 455, 515, 545 and 610 nm or 420, 445, 510, 545 and 605 nm, depending on the measurement conditions. The correlations between the carotenoid content and the reflectances at these wavelengths were very good (R = 0.94 and 0.90, respectively). Additionally, it was demonstrated that the colour of the juices could be assessed with very good accuracy considering them. Due to its simplicity and rapidity, this method is intended to facilitate the quality control of the carotenoid content of foodstuffs in the industry and/or in the field.     

脉冲强光与紫外辐照对鲜食玉米贮藏品质的影响

鲜食玉米贮藏期间品质会下降。以脉冲强光(PL)与紫外辐照(UVR)对鲜食玉米进行保鲜,分析含水量、质量损失率、TPA指标、色差与感官品质,研究贮藏期间品质变化。结果表明,PL、UVR的水分含量显著(p=0.012)、极显著(p=0.003)高于对照,说明可有效抑制水分散失,而PL与UVR无显著差异。在质量损失率上,PL显著低于对照(p=0.018),UVR极显著低于对照(p=0.010),PL显著低于UVR(p=0.035),说明PL、UVR有助于降低玉米质量损失。PL处理的鲜食玉米内聚性极显著高于UVR(p=0.0002)和对照(p=0.0019),UVR与对照无明显差异;在硬度、胶粘性和咀嚼性上,PL与UVR均极显著高于对照(硬度:p=0.0011,p=0.0024;胶粘性:p=0.0004,p=0.0063;咀嚼性:p=0.0003,p=0.0019),PL极显著高于UVR(硬度:p=0.0003;胶粘性:p=0.0005;咀嚼性:p=0.0002),说明PL与UVR会导致籽粒硬度增大,胶粘性和咀嚼性增加。PL、UVR、对照三者间在色差上无显著差异;鲜食玉米贮藏10 d时,PL感官评分为84.4,UVR为80.6,对照为73.2。PL感官品质极显著优于UVR和对照(p=0.005,p=0.002),UVR也极显著优于对照(p=0.002),说明PL对鲜食玉米保鲜效果较好,能更好保持色、香、味等感官品质。      

Dependence of carotenoid content and temperature-time regimes during the traditional slow drying of red pepper for paprika production at La Vera county

Evolution of the carotenoid content has been studied during dehydration process of red pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.) for paprika production using a handcrafted technique, typical of La Vera County (Spain), which is based on slow drying at mild temperatures, conditions that were monitored during the complete process, to correlate the evolution of the pigment content with drying parameters. This tracking allowed to state that during drying of fruits, the carotenoid content goes through different stages either decreases or increases which are reflect of the processing conditions. In the present study, when imposed conditions were milder a more regular evolution was denoted, while more severe temperature-time regimes meant an irregular trend, although dry fruits contained similar carotenoid values with respect to the starting ones in all cases. Considering different isochromic carotenoid fractions and major individual pigments, the study revealed that any of them are preferentially either degraded or biosynthesised, what implies a certain balance between different groups of reactions that carried out during dehydration. In the sight of the positive retention of the carotenoid content and retinol equivalent values, conditions achieved in one dryer could be used by paprika producer for subsequent standardization of this traditional process by using the proper technical equipment.     

Changes in antioxidants and taste-related compounds content during cold storage of fresh-cut red sweet peppers

Changes in antioxidants (ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds and carotenoids) and in taste-related compounds (sugars and organic acids) content were monitored in fresh-cut red sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum L., local ecotype “Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo”) during 9 days of cold storage. Pepper slices were placed in polystyrene trays, wrapped with a polyvinyl chloride film, and stored at 4 °C or at 8 °C; besides, to evaluate the effect of a prestorage hot water treatment, half of the slices were subjected to a dipping treatment in water at 53 °C for 4 min, before packaging and storage. During storage limited changes in O₂ and CO₂ concentrations were observed within all packages. Storage temperature strongly affected weight loss: at the end of the storage time it was <3 and >10% in fruits stored at 4 and 8 °C, respectively. Sugars (glucose and fructose) content showed a significant increase (+11%) only in fruits stored at 8 °C; this change was due to a concentration effect associated to water loss. A higher increase (+23 and +17% in fruits stored at 8 and 4 °C) was observed in organic acids (citric and malic) content. Minimal processing and storage produced only a quite limited degradation of ascorbic acid. Both hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and flavonoids accumulated in fruits stored at 8 °C (and not heat treated), whereas at 4 °C phenolics accumulation appeared to be partially inhibited. All the main carotenoids (capsanthin, cucurbitaxanthin A, zeaxanthin, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin) markedly accumulated in fruits stored at 8 °C (not heat treated), and showed a general decrease at 4 °C. Hot water treatment did seem to affect organic acids metabolism, though it did not promote ascorbic acid degradation. In addition, it inhibited both phenolics and carotenoid accumulation in fruits stored at 8 °C.     

Chemical and physical changes in the pulp during ripening and post-harvest storage of cocoa pods

Changes in the pulp during ripening and post-harvest storage of cocoa pods were determined during numerous harvests in Malaysia (1984 to 1987) and Ghana (1985 to 1986), in order to gain a basis for understanding the influence of ripening and storage on acid formation during subsequent fermentation. Changes in the pulp during ripening of fully grown pods were the same but less pronounced than those during dry storage of harvested pods: the percentage of water in the pulp was not changed significantly, but the amount of water and of dry matter per seed was strongly reduced (by 40–50%) due to water evaporation and respiration of sugars. Sucrose was inverted completely. The result of these changes was an equally strong reduction of the pulp volume per seed and increase of the pulp surface to pulp volume ratio. The reduction of acid formation during fermentation with beans from stored pods is ascribed predominantly to these changes rather than to the reduction in the amount of sugars, and is explained not only by the facilitated mass aeration but, above all, by the significant increase in respiration at the pulp surface over ethanol fermentation in the pulp when the pulp volume is reduced prior to fermentation. Ghanaian pods at similar stages of ripeness revealed more advanced stages of the pulp compared with Malaysian pods and consequently less significant change during storage. Water evaporation and respiration during pod storage were significantly higher in the pulp than in the husk.     

不同光质配比对大豆幼苗形态及光合生理参数的影响

室内模拟玉米/大豆套作下大豆冠层光质配比,设定白光（对照）、红光/蓝光为0.8和红/远红光为0.6三个处理,大豆品种选用贡选1号和桂夏3号,研究大豆幼苗形态及光合生理参数在不同光质配比下的变化特征。结果表明：红光/蓝光配比和红光/远红光配比处理与对照相比,大豆幼苗株高分别降低和增加,茎粗则相反。而根长、地上生物量、地下生物量及根冠比在红光/远红光配比处理下最低,与白光和红光/蓝光配比处理相比差异极显著（P〈0.01）,但白光和红光/蓝光配比处理间差异不显著（P〉0.01）。叶面积和叶绿素含量在红/远红光配比处理下分别最低和最高,而两个大豆品种的净光合速率（Pn）、气孔导度（Gs）和PSII实际光化学量子产额（ΦPSⅡ）均在红光/蓝光处理下最高,而非光化学猝灭系数（NPQ）最低。两个大豆品种的胞间CO2浓度（Ci）、蒸腾速率（Tr）、PSⅡ原初光能转化效率（Fv/Fm）、PSⅡ潜在活性（Fv/Fo）在各处理间规律不明显。     

Effect of moisture content, storage temperature and storage period on colour, ascorbic acid, lycopene and total flavonoids of dried tomato halves

Dried tomato halves with three storage moisture contents [18%, 24% and 30%, wet basis (wb)], packed in glass jar, plastic container and polyethylene bag were stored in room and cool-chamber environments for 5 months. During storage period average room and cool-chamber temperatures were 20 ± 4 and 5 ± 1 °C respectively. Changes of colour, ascorbic acid, lycopene, total flavonoids and moisture contents were monitored 1-month interval. Significantly higher losses of colour, ascorbic acid, lycopene and total flavonoids were found for room environment than those of cool chamber. A set of regression equations had been developed for colour, ascorbic acid, lycopene and total flavonoids as a function of storage time. No visible microorganisms were detected in the samples during the storage period. Dried tomato with ≤24% (wb) moisture content may be recommended to store in cool chamber (5 °C) and ≤18% (wb) to store in room environment (20 °C) both to be packed in glass jar.     

Impact of frozen storage on polyacetylene content, texture and colour in carrots disks

This study investigated the effect of freezing method (slow or blast freezing) with or without blanching during storage at −20 °C on the levels of three polyacetylenes, falcarinol (FaOH), falcarindiol (FaDOH), falcarindiol-3-acetate (FaDOAc) in carrot disks. The quality of the carrot disks was also assessed using instrumental texture and colour measurements. Blast frozen carrot disks retained higher amounts of polyacetylenes compared to their slow frozen counterparts. Whilst the levels of retention of total polyacetylenes was higher in unblanched than blanched disks prior to freezing there was a sharp decrease in the levels of polyacetylenes in unblanched frozen carrots during the storage period for 60 days at −20 °C. FaDOH was observed to be the most susceptible to degradation during frozen storage of unblanched carrot disks, followed by FaOH and FaDOAc. The changes in the level of polyacetylenes during storage were adequately described by using Weibull model. The texture and colour were also found to decrease during frozen storage compared to fresh carrots.     

Effects of soybean oil and oxidized soybean oil on the stability of β-carotene

The effects of 1.0%, 2.5%, and 5.0% purified soybean oil and thermally oxidized soybean oil on the stability of 100 ppm β-carotene as a fat-soluble vitamin A and singlet oxygen quencher in isooctane have been studied. The samples were stored under 1000, 2000, or 4000 lx at 20 °C for 2 days and at 50 °C for 16 days in the dark. The β-carotene was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The centrifugation and filtration of vegetable mixture, during sample preparation for β-carotene analysis by HPLC, decreased the coefficient of variation from 4.13% to 1.02%. The purified soybean oil and thermally oxidized soybean oil stabilized β-carotene in isooctane under light and in the dark at α = 0.05. The losses of β-carotene, with 1.0% purified oil, 1.0% thermally oxidized oil and without any oil during 48 h under light, were 11.2%, 80%, and 100%, respectively. 100 ppm TBHQ had a protective effect on the stability of β-carotene in isooctane at α = 0.05. The β-carotene stability decreased as the light intensity increased from 1000 to 2000 or 4000 lx at α = 0.05. The stability of vitamins in fruit and vegetable drinks enriched with fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants during storage can be greatly improved by adding approximately 1.0% high quality non-oxidized soybean oil.     

Effects of pretreatments on colour alterations of litchi during drying and storage

The objective of this research was to study the effect of osmotic pretreatment with combined anti-browning agents (acid, glycerol and/or trehalose) on the colour characteristics of dried litchi after drying and during 5 months of storage compared to samples without pretreatment. The pretreated samples showed good inhibition of polyphenol oxidase activity when compared with the control, while the total phenolic contents in the dried products were not reduced. The results demonstrated that water activity, lightness difference, chroma, degree of browning (DB), and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural values of all pretreated samples increased, while hue angle decreased with storage time. Samples pretreated with glycerol showed the best potential for browning retardation, followed by glycerol combined with trehalose, and trehalose, respectively. In addition, the colour parameters were used to calculate the luminescence values, representing the data in grey scale, which were correlated with a non-enzymatic browning index. The results showed grey value could be adequately used to represent the DB of dried litchi with r ² value of 0.92.