Modified Atmosphere Packaging of “Napoleon” Cherry: Effect of Packaging Material and Storage Time on Physical,Chemical, and Sensory Quality

Effects of modified atmosphere and polymeric packaging material on the physical (mass loss, color, firmness), chemical (pH, total titratable acidity, total soluble solid, total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content), and sensory quality of “Napoleon” cherry (Prunus avium L. “Napoleon”) were studied. While lightness (L*) remained fairly unchanged, redness (a*), yellowness (b*), and chroma (C*) decreased during a 42-day storage period, resulting in darker fruit. Firmness did not differ significantly from the initial values (P ≤ 0.05) after 42 days of storage at 0°C. pH increased for all treatments over the storage period. In general, total titratable acidity increased during the first 2 weeks, and then decreased afterwards. Packaging significantly reduced mass losses, which were 24.08%, 0.50%, 0.39%, and 0.81% for control (unpackaged), polypropylene tray/biaxially oriented polypropylene film (PP/BOPP), polypropylene tray/cast polypropylene film, and polyvinyl chloride-polyethylene tray/polyethylene terephthalate-polyethylene films, respectively. Modified atmosphere packaging was found beneficial on extending the shelf life of fruit during storage. The shelf life of “Napoleon” cherries was suggested as 28 days for packaged samples and 14 days for unpackaged samples at 0°C. Samples packaged with PP/BOPP under 21% O₂ 79% N₂ preserved their physical, chemical, and sensory quality better than other treatments.     

Effect of Dipping Pre-treatment with Unripe Grape Juice on Dried “Golden Delicious” Apple Slices

The consumption of apple chips is increasing in the last decades because of the consumer’s preferences towards healthy snacks. However, the enzymatic browning, which is attributed mainly to polyphenol oxidase (PPO, EC 1.10.3.1) activity, negatively affects the sensory, nutritional, and antioxidant properties of dried apples as a consequence of the oxidation of phenolic substrates during post-harvest stages. The antibrowning and antioxidant effects of dipping pre-treatments with unripe grape juice as well as reference formulations including a mixture of 1% w/v ascorbic acid and 1% w/v citric acid, 6% w/v NatureSeal®, and 0.1% w/v sodium metabisulfite were evaluated by spectrophotometric and colorimetric assays on dried “Golden Delicious” apple slices. Based on HPLC analysis, the treated apple slices were enriched with bioactive compounds which effectively improved antioxidant capacity and limited enzymatic browning by increasing lightness, reducing color change, and inhibiting PPO activity. Hence, the juice of unripe grapes recovered as agricultural wastes during bunch thinning of vineyards could be proposed as a safe, inexpensive, and eco-friendly alternative to conventional antibrowning treatments in apple processing.     

Effect of Packaging and Basil Essential Oil on the Quality Characteristics of Whey Cheese “Anthotyros”

In this study, we compared the effect of basil essential oil (EO) and various packaging conditions on “Anthotyros,” a Greek whey cheese. This cheese was stored at 4 °C under aerobic (A), vacuum (V), and modified atmosphere (M, 40%/60%; CO₂/N₂,) conditions, without or with (AB, VB, and VM) basil EO added to the cheese samples to a final concentration of 0.4% (v/w). The quality characteristics and the shelf life of both untreated and basil EO-treated cheese were assessed using microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory parameters. Microbiological results revealed that either modified atmosphere/vacuum packaging (MAP/VP) singly or in combination with basil EO delayed microbial growth as compared to the control (A) samples. The sensory and microbiological data showed that the combined use of MAP and VP with added basil EO extended the shelf life of fresh Anthotyros (4 °C) by approximately 10–12 days (treatment MB) and 6 days (treatment VB) as compared to aerobic packaging (A). Under these treatments, whey cheese samples maintained good sensory characteristics. This study has shown that the combined use of either VP or MAP, and basil EO, can extend the shelf life of whey cheese and maintain the freshness and the sensorial characteristics of the product.     

Effect of Addition of Ficus exasperata and Spoudias mombin Leaves on Functional and Sensory Properties of Cassava Roots in “Lafun” Production

Peeled and unpeeled cassava tubers (TMS 30572) were soaked with the leaves of Ficus exasperata (Ipin) and Spondias mombin (Iyeye) and the effects were determined on functional and sensory properties. The cassava samples were soaked in water to ferment for 72 h, pressed, dried, milled and sieved to obtain lafun flour. The lafun flour was reconstituted with hot water to produce a stiff dough and subjected to sensory evaluation using a 9-point Hedonic scale. Bulk density, water holding capacity, swelling index and dispersibility index varied from 0.53 to 0.63 g/cm³, 14.13 to 14.85 g/ml, 0.50 to 1.00 g/ml and 8.00 to 10.00 ml respectively. Lafun obtained from cassava steeped with F. exasperata leaves was significantly different (p < 0.05) from others; the maltose equivalent of lafun increased and this invariably reduced water absorption during dough preparation. Amylograph data showed that pasting time, temperature, peak viscosity, final viscosity and set-back value were between 4.00 to 5.15 min; 77.65 to 79.25°C; 331.33 to 371.17 RVU (Rapid Visco-Analyzer Unit); 225.50 to 279.00 RVU and 29.25 to 57.58 RVU respectively. Stiff dough of lafun samples obtained from unpeeled cassava steeped with F. exasperata had the highest mean scores for mouth feel, texture and overall acceptability, although all the samples were statistically similar (p > 0.05). The work revealed that F. exasperata increased the maltose equivalent and invariably reduced the level of water absorption in dough preparation. S. mombin on the other hand had no significant effect. Extract is more effective in stabilizing RPKO (hydrolytically and oxidatively) than MALE.     

Effect of Nano-Packing on Preservation Quality of Fresh Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv Fengxiang) during Storage at 4 °C

ABSTRACT: A novel nano-packing material with lower relative humidity, oxygen transmission rate and high longitudinal strength was synthesized by blending polyethylene with nano-powder (nano-Ag, kaolin, anatase TiO₂, rutile TiO₂), and its effect on preservation quality of strawberry fruits (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv Fengxiang) was investigated during storage at 4 °C. Results showed that nano-packaging was able to maintain the sensory, physicochemical, and physiological quality of strawberry fruits at a higher level compared with the normal packing (polyethylene bags). After a 12-d storage, decreases in the contents of total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid of nano-packing were significantly inhibited. Meanwhile, decay rate, anthocyanin, and malondialdehyde contents were decreased to 16.7%, 26.3 mg/100g, 66.3 μmol/g for nano-packing and 26.8%, 31.9 mg/100g, 75.4 μmol/g for normal packing; polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and pyrogallol peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly lower in nano-packing than the control. These data indicated that the nano-packaging might provide an attractive alternative to improve preservation quality of the strawberry fruits during extended storage. Practical Application: Nano-packing exhibited identified quality benefits applicable to the preservation of fresh strawberry. Furthermore, nano-packing has the advantages of simple processing and feasibility to be industrialized in contrast with other storages. Thus, the utilization of nano-packing will likely assist commercial producers and retailers in extending the shelf life of products over a broader range in the future.     

Chromium remediation or release? Effect of iron(II) sulfate addition on chromium(VI) leaching from columns of chromite ore processing residue

Chromite ore processing residue (COPR), derived from the so-called high lime processing of chromite ore, contains high levels of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) and has a pH between 11 and 12. Ferrous sulfate, which is used for remediation of Cr(VI) contamination in wastewater and soils via reduction to Cr(III) and subsequent precipitation of iron(III)/chromium(III) hydroxide, has also been proposed for remediation of Cr(VI) in COPR. Instead, however, addition of FeSO4 to the infiltrating solution in column experiments with COPR greatly increased leaching of Cr(VI). Leached Cr(VI) increased from 3.8 to 12.3 mmol kg(-1) COPR in 25 pore volumes with 20 mM FeSO4, reaching solution concentrations as high as 1.6 mM. Fe(II) was ineffective in reducing Cr(VI) to Cr(III) because it precipitated when it entered the column due to the high pH of COPR, while Cr(VI) in solution was transported away with the infiltrating solution. The large increase in leaching of Cr(VI) upon infiltration of sulfate, either as FeSO4 or Na2SO4, was caused by anion exchange of sulfate for chromate in the layered double hydroxide mineral hydrocalumite, a process for which scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis provided direct evidence.     

Effect of Chitosan Gallate Coating on the Quality Maintenance of Refrigerated (4 °C) Silver Pomfret (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pampus argentus</Emphasis>)

The effect of chitosan (CS)-gallic acid (GA) conjugate (chitosan gallate, CS-g-GA) coating on the quality of silvery pomfret (Pampus argenteus) during refrigerated storage at 4 °C for 15 days was investigated. The total mesophilic and psychrotrophic microbes in control and coated fish samples were counted periodically; physicochemical analyses to determine pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), K-value, and water-holding capacity (WHC) were carried out; and sensory attributes were evaluated. The results indicated that both CS + GA and CS-g-GA coatings effectively preserved the silvery pomfret quality during refrigerated storage. However, CS-g-GA had higher antimicrobial activity and a better ability to inhibit the formation of volatile bases (TVB-N) and lipid oxidation products (POV and TBARS) as well as the degradation of ATP and its breakdown products (K value) than CS + GA during the storage period. Furthermore, the CS-g-GA coating also helped to maintain a higher WHC and had better sensory properties for a longer period of time compared to the other treated samples, thus extending the shelf life and delaying the deterioration of fresh silvery pomfret by 3–6 days during refrigerated storage. These results suggest that a CS-g-GA coating could be employed as an active packaging material in the fish preservation industry.     

Effect of processing on the content of β-N-oxalyl-α, β-diaminopropionic acid (gb-ODAP) in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) seeds and flour as determined by flow injection analysis

The effect of cooking, roasting, autoclaving and fermentation on the content of β-ODAP in the whole seeds and flour of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) were studied at different levels of temperature, time, pH, degree of soaking and moisture content. The method of determination used was flow injection analysis, with immobilised glutamate oxidase and horseradish peroxidase. The whole seeds flour was found to contain about 922 mg 100g⁻¹ β-ODAP in dry weight basis. The reduction of β-ODAP content, in samples which were cooked for 60min and roasted (150 °C for 60min) was 57% and 82%, respectively. The content of β-ODAP in dry seeds autoclaved for 30 min also showed a significant (p = 0.05) reduction by 39%, as compared to that of raw whole seeds. Similarly, by cooking of presoaked seeds the content of β-ODAP was reduced by up to 67%. Neither the back-slopped fermentation process nor the spontaneous fermentation were effective in reducing the content of β-ODAP. Whereas roasting and autoclaving of the milled samples caused significant (p = 0.05) reduction in the content of β-ODAP up to 30% and 50%, respectively, compared to that of raw whole seeds.     

Effect of Moisture Content,Nut Size and Hot-Oil Roasting Time on the Whole Kernel “Out-Turn” of Cashew Nuts (Anacardium occidentale) During Shelling

The effect of moisture content (MC), nut size and roasting time (RT) on the whole kernel out-turn (WKO) of cashew nuts during shelling was investigated in this study. Cashew nuts were graded into three sizes: small (18 – 22 mm), medium (23 – 25 mm) and large nuts (26 – 35 mm). About 3 kg of nuts from each grade was conditioned with water at 25°C to five moisture levels of 8.34, 11.80, 12.57, 15.40 and 16.84% (wb). The nuts were subjected to roasting in hot cashew nut shell liquid at a temperature range between 180 and 190°C for 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, and 1.50 min. The nuts were then shelled using a hand-operated shelling machine. The results showed that pre-shelling treatment of cashew nuts enhanced WKO. The single effect of MC, roasting time (RT) or nut size distribution is not enough for estimating WKO; it is rather by an interaction of these parameters. The average WKO of raw nuts was characteristically below 50% at all combinations of MC and RT. Pre-treatment by roasting was found to improve WKO considerably. The highest values were 96.96, 99.63 and 100% for large, medium and small-sized nuts at MC*RT of 16.84%*1 min, 16.84%*1 min and 15.4%*1.5 min respectively. As RT and MC increased, WKO increased within the experimental range.     

Commentary on “To replicate or not to replicate,or when did we start to ignore the concept of statistical power?” by Meyners,Carr and Hasted

Studies should be planned with due attention to power and sample size considerations. Abandoning power computations, including analyses of the utility of replications, is a sure way to reduce the likelihood that an experiment yields insights. This commentary describes how screening for effects with low power leads to biased effect estimates and detrimentally high rates of false findings, and why aiming for, say, 90% power is not enough to ensure that power is on average 90%. It is also suggested that scenario-based evaluations of operating characteristics can expose the consequences of power policies. These discussions show that we are easily deceived by low powered studies and that power considerations are crucial for meaningful scientific experimentation.