Gloss Evaluation of Curved-surface Fruits and Vegetables

Gloss measurements are used to evaluate the quality and appearance of a product, especially in cases where esthetic appearance is of importance. Most commercial glossmeters are designed for measuring products of flat surface and therefore are not suitable for food products because of their uneven, curved surface. A new generation of commercial glossmeters is recently available for confined areas, curved surfaces, and surfaces that are not uniform. This article provides a brief review of gloss measurement principles and methods for fresh fruits and vegetables. It reports on the gloss measurement of apples and other fresh products using a commercial glossmeter and a specially designed spectrometer-based gloss measurement prototype integrated with imaging and automatic sample positioning capabilities. Results showed that the prototype had a nonlinear relationship with standard gloss measurements. With the new setup, the gloss of apples was measured with the repeatability for 90% of the measurements being better than 16%, calculated as the ratio of the difference between maximum and minimum gloss values to the mean value in percent. Further research is needed to simplify the imaging/mechanical configuration and improve the coordinate calculation algorithm to achieve more accurate, repeatable gloss measurements.     

Surface Gloss Evaluation of Apples Based on Computer Vision and Support Vector Machine Method

This paper investigates computer vision applications for surface gloss evaluation to determine a quick surface gloss evaluation method for apples. “Red Fuji” apples were wax-coated with different concentrations of shellac solutions to obtain the apple samples with different levels of surface gloss. The surface gloss values and the color scales of the apple samples were detected using a pinhole gloss meter and a color meter. The apple sample images were captured and processed, and the color parameters of the high light areas were extracted. Support vector machine (SVM) regression and classification models were built to predict the surface gloss values and the surface gloss levels of apples, respectively. The results showed that to predict the surface gloss of apple samples, the correlation coefficients of the SVM regression model were 0.94 and 0.90 for the training and the testing groups, respectively. The classification accuracy rates of the SVM classification model for the training and the testing groups were 100 and 96.7%, respectively. Finally, apple surface gloss level classification software was developed, which showed good operating results for both classification accuracy rates and calculation speed. This paper provided a new surface gloss evaluation method based on computer vision for apples.     

Efficacy of home washing methods in controlling surface microbial contamination on fresh produce

Much effort has been focused on sanitation of fresh produce at the commercial level; however, few options are available to the consumer. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of different cleaning methods in reducing bacterial contamination on fresh produce in a home setting. Lettuce, broccoli, apples, and tomatoes were inoculated with Listeria innocua and then subjected to combinations of the following cleaning procedures: (i) soak for 2 min in tap water, Veggie Wash solution, 5% vinegar solution, or 13% lemon solution and (ii) rinse under running tap water, rinse and rub under running tap water, brush under running tap water, or wipe with wet/dry paper towel. Presoaking in water before rinsing significantly reduced bacteria in apples, tomatoes, and lettuce, but not in broccoli. Wiping apples and tomatoes with wet or dry paper towel showed lower bacterial reductions compared with soaking and rinsing procedures. Blossom ends of apples were more contaminated than the surface after soaking and rinsing; similar results were observed between flower section and stem of broccoli. Reductions of L. innocua in both tomatoes and apples (2.01 to 2.89 log CFU/g) were more than in lettuce and broccoli (1.41 to 1.88 log CFU/g) when subjected to same washing procedures. Reductions of surface contamination of lettuce after soaking in lemon or vinegar solutions were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from lettuce soaking in cold tap water. Therefore, educators and extension workers might consider it appropriate to instruct consumers to rub or brush fresh produce under cold running tap water before consumption.     

USE of ORGANIC SOLVENTS FOR IMPROVING PEELABILITY of TOMATOES

A prepeeling dip was used to demonstrate that removal or modification of the cuticular waxes from the tomato fruit could be used to improve the tomato peeling process. the tomatoes were dipped at various temperatures for I min prior to regular lye peeling. the optimum temperature was found to be 45C. Several organic solvents including chloroform, ethyl acetate, ketones, and alcohols were used. These tomatoes were compared to tomatoes peeled using the lye without the dip. the prepeeling dip reduced the thickness of the cuticular wax layer and produced cracks in the cutin surface. This facilitated good penetration of lye into the tomato resulting in more complete peeling. Peeling after pretreatment produced 86% well peeled tomatoes as compared to 33% well peeled in the control run.     

Gloss measurements of raw agricultural products using image analysis

Gloss is considered one of the most important visual attributes of many foods, which is difficult to measure objectively. In this paper, a gloss imaging system (GIS) was implemented to evaluate the suitability of four indexes for measuring gloss from intensity images in flat and curved surfaces and to analyze gloss of some fruits and vegetables. Three indexes were computed from goniometric curves: maximum intensity (MI), width of the curve at 50% (WC), and area under the curve (AC). The fourth index was computed from the same intensity images as the average of the reflected luminance flux (LF) at the surface of the image. The results showed linear relationships (R² = 0.97) when values of MI, AC, LF for flat and curved gloss targets in the range of 4–90 units of gloss (GU) were compared with their standard gloss levels. However, the measured gloss was significantly affected by curvature and unevenness of the surface of fruits and vegetables. In spite of this, we concluded that a colour digital camera of moderate cost combined with simple image analysis procedure can yield parameters which correlate highly with the gloss appearance of fruits and vegetables and allow measurements over a very wide range of gloss with high sensitivity.     

植物中酪氨酸酶的筛选及不同抑制剂对其活性的影响

以新鲜马铃薯、红富士苹果、红蛇果、秀珍菇和紫茄子为研究对象,从中分别提取酪氨酸酶并测定其酶活力,发现紫茄子中提取的酪氨酸酶具有最大酶活力。因此选紫茄子中提取的酪氨酸酶做进一步研究。选邻苯二酚作为茄子酪氨酸酶底物,进一步研究了有机类、无机类和天然类三大类抑制剂对酪氨酸酶催化活性的影响,并测定了这些抑制剂的IC50值。     

Survival of Enterobacter sakazakii on fresh produce as affected by temperature, and effectiveness of sanitizers for its elimination

A study was done to determine the survival characteristics of Enterobacter sakazakii on the surface of apples, cantaloupes, strawberries, lettuce, and tomatoes stored at 4, 12, and 25 degrees C for 8-28 days. Populations significantly decreased (por=50 microg/ml, were equivalent in killing E. sakazakii on apples. Populations of E. sakazakii on apples treated with 10 microg/ml chlorine dioxide for 1 or 5 min were significantly reduced (por=4.00 log CFU/apple. Reductions of >or=3.70 log CFU/tomato were achieved by treatment with 10 microg/ml chlorine or chlorine dioxide or 40 microg/ml Tsunami 200 for 5 min. Reductions in populations of E. sakazakii on lettuce treated with chlorine at 10, 50, and 100 microg/ml for 1 min ranged from 1.61 to 2.50 log CFU/sample (26+/-4 g), compared to populations remaining on lettuce washed with water. Chlorine was less effective in killing E. sakazakii on lettuce than on apples or tomatoes. Treatment of lettuce with Tsunami 200 (40 and 80 microg/ml) for 5 min caused a reduction of >or=5.31 log CFU/sample. Results provide insights to predicting survival characteristics of E. sakazakii on produce and the efficacy of sanitizers in killing the bacterium.     

Antifungal effectiveness of potassium sorbate incorporated in edible coatings against spoilage molds of apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes during refrigerated storage

Abstract: Predominant spoilage molds of fresh apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes stored at 4 °C were isolated and examined for resistance to potassium sorbate (PS) incorporated in polysaccharide edible coatings. The isolated molds were Penicillium expansum, Cladosporium herbarum, and Aspergillus niger from apples. P. oxalicum and C. cucumerinum were isolated from cucumbers and P. expansium and C. fulvum from tomatoes. Guar gum edible coating incorporated with PS was the most effective mold inhibitor, significantly (P < 0.05) reducing the isolated spoilage molds for 20, 15, and 20 d of storage at 4 °C on apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes, respectively. PS incorporated into pea starch edible coating was less effective and selectively inhibited the isolated mold species, causing significant (P < 0.05) reduction in mold on apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes counts for 20, 10 to 15, and 15 to 20 d of storage at 4 °C, respectively. The isolated mold species exhibited different resistances to PS incorporated in the edible coatings. The greatest inhibition (2.9 log CFU/g) was obtained with C. herbarum on apples and the smallest (1.1 log CFU/g) was with P. oxalicum on cucumbers and the other isolated mold species exhibited intermediate resistance. The coatings tested, in general, inhibited molds more effectively on apples than on tomatoes and cucumbers. Addition of PS to pea starch and guar gum, edible coatings improved the antifungal activity of PS against isolated spoilage molds on apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes. PS inhibition was most effective against C. herbarum on apples and least effective against P. oxalicum on cucumbers.     

苹果蜡质物质代谢及其调控机制研究进展

苹果表皮蜡质,是覆盖在苹果表面的一层疏水性脂类物质,是苹果应对外界环境变化的第一道屏障,在果实生长发育贮藏保鲜方面起着重要作用。苹果表皮蜡质可以通过减少水分非气孔性散失作用维持苹果的水分平衡,可通过物理阻止和抗菌成分抵抗微生物侵染,还具有减少苹果冷害和病害等作用。本文结合近年来对苹果表皮蜡质的研究从苹果蜡质的生物学意义,不同品种苹果蜡质形态、结构和化学组分,蜡质合成途径及相关酶和基因等方面的研究进展进行了概述,总结了苹果表皮蜡质研究在苹果贮藏保鲜方面的应用,并对研究中存在的问题及前景进行了展望。     

Dynamic changes in wax and cutin compounds and the relationship with water loss in 'Red Fuji' and 'Golden Delicious' apples during shelf life

Knowledge of the dynamic composition changes of combined cuticular wax and cutin in apples during their shelf life is scarce. Therefore, this issue was addressed using GC-MS analyses of the respective epidermal components in 'Red Fuji' and 'Golden Delicious' apples at 5 days intervals during the shelf life of 25 days. Water loss from the apples was also assessed. The proportion of total n-alkanes decreased in cuticular wax, whereas total acids increased gradually, and cutin monomer content significantly changed during the first 5 days. The predominant wax compound, nonacosane (C₂₉), decreased by 40.13% and 26.22% in 'Red Fuji' and 'Golden Delicious' apples, respectively. The cutin monomers 10,16-dihydroxy hexadecanoic acid (10,16-diOH C_16:0) and 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid (9,10,18-triOH C_18:0) were detected only at the beginning of shelf life in apples of both cultivars. Regression analysis indicated that the rate of water loss significantly correlated with eight components. Our results expand the understanding of the dynamics of both wax and cutin compounds in postharvest apples and help to target specific compounds to maintain the quality of apples throughout their shelf life.     

Nondestructive Measurement of Peel Gloss and Roughness to Determine Tomato Fruit Ripening and Chilling Injury

Mature-green tomatoes showed a gradual decrease in peel gloss during ripening at 20°C. Gloss correlated well with parameters such as a* values and °Brix and could possibly serve as criteria for ripeness. When stored at 2°C for 7, 14 or 21 days and then allowed to ripen at 20°C, fluctuations in gloss during ripening were observed. Peel roughness increased as a result of chilling, but did not appear to be related to time elapsed at the chilling temperature and no changes were observed on subsequent ripening. Pink tomatoes showed fluctuations in gloss similar to mature-green fruit. Chilling had no influence on roughness of pink tomatoes.     

Practical considerations for the rapid screening for pesticides using ambient pressure desorption ionisation with high-resolution mass spectrometry

A rapid screening method for pesticides has been developed to streamline the processing of produce entering the United States. Foam swabs were used to recover multi-class mixtures of 240, 140, 132 and 60 pesticides from the surfaces of apples, kiwis, peaches and tomatoes. The mixtures were selected to span a large range of chemical classes, polarities, solubilities and sizes to provide a broad look at how this technique will perform for a variety of analytes. The swabs were analysed using direct analysis in real-time (DART) ionisation coupled with a high-resolution Exactive Orbitrap? mass spectrometer. This study expands the types of commodities analysed using this method and explores the feasibility of compositing multiple units of produce per batch to analyse a representative sample. It was established that whilst smooth-skinned produce, such as apples, maintained a high detection rate for the pesticide mixtures even when ten apples are swabbed with one foam disk, commodities with rougher surfaces, such as peaches, suffered a decrease in detection rate when ten peaches are swabbed with one foam disk. In order to maintain some consistency across the sample preparation process, a composite size of three units was selected. The varying topography of the commodities necessitated minor modifications to the method; for example, analysis of kiwi required that the hair on the surface be shaved prior to swabbing to achieve good recovery. Additionally, the effect of storage conditions on detection rate was analysed by spiking the surface of tomatoes at levels of 5 and 10?ng?g(-1) for each pesticide, storing them under refrigeration and ambient conditions for 3 and 8 days, and then analysing the surface using this method. After 8 days of storage under both conditions more than 80% of the pesticides in the mixture were detected. Also, analysis of the multi-class mixtures was performed in both positive- and negative-ion mode and many classes were detected in both modes. Some classes, such thiocarbamates, phenylamides and organochlorine pesticides, were only observed in the positive-ion mode, whilst benzoylphenylurea pesticides were only detected in the negative-ion mode.     

Polyvinyl Acetate as a High-gloss Edible Coating

Edible coating formulations were made with food-grade polyvinyl acetate (PVA) dissolved in alcohol-water mixtures. PVA coatings had high gloss and relatively high permeance to O₂ and water vapor, and they formed glossy surfaces on chocolate candy, citrus fruit, and apples. Addition of propylene glycol helped to retain coating gloss when the alcohol content of the solvent was reduced to less than 70%. Fresh apples or citrus fruit with PVA coatings had higher internal O₂ than fruit with shellac and resin coatings and, consequently, less tendency to ferment and produce alcohol during storage. Fruit with PVA coatings did not whiten or ‘blush’ after contact with water.     

Toxin production by Alternaria alternata in tomatoes and apples stored under various conditions and quantitation of the toxins by high-performance liquid chromatography

Alternaria alternata strain 8442-3 was inoculated into tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and Red Delicious cultivar apples (Malus domestica Borkh.). Half of the lots of each fruit were shrink-wrapped in high-density polyethylene film. Wrapped and unwrapped fruits were incubated under darkness at 4, 15 and 25 degrees C for up to 5 weeks. A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed to quantitate tenuazonic acid (TeA), alternariol (AOH), alternariol methyl ether (AME), and altenuene (ALT). Shrink-wrapping retarded, but did not completely inhibit growth in tomatoes for 3-7 days. Concentrations of up to 120.6 mg of AOH and 63.7 mg of AME per 100 g of tissue were produced in unwrapped tomatoes stored at 15 degrees C for 4 weeks; 19.0 mg of ALT per 100 g of tomato tissue was produced after 3 weeks at 25 degrees C. AOH, AME and ALT were also produced in unwrapped tomatoes stored at 4 degrees C; however, no TeA was detected in decayed tomatoes, regardless of type of wrapping or storage temperature. Shrink-wrapping resulted in decreased production of AOH, AME, and ALT. Alternaria toxins were not detected in apples stored at 4 and 15 degrees C. The highest concentration of AOH produced (48.8 mg per 100 g of tissue) was in unwrapped apples stored at 25 degrees C for 2 weeks; 12.3 mg per 100 g of tissue of shrink-wrapped apples was detected after 5 weeks of storage at 25 degrees C, while ALT reached 5.7 mg per 100 g after 4 weeks. TeA was not detected in apples infected with A. alternata.     

Edible Coatings from Candelilla Wax Microemulsions

Candelilla wax coatings with good gloss were made. The gloss of coatings from ammonia-based microemulsions was improved by addition of gelatin or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, which also decreased oxygen permeability and decreased water vapor permeability. As coatings on grapefruit, candelilla wax with up to 25% gelatin was usable; much higher gelatin content resulted in anaerobic fermentation. Candelilla coatings with good gloss were also made from morpholine-based wax microemulsions with minimal oleic acid content.     

Detection of coating waxes on apples by differential scanning calorimetry

In the European Union, beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax and shellac are approved as coating agents for apple surfaces, provided that the coating is clearly stated. For detecting such coatings on apples, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was successfully applied. From the thermograms, the temperature at the peak maximum and the phase transition enthalpy were obtained as the main criteria. For the genuine surface wax of ten apple cultivars, the means were 64.4°C [standard deviation (SD), 1.5°C] for the maximum temperature and 82 J/g (SD, 9 J/g) for the enthalpy. The four coating agents resulted in divergent peak maxima and in enthalpies above 100 J/g in all cases. For beeswax, means of 68°C and 136-165 J/g were found, for candelilla wax 77°C and 116-161 J/g, for carnauba wax 89°C and 127-162 J/g and for shellac (two samples only) 76-89°C and 141-208 J/g. Studies with mixtures of the coating agents and apple wax and analyses of commercial apple samples marked as waxed confirm that DSC suits very well as a screening method for detecting an unstated treatment. In some cases it is even possible to characterize the coating agent used. First results indicate that paraffins, montanic acid esters and polyethylene wax oxides which are not approved for coating apples can be detected in the same way.     

Effects of 1‐MCP applied postharvest on epicuticular wax of apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) during storage

BACKGROUND: Certain apple cultivars develop a greasy feel when overripe. Treating fruits with the ripening inhibitor 1‐methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP, SmartFresh^™) reduces fruit greasiness. This study examines the nature of this phenomenon. ‘Royal Gala’ apples were treated with 1‐MCP at 1.0 µl L⁻¹ following harvest. Periodically, during storage at − 1 °C for up to 6 months, fruits were evaluated for internal ethylene concentration, fruit epicuticular wax morphology (using scanning electron microscopy) and non‐polar organic solvent‐extractable (NPOSE) wax constituents of the cuticle (using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry). RESULTS: In 2004, 1‐MCP strongly inhibited internal ethylene production; however, total weight of NPOSE wax during storage was unaffected by treatment. In 2005, several wax constituents present in both ‘Autumn Gold’ and ‘Royal Gala’ showed differences during storage. In 2006, cuticular wax constituents comprising 80% of the total from ‘Royal Gala’ showed no treatment differences. Although several minor constituents did exhibit differences within treatment and sampling date, these did not appear sufficient to cause the subtle differences in surface wax morphology. CONCLUSION: 1‐MCP strongly inhibited ethylene production and delayed development of certain wax constituents thought responsible for fruit greasiness during cold storage. Subtle differences in surface wax morphology appeared unrelated to wax production. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inhibition of pathogens on fresh produce by ultraviolet energy

Ultraviolet energy at a wavelength of 253.7 nm (UVC) was investigated for its bactericidal effects on the surface of Red Delicious apples, leaf lettuce and tomatoes inoculated with cultures of Salmonella spp. or Escherichia coli O157:H7. Inoculated samples were subjected to different doses ranging from 1.5 to 24 mW/cm(2) of UVC and enumerated on tryptic soy agar plus 0.05 g/l nalidixic acid to determine effective log reductions of microbial populations. UVC applied to apples inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 resulted in the highest log reduction of approximately 3.3 logs at 24 mW/cm(2). Lower log reductions were seen on tomatoes inoculated with Salmonella spp. (2.19 logs) and green leaf lettuce inoculated with both Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 (2.65 and 2.79, respectively). No significant statistical difference (p>0.05) was seen in the ability of UVC to inactivate a higher population of either Salmonella spp. or E. coli O157:H7 on the surface of green leaf lettuce. No significant difference was seen among the use of different doses applied to the surface of fresh produce for reduction of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella spp. (p>0.05). The use of UVC may prove to be beneficial in protecting the safety of fruits and vegetables in conjunction with Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices.     

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Muenchen on apples as affected by application of commercial fruit waxes

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Muenchen, and yeasts and molds on apples as affected by application of five commercial apple waxes was investigated. Red Delicious cv. apples at 21 degrees C were spot inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and S. Muenchen and spray coated with waxes. Apples sprayed with water served as controls. Apples were dried at either 21 or 55 degrees C for 2 min before subjecting to microbiological analysis after storage for 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks at 2 or 21 degrees C. Drying temperature did not significantly influence populations of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Muenchen. Waxing reduced populations E. coli O157:H7 and S. Muenchen by up to 1.48 log10 cfu/apple. Compared to untreated apples, treatment of apples with water or waxes resulted in significant (P < or = 0.05) reductions in populations of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Muenchen during storage at 2 degrees C. Reductions on waxed apples stored at 21 degrees C were not as marked compared to reductions on waxed apples stored at 2 degrees C. With the exception of one wax, drying temperature did not significantly influence populations of yeasts and molds. Mold populations were less affected by wax applications than were yeasts, and were detected in higher numbers on apples treated with three of the five waxes compared to populations recovered from untreated control apples. None of the waxes evaluated can be relied upon to kill or remove E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on apples.     

复合型涂膜剂对莲雾保鲜效果主成分分析综合评价

莲雾采后易失水引发劣变,本研究以多菌种培养液和壳聚糖配制3 种复合型涂膜剂,在对采后莲雾8 个品质指标单独分析基础上,结合主成分分析（principal component analysis,PCA）法和数学模型综合评价3 种复合型涂膜剂的保鲜效果。结果表明,由乳酸菌培养液（V（乳酸链球菌）∶V（婴儿双歧杆菌）∶V（动物双歧杆菌）＝1∶2∶2）和壳聚糖溶液按体积比3∶7配制的涂膜剂3保鲜效果最好,使用涂膜剂3的莲雾在贮藏第10天好果率达95%,比对照组高45%。涂膜剂处理能有效减少失水现象,在贮藏第10天,使用涂膜剂1、2、3莲雾的失水率分别为14.87%、13.81%、15.64%,均显著小于同期对照组（P＜0.05）。涂膜剂还能更好地维持莲雾品质稳定,使用涂膜剂3处理的莲雾经过10 d贮藏后,其可溶性固形物和可滴定酸质量分数比第0天分别增长了0.08%和12.28%,增幅最小,VC、葡萄糖、果糖含量比第0天分别降低了18.87%、10.91%、5.84%,降幅最小。PCA结果表明,PC1和PC2代表了8 个指标的69.814%信息,能综合反映涂膜剂对全部指标的整体影响情况。数学模型分析表明,第0天莲雾综合得分为－0.53,贮藏第4天时,对照组得分由负转正,说明品质明显发生劣变。涂膜剂3处理的莲雾贮藏期间综合得分一直在临界值0附近,再次验证了其保鲜效果最好。保鲜效果排序为涂膜剂3＞涂膜剂1＞涂膜剂2＞对照组。本研究可为莲雾采后保鲜和品质综合评价提供参考。