Characterisation of Bobal and Crujidera grape cultivars,in comparison with Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon: Evolution of leaf macronutrients and berry composition during grape ripening

We present characterisation data for two Spanish autochthonous grapevines, Bobal and Crujidera, in comparison with the well-known cultivars Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Microsatellite markers were used for the molecular characterisation of Crujidera grapevines. Leaf macronutrient contents of the four cultivars were evaluated, as well as their changes at different vine developmental stages, and veraison was seen as the most suitable time to evaluate the nutritional status. Quantitative changes in some physiological parameters and the phenolic composition of the four grape varieties were measured during the last month of ripening. Polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins increased with grape maturation, although the accumulation of these phenolic compounds and their patterns of evolution varied considerably with the cultivar. The biosynthetic potential of these grapes to produce resveratrol largely depended on the grape variety, with a remarkably high content found in Bobal berry skins.     

Effect of the packaging method and the storage time on lipid oxidation and colour stability on dry fermented sausage salchichón manufactured with raw material with a high level of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids

The effects of fatty acid composition, two packaging methods (vacuum and 20% CO₂/80% N₂) and storage under refrigeration for 210 days were evaluated on a dry fermented sausage (salchichón), manufactured with raw material enriched in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acid composition was determined on sausage mixtures and on ripened sausages and lipid oxidation and colour stability was determined on ripened sausage at different times during storage. The modification of fatty acid composition of the sausages raised the nutritional quality, slightly affecting the colour properties. Dry fermented sausages enriched in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids presented higher lipid oxidation values than the control ones. Both packaging methods (vacuum and 20% CO₂/80% N₂) during 210 days of chilled storage had minor effects on the colour and the lipid oxidation stability.     

Changes of health-related compounds throughout cold storage of tomato juice stabilized by thermal or high intensity pulsed electric field treatments

The effect of high intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) processing (35 kV/cm for 1500 μs in bipolar 4-μs pulses at 100 Hz, with an energy density of 8269 kJ/L) on the main bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of tomato juice was investigated and compared to heat pasteurization (90 °C for 1 min or 30 s) having the fresh juice as a reference. HIPEF and heat treated tomato juices showed higher lycopene and lower vitamin C levels than the untreated juice. However, no significant changes in the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were observed between treated and fresh juices just after processing. Lycopene, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity of both treated and untreated juices decreased exponentially during storage following a first order kinetics (R² = 0.763–0.987), whereas tomato juices maintained their initial phenolic content. HIPEF-treated tomato juice maintained higher lycopene and vitamin C content than the thermally treated juices during the storage time. Hence, the application of HIPEF may be appropriate to achieve nutritious and fresh like tomato juice.

Industrial relevance

HIPEF processing can lead to tomato juice with higher nutritional value than that thermally processed. HIPEF-treated (35 kV/cm for 1500 μs with 4-μs bipolar pulses at 100 Hz, energy input of 8269 kJ/L) tomato juice shows greater lycopene, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity just after the treatment and during the storage time than heat treated (90 °C­30 s and 90 °C­60 s) tomato juice. Therefore, HIPEF technology is a feasible alternative to thermal treatment to obtain tomato juice with a high presence of health-related compounds.     

The relationship between the composition and texture of conventional and low-fat frankfurters

The chemical composition, instrumental texture and sensory properties of eighteen conventional and three low-fat commercially produced frankfurters were analysed. The most important factors in defining the texture of the product were hardness and juiciness, these being related respectively to the percentage of protein and the fat/protein ratio in the frankfurter. Subsequently, using a basic formulation of soya protein and starch, different levels of fat (10 and 15%) and hydrocolloids [carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and apple pectin] were tested. According to results from these trials, three low-fat formulations were chosen. The three low-fat sausages were a sausage with 15% fat and carrageenan (0.5%), a sausage with 10% fat and a combination of carrageenan (0.5%) and pectin (0.4%) and a sausage with 10% fat and a combination of carrageenan (0.5%) and CMC (0.1%). The sensory and instrumental texture attributes of the three low-fat and the standard sausages were investigated. Results indicated that low-fat (10%) frankfurters with a texture profile similar to standard frankfurters could be manufactured through the addition of mixtures of proteins and hydrocolloids. The combination of carrageenan with CMC or apple pectin is more efficient than the use of carrageenan alone as both combinations allow a higher reduction of fat, at the same time achieving a final texture well liked by consumers.     

HPLC flavonoid profiles as markers for the botanical origin of European unifloral honeys

The HPLC phenolic profiles of 52 selected unifloral honey samples produced in Europe were analysed to detect possible markers for the floral origin of the different honeys. Lime‐tree (five markers), chestnut (five markers), rapeseed (one marker), eucalyptus (six markers) and heather (three markers) honeys had specific markers with characteristic UV spectra. In addition, the flavanone hesperetin was confirmed as a marker for citrus honey, as well as kaempferol for rosemary honey and quercetin for sunflower honey. Abscisic acid, which had been reported to be a possible marker for heather honey, was also detected in rapeseed, lime‐tree and acacia honeys. Ellagic acid in heather honey and the hydroxycinnamates caffeic, p‐coumaric and ferulic acids in chestnut, sunflower, lavender and acacia honeys were also detected. The characteristic propolis‐derived flavonoids pinocembrin, pinobanksin and chrysin were present in most samples in variable amounts. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of nisin concentration on properties of gelatin film-forming solutions and their films

The addition of nisin into a gelatin matrix can change properties of the film. The aim of this work was to develop gelatin-based films containing different nisin concentrations in order to study their influence on the film's antimicrobial and physical properties and their rheological properties as a film-forming solution (FFS). The FFS was characterised by rheological assays, and the gelatin-based active films were characterised and assessed by the effects of nisin concentrations on their various properties, including antimicrobial activity. Nisin's concentration affected not only its viscoelastic properties of FFS but also its film solubility in water, film surface roughness and light barrier. The addition of nisin also slightly modified the water contact angle and the mechanical properties of the gelatin films. Finally, the films demonstrated activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes at concentrations above 56 mg of nisin g⁻¹ of gelatin.     

Differential scanning calorimetry of lupin and soy proteins

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the 7S and 11S globulin fractions extracted from lupin seed (Lupinus luteus) flour. In agreement with previous work on other lupin species, the isolate showed three denaturation peaks compared to the two observed with soy. By comparison with the isolated globulin fractions, the denaturation peaks at the two higher temperatures in the lupin isolate were assigned to the 11S and 7S globulins. The denaturation temperature of the lupin 7S globulin was about 10 K higher than that for the corresponding soy globulin, whereas the values for the 11S globulin were similar. All globulins displayed increasing thermal stability with decreasing moisture contents. Possible reasons for the differences in behaviour of soy and lupin protein isolates are discussed.     

Influence of grape variety and their phenolic composition on vasorelaxing activity of young red wines

Red wine has been reported to exert beneficial effects in preventing cardiovascular diseases probably due to their polyphenols constituents. The vasorelaxant capacity and phenolic composition of four monovarietal young red wines Merlot, Tempranillo, Garnacha and Cabernet-Sauvignon obtained from grapes from 2004 vintage, cultivated under the same climatic and agricultural conditions, wine-making technology and storage conditions, were determined using vascular reactivity assay in rat aortic and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells from Wistar rats were also used to evaluate their survival prevention activity as well. Every studied wine present vasorelaxation effect, but the higher value corresponds to the analyzed Merlot wine, especially rich in phenolic compounds, mainly catechins and oligomeric proanthocyanidins and anthocyanin glycosides. This study further demonstrated previous investigations about the phenolic composition of wines relation with their vasorelaxation activity.     

Effect of ozone on the inactivation of Yersinia enterocolitica and the reduction of natural flora on potatoes

Fresh vegetables contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica have been implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks. Surfaces of vegetables can become contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms through contact with soil, irrigation water, fertilizers, equipment, humans, and animals. One approach to reduce this contamination is to treat fresh produce with sanitizers. In this study, the ability of ozone to inactivate Y. enterocolitica inoculated in water and on potato surfaces was evaluated. Furthermore, the efficacy of ozone in reducing natural flora on whole potato was determined. Total aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, total coliforms, and Listeria monocytogenes were enumerated. Finally, several disinfection kinetic models were considered to predict Y. enterocolitica inactivation with ozone. Treatments with ozone (1.4 and 1.9 ppm) for 1 min decreased the Y. enterocolitica population in water by 4.6 and 6.2 log CFU ml(-1), respectively. Furthermore, ozonated water (5 ppm) for 1 min decreased Y. enterocolitica and L. monocytogenes from potato surfaces by 1.6 and 0.8 log CFU g(-1), respectively. Therefore, ozone can be an effective treatment for disinfection of wash water and for reduction of potato surface contamination.     

Effect of Ozone on Postharvest Quality of Persimmon

ABSTRACT:  The effect of gaseous ozone exposure on the quality of persimmon picked at 2 different harvest dates was evaluated. Fruit from both harvests were continuously exposed to 0.15 ppm (vol/vol) of ozone for 30 d at 15 °C, 90% relative humidity (RH). Then, fruit were submitted to astringency removal treatment (24 h at 20 °C, 98% CO₂) and stored for 7 d at 20 °C (90% RH) in order to simulate shelf-life period. The most important disorder was flesh softening, which took place when fruit were transferred from 15 °C to shelf-life conditions. In the 2nd harvest, where the fruit were harvested with lower firmness, ozone maintained firmness over commercial limits even after 30 d at 15 °C plus shelf-life. Ozone-treated fruit showed the highest values of weight loss, coinciding with the maximum electrolyte leakage (EL) percentage. Ozone did not affect color index (CI), ethanol, total soluble solids (TSS), or pH. Unremarkable differences in acetaldehyde were observed between fruit submitted to ozone treatment and control fruit. No phytotoxic injuries in tissues were observed in ozone-treated fruit.