Reduction of the Nitrate Content in Baby Spinach Leaves by Vacuum Impregnation with Sucrose

Effect of Vacuum Impregnation with Sucrose and Plant Growth Hormones to Mitigate the Chilling Injury in Spinach Leaves

Vacuum impregnation (VI) has been immensely used in modifying the physicochemical properties, nutritional values and sensory attributes of fruits and vegetables. However, the metabolic consequences of the plant tissue upon impregnation have not been profoundly explored although shelf life is strongly dependent on this factor. In this study, spinach leaves were impregnated with salicylic acid (SA), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and sucrose to improve its quality and storage ability by reducing the chilling injury through the improvement of proline content. The spinach leaves were stored at 4 °C for 7 days and were analyzed at 12 h interval. Upon 1 day of impregnation, the proline content in GABA, sucrose and SA impregnated leaves was increased by 240%, 153% and 103%, respectively, while in non-impregnated leaves, the proline content was decreased by 23.8%. The chlorophyll content of GABA impregnated leaves exhibited the lowest reduction (49%) followed by sucrose (55%) and SA (57%); meanwhile, non-impregnated leaves reduced 80% of chlorophyll content at the end of storage. Sensory evaluation showed that GABA, sucrose and SA impregnated leaves respectively, obtained higher score in terms of freshness, color, texture and overall appearance as compared to non-impregnated leaves.

Combined effects of ultrasound and aqueous chlorine dioxide treatments on nitrate content during storage and postharvest storage quality of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.)

The objectives of this study were to optimize the condition of ultrasonic treatment combined with aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) on nitrate content of spinach by response surface methodology (RSM), and determine the effectiveness of ultrasound (US) and ClO₂ alone and in combination, on spinach postharvest quality during 7 days' storage period. The optimal treatment parameters obtained were ultrasonic power (300 W), ClO₂ concentration (50 ppm), treatment time (4 min). The combined treatments significantly reduced the nitrate content and maintained better storage quality in terms of total soluble solids (TSS) and ascorbic acid content compared with the individual treatment or untreated. For Chlorophyll content, the combined treatment was significantly higher than the control and ClO₂ treatment, but lower than ultrasonic treatment. The results demonstrated that US combined with ClO₂ are promising alternatives for the reduction of nitrate content, as well as preserving the quality of stored leafy vegetables.

Comparative phytochemical profile of the elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense) and the common garlic (Allium sativum) from the Val di Chiana area (Tuscany, Italy) before and after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion

This study is aimed to comparatively investigate the phytochemical profiles, focusing on the nutritional and phytochemical properties of common garlic (Allium sativum L.; CG) and elephant garlic (EG) (Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense) collected from the Val di Chiana area (Tuscany, Italy). The results showed a lower amount of fibers, demonstrating a higher digestibility of the bulb, and sulfur-containing compounds in EG rather than in CG. Untargeted metabolomic profiling followed by supervised and unsupervised statistics allowed understanding the differences in phytochemical composition among the two bulbs, both as raw bulbs, processed following the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process. Typical sulfur-containing compounds, such as alliin and N-gamma-glutamyl-S-allyl cysteine, could notably be detected in lower amounts in EG. EG maintains a distinct phytochemical signature during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Our findings support the distinct sensorial attributes of the bulbs.

Manufacturing personalized food for people uniqueness. An overview from traditional to emerging technologies

Personalized nutrition means that we are unique in the way to absorb and to metabolize nutrients as a consequence of our genetic profile and the microbiome that we host in the gut. With the terminology of Personalized Food Manufacturing we want not only to stress the idea of the capability to manufacture food meeting our unique nutritional needs but - based on the idea that eating is a global experience - also to broad this to meet additional personal requirements and expectations, i.e. taste, texture, color, aspect, etc. To address this aim, traditional and advances technologies will have to be employed in new ways and new technological solutions will have to be implemented. All these considerations motivated our paper by which we want to explore and to discuss the technological options having the potential to produce personalized food. After pointing out the main diet styles, firstly we have analyzed the modern approaches of agricultural and animal nutrition in use to manufacture food for narrow group of consumers. Secondly, we have explored emerging technologies at disposal employable to manufacture customized food that meet our uniqueness. Finally the most important market products belonging in the sector of personalized food production have been considered.

Multiple Consequences Induced by Epidermally-Located Anthocyanins in Young, Mature and Senescent Leaves of Prunus

Anthocyanic morphs are generally less efficient in terms of carbon gain, but, in turn, are more photoprotected than anthocyanin-less ones. To date, mature leaves of different morphs or leaves at different developmental stages within the same species have generally been compared, whereas there is a lack of knowledge regarding different stages of development of red vs. green leaves. Leaves (1-, 7-, and 13-week-old) of red- (RLP) and green-leafed (GLP) Prunus in terms of photosynthetic rate, carbon metabolism and photoprotective mechanisms were compared to test whether anthocyanin-equipped leaves perform better than anthocyanin-less leaves and whether photoprotection is the primary role of epidermally-located anthocyanins, using for the first time a recently-developed parameter of chlorophyll fluorescence (qPd). GLP leaves had a higher photosynthetic rate in 1- and 7-week-old leaves, but RLP leaves performed better at an early stage of senescence and had a longer leaf lifespan. Anthocyanins contributed to leaf photoprotection throughout the leaf development, but were tightly coordinated with carotenoids. Besides photoprotecting, we propose that epidermal anthocyanins may be principally synthetized to maintain an efficient carbon-sink strength in young and senescent leaves, thus extending the RLP leaf lifespan.