Quality, storability, and essential oil content of Ligularia fischeri during modified atmosphere packaging storage

Consumer Preference, Quality, and Safety of Organic and Conventional Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, and Cereals

Growing and purchasing demand for organic fresh produce is increasing rapidly. Consumers are aware of health, environmental safety, pesticide harmfulness, nutrients, bioactive compounds, and safe food. Many research works are available on organic and conventional fresh produce. As organic fresh produce growing and purchasing demand is increasing, it has become necessary to review the recent trends in quality, safety, and consumer preferences of organic and conventional fresh food products. A few reports have been compiled on organic and conventional fresh produce. Researchers have started working on organic and conventional fresh produce with the help of modern technology to improve nutritional and functional quality, safety, and consumer preferences. Nutritional and functional quality, safety, and consumer preferences depend on cultivation techniques, treatment, crop cultivar, and appearance of products. Therefore, it is necessary to compile the literature on organic and conventional fresh produce based on quality, safety, and consumer preferences.

Grape terpenoids: flavor importance, genetic regulation, and future potential

Terpenes significantly affect the flavor and quality of grapes and wine. This review summarizes recent research on terpenoids with regard to grape wine. Although, the grapevine terpene synthase gene family is the largest identified, genetic modifications involving terpenes to improve wine flavor have received little attention. Key enzyme modulation alters metabolite production. Over the last decade, the heterologous manipulation of grape glycosidase has been used to alter terpenoids, and cytochrome P450s may affect terpene synthesis. Metabolic and genetic engineering can further modify terpenoid metabolism, while using transgenic grapevines (trait transfer to the plant) could yield more flavorful wine. We also discuss traits involved in wine aroma quality, and the strategies that can be used to improve grapevine breeding technology.

Bio-preservative effect of blends of essential oils: natural anti-oxidant and anti-microbial agents for the shelf life enhancement of emulsion based chicken sausages

This work explores the efficacy and potential of four different blends of essential oils as bio-preservative for enhancement of shelf life of emulsion based ready-to-eat chicken sausages. Pre-optimized levels of four different blends of essential oils: 0.25% each of B-1, B-2, B-3 and 0.125% of B-4, were tried in the chicken sausages. Four different treatments along with control were then aerobically packaged and stored under refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) conditions. An increase in pH and TBARS value was found to be significantly lower in the case of B-2 products. Significantly higher values for DPPH activity (% inhibition) and total phenolic content (µg/g) were also observed for B-2 products which indicated that B-2 products had better oxidative stability. Further, B-1 and B-2 products were observed with significantly lower microbial count; however, B-4 products received slightly higher sensory scores than B-2. It was found that B-1, 2 and 3 (each at 0.25%) and B-4 (0.125%) enhanced the shelf life of chicken sausages by 13-14 days, 16-17 days, 10-11 days and 6-7 days, respectively under refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) storage.

The Effect of Heat Processing on Chemical Composition and Antioxidative Activity of Tea Made from Barley Sprouts and Wheat Sprouts

Barley sprouts and wheat sprouts have received much interest as functional foods in many countries. In this study, the effects of heat processing and extraction temperature on the bioactive components and antioxidative properties were examined in barley and wheat sprout teas. Both barley and wheat sprout teas were processed with two different methods (steaming or pan-roasting). Crude protein was increased, and moisture content was the lowest, in the roasted barley and wheat sprout teas. Total phenolics content and flavonoid contents were significantly higher in the roasted teas than in the steamed teas. Vitamin C content was the highest after an extraction temperature of 55 °C (24.05 mg/mL) in the roasted wheat sprout tea. Both roasted barley and wheat sprout teas exhibited the most antioxidative effects in vitro, demonstrated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging and nitrite-scavenging activities. Therefore, the roasting method can be considered an appropriate technique for the production of barley and wheat sprout teas. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Barley and wheat sprouts have received much attention in recent years as functional food materials in many countries and can be consumed as a form of tea. Heat processing methods such as steaming and roasting were applied and compared to increase the bioactive components and antioxidative activity in barley and wheat sprout teas. We found that roasting showed higher bioactive components and antioxidative activity than steaming in both barley and wheat sprout teas. In addition, wheat sprouts tea showed better bioactive components and antioxidative activity compared with the barley sprout tea.

The Effect of Phosphorus and Root Zone Temperature on Anthocyanin of Red Romaine Lettuce

In this study, phosphorus (P) strength [(full strength: 1×-P, half strength: 0.5×-P and zero strength: 0×-P)] and root zone temperature (10 and 15 °C RZT) were investigated in red romaine lettuce to determine their effects on anthocyanin content. This experiment was conducted using a deep-flow technique (DFT) hydroponic system in a greenhouse during the winter in Gangwon province in the Korea Republic. The treatments were 1×-P (15 and 10 °C RZT), 0.5×-P (15 and 10 °C RZT) and 0×-P (15 and 10 °C RZT). The results showed that the P (phosphorus), K (potassium) and Ca (calcium) accumulation contents were lower in the 0×-P -treated red romaine lettuce leaves than in the other treatments. The maximum red romaine lettuce yields per plant, leaf number and leaf length were exhibited during the 1×-P at 15 °C RZT treatment. In 0×-P at 10 °C, RZT treatment showed lower leaf color values of L*, b*, chrome, ºh and higher leaf color a* values. Moreover, in the 0×-P treatment at 10 °C RZT, the leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD), chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll total were the lowest. Anthocyanin content was the highest in the 0×-P treatment, followed by 0.5×-P and 1×-P treatments at both 15 and 10 °C RZT. Regardless of the P intensity treatment, anthocyanin content was higher at 10 °C RZT than at 15 °C RZT. In summary, the 1×-P at 15 °C RZT treatment is the best for red romaine lettuce leaf yield, and the 0×-P at 10 °C RZT treatment is the best for lettuce leaf anthocyanin content.