The effect of pre-treatment methods on the quality of dehydrated candied Japanese quince fruits during storage

Quinces (Cydonia oblonga, Chaenomeles sp., and Pseudocydonia sinensis) as Medicinal Fruits of the Rosaceae Family: Current State of Knowledge on Properties and Use

In recent years, the evaluation of many plant-derived compounds as potential new drugs or functional foods has become an active research topic. The morphological characteristics of quinces of the genera Cydonia sp., Chaenomeles sp., and Pseuocydonia sp. are largely similar, which is why these fruits are often confused. Although they have been appreciated in Asia for centuries as a valuable component of local ethnomedicine, they are less known in Western countries, and scientific knowledge about their health benefits remains fragmentary. This literature review summarizes studies on the content of chemical compounds responsible for the health-promoting and functional properties of the quince fruit. It focuses on the content of carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, and carboxylic acids, although the main emphasis is on the content and diversity of bioactive polyphenols, which are extremely abundant in these fruits. The quince fruits are rich in antioxidants and compounds with proven anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiallergic, and immunomodulatory effects. Their phytochemicals effectively regulate glycemia and improve the blood lipid profile, suggesting potential antidiabetic and cardioprotective benefits. Analysis of chemical characteristics showed that the Chaenomeles fruits. are underestimated as functional food ingredients. Studies on the molecular effects of their bioactive compounds and species-specific genomic analyses are sorely lacking in the scientific literature.

Chaenomeles Species-Characteristics of Plant, Fruit and Processed Products: A Review

This literature review deals with the characteristics of Chaenomeles species and the physicochemical properties of Chaenomeles fruits. These fruits belong to a group with a low content of monosaccharides and a favorable ratio of fructose to glucose. They exhibit a low pH value and sour taste; therefore, they are not eaten in a raw form. They have a high concentration of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, vitamin C, organic acids, dietary fiber and pectins. The physicochemical properties of processed Chaenomeles fruits, i.e., freeze-dried, juices, syrups, candied fruit, jam, powder and chips, are presented in the manuscript. Also mentioned are the seeds and their use in the production of oil and seed gum. Of the products described in the paper, seed oil deserves greater attention, as it is characterized by a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic and linoleic, and low susceptibility to oxidation.

Secondary product from strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) fruit for extended preservation and value addition

Strawberry is highly delicate and perishable fruit prone to microbial spoilage. To address these issues, secondary product(s) using strawberry pulp was prepared by adding sweetener (jaggery or sucrose) and anti-browning agent (citrate) to reduce the extent of drying induced sourness and discoloration, respectively. Subsequently, these products were LDPE packed and radiation processed (≤ 5 kGy) to ensure microbiological safety during ambient temperature storage. Physical, biochemical, functional (antioxidant and antimutagenic) and organoleptic properties (including flavor compounds) were found to be either retained or enhanced compared to dehydrated strawberry pulp. The product termed as dehydrated strawberry roll having jaggery and citrate (DSRJ) was found to be more acceptable than that having sucrose and citrate (DSRS) till 5 months. Scanning electron microscopy indicated better surface quality of DSRJ than DSRS. Electrochemical property when analyzed using cyclic voltammetry displayed strong correlation to radical scavenging antioxidant assays with marginal storage associated shift in the peak potential. GC-MS analysis indicated retention of most of the flavor compounds in DSRJ during storage. Thus, DSRJ, a value-added product could provide a solution to control post-harvest losses of the fruit by processing to a more stable form and ensuring availability beyond the season.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05171-9.

Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration of Tomatoes in Solutions of Non-Conventional Sweeteners by Response Surface Methodology and Desirability Approach

The osmotic dehydration (OD) of tomatoes in solutions of alternative sweeteners was investigated using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), while selected desirability functions were implemented in order to define the optimum process parameters (temperature/duration of osmotic treatment, osmotic solution composition and concentration). Mass exchange, color and texture were measured during the process. Changes in color occurred rapidly at the beginning of the process, while firmness was significantly increased, indicating that OD processing led to tomato texture improvement. Color and firmness changes were adequately modeled using a polynomial model. RSM coupled with desirability functions was applied to optimize OD procedure in terms of color retention and maximum solid gain, a requirement for candied products. A maximum desirability was obtained by incorporating oligofructose into the osmotic solution, at relatively short treatment times. Results were validated and sensory analysis was conducted at the optimized conditions to assess samples’ organoleptic acceptance.