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Blasi E, Rossi ES, Pietrangeli R, Nasso M, Cicatiello C, Palombieri S, Sestili F. Functional Biscuits, a Healthy Addition to Your Coffee Break-Evaluating Consumer Acceptability and Willingness to Pay. Foods 2024; 13:1731. [PMID: 38890960 PMCID: PMC11171973 DOI: 10.3390/foods13111731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of individuals are eating out due to work and study commitments. This trend directly influences people's food choices, especially those who frequently rely on snacks and pre-packaged foods. Consuming these foods can lead to long-term health consequences. Adding functional foods to vending machines could lead to healthier choices. Our aim is to evaluate the acceptability and willingness to pay (WTP) of workers and students for a snack pack of novel functional biscuits (FBs) made with high amylose contents. We found that the experimental flour used is effective in preventing various non-communicable diseases; two phases of analysis were carried out on 209 participants. The participants blindly tested the products and only after the sensory evaluation were they informed about the biscuits' health contents. Firstly, the blind investigation highlighted the acceptability of the FBs compared to the conventional biscuits. Secondly, the finite mixture model on WTP revealed that some consumers are interested in the health benefits associated with high-amylose test blends and others are focused on hedonistic taste. The design of a communication strategy and industry approach should aim to assist consumers in comprehending the health benefits and sensory aspects of novel functional foods available on the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Blasi
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo del Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.B.); (M.N.); (C.C.)
| | - Eleonora Sofia Rossi
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo del Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.B.); (M.N.); (C.C.)
| | - Roberta Pietrangeli
- Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization (DEIM), University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
| | - Marco Nasso
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo del Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.B.); (M.N.); (C.C.)
| | - Clara Cicatiello
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo del Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.B.); (M.N.); (C.C.)
| | - Samuela Palombieri
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (S.P.); (F.S.)
| | - Francesco Sestili
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (S.P.); (F.S.)
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Pons C, Casals J, Brower M, Sacco A, Riccini A, Hendrickx P, Figás MDR, Fisher J, Grandillo S, Mazzucato A, Soler S, Zamir D, Causse M, Díez MJ, Finkers R, Prohens J, Monforte AJ, Granell A. Diversity and genetic architecture of agro-morphological traits in a core collection of European traditional tomato. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:5896-5916. [PMID: 37527560 PMCID: PMC10540738 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
European traditional tomato varieties have been selected by farmers given their consistent performance and adaptation to local growing conditions. Here we developed a multipurpose core collection, comprising 226 accessions representative of the genotypic, phenotypic, and geographical diversity present in European traditional tomatoes, to investigate the basis of their phenotypic variation, gene×environment interactions, and stability for 33 agro-morphological traits. Comparison of the traditional varieties with a modern reference panel revealed that some traditional varieties displayed excellent agronomic performance and high trait stability, as good as or better than that of their modern counterparts. We conducted genome-wide association and genome-wide environment interaction studies and detected 141 quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Out of those, 47 QTLs were associated with the phenotype mean (meanQTLs), 41 with stability (stbQTLs), and 53 QTL-by-environment interactions (QTIs). Most QTLs displayed additive gene actions, with the exception of stbQTLs, which were mostly recessive and overdominant QTLs. Both common and specific loci controlled the phenotype mean and stability variation in traditional tomato; however, a larger proportion of specific QTLs was observed, indicating that the stability gene regulatory model is the predominant one. Developmental genes tended to map close to meanQTLs, while genes involved in stress response, hormone metabolism, and signalling were found within regions affecting stability. A total of 137 marker-trait associations for phenotypic means and stability were novel, and therefore our study enhances the understanding of the genetic basis of valuable agronomic traits and opens up a new avenue for an exploitation of the allelic diversity available within European traditional tomato germplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Pons
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Joan Casals
- Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology/Miquel Agustí Foundation, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Campus Baix Llobregat, Esteve Terrades 8, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain
| | - Matthijs Brower
- Wageningen University & Research, Plant Breeding, POB 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Adriana Sacco
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Università 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Alessandro Riccini
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Patrick Hendrickx
- Wageningen University & Research, Plant Breeding, POB 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria del Rosario Figás
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Josef Fisher
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Silvana Grandillo
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Università 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Andrea Mazzucato
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Salvador Soler
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Dani Zamir
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mathilde Causse
- INRAE, UR1052, Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes 67 Allée des Chênes, Domaine Saint Maurice, CS60094, Montfavet, 84143, France
| | - Maria José Díez
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Richard Finkers
- Wageningen University & Research, Plant Breeding, POB 386, NL-6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jaime Prohens
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Antonio Jose Monforte
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Antonio Granell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
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Duckena L, Alksnis R, Erdberga I, Alsina I, Dubova L, Duma M. Non-Destructive Quality Evaluation of 80 Tomato Varieties Using Vis-NIR Spectroscopy. Foods 2023; 12:foods12101990. [PMID: 37238808 DOI: 10.3390/foods12101990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional biochemical methods are resource- and time-consuming; therefore, there is a need for cost-effective alternatives. A spectral analysis is one of the non-destructive techniques that are more widely used for fruit quality determination; however, references are needed for traditional methods. In this study, visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the internal quality attributes of tomatoes. For the first time, 80 varieties with large differences in fruit size, shape, color, and internal structure were used for an analysis. The aim of this study was to develop models suitable to predict a taste index, as well as the content of lycopene, flavonoids, β-carotene, total phenols, and dry matter of intact tomatoes based on Vis-NIR reflectance spectra. The content of phytochemicals was determined in 80 varieties of tomatoes. A total of 140 Vis-NIR reflectance spectra were obtained using the portable spectroradiometer RS-3500 (Spectral Evolution Inc.). Partial least squares regression (PLS) and multiple scatter correction (MSC) were used to develop calibration models. Our results indicated that PLS models with good prediction accuracies were obtained. The present study showed the high capability of Vis-NIR spectroscopy to determine the content of lycopene and dry matter of intact tomatoes with a determination coefficient of 0.90 for both parameters. A regression fit of R2 = 0.86, R2 = 0.84, R2 = 0.82, and R2= 0.73 was also achieved for the taste index, flavonoids, β-carotene, and total phenols, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilija Duckena
- Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Reinis Alksnis
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Information Technologies, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Ieva Erdberga
- Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Ina Alsina
- Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Laila Dubova
- Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Soil and Plant Science, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Mara Duma
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Food Technology, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
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Causse M, Bénéjam J, Bineau E, Bitton F, Brault M, Carretero Y, Desaint H, Hereil A, Pellegrino K, Pelpoir E, Zhao J. Genetic control of tomato fruit quality: from QTL mapping to Genome Wide Association studies and breeding. C R Biol 2023; 345:3-13. [PMID: 36847117 DOI: 10.5802/crbiol.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Consumers began to complain about the taste of tomato varieties in the late 1990's. Although tomato taste is influenced by environmental and post-harvest conditions, varieties show a large diversity for fruit quality traits. We herein review our past and present research work intended to improve tomato fruit quality. First, results from sensory analysis allowed identifying important traits for consumer preferences. Then, we dissected the genetic control of flavor related traits by mapping several QTL in the last 20 years, and identified the genes corresponding to a few major QTL. Since the availability of the tomato genome sequence, genome-wide association studies were performed on several panels of tomato accessions. We discovered a large number of associations for fruit composition and identified relevant allele combinations for breeding. We then performed a meta-analysis combining the results of several studies. We also checked the inheritance of quality traits at the hybrid level and assessed how genomic prediction could help selecting better tomato varieties.
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