Detection of Monilia Contamination in Plum and Plum Juice with NIR Spectroscopy and Electronic Tongue

Plums are one of the commercially important stone fruits that are available on the market in both fresh and processed form and the most sought-after products are prunes, cans, jams, and juices. Maturity, harvest, and post-harvest technologies fundamentally determine the relatively short shelf life of plums which is often threatened by Monilinia spp. Causing brown rot worldwide. The aim of the present research was to use advanced analytical techniques, such as hand-held near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and electronic tongue (e-tongue) to detect M. fructigena fungal infection on plums and quantify this fungal contamination in raw plum juices. For this purpose, plums were inoculated with fungal mycelia in different ways (control, intact, and through injury) and stored under different conditions (5 °C, and 24 °C) for eight days. The results obtained with the two instruments were analyzed with chemometric methods, such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR). The NIRS-based method proved successful when detectability before the appearance of visible signs of the infection was studied. E-tongue was able to detect and quantify the concentration of juice derived from plum developed with M. fructigena with RMSECV lower than 5% w/w. Overall, the two methods proved to be suitable for discriminating between the treatment groups, however, the classification accuracy was higher for samples stored at 24 °C. The research results show both NIRS and e-tongue are beneficial methods to reduce food waste by providing rapid determination of fruit quality.

Implicit and explicit safety evaluation of foods: The importance of food processing

Identifying beneficial foods in the environment, while avoiding ingesting something toxic, is an overlooked, yet crucial task humans face on a daily basis. Here we directly examined adults’ implicit and explicit safety evaluations of the same foods presented with different degrees of processing, ranging from unprocessed (raw) to processed (cut or cooked). Moreover, we investigated whether individuals’ characteristics (e.g., Body Mass Index, hunger, food neophobia) modulated their evaluations. We hypothesized that adults would associate the processed form of a food with safety more than its unprocessed form since processing techniques, which are ubiquitously applied in different cultures, often reduce the toxicity of foods and signal previous human intervention and intended consumption. Adults (N = 109, 43 females) performed an implicit Go/No-Go Association Task (GNAT) online, assessing the association between safety attributes (words associated with safety or toxicity) and food images differing on their degree of processing (unprocessed raw fruits and vegetables, the same foods cut-up and cooked into a puree); both unfamiliar and familiar foods were used. Then, each food was explicitly evaluated via Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Results revealed that overweight and obese individuals rated cooked foods as the least safe overall at the explicit level (VAS results) while having a strong association between these processed foods and safety attributes at the implicit level (GNAT RTs results). Yet, at the explicit level, when looking at unfamiliar foods only, processed foods were rated safer than unprocessed foods by all participants (VAS results). Our results are the first evidence that directly highlights the relevance of the degree of processing in food safety evaluation and suggest that thinking of the important tasks humans face regarding food selection enriches our understanding of food behaviors.

Smart Agriculture Cloud Using AI Based Techniques

This research proposes a generic smart cloud-based system in order to accommodate multiple scenarios where agriculture farms using Internet of Things (IoTs) need to be monitored remotely. The real-time and stored data are analyzed by specialists and farmers. The cloud acts as a central digital data store where information is collected from diverse sources in huge volumes and variety, such as audio, video, image, text, and digital maps. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based machine learning models such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), which is one of many classification types, are used to accurately classify the data. The classified data are assigned to the virtual machines where these data are processed and finally available to the end-users via underlying datacenters. This processed form of digital information is then used by the farmers to improve their farming skills and to update them as pre-disaster recovery for smart agri-food. Furthermore, it will provide general and specific information about international markets relating to their crops. This proposed system discovers the feasibility of the developed digital agri-farm using IoT-based cloud and provides solutions to problems. Overall, the approach works well and achieved performance efficiency in terms of execution time by 14%, throughput time by 5%, overhead time by 9%, and energy efficiency by 13.2% in the presence of competing smart farming baselines.

ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF KIWI FRUIT

The kiwi fruit has been drawing attention and a great deal of interest because of its health benefits. It is consumed in its natural form, while it is being presented in processed form by the food industry such as sweets, ice creams, frozen juice or pulp, and many other byproducts. The peel of kiwi fruit which is a byproduct of fruit is still under exploration, but it has raised much interest in this by-product because this has many bioactive molecule contents in it such as phenolic compounds. Kiwi fruit has shown antimicrobial activity apart from the antioxidant activity against many pathogenic bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes as well as fungi like Penicillium funiculosum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus versicolor and Aspergillus ochraceus. With the presence of antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities in kiwi fruit, it may be used as a potential medicinal fruit.

Yield Enhancement and Better Micronutrients Uptake in Tomato Fruit through Potassium Humate Combined with Micronutrients Mixture

The deficiency of micronutrients and low organic matter (OM) status of soils are major hurdles in the optimum crop yield achievements. Humic substances can play an imperative role in the micronutrient bioavailability and improved crop yield by ameliorating the physicochemical soil properties. consumed as fresh food and in processed form. However, its susceptibility towards micronutrient deficiency causes a significant reduction in yield. That is why a current study was done to examine the influence of different potassium humate (KH) levels, i.e., 0, 5, 10, and 15 kg ha−1 with micronutrients mixture (MC), i.e., 0, 50 (Zn = 2.50, B = 0.75, Fe = 2.50 kg ha−1), 75 (Zn = 3.75, B = 1.125, Fe = 3.75 kg ha−1) and 100% (Zn = 5.0, B = 1.5, Fe = 5.0 kg ha−1) on the yield, biomass, harvesting index and uptake of the micronutrients in tomato. The results showed that increasing the level of K-humate significantly improved the yield (7.4 and 7.17%), total biomass (6.38 and 6.59%), and harvesting the index (0.46 and 0.76%) of tomato. It also enhanced Fe uptake but did not affect B and Zn concentrations in the tomato fruit at 100% MC + 15 kg ha−1 KH over control in the autumn and spring seasons. In conclusion, both levels of K-humate 10 and 15 kg ha−1 and MC 75 and 100% effectively enhance the yield, biomass, harvesting the index, and micronutrients (B, Zn, and Fe) uptake in tomatoes.

Highlights on the properties of the soda-lime-silicate glass residue that enable its use as filler in ultra-high performance concrete

The exponential advancement of cutting-edge technologies in the scope of civil construction, seeks to give cement-based materials the eco-efficient potential linked to mechanical performance that enables different applications. This work aims to evaluate the glass residue regarding the pozzolanic potential through ABNT NBR 5752:2014, as well as to verify whether through the characterization tests of x-ray fluorescence, x-ray diffraction and laser diffraction granulometry, if it is viable of application as supplementary cementitious material (filler), in ultra-high performance concrete. The glass residue submitted to the tests proposed in this study, was crushed in a jaw crusher, milled in a bench ball mill at 47 rpm, and was sieved in a 75 µm opening mesh (ABNT nº 200 mesh). For the test of pozzolanic activity, CP II F-40 class cement, normal sand, water from the public supply network, and superplasticizer additive were used for the mix with 25% of the residue replacing cement, while for the other characterization techniques, the glass residue was applied in its processed form (after sieving), dry or wet. The evaluated glass residue did not reach the minimum rate of 75% established by ABNT NBR 5752:2014, achieving only 45.72%, being classified as non-pozzolanic, which indicates its inert behavior in the presence of calcium hydroxide. The characterization tests confirmed, based on the specialized literature on ultra-high performance concrete, its viability as a filler when adopted as an alternative raw material for presenting chemical and mineralogical composition, in addition to granulometric distribution, very close to those used in studies that demonstrated satisfactory results when using the glass residue as an input.

The Perspective of Croatian Old Apple Cultivars in Extensive Farming for the Production of Functional Foods

The Republic of Croatia has a long tradition of fruit growing due to its geographical location, climatic conditions, and high quality of fruit crops, especially apple fruits. Apples can be used for the formulation of functional foods either in processed form (e.g., juice), or as a by-product (e.g., apple pomace). However, there is a growing demand for functional foods derived from ancient and traditional plant sources as they are recognized as a very valuable source of health-promoting bioactive ingredients. Similarly, old apple cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh.) are characterized by good morphological and pomological properties, less need for chemicals during cultivation and the higher share of biologically active compounds (BACs) with better sensory acceptability compared to commercial cultivars. However, their nutritional and biological potential is underestimated, as is their ability to be processed into functional food. The importance in preserving old apple cultivars can also be seen in their significance for improving the nutritional composition of other apple cultivars through innovative cultivation strategies, and therefore old local apple cultivars could be of great importance in future breeding programs.

Synthesis of the NarP response regulator of nitrate respiration in Escherichia coli is regulated at multiple levels by Hfq and small RNAs

ABSTRACTTwo-component systems (TCS) and small RNAs (sRNA) are widespread regulators that participate in the response and the adaptation of bacteria to their environments. They mostly act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, respectively, and can be found integrated in regulatory circuits, where TCSs control sRNAs transcription and/or sRNAs post-transcriptionally regulate TCSs synthesis.In response to nitrate and nitrite, the paralogous NarQ-NarP and NarX-NarL TCSs regulate the expression of genes involved in anaerobic respiration of these alternative electron acceptors. In addition to the previously reported repression of NarP synthesis by the SdsN137 sRNA, we show here that RprA, another Hfq-dependent sRNA, also negatively controls narP. Interestingly, the repression of narP by RprA actually relies on two independent controls. The first is via the direct pairing of the central region of RprA to the narP translation initiation region and presumably occurs at the translation initiation level. In contrast, the second control requires only the very 5’ end of the narP mRNA, which is targeted, most likely indirectly, by the full-length or the shorter, processed, form of RprA. In addition, our results raise the possibility of a direct role of Hfq in narP control, further illustrating the diversity of post-transcriptional regulation mechanisms in the synthesis of TCSs.

Using the fruits of the guelder-rose ordinary (Viburnum opulus L.) new genetic types in the creation of the functional assignment drinks

The strategy of growing fruit crops in our country requires a revision of the food market business environment formation from the iewpoint of the population providing with biologically valuable food products and raw material for the processing and food industries, not only the gross production of separate export attractive types of fruit and small fruit products. In order to solve this proble, a special attention must be paid to the cultivation of minor fruit and small fruit crops which ensure, first of all, obtainning biologically valuable raw material as the source of making the functional assignment products. Talking into consideration all the above mentioned, the studies of the fruits of the new Viburnum opulus L. forms and cultivars were carried out in 2018-2020 at the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine concerning the biochemical indicators, suitability for processing and production of inland wines and juices for the functional assignment. It should be noted that contrary to wild forms, the new selectional forms (F 329-10-17, F 360-5-17) and varietie Uliana have a more harmonious taste and reduced bitterness, so their fruits can be eaten both as fresh, and in a processed form. The infusion of crushed mass from the fruits of Ulyana for 40 hours, followed by squeezing and adding the second fraction, infused with the apple juice in a ratio of 1:2 at a temperature of 80 ºC, with the further squeezing and gradual addition of sugar appeared cause the growth of the phenolic compounds amount to 2800 mg/dm3 and of acidity to some extent the point value being high (8.0 points). In order to balance the alcohol content and acidity of wine materials and increase their tasting evaluation, it is advisable to use gradually honey instead of sugar. That will raise the tasting evaluation to 8+ points. The infusion of crushed mass from the berries of the selectional forms F 329-10-17 and 360-6-17 for 40 hours the with further squeezing and adding the second fraction, infused with the apple juice in a ratio of 1:2 at a temperature of 80 ºC followed by squeezing and gradual addition of honey proved to bring about the formation of the satisfactory physical and technological parameters, namely: ruby-bright colour, typical rich aroma and pure pleasant and asringent taste. The obtained results made it possible to differentiate the varieties and forms as for the indices of the aroma-formational complex of soft drinks and the of their fruits favourability for processing and making functional food products. Among these genotypes, the variety Uliana and forms, F 329-10-17 and F 360-5-17 were selected that became the prerequisite for the development and improvement of the methods of producting of functional assignment drinks.

The use of elder marc in the food industry

The article describes the varieties of elderberry, and the process of black elderberry fruits ripening. External characteristics of flowers, followed by ripening of fruits, have been described. The main components useful for the human body have been identified, which are contained in the fruits of the black elderberry. The effect of elderberry fruits on the human body when used for medicinal purposes has been. Elderberry fruits have a coloring substance that must be added to confectionery creams, sweets, marshmallows, as well as to liqueurs and wine products to give the products color and nutmeg taste. Elderberry fruits can be eaten fresh, ripe, but the most delicious and more useful fruits are provided in processed form, especially in juice and dried form. The useful properties of elderberry have been described, as well as the dangerous properties that appear in case of eating unripe elderberry fruits growing in the Republic of Belarus. The detailed composition of the components of elderberry fruit has been considered, all its useful properties noted. Particular attention is paid to the chemical composition of elderberry fruit, detailed amino acid composition of elderberry fruit has been given, and the composition of anthocyanin content in juice of direct extraction from elderberry fruit has been shown. The use of elderberry pomace in the food industry for the preparation of jam, jams, confiture, preserves and other products, as well as adding to wine, alcoholic beverages, to impart nutmeg taste, in the confectionery industry to add to dough and giving the product an almond smell has been described. It is especially noted that the pomace from elderberries contains biological active substances, bioflavonoids, anthocyanins, which confirms their immediate importance and the need to use for the creation of many products for preventive and functional purposes in the food industry.