Food Technology
Ali Akbar Shokouhian; Shahriyar Einizadeh; Mehrdad Dashti
Abstract
IntroductionCherry, with the scientific name Prunus avium L., is one of the most important stone fruit trees in temperate regions, belonging to the Rosaceae family and the Prunoideae subfamily. Edible coatings are thin layers of materials that are used on the surface of the product and are an alternative ...
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IntroductionCherry, with the scientific name Prunus avium L., is one of the most important stone fruit trees in temperate regions, belonging to the Rosaceae family and the Prunoideae subfamily. Edible coatings are thin layers of materials that are used on the surface of the product and are an alternative to protective wax coatings. Chitosan is a coating that has a polysaccharide structure and is composed of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine units and is obtained from the shell of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps. Clear, odorless, non-sticky gel with high and firm absorption power is extracted from the inner parts of aloe vera plant leaves. Between this gel and the outer skin of the leaf, there are special cells that contain a yellow liquid and when this liquid dries, aloe vera juice is produced. This gel is completely healthy and compatible with the environment, and its pH is about 4.5, which can replace various fruit coatings in the post-harvest stage. The purpose of this research was to investigate the combined effect of aloe vera gel and chitosan in maintaining the quality characteristics post harvesting and increasing the shelf life of Lombard cherry fruit. Materials and MethodsLambert black cherry fruit was obtained from the garden complex of Moghan Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Company located in Pars Abad city of Ardabil province. they were immediately transferred to the Postharvest Physiology Laboratory, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, for the desired treatments.This study aimed to extend the shelf life of cherry fruit with two edible chitosan coatings (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5% w/w) and aloe vera gel (0, 15%, 30%, 45% w/w) was performed as factorial in a completely randomized design in three replications. The measured parameters were soluble solids, vitamin C, total acidity, anthocyanin, starch, weight loss and firmness of fruit tissue that were evaluated at harvest time and 45 days after harvest. Results and DiscussionThe results of analysis variance showed that the effect of time had significant on cherry fruit flavor (P<0.01). The use of Aloe vera gel had a significant effect (P<0.01) on soluble solids, starch, firmness, fruit flavor and also weight loss (P<0.05). The effect of chitosan treatment also were significant on total soluble solids, starch, firmness, and fruit flavor (P<0.01). Moreover, Interaction effect of aloe vera gel and chitosan treatments on total soluble solids, starch, firmness, and fruit flavor were significant (P<0.01) during at storage time. The compare means showed that the ratio of soluble sugars to total acid was increased. The highest soluble solids and their ratio to total acid were obtained as a result of the using of 45% aloe vera gel with 0.5% chitosan coating. Combining of aloe vera gel with 30% and 45% concentrations with chitosan at 1% and 1.5% were able to maintain better firmness of fruit tissue compared to other treatments during storage time.The highest residual starch in the fruit was obtained in using aloe vera gel treatments at concentrations of 15%, 40% and 45% with 1% chitosan during storage. Also, the use of aloe vera gel (all three levels) was exceled compared to control on fruit weight loss. By reducing the activity of ethylene, chitosan causes a delay in ripening and aging and as a result reduces the firmness of the fruit. Aloe vera gel reduces the activity of pectin methylesterase, poly-galactronase and beta-galactosidase. These enzymes destroy the cell wall and soften the fruit. ConclusionThe interest in using edible coatings to maintain the optimum quality of fruits during the marketing and storage process has increased. Edible coatings can act as a barrier, thereby reducing quality loss, inhibiting gas exchange, controlling respiration rates, and preventing the growth of microorganisms that cause fruit decay. The results clearly indicated the preservation of the quality of cherry fruit with the use of edible coatings compared to the control. The use of the treatment combination of chitosan at a concentration of 1.5% with aloe vera at a concentration of 45% has had a positive and significant effect to maintain the quality of cherry fruit after harvesting. Therefore, the use of this treatment combination is recommended to increase the storage life and maintain the quality of Lambert cherry fruit during the storage period.
Hadis Cheraghi; Fardin Ghanbari; Mehdi Saidi
Abstract
Introduction: Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus L.) is one of the most popular and widely consumed edible mushrooms that is grown all over the world. However, button mushrooms have a short shelf life of about 3 to 4 days after harvest and lose their commercial value within a few days due to browning ...
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Introduction: Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus L.) is one of the most popular and widely consumed edible mushrooms that is grown all over the world. However, button mushrooms have a short shelf life of about 3 to 4 days after harvest and lose their commercial value within a few days due to browning of the tissue, water loss, aging and microbial attack. Tissue browning is caused by the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in plastids on phenolic compounds in the vacuoles as a substrate. Therefore, enzymatic browning is intensified by the loss of membrane integrity due to aging and tissue deterioration and as a result of physical connection between the enzyme and the substrate. The use of some techniques such as the chemicals and physical treatments gives promising results in delaying Browning and increasing the shelf life of edible mushrooms. Cinnamic acid (CA) is an organic acid that occurs naturally in plants and has low toxicity and a wide range of biological activities. Cinnamic acid and its derivatives are widely used in food industry. This compound acts as an inhibitor of polyphenol oxidase activity. On the other hand, cinnamic acid in low concentration has been proposed as an activator of the antioxidant system and its positive effects on reducing the effects of environmental stresses in various plants have been proven in several experiments. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of cinnamic acid treatment on reducing the browning of the tissue and maintaining the quality of white button mushrooms in the post-harvest period has been investigated. Materials and Methods: Treatments included exogenous application of cinnamic acid at four levels (control, 100, 200 and 400 μM trans cinnamic acid) and storage time at five times (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 days after storage). Cinnamic acid treatment at the mentioned concentrations was applied by top application 24 hours before mushroom harvest. Distilled water was used for control treatment. At the time of picking, infected, very large and small mushrooms were removed and the same mushrooms with a cap diameter of 40 to 45 mm were collected for each experimental treatment. After harvesting, the mushrooms were placed in a polyethylene box covered with cellophane and after weighing, they were transferred to an incubator at 4°C. In the post-harvest period, different traits were measured with a four day interva. Results and Discussion: The results showed that by increasing storage time, the activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase increased and consequently the browning of the tissue also had an increasing trend. Also, with increasing storage time, weight loss percentage, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde increased and total phenol and total antioxidant capacity were decreased. The use of cinnamic acid treatment in all three concentrations (100, 200 and 400 μM) reduced the activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities and reduced tissue browning. The application of cinnamic acid also improved the quality traits of edible mushrooms such as total phenol, total antioxidant capacity and visual quality index. These findings suggest that application of cinnamic acid, especially at a concentration of 400 μM, could have the potential of inhibiting tissue browning and thus maintaining the mushrooms quality at the postharvest period
Maryam Hashemi; Abdol Majid Mirzaalian Dastjerdi; Ahmad Shaker ardakani; Seyed Hosein Mirdehghan
Abstract
Introduction: Pistachio is one of the dried and native products of Iran, which has a special economic and export significance due to its excellent quality. Pistachio kernel is rich in unsaturated fatty acids; therefore, its unsaturated fatty acids can tolerate oxidation and, as a result, change the flavor ...
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Introduction: Pistachio is one of the dried and native products of Iran, which has a special economic and export significance due to its excellent quality. Pistachio kernel is rich in unsaturated fatty acids; therefore, its unsaturated fatty acids can tolerate oxidation and, as a result, change the flavor of the product. Various factors, such as temperature, relative humidity, light, etc., affect the storage of many nuts. During pistachio storage, the lowest rate of oxidation and hydrolysis occurs in low humidity and under the carbon dioxide atmospheric. Therefore, packaging with low-permeability plastic films, in a dry product with a moisture content of less than seven percent, can be a good way to maintain product quality. Pistachio packaging depends on several reasons include physical protection of the product, preventing product spoilage, attracting customers, preventing aflatoxin contamination, and ensuring a high-quality, healthy consumer product. Considering the high nutritional value of pistachios and its importance for exports, research is needed to improve the storage and the availability of a healthy, quality product. Therefore, in this research, the role of plastic coatings with different materials and layers on the shelf life and maintaining the nutritional value of dry pistachios was investigated.
Materials and methods: In this experiment, dry commercial Ahmad Aghaei pistachio cultivar was used. 200 grams of intact fruit was placed in plastic bags of different materials and then sealed with thermal sewing. Finally, the packages were placed at 20 ± 3 ° C. Polymeric coatings used include uncoated (control), single layer polyethylene plastics (PE), dual layer plastics with metallized polyamide composition, and extruded polyethylene (PA- ONM / PE ex), three layer plastics by combining polyester, polyurethane and polyethylene (PEs / Pu / PE), three layers of plastics with cast polypropylene, polyurethane and polyester composition (CPP / Pu / PEs), five layers plastics with polyamide, Ethylene vinyl Alcohol, two layers of extrusion and polyethylene plastics (PA / EVOH / Tie / Tie / PE), seven layers of plastics with polyethylene, two layers ethylene vinyl alcohol, two layers of extrusion bonded polymer, polyamide and extruded polyethylene (PE / EVOH / EVOH / Tie / Tie / PA / PE ex). The desired traits (weight loss, kernel hardness, peroxide value, free fatty acid, soluble sugars and sensory evaluation) was measured before the treatments and after 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 months of the storage period. The experiment was carried out in a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with three replications. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SAS software version 9.1.3 and comparisons of the meanings by Duncan's multiple range test at a probability level of 1 percent. Drawing of the diagrams was done using Excel software.
Results and discussion: Pistachios packed with seven-layer and double-layered coatings showed the least weight loss and kernel hardness in the packaging due to the polymeric coating. Plastic coatings play an important role in preventing weight loss by creating a saturated micro-atmosphere around the fruit, and probably due to less moisture loss (less weight loss) in these packaging coatings, the hardness of the kernel was also lower than other materials. Also, during the storage period, the amount of peroxide value and free fatty acid in the control and the various types of packaging coatings increased, but this increase in the package with two and seven layers of slope was slower than the control and other materials. Double-layered and seven-layered treatments in comparison with control and other coatings had significantly lower peroxide value and free fatty acid content. In the tenth and twelfth months, the treat of (1.6) and seven layers (1.93) compared with control (10.4) and other coatings had significantly lower peroxide value. Also, at the end of the storage period (12 months), polyethylene (1.54), uncoated treatment (1.22) and tree layer packaging (CPP / PU / PEs (1.08) showed more free fatty acid content compared to other types of packaging. The most important degradation reaction that results in reduced product quality during the storage period is the radical oxidation mechanism and the formation of hydroperoxides. The main reason of kernel rancidity in nut packagings is inappropriate sewing of packages and the penetration of oxygen into the package. In the present study, two-layer and seven-layer packaging films showed less free fatty acid due to their low permeability to oxygen and moisture compared to other coatings. According to the results of other reports, it is likely that the higher peroxide value in unpackaged or packaged fruits in this study will be related to the presence of oxygen in the pack, which leads to an exacerbation of fat oxidation and the release of hydroperoxides. The influence of gases and light in the package, causing adverse changes in appearance and accelerating chemical reactions, as well as the presence of oxygen inside the package, also accelerates the oxidation reaction. Therefore, so the packaging type and the atmosphere inside it are two factors determining the shelf life of pistachios and the decrease score in texture, tastes, flavors of nuts during storage can be due to the absorption of moisture by nuts and the oxidation of fatty acids which affect the texture, taste and flavor. The coating used in this study showed better sensory parameters than the control.
