Fruit juice label: what matters to the consumer?

2014

Fast HPLC method for anthocyanins determination in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) juice.

2012

The Brazilian grape juice: market and prospects.

This article aims to analyze the market of Brazilian grape juice.

Analytical characteristics and discrimination of Brazilian commercial grape juice, nectar, and beverage.

The production and commercialization of Brazilian grape juice is increasing annually, mainly due to its typicality, quality, and nutritional value. The present research was carried out in view of the great significance of Brazilian grape juice for the grape and wine industry. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to assess its composition as well as the discrimination between grape juice and other beverages. Twenty four samples of whole, sweetened, and reprocessed grape juices, grape nectar, and grape beverage were evaluated. Classical variables were analyzed by means of physicochemical methods; tartaric and malic acids, by HPLC; methanol, by gas chromatography; minerals, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. These products were discriminated by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results show that whole and sweetened grape juices were discriminated from other grape products because they featured higher values of total soluble solids, tartaric and malic acids, most minerals, phenolic compounds, and K/Na ratio, whereas grape nectar and grape beverage presented higher values of ºBrix/titratable acidity ratio. Reprocessed juice was discriminated due to its higher concentrations of Li and Na and lower hue.

Development of methodology for the determination of organic acids in must, grape juice and wine by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

2012

Detection of ochratoxin A in tropical wine and grape juice from Brazil.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is the main mycotoxin found in grapes, wines and grape juices and is considered one of the most harmful contaminants to human health. In this study, samples of tropical wines and grape juices from different grape varieties grown in Brazil were analysed for their OTA content by high-performance liquid chromatography. The detection and quantification limits for OTA were 0.01 and 0.03 ?g L?1 respectively. OTA was detected in 13 (38.24%) of the samples analysed, with concentrations ranging from <0.03 to 0.62 micron g L-1. OTA was not detected in any of the grape juice samples. Most of the red wine samples proved to be contaminated with OTA (75%), while only one white wine sample was contaminated. However, the OTA levels detected in all samples were well below the maximum tolerable limit (2 micron g L-1) in wine and grape juice established by the European Community and Brazilian legislature. The results of this study indicate a low risk of exposure to OTA by consumption of tropical wines and grape juices from Brazil.

Produtividade e qualidade de variedades de cana-de-açúcar de terceira soca sob regime hídrico variável.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a produtividade agrícola e a qualidade tecnológica do caldo das variedades da cana-de-açúcar, submetidas a diferentes regimes hídricos. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com três repetições em parcelas subdivididas, com três variedades RB855156, RB835486 e RB867515 (parcela), e sete regimes hídricos correspondendo a 0, 7, 17, 36, 46, 75 e 100% da ETc (subparcela). Foram avaliadas as características de produção: comprimento do entrenó (CE), peso do colmo (PC), número de perfilhos por hectare e produtividade; e tecnológicos do caldo: ºBrix do caldo, Pol do caldo (Teor de sacarose), pureza (PZA), AR (teor de açúcares redutores do caldo), ARC (açúcares redutores da cana), fibras, Pol da cana (PCC), açúcares totais recuperáveis (ATR) e o valor da megagrama da cana (VMgC). O máximo de produtividade da cana-de-açúcar foi de 182,31 Mg ha-1 registrado com irrigação equivalente a 69,01% da ETc; A cana-de-açúcar cultivada com irrigação equivalente a 75% da ETc não proporcionou diferença significativa para a qualidade industrial das variedades testadas em relação ao cultivo em sequeiro (0% da ETc). Não houve diferença significativa para os valores do teor de açúcares redutores (AR), açúcares redutores da cana (ARC) e a pureza do caldo (PZA) entre as variedades. ABSTRACT: This work aimed to determine the agricultural productivity and the technological quality of the juice of the sugarcane varieties, which were submitted to different hydrological regimes. The experimental design was made in randomized blocks with three repetitions in subdivided plots, with three varieties: RB855156, RB835486 and RB867515 (plot), and seven hydrological regimes corresponding to 0, 7, 17, 36, 46, 75 and 100% of ETc (subplot). The following production characteristics were evaluated: length of internode (LI), stem weight (SW), number of tillers per hectare and productivity; and technological components of the juice: ºBrix of the juice, Pol of the juice (sucrose levels), purity (PTY), RS (amount of reducing sugars of the juice), RSC (reducing sugars of the sugarcane plant), fibers, Pol of the sugarcane plant (CPP), total retrievable sugars (TRS) and the value of the sugarcane megagram (Mg). The maximum productivity of sugarcane was 182.31 Mg ha-1, which was registered with irrigation equivalent to 69.01% of ETc. The sugarcane cultivated with irrigation equivalent to 75% of ETc did not provide significant difference for the industrial quality of varieties tested in relation to the non-irrigated cultivation (0% of ETc). There was no significant difference for the values of reducing sugars (RS), the reducing sugars of the sugarcane plant (RSC) and the juice purity (PTY) among varieties.

Grape phylloxera in Brazil.

There are approximately 90,000 ha of grapes in Brazil including wine, juice and table grapes. American varieties (Isabella, Niagara, Ives) comprise the largest part of Brazilian viticulture being destined for wine, juice and table grape. In Southern Brazil, these varieties are produced mainly in non grafted vineyards. Grape phylloxera is common on the roots of these varieties however the insect is not regarded as a serious problem. Leaf galls are common on V. vinifera cultivars, particularly Cabernet sauvignon, and this infestation can be severe in some years causing defoliation. No information about insect damage on leaves in relation to vineyard production and longevity is available. New selections from a breeding program aimed at developing new hybrids for wine production are highly susceptible to damage from leaf galling phylloxera. When leaf galling is severe, growers spray pyretroid and neonicotinoid insecticides however, in many situations, secondary mites can also damage the crop as a consequence of the foliar broad spectrum insecticides application. Studies about the genetic diversity of grape phylloxera strains in Brazil and their association with vine damage and secondary fungal infection must be conducted to clarify the importance of this pest to Brazilian viticulture.

Identification of a novel a-L-arabinofuranosidase gene associated with mealiness in apple.

In order to investigate the genetic bases of the physiological syndrome mealiness that causes abnormal fruit softening and juice loss in apples, an integrative approach was devised, consisting of sensory, instrumental, biochemical, genetic, and genomic methods. High levels of activity of a-L-arabinofuranosidase (a-AFase), a hydrolase acting on the pectic component of the cell walls, were found in individuals exhibiting the mealiness phenotype in a segregating population. The expression levels of the previously uncharacterized apple AF gene MdAF3 are higher in fruits from plants consistently showing mealiness symptons and high a-AFase activity. The transcription of MdAF3 is differentially regulated in distinct genomic contexts and appears to be independent of ethylene. Thus, it is likely to be controlled by endogenous developmental mechanisms associated with fruit ripening. The use of integrative approaches has allowed the identification of a novel contributor to the mealiness phenotype in apple and it has been possible to overcome the problems posed by the unavailability of near-isogenic lines to dissect the genetic bases of a complex physiological trait in woody perennial species.