Volatile compounds in noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) at two ripening stages

The volatile components of noni at two ripening stages were isolated by headspace solid-phase microextraction using 65 µm Polydimethylsiloxane-Divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fibers and analyzed using GC/MS. Both maturation stages had several compounds in common. Ninety-six compounds were identified, from which octanoic acid ( 70% of total extract) and hexanoic acid ( 8% of total extract) were found to be the major constituents. Due to noni maturation, octanoic acid, decanoic acid and 2E-nonenal decreased their concentrations, while some esters (methyl hexanoate, methyl octanoate, ethyl octanoate and methyl 4E-decenoate), which their fruity odor notes, increased their contents. Two unsaturated esters, reported for the first time in this fruit, 3-methyl-3-buten-1-yl hexanoate and 3-methyl-3-buten-1-yl octanoate, significantly decreased their concentration in the ripe to over-ripe fruits.

Chemical characterization of leaves of organically grown carrot Dacus carota L.) in various stages of development for use as food

In Brazil, street markets and vegetable distributors discard vegetable leaves and stems, including those of carrot (Dacus carota L.). Seeking to reduce the waste of vegetable parts, this study characterized chemically the leaves of organically grown carrot in three stages of development to determine the best time for their removal and consumption as food. The leaves were dehydrated in an oven at 70 °C for 43 hours and analyzed for chemical composition, antioxidant activity, chlorophyll content, fatty acid composition, and also calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) contents. The analyses indicated 100 days of development as the ideal stage for the removal and consumption of carrot leaves with good antioxidant activity requiring only 63.78 ± 0.5 mg.L-1 methanol leaf extract to inhibit 50% of the concentration of the free radical DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1picrilidrazil), and total protein and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3/LNA) contents of 18.23% ± 2.8 and 876.55 ± 20.62 mg.100 g-1 of dry matter, respectively.

Changes in enzymes, phenolic compounds, tannins, and vitamin C in various stages of jambolan (Syzygium cumini Lamark) development

The physiological state of a fruit is closely related to ripening and climatic conditions during the growing period when the fruit undergo changes in color, texture, and flavor. The ripening of the fruit can involve a complex series of biochemical reactions with alteration in enzymes activities, phenols, tannins, and ascorbic acid. The activity of enzymes (carboximethylcellulase, polygalacturonase, and pectinlyase), the total concentration of phenolic compounds, condensed tannins, and vitamin C in five stages of maturation were studied. Significant changes were observed between the maturity stages. The phenolic compounds were higher at green stage (705.01 ± 7.41); tannins were higher at green/purple stage (699.45 ± 0.22). The results showed that the ascorbic acid levels of the pulp varied significantly from 50.81 ± 1.43 to 6.61 ± 1.04 mg.100 g-1 during maturation. The specific activity of pectin lyase was higher at green stage (1531.90 ± 5.83). The specific activity of polygalacturonase was higher at mature stage (1.83 ± 0.0018). The specific activity of carboximetilcelulose was higher at ripe mature stage (4.61 ± 0.0024). The low ascorbic acid content found in jambolan fruit indicates that this fruit is not a rich source of this nutrient; however, other characteristics can make jambolan products fit for human consumption.

Physicochemical changes in cubiu fruits (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal) at different ripening stages

Cubiu shrubs (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal) have drawn the attention of researchers for their biological versatility (preferential heliophilous or facultative ombrophilous shrubs), their capacity to grow in upland or lowland areas, and the good technological quality of their fruits for the food industry. The aim of this study was to verify physicochemical changes in cubiu fruits during maturation. The fruits were harvested from the experimental station of olericulture of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Brazil. The analyses were performed in whole cubiu fruits (peel, pulp, and placenta) at four traditional ripening stages (green, turning, ripe, and fully ripe) for the determination of weight, moisture, total solids, total carotenoids, proteins, lipids, and ash. Cubiu fruits showed large weight variation, with amodal distribution. The ripe stage was critical to maintain moisture, and from that stage on, water loss became evident. The lipids increased steadily over the four ripening stages, maintaining, however, insignificant calorie content. Total carotenoids, proteins, and ash reached the maximum level at the fully ripe stage. With the exception of weight and moisture, all physicochemical changes exhibited the same general behavior, i.e. they increased as the fruits ripened at the four investigated stages.

Prevalent fatty acids in cashew nuts obtained from conventional and organic cultivation in different stages of processing

Brazil is one of the three largest producers of fruits in the world, and among those fruit trees, the cashew tree stands out due to the high nutritional and commercial value of its products. During its fruit processing, there are losses in some compounds and few studies address this issue. Over the last decade the conventional system of food production has been substituted for the organic cultivation system, which is a promising alternative source of income given the global demand for healthy food. Therefore, this research aimed to characterize and quantify the prevalent fatty acids found in cashew nuts obtained from conventional and organic cultivation during various stages of processing. The prevalent fatty acids found were palmitic, linoleic, oleic, and stearic acid. The average of these fatty acids were 6.93 ± 0.55; 16.99 ± 0.61; 67.62 ± 1.00 and 8.42 ± 0.55 g/100 g, respectively. There was no reduction in the palmitic, oleic and stearic fatty acid contents during processing. Very little difference was observed between the nuts obtained from conventional and organic cultivation, indicating that the method of cultivation used has little or no influence on the content of cashew nut fatty acids.

Chemical and physical characterization of mume fruit collected from different locations and at different maturity stages in São Paulo State

Prunus mume is widely studied due to its health benefits regarding increase of blood fluidity and consequent improvement of the cardiovascular system and the prevention or even the fight against different types of cancer. However, in Brazil this culture is found only among oriental descendants. The present study aimed to characterize mume fruit collected from three different locations in the State of São Paulo regarding general aspects such as pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TTS), pectin content and yield of pulp and chemical characteristics: total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant capacity. Mume fruit were collected unripe and analyzed until maturation about 88 days after flowering. Fruit collected in Botucatu came from a commercial mume fruit producer and had average weight of 16.9 g, while in fruit from other locations weight varied from 5.7-6.9 g. TSS ranged from 9.5 to 10.0 Brix, total solids was 10.2-12.2% and pH showed values between 2.5 and 2.7 for all locations. TTA expressed in citric acid decreased from 4.0-5.7 g (100g- 1) at unripe stage to 2.0-3.8 g (100g- 1) in mature-stage fruit. Pectin content decreased from 11.2 to 10.8% during fruit maturation, TPC content was 147-226 mg catechin (g- 1) on a dry matter basis and the antioxidant capacity was 96-169 µMol Trolox (g- 1) on a dry matter basis or 21-34 µMol Trolox (g- 1) on a wet matter basis.

Evaluation of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) leaves during its developmental stages: a chemical composition study

Beetroot leaves (Beta vulgaris L.) are commonly cut off and discarded before using its bulb due to lack of knowledge of how to use them. Aiming at using these leaves, in the present study, in natura and dehydrated beetroot leaves were chemically characterized in terms of fatty acid composition, proximate composition, minerals, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant activity by DPPH• in different stages (60, 80, and 100 days) of development. The beetroot leaves showed significant levels of protein and lipids in all developmental stages, and all proximate composition nutrients decreased during these maturation stages; the highest content was observed at 60 days. The Fe content decreased during the developmental stages (from 342.75 to 246.30 mg.kg-1), while the content of K increased (from 13,367.64 to 20,784.90 mg.kg-1). With regard to to fatty acid composition, linolenic acid was present in the greatest quantity, and it increase up to 2.58 mg.g-1 (in natura) and 40.11 mg.g-1 (dehydrated) at 100 days of development. The n-6/n-3 ratios were low in all stages. The TPC and antioxidant activity by DPPH• changed during the developmental stages. The TPC was highest in the 100-day dehydrated leaves (15.27±0.12 mg GAE.g-1 FW), and the 50% inhibition of DPPH• (IC50 89.52 µg.mL-1) were better in the 60-day in natura leaves. This study shows that all developmental stages produced satisfactory results, and therefore, these leaves can be reused as food. The antioxidant activity and the chemical constituents, mainly the ω-3fatty acid, increased during the stages of development.

Survival of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Minas frescal cheese

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 strains (isolated by cattle’s faeces and a reference strain, EDL933), were inoculated into pasteurized milk (102 and 103 cells.mL–1) to prepare the Minas frescal cheese. As control was used uninfected milk. Physicochemical and microbiological analyses were performed to milk and elaborated cheese. The O157:H7 strains were quantified in the stages of cheese processing and during 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 15 storage days at 8 °C onto Sorbitol MacConkey Agar supplemented with potassium tellurite and cefixime (CT-SMAC). O157:H7 was not present in the pasteurised milk prior to the artificial inoculation. At the end of the processing the cheese had 10 to 100 times more STEC O157:H7 than the initial inoculum. During the storage, the Minas frescal cheese exhibited the largest population increase on the 4th and 5th day when inoculated with 102 and 103 cells.mL–1, respectively. Additionally, viable cells were found up to the 10th and 15th day, according to the amount of initial inoculum. This number of cells is able to cause infection in humans, and therefore, Minas frescal cheese, even when stored under refrigeration, is a potential vehicle of disease caused by STEC O157:H7.

Effect of seed maturation stages on physical properties and antioxidant activity in flaxseed ( Linum usitatissimum L.)

Abstract The changes in flaxseed constituents at different stages of maturity are reported. The physical properties and antioxidant activity of flaxseed oil during flaxseed development have been evaluated. Continuous decrease in total polyphenol content during flaxseed development. All the results showed no significant differences between HPLC-MS and TLC for quantitative determination of phospholipids classes. The fatty acid compositions of individual phospholipids were also reported. The antioxidant activity of oilseed was assessed by means of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The test demonstrated that the antioxidant activity of the flaxseed oil was found to be harvesting time-dependant.

Postharvest UV-B treatments increased fructose content of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L. cv. Tayfun F1) harvested at different ripening stages

Abstract In the postharvest stage, taste and flavor are the key components of the marketability of tomato. Therefore, greater emphasis is now being placed on improving traits such as sugar content. In this study postharvest ultraviolet-B (UV-B) treatments on sugar, total soluble solids, and color of tomatoes harvested at different stages were investigated. Tomatoes harvested at turning, pink, and red stages were treated with two different doses of UV-B irradiation: UVB4 and UVB8. Color L* and hue angle values of tomatoes treated with UV-B were found to be high, which means the red color of tomatoes was improved. UVB4 treatments increased the color a* and saturation index values of tomatoes at pink and red harvest stage, although it did not affect at the turning stage. Additionally, UV-B irradiation treatments had no effect on sucrose content of the tomatoes. Fructose, glucose, and TSS content of tomatoes treated with UVB8 at red harvest stage were found to be high. Hence, the results obtained from this study are of great importance in terms of providing an increase in the amount of sugar without the need for breeding, and also consumer satisfaction.

Germination, initial growth and cotyledon protein content of bean cultivars under salinity stress

Excess salts in the root zone inhibit water uptake by plants, affect nutrient uptake and may result in toxicities due to individual salts in the soil solution. Excess exchangeable sodium in the soil may destroy the soil structure to a point where water penetration and root aeration become impossible. Sodium is also toxic to many plants. Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are consumed as protein source in northeastern Brazil, although little is known about common bean cultivar tolerance to salinity. The germination of bean cultivars under salt stress was studied. The cultivars 'Carioca' and 'Mulatinho' were submitted to germination test in a germinator at 25ºC, at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation unit in the Semi- Arid region (Embrapa Semi Árido), Petrolina, Pernambuco State. These seeds were germinated on "germitest" papers imbibed in distilled water or in 10, 50, 100 e 200 mol.m-3sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions. At the first and second counts of the germination test, normal seedlings were counted, measured, weighed and dried, supplying data for vigor, total germination, fresh matter weight and dry matter weight and seedlings length. Total protein was quantified in cotyledons at 3, 6 and 9 days after sowing. The results indicated that the NaCl content influenced seed germination and concentrations above 50 mol.m-3 decreased germination and seedling growth.

Changes in gene expression during drying and imbibition of desiccation sensitive Magnolia ovata (A. St.-Hil.) spreng. seeds

Seeds of Magnolia ovata were dried to different water contents to assess the viability and transcript abundance of genes related to seed development, cell cycle, cytoskeleton and desiccation tolerance.The expression of development, cell cycle and cytoskeleton relative genes (ABI3, CDC2-like and ACT2) alone could not explain the germination behaviour of M. ovata seeds in relation to drying damage. Irrespective of their initial water content, the seeds performed in the same way during the initial period of germination and the deleterious effects of desiccation only occurred in later stages. Expression of PKABA1, sHSP17.5 and 2-Cys-PRX did not show a relationship with desiccation. However, the expression patterns of PKABA1 and sHSP17.5 suggested the participation of these genes in protective mechanisms during the imbibition of M. ovata seeds.

Storage of 'Swingle' citrumelo seeds in different maturation stages subjected to fungicide treatment

The establishment of citrus orchards with rootstocks from seed with a low physiological quality has been a recurring problem. Low quality seeds directly affect both the final stand and the time required for seedling production. The irregular maturation of fruits, seed recalcitrance, and the high incidence of fungi, make long term storage difficult, even at low temperatures. This study evaluated the storage potential and the use of fungicide treatments on 'Swingle' citrumelo seeds extracted from fruits collected at two maturation stages, green or ripe. The seeds were subjected to a thermal treatment, treated with Derosal, Thiram or Tecto+Captan fungicides, packaged in impermeable polyethylene bags and stored in a cold chamber for nine months. Every three months, the physiological and sanitary qualities of the seeds were evaluated from germination and sanitary tests and also from enzyme profiles. Seeds from green fruits deteriorated less than those from mature fruits; deterioration increased up to nine months of storage; treatment with the Tecto+Captan mixture gave effective pathogen control and maintained seed quality during storage. The germination of the green and ripe seeds is satisfactory (70%) after three months storage.

RR soybean seed quality after application of glyphosate in different stages of crop development

In consequence of several studies and speculations concerning the issue of RR transgenic soybean after the application of glyphosate, additional scientific investigations became necessary to clarify the actual viability of the product use when applied in different developmental stages of the soybean crop. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the physiological quality as well as seed health quality of RR soybean subjected to application of the herbicide glyphosate in different phonological stages of the transgenic soybean, cultivar CD 219RR. For this, an experiment with a complete block experimental design with treatments randomly distributed within the block, with four replications, was carried out. The assessed treatments were foliar sprayings of glyphosate in three increasing dosages [0 (control); 1,440 g ha-1; and 2,880 g ha-1] of acid equivalent, applied in two crop developmental stages: vegetative (V6) and reproductive (R2). The variables assessed were: germination; first count of germination; fresh and dry mass of seedlings, lengths of seedling and root; vigor and viability by the tetrazolium test; and seed health quality. Glyphosate application may adversely affect physiological quality of RR soybean seeds, when applied in dosages varying from 1,440 to 2,880 g acid equivalent per hectare at the stages V6 and R2.

Physiological quality of coffee seeds produced under different levels of solar radiation and maturation stages

In Brazil, although the coffee plantations are predominantly grown under full sunlight, the use of agroforestry systems can lead to socioeconomic advantages, thus providing a favorable environment to the crop by promoting its sustainability as well as environmental preservation. However, there is a lack of information on physiological quality of the coffee seeds produced under different levels of solar radiation. Within this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different levels of solar radiation and maturation stages on the physiological quality of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) seeds, cv. Acaiá Cerrado MG-1474. Three levels of solar radiation (plants grown under full sunlight; under plastic screens of 35% shading; and under plastic screens of 50% shading) and three maturation stages (cherry, greenish-yellow and green) were assessed. Physiological quality of seeds was assessed by using germination test, first count of germination, abnormal seedlings, dead seeds, and seedlings with open cotyledonary leaves. Electrophoretic analysis of isoenzymes catalase, esterase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase was also performed. With the evolution of development the coffee seeds presents increases on physiological quality, and at its beginning the seeds show improvements on quality with the reduction of solar radiation.