Sweet cherry: composition, postharvest preservation, processing and trends for its future use

Background Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are a nutritious fruit which are rich in polyphenols and have high antioxidant potential. Most sweet cherries are consumed fresh and a small proportion of the total sweet cherries production is value added to make processed food products. Sweet cherries are highly perishable fruit with a short harvest season, therefore extensive preservation and processing methods have been developed for the extension of their shelf-life and distribution of their products. Scope and Approach In this review, the main physicochemical properties of sweet cherries, as well as bioactive components and their determination methods are described. The study emphasises the recent progress of postharvest technology, such as controlled/modified atmosphere storage, edible coatings, irradiation, and biological control agents, to maintain sweet cherries for the fresh market. Valorisations of second-grade sweet cherries, as well as trends for the diversification of cherry products for future studies are also discussed. Key Findings and Conclusions Sweet cherry fruit have a short harvest period and marketing window. The major loss in quality after harvest include moisture loss, softening, decay and stem browning. Without compromising their eating quality, the extension in fruit quality and shelf-life for sweet cherries is feasible by means of combination of good handling practice and applications of appropriate postharvest technology. With the drive of health-food sector, the potential of using second class cherries including cherry stems as a source of bioactive compound extraction is high, as cherry fruit is well-known for being rich in health-promoting components.

Enhancing the total phenolic content and antioxidants of lemon pomace aqueous extracts by applying UV-C irradiation on the dried powder

Several studies have shown that UV-C irradiation promotes the bioactive compounds and antioxidants of fresh fruits and vegetables. The aim of this study was to apply UV irradiation in lemon pomace dried powder for enhancing its phenolic content and antioxidant properties, thus more bioactive compounds should be available for extraction and utilization. Lemon pomace dried powder was placed above the UV lamp and treated with dosages of 4, 19, 80 and 185 kJ m-2, while untreated powder was used as a control. UV-C irradiation significantly affected the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant capacity measured by CUPRAC and FRAP of the lemon pomace dried powder, while it did not affect the vitamin C content. UV-C irradiation of 19 kJ m-2 resulted in 19% higher total phenolic content than the control, while UV-C irradiation of 180 kJ m-2 resulted in 28% higher total flavonoid content than the control. The antioxidant capacity was reduced when UV-C irradiation more than 4 kJ m-2 was applied. The results of this study indicate that UV-C treatment has the potential to increase the extraction of bioactive compounds of lemon dried pomace at relatively high dosages.

Characterization of rice starch- ι-carrageenan biodegradable edible film. Effect of stearic acid on the film properties

The main aim of this study was to develop rice starch (RS), ι-carrageenan (ι-car) based film. Different formulations of RS (1-4%, w/w), ι-car (0.5-2%, w/w) was blended with stearic acid (SA; 0.3-0.9%, w/w) and glycerol (1%, w/w) as a plasticizer. The effect of film ingredients on the thickness, water vapour permeability (WVP), film solubility (FS), moisture content (MC), colour, film opacity (FO), tensile strength (TS), elongation-at-break (EAB) of film was examined. Interactions and miscibility of partaking components was studied by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Hydrocolloid suspension solution of mix polysaccharides imparted a significant impact (p<0.05) on the important attributes of resulting edible film. TS and EAB of film were improved significantly (p<0.05) when ι-car was increased in the film matrix. Formulation F1 comprising 2% ι-car, 2% 33 RS, 0.3% SA, Gly 30% w/w and 0.2% surfactant (tween®20) provided film with good 34 physical, mechanical and barrier properties. FT-IR and XRD results reveal that molecular interactions between RS-ι-car have a great impact on the film properties confining the compatibility and miscibility of mixed polysaccharide. Results of the study offers new biodegradable formulation for application on fruit and vegetables.

Impact of different solvents on the recovery of bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties from lemon (Citrus limon L.) pomace waste

The effects of different solvents on the recovery of (i) extractable solids (ES), (ii) total phenolic compounds (TPC), (iii) total flavonoid content (TFC), (iv) vitamin C, and (v) antioxidant activity from lemon pomace waste were investigated. The results revealed that solvents significantly affected the recovery of ES, TPC, TFC, and antioxidant properties. Absolute methanol and 50% acetone resulted in the highest extraction yields of TPC, whereas absolute methanol resulted in the highest extraction of TFC, and water had the highest recovery of vitamin C. 50% ethanol, and 50% acetone had higher extraction yields for TPC, and TFC, as well as higher antioxidant activity compared with their absolute solvents and water. TPC and TFC were shown to be the major components contributing to the antioxidant activity of lemon pomace.

Status of resistance to phosphine in insect pests of stored products in Vietnam

In response to numerous reports of failures to control insect pests of stored products with phosphine in Vietnam, a national survey for resistance to this key fumigant was undertaken in 2009–2011. Data from a more limited survey undertaken by the authors in 2002 in northern Vietnam are also presented. Samples collected in the 2002 survey (Sitophilus oryzae, n=8; Tribolium castaneum, n=8) were tested using a full dose- response assay, while for the 2009–11 survey, F1 generations were tested for resistance with two discriminating dosages of phosphine to detect frequency of weak and strong resistance phenotypes. Compared with a susceptible reference strain, in 2002, resistance to phosphine was indicated in six T. castaneum samples but only two of S. oryzae. Resistance factor, however, did not exceed 2.8-fold in T. castaneum and 1.7 in S. oryzae indicating relatively low frequency and weak expression of resistance. In 2009–11 survey, 176 samples were collected from a range of food and feed storages along the supply chain and from all major regions of Vietnam (125 sites). Rhyzopertha dominica and S. oryzae were the most common species found infesting stored commodities. Resistance was detected at high frequency in all the species. Weak and strong resistance phenotype frequencies were, respectively: Cryptolestes ferrugineus (37 and 58%, n=19), R. dominica (1.5 and 97%, n=65), S. oryzae (34 and 59%, n=82) and T. castaneum (70 and 30%, n=10). Strong resistance phenotype was detected in all the major regions and all parts of the supply chain but frequency was the highest in central storages and animal feed establishments. The increase in frequency and strength of resistance to phosphine in the eight years between the two surveys has been rapid and dramatic. The survey demonstrates the threat of resistance to grain protection in Vietnam and highlights the need for training of fumigators, and the development and adoption of phosphine resistance management tactics nationally.

Developing a commercial hot water treatment to control post-harvest rots on ‘Fiji Red’ papaya

Fiji exports approximately 800 t year-1 of 'Solo Sunrise' papaya marketed as 'Fiji Red' to international markets which include New Zealand, Australia and Japan. The wet weather conditions from November to April each year result in a significant increase in fungal diseases present in Fiji papaya orchards. The two major pathogens that are causing significant post-harvest losses are: stem end rot (Phytophthora palmivora) and anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.). The high incidence of post-harvest rots has led to increased rejection rates all along the supply chain, causing a reduction in income to farmers, exporters, importers and retailers of Fiji papaya. It has also undermined the superior quality reputation on the market. In response to this issue, the Fiji Papaya industry led by Nature's Way Cooperative, embarked on series of trials supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to determine the most effective and economical post-harvest control in Fiji papaya. Of all the treatments that were examined, a hot water dip treatment was selected by the industry as the most appropriate technology given the level of control that it provide, the cost effectiveness of the treatment and the fact that it was non-chemical. A commercial hot water unit that fits with the existing quarantine treatment and packing facilities has been designed and a cost benefit analysis for the investment carried out. This paper explores the research findings as well as the industry process that has led to the commercial uptake of this important technology.

Management accounting and supply chains: actions, concerns, and networks

What does this thesis do? This thesis uses Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to examine how a UK retailer’s organization and strategy, and, in turn, its form of management accounting was shaped by its supply chain. The thesis does this by reporting on four related themes in the form of four inter-connected essays. The first essay undertakes a state-of-the-art review of the literature. It examines how accounting issues within supply chains permeate ‘matters of concern’. In accordance with this idea of ANT, the essay illustrates how issues emerged, controversies developed, and matters evolved through an actor-network of accounting researchers within the supply chain domain. This leads on to the second essay, which exemplifies the nature of the UK’s retailing industry within which the supply chain case organization emerged and developed. The purposes of the essay are twofold: to introduce the contextual ramifications of the case organization; and to illustrate the emergence of a new market logic, which led to the creation of a global supply chain and a new form of management accounting therein. The third essay reports on a qualitative case study. It analyses the dualistic relation between ostensive and performative aspects of supply chain strategy, reveals how accounting numbers act as an obligatory passage point within this dualism, and makes a contribution to the ANT debate around the issue of whether and how a dualism between ostensive and performative aspects exists. The final essay reports on another case analysis of institutionalizing a heterarchical form of management accounting: a distributed form of intelligence that penetrates through lateral accountable relations. The analysis reveals a new form of management accounting characterised by ambiguity; it emphasizes the possibilities of compromises and negotiations, and it thus contributes to knowledge by combining an aspect of ANT with heterarchical tendencies in the world of contemporary organizations. Finally, the thesis concludes that it is the supply chain that organises today’s neoliberal capitalism; and it is management accounting that unites both human and non-human actors within such supply chains, despite that form of management accounting being ambiguous. The thesis comprises the introduction, these four essays, and the conclusion.

Social and environmental determinants, household food insecurity

Food security is defined as a situation that exists when “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. It is a multilevel concept, which includes four main dimensions: availability related to food supply; accessibility in order to ensure the physical and economic access to food; adequacy to meet nutritional needs in quantity and quality while respecting individual food preferences and cultural issues (utilization); and, lastly, stability of the guarantee of food security over time. According to the food security definition, it is abroad concept where all these dimensions are largely affected by a considerable number of factors related to: public policies of different sectors, food production/industry/distribution food systems, marketing and advertising of food, social support networks and individual determinants related to food choice behaviour.

Service Orientation in Demand-Supply Chains: Towards an Integrated Framework

Part 5: Service Orientation in Collaborative Networks

Producers' Perceptions and Consumers' Behaviour Toward Certified Beans from Integrated Production (IP) in the Brazilian Central Region

Integrated production (IP) is part of the Brazilian government program to promote sustainable agricultural production. IP ensure minimum food quality standards for domestic market, and export. Furthermore, IP is considered a good option to reduce negative environmental impacts of intensive crops in tropical Savannas, including common beans, as a Brazilian staple food. Although its advantages, and the government’s effort to promote IP, few growers are adopting IP. Maybe, the perception about IP usefulness and/or its ease of use is not too clear. Moreover, the production sector is driven by market signs, and there is few information on the consumer's preferences toward IP certified products in Brazil. In this study, we sought to identify some critical factors that can influence the IP adoption in beans' production. Moreover, we sought to verify the consumers’ perceptions and intention of purchasing IP certified beans (hypothetical product). This report comprises four chapters: (1) an introduction illustrating the context in which the research was based; (2) the results on the study of IP adoption based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); (3) the choice experiment results applied to identify consumers preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for IP label; (4) the results on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) applied to identify consumers’ perception toward IP certified beans. This research contributes with rich information for the beans’ supply chain, providing several insights to growers, retail and other agents, including policy makers. Beans’ production sector seems to be positively intentioned to adopt IP, but further studies should be conducted to test other adoption indicators using TAM model. Surveyed consumers are willing to pay a premium price for IP labelled beans. They showed a positive attitude toward purchasing IP labelled beans. It is an important information to motivate production sector to offer certified beans to the market.

El fracaso en los emprendedores colombianos: una aproximación desde la logística

El objetivo de esta investigación se centra en el análisis de los factores que inciden con mayor frecuencia en el fracaso de los emprendimientos en Colombia, y considerar su proximidad con el concepto de logística como actividad elemental para el desarrollo de los emprendimientos en el país. La finalidad de esta investigación es mostrar que los patrones que conducen al fracaso, los cuales están catalogados dentro de las categorías financiera, organizacional, operativa, de entorno, de mercadeo o de recursos humanos, tienen un nivel de incidencia dentro del fracaso, por lo cual, se puede ejecutar un análisis que permita demostrar el orden de las seis categorías mencionadas según su impacto dentro del fracaso y a su vez, brindar estrategias que permitan reducir las posibilidades de fracasar en los emprendimientos.

Logística humanitaria: seguridad agroalimentaria

Actualmente la relación que existe entre la logística humanitaria y la seguridad agroalimentaria es muy estrecha, estos dos conceptos constituyen un elemento sumamente importante en situaciones que se presentan hoy en día a nivel mundial, como por ejemplo en los diferentes tipos de desastres naturales como terremotos, tsunamis, sequías, hambrunas, entre otros, o simplemente, en zonas de alta pobreza. La logística humanitaria es hoy en día un concepto novedoso que nace de la necesidad de poder suministrar los recursos adecuados en zonas que han sido afectadas por desastres naturales, o situaciones de orden público, como por ejemplo los conflictos armados. Estos recursos deben asegurarle a la población afectada que puedan mantener a lo largo de un tiempo sus necesidades básicas, y así mismo, que estos recursos aseguren a la población afectada que puedan tener una vida digna y segura, lo que conlleva entre otras cosas, tener una seguridad agroalimentaria. A medida que se presentan diferentes escenarios de desastres naturales, la ayuda humanitaria a nivel mundial es necesaria, y el tiempo de respuesta juega un papel sumamente importante. En consecuencia, esta investigación presenta un enfoque que involucra los conceptos de logística humanitaria y de seguridad agroalimentaria, con el fin de contextualizar su evolución y los estudios que se llevan a cabo hoy en día.

Combination of product quality management and exports: The case of Colombian fruits companies

Quality management provides to companies a framework to improve quality in overall systems, reduction of costs, reallocation of resources efficiently, correct planning of strategies, prevent or correct errors in the right time and increase the performance of companies. In this text, we discuss the different theories in this field, their obligatory or non-obligatory compliance, the importance of quality management for exporting companies and a case study of a Colombian firm that its main objective is to manage quality. In conclusion, we find out that there is different types of quality management systems such as Juran’s trilogy, Deming 14 points, Six sigma, HACCP, and so on; also that companies have to manage suppliers and that quality has a positive influence on exports volume; in the case of Colombian small and medium enterprises, it can be mentioned that the majority has implemented tools regarding quality management but is not enough.

Nuevas tendencias en la Supply Management en Colombia y México

La Misión empresarial a México 2015, tiene como propósito brindar a los estudiantes espacios para el crecimiento profesional, mediante la aplicación de los conceptos y los modelos estudiados en las diferentes visitas empresariales que se realizaron. Se pretende conocer cuáles son las nuevas tendencias en el manejo y administración de la cadena de abastecimiento de las empresas, de manera que estos conceptos puedan ser aplicados en diferentes tipos de empresas. Se realizó una investigación de cada una de las empresas que fueron visitadas realizando un análisis de un punto clave en cada una, por ejemplo, se describe la política “Think Blue” empleada por el grupo Volkswagen para el éxito y reconocimiento empresarial en la logística verde, y se analizan los principales procesos de producción de la planta productora del grupo Modelo, entre otras. Por otra parte, se analiza el modelo de gestión logística para pequeñas y medianas empresas, desarrollado en la Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, el cual puede ser usado como base para el progreso y fortalecimiento de las pymes en nuestro país.

Modelagem e gestão das perdas no suprimento de tomates para processamento industrial

O suprimento de tomates para processamento industrial é uma atividade relativamente complexa. Plantas industriais de larga escala necessitam de elevados volumes diários de matéria-prima. Por outro lado, há alta perecibilidade dos frutos e a colheita ainda é predominantemente manual. Um modelo matemático foi desenvolvido com o propósito de entender objetivamente o processo de suprimento de tomate e, também, vislumbrar possibilidades de sua otimização. A simulação a partir do modelo pode gerar cenários que, quando comparados com o desempenho efetivamente observado em campo, evidenciam a importância da gestão acurada, com a presença de potenciais ganhos financeiros expressivos na cadeia de suprimentos a partir da redução de tempos, perdas e custos. As perdas de produto poderiam ser reduzidas de mais de 2% para algo inferior a 1%. A menor capacidade ociosa traduzir-se-ia em um menor custo de oportunidade e aumento de receita. Para uma fábrica com um consumo de tomates de 336 mil toneladas por ano, a melhoria no suprimento de matéria-prima poderia resultar em ganhos estimados em R$ 6 milhões por ano.