Purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. edulis): A comprehensive review on the nutritional value, phytochemical profile and associated health effects.

Passiflora is a highly diverse genus where taxonomic lack of consensus remains. This may be the reason why numerous studies do not specify to the infraspecific level the plant material used or lack consistency in the nomenclature of botanical formae of Passiflora edulis. Ultimately, this may contribute to inaccurate chemical composition and health effects attributed to different Passiflora edulis species and formae. Hence, this review aims to overcome these challenges by exploring the phytochemical profile, specific nutritional value and potential health benefits of purple passion fruit (PPF). PPF is often consumed fresh for its pulp (including seeds) or juice, either directly or added to food dishes. It is also used industrially to produce a wide range of products, where peels and seeds are abundant by-products, most often discarded or used in low-value applications. Herein, in a perspective of integral valorisation of the fruit, the potential use of all PPF fractions (peel, pulp and seeds) is discussed as a source of important macro and micronutrients, adequate to integrate a balanced and healthy diet. In addition, the phytochemical profile of such fractions is also discussed along with the associated in vitro biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal) and in vivo beneficial effects in the management of several diseases (asthma, hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis). In summary, this review gathers the current knowledge on the nutritional and phytochemical composition of PPF and highlights the potential of using all fractions as a source of ingredients in food formulations that promote health and well-being. At the same time, it also contributes to defining sustainable strategies for an integrated valorisation of this natural product.

The Impact of Plant-Based Coatings in "ROCHA" Pear Preservation during Cold Storage: A Metabolomic Approach.

Although new storage technologies have been emerging in recent years, preservation of pear (Pyrus communis L.) remains a challenge for suppliers. Maintenance of desired organoleptic properties throughout cold storage using non-chemical strategies has been investigated and the use of edible coatings has shown potential to delay fruit quality deterioration during cold storage. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of pectin coatings including plant extracts, in "Rocha" pear (Pyrus communis L. cv. Rocha) preservation. A four-month pilot scale assay was performed in both dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) (-0.5 °C, 0.5% O2, and 0.4% CO2) and normal atmospheric (NA) conditions (2 °C). For each storage condition, the following three coatings were tested: pectin (3% w/v) (PCT), pectin (3% w/v) + strawberry tree leaves extract (9.5 mg/mL) (CT1), and pectin (3% w/v) + apple pomace extract (16 mg/mL) (CT2). Volatile compounds, potentially related to aroma or ripening status of "Rocha" pear, were monitored alongside with conjugated trienols (CTs) and maturity parameters. The combination of DCA conditions and the application of pectin coatings were able to reduce the release of Rocha pear volatiles associated with ripening status, (particularly esters and sesquiterpenes), as well as reduce CTs, which could contribute to the preservation of Rocha pear for longer periods.

Natural-Based Antioxidant Extracts as Potential Mitigators of Fruit Browning.

Fruit enzymatic browning (EB) inhibition continues to be a challenge in the Food Industry. This physiological disorder results mainly from the oxidation of natural phenolic compounds by polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POX) leading to the formation of brown pigments. EB can be controlled with the application of antioxidants, reducing/inhibiting the activity of these oxidative enzymes. In this study, strawberry tree (leaves and branches) and apple byproduct were the natural-based extracts (NES) selected, as potential tissue browning inhibitors, within a first screening of fifteen natural-based extracts with antioxidant properties. Phenolic profile, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the selected extracts were also performed as well as their depletion effect on the oxidative enzyme's activity and browning inhibiton in fresh-cut pears. Strawberry tree extracts (leaves and branches) revealed higher total phenolic content (207.97 ± 0.01 mg GAE.gNES-1 and 104.07 ± 16.38 mg GAE.gNES-1, respectively), confirmed by the plethora of phenolic compounds identified by LC-ESI-UHR-QqTOF-HRMS and quantified by HPLC. This phytochemical composition was reflected in the low IC50 against PPO and POX obtained. Despite the lower phenolic content (6.76 ± 0.11 mg GAE.gNES-1) and antioxidant activity (IC50 = 45.59 ± 1.34 mg mL-1), apple byproduct extract showed potential in delaying browning. This study highlights the opportunity of byproducts and agricultural wastes extracts as novel anti-browning agents.