Supplementary Light Differently Influences Physico-Chemical Parameters and Antioxidant Compounds of Tomato Fruits Hybrids.

One of the challenges for agriculture in the coming years will be producing more food avoiding reducing the nutritional values of fruits and vegetables, sources of nutraceutical compounds. It has been demonstrated that light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used as a supplementary light (SL) technology improve tomato yield in Mediterranean greenhouses, but few data have been reported about SL effects on fruit physio-chemical parameters. In this study, three tomato hybrid (F1) cultivars were grown for year-round production in a commercial semi-closed glasshouse in Southern Italy: red cherry type ("Sorentyno"), red plum type ("Solarino"), and yellow plum type ("Maggino"). From 120 to 243 days after transplant (DAT), Red/White/Blue LEDs were used as SL. The fruits harvested 180 DAT were analyzed and those obtained under LEDs had 3% more dry weight, 15% more total soluble solids, and 16% higher titratable acidity than fruits grown only under natural light. Generally, the antioxidant activity and the mineral profile of the fruits were not negatively influenced by SL. Lycopene content was unchanged and vitamin C content of "Sorentyno" even increased by 15% under LEDs. Overall, LEDs used as SL technology could be one of the tools used by agriculture in Mediterranean basin to produce more food maintaining high quality production.

Could the reliability of classical descriptors of fruit quality be influenced by irrigation and cold storage? The case of mango, a climacteric fruit.

BACKGROUND: Large improvements have been realized on the accuracy of the determination of fruit quality. The relevance of the relationship between commonly used quality descriptors and their related chemical contents was here questioned under the influence of water supply reduction and postharvest cold storage. The study relied on three analyses: (1) a correlation table between quality descriptors and compound contents, (2) principal component analysis using the selected variables to see the quality discrimination dictated by treatments; and (3) linear correlation between content and descriptors according to treatments. RESULTS: The results indicate that abiotic parameters applied on mango fruits before or after harvest can affect the relationship between a quality descriptor and the content in compounds it is related to, here between titratable acidity and organic acid content and to a lesser extent between color, represented by hue angle values, and carotenoids, possibly creating bias in the final quality determination. A stronger relation between total soluble solids and total sugar content, were observed under mild abiotic stress. CONCLUSION: Fruit growth and postharvest storage conditions, such as irrigation and cold storage, can influence the actual correspondence between the compounds contents and the descriptors used to estimate fruit quality, particularly for pulp color, sugars and acids. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of human milk titratable acidity before and after addition of a nutritional supplement for preterm newborns / Avaliação da acidez titulável do leite humano antes e após adição de um suplemento nutricional para recém-nascido pré-termo

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the initial Dornic acidity in raw human milk, after pasteurization and after heating and dilution of a dietary supplement for preterm infants. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, and experimental study was carried out with a convenience sample at the human milk bank at a Brazilian public maternity, with specialized care for pregnant women and newborns at risk. The eligibility criteria for the study sample included 93 frozen raw human milk in suitable containers with volumes ≥100 mL and initial Dornic acidity ≤8° Dornic (ºD). Milk acidity of human milk was measured in four stages: in raw human milk (initial); after pasteurization; after the heating of pasteurized milk and dilution of the supplement; and after thirty minutes of supplementation. Results: The initial acidity was 3.8° D ± 1.3 (95% CI: 3.56-4.09) with no significant difference in Dornic acidity in pasteurized milk, which was 3.6° D ± 1.2 (95% CI: 3.36-3.87). The dilution of the supplement in pasteurized milk that was heated significantly increased mean Dornic acidity to 18.6 °D ± 2.2 (95% CI: 18.18-19.11), which remained high after thirty minutes of supplementation at 17.8 °D ± 2.2 (95% CI: 17.36-18.27), considering p < 0.05. Conclusions: The study observed no significant differences in Dornic acidity of raw human milk and pasteurized human milk; however, the dilution of a human milk supplementation caused a significant increase in acidity. Further investigations are necessary on the influence of this finding on the quality of supplemented milk and its consequences on the health of preterm infants.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar a acidez Dornic inicial no leite humano cru, após pasteurização, e aquecimento e diluição de um suplemento nutricional para recém-nascidos prematuros. Métodos Estudo quantitativo, descritivo, experimental, com amostragem por conveniência, feito no Banco de Leite Humano de uma maternidade pública brasileira, com assistência especializada às gestantes e recém-nascidos de risco. Os critérios de elegibilidade das 93 amostras do estudo incluíram leites humanos crus congelados em embalagens apropriadas, com volumes ≥ 100 mL e acidez Dornic inicial ≤ 8°Dornic (°D). A acidez Dornic dos leites humanos foi mensurada em quatro momentos: no leite humano cru (inicial); após pasteurização; após aquecimento do leite pasteurizado e diluição do suplemento; e após transcorridos 30 minutos de suplementação. Resultados A acidez inicial foi de 3,8°D ± 1,3 (IC 3,56-4,09) e não apresentou diferença significativa em relação à acidez Dornic no leite pasteurizado, que foi de 3,6°D ± 1,2 (IC 3,36-3,87). A diluição do suplemento no leite pasteurizado e aquecido aumentou significativamente a média da acidez Dornic a 18,6°D ± 2,2 (IC 18,18-19,11), a qual se manteve elevada em 17,8°D ± 2,2 (IC 17,36-18,27) após 30 minutos da diluição, considerando p < 0,05. Conclusões O estudo demonstrou que a acidez Dornic do leite humano cru e a do leite humano pasteurizado não apresentaram diferenças significativas, porém a diluição do suplemento de leite humano promoveu elevação significativa da acidez. Maiores investigações da influência desse achado sobre a qualidade do leite suplementado e suas consequências na saúde de prematuros são necessárias.

Evaluation of human milk titratable acidity before and after addition of a nutritional supplement for preterm newborns.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the initial Dornic acidity in raw human milk, after pasteurization and after heating and dilution of a dietary supplement for preterm infants. METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive, and experimental study was carried out with a convenience sample at the human milk bank at a Brazilian public maternity, with specialized care for pregnant women and newborns at risk. The eligibility criteria for the study sample included 93 frozen raw human milk in suitable containers with volumes ≥100mL and initial Dornic acidity ≤8° Dornic (°D). Milk acidity of human milk was measured in four stages: in raw human milk (initial); after pasteurization; after the heating of pasteurized milk and dilution of the supplement; and after thirty minutes of supplementation. RESULTS: The initial acidity was 3.8°D±1.3 (95% CI: 3.56-4.09) with no significant difference in Dornic acidity in pasteurized milk, which was 3.6°D±1.2 (95% CI: 3.36-3.87). The dilution of the supplement in pasteurized milk that was heated significantly increased mean Dornic acidity to 18.6°D±2.2 (95% CI: 18.18-19.11), which remained high after thirty minutes of supplementation at 17.8°D±2.2 (95% CI: 17.36-18.27), considering p<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The study observed no significant differences in Dornic acidity of raw human milk and pasteurized human milk; however, the dilution of a human milk supplementation caused a significant increase in acidity. Further investigations are necessary on the influence of this finding on the quality of supplemented milk and its consequences on the health of preterm infants.

Methyl jasmonate treatment induces changes in fruit ripening by modifying the expression of several ripening genes in Fragaria chiloensis fruit.

To investigate the role of jasmonates (JAs) in the ripening of Fragaria chiloensis fruit, two concentrations of methyl jasmonate (MeJA, 10 and 100 µM) were evaluated at 2, 5 and 9 d using an in vitro ripening system. Fruit quality parameters; the contents of anthocyanin, lignin and cell wall polymers; and the transcriptional profiles of several ripening-related genes were analyzed. MeJA accelerated fruit ripening by means of a transitory increase in the soluble solid content/titratable acidity ratio, anthocyanin accumulation and an increase in softening at day 5. The expression of several phenylpropanoid-related genes, primarily those associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis, was increased under MeJA treatment, which correlated with an increased accumulation of anthocyanin. MeJA also altered the expression profiles of some cell wall-modifying genes, namely, EG1 and XTH1, and these changes correlated with a transient reduction in the firmness of MeJA-treated fruits. MeJA-responsive elements were observed in the promoter region of the EG1 gene. MeJA also increased the expression of LOX, AOS and OPR3, genes involved in the biosynthesis of JAs, and these changes correlated with the transient activation of fruit ripening observed. Conversely, the expression of ethylene and lignin biosynthesis genes (ACS, ACO, CAD and POD27) increased in MeJA-treated fruits at day 9. The present findings suggest that JAs promote the ripening of non-climacteric fruits through their involvement in anthocyanin accumulation, cell wall modification and the biosynthesis of ethylene and JAs.

The Relationship between the Popular Beverages in Korea and Reported Postprandial Heartburn / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of heartburn produced by beverages available in Korea and to clarify the mechanism causing heartburn. METHODS: We measured pH, titratable acidity, and osmolality of 35 beverages in vitro and correlated them with the severity of heartburn reported by questionnaire in 382 patients from November 2004 to June 2005. RESULTS: Coffee (1.15) and soju (1.12) showed the highest heartburn score, while oolong tea (0.17) and carrot juice (0.18) showed the lowest heartburn score among all beverages. Titratable acidity of citrus juices correlated with heartburn (r=0.78; p=0.023). Soft drinks had the lowest pH, which was unrelated with heartburn scores (r=-0.54; p=0.460). Increasing pH among alcoholic beverages was correlated with heartburn scores (r=0.84; p=0.037), and osmolality was inversely associated with heartburn scores (r=-0.86; p=0.028). The heartburn score of decaffeinated coffee was significantly lower than that of regular coffee (p<0.001). Regular milk caused more heartburn than low-fat milk (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide dietary information that helps to select appropriate beverages to the patients with heartburn.