Recent advances in vacuum impregnation of fruits and vegetables processing: A concise review.

Vacuum impregnation (VI) is a novel, non-thermal treatment that aims to modify the composition of food material by partially removing water and air and impregnating it with physiologically active compounds without affecting the structural integrity of food matrix. Application of VI accelerates the mass transfer processes, which leads to few changes in food composition and improves dehydration. Large volumes in intracellular spaces of fruit and vegetable tissues make it suitable to introduce different agents like nutrients, cryoprotectants, browning inhibitors, enzymes, and chemicals; enhancing texture profile and inhibiting tissue softening, or compounds lowering water activity and pH. water activity Thus, the VI may help to achieve new product quality associated with physicochemical features and sensory attributes. This review highlights the evolution and mechanism of VI technique, major factors affecting VI of fruits and vegetables and their responses to processing, and industrial relevance. Vacuum impregnation consists ability to revolutionize various aspects of food processing and preservation. VI serves as a versatile tool that enhances the quality, shelf life, and nutritional content of processed fruits and vegetables. It offers unique advantages of altering product composition by introducing desired compounds while preserving structural integrity. VI improves mass transfer processes, reduces water content, enhances the absorption of nutrients, antioxidants, and preservatives. This technology finds application in producing fortified foods, extending shelf life, and creating innovative products with improved sensory attributes. VI's ability to efficiently impregnate substances into porous materials, combined with its energy-saving potential and compatibility with other processing methods, makes it a valuable tool in the food industry. As consumers demand healthier and long-lasting products, VI emerges as a promising solution for meeting market demands.

Underutilized fruit lasoda (Cordia myxa L.): Review on bioactive compounds, antioxidant potentiality and applications in health bioactivities and food.

Underutilized fruits are thought to be nutrient and antioxidant gold mines. Despite their high nutritive value, therapeutic properties, and ability to grow in adverse soil and climatic conditions, they have received little attention. However, these underutilized fruits are an important component of traditional foods, particularly in arid and semiarid regions of Rajasthan. Lasoda (Cordia myxa) contains numerous phytochemicals that contribute to its antioxidant potential, including tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, xanthones, terpenes, and saponins. The primary goal of this review is to emphasize the importance of extracting bioactive compounds from lasoda and evaluating their antioxidant potential. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the major areas for the application of lasoda and its extract as prospective positive health agents that can be used in the preparation of functional foods. The use of lasoda may also improve the value of bakery products and meat quality and prevent postharvest losses. This review is a pilot article that can aid in the nutritional profiling of Cordia fruits and seeds, and it provides information on the effective and efficient use of this underutilized fruit in the food and nutraceutical industries.

Guar gum and chitosan-based composite edible coating extends the shelf life and preserves the bioactive compounds in stored Kinnow fruits.

The present investigation aimed to elucidate the effects of chitosan (CH) and guar gum (GG) based composite edible coating on physicochemical quality and storability of Kinnow fruit under ambient conditions. Composite coating materials were prepared by using tamarind (TAM) seed starch and jackfruit (JACK) seed starch with CH and GG separately. The results indicated that GG + TAM coated fruits maintained significantly (P ≤ 0.01) lower physiological losses in weight (PLW) (3.12 %), decay incidence (0.83 %), and respiration rate (13.57 ml CO2 kg-1 h-1) compared to control. The reduced activity of pectin methylesterase (PME) (0.97 µmol min-1 g-1 FW) and lipoxygenase (LOX) (1.97 µmol min-1 g-1 FW) were noted in GG + TAM coated fruits. Also, the GG + TAM coated fruits retained higher fruit firmness (6.77 N), titratable acidity (TA) (0.94 %), ascorbic acid (AA) (27.83 mg 100 g-1), total phenols (213.05 mg GAE 100 g-1 FW), antioxidants activity (23.57 µmol TE g-1) along with higher sensory score over the control. Based on findings, it can be concluded that GG + TAM coating could be gainfully utilized for prolonging the shelf life of Kinnow fruits up to 25 days without losing desirable quality traits at ambient storage.

Fruit bagging and bag color affects physico-chemical, nutraceutical quality and consumer acceptability of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) arils.

Present study aimed to investigate the effect of preharvest bagging and bag colour on physico-chemical, nutraceutical quality and consumer acceptability of pomegranate arils. Fruits of 10-years-old Kandhari variety were covered with 15 × 20 cm three colored single layer cellulosic bags (35 µm thickness, 2700 cm3 24 h-1 GTR, WVTR 28.60 cm3 24 h-1) 60 days after flowering. Fruits were harvested 150 days after anthesis (average TSS 13° brix) and fruits were taken to various physical-biochemical parameters. Red colored bagging minimized fruit cracking (66%) and bacterial blight incidence (78%) over control. Ascorbic acid and total anthocyanin content was found maximum with red colour bagged (18.20 ± 0.87 mg 100 g-1 FW; 73.03 ± 3.97 mg 100 g-1 FW) fruits, while total soluble solids, total sugars and total antioxidant capacity were maximum in control fruits. Total phenols were found maximum in fruits which were bagged with blue colour bags (32.12 ± 1.53 mg GAE 100 g-1 FW). Respiration rate was recorded maximum in the red colored bags (17.93 ± 0.22 mL kg-1 h-1) followed by white, blue and control fruits. Overall acceptability was recorded maximum in the fruits which were covered with red colour bags (8.67) whereas sweetness was reported maximum in control fruits (8.30). For harnessing the benefit of bagging in pomegranate, fruit should be bagged 60 days after flowering with red color cellulosic bags. Red color cellulosic bags are much effective in producing quality fruits except compromising on few quality traits like aril Ca and total phenols content.

Tree age affects physicochemical, functional quality and storability of Amrapali mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits.

BACKGROUND: The effect of tree age on physicochemical quality attributes and storage behaviour of Amrapali mango fruit was evaluated. Physiologically mature fruits were harvested from 6-, 18- and 30-year-old trees and kept for ripening under ambient conditions (temperature 35 ± 3 °C, relative humidity 60 ± 5%). Observations were recorded at 3-day intervals. RESULTS: Highest total soluble solids and total sugars were found in the fruit sourced from 18-year-old trees. At the end of storage, least titratable acidity (0.17%) and higher carotenoids (10.86 mg 100 g-1 ) were found in 30-year-old tree fruits during the last day of storage. Highest total phenols (TP) (251.33 µg gallic acid g-1 ), antioxidant capacity (AC) (5.63 µmol Trolox g-1 ) and ascorbic acid (AA) (31.13 mg 100 g-1 ) were reported in fruits from younger trees of 6 years old. Maximum respiratory and ethylene evolution peak was observed in fruits obtained from oldest trees, whereas least activities of pectin methyl esterase (0.31 µmol min-1 g-1 fresh weight) and polygalacturonase (53.67 µg galacturonic acid g-1 h-1 ) were observed in 6-year-old tree fruits at the end of the 9-day storage period. CONCLUSION: Higher total soluble solids and total sugars were found in fruit harvested from middle-age-group (18-year-old) trees during the entire storage period of 9 days. Most of the functional parameters, such as TP, AC and AA, were observed to be higher in fruits from younger (6-year-old) trees. The obtained results revealed that produce from middle-age-group (18-year-old) Amrapali mango orchards suit consumers' and processors' requirements. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.