0000000000815048
AUTHOR
Francesca Malvano
Effect of alginate-based coating charged with hydroxyapatite and quercetin on colour, firmness, sugars and volatile compounds of fresh cut papaya during cold storage
AbstractActive alginate-based coatings with quercetin glycoside and complexes of hydroxyapatite/quercetin-glycoside were used to study the shelf life of fresh cut papaya stored at 6 °C. Hydroxyapatite was used as a carrier for the release of the bioactive compound. The parameters considered affecting the quality of the fruit during storage were weight loss, color, texture, sugars and volatile compounds. Active coatings with hydroxyapatite and quercetin glycoside proved a higher capacity to slow down the degradation phenomena studied, showing less weight loss, a lower reduction in glucose and fructose, as well as better firmness, than the other samples after 14 days of cold storage. Benzyl i…
Qualitative characteristics of four Sicilian monofloral honeys from Apis mellifera ssp. sicula
Four monofloral honeys, obtained from the Sicilian black bee by foraging on thistle, sulla, chestnut and eucalyptus, were studied. Results showed that the phenolic composition of chestnut honey was the highest (316 mg gallic acid equivalent GAE/kg), while that of sulla honey was the lowest (122 mg GAE/kg). Data confirmed a correlation between the total phenol content and colour intensity in chestnut honey, which was the darkest of the four samples. Sulla honey showed the highest antioxidant activity, while eucalyptus honey had the highest mineral content (K, Ca, Mg, and Na). Thistle honey showed the most intense floral and fruity aromas, as well as an intense -yellow colour. Principal compo…
Alginate-based coatings charged with hydroxyapatite and quercetin for fresh-cut papaya shelf life
In this study, the effect of alginate-based coatings charged with quercetin glycoside compounds and hydroxyapatite/quercetin glycoside compounds (HA/QUE) on the microbiological quality, and on bioactive compounds of fresh-cut papaya, was evaluated for 14 days at 6 degrees C. Alginate coatings with hydroxyapatite/quercetin showed a high capability to slow down the growth of all microbiological parameters investigated. At the end of cold storage, the total bacteria count in papaya samples covered with HA/QUE alginate coating was 4.8 log CFU g(-1) which is significantly lower (P < 0.05) than 8.3 log CFU g(-1) for uncoated samples. Total carotenoids' percentage decrease, at the end of storag…
Rapid Assessment of Gray Mold (Botrytis cinerea) Infection in Grapes with a Biosensor System
Abstract: Botrytis cinerea is the causative agent of gray mold disease, which causes considerable economic losses to winemakers. The extent of gray mold infection of winegrapes is commonly visually estimated, a method that is prone to assessor bias. Here, we used rapid and simple enzyme-based screening consisting of carbon-electrode, screen-printed amperometric biosensors to estimate gluconic acid and glycerol concentration in winegrapes infected with different degrees of B. cinerea. The lower limits of quantification of the screen-printed amperometric biosensors were 3 mg/L for gluconic acid (corresponding to an infection rate of less than 1%) and 35 mg/L for glycerol; the response times w…