Search results for " quality"
showing 10 items of 3133 documents
Mapping quantitative trait loci affecting biochemical and morphological fruit properties in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
2016
Eggplant berries are a source of health-promoting metabolites including antioxidant and nutraceutical compounds, mainly anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid; however, they also contain some anti-nutritional compounds such as steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGA) and saponins, which are responsible for the bitter taste of the flesh and with potential toxic effects on humans. Up to now, Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for the metabolic content are far from being characterized in eggplant, thus hampering the application of breeding programs aimed at improving its fruit quality. Here we report on the identification of some QTL for the fruit metabolic content in an F2 intraspecific mapping population of 156…
Pedotechnique applications in large-scale farming: Economic value, soil ecosystems services and soil security
2019
Abstract Since ancient times Humans and Soil have experienced interwoven links. Nowadays soil scientists continue to stress such links highlighting the importance of soil in: i) satisfying the ever growing Human demand for food, water and energy, and ii) providing ecosystem services that mitigate climate changes, influence human health and improve biodiversity. Pedotechniques are recently used to generate soils suitable for table grape cultivation in order to increase productivity and grape quality, thus to get substantial financial returns. We show one emblematic study case of pedotechniques applied in Sicily (Italy). Aims of the investigation were: i) stressing threats to soil security de…
A tetraazahydroxypyridinone derivative as inhibitor of apple juice enzymatic browning and oxidation
2022
Abstract Enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables can produce undesirable colour changes and adversely affect the taste, flavour, and nutritional value. This fact poses a challenge to the food industry to apply appropriate inhibitors to control enzymatic browning to maintain food quality. Accordingly, this study aims to evaluate the effect of small mazamacrocyclic compounds modified with a hydroxypyridinone similar to kojic acid on enzymatic browning, total polyphenols and antioxidant activity in apple juice. The results showed how these compounds interact with the tyrosinase enzyme in a complex interaction inhibiting its activity. The hydroxypyridinone attached to the macrocycle (I1) wa…
Bioactive peptides as natural antioxidants in food products - A review
2018
Background: Diseases related to oxidative stress and food quality decay are of major concern worldwide as they can lead to economic losses in both public health and food production. The antioxidant peptides, extracted from food proteins, can be explored as natural new drug and food ingredient. Scope and approach Antioxidant peptides are extracted from non-antioxidant precursor proteins from different origin by the activity of either proteolytic microorganisms or isolated enzymes. In the present review, the main sources of bioactive peptides will be discussed. Moreover, the current strategies to obtain these compounds as well as their health benefits and in vivo biological effects will be ev…
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni as a natural antioxidant/antimicrobial for high pressure processed fruit extract: Processing parameter optimization
2013
Response surface methodology was used to evaluate the optimal high pressure processing treatment (300-500 MPa, 5-15 min) combined with Stevia rebaudiana (Stevia) addition (0-2.5% (w/v)) to guarantee food safety while maintaining maximum retention of nutritional properties. A fruit extract matrix was selected and Listeria monocytogenes inactivation was followed from the food safety point of view while polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (TEAC and ORAC) were studied from the food quality point of view. A combination of treatments achieved higher levels of inactivation of L. monocytogenes and of the oxidative enzymes, s…
Contaminant-induced oxidative stress underlies biochemical, molecular and fatty acid profile changes, in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.)
2023
: Chemical contaminants such as heavy metals, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and drugs, are constantly found in the marine environment determining the interest of the scientific community for their side effects on animal welfare, food safety and security. Few studies have analyzed the effects of mix of contaminants in fish, in terms of molecular and nutritional composition response, beside it is indispensable to think more and more on effect of contaminants along the food web system. In this study, Sparus aurata specimens were exposed for 15 days, by diet, to a mixture of carbamazepine (Cbz), polybrominated diphenyl ether-47 (PBDE-47) and cadmium chloride (CdCl2), at two doses (0.37…
Green Homeowners? An Empirical Application of Fischel’s Homevoter Hypothesis
2021
It is a no-brainer that owners of private property usually care about their personal possessions. But does this also apply to public goods? Fischel’s homevoter hypothesis argues that property owners—in this case homeowners—will exhibit more than average concern with regard to public goods, particularly local public goods in their own neighborhood such as the local crime rate, nearby schools, and environmental quality. This contribution applies Fischel’s hypothesis to the public good of residential environmental conditions. Based on survey and administrative data collected in two cities, Mainz in Germany and Zurich in Switzerland, it examines whether house and apartment owners, as compared t…
Lensless object scanning holography for two-dimensional mirror-like and diffuse reflective objects
2013
Recently proposed lensless object scanning holography (LOSH) [Opt. Express 20, 9382 (2012)] is a fully lensless method capable of improving the image quality in digital Fourier holography applied to one-dimensional (1D) reflective objects and it involves a very simplified experimental setup. LOSH is based on the recording and digital postprocessing of a set of digital lensless Fourier transform holograms, which finally results in a synthetic image with improved resolution, field-of-view (FOV), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and depth of field. In this paper, LOSH is extended to the cases of two-dimensional (2D) mirror-like and 1D diffuse-based objects. For 2D mirror-like objects, the experime…
The effects of a subvention scheme for e-bikes on mode share and active mobility
2022
Hanne Beate Sundfør, Aslak Fyhri, The effects of a subvention scheme for e-bikes on mode share and active mobility, Journal of Transport & Health, Volume 26, 2022, 101403, ISSN 2214-1405, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101403 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140522000755) Introduction Previous studies show substantial mode share effects from e-bikes. E-bike owners cycle more and drive less car than they would without access to an e-bike. Support schemes for e-bikes exist in a number of countries, but knowledge about the effect of subsidies on active transport is limited. The aim of this study is to assess the mode change and active mobility effects of a subvention…
Activities of the elderly and their satisfaction with life
2015
Abstract Successful aging (Rowe & Kahn, 1997) is conditioned by aspiration to be active and by the ability to maintain social relations. Activity improves the emotional lives of seniors and is associated with a reduction of some symptoms of aging. Our study verifies if the number of activities (informal and solitary) is associated with quality of life and whether subjective age may be a mediator of this relationship. The 136 seniors above 60 were tested by our authorial scale of activity and the WHOQOL-BRIEF. The results showed that older persons’ higher quality of life levels are related not only to the number of activities undertaken, but also to the frequency that these activities ar…