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Abstract  A process for enzyme-assisted extraction of polyphenols from grape pomace was developed on laboratory and pilot-plant scale. After resuspending grape pomace in water, the skins were ground and the resulting mash was pasteurized to inactivate the deteriorative enzymes responsible for polyphenol degradation, and then pre-extracted with hot water. Subsequently, cell wall polysaccharides were hydrolyzed. The extract was separated from the solid residue by pressing, and finally spray dried. Before scaling-up, enzymatic hydrolysis was optimized on laboratory scale using a D-optimal design and analyzed by response surface methodology. A mixture of pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzyme preparations (ratio 2:1) yielded the highest amounts of phenolic compounds after 2 h of treatment, applying a dosage of 4,500 mg/kg (based on dry matter) at T = 40 °C and pH 4.0. Aqueous pre-extraction of the pomace followed by enzymatic treatment resulted in significantly improved extraction yields reaching 91.9, 92.4, and 63.6% for phenolic acids, non-anthocyanin flavonoids and anthocyanins, respectively. As the yields obtained were comparable to those from sulfite-assisted extraction, this process can be considered a suitable alternative to the application of sulfite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) to apple mash as an alternative to enzymatic mash maceration (EM) was investigated on a pilot plant scale. Chemical composition of the juices obtained by different processes was similar, except for phenolic content and antioxidative capacity, thus proving substantial equivalence of the juices. However, PEF led to an enhanced release of nutritionally valuable phenolics into the juice. Sensory properties of the juices did not significantly differ when PEF pre-treatment was applied. Total juice yield amounting to approx. 85% was not increased by PEF treatment and was irrespective of the different mash pre-treatments, however, juice release was delayed after PEF application (W = 10 kJ/kg), whereas EM enhanced the de-juicing process. In contrast to EM, genuine pectin quality was retained by PEF processing, which allows sustainable pomace utilisation and additional commercial benefit through its commercialisation. Within a storage time of 40 weeks juice composition remained unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The influence of cultivar and fruit ripeness on sensory properties and all-trans-β-carotene contents of dried mango slices was evaluated. Different ripeness stages, quantitatively defined by a ripening index (RPI), were generated from a single lot per cultivar by subjecting mature-green mangoes of the cultivars ‘Nam Dokmai’, ‘Kaew’, and ‘Chok Anan’ to different postharvest ripening regimes. Fruits were ripened for 2 and 3 days at 24�2 �C/45–60% relative humidity (RH) and 33�2 �C/50–70% RH, with application of calcium carbide (CaC2) or 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (CEPA, Ride�) beside the control, terminating postharvest ripening when fruit firmness allowed proper peeling and slicing. After ripening, fruits were washed, peeled, sliced and subsequently dried in a conventional tray dryer at 70 �C for 8–10 h, until the water activity of the dried fruits was below 0.65. Mangoes cv. ‘Kaew’, followed by ‘Chok Anan’, were more suitable for drying than cv. ‘Nam Dokmai’ because of superior all-trans-β-carotene contents of the products. Maximum β-carotene contents of dried mango slices from cvs. ‘Chok Anan’ and ‘Kaew’ corresponded to retinol equivalents of 333–383 and 483–905 per 100 g of edible portion (dry weight), meeting daily mean requirements of vitamin A for adults according to FAO/WHO. Similar to the fresh fruit, exponential rise of all-trans-β-carotene contents with increasing fruit ripeness was also observed for the dried products of cvs. ‘Nam Dokmai’ and ‘Chok Anan’. Consistently, accelerated ripening at 33 �C, instead of 24 �C, resulted in higher all-trans-β-carotene contents of dried fruits. Both good sensory acceptance and cultivar-specific maximum all-trans-β-carotene contents of 13–16 and 20–23 mg kg−1 usually characterised the products of ‘Nam Dokmai’ and ‘Chok Anan’ fruits with RPI levels between 3 and 4. Conversely, fruits cv. ‘Kaew’ of RPI levels above 6 generally yielded products inferior in sensory acceptance and β-carotene contents, while superior product quality was found at higher RPI levels than for the other two cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Microbial transglutaminase (MTG) isolated from Streptomyces mobaraensis has been available on a commercial scale for several years. MTG generates inter- and intramolecular cross-links between γ-carboxylamide groups of glutamine residues and ɛ-amino groups of lysine residues in proteins. Due to its great potential to improve various functional properties of proteins, MTG is mainly used to enhance texture, stability, and water binding. Application of MTG for the production of plant protein-based foodstuffs such as tofu, noodles, bread and bakery products, is still limited to raw materials from soybean and wheat. However, with the increasing demand for vegetarian foods, the utilisation of novel proteins as functional ingredients, e.g. from peas, lupins, sesame, and sunflower, seems promising. To open new horizons for MTG application, this review aims at demonstrating the actual potential of MTG in processing foodstuffs based on vegetable proteins. Particular focus was laid on novel plant protein sources suitable for cross-linking with MTG. Furthermore, strategies for improving texture and nutritive value of the proteins are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The stability of non-esterified carotenoids and carotenoid esters in paprika and chilli powder as affected by various processing treatments and storage conditions were studied. For this purpose, freshly harvested chilli and paprika pods were minced, immediately heated at 80, 90 and 100 C for 5 and 10 min, respectively, and lyophilised. Alternatively, thermal treatment prior to mincing was applied. Processing resulted in a 25–34% loss of the initial carotenoid contents in chilli and 20–53% in paprika. Degradation of individual non-esterified carotenoids, mono- and diesters was monitored, generally showing an increased processing stability of mono- and diesters compared to their non-esterified counterparts. Capsanthin, capsorubin, zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin mono- and diesters esterified with saturated fatty acids displayed similar stabilities, whereas susceptibility of the non-esterified pigments to degradation differed considerably. During storage over 4 months at ambient temperature pigment contents dropped by 16.7 and 9.6% in chilli and by 39.7 and 38.8% in paprika powders with and without illumination, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The impact of added ascorbic, isoascorbic, and citric acid on heat stability of cactus pear betalains was investigated at pH 4 and 6, respectively. To assess the influence of cactus pear juice matrix compounds such as sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and pectic substances on pigment stability, juice and purified pigment preparations derived therefrom were assayed separately. Immediately after heating at 85 ?C for 1 h and a 24 h cool storage period, betalain retention, betanin and proline-betaxanthin isomerisation as well as overall colour changes were determined. Pigment stability and colour characteristics depended on type and concentration of the respective additive as well as on pH conditions. Interestingly, the stabilising effects of the additives under investigation were less pronounced in matrix-free pigment preparations compared to juice samples. Maximum pigment retention amounting to 79% was obtained when 0.1% citric acid was added to the juice at pH 6. For the first time, formation of 2-decarboxy-betanin upon thermal treatment of yellow-orange cactus pear juice being more distinct at pH 4 as compared to pH 6 is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract??Besides texture degradation and aroma loss colour fading and browning of processed fruits, in particular strawberries, displaying comparatively low amounts of non-acylated anthocyanins, still pose a serious problem. Therefore, in the present study the colour of texture-improved canned strawberries was stabilised using commercial concentrates from black carrots and elderberries as natural colourants. CIEL*a*b*values of the fruit surface and of the brine solutions were monitored over a period of 24 weeks under light exposure. Furthermore, the contents of individual anthocyanins were analysed by HPLC-DAD. The colour of the processed control fruits (without added colourant) was unacceptable even at the beginning of the storage. Their anthocyanin contents were reduced by more than 85% at the end of the storage period. In contrast, the colour of canned strawberries containing black carrot and elderberry anthocyanins was significantly improved. Colour difference values ?E*of black carrot-coloured strawberries were found to be smaller than those of the samples containing elderberry concentrate as a colourant. This could be ascribed to the presence of acylated anthocyanins in the first exhibiting exceptional storage stability, while all non-acylated pigments were degraded. The chill brining process for fruit firming markedly affected pigment stability, which can be attributed to enzymes that are still active at cold storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract??The recovery of phenolic compounds from apple juice was studied on a laboratory scale using a food grade polymethylmethacrylate adsorption resin. The work was carried out to understand how the processing parameters of the adsorption process can be manipulated to optimise production of apple phenolics as functional food ingredients. Adsorption was determined by mixing weighed amounts of the polymer with a diluted apple juice concentrate at 20?80??C and at pH values ranging from 2.0 to 3.9. At regular intervals samples were withdrawn from the aqueous phase. Total phenolics, absorbance values at 280 and 420?nm, and the amounts of individual phenolics remaining in the liquid phase were determined. The analytical data were fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. In contrast to previous findings, the pH value significantly affected the adsorption onto the resin. HPLC analyses revealed different affinities of individual compounds, which enabled selective enrichment of certain phenolics in the liquid phase or on the sorbent surface. Desorption studies were performed using a resin with known amounts of adsorbed phenolic compounds. Elution was carried out by an automated pressurised liquid extraction system, studying the effects of temperature (40?180??C) and solvents (water, ethanol, methanol). Here again, individual compounds showed different behaviours depending on their hydrophobicity. Therefore, a systematic change of parameters for the sorption and desorption process can be helpful for the recovery of purified plant extracts enriched in certain target compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract??The effects of light and oxygen on ?-carotene, vitamin A value, and colour stability of mango pur?e during storage were evaluated. Non-aseptic production at a pilot-plant scale, involving continuous high-temperature-short-time (HTST) heating, caused significant 13-cis-?-carotene formation, resulting in apro-vitamin A retention of 82.3?89.6%, while peroxidase (POD) activity was reduced to residual levels of 0.4?2.6% in the pasteurised pur?e. Since oxygen removal from the package headspace by flushing with superheated steam or N2marginally affected ?-carotene stability during storage, hot-filling was most crucial for exhausting the air. Irrespective of the packaging material,pro-vitamin A loss during storage was chiefly caused by oxidative degradation of ?-carotene. Additional photo- isomerisation under exposure to light became manifest in the relative increase in 9-cis-?-carotene with associated decline in the 13-cisisomer portion. Despite photoisomerisation,pro-vitamin A retention was up to 90.9% in bottled pur?e after 168 days of light-exposed storage, with deaeration of the pur?e resulting from hot-filling. Marked colour loss mainly caused by accumulation of brown oxidation products was monitored by a rising degree of discolouration (Dd). Although additional headspace deaeration of cans and bottles improved colour retention, dissolved residual oxygen and other reactive compounds provoked browning and ?-carotene degradation. As regardspro-vitamin A and colour, headspace minimisation was much more effective than its deaeration. Due to smaller headspace volumes, bottling proved superior to canning under the prevailing conditions, irrespective of light-exposed storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract??Purple pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) fruits have been recently proposed as a promising source of betalains. In the present study, purple pitaya juice processing at pilot-plant scale is reported for the first time. Each processing step was examined in terms of juice colour and betacyanin retention. Lightness (L*) and hue angle (h?) values were strongly influenced by juice filtration, while chroma (C*) and betacyanin retention were most strongly altered by pasteurisation. Three systems of juice pasteurisation were evaluated. Betacyanin loss and colour alteration were minimal upon pasteurisation in an HTST system and a standard tubular heat exchanger, respectively. Additionally, storage experiments using mucilage-free purple pitaya juice were conducted. Whereas light exposure of unsupplemented samples resulted in significant pigment degradation, detrimental effects of light exposition were completely prevented by the addition of 1% ascorbic acid prior to storage. After 6 months, about 70% of the initial betacyanin content was retained in the presence of ascorbic acid, irrespective of illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Anthocyanins from a Cabernet Mitos grape pomace were extracted without sulfitation, purified and concentrated on a laboratory scale by adsorption to a styrene–divinylbenzene copolymerisate. The pigment loss during sample loading and washing of the column with water was negligible. Elution was performed with acidified methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol, respectively. The recovery rates ranged from 96 to 100% of anthocyanins when methanol was used, from 86 to 96% for ethanol and from 78 to 88% when pigments were eluted with 2-propanol. The temperature during adsorption and desorption (25 and 50 °C) did not significantly influence the pigment binding capacity. The recovery rates were not affected by the scale-up from laboratory to pilot-plant adsorption experiments. The use of polymeric resins facilitates nonthermal anthocyanin concentration since highly pigmented alcoholic eluates were obtained which can further be concentrated under mild conditions. The present study provides systematic data on adsorber technology increasingly used for the recovery of plant secondary metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigment composition of 15 black carrot cultivars ( Daucus carota ssp. sativus var. atrorubens Alef.) was screened by HPLC-MS. Up to seven cyanidin glycosides, five of which were acylated with hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, were identified and quantified in the roots by HPLC-DAD. Contents of individual compounds indicated great differences in the potential of anthocyanin accumulation both between different cultivars and carrots of the same cultivar. Total anthocyanin amounts ranged from 45.4 mg/kg dry matter to 17.4 g/kg dry matter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the quantification of individual anthocyanins in roots of different black carrot cultivars. The determination of color properties in the extracts under various pH conditions proved black carrot anthocyanins to be applicable as natural food colorants also for low-acid food commodities, whereas a considerable loss of color was noted under nearly neutral conditions. Additionally, relatively high saccharide contents were found in almost all cultivars which may be disadvantageous when coloring concentrates are produced from carrot roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The chemical composition and visual appearance of cactus fruits from the genera Opuntia and Hylocereus were investigated. Colour properties were assessed in solutions with pH ranging from 1 to 8 and expressed as chroma, hue and colour shade. Between pH 3 and 7, all samples were stable as indicated by hue and chroma values. The colour shade of the red juice of Opuntia ficus-indica cv. 'Rossa' was in the range of red beet preparations hitherto most commonly used for colouring low-acid food commodities. Hylocereus was characterized by purplish hues, whereas the juice from O. ficus-indica cv. 'Gialla' displayed a yellow tonality. An improved spectrophotometric method for pigment quantification was proposed. Betacyanin contents were 525.3, 73.9 and 1.3 mg/l in juices from Hylocereus polyrhizus, Opuntia ficus-indica cv. 'Rossa' and O. ficus-indica cv. 'Gialla', whereas betaxanthins amounted to 48.3, 36.4 and 5.3 mg/l in O. ficus-indica cv. 'Gialla', O. ficus-indica cv. 'Rossa', and H. polyrhizus, respectively. Although the colourless fruits from O. ficus-indica cv. 'Bianca' and H. undatus could not be considered as a colour source, selected quality parameters were also investigated with respect to their nutritional value. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about the chemical quality parameters of H. polyrhizus and H. undatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]