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Different genetic and environmental factors like altitude, temperature, light radiation, etc. affect the production of phytoconstituents like ascorbic acid, phenol, flavonoid, tannin, etc. So, it is necessary to evaluate phytoconstituents quantitatively and qualitatively because of their different medicinal values. This study is aimed at evaluating and comparing ascorbic acid concentration, total phenol, and flavonoid content in citrus species grown in different places in Western Nepal. For this, fruit collected from Lamjung and Nawalparasi was peeled, and collected juice was extracted with ethanol. Ascorbic acid was estimated using titration with dichlorophenolindophenol dye, and total phenol was estimated using Folin reagent; whereas, flavonoid content was determined by aluminum chloride colorimetric assay. The result showed the maximum ascorbic acid concentration in the fruit juice of Citrus maxima collected from Lamjung, i.e., 2.98 ± 0.161 mg / 100 ml , and the least concentration was recorded on extract of Citrus limon collected from Nawalparasi, i.e., 1.005 ± 0.205 mg / 100 ml. The total phenol content was comparatively higher in Citrus maxima and Citrus aurantifolia collected from Lamjung, i.e., 12.48 ± 0.40 mg GAE/gm, respectively. Flavonoid content was comparatively higher in Citrus maxima collected from Nawalparasi, i.e., 484.466 ± 3.055 mg QE/gm. This study showed a variation in the concentration of chemical constituents between different places in Western Nepal. This might be due to differences in climatic conditions, environmental factors, altitude, temperature, etc. This study helps to reflect the best-suited altitude for commercial cultivation of the citrus species as these phytochemicals have different medicinal values. Also, this study can help the food industry to use an alternative source of synthetic antioxidant such as ascorbic acid, phenol, and flavonoid. And local people will economically benefit by the commercial cultivation of citrus fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional methods of pectin extraction led to drop quality, yield, functional properties, and excessive time. The objective of our research is to produce high-quality pectin from apple pomace as food processing by-product. Four nonconventional methods of extraction (microwave, ultrasound, citric acid, and organic acid mixture (citric acid, ascorbic acid, and acetic acid)) were compared to conventional extraction of pectin in terms of yields, thermal behavior, functional groups, antioxidant activity, and functional properties. Citric acid extraction method gave the highest yield (22%) compared to other methods. The extraction of pectin by organic acid mixture maximized the galacturonic acid index to 87.58%;. Also, it was changed from structural into: compacted, multilaminated, and flaky surface compared to the other samples (more porous and hollow opening structural) as well as increased stability of pectin particles in colloids as a result of increasing the charge on particles to -59.42, beside its higher thermal stability of pectin behaviors, which reflected on improving all functional properties compared to the other methods. On the other side, microwave-extracted pectin had the highest antioxidant activity (3-4 times) compared to other extraction methods. In conclusion, extraction using organic acids, microwave, and ultrasonic led to improve the pectin quality and could be used in high-temperature food products, like bakery products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian catfish, Clarias magur (Hamilton, 1822), known as magur, is a popular food fish in Asian countries because of its high nutritional and medicinal value. Aquaculture of magur is constrained by non‐availability of seed due to very high mortality during the early larval stages. The strategies to enhance the larval survival during the early stages could be a major step in enhancing the seed production of this species. So, the aim of the present study was to assess the effect of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA)‐ and vitamin C‐enriched infusoria on the growth and survival of C. magur larvae. Eight‐day‐old larvae with an average weight of 3 mg and length of 5 mm were stocked in plastic crates (30 x 20 x 18 cm) each containing 40 litres of water. A total of 16 crates were used in experiment and in each crate 100 larvae were stocked. The larvae were fed three times daily with HUFA, vitamin C, both HUFA and vitamin C and un‐enriched infusoria @ 9–10 numbers per ml of rearing water for 30 days in four different treatment groups. The proximate analysis of different enriched and un‐enriched infusoria showed the highest (84.25%) moisture content in HUFA‐enriched Infusoria, and the highest percentage of crude protein (9.80%), crude lipid (3.50%) and ash content (0.78%) in vitamin C‐enriched Infusoria. The survivability analysis showed the highest survival in the treatment group fed with HUFA‐enriched infusoria (49.25%) and the lowest in the control group (18.25%). This indicates that the enrichment of infusoria with HUFA could increase the survival rate significantly. The highest body weight gain (55.75 mg) was observed in HUFA‐enriched group but not significantly different from the control group. The study indicates that the enrichment of infusoria with HUFA have a significant influence on larval survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluates the effectiveness of thermosonication treatment on the physicochemical and anti‐nutritional properties of blood fruit beverage. The study has revealed that physicochemical properties such as pH, titratable acidity, color difference, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid content, total polyphenols, total anthocyanins, total flavonoids, and DPPH retained as the fresh juice. Similarly, anti‐nutritional components such as phytate, saponin, alkaloids, tannin, and oxalates were lowered significantly by the TST (Thermosonication treatment) TST‐1 (40°C/30 min), TST‐2 (42°C/27 min), TST‐3 (44°C/24 min), TST‐4 (46°C/21 min), TST‐5 (48°C/18 min), TST‐6 (50°C/15 min), and TST‐7 (52°C/12 min). Thermosonicated beverages had an extended shelf life of 4 weeks at 4°C with desirable physicochemical quality, and the storage study has exhibited minimal quality changes. The results obtained from this study may help the fruit beverage industries design similar processing of blood fruit beverages on a large‐scale production. Practical applications: Commercialization of blood fruit juice by value addition and lowering of its anti‐nutritional components may result in its availability all over the world along with its nutritious intake and healthy living among people. Thermosonically treated blood fruit juice with the unique parameter combination have resulted in better retention of phytonutrients as well as reduction in its anti‐nutritional factors, thereby offering excellent product quality as compared to the conventionally pasteurized beverages. This might increase the potential for commercialization of blood fruit and also result in the development of a trusted area for startup of this beverage industries, such as iron‐rich fruit beverage (58.16 mg/100) which will again promote better nutritional status, malnutrition free, and better livelihood in the local areas with ample blood fruit availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkia speciosa Hassk is an underutilized legume containing numerous nutrients with high perishability. The study was planned to extend the shelf‐life of P. speciosa seeds and pods with different treatments. Blanched and unblanched seeds and pods were subjected to freezing, freeze drying, cabinet drying, and sun drying. Samples were analyzed for nutritional, phytochemical, rehydration ratio, and overall acceptability score. Significant variation in nutritional value was observed in fresh and processed seeds as well as pods. Due to blanching, some minerals leached out resulting in lower ash content. Protein content was reduced slightly due to blanching and drying. Hot water blanching prior to drying, or freezing, inactivated the oxidative enzymes and preserved nutritional value. Freeze‐dried seed and pods had the highest % dehydration compared to other treatments. Blanched and unblanched, freeze‐dried samples had overall acceptance in an acceptable range for seed and pods. Freeze‐dried seeds and pods had longer storability without significant degradation of total antioxidants, phenols, ascorbic acid, overall acceptability, and rehydration ratio. Rehydration of freeze‐dried seeds and pods after blanching was highest. The study concluded that freeze drying along with blanching as pretreatment is effective in extending the shelf‐life of P. speciosa without a change in sensory profile. Novelty impact statement: Perkia speciosa is one of the highly nutritious and underutilized legume, are explored for a shelf‐life extension for their seeds and pods, herein. Mere exposed to minimal pre‐processing treatments, they are made available in the longer term without any nutritional loss, appreciable rehydration extent, and overall acceptability profile as well. Thus, these minimal pre‐processing tactics adoption by agri‐entrepreneurs land the basis for value addition, malnutrition eradication, food security, and commercialization to contribute to the overall growth of the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uneven maturity and severe internal rot of kiwifruit were rapidly accelerated when transferred to room temperature after long‐term controlled atmosphere storage. In this study, the effects of ethrel combined with different flow microcirculation of antiseptic mediums on the shelf‐life quality of "Qinmei" kiwifruit stored at 20°C were evaluated. Results indicated that the combined aerosolization application of 500 mg/L natamycin, 7.5% w/w H2O2 and 0.5 mg/L atomized ozone could control the decay incidence and respiratory rate of ethrel‐treated kiwifruit. Further studies indicated that ethrel and O3 treatment greatly increased the activities of chitinase, β‐1,3‐glucanase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase and produced higher ascorbic acid levels (151.16 mg·100 g−1/FW) to enhance disease‐resistant of kiwifruit. This treatment could inhibit the activity of polyphenol oxidase and delay the process of membrane lipid peroxidation, contributing to preserving the integrity of cell structures well. Moreover, ethrel + O3 treatment could effectively reduce ethylene production (3.12 μl/kg/h) to delay the ripening and senescence of fruit stored at 20°C. More importantly, this treatment exhibited the lowest contents of decay incidence (9.75%), total bacterial count (4.07 log cfu/g), and yeasts and molds (4.18 log cfu/g), and thus extended the shelf life for up to 16 days. Therefore, a combination of ethrel and ozone is a potentially effective method for the maintenance of the shelf‐life properties of kiwifruit after long‐term cold storage. Novelty impact statement: In this study, the treatment of ethrel‐treated with aerosolized ozone of flow microcirculation of 0.5 mg/L O3 could effectively suppress ripening and senescence, enhance antioxidant capacity and disease resistance, reduce the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation, and considerably preserve the integrity of cell structures, which contributed to preventing the penetration of pathogens, retarding the decay incidence, and delaying the shelf‐life quality deterioration of kiwifruit transferred to room temperature after long‐term controlled atmosphere storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, to evaluate the role of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) combined with vacuum precooling (VP) treatment in fresh goji preservation, the physicochemical properties and anti‐oxidation indexes of goji berries were compared between the AEW+VP‐treated and control (VP treatment) groups during storage at 4, 7, and 10°C. The results showed that AEW+VP could effectively inhibit the decrease in L* and a* values, reduce the respiratory rate, delay the loss of vitamin C content, and maintain higher total soluble solid (TSS) content. Compared to the control, AEW+VP‐treated goji maintained higher catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Therefore, AEW+VP treatment could effectively improve the storage quality and extend the shelf life of fresh goji berries. Practical applications: Acidic electrolyzed water, a clean and environmentally friendly preservation technology, combined with vacuum precooling extended the shelf life of fresh goji berries while delaying the aging of goji berries at different storage temperatures. In this sense, AEW+VP had certain stability in enhancing the storage quality and extending the shelf life of goji berries, which can be regarded as an effective strategy for promoting the preservation of agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study evaluated the potential of chitosan‐based melatonin (CH‐MT) composite coating to maintain quality and delay senescence of minimally processed pomegranate aril‐sacs during refrigerated storage. Mature pomegranate fruit (cv. Wonderful) without physical defects were processed into aril‐sacs. Subsequently, the following treatments were applied; distilled water (control), CH 0.5% (w/v), CH+0.1 mM MT, CH+0.4 mM MT, CH+0.8 mM MT, and CH+1 mM MT. Each treatment was applied by immersing the aril‐sacs in the coating solution for 3 min and allowed to dry at room temperature. Aril‐sacs were then packed in polyethene terephthalate punnets (three to four aril‐sacs/punnet) and stored at 5°C and 85% RH for 21 days. Aril color, weight loss, respiration rate, ascorbic acid content, total anthocyanins, browning index, and antioxidant capacity were monitored during storage at 3 days intervals. The study results showed that the CH‐MT coating treatments significantly (p < 0.05) delayed the increase in aril‐sacs weight loss and respiration rate. These treatments also retained higher aril chroma, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin content, DPPH‐radical scavenging activity, and aril‐sacs antioxidant power (FRAP). In addition, surface browning development was significantly suppressed in the coated aril‐sacs compared with control sacs. However, the effectiveness of CH‐MT treatments in maintaining the quality of aril‐sacs was concentration‐dependent, with CH+0.8–1 mM MT treatments showing the best results. Therefore, CH+0.8–1 mM MT treatments are recommended to suppress the development of physiological disorders and maintain the quality of minimally processed pomegranate aril‐sacs. Novelty Impact Statement: This study focuses on the development and application of chitosan‐melatonin composite coating (CH‐MT) as an active and functional formulation to maintain quality and extend the storage life of minimally processed pomegranate aril‐sacs. The results showed that incorporating melatonin with chitosan improved the effectiveness of chitosan base coating. This was demonstrated by the CH‐MT coating's enhanced retention of ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, radical scavenging activity, and antioxidant power. Further, delaying the increase in aril‐sacs surface browning, weight loss, and respiration rate. The study findings are valuable in the commercial adoption of safe preservation technologies to maintain the quality and maximize the storability of minimally processed products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study was conducted to assess the drying kinetics of lemongrass shreds, dried using two different drying methods and retention of bioactive compounds in the dried lemongrass. Convective drying (CD) was carried out at 45°C for 7 h, whereas during pulsed microwave drying (PMD), lemongrass shreds were exposed to microwaves at 1350 W for 3‐3‐2‐1‐min pulsed intervals with a 30‐s pulse gap. Experimental data were fitted to three drying models, namely Lewis, Henderson and Pabis, and Page models, to determine the moisture ratio as a function of drying time. The bioactive compounds were analyzed before and after drying to assess the changes during the drying process. Pulsed microwave dried samples showed maximum retention of total chlorophyll: 13.85 mg/g, ascorbic acid: 17.80 mg/100 g, flavonoids: 2.64 mg/g, and highest antioxidant capacity of 74.02%. Moreover, microwave‐assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) of these samples yielded 1.54% essential oil with a specific gravity of 0.89. Novelty impact statement: The synergistic influence of PMD and MAHD process on the quality of dried lemongrass shreds has not been investigated earlier.Polynomial fit‐MR and polynomial fit‐lnMR for moisture ratio were found to have the highest R2 values for both drying methods.Retention of bioactive compounds was observed to be higher in PM dried samples compared with convective dried samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moringa is regarded as a miracle tree because all components of the plant, including the roots, leaves, pod, and flowers, have significant nutritional and therapeutic value. Moringa oleifera Lam. pods have excellent antioxidant characteristics and are a good source of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, beta-carotene, amino acids, and phenolic compounds. The pods of Moringa oleifera Lam. were collected from the local market of Sunamganj, and their nutritional value was assessed in raw condition and after thermal processing. The goal of this research was to observe how the thermal temperature affected the antioxidant and physicochemical qualities of thermally-processed Moringa oleifera Lam. pods. Thermal treatment diminished the amount of crude protein, fat, carbohydrate, ash, ascorbic acid, and beta-carotene in the pods, as well as DPPH, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content. The moisture percentage of raw and thermally-processed Moringa oleifera Lam. pods was determined to be 83.12%, 86.03% with a total ash level of 2.01%, and 1.8%, respectively. The crude protein, fat content, and carbohydrate were 3.0%, 0.1%, and 3.2%, respectively, in thermally-processed pods. The values for total phenol content, total flavonoid content, vitamin C, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, and β-carotene were 28.13 mg, 2.98 mg, 38.23%, 3.98 mg, and 0.12 mg, respectively, in raw samples whereas 24.56 mg, 2.72 mg, 3.50 mg, 34.32%, and 0.0904 mg, respectively, in thermally-processed samples. According to the findings, Moringa oleifera Lam. pods have high nutritional content and thus can be used as an excellent source of diet, and even after thermal processing, a significant nutritive value remains in the Moringa oleifera Lam. pods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vacuum concentration method was established to produce pear paste using fresh pear juice in this study. The optimal condition was determined by comparing the quality indexes, contents of total phenol and flavonoid, and antioxidant properties of the pear paste produced by traditional heating concentration and vacuum concentration. Electronic nose and electronic tongue were introduced in this study to provide digital smell and taste indicators. The results showed that the best vacuum concentration temperature was 65°C, which led to the best sensory evaluation score and pear paste quality. The browning degree and soluble quinones were the lowest in all tested temperatures, and the content were 60.12% and 72.88% compared with the heating method, respectively. While the values were 148.29%, 209.44%, 310.86%, 120.37%, 106.24%, and 181.26% of total phenol, total flavonoid, vitamin C, 1,1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine (DPPH) and hydroxyl (·OH) radical scavenging rates, and total reducing power, respectively. The electronic nose could effectively distinguish the vacuum-concentrated pear paste from the traditional heating-concentration pear paste and could provide quality guidance on their flavor differences through characteristic sensors. The electronic tongue tests showed that the vacuum-concentrated pear paste had larger freshness and richness kurtosis. The pear paste made by the optimized vacuum concentration method had higher retention of nutritional and functional components and higher antioxidant capacity, which could be clearly differentiated from the traditional process, thus this method had an applicable potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to isolate and identify the endophytic fungi from the bark and leaves of the Syzygum cumini plant and investigate the pharmacological activities of endophytic fungi along with plant parts. After isolation, endophytic fungi were identified based on morphological characteristics and molecular identification. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities were studied by a disc diffusion method, free radical scavenging DPPH assay, and brine shrimp lethality bioassay, respectively. A total of eight endophytic fungi were isolated and identified up to the genus level based on morphological characteristics and confirmed by molecular identification techniques. Among the eight isolates, three isolates were identified as Colletotrichum sp. (SCBE-2, SCBE-7, and SCLE-9), while the rest of the isolates belonged to Diaporthe sp. (SCBE-1), Pestalotiopsis sp. (SCBE-3), Penicillium sp. (SCBE-4), Phyllosistica sp. (SCLE-7), and Fusarium sp. (SCLE-8). The presence of flavonoids, anthraquinones, coumarins, and isocoumarins was assumed by the preliminary screening of the fungal and plant extracts by a thin-layer chromatographic technique under UV light. Fungal extracts of Pestalotiopsis sp. Penicillium sp. were found sensitive to all test bacteria, but only extracts from the leaf and bark showed significant antifungal activity along with their antimicrobial activity. Penicillium sp. The fungal extract showed the highest free radical scavenging activity (2.43 μg/mL) near that of ascorbic acid (2.42 μg/mL). Some fungal extracts showed cytotoxic activity that, in general, suggests their probable abundance of biological metabolites. This is the first approach to investigate the endophytic fungi of Syzygium cumini Linn. in Bangladesh, to find the pharmacological potential of endophytes, and to explore novel compounds from those endophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin C (VC) is a necessary nutrient for normal fish physiology and immunity. Therefore, A 60‐day feeding trial was designed to evaluate the dietary VC requirements of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). Six isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated by incorporation of VC at 0, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg kg−1 levels and the analysed VC content in diet was 5.7, 51.1, 95.3, 191.6, 370.7 and 757.5 mg kg−1 respectively. At the trial termination, VC supplementation significantly enhanced the growth and feed utilization. The highest values for whole body crude protein were recorded at 95.3 and 191.6 mg kg−1 of VC. In comparison to the basal diet, VC supplementation improved (p < 0.05) the whole body crude fat. Dietary VC had a dose‐dependent effect on the white blood cell count and haematocrit. A significant increase in the alkaline phosphatase activity was recorded for fish fed 5.7 to 95.3 mg kg−1 of VC, attaining a constant value afterwards (95.3–757.5 mg kg−1 of VC). In comparison, dietary VC decreased (p < 0.05) the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities. Similarly, the glucose content also decreased significantly from 5.7 to 95.3 mg kg−1 of VC and became constant thereafter. Dietary VC supplementation significantly affected the antioxidant enzyme activities. The liver VC content showed a dose‐dependent relation, where the VC content increased with the increase in VC supplementation reaching the highest value at 757.5 mg kg−1. Moreover, VC‐fed fish showed an increased (p < 0.05) survival against Aeromonas hydrophila challenge. On the basis of broken‐line regression, the optimum dietary VC requirement of H. molitrix for weight gain% and liver VC content is 61.31 and 241.13 mg kg−1 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry fruits are highly perishable and susceptible to microbial decay. In this study, influence of atmospheric pressure, postharvest delay in hypobaric treatment, and combined effect of pressure and exposure duration on storage quality of strawberries were evaluated. Treatment at 40 kPa for 4 h without postharvest delay inhibited fungal decay and retained visual quality which contributed to 13% increase in marketable life of strawberries compared with control. Further study revealed that microbial control and storage quality of strawberries treated either at 20 kPa for 2 h or 40 kPa for 4 h were statistically comparable. After 12 days, strawberries treated at 20 kPa for 2 h had 14.3% higher radical scavenging activity, 13.9% higher phenolic contents and 17.7% higher ascorbic acid than control fruits. Thus, pre‐storage treatment at 20 kPa for 2 h without postharvest delay effectively retained fruit quality and extended storage life of strawberries for 6 more days compared with control. Novelty impact statement: Hypobaric treatment is a potential non‐chemical technique used to disinfect and extend storage life of strawberries. Results showed that hypobaric treatment at 20 kPa for 2 h without any postharvest delay can be adopted to disinfect strawberries from microbial infection and to extend marketable life. These findings may help in developing commercial hypobaric technology for perishable and decay‐susceptible fruits and vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soursop fruits comprise many bioactive compounds that potentially support human health. The processing method dramatically affects the antioxidant activity found in the soursop fruit. This study aimed to explore the effects of preheating treatment approaches (steam blanching, hot water blanching, and microwave‐assisted blanching) on the physiochemical properties of soursop fruit. The changes in colors, total ascorbic acid, and total phenolic content were based on the variations in surveyed parameters including treatment time 2–4–6–8 min, temperature 60–70–80–90°C (blanching hot water), and capacity 150–300–450–600 W (blanched by microwave). About 59.57% of total phenolic content and 64.07% of total ascorbic acid were retained after 8 min of blanching, 17.97% of total phenolic content and 31.42% of total ascorbic acid remained after blanching at 90°C, whereas the microwave‐assisted blanching at 300 W was found to retain over 70% of total phenolic content and about 50% of total ascorbic acid. The evaluation results showed the total phenolic content loss was hindered by using microwave‐assisted blanching at 150 W for 2 min. The color changes (darken conversion) were significantly affected by the prolonged processing time, increasing the total different color value compared to the control sample. These databases provide insight into the blanching processes, which are considered intermediate stages for many food products. Novelty impact statement: The databases included in the study provide an unbiased view of the blanching methods. The suitable method helps inactivate the browning enzyme, retaining the maximum color and nutritional content compared to the original sample. Furthermore, from these process parameters, it is possible to make different related products such as soursop tea, which offers excellent economic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Koozh is a cereal‐based fermented food product made from finger millet (Eleucine corocana) which is a neglected cereal and has a promising potential for health promotions. It is produced both traditionally and modernly using millet grain and is offered in both drinks and porridge. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) dominate Koozh's microbial composition. Koozh is a famous street snack in many areas of the world and is the most commonly consumed healthy meal during specific events. Koozh contains bioactive components, including p‐Coumaric and ascorbic acid, which have several nutraceutical benefits such as anti‐allergenicity, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐microbial, antioxidant activity, anti‐carcinogenicity, and anti‐diabetic activity. Additionally, Koozh is also used against various disorders like hypercholesterolemia, intermittent claudication, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and cardiovascular diseases. In the nutshell, there is adequate evidence in favor of the medicinal significance of Koozh but needs further scientific interest to explore its health endorsing aspects for strengthening the claims. Furthermore, the production technology, brief history, nutritional composition, and functional properties of Koozh are also in the limelight of the current review article. Novelty impact statement: Food security is under threat due to the growing population of emerging nations, climate change, and diminishing resources. As a result, in the future, we will not only need to manufacture more, and also efficient agriculture in order to survive on our planet. Traditionally, humans have used fermentation to preserve food, but they are unintentionally producing more nutritious and healthier food, which can help with a variety of health issues. Koozh contains bioactive components, including p‐Coumaric and ascorbic acid, which have several nutraceutical benefits such as anti‐allergenicity, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐microbial, antioxidant activity, anti‐carcinogenicity, and anti‐diabetic activity, which makes it novel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is aimed to determine how different cooking processes (boiled (B), steamed (S), pressure boiled (PB), and pressure steamed (PS)) cause changes in various vegetables (potato, carrot, beet root, black carrot, celery, turnip, and sweet potato). The different process had a very significant effect (p < 0.01) on the L*, a*, b*, C*, H°, dry matter content, total soluble solids (TSS), ash content, pH, and titratable acidity values of vegetables. The process and vegetable kind were found to have a very significant effect (p < 0.01) on vitamin C and total phenolic content (TPC) of vegetables. It was revealed that the vitamin C was preserved better in S and PS than B vegetables. Except all PB, B, S sweet potato and cooked celery the TPC of other samples decreased at different rates (6.12%–88.30%) with cooking. It was found that the antioxidant activity (AA) of vegetables decreased with the process. It was determined that the mineral compositions of vegetables cooked with different methods were significantly different (p < 0.01) from raw vegetables, except for Fe. A positive correlation was detected between the samples' AA and color values. As a result, it was revealed that S vegetables preserved their color values better and the AA values of S vegetables were closest to raw vegetables. Novelty Impact Statement: In terms of healthy nutrition, the differences in the characteristics of the food cooked with the heat treatment process in cooked foods has recently aroused an increasing interest. The study showed that physical and chemical properties, total phenolic content, and antioxidant properties were interrelated with different vegetables and different cooking methods. This was due to the different compositions and cooking techniques of vegetables, which determine the cell wall integrity and solubility of cell components during heat treatments. It was determined that the properties of steamed beetroot and black carrot were better preserved among different vegetables cooked with four different cooking methods (boiled, steamed, pressure boiled, and pressure steamed). The antioxidant activity of vegetables decreased with the treatment. Except for Fe, the mineral compositions of vegetables cooked by different methods were significantly different from raw vegetables. As a result, it was revealed that steamed vegetables preserved their color values better and the antioxidant activity values of steamed vegetables were closest to raw vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound treatment under vacuum for 40 min led to an increase in the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of flesh. However, phenolic and flavonoid contents of mango peel were close to their initial values under the same conditions. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid amounts of peel were obtained after 30 min of sonication under atmospheric condition. Similarly, carotenoid contents of peel and flesh reached their maximum values after 30 min of sonication under atmospheric condition. DPPH free radical scavenging activity of peel and flesh increased as the duration of ultrasound treatment under vacuum prolonged, especially for 40 min. Phenolic acids and flavonoids in peel and flesh were determined as 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid (9.05–18.51 g/100 g and 0.78–1.16 g/100 g, respectively) and catechin (24.28–66.82 mg/100 g and 3.16–6.61 mg/100 g, respectively). The use of ultrasound during the extraction process improved the bioactive properties of flesh, so the application of sonication in combination with vacuum can be used as an alternative. Practical applications: Mango draws attention thanks to its Vitamin C, carotenoid, and phenolic compound content. One of the alternative extraction methods is ultrasound‐assisted extraction. Ultrasound‐assisted extraction increases yields and eliminates the disadvantages of conventional technologies. The components damaged by heat treatment, especially bioactive components, are effectively extracted at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonality in the availability of cowpea leaves has often limited their utilization and thus the promotion of preservation techniques that convert the vegetables into storable and stable forms. The recommendations for the use of highly mechanized techniques in preservation are brought into question due to limited affordability among resource-constrained households that prefer less costly approaches. Therefore, this study used statistical techniques of principal component analysis to comparatively evaluate the trends of physicochemical quality of the two diverse approaches of processing cowpea leaves. The study evaluated dehydrated cowpea leaves of different processing techniques from farmer groups and optimally processed using modern techniques for nutritional composition, phytochemical compounds, and colour changes. Sun drying techniques that excluded blanching had the least content of beta-carotene and ascorbic acid, 2.65 ± 0.95 and 21.80 ± 1.24 mg/100 g dry weight basis (dwb), respectively, accompanied by the most significant (p < 0.001) deterioration of colour (7.74 ± 3.49) than techniques that included. Whereas the antinutrients declined, the difference did not significantly differ (p > 0.05) based on preservation techniques. With factor analysis determining optimal nutritional quality for cowpea leaves at 8 weeks after emergence, sun drying had the highest loss of beta-carotene and ascorbic acid, 66.7–80.1% and 53.7%–58.3%, respectively (p < 0.001), whereas mineral leaching, reduction of antinutrients, and colour changes were more pronounced in dehydration techniques incorporating fermentation as pretreatment. For the traditional preservation techniques, increasing retention of minerals resulted in aggravated losses of beta-carotene and ascorbic acid, whereas in the mechanized techniques, this was not the case. In concluding that the mechanized techniques have a better combination of attenuating losses of micronutrients, the study recommends that in promoting the utilization of traditional preservation techniques, low-cost processes like steam blanching can help improve the nutritional quality of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is an important vegetable used in cooking most local foods in Ghana. At the peak season of harvesting, high loses are incurred because of the absence of tomato processing facilities to store, process, and extend the shelf life of fresh tomatoes. Solar drying has been proven to be a more efficient and low-cost method of enhancing quality and adding value to tomato and other vegetables. However, there are concerns about the functionality and quality of the dried products by consumers due to the methods of drying used. In this study, a passive mixed-mode solar dryer suitable for drying tomato was adapted and used to investigate the dehydration characteristics and microbiological quality of the dried tomato. The efficiency of a passive solar dryer was evaluated and used in the processing of fresh tomato to powder. The processing involved the pretreatment of 6 mm slices of fresh Roma variety of tomato by dipping in potassium metabisulfite solution and ascorbic acid solution. The moisture content, moisture ratio, and dehydration rate of solar-dried tomato were assessed. The 24 h dryer efficiency of 24.2% facilitated the drying process of tomato (final moisture content of 12-14%). Aerobic mesophile counts were lower in solar-dried tomato pretreated with potassium metabisulfite (3.90 CFU/g) compared with sun-dried samples (4.85 CFU/g). Solar-dried tomato powder is safer for consumption compared with open sun-dried tomato samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases that is known to cause structural and functional ocular complications. In the human cornea, DM-related complications affect the epithelium, stroma, and nerves. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are a family of proton-linked plasma membrane transporters that carry monocarboxylates across plasma membranes. In the context of corneal health and disease, their role, presence, and function are largely undetermined and solely focused on the most common MCT isoforms, 1 through 4. In this study, we investigated the regulation of MCT1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10, in corneal DM, using established 3D self-assembled extracellular matrix (ECM) in vitro models. Primary stromal corneal fibroblasts were isolated from healthy (HCFs), type I (T1DMs), and type II (T2DMs) DM donors. Monoculture 3D constructs were created by stimulating stromal cells on transwells with stable vitamin C for two or four weeks. Coculture 3D constructs were created by adding SH-SY5Y neurons at two different densities, 12 k and 500 k, on top of the monocultures. Our data showed significant upregulation of MCT1 at 4 weeks for HCF, T1DM, and T2DM monocultures, as well as the 500 k nerve cocultures. MCT8 was significantly upregulated in HCF and T1DM monocultures and all of the 500 k nerve cocultures. Further, MCT10 was only expressed at 4 weeks for all cocultures and was limited to HCFs and T1DMs in monocultures. Immunofluorescence analysis showed cytoplasmic MCT expression for all cell types and significant downregulation of both MCT2 and MCT4 in HCFs, when compared to T1DMs and T2DMs. Herein, we reveal the existence and modulation of MCTs in the human diabetic cornea in vitro. Changes appeared dependent on neuronal density, suggesting that MCTs are very likely critical to the neuronal defects observed in diabetic keratopathy/neuropathy. Further studies are warranted in order to fully delineate the role of MCTs in corneal diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peelu (Salvadora oleoides Decne.) fruit is well known for its nutritional and medicinal values. The current study analyzed the chemical composition of Salvadora oleoides fruit. Fresh Peelu fruits were harvested, and physicochemical properties, proximate composition, macro- and micronutrients, and phytochemical properties were determined. Moreover, ethanol and methanol fruit extract was analyzed for physicochemical properties. The Peelu fruit seemed to be a potential source of essential macro- ((nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg)) and micronutrients (zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu)). The fruit had significant biochemical properties (total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), and TSS : TA ratio) with appreciable moisture, crude fiber, and ash contents. The fruit extracts demonstrated significantly higher antioxidants and phenolics, ascorbic acid contents, and carotenoids. Phytochemical screening of fruit revealed the presence of coumarins, flavonoids, phlobatannins, tannins, and terpenoids. Physicochemical and sensory evaluation of extracts indicated its potential for further in vivo study trials. The Peelu fruit was found to be a good source of mineral nutrients, proximate contents, vitamins (ascorbic acid and carotenoid), phytochemicals (total phenolic sand antioxidant contents), and pharmaceutically important metabolites that can be used as functional drink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a micronutrient, vitamin C plays an important role in growth and immunity of fish, but the effects of vitamin C on Pampus argenteus were still unclear. Here, we added vitamin C with different concentrations (0, 350, 1050, 2100 and 4200 mg/kg) to the basic diet, and the optimal concentration of vitamin C was screened out as 1050 mg/kg through the growth indicators, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, GSH‐PX and MDA) and the expression of four immune‐related genes (IL‐2, IL‐3, IL‐17 and IL‐18). After feeding dietary vitamin C supplementation with optimal concentration for 4 weeks, 80 ml/t formaldehyde was used to damage the immune system of fish. Then, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes and immune‐related genes were tested to find out the protective effects of vitamin C on the immune system. The results showed that the activity of CAT, SOD and GSH‐PX increased, while the MDA content decreased. At the molecular level, the expression of IL‐2 and IL‐3 genes increased, but the expression of IL‐17 and IL‐18 genes was inhibited. These findings suggested that the dietary vitamin C supplementation improved fish growth, alleviated the stress reaction caused by formaldehyde treatment and improved the immunity of P. argenteus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cashew plant is an allogamous plant that produces two types of fruits: the nut and the cashew apple. The present study was conducted to perform a comparison of proximate and phytonutrient compositions of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) nuts and apples from different geographical areas of Burkina Faso. For this purpose, 60 samples of apples and kernels were collected from the three main cashew cultivation areas. The nutritional potential of cashew nuts and apples produced was evaluated to enhance their food processing. Protein, carbohydrates, lipids, dietary fibers, ascorbic acid, tannins, anthocyanins, chlorophyll, lycopene, and β-carotene contents were assessed. The results revealed high contents of lipids (50.42 ± 2.3 g/100 gDW), proteins (22.32 + − 1.8 g/100 gDW), and starch (12.05 ± 1.27 g/100 g DW) in almonds. Apples, on the other hand, are rich in lipids, ascorbic acid (387.45 ± 17.4 mg/100 g), soluble sugars (387.45 ± 17.4 mg/100 g,), and pigments (lycopene, anthocyanin, β-carotene, and chlorophyll). In summary, almonds may be suitable as a source of lipids and related products. Apples can be used as natural antioxidants and produce juices. All of these data are important clues for cashew by-product processing. These results obtained provide a scientific basis for their food and economical valorization of cashew fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerocarya birrea (Marula) is one of the indigenous fruit trees that was selected for domestication in Malawi. This study was conducted to assess nutritional and phytochemical variation of Sclerocarya birrea (subspecies caffra and birrea) fruits planted in an international provenance trial in Malawi. Vitamin C, calcium, iron, zinc, fat, and fibre content ranged from 6 to 81 mg/100 g; 1.8 to 5.3 mg/100 g; 1.4 to 3.3 mg/100 g; 0.3 to 0.8 mg/100 g; 51.6 to 57.7%; and 4.1 to 6.9%, respectively. Phytochemical scores showed that all nine provenances contained weak (+) concentration of alkaloids. Kalimbeza (Namibia) and Magamba-Turiani (Tanzania) provenances showed moderate (++) concentrations of saponins. Chikhwawa (Malawi), Missira (Mali), and Moamba (Mozambique) provenances had moderate (++) concentrations of tannins. Missira (Mali) and Kalimbeza (Namibia) provenances showed weak (+) concentration of terpenoids. Variations observed in nutritional and phytochemical composition could be attributed to genetic make-up and origin of the genotypes, since all genotypes were planted in the same environment. Therefore, selection of Sclerocarya birrea for domestication purposes should consider the provenance (origin of genotypes) and subspecies levels. Further studies should investigate vegetative propagation and heritability of nutritional and phytochemical traits before the use of seed for propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials are increasingly being used in pharmaceutical industry to treat a variety of disorders and diseases. Hence, the aim of this research was to evaluate their antioxidant and anticancer activity of presynthesized and characterized plant-based AgNPs against ferric, DPPH, H2O2, and ABTS free radicals and MCF-7 cell line. Interestingly, the antioxidants assay results revealed that the increased concentration (100 μg mL-1) of AgNPs has remarkable antioxidant ability on ferric (78.20%), DPPH (89.61%), H2O2 (82.34%), and ABTS (67.95%) free radicals. These scavenging activities were almost close to the free radicals scavenging ability of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Similarly, test AgNPs showed considerable cytotoxicity (83.15%) against MCF-7 cell line, and it was partially comparable with the cytotoxicity activity (91.35%) of positive control (Doxorubicin). These findings indicate that plant-mediated AgNPs have significant antioxidant and anticancer activity, and thus may be considered for biomedical applications pending the results of some in vivo experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Cistus creticus extract on the quality attributes of cocktail sausages was evaluated. For this purpose (1) the phenolic composition, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of Cistus extract were determined, and (2) quality parameters, such as lipid oxidation and the shelf life of sausages, were investigated. There were four treatments: a control (0.02% ascorbic acid and 0.05% sodium ascorbate) and Cistus (0.05%, 0.07%, and 0.1%). The radical scavenging activity of Cistus was high, and the IC50 value was 7.85 ± 0.94 μg/ml. The treatment with 0.1% Cistus showed antimicrobial activity against spoilage organisms and extended the shelf life of the cocktail sausages 1 week and provided lower lipid oxidation values throughout storage in comparison with the control treatment. Furthermore, the 0.1% Cistus treatment exhibited fewer total color differences during storage. This study demonstrated the potential of Cistus as a natural antioxidant alternative for sausage formulation. Novelty impact statement: The water extract of Cistus creticus was rich with phenolic compounds, such as quercetin and gallic acid and displayed a high antioxidant capacity.Cocktail sausages formulated with C. creticus extract achieved comparable quality attributes with the sausages formulated with ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate.This natural antioxidant can be used in the development of other healthier meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetroot betalains (E162) as natural colorants, extracted by physical means, are permitted by the European Union for use as a natural colorant in foods. Like other natural colorants, betalains have limitations due to the lack of standardized extraction protocols and reduced stability. An experiment was conducted for the process optimization of betalains extraction from a competent variety and subsequently its stabilization through acidulants. Results revealed that the Crimson Globe cultivar was a feasible matrix for betalains extraction over Detroit Dark Red. Box Behnken Design of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) optimized that at 70°C, 4.0 min extraction time and 1:3 solid to solvent ratio, maximum betalains and phenolics could be extracted. Betalains were found to be more related to color expression (r =.962) than the antioxidant activity (r =.688). Among various acidulants, betalains was maximally retained by 1% (w/v) ascorbic acid with t1/2 = 155.17 h followed by citric (92.36 h), tartaric (85.20 h), succinic (83.96 h), and malic acid (75.72 h). Novelty impact statement: Beetroot betalains, designated as GRAS, are known for their antioxidant and coloring potential. Detailed extraction methodology for betalains was optimized with pure aqueous solvent so that the extracted betalains, when used as a food colorant are devoid of any solvent residue. Further, the study concluded that among various acidulants, the performance of ascorbic acid was best in terms of better color and antioxidant stability. The betalains acidified with ascorbic acid could be stored up to 9 months at 10°C. This is the first detailed report on aqueous extraction protocol standardization from beetroot cv. Crimson Globe and its stabilization using acidulant/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impregnation of ascorbic acid (AA) by ultrasound (US)‐assisted osmotic dehydration (OD). A 25 factorial design was used. The highest water loss (WL) of 42% was obtained with the combined use of OD+US+AA. The effective diffusivities of water (EDw) and solids (EDs) were increased when OD was employed with a temperature of 60°C, a sucrose concentration of 60%, and a simultaneous application of US+AA treatments in plantain thin slices. The use of OD+US favored AA impregnation; in the treatment with 45% sucrose at 40°C, AA increased from 18% to 42%. Tonality did not change significantly in the OD+US+AA treatments at 40°C. However, except for the gumminess, significant differences from the control were observed in the texture profile analysis (TPA). In microstructure analyses, it was observed that by applying OD+US+AA, the cellular structure was not altered. Applying the specified operational conditions for OD, the AA impregnation pretreatments, and US, a plantain dry food could be obtained without reducing the specified quality parameters in this study. Novelty impact statement: Applying the ultrasound pretreatment before osmotic dehydration favors the impregnation of ascorbic acid in the plantain, preserving its original physical and sensory characteristics, such as texture, color, and flavor, and the treatment also promotes the maintenance of the nutritional properties of the food, increases the transfer of mass, and incorporates bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moringa oleifera and strawberry are cultivated extensively worldwide and are divinely blessed with an enormous amount of nutritional and medicinal constituents, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, potassium, and phenolic antioxidants that play a pivotal role in treating, confining, and preventing diabetes and many kinds of cancer. The focus of the study is to develop different samples of highly acceptable ready to serve (RTS) Moringa strawberry juice blend by underutilizing Moringa and strawberry juice in different proportions. Moringa oleifera's bitter taste and green color steeply limits its acceptability and counter this drawback utilized with strawberry juice. The physicochemical analysis of blended juice was performed to investigate the suitability and keeping quality of the juice mixture. The collected data signify that pH titratable acidity (TA) and total soluble solids (TSS) the slight modification after the inclusion of Moringa juice extract and throughout the storage. The Moringa treatment positively improved the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant, and vitamin C from 12 to 49.17 mg GAE/100g, 61.41 to 87.69%, and 64.03 to 86.65 mg/100 mL, respectively, but there was a slight decline in antioxidant quantity while stored under refrigerated conditions for one month. An assimilative trend was noticed in TPC and vitamin C, which collapsed from 49.17–36.32 mg GAE to 86.65–79.19 mg, respectively. In accordance with sensory analysis T2 (90% strawberry juice and 10% Moringa extract), the juice blend was rated best in context to flavor, color, and taste. This juice blend proved to be greatly effective especially for children suffering from malnutrition as well as women to counter with its appreciable number of nutritional constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melon breeding is directed at improving the quality of the fruit needed to meet consumers' demands. The assessment of hybrid melon candidates on important characteristics (vitamin A, vitamin C, and TSS) at five maturity stages is needed to get hybrid melon varieties with good fruit quality and determine the right harvest time. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic parameters of vitamin A, vitamin C, and TSS contents of D-612 × PK-669 and PK-361 × PK-165 crossings at five stages of maturity. The study used a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with eight genotypes as treatment and three replications, so there were 24 experimental units. The eight melon genotypes were G1 = D-612 × PK-669, G2 = PK-669 × D-612, G3 = D-612, G4 = PK-669, G5 = PK-361 × PK-165, G6 = PK-165 × PK-361, G7 = PK-361, and G8 = PK-165. The content of vitamin A, vitamin C, and TSS was observed at five maturity stages, namely, at 55 DAP, 60 DAP, 65 DAP, 70 DAP, and 75 DAP. The right harvest time for the eight genotypes tested was maturity stage 4 (70 DAP) because it had the highest vitamin A, vitamin C, and TSS contents compared to other maturity stages. The inheritance of vitamin A and C content was not affected by the maternal effect, while TSS was influenced by the maternal effect. The vitamin A, vitamin C, and TSS content characteristics had higher phenotypic diversity coefficients than genetic diversity coefficients, while heritability values in the broad sense for the three melon genotypic characteristics ranged from 0.613 to 0.968. Crosses of PK-165 × PK-361 can be used to assemble hybrid melon varieties that have high vitamin A, vitamin C, and TSS contents because they have positive values for heterosis and heterobeltiosis for the three characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae are one of the most important sources of natural bioactive compounds, especially those revealing antioxidant activity such as β‐carotene. Thus, this study was to compare the effects of dietary Vitamin C (L‐ascorbic acid) or Vitamin E (α‐tocopherol) with β‐carotene extracted from Arthrospira platensis on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on growth, feed utilization, blood indices, antioxidant activity, non‐specific immunological indices and related gene expression. Three hundred and sixty apparent healthy Nile tilapia (5.80 ± 0.286 g) were randomly distributed into four groups. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were performed. A control diet was compared against three experimental diets supplemented with Vitamin C (0.5 mg kg−1 diet), Vitamin E (1 g kg−1 diet) or β‐carotene (0.5 g kg−1 diet) for 10 weeks. According to the results, there was no significant difference in feed intake (p > 0.05) between experimental diets. Dietary Vitamins C and E and β‐carotene significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the weight gain, final body weight, protein efficiency ratio, specific growth rate and apparent protein utilization in all groups, whereas the best FCR (p = 0.017) and the highest weight gain (p = 0.007) were detected in the β‐carotene diet. Fish survival rates differed significantly (p < 0.05) amongst treatments, whilst fish fed a diet supplemented with β‐carotene recorded the highest survival rate. The supplemental diet with β‐carotene boosted the values of the biochemical and haematological parameters (p < 0.05) compared with the control diet. The activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC) in the liver (p = 0.0560; p = 0.0032; p = 0.0353 respectively) and tilapia muscles were higher in fish fed either β‐carotene or Vitamin E (p = 0.0579; p = 0.1494; p = 0.2145 respectively) than other groups. The highest values of SOD, CAT and immune globulin M‐2 gene expression (p < 0.05) were found in fish fed a diet enriched with β‐carotene. These results suggested that the dietary incorporation of β‐carotene had a superior impact on growth performance, haemato‐biochemical and immune‐oxidative stress biomarkers in addition to the associated gene expression of Oreochromis niloticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimally processed onion rings in different packages treated with gamma irradiation (0.5–2.5 kGy) were studied for shelf‐life extension under low temperature (Temp 4–5°C, RH 60%–70%). An untreated sample at 0 kGy was considered as the control sample. The quality, sensory, and microbial attributes of minimally processed onion rings were recorded at 5 days intervals for 30 days. Both gamma irradiation and packaging treatments significantly (p <.01) effect the firmness, color, physiological loss in weight, total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid, pyruvic acid, and total plate count. Losses in weight and texture were found to be higher in vacuum packaged onion rings and increased with an increase in storage duration. The TSSs content in onion rings increased with an increase in storage period with the highest increase in vacuum packages. The lowest microbial load in onion rings was maintained in polypropylene packages with perforations in all the gamma‐irradiation treatments but physio‐chemical quality decreased at the dose level of 2.5 kGy. Overall acceptability of onion rings irradiated at 1.5 kGy obtained the highest scores irrespective of packaging treatment. Thus, polypropylene packaging with perforations and a gamma dose of 1.5 kGy was found to be most suitable for maintaining the shelf life of minimally processed onion rings. Practical applications: Minimally processed onion rings packed in perforated polypropylene packs and treated with gamma irradiation is cost‐effective and safe and convenient to use as there is no application of chemical and preservatives. Besides, the shelf life of this product is maintained best for 20 days (with good overall acceptability) at refrigerated storage. These minimally processed onion rings could encourage several food industries to utilize them in various food products. This will also allow the onion processing industry to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Direct liquid fuel cell (DLFC) and membraneless fuel cell using the anode consisting of buckypaper (BP) and vitamin B12 (Vit B12) (BP/Vit B12) is introduced in physiological condition, while vitamin C (Vit C) is used as anodic fuel. Due to the high sensitivity of Vit B12 and the inherent feature of BP, the onset potential for the oxidation reaction of Vit C catalyzed by BP/Vit B12 is −0.1 V (vs Ag/AgCl), and its anodic current density measured at 0.3 V (vs Ag/AgCl) is 1.82 mA cm−2 even in a low Vit C concentration (10 mM). Regarding performance in fuel cells, maximum power density (MPD) of Vit C fuel cell containing membrane and Pt‐based air cathode is 0.62 ± 0.067 mW cm−2 in 0.01 M Vit C, and this is 3.1 times higher than that of fuel cell containing pristine BP. In addition, in a paper‐based flexible membraneless fuel cell using BP/bilirubin oxidase as cathode and the concentration of cerebrospinal fluid within the human body (0.35 mM Vit C), its MPD is 57.7 ± 4.02 μW cm−2. This means this suggested Vit C fuel cell system can replace the conventional primary batteries considered as the power source of implantable sensors and stimulation devices to treat neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the homogeneity of material mixing in real time during product processing is critical for quality control. According to the Kubelka–Munk (K-M) function of diffuse reflectance absorption spectrum, absorbance (A) is approximately linear with the content of the components when the sample scattering coefficient (S) is in a certain range. The S is determined by the particle size of powder samples. Therefore, this study determined particle size ranges that satisfy linear additivity in near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (NIRDRS). Thus, the proposed NIRDRS analysis technique can be used to determine the homogeneity of material mixes or analyze the percentages of the components in the mixture. In this study, vitamin B3 and vitamin C were used for preparing mixed samples with varying percentages. The experimental results revealed that linear additivity is satisfied when the powder particle size is in the range of less than 280, 280–450, and 450–900 μm. When the confidence level is 0.01, the actual mixed spectra are not significantly different from the "simulated mixed spectra" constructed by linear addition, with their relative deviations less than 1.08%. The absolute errors of the actual and analytic percentages were within 2.98% for each component in the mixtures. The above conclusions also hold for sorghum, which has a complex material composition. Statistical models cannot analyze the percentages of components in the mixture. In contrast, linear addition and direct calibration approach avoids the use of a large number of samples for statistical modeling and analyze the percentages of mixed samples. Meanwhile, it can be used to discriminate and analyze the material mixing uniformity by building a mechanistic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four mango fruit varieties of average slice thickness 0.6 cm and slice area 10 cm2 were dried using a mechanical dryer at varied temperatures, 55°C, 65°C, and 75°C. In general, the moisture content (MC) for all samples analyzed decreased with increasing drying time. Palmer and Haden varieties recorded the lowest MCs of 8.7% (w.b.) and 9.3% (w.b.), respectively, when dried for 14 h at 65°C. Palmer variety with the highest initial MC of 87.2% (w.b.) recorded a low final MC of 8.7% (w.b.) when dried for 14 h at 55°C. Moisture ratio decreased from 1.00 to 0.13, 1.00 to 0.12, 1.00 to 0.12, and 1.00 to 0.10 at 55°C for Kent, Keitt, Haden, and Palmer varieties, respectively. Kent, Keitt, Haden, and Palmer varieties recorded effective moisture diffusivity values of 5.90 × 10 – 7 , 6.40 × 10 − 7 , 6.57 × 10 − 7 , and 7.33 × 10 − 7 m 2 / s , respectively. Vitamin C content of 158.34 mg/100 g recorded for Palmer was highest compared to the other varieties. Activation energy values of samples analyzed were between 19.90 and 25.50 kJ/mol for the drying temperature range. The activation energy recorded by Haden variety was highest compared to the rest. Also, twelve mathematical models were analyzed in predicting the moisture ratio of mango fruit slices during thin layer drying. The results showed that the Midilli, Page, Wang and Singh, and Logarithmic models exhibited supremacy in predicting drying behavior compared to the other eight models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study performed a meta-analysis to explore the clinical efficacy of creatine phosphate sodium (CPS) and/or vitamin C for viral myocarditis (VMC) in children, to provide guidance for its clinical treatment. Methods. A literature search was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases to obtain published clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on CPS and/or vitamin C for VMC in children, with a time span from 2013 to 2022. Relevant data was extracted and meta-analysis was performed using the statistical software Stata 16.0. Results. A total of 723 studies were retrieved and 19 studies were finally included for meta-analysis, with a total of 1,957 patients. The meta-analysis results showed that the observation group (conventional treatment + CPS and/or vitamin C) was superior to the control group (conventional treatment alone) in treatment effective rate (OR = 3.60 , 95% CI (2.55, 5.07), and P < 0.001). Additionally, the observation group had lower levels of cardiac troponin-I (SMD = − 2.63, 95% CI (− 3.51, − 1.76), and P < 0.001), creatine kinase isoenzyme (SMD = − 2.78 , 95% CI (− 3.53, − 2.03), and P < 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (SMD = − 1.95 , 95% CI (− 2.49, − 1.42), and P < 0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (SMD = − 0.87 , 95% CI (− 1.84, 0.09), and P = 0.076), tumor necrosis factor-α (SMD = − 3.90 , 95% CI (− 4.47, − 3.06), and P < 0.001), and higher superoxide dismutase levels (SMD = 2.48 , 95% CI (1.64, 3.33), and P < 0.001). Except aspartate aminotransferase, there were significant differences between the two groups in the other parameters. Conclusion. CPS and/or vitamin C treatment could greatly improve the treatment, protect myocardial function, and relieve inflammatory response in children with VMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry fruit is one of people's favorite fruits. It has high nutritional value and health care effects. Strawberries lose their edible value quickly after being picked because of their thin skin, which is easily damaged. In order to find a method to maintain the quality of strawberries, the effects of resveratrol treatment on the nutritional quality and antioxidant metabolism of strawberry fruit were studied. The result indicated that 100 μM resveratrol was the optimal concentration to delay the occurrence of decay. Strawberry fruit treated with resveratrol delayed the decrease in firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolics content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), vitamin C (Vc) content,1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2′‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbezothi‐ azot‐hiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacities. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, and superoxide anion (O2•−) production of control fruit were significantly higher than those of treated fruit. Strawberry fruit treated with resveratrol also increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) during storage. Therefore, resveratrol has been proved to effectively improve the nutritional quality and antioxidant properties of strawberry fruit. Practical applications: Strawberry fruit is rich in nutrients, which is beneficial to human health. But strawberry fruit has high water content and soft tissue, which is easy to be damaged and decayed. Therefore, it is particularly important to find a way to maintain strawberry fruit quality. In this study, resveratrol has good antioxidant, health care, and antibacterial properties. Resveratrol treatment can maintain the nutritional quality of strawberry fruit and can be used as an effective method for strawberry fruit preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of pomelo juice foam composition on the foam properties was investigated for the production of foam mat‐dried pomelo juice powder. The pomelo juice foam was prepared using maltodextrin (MD), glycerol monostearate (GMS), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at various concentrations in the range of 2–8%, 0.5–2%, and 5–10%, respectively. A face‐centered central composite design was followed. The optimum quality of stable pomelo juice foam was evaluated in terms of minimum foam density, minimum foam collapse, maximum foam stability, and maximum foam capacity. The optimum concentration of the foaming agents as obtained through numerical optimization using design expert 10.0 was 6.027% MD, 1.217% CMC, and 8% GMS with a desirability of 0.777. The foam quality at optimum conditions was as follows: 0.769 g/cc foam density, 92% foam stability, 12.66% foam collapse, and 91.74% foam capacity. Feasibility or incorporation of the developed pomelo juice powder in bakery products, ice cream, yogurt, etc., could be tested for wide applicability. Novelty impact statement: The present study aims at optimizing pomelo juice foam composition to produce good quality stable foam so as to convert it into foam mat‐dried powder.Foam mat‐dried pomelo juice powder has very good reconstitution property and the reconstituted juice is a rich source of vitamin C and other minerals.The findings of the present study would facilitate the production of foam mat‐dried pomelo juice powder which has good potential for diet conscious persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) on accelerated aging of tender coconut and palmyra blend wine was investigated at 3.45 bar pressure and 15–60 min of treatment (72 to 287 passes). The concentrations of phenolic (3.09 mgGAE/ml) and vitamin C (61.11 mg/100 ml) were maximum after 60 min treatment. However, as treatment time increased, the combined effect of temperature and pressure decreased antioxidant content while increasing the b* value. The overall acidity and pH did not vary significantly. As a result, a 15‐min treatment at 3.45 bar pressure was the most effective. Particle size analysis demonstrated a drop in particle size (D50 549.7 to 246.5) following HC treatment, indicating that HC‐treated wine had a greater influence on aging than standard wine. This research highlights the application of HC as a green technique for wine aging, which might be a game changer in beverage sector. Novelty impact statement: Effect of hydrodynamic cavitation at 3.45 bar for 15–60 min for the aging of wine was studiedTreatment had a synergistic effect on phenols and Vit C and an antagonistic effect on color and antioxidantsFTIR showed that alterations in functional compounds with time during aging of sample wines were comparable to commercial wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the vacuum drying of the Kadam fruit was performed, and the functional properties of the Kadam fruit powder were estimated. The drying conditions were optimized using the Response Surface Methodology for minimum color change and maximum vitamin C retention. The functional properties of the Kadam fruit powder dried at the optimized conditions (bed thickness 3.67 mm, drying temperature 65°C, drying pressure 160 mmHg, and blanching temperature 100°C) were observed as; tapping density 4.23 ml/g, oil retention capacity 5.7 ml/g, water retention capacity 16 ml/g, water‐solubility 0.5%, emulsion activity 0.5%, and emulsion stability 0.85%. The optimum dried fruit powder had vitamin C content (508 mg/100 g), color change (6.32), and effective moisture diffusivity (2.16 × 10−7 m2/min). This study showed that the vacuum drying of the Kadam pulp minimized the thermal degradation of the color and vitamin C. Practical applications: Kadam fruit is a good source of minerals and bioactive compounds but is highly under‐utilized due to its taste and lack of awareness in the population. Preparation of fruit powder can add value to under‐utilized Kadam fruit. Kadam fruit powder can be used in many food products as functional ingredients. Also, incorporating Kadam powder in food formulations can increase calcium content and dietary fiber. The vacuum drying method helped minimize the thermal degradation of the color and Vitamin C of the Kadam fruit powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habb-e-Suranjan (HES), an Unani formulation, has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. HES is recommended for arthritis, gout, and joint pain. The current endeavor is an attempt to put it to the test and verify its efficacy scientifically. It was tested for DPPH, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide scavenging activities. It was shown that HES had the greatest TAC and FRAC values when compared to catechin and ascorbic acid. HES exhibited DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity that was dose-dependent. Incubation of sodium nitroprusside solutions in PBS at 25°C for 150 min resulted in the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide production was effectively decreased by HES. Anti-inflammatory medications boosted the migration of PMN cells toward the chemoattractant FMLP in an agarose experiment of PMN chemotaxis. In carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, in the HES-treated group, paw thickness was 3.021 ± 0.084 at t = 0 , but it showed an increase in paw inflammation after one hour, i.e., 3.195 ± 0.082 cm which again showed a decrease in paw thickness up to 4th hour, i.e., 3.018 ± 0.078 , 2.98 ± 0.032 , and 2.684 ± 0.061 at t = 2 , 3, and 4, respectively. It showed again getting back to the normal thickness of paw at t = 24 hrs, i.e., 3.029 ± 0.118 cm. It is concluded that the formulation is potent enough and can be used effectively for the treatment of inflammation and associated health issues. Moreover, there is much scope to evaluate its effectiveness using different in vitro and in vivo models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Critically ill patients have an increased requirement for vitamin C in sepsis and these patients have low levels of vitamin C. The researchers validated the efficacy of high-dose vitamin C intravenous infusion (IVI) in patients with sepsis requiring mechanical ventilation. Methods. Forty patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups (20 each) in a 1 : 1 ratio in accordance with the vitamin C treatment regimen: Group I (GI): patients received 1.5 g/6 h vitamin C in 50 ml of dextrose 5% in water (D5W) IVI over 30 minutes for 4 consecutive days; Group II (GII): patients received 100 mg vitamin C/day as a first single dose in 50 ml of D5W IVI over 30 minutes and the other three subsequent doses were 50 ml of plain D5W IVI over 30 minutes for 4 consecutive days. Primary outcomes were the change in sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at day 7, the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and the plasma vitamin C level. The glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, duration of vasopressor therapy, and 28-day mortality were secondary outcomes. Results. The change in SOFA score at day 7 showed a significant difference between GI and GII (p < 0.001). The incidence of early VAP was significantly lower in GI (p = 0.044). Vitamin C levels showed a significant rise in GI at day 1 and day 4 (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 , respectively). GPX activity of day 4 and day 7 was significantly higher in GI (p = 0.005 and p = 0.014 , respectively). CRP levels of day 4 and day 7 were significantly higher in GII (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 , respectively). There was a significant difference in 28-day mortality (p = 0.038) and duration of vasopressor therapy (p = 0.033) in GI compared to GII. Conclusion. The early use of high-dose vitamin C intravenous infusion in patients with sepsis requiring mechanical ventilation in combination with the standard treatment for sepsis lowered the incidence of VAP, increased the antioxidant status, and improved the illness severity. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT04029675). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at investigating the clinical efficacy of anisodamine combined with chlorpromazine on intractable hiccups after stroke. Methods. 150 patients admitted to Affiliated Hospital of the Hebei University of Engineering from 2017 to 2021 were selected as the research objects, all of which received the computed tomography (CT) examination. During CT examination, intelligent algorithms were used to segment the images. An unsupervised multilayer image threshold segmentation algorithm was proposed by using Kullback-Leibler (K-L) divergence and the modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO) algorithm. All patients were divided into three groups, with each group of 50 patients. Patients in the control group (group A) took the calcium tablets, vitamin C tablets, and vitamin B1 tablets orally. Patients in the control group (group B) received the acupoint injection of anisodamine, and those in the observation group (group C) received the acupoint injection of anisodamine combined with chlorpromazine. The therapeutic effect and patient satisfaction of the three groups were compared. Results. The two-dimensional (2D) K-L divergence was applied for the multilayer segmentation of images, which was helpful to obtain accurate images. The MPSO algorithm was adopted to reduce the computational complexity. The total efficiency of group C was 98%, that of group B was 56%, and that of group A was 22%. The total efficiency and satisfaction rate of group C were signally better than those of group A and group B (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The combination of 2D K-L divergence and MPSO algorithm could improve the accuracy of multilayer image segmentation and CT imaging. Acupoint injection of anisodamine combined with chlorpromazine had better efficacy than the injection of anisodamine alone for the treatment of intractable hiccups after stroke, with high safety and clinical promotion value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lowering blood pressure effect of vitamin C (VC) has been evaluated in various models. As VC has a fast degradation rate in the body after consumption, a study of the frequency-dependent manner of VC is essential for the sustained antihypertension effect of VC. In this study, we investigated the frequency and dose dependency of vitamin C (VC) on blood pressure reduction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKYs) and SHRs were orally administered tap water or VC (250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/60 kg/day). Blood pressures were measured using the tail-cuff method, and thoracic aortas, liver, and blood were harvested from sacrificed rats after 8 weeks to measure angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and total nitric oxide (NOx) concentration. VC decreased blood pressure from the fourth week with no significant differences between doses. The twice-a-day administration of VC decreased blood pressure from the second week, and the blood pressure in these groups was close to that of the WKY group in the eighth week. Treatment with once a day VC decreased ACE I production which was further significantly reduced in twice a day groups. Angiotensinogen and eNOS production were increased upon VC treatment but were not significant among groups. The NOx content was decreased by VC treatment. These results suggest that VC lowers blood pressure in SHRs by directly targeting ACE I production in a frequency-dependent manner and may improve endothelial function depending on the frequency of administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit mixed pulp has the objective of improving the nutritional and sensorial characteristics, as well as the development of new flavours and aromas. Different methods of drying (e.g., spray-drying, spouted bed drying, and freeze-drying) can influence the quality of the final product. The objective of this study was to select the drying method that enables the production of acerola-ceriguela mixed pulp (ACMP) with higher quality. For this selection, the powder pulps were evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics (water activity, moisture, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA, and instrumental colour), retention of the bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, and phenolic compounds), and sensory evaluation (acceptance, check-all-that-apply (CATA), and intent to purchase). The physicochemical characteristics of the freeze-dried and spray-dried ACMP were nonsignificant p > 0.05 but differed significantly p > 0.05 from spouted bed powder. ACMP freeze-drying powder resulted in higher retention of ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. The powder obtained by spray-drying showed higher retention of bioactive compounds compared to the spouted bed drying. Therefore, this study suggests that powder obtained by freeze-drying resulted in greater sensorial acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an agro‐food by‐product, pomegranate peel is a potential source of bioactive compounds with preservative properties. Ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) is a green extraction method that is useful in increasing extraction yields and reducing extraction time without using toxic solvents. This study aimed to optimize the UAE of a pomegranate peel for its use as a preservative using water as the solvent, maximizing its antioxidant potential for its particular application to chicken burgers. A Box–Behnken design was applied using extraction time, extraction temperature, and ultrasound amplitude as independent variables. The response surface methodology (RSM) results showed that the highest concentration of the phenolic compound is obtained at amplitude—50%, temperature—38°C, and time—15 min. The extracts with RSM conditions at a concentration of 0.8% indicated that the extracted preservative exerts the ability to delay meat oxidation on days 1, 2, 4, and 7, even better than ascorbic acid. Practical applications: The waste and elimination of agro‐industrial by‐products generate significant environmental impacts and critical economic losses. Today, a sustainable paradigm it seeks to add extra value to these by‐products by giving them a new application in the production chains, thus favoring the circular economy. The ultrasound‐assisted process is an excellent tool to obtain green compounds that cover the recent concern from the industry and consumers for healthier foods. In this case, the application of the pomegranate peel extract is presented as an alternative to synthetic preservatives due to its great antioxidant capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of sweet potato leaf powder (SPLP) (0%–16%) on steamed bread quality. Results showed with the addition of SPLP, height/diameter ratio increased from 0.44 to 0.96, specific volume decreased from 2.44 to 1.47, color changed from white to dark green, and hardness, gumminess, and chewiness ascended gradually; the contents of protein, fat, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamin B2, and niacin increased significantly, in particular, the polyphenol content increased from 1.34 to 9.34 mg chlorogenic acid equivalent/g DW, and the antioxidant activity increased from 1286.08 to 5650.77 μg ascorbic acid equivalent/g DW; the carbohydrate content decreased from 77.60 to 71.50 g/100 g DW, and the estimated glycemic index decreased from 95.25 to 87.51. The steamed breads with 2%–10% SPLP were overall acceptable. In conclusion, adding appropriate quantity of SPLP to wheat flour will not only maintain the technological quality but also improve the nutritional value of steamed bread. Practical applications: In recent years, the effective development and utilization of sweet potato leaf (SPL) has become an urgent problem to be solved. The nutritive value of traditional wheat steamed bread are often difficult to meet the daily health needs of human beings. SPL is known to be a rich source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. The application of SPLP in the production of steamed bread is an innovative method with low cost and environmental protection. Therefore, this study aimed to improve the nutritional and functional value of steamed bread by the application of SPLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of melatonin (100 μM) treatment on fruit quality and softening of Ziziphus jujuba at (0 ± 0.5) °C and relative humidity of (90 ± 5) %. The results showed that compared with the control, Melatonin (MT) treatment maintained a low level of weight loss rate and a high level of titratable acid and ascorbic acid. MT treatment also delayed the decrease in fruit firmness, protopectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose content and the increase in water‐soluble pectin content. In addition, MT treatment also inhibited the activities and gene expression of polygalacturonase, cellulase, β‐glucosidase, β‐galactosidase, and lipoxygenase. These results showed that MT treatment can not only maintain the quality of jujube fruit by delaying the degradation of nutrients in jujube fruit, but also delay the degradation of cell wall by inhibiting the activity and gene expression of cell wall degrading enzymes, which may be the mechanism of MT treatment inhibiting jujube fruit softening. Novelty impact statement: Melatonin was a reliable treatment for maintaining quality and delaying softening of the fruit.Melatonin treatment can maintain the quality of jujube fruit by delaying the degradation of nutrients in jujube fruit.Melatonin treatment can delay the degradation of cell wall by inhibiting the activity and gene expression of cell wall degrading enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of exogenous icariin (0.005% and 0.01%) on mango cultivar 'Zill' fruit during 25°C storage was investigated in this study. The results showed 0.005% icariin treatment could delay the decline of fruit firmness and yellowing process of flesh tissues, inhibit the conversion of soluble sugar, synthesis of carotenoids and degradation of vitamin C, and reduce the disease spots, and to maintain the appearance and nutrient quality. Moreover, the treatment could improve the disease resistance of fruit by inhibiting catalase (CAT) activity in the early stage of storage, but promoting peroxidase (POD) activity in the later stage. Furthermore, icariin treatment reduced the activities of polygalacturonase (PG) and pectate lyase (PL), thus attenuated the degradation of cell wall and decelerated the softening process. The above results indicate 0.005% icariin treatment could extend the shelf life of postharvest mango and present application value for fruits preservation. Practical applications: Mango is a highly perishable fruit and undergoes a rapid ripening process after harvest. Icariin is the main active ingredient of Chinese herbal medicine Herba epimedin 'Yinyanghuo'. The efficacy of icariin in mammals has been widely studied, while its' preservation functions in food were rarely reported. Our results suggested that icariin treatment could delay the ripening and senescence, and enhance disease resistance of postharvest mango, which is expected to be a promising approach for fruit preservation in further industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]