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Summary: Background & aims: The world is experiencing steady increasing in both number of cases and prevalence of diabetes with urban settings being more affected areas. Good adherence to dietary management is a key non-pharmacological management for effective management of blood glucose for people living with type 2 diabetes. For effective glycemic control, people with diabetes are recommended to eat less carbohydrates (quarter plate size), more fruits and vegetables (half plate size) and more lean protein (quarter plate size). This study aims to assess the consumption patterns of grains/cereals, vegetable and fruits and its association with glycemic control among people living with diabetes. Materials & Methods: The study design was a cross sectional among outpatients attending routine diabetic clinics. Structured questionnaire was used to collect information from the patient through face to face interview. Demographic information, dietary history and selected medical history were collected from patients. Data analysis was done by running the frequencies, percentages, chi-square test and logistics regression at 95% confidence interval. Results: About 109 (33.1%) of respondents were aged less than 40 years. One hundred and fifty-two respondents had been living with diabetes for less than past 5 years 152 (46.2%). More than 80% of the respondents had uncontrolled glycemic. Daily consumption patterns of grains/cereals food were (90.0%), vegetables (97.3%) and fruits (33.4%). Plate portion size consumed were; ≤¼ for grains/cereals (50.5%), ≥¼ for vegetables (96.4%) and ≥¼ for fruits (30.7%). The most types of food consumed were legumes (85.1%), whole grains/cereals (57.1%), leafy green vegetables (70.2%) and low GI fruits (59.9%). The odds of having hyperglycaemia were; increasing with increase in portion size of grains/cereals food (ref: one fifth; one quarter, AOR = 10.22; one third, AOR = 47.19; one half or more, AOR = 42.91); increasing with consumption of high GI fruits (AOR = 2.40) and decreasing with increase in portion size of fruits (AOR = 3.13). Conclusion: Grains/cereals, vegetables and fruits consumption pattern among patient with type 2 diabetes need to improve to achieve optimal blood glucose. Reducing staples portion sizes (grains/cereals), increases portion size for mixed fruits, eating whole grains/cereals and choosing of low GI fruits may help to curb the severity of hyperglycemia among patients with T2DM.

Berries are consumed worldwide, but recently, they have attracted more attention due to their valuable phytochemical profiles and diverse applications. This study comprehensively characterized the saskatoon berry (Amelanchier ovalis) and black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) from Kazakhstan, documenting their nutritional, chemical, and bioactive profiles. Nutritional analysis showed proteins at 2.52±0.2 g/100 g DW in A. melanocarpa and 4.22±0.1 g/100 g DW in A. ovalis. Sixteen phenolic compounds were identified in A. melanocarpa and twenty-one in A. ovalis, with chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and cyanidin derivatives predomination. Sugars, organic acids, and tocopherols were also abundant. Both berries exhibited potent antioxidant activity (EC50: 0.35±0.02 mg/mL for A. ovalis, 3.9 ± 0.1 mg/mL for A. melanocarpa through TBARS assay) and antimicrobial properties against foodborne strains. These findings highlight these species' phytochemical and nutrient richness, emphasizing the value of Kazakhstan-originating berries.

Anxiety is a state of mind with some fear that affects physical health by disrupting neurotransmission and hormonal control. Both diet (inadequate and unhealthy dietary patterns) and environment (social and financial factors) trigger its progression; therefore, diet is considered to have a significant involvement in its prevention or adjunct therapy. A unique nutrient profile and bioactive ingredients are seen in fruits to provide health outcomes beyond nutritive properties. The relaxing potential of such fruits is attributed to the functional nature and therapeutic ingredients i.e., catecholamines, myricetin, quercetin, betalains, etc. that enhance the efficiency of hormones, neurotransmitters, and metabolic pathways. This review presented certain fruits having positive associations with mental health and anxiety amelioration. Various types of research evidenced the anxiolytic effect of certain fruits through clinical trials. Among them, berries, opuntia, and black pepper also have shown anxiety-relieving effects in clinical studies by restoring antioxidant enzymes, hormonal modulations, and managing neurotransmitters. Citrus species are loaded with flavonoids which are involved in the expression of GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid) to calm the nervous system. Some other fruits also potentiate memory and cognition when taken in ample amounts owing to their secondary metabolites. Thus, the incorporation of such fruits into a regular diet has been found to have a significant impact on mental well-being and brain health.

Allagoptera leucocalyx is a non-studied tropical fruit distributed in the Bolivian Chiquitania region. This study aimed to investigate its bioactive compounds as well as its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to encourage its consumption and explore potential applications in various industries. The bioactive compounds: polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu, AlCl3, and differential pH methods. Antioxidant activity was assessed by the DPPH● and ABTS● assays, while antimicrobial activity by turbidimetry and antibiogram. The highest results obtained revealed significant levels of polyphenols (209 ± 12 mg GAE/100 g), and flavonoids (7.9 ± 0.1 mg QE/100 g). Moreover, the fruit exhibit antioxidant activity (9.3 ± 0.2 μmol Trolox/g by ABTS● and 5.9 ± 0.2 μmol Trolox/g by DPPH●) and antimicrobial activity against Shigella sp. In conclusion, these promising findings suggest that this fruit could be utilized in the development of new products within the cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

Background: The association between maternal fruit consumption and fetal growth remains inconsistent. The current study aimed to determine whether maternal fruit consumption was associated with low birth weight (LBW) or small for gestational age (SGA) babies. Methods: A large birth cohort study was conducted in Lanzhou, China, from 2010 to 2012 and included 10,076 pregnant women at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester of pregnancy for analysis. Fruit consumption in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester of pregnancy was measured by a self-designed food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and divided into three groups: 1) inadequate fruit consumption: 350 g/d for the 1st trimester or > 400 g/d for the 2nd and 3rd trimester. A case-control study was used to analyze the association between fruit intake during pregnancy and low birth weight infants. Results: Compared to adequate fruit consumption, excessive fruit consumption throughout each trimester of pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of LBW, with an odds ratio (OR) ranging from 0.70 to 0.79 (95 % confidence interval, CI: 0.57–0.98); while inadequate fruit consumption was associated with a higher risk of infant LBW, with an OR ranging from 1.26 to 1.36 (95%CI: 1.04–1.66). After stratifying by mother's pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), the results were similar among women with underweight BMI. No significance was found between fruit consumption and SGA in the general population. Still, stratified analyses showed that inadequate fruit consumption was associated with an increased risk of SGA in underweight mothers, with an OR ranging from 1.66 to 1.79 (95%CI: 1.13–2.64). Conclusions: Fruit consumption during pregnancy reduces the risk of LBW in Chinese women, especially in women with low pre-pregnancy BMI.

Background: Dietary habits have drastically and quickly altered worldwide, and this is a crucial modifiable factor affecting obesity prevalence, a risk factor for several non-communicable diseases. Aims: This study aims to illuminate Jordanians' dietary habits and their potential association with non-communicable diseases. Methods: This is a population-based cross-sectional study. A randomly selected sample of children, adolescents, adults, and older adults was invited to participate. Participants were categorized into two groups: those with diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and their comorbidities) and those who had no diseases. A valid food frequency questionnaire was used to recall each food group's average daily number of portions. Results: The intake and percentage of recommendations from the groups that included fruits, cereals, and proteins were highest in the obese group. Disease-free individuals had the highest daily intake of proteins and grains, and a higher percentage of grains consumed. Compared to individuals without a condition (83.6 % and 57.6 %, respectively), participants with a disease were more likely to consume less protein (68.8 %) and grains (87.6 %) than the recommended amount. Less than the required amount of grain consumption raises the risk of disease by OR = 1.57 (95%CI: 1.05–2.34). The chance of contracting diseases is reduced when more grains are consumed than recommended (p-trend = 0.001). A lower-than-recommended protein intake doubled the risk of disease (OR = 2.08, 95%CI: 1.13–3.84). Conclusion: Obesity shifts habitual food toward more fruits, grains, and protein consumption. Grains and protein consumption less than recommendations were associated with increasing the risk of having disease.

Objectives: Previous studies suggested protective associations of vegetables and fruits (VF) intake with cognitive function, but evidence on specific types of VF was insufficient. Methods: The current study included 4066 participants from 1997 to 2006 in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) and 6170 participants from 2013 to 2020 in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Dietary intake (using 3-day 24-h dietary recalls in CHNS and food frequency questionnaire in HRS) and cognitive function (using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-Modified, TICS-m) were measured. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the beta coefficients (β) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the association of VF with cognitive function (z-score) and its decline. Results: Highest intake of total VF was associated with better cognitive function and slower cognitive decline. Differences in cognitive function z-score between the highest and lowest tertiles of VF consumption were 0.039 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.076) for CHNS and 0.063 (95% CI: 0.026, 0.100) for HRS. The corresponding differences in annual cognitive decline were 0.011 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.021) and 0.012 (95% CI: 0.003, 0.020) units respectively. Vegetables and fruits showed independent associations with cognitive function and its decline. In specific VF subgroups, when comparing the highest to the lowest tertile intake, cruciferous vegetables (β = 0.058, 95% CI: 0.017, 0.100 in CHNS and β = 0.067, 95% CI: 0.032, 0.101 in HRS) and green leafy vegetables (β = 0.036, 95% CI: −0.001, 0.073 in CHNS and β = 0.082, 95% CI: 0.046, 0.117 in HRS) was associated with better cognitive function in both cohorts. Similarly, higher intake of dark-colored vegetables (β = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.008, 0.030 for red/yellow vegetables in CHNS and β = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.007 for green leafy vegetables in HRS) were associated with slower cognitive decline in subsequent years. Moreover, rigorous sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of the results. Conclusions: Our findings support the potential beneficial roles of VF, especially cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, and red/yellow vegetables, in maintaining cognitive function and slowing cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.

Fruits are recognized as healthy foods with abundant nutritional content. However, due to their high content of sugar and water, they are easily contaminated by microorganisms leading to spoilage. Probiotic fermentation is an effective method to prevent fruit spoilage. In addition, during fermentation, the probiotics can react with the nutrients in fruits to produce new derived compounds, giving the fruit specific flavor, enhanced color, active ingredients, and nutritional values. Noteworthy, the choice of fermentation strains and strategies has a significant impact on the quality of fermented fruits. Thus, this review provides comprehensive information on the fermentation strains (especially yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria), fermentation strategies (natural or inoculation fermentation, mono- or mixed-strain inoculation fermentation, and liquid- or solid-state fermentation), and the effect of fermentation on the shelf life, flavor, color, functional components, and physiological activities of fruits. This review will provide a theoretical guidance for the production of fermented fruits.

Good health and well-being is one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that can be achieved through fruit consumption. This study measured cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) heavy metal concentrations. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to analyze the samples for heavy metal content. The uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic heavy metal intake via cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) consumption were assessed by Monte Carlo simulation. The mean ± SD levels of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and As were determined to be 157.87 ± 128.54, 33.81 ± 6.27, 288.46 ± 114.59, 35.22 ± 18.67, and 33.6 ± 18.1 μg/kg, respectively. The 95th percentile of HI related to heavy metal intake via cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) among children and adults were 2.64 and 1.75, respectively. Also, the 95th percentile of ELCR related to heavy metal were 8.26E-4 and 4.14E-3 among children and adults, respectively. The 95th percentile of LTCR of As among adults and As, Cd, and Pb among children were in the WHO target range (1E-04 to 1E-06) so reducing the concentration of them can help to reduce overall LTCR. When HQ and LTCR are below the cut limits, reducing heavy metals in high-consumption meals is a good way to lower them. In general, due to the wide consumption of various fruits, such as cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), the concentration of environmental pollutants in their edible tissues should be monitored regularly, and the concentration of pollutants in these tissues should be minimized by proper planning.

Thermal and non-thermal pasteurization (TNP) process of food is not new to food technology, disparities in the merits and demerits of the two pasteurizations necessitate their uses concurrently. Bibliometric analysis of the subject matter is expedient to analyses of database for published publications. Especially to provide times, state-of-the art innovations and prospects of the techniques. In addressing these lacunas, we utilized VOSview visualization to establish connections among crucial elements within a dataset of 495 research publications gathered from Web of Science. This approach facilitated the identification of links and collaboration networks among key factors in the research landscape. Analysis of publications indicate thermal pasteurization is an age long practices, while non-thermal pasteurization is gaining more acceptance. This study exposed ranking differences in scholar's collaboration, citations of scholars, impactful institution and most published countries. United State, China, United Kingdom have largest publications of research in TNP among the top 10 countries. Coupling network and Sankey illustration showed new area of research where new researchers and scholars can begin new phase of findings.

In the last two decades, important advances have been made in the chemical analysis of the fruit of carob tree. After harvesting, the fruits (also known as dry pods) are ground. The seeds can then be separated from the pulp, which represents 80–90 % of a pod's weight. The health benefits of carob pulp derivatives are well-recognized, and carob pulp-based food products are becoming increasingly available to consumers. The major carob-producing countries are in southern Europe and northern Africa, including the Mediterranean islands, and carob pulp products are normally prepared and consumed regionally. In this review, we compare the sugar and phenol profiles of carob pods harvested from different countries in the Mediterranean basin while accounting for the different cultivars and soil conditions in each sample area. We conclude that pod nutritional composition varies widely among countries, making it necessary for future, multi-year studies to more closely evaluate how climate and soil properties affect the phenol and sugar contents of fruits from the same trees or cultivars.

The present research examined patulin's presence across the whole supply chain of selected fruits. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 442 samples of fruits (oranges, apples, apricots, lemons, and guava) to determine the presence of patulin contamination. This analysis used Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with a UV detector. The findings indicate that 17, 23, and 28 % of selected fruit samples tested positive for patulin levels in farm, transportation, and market samples. However, the sample collected during the transportation step showed that 56 % (percentage of positive samples) of fruits have patulin levels greater than 50 μg/kg, and 41 % (percentage of positive samples) have greater levels than 50 μg/kg in market samples. The findings of the one-way analysis of variance indicated that no statistically significant variation existed between the amounts of patulin across the various stages of the food supply chain system (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, the analysis of the correlation study, namely Kendall's tau_b and Spearman's rho, denote a robust association between the levels of patulin and the food supply system. The apple samples exhibited the most significant average dietary intake of patulin, with an average value of 0.11 μg/kg bw/day. The maximum mean hazard quotient (HQ) of 0.28 was also recorded. The prevalence and incidence of patulin in specific fruits were found to be relatively high, and it was observed that market samples had elevated levels of patulin in the selected fruits.

The growing consumer interest fueled by the belief in the superiority of organic foods raises questions about their actual nutritional superiority over conventional ones. This assumption remains a controversial issue. The present study addresses scientific evidence to clarify this controversy and provide relevant insights for informed decision-making regarding dietary choices. We collected 147 scientific articles containing 656 comparative analyses based on 1779 samples of 68 vegetable, fruit, and other (cereals, pulses, etc.) foods, 22 nutritional properties, and nine residues. Results show that in 191 (29.1%) comparisons, there were significant differences between organic and conventional foods. In a similar quantity of cases (190; 29.0%), there were divergences in the results since some studies reported significant differences while others did not. Finally, most of the comparative analyses (275; 41.9%) showed no significant difference between organic and conventional foods. Therefore, the results herein show no generalizable superiority of organic over conventional foods. Claims for nutritious advantages would eventually be applied to specific comparisons, depending on the food type and nutritional parameter.

Plastics are becoming common environmental pollutants. Plants behave as access routes for plastics in the trophic chain since they can adsorb particles through their roots or on their surfaces. In this review, various methods for sample preparation and analytical methods for plastic isolation and identification from vegetables, fruits, and their seedlings were discussed. The effects that plastic particles have on them were also addressed. All of the studies offer convincing proof that micro and nano plastics already exist in fruits and vegetables, or can easily enter into their seedlings and have a variety of effects. Since most studies have been conducted under strictly controlled conditions using standard plastics, more tests under more environmentally realistic conditions are required to ensure that literature studies are applicable. Also, more fruits and vegetables need to be tested to identify the number of plastics currently there that, when consumed, could harm human health.

The pulsed electric field (PEF) application for processed food has gained industrial interest because of its cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness as compared to traditional thermal processing. The main drawback of traditional thermal processing is its adverse effects on food quality. Therefore, in recent eras, food industries have been looking for green technologies that do not affect the textural and sensory attributes of foods because the food texture is a vital parameter in food quality. Since, consumers' acceptance is concerned with the quality and physical appearance of the food. The application of PEF processing has detrimental impacts on food's textural properties, but it is based on the food's nature.Furthermore, the application of pulses, exposure time, and applied voltage are the most important variables influencing the efficacy of food processing and textural properties. Therefore, PEF processing parameters for each product need to be optimized. The earlier researchers highlighted that PEF processing had a positive impact on retaining the textural properties. In this review article, the impact of the PEF on the textural properties of various food products was summarized and discussed for the first time. Finally, the present review discussed the recent updates about the impact of PEF treatment and its possible mechanisms on the textural characteristics of foods.

The development of the innovative flavored juices by coalescing two or more distinct types of fruits is encouraged by the tremendous expansion of the juice industry. Fruit juice cocktails frequently contain high nutritional content as well as organoleptic features such as color, flavor, taste, and overall attractiveness of various fruits. The use of different heat treatments and storage temperatures on single juice has previously been extensively researched, however, only a limited study has been performed on a juice cocktail. Therefore, the effect of pasteurization temperature (60 °C and 90 °C) and storage temperature (4 °C and 25 °C) on physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of pineapple-mango juice cocktail was investigated. Standard procedures were used to determine physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics. The results of the study demonstrated a slight increase in TSS, acidity, and cloud stability during storage, while a gradual decrease in vitamin C, pH, total sugars, and Lovibond color. The S4 sample that was pasteurized at 60 °C for 20 min and maintained at 4°C storage temperature retained more vitamin C, acidity, and total sugar than the other samples. According to the microbiological data, the total viable count in the fruit juice cocktail samples varied from 3.42 × 102 to 8.5 × 107, and after two months of storage, the bacterial load in sample S4 increased from 3.52 × 102 to 5.5 × 103. The sensory evaluations revealed that all of the samples were widely accepted, with sample S4 having the greatest overall acceptance owing to the cocktails color, flavor, and taste. Therefore, this study demonstrates that perishable fruits may be turned into appealing juice cocktails, increasing the sensory characteristics and hence the products escalation value. These findings also promote the development of a healthy and nutritious, fruit-based juice cocktail.

The present study describes the glucose content of 35 Arabian date fruit varieties, that were collected randomly from Saudi Arabian local markets in 2019. Date samples were analyzed for moisture and glucose contents. Using SP-3000nano UV–VIS Spectrophotometer (Optima, japan). In general, the moisture contents ranged from 7.3 ± 0.11 to 29.2 ± 0.13 g/100 g fresh weight (FW), with Safawi samples being the highest. Whereas the analyzed date varieties were found to be variable in the glucose content with Rawthanat Alqasim (83.09 ± 0.46 mg/dL) was found to have the highest glucose content, followed by the Sukari Alriyad (80.42 ± 0.47 mg/dL) and Alkhanizi (51.05 ± 0.94 mg/dL) varieties while the others had relatively low glucose contents with Shuqara (24.78 ± 0.57 mg/dL) being the lowest. These information’s can help balancing a healthy diet, specifically for diabetic patients and the effect of glucose consumption in their daily life. And to highlight the different date varieties’ in Saudi arabian as one of the biggest countries in dates production around the world, and compare the differences in their weight and glucose content.

Background: Fruits and vegetables are very important for human diet as they provide all the nutrients needed to be healthy with just a daily-recommended intake of 400 to 600 mg. However, they constitute one of the major sources of human infectious agents. Thus monitoring of the microbial contaminants of the fruits and vegetables is very crucial for human safety. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted on fruits and vegetables in four markets (Mfoundi, Mokolo, Huitième and Acacia) of the Yaoundé city from October 2020 to March 2021. In all, 528 samples were purchased (carrots, cucumbers, cabbages, lettuces, leeks, green beans, okra, celeries, pepper, green peppers and tomatoes) and processed for infective agents using the centrifugation methods (Formalin, distilled and saline water). Seventy-four (74) soil/water samples collected from the sale environment were analysed using the same technics. Results: Overall, 149/528 (28.21%) were contaminated by at least one infective agent: 130 (24.62%) and 19 (3.6%) having one and two pathogen species respectively. Vegetables had high contamination rate (22.34%) than fruits (5.87%). Lettuce (52.08%), carrot (41.66%) and cabbage (35.41%), were the most contaminated while okra was the least (6.25%). Candida spp. (14.01%) and larva of Strongyloides stercoralis (7.76%) were more observed while Hookworms (1.13%) was the least. Frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis (p = 0.001) and Candida spp. (p = 0.01) were statistically high than other pathogens. Contamination rates were similar for washed (27.65%) and unwashed (28.78%) samples before sale. Candida spp. (p = 0.001), Strongyloides stercoralis (p = 0.01) and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (p = 0.017) showed significant contamination rates by month. Contamination trends were high in the rainy season (42.6%) than the dry season (15.1%). Correlation between environment and products sold revealed same pathogens in both cases. Conclusion: The study highlights that the sale environment and products constitute potential source of microbial contamination. These data raised the concern of stakeholders about health risk related to vegetables and fruits sold in some local markets in Cameroon. Thus the necessity for them to development more appropriate policies on the surveillance of sale environment and on the management of these products during the different process phases by the population.

The ever-increasing demand for healthy diet by consumers has prompted the research adopting cutting-edge methods that can maintain the quality of fruits and vegetables without the use of preservatives. Emulsion based coating approach has been regarded as a viable way to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. New opportunities are being created in a number of industries, (medicines, cosmetics and food) because of new advancements in the developing field of nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsion based methods are efficient for encapsulating the active ingredients including antioxidants, lipids, vitamins and antimicrobial agents owing to the small droplet size, stability and improved biological activity. This review provides an overview of recent developments in preserving the quality and safety of fresh-cut fruits & vegetables with nanoemulsion as a carrier of functional compounds (antimicrobial agents, antibrowning/antioxidants and texture enhancers). In addition, material and methods used for fabrication of the nanoemulsion is also described in this review. In addition, material and methods used for fabrication, of the nanoemulsion is also present.

One of the most important and most easily measurable physical characteristics of plant seeds is their weight, which influences and indicates crucial ecological processes. Seed weight affects spatial and temporal dispersibility, and can also influence seed predation and the germination, growth and survival of seedlings. Providing trait data for species missing from international databases is key to promote studies that advance our understanding of the functioning of plant communities and ecosystems, which is an essential issue in the face of the global climate change and biodiversity loss. Compared to species from Western and Northwestern Europe, those with an Eastern or Central European centre of distribution are underrepresented in most international trait databases. Therefore, the creation of specific trait databases is key to help regional studies. In this respect, it is important not only to collect fresh seeds for weight measurements, but also to measure and process data of seeds preserved in collections and make them available to the broader scientific community. In this data paper we provide seed weight data to fill in missing trait data of plant species of Central and Eastern Europe. Our dataset includes weight measurement for 281 taxa of the Central European flora including also some cultivated and exotic species. The seeds were collected between 1971 and 2021 mostly in Central Europe. One part of the measured seeds was collected in the last decade, the other part is from an older seed collection, but all seeds were measured recently. For each species, we collected a minimum of 3 × 100 intact seeds, if possible. The seeds were air-dried at room temperature (approximately 21 °C and 50% relative humidity) for at least two weeks and measured with an accuracy of 0.001 g using an analytical balance. The thousand-seed weights reported here were calculated based on the measured values. Our goal for the future is to incorporate the seed weight data reported here in a regional database (Pannonian Database of Plant Traits – PADAPT) that gathers plant traits and other plant characteristics for the Pannonian flora. The data presented here will facilitate trait-based analyses of the flora and vegetation of Central Europe.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a chronic liver condition affects a large number of people around the world with a frequency of 25% of all the chronic liver disease worldwide. Several targets viz. anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and, anti-fibrotic factors, anti-oxidant and insulin-sensitizing pathways, metabolic regulators as well as repurposing traditional medications have been studied for the pharmacologic therapy of NAFLD. Newer pharmacotherapies like caspases blockade, agonists of PPAR and farnesoid X receptor agonists are currently being investigated in treating human NAFLD. However, NAFLD has no FDA-approved pharmacological therapy, therefore there is a considerable unmet therapy need. Apart from the conventional treatment regime, the current approaches to treating NAFLD include lifestyle interventions including healthy diet with adequate nutrition and physical activity. Fruits are known to play a key role in the well-being of human health. Fruits are loaded with a repertoire of bioactive phytoconstituents like catechins, phytosterols, proanthocyanidin, genestin, daidzen, resveratrol, magiferin found in fruits like pear, apricot, strawberries, oranges, apples, bananas, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, watermelon, peach, grape seed and skin, mango, currants, raisins, dried dates, passion fruit and many more. These bioactive phytoconstituents are reported to demonstrate promising pharmacological efficacy like reduction in fatty acid deposition, increased lipid metabolism, modulation of insulin signaling pathway, gut microbiota and hepatic inflammation, inhibition of histone acetyltransferase enzymatic activity to name a few. Not only fruits, but their derivatives like oils, pulp, peel, or their preparations are also found to be equally beneficial in various liver diseases like NAFLD, NASH. Although most of the fruits contains potent bioactive phytoconstituents, however, the presence of sugar in fruits put a question mark on the ameliorative property of the fruits and there has been contrasting reports on the glycemic control post fruit consumption in type 2 diabetic patients. This review is an attempt to summarize the beneficial effects of fruit phytoconstituents on NAFLD based on epidemiological, clinical and experimental evidence, focusing especially on their mechanisms of action.

Monitoring of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables and their processed products like jams, pickles, juices, ketchup, dried products and canned products was undertaken. The study was conducted to assess the effect of washing, peeling, heating and cooking on concentration of various pesticides. The stability of various pesticides in samples and their products was assessed. Pesticide residues were extracted using QuEChERS method and analysed by GC-MS. It was observed that pesticides like mancozeb and carbofuron were found to be stable for tomato and potato while chloropyriphos, captan and mancozeb (in other samples) were found to be unstable. It was also observed that peels and pomace showed highest levels of pesticide residues. In this study, washing, peeling and heat processing (boiling and blanching) have been found to be the most effective ways of pesticide residue dissipation.

In developing countries, including Ethiopia, diet-related non-communicable diseases are prevalent among the working population. Understanding this active group's dietary diversity and food consumption patterns is essential to devise alternative solutions and recommend possible improvements. This study investigates the food consumption patterns of employees of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January 1 to March 31, 2022, involving 13 different research centers of the institute situated in different agro-ecological regions of the country. A validated food frequency questionnaire and a 24-h food recall were administered to a total sample size of 355 employees. A systematic random sampling was used for data collection. Stata survey commands version 16.0 and multiple logistic regression were used to analyze the data. The research confirmed that socio-demographic determinants, income, and educational level affect the food consumption patterns of employees. The majority of employees have low consumption of foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, and animal products. Consumption of all kinds of animal products was very low on Wednesday and Friday. This result will help employees to give more attention to low-cost healthier food items, as well as institutional management bodies in designing awareness-creation campaigns and government programs to encourage the production and access of nutritious food.

Ellagitannin-rich food has been implicated to ameliorate cardiovascular risk, particularly blood pressure (BP). This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effect of ellagitannin-rich fruit consumption on BP. Five databases were screened and RCTs reporting the effect of ellagitannin-rich fruit consumption on BP and polyphenol content were included. Nineteen studies with 1,249 participants, showed a non-significant systolic blood pressure (SBP) and significant diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reduction, with ET-rich fruit consumption. Subgroup analysis revealed significant SBP reduction among hypertensives receiving 500–1000 mg polyphenol (-4.95 mmHg, 95 % CI: [-7.24, −2.66]) and among metabolic syndrome (MS) patients (-3.44 mmHg; 95 % CI: [-5.25, −1.63]). meta-regression revealed a positive association between polyphenol dosage and SBP changes. In conclusion, the consumption of ellagitannin-rich fruits may be considered an anti-hypertensive functional food/drink and recommended for patients who are at high risk for hypertension. Further well-designed trials are required to resolve the significant heterogeneities identified in the current literature.

Multiple spectroscopic, chromatographic, and chemical reaction methods were combined to investigate the chemical components in the fruits of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. As results, thirty-two compounds were obtained from it as natural products. Six of them, elangphenosides A (1), B (2), C (3) and D (4), elangmegastigmanoside A (5), and elangorganic acid A 1 (6) were retrieved by Scifinder as previously undescribed ones. Additionally, a previously undescribed artificial product, elangorganic acid A 2 , as well as a known artificial one, (3R) 5-ethoxy-3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-3-hydroxy-5-oxopentanoic acid, were yielded. Following the phytochemical investigation, LC-MS analysis was employed to conduct a systematical characterization of the constituents from E. angustifolia fruits. Ultimately, fifty-six compounds, including seventeen phenols, one ionone, twenty-four triterpenes, and fourteen other ones, were unambiguously detected and identified. Moreover, in vitro anti-inflammatory activity screening of forty-four natural compounds presented in E. angustifolia fruits was performed by using the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell model. Twenty-six compounds, including phenols, organic acids, and other compounds, showed assignable activity. Furthermore, their structure-activity relationships were summarized. Combined with the previous research work in our lab, triterpenes, phenols, and organic acids were speculated to be key components during the E. angustifolia fruits exerting anti-inflammatory activity. In summary, this article fully explored the chemical composition of E. angustifolia fruits, assayed their in vitro NO production inhibitory effects, greatly expanding its material foundation and laying a solid foundation for further research and development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Vegetable and fruit contamination is recognized as a significant parasite transmission route. This review presents the current state of vegetables ad fruits contamination with food-borne parasitic protozoa worldwide. We consider the methodologies and strategies for detecting parasitic stages developed in the last decade and the contamination data. Asia had the highest number of reports (94 studies), followed by Africa (74 studies). At the country level, with 41 studies, Iran had the most reports among other countries, followed by Nigeria (28 studies). According to the studies included in the current review, 41.22% of vegetables and fruits were contaminated with different species of protozoan parasites. Among different continents, Asia accounted for the highest contamination rate of protozoan parasites (57.12%). Giardia spp. (10%) had the highest contamination rate in vegetables and fruits, followed by Entamoeba coli (8%), E. histolytica/dispar (7%), and Cryptosporidium spp. (6%). This study provides essential data for health authorities to develop food safety programs. The presence of protozoan parasites in fruits and vegetables highlights the critical need for maintaining rigorous food safety measures across the entire production and distribution process, particularly in countries that are major producers and distributors of these food items., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recently, the availability of point-of-care sensor systems has led to the rapid development of smart and portable devices for the detection of hazardous analytes. The rapid flow of artificially ripened fruits into the market is associated with an elevated risk to human life, agriculture, and the ecosystem due to the use of artificial fruit ripening agents (AFRAs). Accordingly, there is a need for the development of "Point-of-care Sensors" to detect AFRAs due to several advantages, such as simple operation, promising detection mechanism, higher selectivity and sensitivity, compact, and portable. Traditional detection approaches are time-consuming and inappropriate for on-the-spot analyses. Presented comprehensive review aimed to reveal how such technology has systematically evolved over time (through conventional, advanced, and portable smart techniques) detection detect AFRA, till date. Moreover, focuses and highlights a framework of initiatives undertaken for technological advancements in the development of smart the portable detection techniques (kits) for the onsite detection of AFRAs in fruits with in-depth discussion over sensing mechanism and analytical performance of the sensing technology. Notably, colorimetric detection methods have the greatest potential for real-time monitoring of AFRA and its residues because they are easy to assemble, have a high level of selectivity and sensitivity, and can be read by the human eye independently. This study sought to differentiate between traditional credible strategies by presenting new prospects, perceptions, and challenges related to portable devices. This review provides systematic framework of advances in portable field recognition strategies for the on-spot AFRA detection in fruits and critical information for development of new paper-based portable sensors for fruit diagnostic sectors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they do not have any known competing interests that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Detarium microcarpum and Detarium senegalense are multipurpose tree species native to Africa. The plant parts of these species are overexploited leading to the decline in their natural populations. This study assessed the possibility for seed-based propagation of these species. Specifically, the aims were to identify their fruit morphotypes in the phytodistricts of Bassila and Borgou-Sud (Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin) and to assess the influence of the fruit morphotypes and their provenances on seedling emergence and early growth parameters. A total of 2400 and 330 fruits were collected for D. microcarpum and D. senegalense respectively and characterised based on five morphological descriptors. Hierarchical clustering was used to group fruits in morphotypes with similar characteristics. A randomized complete block design with three replicates was used for the trial on seedling emergence and early growth for each species and for 182 days. A linear mixed model on longitudinal data was applied on seedling emergence and early growth data. Three fruit morphotypes were identified for D. microcarpum and two morphotypes for D. senegalense. Morphotypes 2 of both species were those which gave the highest seedling emergence rates (88.33% for D. microcarpum, and 50% for D. senegalense). Considering the provenances, the best seedling emergence performances were observed for seeds from the Borgou-Sud district (93.89% in D. microcarpum and 39.17% in D. senegalense). Also, these seeds were those which gave the highest values of growth parameters. Morphotypes 2 of both species gave the highest values for total height and number of leaves. This study revealed that Borgou-Sud morphotype 2 for each of the two species constitutes potential candidates for domestication programs.

This study is focused on the development of a multiclass analytical method for sensitive determination of steroid hormones (progestins, oestrogens, androgens and glucocorticoids) in fruits and vegetables. The herein considered analytes present a wide logP range, thus they tend to accumulate differently in edible parts. Therefore, a berry fruit (strawberry), a root vegetable (carrot), and a leafy vegetable (spinach) were chosen as probes to develop the extraction procedure. This, optimized by a chemometric approach (23 experimental design) on lyophilized samples (0.25 g, spike 100 ng g − 1), entails a rapid ultrasonic extraction (3 × 1 min cycles) with low consumption (3 × 2 mL) of MeOH, selected as extraction solvent by a preliminary screening. The clean-up step, necessary due to the complexity of the matrices, was performed by a simple solid-phase extraction procedure on the Supelclean™ LC-NH2 sorbent afore the selective quantification by HPLC–ESI-MS/MS (MRM mode). The final analytical method was successfully applied to multianalyte extraction at lower concentrations (10–50 ng g−1) with good recoveries and repeatability, and it was successfully extended to raspberry, radish and arugula, further supporting applicability to this kind of samples. The results from the analysis of fruits and vegetables purchased from local markets, where some steroids have been quantified at the low ng g−1 levels, are consistent with literature data about concentration of these emerging pollutants in edible plants, also according to their LogP values.

In agriculture science, automation increases the quality, economic growth and productivity of the country. The export market and quality evaluation are affected by assorting of fruits and vegetables. The crucial sensory characteristic of fruits and vegetables is appearance that impacts their market value, the consumer’s preference and choice. Although, the sorting and grading can be done by human but it is inconsistent, time consuming, variable, subjective, onerous, expensive and easily influenced by surrounding. Hence, an astute fruit grading system is needed. In recent years, various algorithms for sorting and grading are done by various researchers using computer vision. This paper presents a detailed overview of various methods i.e. preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction, classification which addressed fruits and vegetables quality based on color, texture, size, shape and defects. In this paper, a critical comparison of different algorithm proposed by researchers for quality inspection of fruits and vegetables has been carried out.

Abstract Background The isolation of high-quality RNA from strawberry leaves and fruits is notoriously cumbersome. Both tissues are extremely rich in active secondary metabolites, as phenolics and pigments that inevitably perturb the isolation of RNA. Many protocols have been developed to address this problem. However, they are either costly, or time-consuming, in particular for high number of many plant samples. We describe here a new method with an easy-to-handle approach to obtain high-quality RNA from strawberry leaves and fruits. The method, referred to as double lysis, uses a novel combination of CTAB and Trizol protocols. Results Compared to conventional Trizol-dependent protocols, either used individually, or in a commercial spin-column kit, the new method yields RNA at lower costs, but of significantly improved quality. The RNA obtained by double lysis was very pure as indicated by 260/280 ratios of 2.06 (leaves) and 2.07 (fruits), while 260/230 ratio was 2.07 and 1.75, respectively. Also visually, RNA sediments from double lysis showed a white color, indicative of efficient elimination of polyphenolics and pigments. In contrast, traditional Trizol method produced reddish precipitates. The purity of RNA isolated by double lysis enabled successful removal of genomic DNA and, thus, allowed for more efficient cDNA synthesis and RT-PCR. In addition, the suggested method is able to yield RNA with fully preserved integrity from strawberry leaves, fruits in addition to petals and roots. Conclusion Double lysis is a new RNA isolation protocol developed through the integrative coupling of CTAB and Trizol reagents. The method is cost-effective, robust, time-saving, and can cope even with recalcitrant plant tissues with high contents of phenolics and pigments, such as strawberry leaves and fruits.

Objective: Oxidative stress causes multidirectional damage including different types of cancers in our body by affecting the normal physiological functions of the cells and tissues. The objective is to study the cytotoxic and antioxidant potential of natural compounds isolated from fruits of Z. armatum DC. Methods: This study was designed to investigate the chemical nature as well as biological effects of natural compounds. The isolated compounds were tested for antioxidant effect in various ways e.g. DPPH free radical inhibition, ferric reducing effect, superoxide dismutase, and catalase evaluation. The cytotoxic effect of isolated compounds was evaluated using HepG2 cancer cells. Results: Chemical investigations on the fruits of Z. armatum DC, led to the isolation of two new compounds characterized as (cis)-2, 8-dimethyl-non-5-en-8-ol-2-olyl benzoate (1), (cis)-2, 10-dimethyl-undec-7-en-10-ol-2-olyl benzoate (2) along with five known compounds such as n-dodecanyl linoleniate (3), n-octacos-10, 20-dienoic acid (4), (cis, cis)-dotriacont-6, 12-dienoic acid (5), lignoceric acid (6), and (cis, cis)-dotriacont-6, 8-dienoic acid (7). Compound 1 shows potent activity against HepG2 cancer cells in comparison 2 and significantly affected the viability of cells till 48 hrs. The highest antioxidant potential among compounds and extracts with respect to DPPH free radical inhibition and the ferric reducing effect was shown by compound 1 followed by 2 and 7 with an EC50 value of 19.44, 20.44 and, 22.46 respectively. Conclusions: The present study indicates that compound (1) showed a significant effect against HepG2 cancer cells as well as antioxidant potential through DPPH and FRAP methods. Compounds 2 and 7 also proved to be useful up to some extent for antioxidant potential.

The objective of this study was to optimize sample preparation using a microwave system (ULTRAWAVE) for the determination of the multi-elemental composition of fruit samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Standard reference materials, SRMs (SRM 1547 Peach Leaves, SRM 1570a Spinach Leaves, SRM 1568b Rice Flour, SRM 1567b Wheat Flour), grain RM 8436 Durum Wheat and fruit samples were digested in concentrate nitric acid (1 mL HNO3 or 2.5 mL HNO3) or a mixture of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide (2.5 mL HNO3 and 1 mL H2O2) for simultaneous determination of 27 elements, Na, Mg, Al, P, S, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Pb and U. Efficiency was evaluated using SRMs. The results indicated that there was no difference between either method. A more straightforward, economical and environmentally friendlier method of just using 1 mL of concentrate HNO3, which allows using smaller amounts of acid and avoiding H2O2, was proposed for fruits samples.

In this study, a metal-organic gels (MOGs)-coated solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber was developed and coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC–MS) for highly sensitive detection of pesticide residues in fruit samples. The MOGs-coated fiber was prepared using a simple in situ hydrothermal growth method, and the influencing factors in preparation process were investigated in detail. The prepared fiber showed high extraction efficiency, and excellent acid and alkali resistance. Under the optimized conditions, the developed SPME-GC–MS method showed wide linearity in the range of 0.01–10.00 ng mL−1 for eleven pesticides. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N=3) and quantification (LOQs, S/N = 10) were in the range of 0.001–0.052 ng mL−1 and 0.005 -0.094 ng mL−1, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 5) of single steel wire and steel wire to steel wire were all below 10.7%. The method was successfully applied to determine pesticide residues in fruit samples with satisfactory recovery of 79.3% -117.7% and RSDs varying from 2.9% to 9.6%. The MOGs-coated fiber stayed stable after 100 times extractions without significant changes in extraction capacity. The results indicated that the MOGs provided a promising coating for SPME of pesticide residues in complicated matrix.

Background: Fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) are vital components of healthy diets but may be restricted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) to avoid high-potassium intake. We previously generated F&V patterns for patients in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and demonstrated an increased prevalence of the overall low-intake pattern in patients with CKD., Objective: To evaluate the association of F&V patterns (overall low intake, high unprocessed, moderate processed, and high ultraprocessed) with the risk of kidney failure and its composite with death., Methods: Adults in NHANES III with valid dietary data and longitudinal follow-up for kidney failure and death were included. F&V patterns were identified using 24-h dietary recalls and latent class analysis, yielding 4 patterns. Cox models were used to evaluate the prospective association between each pattern and hazard of kidney failure or a composite of kidney failure or death over ≤20 y. Models were adjusted for demographics and select comorbidities and weighted for the complex survey design. Secondary analyses evaluated serum carotenoids as objective biomarkers of F&V intake., Results: Among 16,726 eligible participants in NHANES III, F&V consumption consistent with the high-ultraprocessed pattern associated with the highest risk of kidney failure after demographic and comorbidity adjustment, but attenuated with adjustment for kidney function. The high unprocessed pattern associated with the lowest adjusted risk of death or kidney failure combined [hazard ratio (HR): 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65, 0.81 relative to overall low intake]. Higher-serum carotenoids were associated with a lower adjusted risk of death or kidney failure combined (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.65 for quartile 4 compared with quartile 1). Results were similar in patients with CKD at baseline., Conclusions: Higher intake of unprocessed F&Vs was associated with better outcomes in the general population and patients with CKD. Results emphasize the need to safely improve F&V intake in CKD., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest SP reports financial support was provided by University of Virginia when this work was conducted. SP is currently employed at Standard Process, Inc. JM serves as Statistician for the journal “Kidney International.” JS serves as Deputy Editor of American Journal of Kidney Disease (paid) and National Kidney Foundation Scientific Advisory Board (unpaid). All other authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Glycosmis pentaphylla, a member of the Rutaceae family, has been extensively studied for its pharmacological activities, focusing mainly on the cytotoxic properties of its roots and stems. Conversely, limited researched has been done in terms of the phytochemical composition of the fruits. The objective of this study is to isolate and identify the bioactive compounds found in the fruits of G. pentaphylla and then evaluate their potential for anti-cancer activity in oral cancer CAL 27 cell lines. The extraction of bioactive compounds from fruits was done by maceration, and the isolation of alkaloids and volatile oil fractions (F1-F5) was performed by column chromatography. The alkaloids, such as 3-O-methoxyglycocitrine II, noracronycine, 1-hydroxy-3-methoxy-10-methyl-9-acridone and kokusaginine, were first isolated from the fruits of G. pentaphylla. Additionally, GC-MS analysis identified 78 metabolites. The isolated compounds and identified volatile oil fractions were explored for their anti-cancer activity by cell viability assay. Results demonstrated that isolated compounds were found inactive, while the volatile fraction F1 was found active in CAL 27 cell line. Fraction F1 impeded wound healing in CAL 27 cells by scratch assay, and significantly inhibited colony formation in colony formation assay. In cell cycle analysis, treatment with fraction F1 redistributed cells to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. α-elemol (2) is the major metabolite identified from the F1 fraction by GC-MS, which could be responsible for the anti-cancer activity. There is potential for future work to further isolate volatile oil metabolites and evaluate their anti-cancer activity through in-vivo techniques., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study investigated the levels of highly toxic pesticides (HTPs) in 6554 vegetable and fruit samples from 31 regions of China, along with the associated risk of dietary exposure for the population between 2014 and 2017. 18 HTPs were detected in 325 (4.96%) samples, and the levels of HTPs in 103 (1.57%) samples were found to be higher than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of China. The rate of detection of HTPs in six types of vegetables and fruits, in a decreasing order, was found to be as follows: eggplant (8.84%) >grape (5.58%) >tomato (5.43%) >cucumber (5.43%) >pear (3.12%) >apple (2.30%). The level of contamination of HTPs was found to be higher in vegetables compared with fruits. The vegetable and fruit samples with the highest percentages of HTPs exceeding MRLs were found in eggplants from Guangxi (20%) and grapes from Inner Mongolia (12.5%), respectively. Both, the average target hazard quotient (THQ) of a single highly toxic pesticide (HTP) and the average hazard index (HI) of the mixture of HTPs for adults and children from vegetables and fruits from the 31 regions were found to be less than one. Omethoate, carbofuran, ethoprophos, triazophos, and phorate were identified as the major contributors to the average HI for vegetables, and carbofuran, ethoprophos, omethoate, phorate, and phosphamidon were identified as the primary contributors to the average HI for fruits. The results of this study revealed that HTPs in vegetables and fruits did not cause any significant chronic risk of dietary exposure. The detection of HTPs exceeding MRLs in some of the samples implied that appropriate management guidelines for HTPs should be implemented to protect the health of the consumers.

Physalis peruviana is marketed without its calyx, which generates byproducts and a decrease in the shelf life of these fruits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of edible pectin-coatings reinforced with nanocellulose from calyx on the physical-chemical and physiological parameters of P. peruviana fruits during refrigerated storage (5 °C) for ten days. The nanocellulose extraction was carried out using a combined extraction method (chemical procedures and ultrasound radiation). The characterization of the fibers showed that the maximum degradation temperatures ranged between 300 and 311 °C. The SEM analysis revealed the presence of fibers after the chemical treatment. The removal of lignin and hemicellulose was validated using Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the fruits treated with pectin and pectin reinforced with nanocellulose at 0.5 % (w/w) had an adequate visual appearance and showed a minor color change (ΔE of 19.04 and 21.04, respectively) and the highest retention of L∗ during storage. Although the addition of nanocellulose at 0.5% presented the lowest respiratory rate (29.60 mgCO2/kg h), the treatment with pectin offered the least weight loss and showed the highest firmness retention at the end of storage. Thus, the edible pectin-coating may be useful for improving the postharvest quality and storage life of fresh P. peruviana fruit. Nanocellulose from P. peruviana calyces can be used under the concept of a circular economy; although, its use as a reinforcement of pectin showed some limitations.

Background: Foods including probiotics are considered “functional foods.” As an alternative to dairy products, we investigated the behavior of Lactobacillus casei when exposed to low-pH fruit juice. Juices of fruits such as pineapple, raspberry, and orange were assessed. Free and microencapsulated forms of L. casei were compared, and the viability of the probiotic was evaluated under storage at 4°C for 28 d. Microbiological analyses were carried out to ensure a safe and healthy product for consumers who look for foods with probiotics from sources other than dairy. Results: Low pH affected L. casei survival during storage depending on the type of fruit juice. In the case of pineapple juice, some microcapsules were broken, but microcapsules recovered at the end of the storage period had 100% viability (2.3 × 107 CFU/g spheres). In the case of orange juice, more than 91% viability (5.5 × 106 CFU/g spheres) was found. In raspberry juice, viability decreased rapidly, disappearing at the end of the storage period, which was caused by the absorption of high concentrations of anthocyanin inside microcapsules more than low pH. Conclusions: Low pH affected the survival of L. casei under refrigeration; even when they were microencapsulated, acidic conditions impacted their viability. Although pH affects viability, its value is very sensitive and will depend on the type of fruit juice and its composition. Some fruit juices contain compounds used as substrates for Lactobacillus and other compounds with antimicrobial effects. How to cite: Olivares A, Soto C, Caballero E, et al. Interactive 360° video to “Survival of microencapsulated Lactobacillus casei (prepared by vibration technology) in fruit juice during cold storage”. Electron J Biotechnol 2022;57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2022.04.003.

Adipogenesis and angiogenesis are fundamental processes involved in growth and development. Adipocytes are highly vascularized tissues requiring continuous supply of nutrients, chemokines, cytokines and precursor cells during their expansion. Proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors are expressed at different stages of adipocyte differentiation. Expression of angiogenic factors like VEGF in adipocyte suggests the possible role of angiogenesis in adipogenesis. Therefore, inhibitors that target angiogenesis has gained therapeutic relevance to control obesity. Apart from endogenous inhibitors, there are some natural foods that have adipostatic and angiostatic potential that will have limited side effects if consumed in proper dose. These foods have factors that elicit mechanisms like suppression of cell cycle progression, and inflammatory cytokines; deactivation of ERK, AKT, involvement of COX2 and NO pathway. In this review, we elaborate the role of some of the fruits (grapes, berries, citrus), vegetables and spices (spinach, crucifers, capsicum, onion, garic, turmeric, ginger) in adipogenesis and angiogenesis.

In this work, a facile synthesis method for dopamine carbon dots-based Au nanoparticles (DA-CDs/AuNPs) by seed gold method was reported as the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) booster. DA-CDs with rich in surface functional groups was synthesized using dopamine, citric acid and ethylenediamine as precursors by a facile hydrothermal method, and can be used as the capping agents and reducing agents for the synthesis of DA-CDs/AuNPs. Due to the electromagnetic "hot spots" effect, DA-CDs/AuNPs with core-shell structure exhibited strong SERS activity. Based on the specific interaction of DA-CDs/AuNPs and fenamidone, a detection method of fenamidone was established with a low detection limit of 0.05 μg/mL. Finally, the SERS sensor was successfully applied to the detection of fenamidone in fruit with recoveries between 90.6 % and 98.7 %. The method here proposed can be reliably applied for fenamidone detection on fruits., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In 2015, the Partnership for a Healthier America launched the branded Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign to promote fruit and vegetable sales and intake to moms and teens in two California and Virginia pilot markets. The FNV Campaign used a novel, creative approach to promote fruits and vegetables through integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies. Findings from a mixed-methods process evaluation conducted between 2016 and 2017 were used to explore congruence between stakeholders’ expectations of IMC strategy potential and FNV brand awareness and reach among target audiences. Awareness and recall of IMC strategies were assessed through a cross-sectional survey of target audience respondents (n = 1604) from the pilot markets. Qualitative data regarding IMC strategy potential and influential factors were gathered from stakeholder interviews (n = 22). Approximately 19.6% (n = 315) of respondents were aware of the FNV Campaign. Stakeholders’ perspectives regarding IMC potential aligned with findings that the proportion of aware respondents was significantly (p = 0.008) higher among teens (22%) than moms (17%). Qualitative results also converged with higher proportions of survey respondents recalling brand exposure through social media (46%) and retail settings (30%) than community activities (18%), word of mouth (17.5%), and traditional media advertisements (9.5%). IMC recall did not differ between mom and teen respondents except for significantly (p = 0.02) higher word of mouth recall among teen respondents. Findings support using selected IMC strategies and future involvement of diverse stakeholders. Evaluation results can inform future research and practice to improve IMC strategy reach and influence as the FNV Campaign expands to new markets nationwide.

Background: This study investigated the effect of traditional and improved solar drying methods on the sensory quality and nutritional composition of the dried fruit products; using mangoes and pineapples, as a case study. The fruits were dried under five solar drying methods namely; open sun drying (OSD), black-cloth shade (BCS), white-cloth shade (WCS), a conventional solar dryer (CSD), and a newly improved solar dryer (ISD) technology. The ISD unit was made of a modified solar concentrator plate containing multiple metallic solar collectors arranged in series. The ISD drying cabinet was also enclosed with a specialized greenhouse cover materials. The drying operations were conducted following a completely randomized design (CRD) experimental procedure. Results: The mean drying air temperatures for the OSD, BCS, WCS, CSD and ISD methods were 26.8, 26.7, 24.5, 32.6 and 40.3 °C; respectively. Results showed that the five solar drying methods were capable of retaining the sensory quality and nutritional composition of dried mango and pineapples. The nutritional parameters retained were proximate and mineral content. The sensory quality parameters were taste, aroma, colour and acceptability of the dried fruit products. However, the sensory quality and nutritional content of the fruit products dried under the ISD method were higher than that of the products dried under the CSD method, suggesting an enhanced capacity and superior role of the ISD dryer technology in fruit processing. Conclusion: The ISD technology was, therefore, recommended as a better fruit drying method than the traditional solar drying methods. Using the ISD method could be a feasible solution and a strategic pathway to addressing the high post-harvest losses of fruits as well as other perishable fresh produce in East Africa.

Although the phosphate 1 (PHO1) gene family has been implicated in inorganic phosphate transport and homeostasis, the underlying mechanism of this gene in the strawberry has not yet been revealed. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of the PH01;H9 gene in the strawberry (Fragariaxananassa), revealing the involvement of this gene in the regulation of phosphorus (P) content. The coding sequence (CDS) of the PH01;H9 gene, was isolated from the cultivated strawberry ‘Sachinoka’ and named as FaPH01;H9. The full-length CDS of this gene was 2292 bp, encoding 763 amino acids, and the protein contained both SYG1/Pho81/XPR1 (SPX) and ERD1/XPR1/SYG1 (EXS) domains, which were involved in phosphate (Pi) signaling. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) data suggested that the level of FaPHO1;H9 expression was consistent with the P content in different organs, except for the petiole. Particularly, its expression level was also correlated with P content in fruits of different developmental stages. The expression of FaPHO1;H9 was also consistent with P content in leaves under different concentrations of P fertilizer application. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis lines were generated, and the P content in Arabidopsis plants over-expressing FaPH01;H9 was significantly higher than that in wild-type plants. Therefore, we proposed that FaPH01;H9 functions in P transport.

Background: The fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is one of the most abundant fruits in the world. Hundreds of varieties having different texture, color, and flavor are available for valorization and adoption in food processing operations. Such utilization should be based on the fruit valuable characteristics; mainly its richness in dietary fiber and phenolic antioxidants. Scope and approach: This review article complements these existing reviews by primarily addressing the chemistry and processing of date fruits pulp and seeds with particular emphasis on dietary fiber and antioxidants as linked to important fruit processing and utilization features. Key findings and conclusions: Date fruits contain 6.5–11.5% total dietary fibers (of which 84–94% insoluble and 6–16% soluble dietary fiber) and is very rich in phenolic antioxidants (1–2%) especially condensed tannin pigments based on (−)-epicatechin oligomers. Date seeds contain about 15% of fiber, characterized by a high level of water-insoluble mannan fibers. Date fruits are widely available in the global market, mainly at mature Tamr stage, but there is still room for improvement. It has been suggested that date fruits and seeds can be exploited in some food applications utilizing their high levels of fiber and antioxidants. The incorporation of date fruits and seeds as food ingredients is still growing with the aim to promote the presence of dates in the modern's consumer shopping basket.

Background: Prospective studies investigating the association among fruit, berry, and vegetable consumption and the risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) are few., Objectives: In this cohort study, we explored whether the consumption of fruits, berries, and vegetables is associated with the IA and T1D development in genetically susceptible children., Methods: Food consumption data in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) cohort study were available from 5674 children born between September 1996 and September 2004 in the Oulu and Tampere University Hospitals. Diet was assessed with 3-d food records at the age of 3 and 6 mo and annually from 1 to 6 y. The association between food consumption and the risk of IA and T1D was analyzed using joint models adjusted for energy intake, sex, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype, and a family history of diabetes., Results: During the 6-y follow-up, 247 children (4.4%) developed IA and 94 (1.7%) T1D. Furthermore, 64 of 505 children with at least 1 repeatedly positive autoantibody (12.7%) progressed from islet autoantibody positivity to T1D. The consumption of cruciferous vegetables was associated with decreased risk of IA [hazard ratio (HR): 0.83; 95% credible intervals (CI): 0.72, 0.95, per 1 g/MJ increase in consumption] and the consumption of berries with decreased risk of T1D (0.60; 0.47, 0.89). The consumption of banana was associated with increased risk of IA (1.08; 1.04, 1.12) and T1D (1.11; 1.01, 1.21). Only the association between banana and IA remain significant after multiple testing correction., Conclusions: In children genetically at risk for T1D, the consumption of cruciferous vegetables was associated with decreased risk of IA and consumption of berries with decreased risk of T1D. In addition, the consumption of banana was associated with increased risk of IA and T1D., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study was to compare fruit and fruit-based products (juice and pomace) of large cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon L.) with leaves as potential sources of health-promoting compounds. The study included leaves and ripe fruit of three cranberry cultivars: ‘Stevens’, ‘Ben Lear’, and ‘Pilgrim’. The leaves and fruit were analysed for the presence and content of polyphenolic compounds using LC-PDA-MS QTOF and UPLC-PDA-FL methods, and for their antioxidant activity using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP methods. The fruit, fruit-based products and leaves were found to contain flavonols, flavan-3-ols, phenolic acids, anthocyanins and dihydrochalcone. Regardless of cultivar, the leaves and pomace contained more polyphenolic compounds and exhibited higher antioxidant activity than fruit and juices. Therefore, the pomace and leaves are attractive raw products for the production of foods with high health-promoting value.

Potential biologically active new constituents labd-3β, 9β-diol-3α-d-glucopyranosyl-(2a → 1b)-α-d-glucopyranosyl-(2b → 1c)-α-d-glucopyranosyl-(2c → 1d)-α-d-arabinofuranosyl-2d-p-hydroxybenzoate (1) and α-d-glucuronopyranosyl (2 → 1′)-α-d-glucuronopyranosyl (2′ → 1″)-α-d-glucopyranosyl-2″-n-octadec-9‴-enoate (2) along with β-sitosterol-β-d-glucoside were isolated from the fruits of Lycium chinense. Their chemical structures were elucidated using detailed spectroscopic studies. The structure assignments are based on two-dimensional (2D)-NMR techniques including COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY experiments. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for antioxidant activities with three assay protocols such as diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, reducing power and the phosphomolybdenum activity, compound 2 showed more potential as compared with 1.

Objectives: We assessed the efficacy of an easy-to-implement shopper marketing nutrition intervention in a pilot and two additional studies to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability or increasing shopper budgets. Methods: We created grocery cart placards that detailed the number of produce items purchased (i.e., descriptive norm) at particular stores (i.e., provincial norm). The effect of these placards on produce spending was assessed across 971,706 individual person grocery store transactions aggregated by day. The pilot study designated a baseline period (in both control and intervention store) followed by installation of grocery cart placards (in the intervention store) for two weeks. The pilot study was conducted in Texas in 2012. In two additional stores, we designated baseline periods followed by 28 days of the same grocery cart placard intervention as in the pilot. Additional interventions were conducted in New Mexico in 2013. Results: The pilot study resulted in a significant difference between average produce spending per day per person across treatment periods (i.e., intervention versus same time period in control) (16%) and the difference between average produce spending per day per person across stores in the control periods (4%); Furthermore, the same intervention in two additional stores resulted in significant produce spending increases of 12.4% and 7.5% per day per person respectively. In all stores, total spending did not change. Conclusions: Descriptive and provincial social norm messages (i.e., on grocery cart placards) may be an overlooked tool to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability and increasing shopper budgets.