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The market for fine-flavor cocoa provides significant benefits to farmers. However, identifying the sensory qualities of chocolate under specific environmental conditions and measuring how its chemical compounds may be affected by climate differences and postharvesting practices remain a challenge. This study investigates how fermentation time and agroclimatic conditions in Colombia's fine cocoa-producing region of Arauca influence the sensory profile and volatile compound composition (volatilome) of chocolate derived from cocoa beans. Sensory evaluation was conducted on chocolates fermented for 48, 72, 96, and 120 h, revealing that fermentation time critically affects the development of fine-flavor attributes, particularly fruitiness and nuttiness. The optimal fermentation period to enhance these attributes was identified at 96 h, a duration consistently associated with peak fruitiness under all studied climatic conditions. Analysis of 44 volatile compounds identified several key aroma markers, such as acetoin, 1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate, and various pyrazines, which correlate with desirable sensory attributes. These compounds exhibited varying amounts depending on fermentation time and specific agroclimatic conditions, with a 96 h fermentation yielding chocolates with a higher quantity of volatile compounds associated with preferred attributes. Our findings highlight the complex interaction between fermentation processes and agroclimatic factors in determining cocoa quality, providing new insights into optimizing the flavor profiles of chocolate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cocoa quality plays a pivotal role in establishing denominations of origin, with genotypes, geography, climate and soil conditions being key variables. However, these factors have not been comprehensively explored in defining cacao denominations of origin. The present study addresses this gap by laying the foundation for cacao denomination of origin, focusing on the Buenaventura region on Colombia's Pacific coast. Our goal is to provide a holistic understanding of the elements underpinning cacao denomination of origin, emphasizing Buenaventura's unique cocoa quality and geographical significance. RESULTS: Through the Buenaventura case, we propose a robust framework applicable to other cacao‐producing regions, elevating the recognition and value of cacao denomination of origin. Our framework encompasses geography, agronomy, genetics, microbial diversity, pests and diseases and cocoa quality. In a pioneering move, we propose a cacao denomination of origin in Colombia, specifically examining Bajo Calima, Sabaletas and Cisneros within Buenaventura region. Buenaventura stands out for its cocoa quality, characterized by fruity flavors attributed to the rich biodiversity of the lowland rainforest. CONCLUSION: Our analysis indicates specific geographical indicators for each of the study zones, with Buenaventura identified as a region with natural characteristics to produce fine flavour cocoa products. Each zone exhibited a high differentiation and diversity of cacao cultivars. Buenaventura has the potential to be designated as a future denomination of origin for cacao from the Pacific region of Colombia, characterized by its unique fruity‐aroma chocolates. Our framework is adaptable to other cacao‐producing regions, facilitating the establishment of denominations of origin within the cocoa industry and agriculture. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a study addressing the high risk of chronic diseases in people with diabetes and obesity linked to metabolic syndrome, the impact of a Golden Berry diet was investigated using a diabetic animal model. Obese rats with diabetic characteristics were fed a diet containing five percent Golden Berry for 16 days. This study focused on various parameters including organ weights, expression of metabolic genes, and urinary biomarkers. Post-Golden Berry intake, there was a notable decrease in the body, liver, pancreas, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue weights in these obese, hyperglycemic rats. In contrast, an increase in brown adipose tissue (BAT) cell mass was observed. This diet also resulted in reduced blood glucose levels and normalized plasma biochemical profiles, including cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL levels. Additionally, it modulated specific urinary biomarkers, particularly pipe-colic acid, a primary marker for type 2 diabetes. Bioinformatics analysis linked these dietary effects to improved insulin signaling and adipogenesis. Regular consumption of Golden Berry effectively prevented insulin resistance and obesity in rats, underscoring its significant health benefits and the protective role of an antioxidant-rich diet against metabolic syndrome. These findings offer promising insights for future therapeutic strategies to manage and prevent obesity and related chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-flow microfiltration (CFM) combined with ultra-clean or aseptic packaging offers a promising solution to meet consumer demand for more natural, non-heat treated ready-to-drink fruit beverages. However, membrane fouling can significantly reduce the efficiency of CFM and increase the production cost. To address this issue, we studied the effect of backpulsing on the performance of a semi-industrial CFM equipment featuring 2 m2 of ceramic membranes with 0.2 μm pore size. Using an optimum transmembrane pressure of 150 kPa, we found that backpulsing with a high frequency (every minute) at the beginning of microfiltration and then slowing down the frequency (every 2 min) resulted in higher (+14%) and more consistent average fluxes (100 l.h−1.m−2) while reaching volumetric concentration ratio up to 11. Additionally, the overall specific energy requirements are reduced by 12.5% to 0.0376 kWh.l-1 of treated juice, which is the lowest value among all known de-bacterizing processes, including thermal pasteurization. Importantly, our results showed that backpulsing reduces the retention of the main bioactive compounds of blackberry, including anthocyanins and ellagitannins. These findings demonstrate that CFM with backpulsing is a more cost-effective process that allows for the production of stabilized fruit juices with higher content of bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cacao (Theobroma cacao L) is one of the most relevant crops in terms of economy and social rural development in Colombia. Cacao is also an important crop due to its potential to replace illicit crops and it is related to less deforestation and preserves the biodiversity. There are several cacao districts in Colombia, one of these being Arauca. The Department of Arauca is the second largest cocoa producing region in Colombia; however, it is heavily affected by armed conflict. To raise the knowledge and technology available in the region, integrating data on the occurrence of cacao farms with climatic variables becomes a powerful socioeconomic mapping tool for maintaining agrobiodiversity and food security in the region. Consequently, this type of agrodiversity data and agroclimatic approaches help to better manage agrobiodiversity, as in the cacao region of Arauca. These tools are even more relevant in biodiverse regions, such as flooded savannahs and tropical forest ecosystems, which are currently undergoing drastic changes due to agricultural expansion and climate change. One of the knowledge gaps in Colombia's cacao regions is that there are currently no agroclimatic maps made with a social and scientific approach. This study aimed to provide a database of the spatial distribution of cacao farms in Arauca, as well as agroclimatic maps that identify and locate cacao climate regions in Arauca. We also present a presence-only matrix consisting of twenty-six tree species, or agrobiodiversity, distributed across the study region and specifically associated with the cacao forestry systems in Arauca. New information: We present the first database of both climate and agrobiodiversity data related to cacao farms in Arauca, developed with a research and socioeconomic vision that generated a novel approach for the agroclimatic zoning of cocoa in the Arauca Region and Colombia. Using 1,538 cacao farms at the regional scale, we identified two national and six regionalscale climate and soil regions. The selection at the local scale allowed us to classify 180 cacao farms comprising nine agroclimatic clusters in Arauca. We found twenty-six tree species distributed across the cacao climate zones. This dataset and its related maps also represent the agrobiodiversity of cultivated cacao locally. This is the most complete climate and agrobiodiversity dataset of cacao farms distribution in one of the top cocoa-producing regions in the country. These outputs are crucial because they constitute a baseline for developing research in the biodiversity of agroforestry systems, pests and diseases, pollutant presence, genetics, post-harvest processing and cocoa quality and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short steam blanching coupled with flash-vacuum expansion (FVE) and de-pulping was used to obtain purée from purple passion fruits discarded from the export chain. Different steam blanching holding times (80, 95, 110 s) were tested at pressure of 130 kPa. After FVE and vacuum de-pulping, fibers, anthocyanins, carotenoids, rheological properties, and microbial reduction were evaluated in the purées. Fruit purées are obtained with a much higher content of cell-wall and bioactive compounds compared to the fresh arils since part of the fruit shell is incorporated into the purée (approximately 20%), which greatly increases the yield of production. Purées exhibited increasing shear-thinning flow behavior with blanching holding time, resulting in a smoothie-like beverage. A reduction greater than 5 log10 CFU/mL was obtained for molds, yeasts, aerobic mesophilic, and coliforms for all the treatments. The shelf life of smoothies based on nutritional and sensorial quality was extended up to 90 days at refrigeration temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Blackberries have a high content of bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins and ellagitannins, which are associated with health benefits against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and other inflammatory conditions. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of a tropical highland blackberry (Rubus adenotrichos Schltdl.) beverage (50% v/v) on lipids, glucose and antioxidant parameters of healthy individuals. METHODS: Thirteen healthy individuals of both sexes were assigned into two groups in a randomized crossover design. Each participant was subjected to a high fat and high carbohydrate diet challenge and drank 250 mL of either blackberry beverage or water with every meal, three times a day for 14 days. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, glucose level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) enzymatic activities were assessed from plasma. RESULTS: Plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and glucose levels significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after consuming the blackberry beverage. Changes in LDL and HDL cholesterol levels were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CAT and SOD enzymatic activities increased slightly, although not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Drinking a beverage from a blackberry micro-filtered juice improved plasma lipid and glucose profiles, as well as CATand SOD enzymatic activities in healthy participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Slices (1.5 mm thick) of green papaya were impregnated through osmotic dehydration with a blackberry juice–sucrose solution to produce an intermediate moisture product. The effect of processing temperature (T) and sucrose‐added molality (msucrose) on mass transfer during the operation was assessed, using a response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM was used to model water loss, sugar and anthocyanin gain during the process. Increasing sucrose molality resulted in increasing water loss and sugar gain, but decreasing anthocyanin gain. Water transfer therefore limits anthocyanin impregnation, but not sucrose incorporation. Afterwards, the impact of heat treatment at high temperatures was analysed, using numerical simulation. The conditions of the combined process, designed to achieve an anthocyanin‐rich final product, are low sucrose‐added molalities (sucrose molality < 1 mol kg–1) and high processing temperatures (T > 50 ºC) for osmotic dehydration, coupled with high‐temperature, short‐time (HTST) heat treatments for product stabilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chocolate is a widely consumed product worldwide due to its exquisite flavor, which comes from the unique and fascinating cocoa flavor. This flavor depends on little controllable variables such as the genotype and the agroecological niche, and on the other side, on postharvest operations: (1) cocoa transformation from seeds to beans that comprises cocoa seeds preconditioning, fermentation, and drying, and (2) the production of chocolate from the bean in which roasting is highlighted. Postharvest transformation operations are critically important because during these, cocoa flavor is formed, allowing the differentiation of two categories: bulk and specialty cocoa. In this sense, this article presents an overview of cocoa postharvest operations, the variables and phenomena that influence and control the physical and biochemical transformation from seeds to cocoa beans, and their relation to the formation of chocolate flavor. Moreover, research perspectives in terms of control and management of postharvest practices in order to obtain cocoa with differentiated and specialty characteristics "from bean to bar" are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Blackberry fruits have recently gained attention because of their considerable amounts of polyphenols. OBJETIVE: The aim of this study is to compare the physicochemical composition and contents of the main polyphenolic compounds of nine tropical highland blackberry genotypes grown in Costa Rica, and to evaluate the effect of environmental conditions and farming practices on physicochemical composition of fruits of 'Wine red thorn', which is the most widely grown blackberry genotype in Costa Rica. METHODS: Nine blackberry genotypes were harvested at fully ripe stage. Environmental conditions (geographic location and harvest season) and farming practices (organic and conventional techniques) were evaluated to determine their effects on physicochemical composition and polyphenolic compounds of 'Wine red thorn' blackberries. Anthocyanins and ellagitannins contents were determined by HPLC-DAD. RESULTS: The tropical highland blackberries contained appreciable levels of polyphenols. Anthocyanin content ranged from 2.9±0.1 to 12±1 g cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/kg dry weight (DW); ellagitannin content ranged from 9.3±0.8 to 47±3 g ellagic acid equivalents/kg DW. The influence of environmental conditions and farming practices on physicochemical characteristics of 'Wine red thorn' blackberries was significant (p < 0.05). Blackberries harvested during the dry season had higher contents of sugars and anthocyanins than blackberries harvested during the rainy season. Organic blackberries had higher levels of ellagitannins than conventionally grown fruits. CONCLUSIONS: These data prove that Costa Rican blackberries are a good source of polyphenolic compounds, especially ellagitannins. Environmental and farming conditions can be exploited to obtain high quality blackberry fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health benefits attributed to berries are largely dependent on their bioavailability. This study evaluated the antioxidant activity for different samples of blackberry juice submitted to an in vitro digestion. The HPLC analysis demonstrated that gastric conditions had only a slight impact on the phenolic composition, but the digestion simulating intestine conditions caused marked changes. The dialyzed fraction, which represents the serum available material, showed 33% and 35% less activity against nitrogen-derived radicals and a significant reduction of 46% in the inhibitory capacity against intracellular ROS. Other models used to evaluate the capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation did not show significant differences in any of the digestion samples. Our results suggest that blackberry polyphenols could exert their antioxidant capacity after passage through the GIT. However, the dialyzed fraction suffers a partial depletion of its antioxidant ability, this could be attributed to the absence of ellagitannins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nanofiltration membranes with molecular weight cut-off around 200 Da were evaluated to concentrate anthocyanins and ellagitannins in a blackberry juice. Temperature was 30°C and cross-flow velocity 0.3 m/s. Transmembrane pressures varied from 0.5 to 3 MPa. At volumetric reduction ratio (VRR) of 1, higher transmembrane pressures caused an increase of permeate flux and of retention of total anthocyanins (>94%) and total soluble solids (44-97%). Every membrane presented 100% of total ellagitannin retention. Results were represented using the solution-diffusion model. NF270 membrane at 3 MPa showed the highest potential for concentration of blackberry's main polyphenolic compounds (highest permeate flux and solute retention). Nevertheless, a simulated increase of VRR showed that permeate flux declined as the concentration of the feed solution increased. NF270 membrane may also be of interest to deacidify the juice, since at high pressures, sugars were completely retained and retention of acids was under 90%. Practical Applications The concentration of phytochemicals by means of membrane technologies is of interest to the food industry, because the operations replace evaporation processes that are energy-intensive and use high temperatures that can reduce the compounds' bioactivities. The results presented in this study may be valuable for processors that aim to concentrate fruit juices and extracts enriched with phytochemicals (such as anthocyanins and ellagitannins), by using nanofiltration. Furthermore, results show that nanofiltration membranes at specific operating conditions may not only be employed to concentrate, but also to deacidify fruit juices and extracts. This operation provides advantages when compared to other technologies such as calcium salt precipitation, ion-exchange resins and electrodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of CyTA: Journal of Food is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study evaluated the effects of mechanical and enzymatic pretreatments on the extraction of anthocyanins and ellagitannins from blackberries. Continuous pressing yielded significantly higher turbidity values and content of anthocyanins and ellagitannins ( P < 0.05) compared with discontinuous pressing. The use of enzymatic pretreatment also significantly increased the extraction of polyphenolic compounds ( P < 0.05), in particular that of total ellagitannins, on average from 437 to 982 mg ellagic acid equivalents/100 g (dry basis) when using discontinuous pressing. When microfiltration was used, the content of ellagitannins and anthocyanins was found to be similar in both feed and permeate when discontinuous press was used to extract the juice, but a significant decrease of 34% (dry basis) was found in the concentration of ellagitannins when continuous pressing was used ( P < 0.05). These results should be useful for future efforts to increase the extraction of polyphenolic compounds from fruits and vegetables. Practical Applications Blackberries have high contents of potentially bioactive polyphenolic compounds, mainly anthocyanins and ellagitannins. Therefore, processes must be optimized not only to obtain large amounts of juice from this fruit, but also to efficiently extract the compounds of interest. The methodology and results presented in this study should be beneficial for processors that aim to increase the recovery of potentially bioactive polyphenolic compounds from fruit using mechanical and enzymatic pretreatments. Furthermore, this study evaluated the potential of cross-flow microfiltration as a viable operation for cold stabilization of blackberry juice, while obtaining acceptable permeate flux and membrane retention of the compounds of interest. It is envisioned that this technology could be used in the same manner to ensure the microbiological stability of polyphenolic-enriched fruit juices and extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption of dietary ellagitannins (ETs) has been associated with different health benefits. Nonetheless, ETs are not bioavailable as such and are metabolized in vivo. They are partially converted into ellagic acid (EA) in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but this first metabolite is also poorly bioavailable. In the lower GI tract, EA and residual ETs are metabolized by gut microbiota to produce urolithins, which, together with their conjugate relatives, persist at relatively high concentrations in plasma and urine for days after ingestion of dietary ETs. Thus, ETs and EA may exert local health benefits on the GI tract but systemic health benefits are more likely to result from urolithins. Cellular models suggest that, at physiological concentration, urolithins are active against chronic degenerative diseases. Health benefits have been proven in animal models and during clinical studies. Even so, the crucial involvement of gut microbiota in ET bioconversion induces important variability of physiological response among humans, giving rise to the concept of high and low urolithin producers. This variability among consumers in obtaining potential health benefits from dietary ETs raises new challenges for the functional food industry. Different research perspectives are discussed to tackle this significant issue for nutritionists, food technologists, and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar ultraviolet ( UV) radiation, particularly its UVB (280-320 nm) spectrum, is the primary environmental stimulus leading to skin carcinogenesis. Several botanical species with antioxidant properties have shown photochemopreventive effects against UVB damage. Costa Rica's tropical highland blackberry ( Rubus adenotrichos) contains important levels of phenolic compounds, mainly ellagitannins and anthocyanins, with strong antioxidant properties. In this study, we examined the photochemopreventive effect of R. adenotrichos blackberry juice ( BBJ) on UVB-mediated responses in human epidermal keratinocytes and in a three-dimensional (3D) reconstituted normal human skin equivalent ( SE). Pretreatment (2 h) and posttreatment (24 h) of normal human epidermal keratinocytes ( NHEKs) with BBJ reduced UVB (25 mJ cm−2)-mediated (1) cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and (2) 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) formation. Furthermore, treatment of NHEKs with BBJ increased UVB-mediated (1) poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and (2) activation of caspases 3, 8 and 9. Thus, BBJ seems to alleviate UVB-induced effects by reducing DNA damage and increasing apoptosis of damaged cells. To establish the in vivo significance of these findings to human skin, immunohistochemistry studies were performed in a 3D SE model, where BBJ was also found to decrease CPDs formation. These data suggest that BBJ may be developed as an agent to ameliorate UV-induced skin damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Several studies have demonstrated that food processing affects nutrients such as bioactive compounds, protein, starch, fat, fiber, minerals and antioxidant capacity. Our study examined how heat changes the physicochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of peach-palm fruit (Bactris gasipaes H.B.K.) during flour production. Materials and methods. Five commercial batches of fruit were assessed for total contents of phenolic compounds and carotenoids, and hydrophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity (H-ORAC). The fruit was then cooked and eventually processed into flour. Results and discussion. No significant changes were found for contents of fat, protein, starch and dietary fiber during flour production. Cooked peach-palm fruit is a source of Mg, Mn, Cu and K, with 100 g of fruit containing between 5% and 13.5% of the recommended daily intake. Cooking also increased carotenoids by 17%, thus helping to compensate for the 28% loss during drying. No stage of processing affected polyphenol contents or H-ORAC. Conclusion. Because of its high bioactive compound content, peach-palm flour shows potential for use in the development of functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ten nanofiltration flat-sheet membranes and eight tight ultrafiltration membranes with nominal MWCOs ranging from 0.2 to 150kDa were tested to concentrate anthocyanin extract from roselle. A pilot system was used, which featured a membrane cell with an effective area of 0.0155m2. Permeate fluxes were recorded for transmembrane pressures between 0.5 and 3.0MPa, while keeping all other operating conditions constant (volumetric reduction ratio 1, 35°C). Retention values of total soluble solids, acidity and anthocyanins increased with transmembrane pressure. With similar permeate fluxes at average transmembrane pressure, retention of anthocyanins is significantly higher for nanofiltration membranes than for ultrafiltration membranes. A membrane was then selected for an industrial trial on the basis of its flux, retention of compounds of interest and energy consumption per liter of permeate. The trial using a 2.5-m2 filtration surface, could concentrate roselle extract from 4 to 25g total soluble solids per 100g, with 100% retention of anthocyanins. No significant damages were observed when comparing concentrate quality with the initial roselle extract. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Osmotic evaporation (or osmotic distillation) was carried out on roselle extract, apple and grape juices. The industrial pilot plant used had a hydrophobic, polypropylene, hollow-fiber membrane with an area of 10.2m2 and an average pore diameter of 0.2μm. It was suitable for concentrating vegetable extracts and fruit juices, and controlled various parameters such as temperature, flow velocity, and brine concentration. The final total soluble solids (TSS) contents achieved were 660, 570, and 610gkg−1 for grape juice, apple juice, and roselle extract, respectively. Temperature and concentration of solutions significantly influenced evaporation flux, which, for roselle extract, was 1.5kgh−1 m−2 at 610gTSSkg−1 and 45°C. The physico-chemical, biochemical, and aromatic qualities of concentrates obtained by osmotic evaporation were much higher than those of thermal concentrates, and close to those of the initial products. Industrial relevance: Membrane processes are increasingly used to concentrate thermo-sensitive fruit juices and plant extracts. Their capacity to operate at moderate temperatures and pressures means that their energy consumption is low, while they produce good quality concentrates. Nonetheless, the main disadvantage of baromembrane processes is their inability to reach the concentration levels standard for products of thermal evaporation because of limitations resulting from high osmotic pressure. Actually, reverse osmosis membranes and equipment limit the final concentration of fruit juices to about 25–35°Brix. Osmotic evaporation has attracted considerable interest, as it can concentrate juices to as much as 65°Brix. This process, when applied to various juices, better preserves the quality of raw materials. However, because of the geometrical limitations of commercially available membranes and modules, juices must first be clarified. To our knowledge, only a few studies on osmotic evaporation have so far been conducted at a semi-industrial scale and never with roselle extracts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Osmosonication combines ultrasound with nonthermal concentration. It was applied on tropical highland blackberry ( Rubus adenotrichus) juice over different periods of time to assess reductions in microorganism and the impact on main quality parameters. This juice had been inoculated with Salmonella spp., Shigella sp., a lactic acid bacterium, yeasts, and molds. It was then sonicated for 5.9 to 34.1 min at 20 kHz and 0.83 W/mL. Nonthermal concentration was simulated by mixing the juice with a concentrate to obtain 650 g TSS/kg. It was then stored at −18 °C for up to 82 h. The lactic acid bacterium, yeasts, and molds were reduced by 1.60 to as much as 5.01 log CFU/mL, whereas, for pathogens, reductions were total ≥7.1 log CFU/mL after 24 h of storage, even for juice not sonicated, because of low pH. Color, antioxidant capacity, anthocyanins, and ellagitannins did not change significantly during sonication treatment up to 32 min. However, an off-flavor was detected after 8 min of sonication. Nonetheless, osmosonication can be considered as an alternative to thermal processes for producing safe and high-quality concentrates. : Osmosonication represents a potential processing alternative for producing safe and high-quality concentrated fruit juice without applying thermal treatments. Findings reported in this article can also be applied by industries when concentrating juices by classical means at relatively low temperature. It provides industries with a mathematical model specific for blackberry juice, from which different combinations of sonication time and storage time of concentrate can be chosen to achieve safety and quality goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tropical highland blackberry (Rubus adenotrichus Schltdl.) is a good source of antioxidants and contains appreciable levels of phenolic compounds, mainly ellagitannins and anthocyanins. This study examined the influence of three ripening stages on phenolic contents. Major anthocyanin pigments increased from 0.20 (red fruit) to 1.34mgg−1 fresh weight (FW) (fully ripe fruit), whereas ellagitannins and ellagic acid derivatives dropped from 3.8 to 2.2mg ellagic acid equivalents g−1 (FW). Flavonols also dropped from 5.1 to 2.0mg quercetin equivalents 100g−1 (FW). Consequently, values for total phenolic compounds ranged from 5.8 to 5.2mg gallic acid equivalents g−1 (FW), showing no specific trend. Antioxidant activity (H-ORAC) increased from 38.29 to 64.00μmol of Trolox equivalents g−1 (FW) during ripening. When compared with other commercial cultivars, R. adenotrichus stands out for high H-ORAC value, although comparatively it possesses low anthocyanin content and average total phenolic content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nutricion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Morinda citrifolia L., the “noni”, has been used in traditional Polynesian medicine for over 2000 years. Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae) is an evergreen shrub whose ripe fruit has a strong butyric acid smell and flavor. The leaves and especially the fruit are consumed in different forms by various communities (e.g., the Polynesians) throughout the world; the root is used as a dye. As a result of these uses and the market that is developing around “noni juice”, it has become increasingly important to confirm the actual therapeutic properties of this plant. While recent studies have shown that this fruit has antibiotic and antioxidant properties in vitro, we still do not have scientific evidence supporting the nutritional and medicinal values of noni in humans. However, both the fruit and damnacanthal, an anthraquinone compound extracted from noni roots, are currently being studied in the context of anti-cancer research. If, in the future, the nutritional and medical values of the noni can be assessed, especially its anti-cancer activity, this fruit could play a noticeable economic role in producing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Melon juice obtained from fruits discarded by exporters was first clarified by crossflow microfiltration and then concentrated by osmotic evaporation (OE). The resulting clarified melon juice was highly similar to the initial juice, except for insoluble solids and carotenoids, which were concentrated in the retentate. Average permeation flux was relatively high (about 80 L h−1 m−2), with continuous extraction of retentate at a volumetric reduction ratio of 3. After concentration of the clarified melon juice to as much as 550 g kg−1 of total soluble solids using a continuous feed-and-bleed procedure of OE, we found that almost the entire composition of the product was preserved. This integrated membrane process permitted two valuable products to be obtained: a clarified concentrate of melon juice that had not undergone any thermal treatment, and a glowing-orange retentate that was enriched in provitamin A. Industrial relevance: The increasing quality demand for fresh fruits results in an increase in rejected melons. Juice processing could overcome the product losses occurring but thermal sensitivity of melon juice flavour prohibits conventional thermal processing. Interestingly this paper attempts to use membrane processes for microbial stabilisation and concentration. The authors present a novel way of using permeate (clear juice) as well as retentate (pulpy juice). Enzyme activities in the products during and after processing may need some attention prior to industrial application of the process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Golden berry (Physalis peruviana L.) is an exotic fruit exported from Colombia to different countries around the world. A review of the literature tends to demonstrate a hypoglycaemic effect with an improvement in insulin sensitivity after oral ingestion of fruit extracts in animal models. However, little is known about their potential effects in humans, and very little is known about the mechanisms involved. This study aimed at identifying discriminant metabolites after acute and chronic intake of golden berry. Method: An untargeted metabolomics strategy using high-performance chemical isotope-labelling LC-MS was applied. The blood samples of eighteen healthy adults were analysed at baseline, at 6 h after the intake of 250 g of golden berry (acute intervention), and after 19 days of daily consumption of 150 g (medium-term intervention). Results: Forty-nine and 36 discriminant metabolites were identified with high confidence, respectively, after the acute and medium-term interventions. Taking into account up- and downregulated metabolites, three biological networks mainly involving insulin, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) were identified. Conclusions: The biological intracellular networks identified are highly interconnected with the insulin signalling pathway, showing that berry intake may be associated with insulin signalling, which could reduce some risk factors related to metabolic syndrome. Primary registry of WHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides providing nutritional value, functional foods have potential beneficial effects on health. Consumers worldwide seek food products with added value based on physical and mental well-being.This study aimed to analyze the urinary metabolome of volunteers who consumed a drink based on Costa Rican blackberries (Rubus adenotrichos) to identify the presence of urolithins and other possible bioactive compounds related to beneficial effects on health.Fifteen healthy non-smoking male volunteers aged between 19 and 43 years old who consumed 250 ml of blackberry-based drink for breakfast for eight consecutive days were selected. Urine samples were obtained before and after drink consumption, which were submitted to analysis by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to a Mass Detector (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS). Subsequently, a metabolomic analysis of the results was performed to identify the presence or absence of urolithins and other bioactive metabolites related to blackberry juice consumption.It was possible to detect high intensity presence of urolithin A (n = 6) and high intensity presence of both urolithin A and B (n = 5) in urine samples in several volunteers. However, finding them was impossible in others, or they were at very low intensities (n = 4). Likewise, it was possible to identify Menth-1-en-4,8 diol glucuronide and 1-O-E-Cinnamoyl-(6-arabinosylglucose) as other compounds related to the consumption of blackberries.The consumption of Costa Rican blackberries allowed us to demonstrate the presence of three metabotypes within the study population: 40% of strong urolithin A (UAP) producers, 33.3% of both urolithin (A and B) producers (UBP), and 26.7% of weak urolithin A producers (0P). Finally, it is recommended to carry out more research in this regard, considering a greater number of volunteers and including people of both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Controlled transformation enhancement perception of fine sensory notes of chocolate. • Controlled transformation process produces chocolate with similar sensory quality. • Metabolomic fingerprints were differentiated based on the postharvest process. • Cocoa metabolomic fingerprints change and differ as processing time progresses. • 25 discriminating metabolites were identified and proposed as potential biomarkers. Despite the importance of fermentation for cocoa quality, process parameters are not controlled under spontaneous conditions at farms. This study evaluates the influence of spontaneous fermentation and processing under laboratory-controlled conditions using the acidic reagents acetic and lactic acids on the cocoa quality of two cultivars, FEAR 5 and CCN 51, at the sensory and metabolomic levels. Under spontaneous conditions, cocoa differs in flavour quality. While FEAR 5 produces chocolate with good global quality, chocolate made with CCN 51 does not have outstanding quality attributes. Transformation under controlled conditions with acidic reagents increases the perception of fine aromatic notes such as fruity, nutty and floral attributes in chocolates made from both cultivars of cocoa. Metabolomic profiles allowed grouping of cocoa samples as a function of postharvest treatment. Twenty-five differential metabolites were identified during the postharvest processes, and these metabolites may be related to the expression of fine sensory attributes; however, more research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genipap (Genipa americana L.) is a native fruit from Amazonia that contains bioactive compounds with a wide range of bioactivities. However, the response to genipap juice ingestion in the human exposome has never been studied. To identify biomarkers of genipap exposure, the untargeted metabolomics approach in human urine was applied. Urine samples from 16 healthy male volunteers, before and after drinking genipap juice, were analyzed by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry. XCMS package was used for data processing in the R environment and t-tests were applied on log-transformed and Pareto-scaled data to select the significant metabolites. The principal component analysis (PCA) score plots showed a clear distinction between experimental groups. Thirty-three metabolites were putatively annotated and the most discriminant were mainly related to the metabolic pathways of iridoids and phenolic derivatives. For the first time, the bioavailability of genipap iridoids after human consumption is reported. Dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, (1R,6R)-6-hydroxy-2-succinylcyclohexa-2,4-diene-1-carboxylate, hydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, genipic acid, 12-demethylated-8-hydroxygenipinic acid, 3(7)-dehydrogenipinic acid, genipic acid glucuronide, nonate, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate may be considered biomarkers of genipap consumption. Human exposure to genipap reveals the production of derivative forms of bioactive compounds such as genipic and genipinic acid. These findings suggest that genipap consumption triggers effects on metabolic signatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]