Search

There are numerous factors to consider when developing climate-resilient coffee crops, including the ability to tolerate altered climatic conditions, meet agronomic and value chain criteria, and satisfy consumer preferences for flavour (aroma and taste). We evaluated the sensory characteristics and key environmental requirements for the enigmatic narrow-leaved coffee (Coffea stenophylla), a wild species from Upper West Africa1. We confirm historical reports of a superior flavour1–3 and uniquely, and remarkably, reveal a sensory profile analogous to high-quality Arabica coffee. We demonstrate that this species grows and crops under the same range of key climatic conditions as (sensorially inferior) robusta and Liberica coffee4–9 and at a mean annual temperature 6.2–6.8 °C higher than Arabica coffee, even under equivalent rainfall conditions. This species substantially broadens the climate envelope for high-quality coffee and could provide an important resource for the development of climate-resilient coffee crop plants. Coffea stenophylla is a recently rediscovered, narrow-leaved wild coffee from Upper West Africa. Rigorous sensory evaluation (tasting) rates its flavour profile as analogous to high-quality Arabica coffee, but it can grow at much higher temperatures.

Introduction – Flash Vacuum-Expansion (FVE) is a mild physical process based on the use of heat intake and pressure differences to disintegrate plant tissue. This emerging process has high potential in food processing, as it improves the diffusivity of functional components and enzyme inhibition. Methodology – The use of different heat intakes before depressurization was evaluated on the functional and sensory characteristics of 'Manila' mango puree using chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods, as well as a sensory evaluation. Results and discussion – Higher exposure to heat resulted in a brighter puree (6.92% increase in luminosity), 4.93% increase in yellow index, 38.15% increase in phenolic content and an increase in antioxidant capacity of 68.2% with DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and 80.7% with FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) methodology, in addition to complete enzymatic inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO). The loss of volatile compounds, mainly terpenes and alkenes, was observed, in addition to the formation of furanoids. Conclusion – The FVE provides a great solution to reduce the considerable loss of the 'Manila' mango produced in Mexico.

This study sought to understand user preferences of raw, boiled and steamed sweetpotato, a staple food in Uganda. A sequential methodology involving state of knowledge review, gendered food mapping, processing diagnosis and consumer testing was used in Lira and Kamwenge districts. Preferred raw sweetpotato characteristics, were large roots (≥ 3 cm diameter) with a sweet taste, smooth skin and hard texture, while mealiness, sweet taste and good sweetpotato smell were important attributes for boiled sweetpotato. Processors, mostly women, highlighted ease of peeling and sappiness of raw roots. There were gender differences in quality characteristic preferences and perceived importance. The released variety, NASPOT 8, had the highest overall liking in Kamwenge and was well‐liked in Lira. Penalty analysis of consumer data showed that sweetness and firmness were key drivers of overall liking. The results will support breeding programmes in meeting specific end‐user product profiles, selection criteria and uptake of new varieties., Summary This study sought to understand user preferences of raw, boiled and steamed sweetpotato, a staple food in Uganda. A sequential methodology involving state of knowledge review, gendered food mapping, processing diagnosis and consumer testing was used in Lira and Kamwenge districts. Preferred raw sweetpotato characteristics were large roots (≥ 3 cm diameter) with a sweet taste, smooth skin and hard texture, while mealiness, sweet taste and good sweetpotato smell were important attributes for boiled sweetpotato. Processors, mostly women, highlighted ease of peeling and sappiness of raw roots. There were gender differences in quality characteristic preferences and perceived importance. The released variety, NASPOT 8, had the highest overall liking in Kamwenge and was well liked in Lira. Penalty analysis of consumer data showed that sweetness and firmness were key drivers of overall liking. The results will support breeding programmes in meeting specific end‐user product profiles, selection criteria and uptake of new varieties.

International audience; Vacuum frying is an alternative technology to obtain fruit snacks with higher sensory and nutritional quality compared to traditional fried snacks. Vacuum frying of a carotenoid-rich fruit (red-fleshed papaya) was performed at 25 kPa, using soybean oil at 100, 120, and 140 ◦C from 0 to 14 min. The study aimed to monitor and model physicochemical changes that chips undergo during vacuum frying, which are related to their sensory and nutritional attributes. Moisture content, aw, oil uptake, sugar content, browning index (BI) and carotenoid contents were monitored. Water loss and oil uptake followed first-order kinetics while the decrease in aw followed a logistic trend. Glucose and fructose followed the same degradation pattern while BI and sucrose content increased as a function of frying time and oil temperature. β-cryptoxanthin (BCX) loss followed second-order kinetics and retention was 60 and 40% after 14 min at 120 and 140 ◦C, respectively. Contents of lycopene and β-carotene were increased suggesting an improvement in availability of these compounds to extraction. Optimal vacuum frying conditions for processing papaya fruit comprise a combination of temperatures (107–120 ◦C) and frying times (9–14 min) to produce quality papaya chips with aw ranging from 0.1 to 0.3, low color degradation and BCX loss ≤30%.

Les caractéristiques de qualité des fruits sont directement liées à leur aptitude à la commercialisation et à l'acceptabilité par le consommateur, et sont donc des cibles clés pour les programmes de sélection des bananiers. La difficulté à combiner ces critères, notamment avec ceux de tolérance aux maladies et de rendement, limite actuellement l'adoption de nouveaux hybrides. Cette thèse a pour objectif d'explorer le contrôle génétique de caractères liés à la qualité du fruit, aussi bien organoleptique que fonctionnelle, au travers d'une étude d'héritabilité et une cartographie de QTL afin à terme de faciliter l'amélioration variétale des bananiers. Nous avons tout d'abord étudié la variabilité de trois traits de qualité organoleptiques majeurs : l'acidité de la pulpe (pH), sa fermeté (FEP) et sa teneur en matière sèche (TMS). Nous nous sommes ensuite intéressés à la variabilité du dégrain (DE), qui correspond à la force de rupture du pédoncule du fruit, en relation avec des critères de maturation du fruit. Ces critères ont été suivis sur une période de mûrissement de 7 jours et durant trois cycles de production dans une population en ségrégation de 162 bananiers diploïdes, issus du croisement P. Madu x Galéo. L'ensemble des caractères présente des niveaux de variabilité importants et de bons niveaux d'héritabilité, avec des valeurs de 0.77, 0.46, 0.81 et 0.64 pour le pH, la FEP, le TMS, et le DE, respectivement. La recherche de QTL par multiple-QTL mapping (MQM) a été réalisée sur deux cartes parentales, d'une part sur l'ensemble des données pour chaque jour de murissement afin d'étudier leur dynamique, et d'autre part sur les jeux de données spécifiques aux trois cycles de production afin d'évaluer leur stabilité. Des QTL majeurs (LOD ≥ 3, R² ≥ 15%) ont été détectés pour chacun de ces critères. Des QTL spécifiques d'un stade de mûrissement et d'un cycle de production ont été détectés en majorité, mais aussi de nombreuses zones de co-localisation de QTL. Pour certains critères, une méta- analyse a été effectuée pour confirmer ces co-localisations d'une part, et pour affiner les intervalles de confiance d'autre part. Les QTL les plus intéressants en lien avec l'acidité de la pulpe (R² = 19,3- 50,6%) et la FRP (R² = 16.9-18.9%) ont été détectés sur le LG1_7 de la carte génétique de Pisang Madu. Ce cultivar présente un fort taux d'apparentement à Cavendish, le groupe de cultivars de bananes dessert le plus cultivé au monde. Ces QTL sont situés sur le chromosome 1T7 qui est issu d'une translocation réciproque, qui est présent à l'état hétérozygote chez Pisang Madu et qui ne recombine pas sur une large partie, ce qui constitue un contexte favorable au suivi par marqueurs moléculaires. Les effets des QTL détectés devront être vérifiés dans différents fonds génétiques et environnements. Ces premiers résultats fournissent une base de réflexion intéressante pour l'optimisation des stratégies de création variétale, et pour envisager la sélection assistée par marqueurs dans les programmes d'amélioration des bananiers.

The physiological stage of mango maturity at harvest affects fruit quality at the time it is commercialized. The objective assessment of the mango maturity stage at harvest remains a challenge because of the multiple interactions between the visual aspect, the physicochemical composition, and the morphology of the fruit. This study aims to quantify the optimal harvest date to guarantee the maturity and quality of mango cv. ‘Kent’. In this study, which took place in Korhogo in northern Côte d’Ivoire, the maturity stage and the quality of fruits were measured on 240 Kent mangoes harvested at four different harvest dates (90, 95, 100, and 105 days after flowering). A morphological, physical, and chemical characterization (length, width, mass, soluble sugar content, dry matter, skin appearance, and mass loss) was carried out at each date on 30 fruits at harvest and 30 fruits after ripening at room temperature. The number of days necessary for ripening was quantified. The results showed that the optimal harvest date is 100 days after flowering for Kent mangoes in Côte d’Ivoire. Mangoes harvested at this date developed better organoleptic characteristics (less wrinkled skin, lower mass losses, and a shorter ripening time). Assessment of the harvest date, guaranteeing better ripening of the fruit, is of utmost importance for organizing harvests in the mango sectors in West Africa, and especially in Côte d’Ivoire.

This study compared the use of pork backfat (PF) and fat-tailed sheep tail and backfat (SF) on the physicochemical, fatty acids and sensory attributes of warthog cabanossi. There were no differences between weight loss during drying, moisture content, pH, water activity, salt content and lipid oxidation between the cabanossi types. However, protein and ash contents were higher in PF cabanossi whilst fat content was higher in SF cabanossi. The PF cabanossi had higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially n-6), lower monounsaturated fatty acids whilst the saturated fatty acid content was similar between the two cabanossi products. The n-3:n-6 ratio was more beneficial in the SF cabanossi. The descriptive sensory analysis showed two distinct products where PF cabanossi scored higher for most attributes. Although SF cabanossi scored less for these attributes, this cabanossi had unique and acceptable sensory attributes. This study concluded that fat-tailed sheep tail and backfat could be used to produce a unique cabanossi product of acceptable quality.

This study revealed that higher proportions of women than men showed preference for most attributes of cassava flour quality., Summary Cassava breeding programmes in Uganda do not currently select materials based on flour making quality, explaining in part the low adoption rates of many released varieties. In this study, we describe end user trait preferences, processing qualities and physicochemical properties of cassava flour. We found that higher proportion of women than men showed preference for most attributes of cassava flour quality evaluated in this study. Preference for colour was 66% and 52% among women and men, respectively, while that for stickiness of Kwon was 26% (women) and 15% (men). Ease of peeling and stickiness of Kwon were key processing traits. Heap fermented flour had higher pasting temperatures, but lower viscosities than sun‐dried flour, and had lower amylose content compared to fresh root starch. The results demonstrate the importance of gender sensitive participatory evaluation of breeding materials, in tandem with physicochemical evaluation during selection of best possible candidate breeding lines.

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.

High quality characteristics of cassava roots, gari and eba (coloured boxes indicate high quality characteristics for each product), Summary User’s preferences of cassava and cassava products along the value chain are supported by specific root quality characteristics that can be linked to root traits. Therefore, providing an evidence base of user preferred characteristics along the value chain can help in the functional choice of cassava varieties. In this respect, the present paper presents the results from focus group discussions and individual interviews on user preferred quality characteristics of raw cassava roots and the derived product, gari, – one of the major cassava products in Sub‐Saharan Africa – in major production and consumption areas of Cameroon and Nigeria. Choice of cassava varieties for farming is mainly determined by the multiple end uses of the roots, their agricultural yield and the processing determinants of roots that support their major high‐quality characteristics: size, density, low water content, maturity, colour and safety. Processing of cassava roots into gari goes through different technological variants leading to a gari whose high‐quality characteristics are dryness, colour, shiny/attractive appearance, uniform granules and taste. Eba, the major consumption form of gari in Cameroon and Nigeria, is mainly characterised by its textural properties: smoothness, firmness, stickiness, elasticity and mouldability. Recommendations are made, suggesting that breeding will have to start evaluating cassava clones for brightness/shininess, as well as textural properties such as mouldability and elasticity of cassava food products, for the purpose of supporting decision‐making by breeders and the development of high‐throughput selection methods of cassava varieties. Women are identified as important beneficiaries of such initiatives giving their disadvantaged position and their prominent role in cassava processing and marketing of gari.

Dark chocolate samples were previously classified into four sensory categories. The classification was modelled based on volatile compounds analyzed by direct introduction mass spectrometry of the chocolates&rsquo, headspace. The purpose of the study was to identify the most discriminant odor-active compounds that should characterize the four sensory categories. To address the problem, a gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) study was conducted by 12 assessors using a comparative detection frequency analysis (cDFA) approach on 12 exemplary samples. A nasal impact frequency (NIF) difference threshold combined with a statistical approach (Khi&sup2, test on k proportions) revealed 38 discriminative key odorants able to differentiate the samples and to characterize the sensory categories. A heatmap emphasized the 19 most discriminant key odorants, among which heterocyclic molecules (furanones, pyranones, lactones, one pyrrole, and one pyrazine) played a prominent role with secondary alcohols, acids, and esters. The initial sensory classes were retrieved using the discriminant key volatiles in a correspondence analysis (CA) and a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Among the 38 discriminant key odorants, although previously identified in cocoa products, 21 were formally described for the first time as key aroma compounds of dark chocolate. Moreover, 13 key odorants were described for the first time in a cocoa product.

International audience; The present study aims at developing an analytical methodology which allows correlating sensory poles of chocolate to their chemical characteristics and, eventually, to those of the cocoa beans used for its preparation. Trained panelists investigated several samples of chocolate, and they divided them into four sensorial poles (characterized by 36 different descriptors) attributable to chocolate flavor. The same samples were analyzed by six different techniques: Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS), Solid Phase Micro Extraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (SPME-GC-MS), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) (for the quantification of eight organic acids), Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to triple-quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS) for polyphenol quantification, 3D front face fluorescence Spectroscopy and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). A multi-block classification approach (Sequential and Orthogonalized-Partial Least Squares – SO-PLS) has been used, in order to exploit the chemical information to predict the sensorial poles of samples. Among thirty-one test samples, only two were misclassified.

Current climatic upheavals reduce water availability which impacts the growth and fruit quality of plants. In citrus crops, scion/rootstock combinations are used to ensure high fruit production and quality and a stress tolerance/resistance. Our objective was to assess the effect on the clementine scion (C) under natural mild water deficit of (i) polyploid rootstocks by comparing the allotetraploid FlhorAG1 (C/4xFLs, trifoliate orange + Willowleaf mandarin) with its diploid parents, trifoliate orange (C/2xTOs), and Willowleaf mandarin (C/2xWLs), and with a diploid genotype used as reference (Carrizo citrange, C/2xCCs), (ii) rootstock propagation methods by comparing trifoliate orange seedling (C/2xTOs) with cutting (C/2xTOc). A mild water deficit observed under orchard conditions during the summer period (July&ndash, August) induced a significant change in yield (except in C/2xTOs), fruit size, and quality. C/2xCCs, C/2xTOs, and C/2xWLs appeared less affected by water deficit as indicated by their lower reduction of predawn leaf water potential (&Psi, pd), relative water content (RWC), transpiration (E), and photosynthetic parameters (Pnet and gs). Their greater redox balance was probably due to their better antioxidant efficiency. Seedling rootstocks lead to a better adaptation of clementine scions to water deficit than cutting or allotetraploid rootstock. Improving the tolerance to water deficit requires taking into consideration the rootstock genotype, propagation method, and ploidy level.

National audience; A Western diet containing 50% of plant-based protein is healthier and would help to reduce the environmental impacts of food systems to contribute to meeting worldwide protein needs. However, few consumers do like plant-based protein food, 25% of consumers do like taste of soy products. Fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a sustainable and an inexpensive process for the preservation or raw material that can also modify taste. In this work, we screened 278 LAB in order to select strains of interest to ferment soy juice. Our findings showed that the ability of LAB to ferment soy juice is both species- and strain-dependent. We also found that some strains can improve organoleptic properties of fermented soy juices, and the study highlights the diversity of metabolic profiles of LAB in soy juice fermentation. In conclusion, specific LAB can improve plant-based product fermentation rates, organoleptic properties and thus help to promote plant-based proteins in our diet.

The selection of fine flavour cocoa and coffee varieties can lead to attractive niche markets but germplasm need to be analysed for non-volatile compounds and aroma precursors. In the present study, green beans of 202 Theobroma cacao L. accessions (acc.), 64 Coffea arabica L. acc., 35 C. canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner, 7 C. arabusta Capot & Ake Assi and 2 C. canephora × C. congensis A. Froehner hybrids cultivated in Santo, Vanuatu, and harvested at full maturity, were analysed using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). In cocoa, 11 compounds were quantified: two alkaloids, two catechins, five proanthocyanidins, and two anthocyanins. Multivariate analyses revealed that Amenolado acc. are differentiated from Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario acc. due to their low caffeine, catechins, and proanthocyanidins contents. Hybrids involving an Amenolado parent also produce low non-volatile compounds contents. In coffee, 11 compounds were quantified: sucrose, two alkaloids, and eight chlorogenic acids. The two major species were differentiated by their mean caffeine content (12.69 mg/g in C. arabica vs. 16.04 mg/g in C. canephora), which is highly correlated with CGA and other chlorogenic acids. Each of the eight chlorogenic acids presented higher values in C. canephora. The ratio sucrose/alkaloids + chlorogenic acids was significantly higher in C. arabica (3.24) than in C. canephora (1.68) which could be an explanation for its comparative sweetness. Coffea arabusta interspecific hybrids presented an intermediate value (2.64). Congusta hybrids were low in sucrose. HPTLC is a cost-efficient technique when applied to germplasm characterization of non-volatile compounds in green cocoa and coffee beans. Chemotype selection appears promising for the development of fine flavor varieties.

Introduction – Piper borbonense from Reunion Island is an overlooked wild pepper that remains unutilized today. The purpose of this multidisciplinary work was to study its anatomy, morphology and biochemical composition with a view to its possible commercial development. Materials and methods – We determined its biochemical composition using, notably, gas and liquid chromatography plus spectroscopic methods. Results and discussion – This pepper differs from Piper nigrum through the pedicel, which forms an integral part of the peppercorn. It can be distinguished from other tailed peppers, such as Piper cubeba and wild peppers from Madagascar, through its ovoid shape. Its compounds of interest, essential oil and piperine, are mostly present in the perisperm. Starch (41% db) is its main constituent. Piper borbonense has low pungency (piperine content: 0.2% db) and high aroma potential (essential oil content: 9.8% db), distinguishing it from Piper nigrum and bringing it closer to the tailed peppers, such as Piper cubeba and the wild peppers of Madagascar. Its aroma composition, very rich in monoterpenes, notably limonene (27%), can be considered as that of a good quality pepper. Conclusion – The typicity of Piper borbonense affords an interesting potential for domestication and valorization.

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.

The need to increase sustainability and add value to traditional foods claiming health benefits led to the introduction of key improvements in the production of hibiscus beverages in Senegal. The physicochemical and sensory properties of three resulting products (an under-vacuum concentrate, a dilute-to-taste syrup and a ready-to-drink infusion) were assessed, vis-à-vis those of conventionally manufactured beverages, and their impact on local consumer preference determined (n = 146). New beverages had more intense, redder colour and higher monomeric anthocyanin content, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Moreover, their colour evaluations by trained panellists were mainly linked to colour density and anthocyanin/polyphenol content, while flavour assessments were associated to titratable acidity and sugar-to-acid ratio. Consumer evaluations, in turn, were driven by the beverages’ red colour intensity, aroma strength and balance between sweetness and acidity. This explained why they overwhelmingly preferred the under-vacuum concentrate, regardless of their age, gender or frequency of hibiscus beverage consumption.

Flesh quality recovery in female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after egg production. Aquaculture Europe 2019

In Kenya coffee quality is determined by the grade proportions and beverage quality which are influenced by various factors including variety, shade and altitude. The objective was to characterize the quality of coffee produced by farmers producing traditional varieties and Ruiru 11 under shade or under full sun in Muranga County. One hundred and five farmers from 13 farmers' Cooperative societies were sampled from an altitude of 1300 to 1900MASL. The type of shade was characterized and it was found that in some cases trees along the hedge were observed to cast shade on coffee. In other farms, big trees in the coffee fields provided shade to the coffee below. Cherry was harvested and wet processed. Green coffee was roasted to medium roast, weighed out as whole beans (five cups of each sample). A panel of five judges evaluated the sensory attributes of the samples. Ten sensory attributes assessed for each coffee on a ten point scale: Fragrance/Aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, sweetness and overall perception. Generally, traditional varieties had significantly better fragrance, flavour, acidity and overall perception as rated by the panel. Altitude and shade did not seem to have any significant effect on the sensory characteristics. In terms of defects, coffee berry borer attack was significantly observed irrespective of the variety or whether coffee was under some shade or in full sun. The results are discussed in relation to possible impact of variety, altitude, and shade on coffee quality observing that shade/agro-forestry is one of the upcoming changes of coffee production systems to mitigate against climate change.

En Amazonie bresilienne, la pulpe d’acai se consomme traditionnellement naturelle et accompagne des plats sales. Depuis les annees 1990, l’acai s’exporte sur des modes de consommation sucres. Les auteurs s’interrogent sur le role des modes de consommation et des mecanismes qui garantissent la « qualite » aux consommateurs, dans la coexistence de differents circuits de commercialisation de la region metropolitaine de Belem (Para). La maniere dont les transformateurs traitent de la qualite renvoie a des attributs varies : sanitaire, productive (bio), sociale (equitable), gustative. Mise en avant exclusivement dans les circuits courts et non standardisee, la qualite gustative est liee a l’origine du fruit, aux pratiques de cueillette, de production et de transport. Circuits longs et courts se distinguent par les gouts des consommateurs et par des mecanismes formels ou informels de certification, bases sur des relations de confiance. Leur coexistence future depend de la mise en place de mecanismes garantissant la qualite gustative des pulpes, la diversite des gouts des consommateurs et l’inclusion des populations traditionnelles dans la filiere.

During barrel aging, spirits undergo organoleptic changes caused by the release of aroma and taste compounds. Recently, studies have revealed the bitter properties of oak wood lignans, such as (&plusmn, )-lyoniresinol, and their contribution to wine taste. To evaluate the impact of lignans in spirits, a targeted screening of 11 compounds was set up and served to validate their presence in this matrix, implying their release by oak wood during aging. After development and validation of a quantification method, the most abundant and the bitterest lignan, (&plusmn, )-lyoniresinol, was assayed by liquid chromatography&ndash, high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) in spirits. Its gustatory detection threshold was established at 2.6 mg/L in spirits. A large number of samples quantified were above this detection threshold, which suggests its effect of increased bitterness in spirit taste. Significant variations were observed in commercial spirits, with concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 11.8 mg/L, which could be related to differences in barrel aging processes. In &ldquo, eaux-de-vie&rdquo, of cognac, concentrations of (&plusmn, )-lyoniresinol were observed in the range from 1.6 mg/L to 12 mg/L. Lower concentrations were measured for older vintages.

White Kenley is a traditional stiff dumpling produced from fermented dehulled maize grains in Ghana. The physico-chemical modifications which occur during combination of various steeping (12, 30 and 48 h) and fermentation (0 h, 12 h and 24 h) times were assessed to study the impact of these unit operations on the quality of white kenkey . Water uptake by soaked grains and the release of metabolites were followed during grains steeping and particle size distribution after milling was determined. Steeping time exceeding 24 h was required to produce a fine wet milled flour while water uptake was completed after 8–10 h. This was parallel to hydrolysis of proteins and/or hemicelluloses which occurred after 16 h. Changes in acidity and glucose content were determined in the grain after steeping and in the dough after fermentation. The texture of the kenkey was determined using a texture analyzer. Increases in acidity were higher during dough fermentation than in steeping. Stickiness of the white kenkey decreased consistently with steeping time. Principal Component Analysis showed that a combination of long steeping and short fermentation times gives white kenkey with low stickiness (and high fineness), low acidic taste and low fermented odour.

SUMMARYFruit and vegetable farming generally involves high levels of chemical inputs despite the fact that consumers are increasingly concerned about the sanitary and organoleptic aspects of fruit quality. Pineapple is largely subject to these issues since it is dominated by conventional monocropping with high levels of agrochemical inputs due to nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fertilisation, weed management, crop protection and flowering induction. However, low-input pineapple cropping systems are both rare and little documented. Our study aimed at replacing all or part of the chemical fertilisers used with local organic fertilisers. It was conducted on the cultivar ‘Queen Victoria’, without pesticides or herbicides, in Reunion Island. We compared the impacts of three fertilisation treatments on pineapple growth and yield, fruit quality traits, symptoms of two major fungal diseases in fruit and production costs and labour times: (i) conventional: NPK fertiliser at recommended doses (265.5 kg ha−1N–10.53 kg ha−1P–445.71 kg ha−1K); (ii) integrated:Mucuna pruriensgreen manure (240.03 kg ha−1N, 18.62 kg ha−1P, 136.11 kg ha−1K) incorporated into the soil and a half-dose of NPK fertiliser and (iii) organic:M. pruriensgreen manure incorporated into the soil and foliar applications of sugarcane vinasse from a local distillery, rich in K (14.44 g L−1). Our results showed that NPK fertilisation could be replaced by organic fertilisers as well as by integrated fertilisation. ‘D’-leaf analysis showed that vinasse supplies a largely sufficient K level for growing pineapples. With organic fertilisation, pineapple growth was slower, 199 days after planting vs. 149 days for integrated or conventional fertilisations, and fruit yield was lower, 47.25 t ha−1vs. 52.51 and 61.24 t ha−1, probably becauseM. pruriensgreen manure provided an early increase in soil mineral N, whereas N requirements are much higher four months after planting. However, the fruit weight (709.94 ± 123.53 g) was still within the size range required for the export market (600–900 g). Interestingly, organic fertilisation significantly reduced Leathery Pocket disease and produced the best quality fruit with the highest total soluble solids contents (TSS) and the lowest titratable acidity (TTA). Fruit quality was also significantly improved with integrated fertilisation, with fruit weight similar to that of conventional fertilisation. To conclude, these findings have implications for the sustainability of pineapple production and could lead to low-input innovative cropping systems that reduce production costs and develop local organic inputs.

International audience; Direct-injection mass spectrometry (DIMS) techniques have evolved into powerful methods to analyse volatile organic compounds (VOCs) without the need of chromatographic separation. Combined to chemometrics, they have been used in many domains to solve sample categorization issues based on volatilome determination. In this paper, different DIMS methods that have largely outperformed conventional electronic noses (e-noses) in classification tasks are briefly reviewed, with an emphasis on food-related applications. A particular attention is paid to proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), and many results obtained using the powerful PTR-time of flight-MS (PTR-ToF-MS) instrument are reviewed. Data analysis and feature selection issues are also summarized and discussed. As a case study, a challenging problem of classification of dark chocolates that has been previously assessed by sensory evaluation in four distinct categories is presented. The VOC profiles of a set of 206 chocolate samples classified in the four sensory categories were analysed by PTR-ToF-MS. A supervised multivariate data analysis based on partial least squares regression-discriminant analysis allowed the construction of a classification model that showed excellent prediction capability: 97% of a test set of 62 samples were correctly predicted in the sensory categories. Tentative identification of ions aided characterisation of chocolate classes. Variable selection using dedicated methods pinpointed some volatile compounds important for the discrimination of the chocolates. Among them, the CovSel method was used for the first time on PTR-MS data resulting in a selection of 10 features that allowed a good prediction to be achieved. Finally, challenges and future needs in the field are discussed.

Various chemical compounds in green coffee beans are precursors of coffee beverage sensory attributes. The hypothesis was that those chemical compounds would vary with microclimate over the vertical plant profile of coffee plants. The plants of the cultivar IAPAR 59 were grown in two high plant densities (6000 and 10,000 plants ha−1) under rectangular and square planting patterns. Coffee beans were collected from three canopy strata. Chemical compounds and chlorogenic acid isomer (CGA) contents were determined by near infrared spectroscopy and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The free-choice profile technique was employed to estimate the sensory attributes of coffee beverage. Brightness, transparency appearance, typical coffee color and aroma, tastes as sweet, acid, astringent and bitter, and full-bodied texture were attributes detected by panelists. Plants cultivated under lower plant density had lower leaf area index indicating lower self-shading than under higher plant density. Coffee beans originated from the inferior stratum of higher density had the lowest concentrations of 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA), while the inverse situation occurred in their upper strata. Strata of lower planting density were associated to high levels of all CGA isomers. The coffees cultivated under higher density showed high lipids and CGA isomers contents. Under lower density, beans had low concentration of sucrose, proteins, and caffeine and high of CGA isomer contents. The beverage sensory attributes depended on the concentration of proteins, lipids, and sucrose in combination to CQA isomers in beans, varying over the vertical profile and planting designs of coffee plants.

We describe a new vanilla species growing in sympatry with Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews (Orchidaceae) in the province of Limón, Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The morphology of the reproductive and vegetative organs observed on vines cultivated under shade-house, the nuclear (Internal Transcribed Spacer) and plastid (matK) nucleotide sequences, as well as the contents of aromatic compounds measured in ripe fruits, show that this species is close to but distinct from V. planifolia. The name V. sotoarenasii M.Pignal, Azofeifa-Bolaños & Grisoni sp. nov. is proposed for this new Vanilla species endemic in Costa Rica. It is especially distinguished from V. planifolia by a reduction of about 30% of the size of the fruits and flowers, by a divergence of ITS sequences for at least two species-conserved nucleotides compared to seven other species of the V. planifolia group, and by the presence of anisic compounds and low content of phenolic compounds (including vanillin) in the fruits. These results confirmed the extension of the area of distribution of V. planifolia southward to Costa Rica, where a recent speciation process occurred. Because of its particular agronomic and aromatic properties, V. sotoarenasii sp. nov. could represent a valuable biological resource for the vanilla industry. Describimos una nueva especie de vainilla que crece en simpatía con Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews (Orchidaceae) en la provincia de Limón, costa caribeña de Costa Rica. La morfología de los órganos reproductores y vegetativos observados en vides cultivadas bajo sombra, las secuencias nucleotídicas nucleares (Internal Transcrito Spacer) y plastidios (matK), así como el contenido de compuestos aromáticos medidos en frutos maduros, muestran que esta especie es cercano pero distinto de V. planifolia. El nombre V. sotoarenasii M. Pignal, Azofeifa-Bolaños & Grisoni sp. nov. Se propone para esta nueva especie de vainilla endémica en Costa Rica. Se distingue especialmente de V. planifolia por una reducción de aproximadamente el 30% del tamaño de los frutos y flores, por una divergencia de secuencias de ITS para al menos dos especies de nucleótidos conservados en comparación con otras siete especies del grupo de V. planifolia. , y por la presencia de compuestos anísicos y bajo contenido de compuestos fenólicos (incluida la vainillina) en los frutos. Estos resultados confirmaron la extensión del área de distribución de V. planifolia hacia el sur hasta Costa Rica, donde ocurrió un reciente proceso de especiación. Por sus particulares propiedades agronómicas y aromáticas, V. sotoarenasii sp. nov. podría representar un valioso recurso biológico para la industria de la vainilla. Descrevemos uma nova espécie de baunilha que cresce em simpatia com Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews (Orchidaceae) na província de Limón, costa caribenha da Costa Rica. A morfologia dos órgãos reprodutivos e vegetativos observados em vinhas cultivadas à sombra, as sequências de nucleotídeos nucleares (espaçador de transcrição interno) e plastídeos (matK), bem como o conteúdo de compostos aromáticos medidos em frutos maduros, mostram que esta espécie está próxima, mas diferente de V. planifolia. O nome V. sotoarenasii M. Pignal, Azofeifa-Bolaños & Grisoni sp. Nov. É proposto para esta nova espécie endêmica de baunilha na Costa Rica. É especialmente distinta de V. planifolia por uma redução de aproximadamente 30% no tamanho de frutos e flores, por uma divergência de sequências ITS para pelo menos duas espécies de nucleotídeos conservados em comparação com outras sete espécies do grupo V. planifolia. , e pela presença de compostos anísicos e baixo teor de compostos fenólicos (incluindo vanilina) nos frutos. Esses resultados confirmaram a extensão da área de distribuição de V. planifolia ao sul até a Costa Rica, onde ocorreu um recente processo de especiação. Devido às suas propriedades agronômicas e aromáticas particulares, V. sotoarenasii sp. Novembro pode representar um valioso recurso biológico para a indústria de baunilha. Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica Université de La Réunion, Francia Instituto Tecnológico de Tuxtepec, México Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz, México Universidad Autónoma de México, México Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala. Instituto de Investigación y Servicios Forestales Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas

The elderly population is growing increasingly. In 2030, 1/3 of the population will be over 60 years old. However this population has specific nutritional needs and often, oral impairments such as loss of tooth and/or decrease of salivary flow. Therefore it is necessary to develop foods adapted for the elderly, in terms of organoleptic properties and nutritional composition. In this context, the purpose of this work is to study the impact of oral impairments of elderly persons on food comfortability and bolus properties during the consumption of dairy products.76 elderly persons (ages 66 to 88, 42 women and 34 men), with or without oral health problems in terms of dental and/or salivary status were recruited. Four dairy products with identical composition but different textures (soft, hard, pasty and dry) were studied. Food comfortability of the four dairy products was assessed by means of a questionnaire based on bolus formation, pain, texture and flavor perception. The time and number of cycle required to form the bolus for elderly person consuming each product was measured (video) as rheological properties (compression test) and saliva incorporated (dry extract) in each bolus. Statistical analysis (correlation, ANOVA, MFA) of the data were performed.Despite a wide array of texture, dairy products were comfortable for the elderly whatever their oral health. According to the food comfortability questionnaire, neither bolus formation, nor pain or organoleptic properties were significantly affected by the dental and/or salivary status of the elderly. The stimulated saliva flow was positively correlated with the amount of saliva incorporated in the bolus. Moreover dental status was correlated with the hardness of the bolus and results suggested that the dental status affected also the texture perception.Finally, food comfortability of our products was not affected by the oral health contrary to the bolus properties.

The potential use of ultrasound measurements, combined with other physical measurements, has been investigated. The good relationship between soluble solids content (SSC) and ultrasonic wave velocity reported in the literature being confirmed by our study, our main goal was to evaluate the added value of ultrasound measurements around 25 MHz for the determination of biochemical compounds responsible of organoleptic quality of mangoes. Among the main sugar constituents of mango juice, only sucrose content prediction was improved by combining SSC and ultrasonic waves velocity using a PLS model ( R 2 = 0.81, RMSECV = 12.3, bias = 0.10, RPD = 2.3) when compared to the linear model with SSC only ( R 2 = 0.75, SEP = 14.05, bias = 0.08). The same conclusion was obtained for titratable acidity PLS model using whole fruit hardness, SSC and ultrasonic wave velocity ( R 2 = 0.82, RMSECV = 1.84, bias = 0.02, RPD = 2.4) compared to the linear model with fruit hardness only ( R 2 = 0.78, SEP = 2.07, bias = 0.02). However, the added value of ultrasound measurements was not always found to be significant ( P = 0.05) when a Wilcoxon statistical tests was conducted on the residuals of the linear and PLS models for both sucrose and titratable acidity.

Legume crops are known to have low soil N uptake early in their life cycle, which can weaken their ability to compete with other species, such as weeds or other crops in intercropping systems. However, there is limited knowledge on the main traits involved in soil N uptake during early growth and for a range of species. The objective of this research was to identify the main traits explaining the variability among legume species in soil N uptake and to study the effect of the soil mineral N supply on the legume strategy for the use of available N sources during early growth. Nine legume species were grown in rhizotrons with or without N supply. Root expansion, shoot and root biomass, nodule establishment, N2 fixation and mineral soil N uptake were measured. A large interspecific variability was observed for all traits affecting soil N uptake. Root lateral expansion and early biomass in relation to seed mass were the major traits influencing soil N uptake regardless of the level of soil N availability. Fenugreek, lentil, alfalfa, and common vetch could be considered weak competitors for soil N due to their low plant biomass and low lateral root expansion. Conversely, peanut, pea, chickpea and soybean had a greater soil N uptake. Faba bean was separated from other species having a higher nodule biomass, a higher N2 fixation and a lower seed reserve depletion. Faba bean was able to simultaneously fix N2 and take up soil N. This work has identified traits of seed mass, shoot and root biomass, root lateral expansion, N2 fixation and seed reserve depletion that allowing classification of legume species regarding their soil N uptake ability during early growth.

This study aims to establish if there is some sensory variability among fonio landraces. Fonio, the oldest indigenous and very tasty cereal growing in West Africa, is usually consumed as a couscous. Group interviews of consumers were conducted in Bamako, Mali to identify the main quality criteria of a cooked grain. Fonio grain must be swollen, not sticky with a soft consistency, pale and containing low impurities. Sensory properties of 20 fonio landraces from Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso were established using a descriptive sensory analysis. Five sensory descriptors were chosen among the quality criteria. Each landrace was tasted and scored in triplicate by a group of 18 trained panellists. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used. The 20 landraces clustered into four sensory classes. Sensory criteria of variability were first visual characteristics (colour and impurities) and then the consistency of cooked grains. Landraces from Guinea and Mali were variable for both visual and textural characteristics; those from Burkina Faso appeared to be more homo-genous. The sensory variability of fonio offers to processors, who intend to promote this tiny cereal both in the sub-region and beyond, the possibility to choose adapted landraces to develop new products. Keywords : Digitaria exilis, fonio, landraces, cooked grain, sensory variability, Mali African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(15), pp. 1836-1844