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The trial was conducted through 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons on 9 years old "Kalamata" olives cultivated at 5×5 m apart in sandy soil. Trees were irrigated from a well using a drip irrigation system. To investigate the effects of calcium chloride and ascorbic acid as foliar spray Firstly: on yield and fruit quality, Secondly: on the next flowering, fruit set of "Kalamata" olive trees. Sprayed "Kalamata" olive trees with calcium chloride at (1.0 and 1.5%), ascorbic acid at (1500 and 2000 ppm) and calcium chloride at 1.5% combined with ascorbic acid at 2000 ppm were carried out at three times, in mid- May (end of fruit set), in mid-June (during pit hardening) and in performed second week of October. The results revealed that calcium chloride and ascorbic acid foliar spray induced a positive effect on leaf chlorophyll and calcium content, yield, biennial bearing index, fruit quality i.e. pulp thickness and pulp oil content as compared with control treatment of "Kalamata" olive. They also improved the next flowering; number of panicle/shoot, number of total flowers/ panicle, fruit set compared to untreated trees. Briefly, foliar spray "Kalamata" olive trees with calcium chloride at 1.5% plus ascorbic acid at 2000 ppm at three times during fruit development was able to improve yield and fruit quality also, it enhanced the next flowering and fruit set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cactus pear pulp and peel are rich sources of important nutrients and bioactive compounds, which are degraded during dehydration. This work aims to determine the chemical characteristics of fresh juice and peel of Opuntia ficus-indica (yellow cultivar) and Opuntia littoralis (red cultivar), using them in cookies production and evaluating the quality of cookies. Results showed higher TSS, polyphenols, flavonoids and betalains for the red cultivar (either juice or peels), while the yellow cultivar possessed higher pH and carotenoids. The major phenolic acids of all samples are gallic followed by chlorogenic. While the predominant flavonoids are catechins followed by naringenin. Yellow and red juice cookies possessed higher moisture. Yellow or red peel cookies owned higher crude fiber. Yellow and red peel cookies recorded the best microbiological quality. Peel cookies had higher weight and hardness compared to juice cookies which had higher diameters and spread ratio. All produced cookies, are organoleptically accepted. The results suggested that, fresh prickly pear juices and peels could be used in the production of delicious and healthy cookies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siwi cultivar is the most important simi-dry date cultivars in Egypt, its khalal stage has low price and marketing value as a result of its short shelf-life. So, this work aims to utilize Siwi fruits at khalal stage in production of new juices (pure or mixed with pomegranate or cinnamon), as well as evaluate these new juices chemically, sensory and microbiologically during three months of storage at room temperature. The obtained results showed that, date juice blends with pomegranate or cinnamon had higher content of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins in comparison with pure date juice, whereas pomegranate led to decrease TSS, reducing and total sugars in opposite situation with cinnamon. Also, adding pomegranate or cinnamon led to improve the microbial quality of the produced juices comparing to pure date juice. Results of sensory evaluation demonstrated that all studied date juices are accepted organoleptically. These mentioned results proposed that, Siwi date fruits at khalal stage (separately or combined with pomegranate or cinnamon) could be use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants of the Allium genus produce sulphur compounds that give them a characteristic (alliaceous) flavour and mediate for their medicinal use. In this study, the chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of Allium cepa red cv. and A. sativum in the context of three different drying processes were assessed using metabolomics. Bulbs were dried using either microwave, air drying, or freeze drying and further subjected to chemical analysis of their composition of volatile and non-volatile metabolites. Volatiles were collected using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with 42 identified volatiles including 30 sulphur compounds, four nitriles, three aromatics, and three esters. Profiling of the polar non-volatile metabolites via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution MS (UPLC/MS) annotated 51 metabolites including dipeptides, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids. Major peaks in GC/MS or UPLC/MS contributing to the discrimination between A. sativum and A. cepa red cv. were assigned to sulphur compounds and flavonoids. Whereas sulphur conjugates amounted to the major forms in A. sativum , flavonoids predominated in the chemical composition of A. cepa red cv. With regard to drying impact on Allium metabolites, notable and clear separations among specimens were revealed using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA scores plot of the UPLC/MS dataset showed closer metabolite composition of microwave dried specimens to freeze dried ones, and distant from air dried bulbs, observed in both A. cepa and A. sativum . Compared to GC/MS, the UPLC/MS derived PCA model was more consistent and better in assessing the impact of drying on Allium metabolism. A phthalate derivative was found exclusively in a commercial garlic preparation via GC/MS, of yet unknown origin. The freeze dried samples of both Allium species exhibited stronger antimicrobial activities compared to dried specimens with A. sativum being in general more active than A. cepa red cv.