Search

The general aim of the project SUS&LOW is to increase the sustainability of fresh produce by testing and implementing lowinput agricultural practices (LIP) with positive impact on product quality with the support of nondestructive (ND) tools for realtime quality assessment and for product discrimination. Additionally, new marketing strategies are generated to better support the added value of the products and to satisfy the final consumers' preferences. The SUS&LOW project consists of three work packages (WP) and the adopted methodology used two model crops: rocket salad and tomato. The WP1, focused on the reduction of agricultural inputs, showed that sensorbased fertigation management might improve sustainability of soilless cultivation. Results coming from WP2, aimed to the evaluation of ND techniques, outlined the high potentiality of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and Fourier transformednear infrared (FTNIR) techniques for the authentication of sustainable growing methods. Moreover, project activities' proved computer vision system (CVS) as an effective tool for evaluating the product quality also through the bag. The WP3, dealing with marketing strategies, indicated a positive approach of consumers compared to LIP products certified through a visual storytelling platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Table grapes are characterized by high susceptibility to mold development during postharvest, mostly due to Botrytis cinerea. Microwave application on readytoeat product can represent an alternative to antifungal treatment. With the aim of identifying the maximum energy that can be applied on grape without detrimental effects a Central Composite Design was developed testing the application of 10 combinations of treatment time (seconds) and microwave power (Watt). As a result, energies above 8000 kJ negatively affected the sensorial quality of fresh product, both in the presence and absence of B. cinerea inoculum (106 log CFU g1). The physicochemical parameters did not show significant differences, but two time/power combinations improved sensory quality of table grape, being selected for the subsequent packaging trial: 14 s/100 W and 80 s/100 W. Treatments were applied before or after packaging in polypropylene bags. At the end of storage period, 100 W applied for 80 seconds before packaging led to a better external appearance of the product than the other treatments, maintaining an intermediate level of mesophilic bacterial load and no significant differences in terms of nutritional quality. 80 seconds at 100 Watt combined with packaging can represent a valuable starting point for further experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to investigate the quality at harvest and during storage of organically and conventionally grown 'Italia' grapes, collected from 2 different locations in Southern Italy. Four vineyards were chosen in order to have an organic and a conventional farm in each location. Before harvest, six plants per vineyard were randomly selected and considered as treatment replicate. Three bunches were harvested and labelled from each plant. In laboratory each bunch was weighed and thirty berries per bunch were detached and used for initial determination which included morphological (berry weight and dimension, peel thickness) and physical (berry color and firmness) attributes, maturity indices (respiration rate, soluble solids content and titratable acidity), and nutritional composition (phenol content, antioxidant activity, sugar and organic acid composition, ascorbic acid content). Then, the bunches from each replicate were kept in individual 15L jars at 0°C and connected to a humidified air flow throughout the whole experiment. After 7 and 14 days of storage, respiration rate, weight loss, physical and nutritional attributes were also monitored on 20 berries per bunch. Location and agricultural practices affected to a different extent several grapes quality attributes, both at harvest and during storage. Maturity stage, sugar content and berry color were significantly affected by the location, while antioxidantrelated compounds were significantly higher in organic grapes. Plant production and bunch weight were significantly higher for conventionally grown grapes, which also received the highest evaluation of external appearance, in terms of stalk dehydration and berry general aspect. Differences among conventional and organic grapes were maintained, for each location, during storage at 0°C. Conventional grapes maintained a higher visual quality during storage, resulting after 14 days below the limit of marketability (score 3) but above the edibility limit (score 2); whereas in one location organic grapes were judged not edible. Results showed a higher nutritional value in grapes obtained with the organic farming system although in terms of visual quality, storability and yield, conventional fruit had a better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]