apple yield quality: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for apple yield quality

Avoiding a bad apple: Insect pollination enhances fruit quality and economic value☆

PubMed Central

Garratt, M.P.D.; Breeze, T.D.; Jenner, N.; Polce, C.; Biesmeijer, J.C.; Potts, S.G.

2014-01-01

Insect pollination is important for food production globally and apples are one of the major fruit crops which are reliant on this ecosystem service. It is fundamentally important that the full range of benefits of insect pollination to crop production are understood, if the costs of interventions aiming to enhance pollination are to be compared against the costs of the interventions themselves. Most previous studies have simply assessed the benefits of pollination to crop yield and ignored quality benefits and how these translate through to economic values. In the present study we examine the influence of insect pollination services on farmgate output of two important UK apple varieties; Gala and Cox. Using field experiments, we quantify the influence of insect pollination on yield and importantly quality and whether either may be limited by sub-optimal insect pollination. Using an expanded bioeconomic model we value insect pollination to UK apple production and establish the potential for improvement through pollination service management. We show that insects are essential in the production of both varieties of apple in the UK and contribute a total of £36.7 million per annum, over £6 million more than the value calculated using more conventional dependence ratio methods. Insect pollination not only affects the quantity of production but can also have marked impacts on the quality of apples, influencing size, shape and effecting their classification for market. These effects are variety specific however. Due to the influence of pollination on both yield and quality in Gala, there is potential for insect pollination services to improve UK output by up to £5.7 million per annum. Our research shows that continued pollinator decline could have serious financial implications for the apple industry but there is considerable scope through management of wild pollinators or using managed pollinator augmentation, to improve the quality of production. Furthermore, we show that it is critically important to consider all production parameters including quality, varietal differences and management costs when valuing the pollination service of any crop so investment in pollinator management can be proportional to its contribution. PMID:24748698
Avoiding a bad apple: Insect pollination enhances fruit quality and economic value.

PubMed

Garratt, M P D; Breeze, T D; Jenner, N; Polce, C; Biesmeijer, J C; Potts, S G

2014-02-01

Insect pollination is important for food production globally and apples are one of the major fruit crops which are reliant on this ecosystem service. It is fundamentally important that the full range of benefits of insect pollination to crop production are understood, if the costs of interventions aiming to enhance pollination are to be compared against the costs of the interventions themselves. Most previous studies have simply assessed the benefits of pollination to crop yield and ignored quality benefits and how these translate through to economic values. In the present study we examine the influence of insect pollination services on farmgate output of two important UK apple varieties; Gala and Cox. Using field experiments, we quantify the influence of insect pollination on yield and importantly quality and whether either may be limited by sub-optimal insect pollination. Using an expanded bioeconomic model we value insect pollination to UK apple production and establish the potential for improvement through pollination service management. We show that insects are essential in the production of both varieties of apple in the UK and contribute a total of £36.7 million per annum, over £6 million more than the value calculated using more conventional dependence ratio methods. Insect pollination not only affects the quantity of production but can also have marked impacts on the quality of apples, influencing size, shape and effecting their classification for market. These effects are variety specific however. Due to the influence of pollination on both yield and quality in Gala, there is potential for insect pollination services to improve UK output by up to £5.7 million per annum. Our research shows that continued pollinator decline could have serious financial implications for the apple industry but there is considerable scope through management of wild pollinators or using managed pollinator augmentation, to improve the quality of production. Furthermore, we show that it is critically important to consider all production parameters including quality, varietal differences and management costs when valuing the pollination service of any crop so investment in pollinator management can be proportional to its contribution.
Comparison of various RNA extraction methods, cDNA preparation and isolation of calmodulin gene from a highly melanized isolate of apple leaf blotch fungus Marssonina coronaria.

PubMed

Chauhan, Arjun; Sharma, J N; Modgil, Manju; Siddappa, Sundaresha

2018-05-29

Marssonina coronaria causes apple blotch disease resulting in severe premature defoliation, and is distributed in many leading apple-growing areas in the world. Effective, reliable and high-quality RNA extraction is an indispensable procedure in any molecular biology study. No method currently exists for RNA extraction from M. coronaria that produces a high quantity of melanin-free RNA. Therefore, we evaluated eight RNA extraction methods including manual and commercial kits, to yield a sufficient quantity of high-quality and melanin-free RNA. Manual methods used here resulted in low quality and black colored RNA pellets showing the presence of melanin, despite all the modifications employed to original procedures. However, these methods when coupled with clean up resulted in melanin-free RNA. On the other hand, all commercial kits used were able to yield high-quality melanin-free RNA having variable yields. TRIzol™ Reagent + RNA Clean & Concentrator™-5 and Ambion-PureLink® RNA Mini Kit were found to be the best methods as the RNA extracted with these methods from 15 day old fungal culture grown on solid medium were free of melanin with good yield. RNA extracted by this improved methodology was applied for RT-PCR, subsequent PCR amplification, and isolation of calmodulin gene sequences from M. coronaria and infected apple leaf pieces. These methods are more time effective than traditional methods and take only an hour to complete. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the method of isolation of high-quality RNA for cDNA synthesis as well as isolation of the calmodulin gene sequence from this fungus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Combining Costs and Benefits of Animal Activities to Assess Net Yield Outcomes in Apple Orchards

PubMed Central

Luck, Gary W.

2016-01-01

Diverse animal communities influence ecosystem function in agroecosystems through positive and negative plant-animal interactions. Yet, past research has largely failed to examine multiple interactions that can have opposing impacts on agricultural production in a given context. We collected data on arthropod communities and yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss and net outcomes) in three major apple-growing regions in south-eastern Australia. We quantified the net yield outcome (accounting for positive and negative interactions) of multiple animal activities (pollination, fruit damage, biological control) across the entire growing season on netted branches, which excluded vertebrate predators of arthropods, and open branches. Net outcome was calculated as the number of undamaged fruit at harvest as a proportion of the number of blossoms (i.e., potential fruit yield). Vertebrate exclusion resulted in lower levels of fruit set and higher levels of arthropod damage to apples, but did not affect net outcomes. Yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss, net outcomes) were not directly associated with arthropod functional groups. Model variance and significant differences between the ratio of pest to beneficial arthropods between regions indicated that complex relationships between environmental factors and multiple animal interactions have a combined effect on yield. Our results show that focusing on a single crop stage, species group or ecosystem function/service can overlook important complexity in ecological processes within the system. Accounting for this complexity and quantifying the net outcome of ecological interactions within the system, is more informative for research and management of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. PMID:27391022
Combining Costs and Benefits of Animal Activities to Assess Net Yield Outcomes in Apple Orchards.

PubMed

Saunders, Manu E; Luck, Gary W

2016-01-01

Diverse animal communities influence ecosystem function in agroecosystems through positive and negative plant-animal interactions. Yet, past research has largely failed to examine multiple interactions that can have opposing impacts on agricultural production in a given context. We collected data on arthropod communities and yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss and net outcomes) in three major apple-growing regions in south-eastern Australia. We quantified the net yield outcome (accounting for positive and negative interactions) of multiple animal activities (pollination, fruit damage, biological control) across the entire growing season on netted branches, which excluded vertebrate predators of arthropods, and open branches. Net outcome was calculated as the number of undamaged fruit at harvest as a proportion of the number of blossoms (i.e., potential fruit yield). Vertebrate exclusion resulted in lower levels of fruit set and higher levels of arthropod damage to apples, but did not affect net outcomes. Yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss, net outcomes) were not directly associated with arthropod functional groups. Model variance and significant differences between the ratio of pest to beneficial arthropods between regions indicated that complex relationships between environmental factors and multiple animal interactions have a combined effect on yield. Our results show that focusing on a single crop stage, species group or ecosystem function/service can overlook important complexity in ecological processes within the system. Accounting for this complexity and quantifying the net outcome of ecological interactions within the system, is more informative for research and management of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes.
Temporally dependent pollinator competition and facilitation with mass flowering crops affects yield in co-blooming crops

PubMed Central

Grab, Heather; Blitzer, Eleanor J.; Danforth, Bryan; Loeb, Greg; Poveda, Katja

2017-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in sustainable agricultural production is managing ecosystem services, such as pollination, in ways that maximize crop yields. Most efforts to increase services by wild pollinators focus on management of natural habitats surrounding farms or non-crop habitats within farms. However, mass flowering crops create resource pulses that may be important determinants of pollinator dynamics. Mass bloom attracts pollinators and it is unclear how this affects the pollination and yields of other co-blooming crops. We investigated the effects of mass flowering apple on the pollinator community and yield of co-blooming strawberry on farms spanning a gradient in cover of apple orchards in the landscape. The effect of mass flowering apple on strawberry was dependent on the stage of apple bloom. During early and peak apple bloom, pollinator abundance and yield were reduced in landscapes with high cover of apple orchards. Following peak apple bloom, pollinator abundance was greater on farms with high apple cover and corresponded with increased yields on these farms. Spatial and temporal overlap between mass flowering and co-blooming crops alters the strength and direction of these dynamics and suggests that yields can be optimized by designing agricultural systems that avoid competition while maximizing facilitation. PMID:28345653
Simulation of Long-term Yield and Soil Water Consumption in Apple Orchards on the Loess Plateau, China, in Response to Fertilization.

PubMed

Peng, Xingxing; Guo, Zheng; Zhang, Yujiao; Li, Jun

2017-07-14

The Loess Plateau, China, is the world's largest apple-producing region, and over 80% of the orchards are in rainfed (dryland) areas. Desiccation of the deep soil layer under dryland apple orchards is the main stressor of apple production in this region. Fertilization is a factor that causes soil desiccation in dryland apple orchards. Given its applicability and precision validations, the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model was used to simulate the dynamics of fruit yield and deep soil desiccation in apple orchards under six fertilization treatments. During the 45 years of study, the annual fruit yield under the fertilization treatments initially increased and then decreased in a fluctuating manner, and the average fruit yields were 24.42, 27.27, 28.69, 29.63, 30.49 and 29.43 t/ha in these respective fertilization treatments. As fertilization increased, yield of the apple orchards increased first and then declined,desiccation of the soil layers occurred earlier and extended deeper, and the average annual water consumption, over-consumption and water use efficiency increased as fertilization increased. In terms of apple yields, sustainable soil water use, and economic benefits, the most appropriate fertilization rate for drylands in Luochuan is 360-480 kg/ha N and 180-240 kg/ha P.
Hydrology, phosphorus, and suspended solids in five agricultural streams in the Lower Fox River and Green Bay Watersheds, Wisconsin, Water Years 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graczyk, David J.; Robertson, Dale M.; Baumgart, Paul D.; Fermanich, Kevin J.

2011-01-01

The average annual TSS yields ranged from 111 tons/mi2 in Apple Creek to 45 tons/mi2 in Duck Creek. All five watersheds yielded more TSS than the median value (32.4 tons/mi2) from previous studies in the Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains (SWTP) ecoregion. The average annual TP yields ranged from 663 lbs/mi2 in Baird Creek to 382 lbs/mi2 in Duck Creek. All five watersheds yielded more TP than the median value from previous studies in the SWTP ecoregion, and the Baird Creek watershed yielded more TP than the statewide median of 650 lbs/mi2 from previous studies.Overall, Duck Creek had the lowest median and volumetric weighted concentrations and mean yield of TSS and TP. The same pattern was true for dissolved phosphorus (DP), except the volumetrically weighted concentration was lowest in the East River. In contrast, Ashwaubenon, Baird, and Apple Creeks had greater median and volumetrically weighted concentrations and mean yields of TSS, TP, DP than Duck Creek and the East River. Water quality in Duck Creek and East River were distinctly different from Ashwaubenon, Baird, and Apple Creeks. Loads from individual runoff events for all of these streams were important to the total annual mass transport of the constituents. On average, about 20 percent of the annual TSS loads and about 17 percent of the TP loads were transported in 1-day events in each stream.
Mitigation of Water Stress on Apple Trees under Rotational Irrigation Conditions by Increasing the Application Rate of Organic Fertilizers to Sandy Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamed, Lamy Mamdoh Mohamed; Ramadan Eid, Abdelraouf; Mohsmed Rabie Abdellatif Abdelaziz, Adel; Fathy Abdelsalam Essa, El-Sayed

2016-04-01

Egypt, as part of Mediterranean regions, is characterized by irregular and low rainfall amount which varies between (30-150 mm.year-1), and characterized also by high temperature which increase the rate of evapotranspiration from the cultivated soil. On the other hand, New reclaimed soils are mostly occupies around 84 % of total area of Egypt, which is mainly sandy soils. These soils generally characterized by low water capacity holding, soil organic matter, and weak in nutrients retention. Under these conditions which have a great influence on crop production, there is a great needing to increase the crop water use efficiency and increasing of nutrient retention in sandy soils. In this context, two field experiments were carried out on sand soil located in north Cairo-Egypt at the experimental farm of National Research Center, El-NUBARIA, (latitude 30° 30' N, and longitude 30° 19' E). The effect of compost rates on soil hydraulic characteristics, fruit yields, quality traits, and water use efficiency and productivity of apple tree (Apple Anna Cultivar), was studied under deficit irrigation conditions. Four rates of compost [I1: control, I2: 12 ton.ha-1., I3: 24 ton.ha-1., I4: 36 ton.ha-1. and I5:48 ton.ha-1.] were applied under irrigation frequencies of (IF1 :once per week; IF2 :twice per week, IF3 :three times per week). The obtained results indicated that by increasing the application rate of compost, the available water capacity and saturated water content of sandy soil have been enhanced. In the same time, the fruit yield, quality traits and water productivity were increased by increasing the application rate of compost. It is worthy to mention that the I5IF3 treatment gave the highest values of fruit yield, quality traits and water productivity, whereas I1IF1 treatment gave the lowest values of all the above mentioned variables. As result, for apple cultivation in El-NUBARIA region, the recommended rate of compost is 48 ton.ha-1 and irrigation frequency must be three times per week (IF3) under drip irrigation system to mitigate the negative effect of water stress on apple trees.
Fast Estimation of Dietary Fiber Content in Apple.

PubMed

Le Gall, Sophie; Even, Sonia; Lahaye, Marc

2016-02-17

Dietary fibers (DF) are one of the nutritional benefits of fleshy fruit consumption that is becoming a quality criterion for genetic selection by breeders. However, the AOAC total DF content determination is not readily amenable for screening large fruit collections. A new screening method of DF content in an apple collection based on the automated preparation of cell wall material as an alcohol-insoluble residue (AIR) is proposed. The yield of AIR from 27 apple genotypes was compared with DF measured according to AOAC method 985.29. Although residual protein content in AIRs did not affect DF measurement, subtraction of starch content above 3% dry weight in AIRs was needed to agree with AOAC measured DF. A fast colorimetric screening of starch in AIR was developed to detect samples needing correction. The proposed method may prove useful for the rapid determination of DF in collections of other fleshy fruit besides apple.
Long-term experiment with orchard floor management systems: influence on apple yield and chemical composition.

PubMed

Slatnar, Ana; Licznar-Malanczuk, Maria; Mikulic-Petkovsek, Maja; Stampar, Franci; Veberic, Robert

2014-05-07

The study focuses on the response of apple primary and secondary metabolism and some important quality parameters to three living mulch treatments, classical herbicide fallow, and black polypropylene strip application in two apple cultivars. Primary and secondary metabolites were analyzed after 10 years of ground cover experiments. Soluble solids, firmness, and color measurements indicate differences among orchard floor management treatments. Significantly, lower levels of individual sugars have been measured in fruit of different living mulch treatments compared with fruit harvested from trees subjected to the herbicide strip treatment. Total sugar content was higher in fruit of the herbicide strip treatment in both cultivars analyzed. Significantly higher levels of total organic acids were only detected in 'Pinova' fruit of the Festuca ovina L. treatment. Long-term response of both cultivars to living mulch treatments indicated that apples increase the accumulation of almost all analyzed individual phenolic compounds.
Cold Atmospheric-Pressure Plasmas Applied to Active Packaging of Fruits and Vegetables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedrow, Patrick; Fernandez, Sulmer; Pitts, Marvin

2008-10-01

Active packaging of fruits and vegetables uses films that absorb molecules from or contribute molecules to the produce. Applying uniform film to specific parts of a plant will enhance safe and economic adoption of expensive biofilms and biochemicals which would damage the plant or surrounding environment if misapplied. The pilot application will be to apply wax film to apples, replacing hot wax which is expensive and lowers the textural quality of the apple. The plasma zone will be obtained by increasing the voltage on an electrode structure until the electric field in the feed material (Argon + monomer) is sufficiently high to yield electron avalanches. The ``corona onset criterion'' is used to design the cold plasma reactor. The apple will be placed in a treatment chamber downstream from the activation zone. Key physical properties of the film will be measured. The deposition rate will be optimized in terms of economics and fruit surface quality for the purpose of determining if the technique is competitive in food processing plants.
Minimizing quality changes of cloudy apple juice: The use of kiwifruit puree and high pressure homogenization.

PubMed

Yi, Junjie; Kebede, Biniam; Kristiani, Kristiani; Grauwet, Tara; Van Loey, Ann; Hendrickx, Marc

2018-05-30

Cloud loss, enzymatic browning, and flavor changes are important quality defects of cloudy fruit juices determining consumer acceptability. The development of clean label options to overcome such quality problems is currently of high interest. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of kiwifruit puree (clean label ingredient) and high pressure homogenization on quality changes of cloudy apple juice using a multivariate approach. The use of kiwifruit puree addition and high pressure homogenization resulted in a juice with improved uniformity and cloud stability by reducing particle size and increasing viscosity and yield stress (p < 0.01). Furthermore, kiwifruit puree addition reduced enzymatic browning (ΔE ∗  < 3), due to the increased ascorbic acid and contributed to a more saturated and bright yellow color, a better taste balance, and a more fruity aroma of juice. This work demonstrates that clean label options to control quality degradation of cloudy fruit juice might offer new opportunities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of Apple Juice Concentrate, Blackcurrant Concentrate and Pectin Levels on Selected Qualities of Apple-Blackcurrant Fruit Leather.

PubMed

Diamante, Lemuel M; Li, Siwei; Xu, Qianqian; Busch, Janette

2013-09-12

A study was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of apple juice concentrate (AJC), blackcurrant concentrate (BCC) and pectin on the moisture content, water activity, color, texture and ascorbic acid content of apple-blackcurrant fruit leather using the response surface methodology. The results showed the moisture content increased with increasing pectin level and with greater increases at higher AJC and BCC levels while the water activity increased with increasing pectin level and with increasing AJC level, at low pectin levels, but with decreasing AJC, at high pectin levels. The chroma decreased with increasing pectin level and with lower values at the middle AJC level. The puncturing force decreased with increasing AJC level but with a lower value at the middle pectin level. Lastly, the ascorbic acid content increased with increasing BCC level regardless of AJC and pectin levels. There is a need to reduce the drying temperature or time of apple-blackcurrant fruit leather just enough to bring the water activity closer to 0.60, thereby increasing the moisture content resulting in higher product yield.
Effects of Apple Juice Concentrate, Blackcurrant Concentrate and Pectin Levels on Selected Qualities of Apple-Blackcurrant Fruit Leather

PubMed Central

Diamante, Lemuel M.; Li, Siwei; Xu, Qianqian; Busch, Janette

2013-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of apple juice concentrate (AJC), blackcurrant concentrate (BCC) and pectin on the moisture content, water activity, color, texture and ascorbic acid content of apple-blackcurrant fruit leather using the response surface methodology. The results showed the moisture content increased with increasing pectin level and with greater increases at higher AJC and BCC levels while the water activity increased with increasing pectin level and with increasing AJC level, at low pectin levels, but with decreasing AJC, at high pectin levels. The chroma decreased with increasing pectin level and with lower values at the middle AJC level. The puncturing force decreased with increasing AJC level but with a lower value at the middle pectin level. Lastly, the ascorbic acid content increased with increasing BCC level regardless of AJC and pectin levels. There is a need to reduce the drying temperature or time of apple-blackcurrant fruit leather just enough to bring the water activity closer to 0.60, thereby increasing the moisture content resulting in higher product yield. PMID:28239127
Yield and quality of pectins extractable from the peels of thai mango cultivars depending on fruit ripeness.

PubMed

Sirisakulwat, Suparat; Nagel, Andreas; Sruamsiri, Pittaya; Carle, Reinhold; Neidhart, Sybille

2008-11-26

Pectins, recovered from the peels of four mango ( Mangifera indica L.) cultivars by mimicking industrial techniques, were evaluated in terms of yield, composition, macromolecular properties, and technofunctional quality. Freeze-dried peels of mature-green fruits, after major mesocarp softening, and at full ripeness were extracted using hot acid. The pectins were precipitated in propan-2-ol and their crude yields quantified as alcohol-insoluble substance. Like apple pomace, the dried peels provided hardly acetylated (DAc < 6.3%) rapid-set to ultrarapid-set high-methoxyl pectins at starch-adjusted yields of 11-21 g/100 g. However, despite similar high molecular weight fractions and galacturonic acid/rhamnose ratios, their average molecular weight was markedly reduced by a characteristic, almost monodisperse fraction of 16000-19000. Expanded galactans, indicated by galactose/rhamnose ratios of 15-24 mol/mol, probably represented arabinogalactan side-chain fragments withstanding hot-acid extraction at pH 1.5 and 2.0, as implied by arabinose/galactose ratios of 8-15 and 33-56 mol/100 mol, respectively. Limited galacturonic acid contents made the mango peel pectins less valuable than commercial apple pectins with regard to gelling capacity and thickening properties. Whereas starch and matrix glycan fragments almost completely degraded during ripening, depolymerization of pectins and galactans was insignificant. Technofunctional properties, modulated by extraction at different pH values, were ascribed to structural differences influencing macromolecular entanglements.
Acceleration of pH variation in cloudy apple juice using electrodialysis with bipolar membranes.

PubMed

Lam Quoc, A; Lamarche, F; Makhlouf, J

2000-06-01

The purpose of this study was to accelerate pH variation in cloudy apple juice using electrodialysis (ED). The testing was conducted using two ED configurations. The bipolar and cationic membrane configuration showed that reducing the spacing from 8 to 0.75 mm had little effect on treatment time, whereas stacking eight bipolar membranes reduced acidification time by 30%, although the treatment still took too long (21 min). Furthermore, it was not possible to acidify apple juice to a pH of 2.0 to completely inhibit enzymatic browning. The bipolar and anionic membrane configuration helped to accelerate the acidification step by a factor of 3, increasing the yield from 3.3 to 10 L of juice/m(2) membrane/min. Moreover, treatment time was inversely proportional to the size of the membrane stack. The speed at which the pH of acidified juice returned to its initial value was, however, 4 times slower than the speed of acidification, giving a yield of 2.5 L of juice/m(2) membrane/min. By accelerating the acidification step, ED treatment with bipolar and anionic membranes results in more effective polyphenol oxidase activity and more rapid control of juice browning at pH 2.0. Also, the treatment has very little effect on the chemical composition and organoleptic quality of apple juice.
Effect of enzymatic mash treatment and storage on phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, and turbidity of cloudy apple juice.

PubMed

Oszmiański, Jan; Wojdylo, Aneta; Kolniak, Joanna

2009-08-12

The effects of different commercial enzymatic mash treatments on yield, turbidity, color, and polyphenolic and sediment of procyanidins content of cloudy apple juice were studied. Addition of pectolytic enzymes to mash treatment had positive effect on the production of cloud apple juices by improving polyphenolic contents, especially procyanidins and juice yields (68.3% in control samples to 77% after Pectinex Yield Mash). As summary of the effect of enzymatic mash treatment, polyphenol contents in cloudy apple juices significantly increased after Pectinex Yield Mash, Pectinex Smash XXL, and Pectinex XXL maceration were applied but no effect was observed after Pectinex Ultra-SPL I Panzym XXL use, compared to the control samples. The content of polymeric procyanidins represented 50-70% of total polyphenols, but in the present study, polymeric procyanidins were significantly lower in juices than in fruits and also affected by enzymatic treatment (Pectinex AFP L-4 and Panzym Yield Mash) compared to the control samples. The enzymatic treatment decreased procyanidin content in most sediment with the exception of Pectinex Smash XXL and Pectinex AFP L-4. Generally in samples that were treated by pectinase, radical scavenging activity of cloudy apple juices was increased compared to the untreated reference samples. The highest radical scavenging activity was associated with Pectinex Yield Mash, Pectinex Smash XXL, and Pectinex XXL enzyme and the lowest activity with Pectinex Ultra SP-L and Pectinex APFL-4. However, in the case of enzymatic mash treatment cloudy apple juices showed instability of turbidity and low viscosity. These results must be ascribed to the much higher hydrolysis of pectin by enzymatic preparation which is responsible for viscosity. During 6 months of storage at 4 degrees C small changes in analyzed parameters of apple juices were observed.
Smartphone-based grading of apple quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xianglin; Li, Ting

2018-02-01

Apple quality grading is a critical issue in apple industry which is one economical pillar of many countries. Artificial grading is inefficient and of poor accuracy. Here we proposed to develop a portable, convenient, real-time, and low cost method aimed at grading apple. Color images of the apples were collected with a smartphone and the grade of sampled apple was assessed by a customized smartphone app, which offered the functions translating RGB color values of the apple to color grade and translating the edge of apple image to weight grade. The algorithms are based on modeling with a large number of apple image at different grades. The apple grade data evaluated by the smartphone are in accordance with the actual data. This study demonstrated the potential of smart phone in apple quality grading/online monitoring at gathering and transportation stage for apple industry.
Cost-benefit trade-offs of bird activity in apple orchards.

PubMed

Peisley, Rebecca K; Saunders, Manu E; Luck, Gary W

2016-01-01

Birds active in apple orchards in south-eastern Australia can contribute positively (e.g., control crop pests) or negatively (e.g., crop damage) to crop yields. Our study is the first to identify net outcomes of these activities, using six apple orchards, varying in management intensity, in south-eastern Australia as a study system. We also conducted a predation experiment using real and artificial codling moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae (a major pest in apple crops). We found that: (1) excluding birds from branches of apple trees resulted in an average of 12.8% more apples damaged by insects; (2) bird damage to apples was low (1.9% of apples); and (3) when trading off the potential benefits (biological control) with costs (bird damage to apples), birds provided an overall net benefit to orchard growers. We found that predation of real codling moth larvae was higher than for plasticine larvae, suggesting that plasticine prey models are not useful for inferring actual predation levels. Our study shows how complex ecological interactions between birds and invertebrates affect crop yield in apples, and provides practical strategies for improving the sustainability of orchard systems.

Alternatives to copper in Scab control affect mineral composition in leaves and fruits of apple varieties with reduced Scab susceptibility or Scab resistance.

PubMed

Gobin, B; Misotten, C; Creemers, P

2006-01-01

Scab (Venturia inaequalis) is the principal disease endangering both integrated and organic apple production. Scab pressure tends to build up over the years and organic farmers rely mainly on copper and sulphur treatments for control. The use of Cu in crop protection received scrutiny in recent years as this metal tends to accumulate in soil and substrates. A number of alternative organic control substances have been proposed, with variable success in scab control. We investigated the effect of these alternative organic scab control measures on several apple varieties with low scab susceptibility. The choice of scab treatments had important effects on the mineral composition of leaves and fruits. As these values affect current and future yield in perennial crops, as well as storage quality, the use of certain scab control agents requires corrective application of nutrients during and in-between growth seasons.
Effect of mash maceration on the polyphenolic content and visual quality attributes of cloudy apple juice.

PubMed

Mihalev, Kiril; Schieber, Andreas; Mollov, Plamen; Carle, Reinhold

2004-12-01

The effects of enzymatic mash treatments on yield, turbidity, color, and polyphenolic content of cloudy apple juice were studied. Using HPLC-ESI-MS, cryptochlorogenic acid was identified in cv. Brettacher cloudy apple juice for the first time. Commercial pectolytic enzyme preparations with different levels of secondary protease activity were tested under both oxidative and nonoxidative conditions. Without the addition of ascorbic acid, oxidation substantially decreased chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2 contents due to enzymatic browning. The content of chlorogenic acid as the major polyphenolic compound was also influenced by the composition of pectolytic enzyme preparations because the presence of secondary protease activity resulted in a rise of chlorogenic acid. The latter effect was probably due to the inhibited protein-polyphenol interactions, which prevented binding of polyphenolic compounds to the matrix, thus increasing their antioxidative potential. The results obtained clearly demonstrate the advantage of the nonoxidative mash maceration for the production of cloud-stable apple juice with a high polyphenolic content, particularly in a premature processing campaign.
In vivo automated quantification of quality of apples during storage using optical coherence tomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Vishal; Dalal, Devjyoti; Kumar, Anuj; Prakash, Surya; Dalal, Krishna

2018-06-01

Moisture content is an important feature of fruits and vegetables. As 80% of apple content is water, so decreasing the moisture content will degrade the quality of apples (Golden Delicious). The computational and texture features of the apples were extracted from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. A support vector machine with a Gaussian kernel model was used to perform automated classification. To evaluate the quality of wax coated apples during storage in vivo, our proposed method opens up the possibility of fully automated quantitative analysis based on the morphological features of apples. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of the computational and texture features of OCT images may be a good non-destructive method for the assessment of the quality of apples.
Cost-benefit trade-offs of bird activity in apple orchards

PubMed Central

Saunders, Manu E.; Luck, Gary W.

2016-01-01

Birds active in apple orchards in south–eastern Australia can contribute positively (e.g., control crop pests) or negatively (e.g., crop damage) to crop yields. Our study is the first to identify net outcomes of these activities, using six apple orchards, varying in management intensity, in south–eastern Australia as a study system. We also conducted a predation experiment using real and artificial codling moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae (a major pest in apple crops). We found that: (1) excluding birds from branches of apple trees resulted in an average of 12.8% more apples damaged by insects; (2) bird damage to apples was low (1.9% of apples); and (3) when trading off the potential benefits (biological control) with costs (bird damage to apples), birds provided an overall net benefit to orchard growers. We found that predation of real codling moth larvae was higher than for plasticine larvae, suggesting that plasticine prey models are not useful for inferring actual predation levels. Our study shows how complex ecological interactions between birds and invertebrates affect crop yield in apples, and provides practical strategies for improving the sustainability of orchard systems. PMID:27413639
Consumption of apples is associated with a better diet quality and reduced risk of obesity in children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most children do not meet the recommendation for fruit consumption. Apples are the second most commonly consumed fruit in the US; however, no studies have examined the association of total apple products, apples, apple sauce, and 100 % apple juice consumption on diet quality and weight/adiposity in ...
Yield, fruit quality, contents and sensory quality of old apple varieties trained as slender spindle under organic and integrated cultivation conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wurm, Lothar; Gössinger, Manfred; Wendelin, Silvia; Martina, Kieler; Thomas, Rühmer; Walter, Brandes; Kathrin, Sigl

2015-04-01

Between 2006 and 2013 the old apple varieties 'Ananas Reinette', 'llzer Rosenapfel', 'Kronprinz Rudolf', 'Steirischer Maschanzker', 'Goldparmäne', 'Roter Boskoop', 'Ribston Pepping', 'Steirische Schafnase', 'Winterbananenapfel', 'Lavanttaler Bananenapfel', 'Himbeerapfel' and 'Florianer Rosmarin' (from 2009 on also 'Roter Berlepsch', 'Cox Orange' and 'Kanada Reinette') were tested for their fresh market suitability at the experimental orchard Haschhof of the HBLA and BA für Wein- und Obstbau Klosterneuburg under organic and integrated cultivation (IP) conditions trained as slender spindle. In 2010 the effect of an organic and a combined "integrated-organic summer" plant protection strategie on fruit quality and pesticide residues was tested in addition. No pesticide residues were detected in fruits of both plant protection strategies, expect on fruits of "integrated-organic summer" Schafnase in 2010. At harvest 2010 the bio-variant showed a significantly higher percentage of fruits with skin defects. The losses due to parasitic diseases during storage were strongly depending on the cultivar, but hardly affected by the plant protection strategy in this year. Looking at the entire experimental period, most of the varieties in the organic plot showed a comparable fruiting performance as those in the IP plot. The best fruiting performances were found with 'Winterbananenapfel', 'Roter Boskoop' and 'Kronprinz Rudolf', while the cumulative yield of 'Florianer Rosmarin', 'Himbeerapfel' and 'Lavanttaler Bananenapfel' remained below average. With respect to external fruit quality and storability 'Winterbananenapfel', 'Steirischer Maschanzker', 'Roter Boskoop', 'Kronprinz Rudolf' and 'Ilzer Rosenapfel' showed comparatively good results. With 'Ananas Reinette' the significantly lowest total phenolics contents were determined. 'Kanada Reinette', 'Roter Boskoop' and 'Ananas Reinette' showed a high acidity. High contents of soluble solids were found with 'Goldparmäne', 'Roter Berlepsch' and 'Ribston Pepping'. As fresh fruit 'Roter Berlepsch', 'Kronprinz Rudolf', 'Ilzer Rosenapfel', 'Ananasrenette', 'Roter Boskoop' and 'Goldparmäne' were rated the best, 'Cox Orange', 'Kronprinz Rudolf' and 'Ilzer Rosenapfel' were the best varieties for apple juice.
Effect of pectinase treatment on extraction of antioxidant phenols from pomace, for the production of puree-enriched cloudy apple juices.

PubMed

Oszmiański, Jan; Wojdyło, Aneta; Kolniak, Joanna

2011-07-15

Effects of pomace maceration on yield, turbidity, cloud stability, composition of phenolics, antioxidant activity and colour properties were studied, to evaluate the potential applicability of enzyme preparations in puree-enriched cloudy apple juice production. The yield of mixed juice and puree from pomace obtained in the enzymatic processing of apple ranged from 92.3% to 95.3%, significantly higher than the yield from the control without enzymatic pomace treatment (81.8%). Higher turbidity was obtained upon pomace treatment with Pectinex XXL and Pectinex Ultra SPL enzymes. The total content of phenolic compounds in apple pomace was higher than in raw juices (1520mg/kg and 441mg/L, respectively). The total polyphenol yields were higher in juices treated with Pectinex AFP L-4, Pectinex Yield Mash and Pectinex XXL, as compared to the control treatment. During 6months of storage, a significant change was observed in the content of polyphenols, especially in procyanidin fractions. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
2015 Progress Report – Evaluation of the Cornell-Geneva Apple Rootstocks and Other Promising Apple Rootstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A number of new apple rootstocks from the Cornell/USDA apple rootstock breeding project, located at Geneva, NY which are resistant to fire blight are rapidly becoming available to the industry. These rootstocks are also dwarfing, tolerant to replant disease and productive. Data on cumulative yield...
Transcriptomic analysis of apple fruit ripening and texture attributes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular events regulating cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and sensory quality are largely unknown. Such knowledge is essential for genomic-assisted apple breeding and postharvest quality management. The ripening behavior and texture attributes of two apple cultivars, ‘Pink Lady’ and ‘Honey...
Revealing critical mechanisms of BR-mediated apple nursery tree growth using iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis.

PubMed

Zheng, Liwei; Ma, Juanjuan; Zhang, Lizhi; Gao, Cai; Zhang, Dong; Zhao, Caiping; Han, Mingyu

2018-02-20

Brassinosteroid is identified as an important hormone. However, information about brassinosteroid has not been fully elucidated, and few studies concerned its role in apple. The aim of this work was to study the role of brassinosteroid for apple tree growth. In our study, the effect of brassinosteroid on apple nursery tree was analyzed. The biomass, cell size and xylem content of apple nursery tree were obviously evaluated by brassinosteroid treatment; mineral elements contents, photosynthesis indexes, carbohydrate level and hormone contents were significantly high in brassinosteroid treated trees. To explore the molecular mechanisms of these phenotypic differences, iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics were used to identify the expression profiles of proteins in apple nursery tree shoot tips in response to brassinosteroid at a key period (14days after brassinosteroid treatment). A total of 175 differentially expressed proteins were identified. They were mainly involved in chlorophyII biosynthesis, photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis, citric acid cycle, respiratory action, hormone signal, cell growth and ligin metabolism. The findings in this study indicate that brassinosteroid mediating apple nursery tree growth may be mainly through energy metabolism. Important biological processes identified here can be useful theoretical basis and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of brassinosteroid. Brassinosteroid is very important for plant growth and development. However, the molecular mechanism of brassinosteroid mediating growth process is not perfectly clear in plant, especially in apple nursery tree. We used a combination of physiological and bioinformatics analysis to investigate the effects of brassinosteroid on apple nursery tree growth and development. The data reported here demonstrated that brassinosteroid regulates apple nursery tree growth mainly through energy metabolism. Therefore it can provide a theoretical basis from energy points for developing dwarfed or compact apple trees. This will benefit for low orchard management cost as well as early bearing, and high fruit yield as well as quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
[Effects of different patterns surface mulching on soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in an apple orchard].

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Xie, Yong-Sheng; Hao, Ming-De; She, Xiao-Yan

2010-02-01

Taking a nine-year-old Fuji apple orchard in Loess Plateau as test object, this paper studied the effects of different patterns surface mulching (clean tillage, grass cover, plastic film mulch, straw mulch, and gravel mulch) on the soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in this orchard. Grass cover induced the lowest differentiation of soil moisture profile, while gravel mulch induced the highest one. In treatment gravel mulch, the soil moisture content in apple trees root zone was the highest, which meant that there was more water available to apple trees. Surface mulching had significant effects on soil temperature, and generally resulted in a decrease in the maximum soil temperature. The exception was treatment plastic film mulch, in which, the soil temperature in summer exceeded the maximum allowable temperature for continuous root growth and physiological function. With the exception of treatment plastic film mulch, surface mulching increased the soil CO2 flux, which was the highest in treatment grass cover. Surface mulching also affected the proportion of various branch types and fruit yield. The proportion of medium-sized branches and fruit yield were the highest in treatment gravel mulch, while the fruit yield was the lowest in treatment grass cover. Factor analysis indicated that among the test surface mulching patterns, gravel mulch was most suitable for the apple orchards in gully region of Loess Plateau.
7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage. “Serious damage” means any specific... or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple... combination of lesser bruises which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the apple to an extent...
7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage. “Serious damage” means any specific... or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple... combination of lesser bruises which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the apple to an extent...
7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage. “Serious damage” means any specific... or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple... combination of lesser bruises which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the apple to an extent...
A comparative study between spiral-filter press and belt press implemented in a cloudy apple juice production process.

PubMed

De Paepe, Domien; Coudijzer, Katleen; Noten, Bart; Valkenborg, Dirk; Servaes, Kelly; De Loose, Marc; Diels, Ludo; Voorspoels, Stefan; Van Droogenbroeck, Bart

2015-04-15

In this study, advantages and disadvantages of the innovative, low-oxygen spiral-filter press system were studied in comparison with the belt press, commonly applied in small and medium size enterprises for the production of cloudy apple juice. On the basis of equivalent throughput, a higher juice yield could be achieved with spiral-filter press. Also a more turbid juice with a higher content of suspended solids could be produced. The avoidance of enzymatic browning during juice extraction led to an attractive yellowish juice with an elevated phenolic content. Moreover, it was found that juice produced with spiral-filter press demonstrates a higher retention of phenolic compounds during the downstream processing steps and storage. The results demonstrates the advantage of the use of a spiral-filter press in comparison with belt press in the production of a high quality cloudy apple juice rich in phenolic compounds, without the use of oxidation inhibiting additives. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Identification of Pyrus single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and evaluation for genetic mapping in European pear and interspecific Pyrus hybrids.

PubMed

Montanari, Sara; Saeed, Munazza; Knäbel, Mareike; Kim, YoonKyeong; Troggio, Michela; Malnoy, Mickael; Velasco, Riccardo; Fontana, Paolo; Won, KyungHo; Durel, Charles-Eric; Perchepied, Laure; Schaffer, Robert; Wiedow, Claudia; Bus, Vincent; Brewer, Lester; Gardiner, Susan E; Crowhurst, Ross N; Chagné, David

2013-01-01

We have used new generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from three European pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivars and subsequently developed a subset of 1096 pear SNPs into high throughput markers by combining them with the set of 7692 apple SNPs on the IRSC apple Infinium® II 8K array. We then evaluated this apple and pear Infinium® II 9K SNP array for large-scale genotyping in pear across several species, using both pear and apple SNPs. The segregating populations employed for array validation included a segregating population of European pear ('Old Home'×'Louise Bon Jersey') and four interspecific breeding families derived from Asian (P. pyrifolia Nakai and P. bretschneideri Rehd.) and European pear pedigrees. In total, we mapped 857 polymorphic pear markers to construct the first SNP-based genetic maps for pear, comprising 78% of the total pear SNPs included in the array. In addition, 1031 SNP markers derived from apple (13% of the total apple SNPs included in the array) were polymorphic and were mapped in one or more of the pear populations. These results are the first to demonstrate SNP transferability across the genera Malus and Pyrus. Our construction of high density SNP-based and gene-based genetic maps in pear represents an important step towards the identification of chromosomal regions associated with a range of horticultural characters, such as pest and disease resistance, orchard yield and fruit quality.
Consumption of apples is associated with a better diet quality and reduced risk of obesity in children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010.

PubMed

O'Neil, Carol E; Nicklas, Theresa A; Fulgoni, Victor L

2015-05-14

Most children do not meet the recommendation for fruit consumption. Apples are the second most commonly consumed fruit in the US; however, no studies have examined the association of total apple products, apples, apple sauce, and 100 % apple juice consumption on diet quality and weight/adiposity in children. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between various apple consumption forms with diet quality and weight/adiposity in a nationally representative sample of children. Participants were children 2-18 years of age (N = 13,339) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010. Intake was determined using a single interview administered 24-h diet recall. Apple product consumption was determined using the cycle-appropriate USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies food codes. Total diet quality and component scores were determined using the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI). Anthropometrics were determined using standard methods. Covariate adjusted linear and logistic regressions were used to compare apple product consumers with non-consumers; sample weights were used. Probability was set at <0.01. Approximately 26 % of the population (n = 3,482) consumed some form of apple products. Consumers of apple products, whole apples, apple sauce, and 100 % apple juice had higher HEI scores than non-consumers: 50.4 ± 0.4 v 41.9 ± 0.3, 52.5 ± 0.5 v 42.7 ± 0.3, 52.1 ± 0.8 v 47.2 ± 0.4, and 51.4 ± 0.6 v 46.5 ± 0.4, respectively. Apple products and whole apple consumers had lower BMI z-scores than non-consumers: 0.4 ± 0.04 v 0.5 ± 0.03 and 0.3 ± 0.1 v 0.5 ± 0.02, respectively. Apple products and whole apple consumers were 25 % (0.59-0.95 99(th) CI) and 30 % (0.52-0.95 99(th) CI), respectively, were less likely to be obese than non-consumers. Consumption of any form of apples contributed to the fruit recommendation of children and improved diet quality. Apples should be included in the diets of children as a component of an overall healthy diet.
Performance of Geneva® apple rootstock selections with ‘Brookfield Gala’ and ‘Cripps Pink’ on a tall spindle system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

High density orchard systems have become the standard for new plantings in many apple production regions due to their earlier yield and higher cumulative yields which results in greater return on investments. Growers in the Mid-Atlantic region have unique challenges compared to northern production r...
Apple replant disease and the –omics: interaction of apple rootstock metabolome and the soil microbiome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple replant disease (ARD) negatively impacts tree health and reduces crop yield in new orchard plantings. Use of tolerant rootstock cultivars can diminish the growth limiting effects of ARD; however specific rootstock attributes enabling ARD tolerance are not understood. Systems biology tools were...
Optimisation of enzymatic hydrolysis of apple pomace for production of biofuel and biorefinery chemicals using commercial enzymes.

PubMed

Gama, Repson; Van Dyk, J Susan; Pletschke, Brett I

2015-12-01

Apple pomace, a waste product from the apple juice industry is a potential feedstock for biofuel and biorefinery chemical production. Optimisation of hydrolysis conditions for apple pomace hydrolysis using Viscozyme L and Celluclast 1.5L was investigated using 1 L reaction volumes. The effects of temperature, pH, β-glucosidase supplementation and substrate feeding regimes were determined. Hydrolysis at room temperature using an unbuffered system gave optimal performance. Reactors in batch mode resulted in a better performance (4.2 g/L glucose and 16.8 g/L reducing sugar, 75 % yield for both) than fed-batch (3.2 g/L glucose and 14.6 g/L reducing sugar, 65.5 and 73.1 % yield respectively) in 72 h. The addition of Novozyme 188 to the core mixture of Viscozyme L and Celluclast 1.5L resulted in the doubling of glucose released. The main products (yield %) released from apple pomace hydrolysis were galacturonic acid (78 %), glucose (75 %), arabinose (90 %) and galactose (87 %). These products are potential raw materials for biofuel and biorefinery chemical production.

Transcriptome profiling analysis of cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and texture attributes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular events regulating cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and sensory quality are largely unknown. Such knowledge is essential for genomic-assisted apple breeding and postharvest quality management. In this study, transcriptome profile analysis, scanning electron microscopic examination an...
Identification of Pyrus Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and Evaluation for Genetic Mapping in European Pear and Interspecific Pyrus Hybrids

PubMed Central

Troggio, Michela; Malnoy, Mickael; Velasco, Riccardo; Fontana, Paolo; Won, KyungHo; Durel, Charles-Eric; Perchepied, Laure; Schaffer, Robert; Wiedow, Claudia; Bus, Vincent; Brewer, Lester; Gardiner, Susan E.; Crowhurst, Ross N.; Chagné, David

2013-01-01

We have used new generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from three European pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivars and subsequently developed a subset of 1096 pear SNPs into high throughput markers by combining them with the set of 7692 apple SNPs on the IRSC apple Infinium® II 8K array. We then evaluated this apple and pear Infinium® II 9K SNP array for large-scale genotyping in pear across several species, using both pear and apple SNPs. The segregating populations employed for array validation included a segregating population of European pear (‘Old Home’×‘Louise Bon Jersey’) and four interspecific breeding families derived from Asian (P. pyrifolia Nakai and P. bretschneideri Rehd.) and European pear pedigrees. In total, we mapped 857 polymorphic pear markers to construct the first SNP-based genetic maps for pear, comprising 78% of the total pear SNPs included in the array. In addition, 1031 SNP markers derived from apple (13% of the total apple SNPs included in the array) were polymorphic and were mapped in one or more of the pear populations. These results are the first to demonstrate SNP transferability across the genera Malus and Pyrus. Our construction of high density SNP-based and gene-based genetic maps in pear represents an important step towards the identification of chromosomal regions associated with a range of horticultural characters, such as pest and disease resistance, orchard yield and fruit quality. PMID:24155917
Efficacy of Nitric Oxide Fumigation for Controlling Codling Moth in Apples.

PubMed

Liu, Yong-Biao; Yang, Xiangbing; Simmons, Gregory

2016-12-02

Nitric oxide (NO) fumigation under ultralow oxygen (ULO) conditions was studied for its efficacy in controlling codling moth and effects on postharvest quality of apples. NO fumigation was effective against eggs and larvae of different sizes on artificial diet in 48 h treatments. Small larvae were more susceptible to nitric oxide than other stages at 0.5% NO concentration. There were no significant differences among life stages at 1.0% to 2.0% NO concentrations. In 24 h treatments of eggs, 3.0% NO fumigation at 2 °C achieved 100% egg mortality. Two 24 h fumigation treatments of infested apples containing medium and large larvae with 3.0% and 5.0% NO resulted in 98% and 100% mortalities respectively. Sound apples were also fumigated with 5.0% NO for 24 h at 2 °C to determine effects on apple quality. The fumigation treatment was terminated by flushing with nitrogen and had no negative impact on postharvest quality of apples as measured by firmness and color at 2 and 4 weeks after fumigation. This study demonstrated that NO fumigation was effective against codling moth and safe to apple quality, and therefore has potential to become a practical alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for control of codling moth in apples.
Multiple plant hormones and cell wall metabolism regulate apple fruit maturation patterns and texture attributes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular events regulating apple fruit ripening and sensory quality are largely unknown. Such knowledge is essential for genomic-assisted apple breeding and postharvest quality management. In this study, a parallel transcriptome profile analysis, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination and...
[Main interspecific competition and land productivity of fruit-crop intercropping in Loess Region of West Shauxi].

PubMed

Yun, Lei; Bi, Hua-Xing; Tian, Xiao-Ling; Cui, Zhe-Wei; Zhou, Hui-Zi; Gao, Lu-Bo; Liu, Li-Xia

2011-05-01

Taking the four typical fruit-crop intercropping models, i.e., walnut-peanut, walnut-soybean, apple-peanut, and apple-soybean, in the Loess Region of western Shanxi Province as the objects, this paper analyzed the crop (peanut and soybean) photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), net photosynthetic rate (P(n)), yield, and soil moisture content. Comparing with crop monoculture, fruit-crop intercropping decreased the crop PAR and P(n). The smaller the distance from tree rows, the smaller the crop PAR and P(n). There was a significantly positive correlation between the P(n) and crop yield, suggesting that illumination was one of the key factors affecting crop yield. From the whole trend, the 0-100 cm soil moisture content had no significant differences between walnut-crop intercropping systems and corresponding monoculture cropping systems, but had significant differences between apple-crop intercropping systems and corresponding monoculture cropping systems, indicating that the competition for soil moisture was more intense in apple-crop intercropping systems than in walnut-crop intercropping systems. Comparing with monoculture, fruit-crop intercropping increased the land use efficiency and economic benefit averagely by 70% and 14%, respectively, and walnut-crop intercropping was much better than apple-crop intercropping. To increase the crop yield in fruit-crop intercropping systems, the following strategies should be taken: strengthening the management of irrigation and fertilization, increasing the distances or setting root barriers between crop and tree rows, regularly and properly pruning, and planting shade-tolerant crops in intercropping.
Chapter 11. Quality evaluation of apple by computer vision

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple is one of the most consumed fruits in the world, and there is a critical need for enhanced computer vision technology for quality assessment of apples. This chapter gives a comprehensive review on recent advances in various computer vision techniques for detecting surface and internal defects ...
Nondestructive Detection of the Internalquality of Apple Using X-Ray and Machine Vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fuzeng; Yang, Liangliang; Yang, Qing; Kang, Likui

The internal quality of apple is impossible to be detected by eyes in the procedure of sorting, which could reduce the apple’s quality reaching market. This paper illustrates an instrument using X-ray and machine vision. The following steps were introduced to process the X-ray image in order to determine the mould core apple. Firstly, lifting wavelet transform was used to get a low frequency image and three high frequency images. Secondly, we enhanced the low frequency image through image’s histogram equalization. Then, the edge of each apple's image was detected using canny operator. Finally, a threshold was set to clarify mould core and normal apple according to the different length of the apple core’s diameter. The experimental results show that this method could on-line detect the mould core apple with less time consuming, less than 0.03 seconds per apple, and the accuracy could reach 92%.
75 FR 16102 - Kasugamycin; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption, Solicitation of Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-31

... apples to control fire blight. The applicant proposes the use of a new chemical which has not been... Agriculture has requested the Administrator to issue a specific exemption for the use of kasugamycin on apples... applicant states that up to 50% of the yield of susceptible apple varieties could be lost in 2010. The...
The microbiology of apples and apple products.

PubMed

Doores, S

1983-01-01

The apple industry has reached an annual production level of 8.5 billion pounds. CA storage of 25% of this crop has enabled a fresh market on a year-round basis. To achieve high quality in raw fruit and processed apple products, careful attention must be paid to maintaining a microbiologically stable environment. The ecology of the microflora associated with the apple is a reflection of the orchard, handling, harvesting, and storage practices. Yeasts predominate on orchard fruit, molds may become a storage problem, and bacteria cause spoilage, off flavors, and loss of quality in juice products. Despite the microbial problems inherent in producing of quality product, the apple industry is faced with the occurrence of patulin. Patulin, a mycotoxin produced by Penicillium and Aspergillus species, has been associated with damaged fruit. Decreased temperatures, coupled with CA storage; can deter mold growth and patulin production. Laboratory detection methods for derivations of patulin are able to detect microgram quantities. Means to eliminate patulin formed in apple products include addition of ascorbate and SO2, extending fermentation, or charcoal filtering. However, degradation products of patulin have not been evaluated toxicologically.
Alginate coating as carrier of oligofructose and inulin and to maintain the quality of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Rössle, Christian; Brunton, Nigel; Gormley, Ronan T; Wouters, Rudy; Butler, Francis

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to apply an edible coating containing prebiotics such as oligofructose and inulin to fresh-cut apple wedges. An assessment of the quality, sensory, polyphenol, and volatile attributes of coated and uncoated fresh-cut apple wedges was also undertaken. Fructan analysis showed that all prebiotics remained stable over the 14-d storage period and an intake of 100 g of apple supplies 1 to 3 g of prebiotics. Browning index, firmness, acidity remained stable throughout the 14 d compared to the control while applying prebiotic coatings resulted in an increase in soluble solids. Sensory and visual assessment indicated acceptable quality of apple wedges coated with prebiotics. HPLC analysis showed that levels of polyphenolic compounds were more stable in coated apple wedges (without prebiotic inclusions) than in uncoated control apples. No difference was found between O(2) and CO(2) headspace concentration of coated and uncoated samples. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were found for headspace volatile production between the samples. Most coated samples showed lower volatile production in the headspace than uncoated samples.
Effect of ultrasound dielectric pretreatment on the oxidation resistance of vacuum-fried apple chips.

PubMed

Shen, Xu; Zhang, Min; Bhandari, Bhesh; Guo, Zhimei

2018-02-15

In order to investigate the effect of ultrasound dielectric pretreatment on the oxidation resistance of vacuum-fried apple chips, apple slices were pretreated at ultrasonic powers of 150, 250 and 400 W for times of 10, 20 and 30 min before vacuum frying. The quality and oxidation resistance of fried apple were evaluated by testing the dielectric properties and comparing the moisture content, oil uptake, color, acid value (AV) and peroxide value (PV) of apple chips. Ultrasonic treatment significantly changed the dielectric properties of apple slices. Moisture and oil contents of apple chips decreased with increasing ultrasonic power and time. During storage, the color retention of fried apple chips processed by ultrasound was improved. AV and PV values of fried apple chips processed by ultrasound were lower, which improved their antioxidant properties. The results of the present study indicated that ultrasound dielectric pretreatment improved not only the quality of vacuum-fried apple chips but also their antioxidant properties. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
Non-destructive evaluation of ripening and quality traits in apples using a multiparametric fluorescence sensor.

PubMed

Betemps, Débora L; Fachinello, José Carlos; Galarça, Simone P; Portela, Nicácia M; Remorini, Damiano; Massai, Rossano; Agati, Giovanni

2012-07-01

The detection of pigments and colourless flavonoids in apples can provide a useful indication of fruit quality. Optical methods are preferable because they are fast and non-destructive. In this study, a fluorescence-based portable sensor was used in order to non-invasively determine the content of chlorophylls, anthocyanins and flavonols in Fuji, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apple cultivars. The aim was to define new non-destructive optical indices of apple quality. The anthocyanin index (ANTH) in Fuji was higher in the sunny (i.e. sun-exposed) side of the fruit compared to the shady side. For all cultivars, the flavonol index (FLAV) was higher in the sunny side compared with the shady side. The chlorophyll index (CHL) for the shady sides of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious was significantly higher than for the sunny sides. Fine linear regressions were found between the ANTH, FLAV and CHL indices and the actual anthocyanin, flavonol and chlorophyll concentrations, respectively, which were determined destructively on the apple peel extracts. A negative correlation was found between the apple sugar content and the chlorophyll fluorescence in the far-red spectral band. Our results indicate that a single multiparametric fluorescence-based sensor can provide valuable non-destructive markers of ripening and quality in apples. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
Understanding apple consumers' expectations in terms of likes and dislikes. Use of comment analysis in a cross-cultural study.

PubMed

Galmarini, M V; Symoneaux, R; Chollet, S; Zamora, M C

2013-03-01

Apple consumers' expectations in Argentina and France were studied by comment analysis of open-ended questions. In an on-line survey consumers stated: attributes which defined quality in an apple; visual, flavor and texture characteristics they liked/did not like to find in an apple. Influence of country, consumption frequency and cultivar knowledge were analyzed by contingency tables, Chi-square per cell tests and Multiple Factor Analysis. Consumers' quality expectations were not the same in both countries. Argentineans and French consumers agreed that quality apples should be juicy (most used term in both countries), tasty, firm and fresh. However, for Argentineans quality was more related to visual characteristics, whereas for French it was driven by flavor. Argentineans used more words but French were more specific, particularly for flavour description. Moreover, frequency of consumption, varieties knowledge and the number of terms given were highly related. Frequent consumers knew more varieties and were more prolific in relation to flavour. Less frequent consumers knew fewer apple varieties and gave more words in the visual category. The use of comment analysis allowed identifying the terms that consumers used in their day to day life to describe apples, finding separately likes and dislikes, in spite of the different languages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
In vitro and in vivo flavor release from intact and fresh-cut apple in relation with genetic, textural, and physicochemical parameters.

PubMed

Ting, Valentina J L; Soukoulis, Christos; Silcock, Patrick; Cappellin, Luca; Romano, Andrea; Aprea, Eugenio; Bremer, Phil J; Märk, Tilmann D; Gasperi, Flavia; Biasioli, Franco

2012-11-01

Flavor release from 6 commercial apple cultivars (Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Morgen Dallago, and Red Delicious) under static conditions (intact or fresh-cut samples) and during consumption of fresh-cut samples (nosespace) was determined by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Textural (firmness, fracturability, flesh elasticity, and rupture) and physicochemical (pH, acidity, and water content) properties of the apples were also measured. Static headspace analysis of intact fruits revealed Fuji and Granny Smith apples had the lowest concentration for all measured flavor compounds (esters, aldehydes, alcohols, and terpenes), whereas Red Delicious apples had the highest. Fresh-cut samples generally showed a significant increase in total volatile compounds with acetaldehyde being most abundant. However, compared to intact fruits, cut Golden and Red Delicious apples had a lower intensity for ester related peaks. Five parameters were extracted from the nosespace data of peaks related to esters (m/z 43, 61), acetaldehyde (m/z 45), and ethanol (m/z 47): 2 associated with mastication (duration of mastication-t(con); time required for first swallowing event-t(swal)), and 3 related with in-nose volatile compound concentration (area under the curve-AUC; maximum intensity-I(max); time for achieving I(max)-t(max)). Three different behaviors were identified in the nosespace data: a) firm samples with low AUC and t(swal) values (Granny Smith, Fuji), b) mealy samples with high AUC, I(max), t(swal) values, and low t(con) (Morgen Dallago, Golden Delicious), and c) firm samples with high AUC and I(max) values (Red Delicious). Strengths and limitations of the methodology are discussed. Volatile compounds play a fundamental role in the perceived quality of food. Using apple cultivars, this research showed that in vivo proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) could be used to determine the relationship between the release of volatile flavor compounds and the physicochemical parameters of a real food matrix. This finding suggests that in vivo PTR-MS coupled with traditional physicochemical measurements could be used to yield information on flavor release from a wide range of food matrices and help in the development of strategies to enhance food flavor and quality. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®
UV/blue light-induced fluorescence for assessing apple maturity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Hyun Kwon; Lu, Renfu

2005-11-01

Chlorophyll fluorescence has been researched for assessing fruit post-harvest quality and condition. The objective of this preliminary research was to investigate the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy for measuring apple fruit quality. Ultraviolet (UV) and blue light was used as an excitation source for inducing fluorescence in apples. Fluorescence spectra were measured from 'Golden Delicious' (GD) and 'Red Delicious' (RD) apples by using a visible/near-infrared spectrometer after one, three, and five minutes of continuous UV/blue light illumination. Standard destructive tests were performed to measure fruit firmness, skin and flesh color, soluble solids and acid content from the apples. Calibration models for each of the three illumination time periods were developed to predict fruit quality indexes. The results showed that fluorescence emission decreased steadily during the first three minutes of UV/blue light illumination and was stable within five minutes. The differences were minimal in the model prediction results based on fluorescence data at one, three or five minutes of illumination. Overall, better predictions were obtained for apple skin chroma and hue and flesh hue with values for the correlation coefficient of validation between 0.80 and 0.90 for both GD and RD. Relatively poor predictions were obtained for fruit firmness, soluble solids content, titrational acid, and flesh chroma. This research demonstrated that fluorescence spectroscopy is potentially useful for assessing selected quality attributes of apple fruit and further research is needed to improve fluorescence measurements so that better predictions of fruit quality can be achieved.
Changes in quality and biochemical parameters in 'Idared' apples during prolonged shelf life and 1-MCP treatment.

PubMed

Bizjak, Jan; Slatnar, Ana; Stampar, Franci; Veberic, Robert

2012-12-01

In this study, changes in quality and various biochemical parameters of 'Idared' apples during prolonged shelf life period after ultra-low oxygen (ULO) storage were investigated. Additionally, the impact of the postharvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on different parameters was evaluated. After the harvest, apples were stored in the ULO storage for 6 months and then exposed to room temperature. Fruit firmness, peel color, and changes in sugars, organic acids and phenolics were monitored during the 3 weeks of shelf life. Malic acid, sugars and firmness decreased at room temperature. However, the color of the apples remained unchanged. The level of citric and ascorbic acid remained constant. Levels of phenolics in the peel increased significantly, whereas remained constant in the pulp of apples. 1-MCP treatment resulted in higher amounts of fructose and glucose, malic acid and greater firmness of apples. However, 1-MCP did not influence the phenolic content, ascorbic acid or color. The results obtained indicate that the content of different health-promoting compounds of apples does not change dramatically at room temperature. At the same time these results suggest that 1-MCP could be useful for maintaining certain quality and biochemical parameters and might extend the shelf life of apples.
Reduced representation genome sequencing reveals patterns of genetic diversity and selection in apple.

PubMed

Ma, Baiquan; Liao, Liao; Peng, Qian; Fang, Ting; Zhou, Hui; Korban, Schuyler S; Han, Yuepeng

2017-03-01

Identifying DNA sequence variations is a fundamental step towards deciphering the genetic basis of traits of interest. Here, a total of 20 cultivated and 10 wild apples were genotyped using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing, and 39,635 single nucleotide polymorphisms with no missing genotypes and evenly distributed along the genome were selected to investigate patterns of genome-wide genetic variations between cultivated and wild apples. Overall, wild apples displayed higher levels of genetic diversity than cultivated apples. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decays were observed quite rapidly in cultivated and wild apples, with an r 2 -value below 0.2 at 440 and 280 bp, respectively. Moreover, bidirectional gene flow and different distribution patterns of LD blocks were detected between domesticated and wild apples. Most LD blocks unique to cultivated apples were located within QTL regions controlling fruit quality, thus suggesting that fruit quality had probably undergone selection during apple domestication. The genome of the earliest cultivated apple in China, Nai, was highly similar to that of Malus sieversii, and contained a small portion of genetic material from other wild apple species. This suggested that introgression could have been an important driving force during initial domestication of apple. These findings will facilitate future breeding and genetic dissection of complex traits in apple. © 2017 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Effect of alternative postharvest control treatments on the storability of 'Golden Delicious' apples.

PubMed

Moscetti, Roberto; Carletti, Letizia; Monarca, Danilo; Cecchini, Massimo; Stella, Elisabetta; Massantini, Riccardo

2013-08-30

Apples are subject to a high degree of fungal diseases, but the use of synthetic fungicides has been questioned because of public safety concerns, social rejection, and the development of resistance in pathogens. Thus, development of new postharvest treatments against apple fungal pathogens is necessary. Most studies have reported their effectiveness, but not all report the effects on the quality and storability of the fruit. In this study, the effects of physical (hot water), chemical (quercetin) and biological (yeast antagonist) microfungal control on the quality of 'Golden Delicious' apple during storage at 2 ± 0.5 °C, and 90 ± 2% of relative humidity, for 2 months were investigated and compared. Heat-treated apples exhibited peel fruit damage (surface browning and internal breakdown disorders) and promoted ripening in the fruit. The quercetin caustic spray caused the development of peel chemical burn in all treated fruit. Both yeast antagonist and quercetin treatments did not affect the apple ripening process but stimulated an increase in ethylene production and in respiratory activity. The data indicated that the effects on quality and storability were dependent on the method of treatment used, and antagonistic yeast was the best microfungal control because of it did not cause any disorders or negative effects on apple quality during storage. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.
Biodiversity of Total Phenolics, Antioxidant Capacity, and Juice Quality in Apple Cider Taxa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apples are known to contain antioxidants that may play an important role in human health by providing protection against reactive free radicals affecting a wide range of biological molecules including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins. While fresh apple juice is a main product of processed apples,...
A Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Chemometric Approach to Improve Apple Fruit Quality Management: A Case Study on the Cultivars "Cripps Pink" and "Braeburn".

PubMed

Eisenstecken, Daniela; Panarese, Alessia; Robatscher, Peter; Huck, Christian W; Zanella, Angelo; Oberhuber, Michael

2015-07-24

The potential of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the wavelength range of 1000-2500 nm for predicting quality parameters such as total soluble solids (TSS), acidity (TA), firmness, and individual sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, and xylose) for two cultivars of apples ("Braeburn" and "Cripps Pink") was studied during the pre- and post-storage periods. Simultaneously, a qualitative investigation on the capability of NIRS to discriminate varieties, harvest dates, storage periods and fruit inhomogeneity was carried out. In order to generate a sample set with high variability within the most relevant apple quality traits, three different harvest time points in combination with five different storage periods were chosen, and the evolution of important quality parameters was followed both with NIRS and wet chemical methods. By applying a principal component analysis (PCA) a differentiation between the two cultivars, freshly harvested vs. long-term stored apples and, notably, between the sun-exposed vs. shaded side of apples could be found. For the determination of quality parameters effective prediction models for titratable acid (TA) and individual sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose by using partial least square (PLS) regression have been developed. Our results complement earlier reports, highlighting the versatility of NIRS as a fast, non-invasive method for quantitative and qualitative studies on apples.

Quality change of apple slices coated with Aloe vera gel during storage.

PubMed

Song, Hye-Yeon; Jo, Wan-Shin; Song, Nak-Bum; Min, Sea C; Song, Kyung Bin

2013-06-01

Fresh-cut apples are easily susceptible to browning and microbial spoilage. In this study, an edible coating prepared from Aloe vera gel containing antibrowning solution was applied to preserve the quality of fresh-cut apples during storage. Fresh-cut apples were treated with both an Aloe vera gel and an Aloe vera gel containing 0.5% cysteine and then stored at 4 °C for 16 d. The color, firmness, weight loss, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, microbial analysis, and sensory evaluation were analyzed during storage. Fresh-cut apples coated with the Aloe vera gel showed delayed browning and reduced weight loss and softening compared to the control. The Aloe vera gel coating was also effective in reducing the populations of the total aerobic bacteria and yeast and molds. In particular, Aloe vera gel containing 0.5% cysteine was most effective in delaying browning and the reduction of microbial populations among the treatments. These results suggest that an Aloe vera gel coating can be used for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut apples. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®
Intercropping Competition between Apple Trees and Crops in Agroforestry Systems on the Loess Plateau of China

PubMed Central

Gao, Lubo; Xu, Huasen; Bi, Huaxing; Xi, Weimin; Bao, Biao; Wang, Xiaoyan; Bi, Chao; Chang, Yifang

2013-01-01

Agroforestry has been widely practiced in the Loess Plateau region of China because of its prominent effects in reducing soil and water losses, improving land-use efficiency and increasing economic returns. However, the agroforestry practices may lead to competition between crops and trees for underground soil moisture and nutrients, and the trees on the canopy layer may also lead to shortage of light for crops. In order to minimize interspecific competition and maximize the benefits of tree-based intercropping systems, we studied photosynthesis, growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by measuring photosynthetically active radiation, net photosynthetic rate, soil moisture and soil nutrients in a plantation of apple (Malus pumila M.) at a spacing of 4 m × 5 m on the Loess Plateau of China. The results showed that for both intercropping systems in the study region, soil moisture was the primary factor affecting the crop yields followed by light. Deficiency of the soil nutrients also had a significant impact on crop yields. Compared with soybean, peanut was more suitable for intercropping with apple trees to obtain economic benefits in the region. We concluded that apple-soybean and apple-peanut intercropping systems can be practical and beneficial in the region. However, the distance between crops and tree rows should be adjusted to minimize interspecies competition. Agronomic measures such as regular canopy pruning, root barriers, additional irrigation and fertilization also should be applied in the intercropping systems. PMID:23936246
Intercropping competition between apple trees and crops in agroforestry systems on the Loess Plateau of China.

PubMed

Gao, Lubo; Xu, Huasen; Bi, Huaxing; Xi, Weimin; Bao, Biao; Wang, Xiaoyan; Bi, Chao; Chang, Yifang

2013-01-01

Agroforestry has been widely practiced in the Loess Plateau region of China because of its prominent effects in reducing soil and water losses, improving land-use efficiency and increasing economic returns. However, the agroforestry practices may lead to competition between crops and trees for underground soil moisture and nutrients, and the trees on the canopy layer may also lead to shortage of light for crops. In order to minimize interspecific competition and maximize the benefits of tree-based intercropping systems, we studied photosynthesis, growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by measuring photosynthetically active radiation, net photosynthetic rate, soil moisture and soil nutrients in a plantation of apple (Malus pumila M.) at a spacing of 4 m × 5 m on the Loess Plateau of China. The results showed that for both intercropping systems in the study region, soil moisture was the primary factor affecting the crop yields followed by light. Deficiency of the soil nutrients also had a significant impact on crop yields. Compared with soybean, peanut was more suitable for intercropping with apple trees to obtain economic benefits in the region. We concluded that apple-soybean and apple-peanut intercropping systems can be practical and beneficial in the region. However, the distance between crops and tree rows should be adjusted to minimize interspecies competition. Agronomic measures such as regular canopy pruning, root barriers, additional irrigation and fertilization also should be applied in the intercropping systems.
7 CFR 51.317 - Damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.317 Damage. “Damage” means any specific defect defined in... quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in... cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be...
7 CFR 33.1 - Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.1 Act. Act and Export Apple Act are synonymous and mean “An act to promote the foreign trade of the United States in apples to protect the reputation of American-grown apples in foreign markets, to prevent deception or misrepresentation as to the quality of...
7 CFR 51.317 - Damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.317 Damage. “Damage” means any specific defect defined in... quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in... cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be...
7 CFR 33.1 - Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.1 Act. Act and Export Apple Act are synonymous and mean “An act to promote the foreign trade of the United States in apples to protect the reputation of American-grown apples in foreign markets, to prevent deception or misrepresentation as to the quality of...
7 CFR 33.1 - Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.1 Act. Act and Export Apple Act are synonymous and mean “An act to promote the foreign trade of the United States in apples to protect the reputation of American-grown apples in foreign markets, to prevent deception or misrepresentation as to the quality of...
7 CFR 51.317 - Damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.317 Damage. “Damage” means any specific defect defined in... quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in... cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be...
7 CFR 51.316 - Injury.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.316 Injury. “Injury” means any specific defect defined in... shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches... cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be...
7 CFR 33.1 - Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.1 Act. Act and Export Apple Act are synonymous and mean “An act to promote the foreign trade of the United States in apples to protect the reputation of American-grown apples in foreign markets, to prevent deception or misrepresentation as to the quality of...
7 CFR 33.1 - Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.1 Act. Act and Export Apple Act are synonymous and mean “An act to promote the foreign trade of the United States in apples to protect the reputation of American-grown apples in foreign markets, to prevent deception or misrepresentation as to the quality of...
7 CFR 51.316 - Injury.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.316 Injury. “Injury” means any specific defect defined in... shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches... cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be...
7 CFR 51.316 - Injury.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.316 Injury. “Injury” means any specific defect defined in... shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches... cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be...
Heated apple juice supplemented with onion has greatly improved nutritional quality and browning index.

PubMed

Lee, Bonggi; Seo, Jeong Dae; Rhee, Jin-Kyu; Kim, Choon Young

2016-06-15

Although fruit juices are very popular, enzymatic browning occurs easily. Browning of fruit juice deteriorates nutrition value and product quality due to oxidation of polyphenol compounds. Therefore, development of natural food additives that reduce browning will be beneficial for improving quality of fruit juices. Onion has been reported to be a potent natural anti-browning agent. Here, we compared unheated and heated apple juices pre-supplemented with onion with respect to browning and nutritional quality. The unheated apple juice supplemented with onion showed reduced browning as well as increased total soluble solid, total phenol concentration, radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing and copper chelating activities without any change in flavonoid concentration. On the other hand, heated juice supplemented with onion not only showed improved values for these parameters but also markedly increased flavonoid concentration. Thus, we conclude that application of heating and onion addition together may greatly improve quality of apple juice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Radioinduced changes in respiration, organoleptic properties, weight, flesh firmness, and surface color of apple fruits during controlled atmosphere (CA) storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okamoto, T.; Harata, J.; Osanai, T.

1972-03-01

Jonathan apples were irradiated with /sup 60/Co gamma rays, with doses of 0 (control), 5, 50 and 200 Krad (dose rate: 100 Krad/hr), stored for 6.0 months in a CA room (oxygen 3%, carbon dioxide 3%) at 0 deg C and analyzed. No significant differences between irradiated and unirradiated apples in changes of weight, flesh age under CA conditions at 0 deg C. The irradiation of apple fruits with a dose of 200 Krad lowered their qualities in respect to respiration and organoleptic properties. Apples irradiated with a dose of 5 Krad, however, showed the lowest respiration rate and keptmore » superior qualities which were evaluated by organoleptic tests. According to the above results, the irradiation with 5 Krad may be recommended as the pretreatment of CA storage of apple fruite. (auth)« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hang, Y.D.; Lee, C.Y.; Woodams, E.E.

A solid state fermentation system for the production of ethanol from apple pomace with a Montrachet strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. The yields of ethanol varied from about 29 g to more than 40 g/kg of apple pomace, depending on the samples fermented. Separation of up to 99% of the ethanol from spent qpple pomace was achieved with a rotary vacuum evaporator. Alcohol fermentation of apple pomace might be an efficient method of alleviating waste disposal problems with the concomitant production of ethanol.
Combination of sodium chlorite and calcium propionate reduces enzymatic browning and microbial population of fresh-cut ‘Granny Smith’ apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tissue browning and microbial growth are the main concerns associated with fresh-cut apples. In this study, effects of sodium chlorite (SC) and calcium propionate (CP), individually and combined, on quality and microbial population of apple slices were investigated. ‘Granny Smith’ apple slices, dipp...
Choosing between an Apple and a Chocolate Bar: the Impact of Health and Taste Labels

PubMed Central

Forwood, Suzanna E.; Walker, Alexander D.; Hollands, Gareth J.; Marteau, Theresa M.

2013-01-01

Increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables is a central component of improving population health. Reasons people give for choosing one food over another suggest health is of lower importance than taste. This study assesses the impact of using a simple descriptive label to highlight the taste as opposed to the health value of fruit on the likelihood of its selection. Participants (N=439) were randomly allocated to one of five groups that varied in the label added to an apple: apple; healthy apple; succulent apple; healthy and succulent apple; succulent and healthy apple. The primary outcome measure was selection of either an apple or a chocolate bar as a dessert. Measures of the perceived qualities of the apple (taste, health, value, quality, satiety) and of participant characteristics (restraint, belief that tasty foods are unhealthy, BMI) were also taken. When compared with apple selection without any descriptor (50%), the labels combining both health and taste descriptors significantly increased selection of the apple (’healthy & succulent’ 65.9% and ‘succulent & healthy’ 62.4%), while the use of a single descriptor had no impact on the rate of apple selection (‘healthy’ 50.5% and ‘succulent’ 52%). The strongest predictors of individual dessert choice were the taste score given to the apple, and the lack of belief that healthy foods are not tasty. Interventions that emphasize the taste attributes of healthier foods are likely to be more effective at achieving healthier diets than those emphasizing health alone. PMID:24155964
Low oxygen treatment prior to cold storage decreases the incidence of bitter pit in 'Golden Reinders' apples.

PubMed

Val, Jesús; Fernández, Victoria; López, Paola; Peiró, Jose María; Blanco, Alvaro

2010-02-01

The effect of subjecting 'Golden Reinders' apples to a low O(2) pre-treatment (LOT; 1-2% O(2)) was evaluated as a strategy to decrease the rate of bitter pit (BP) incidence after standard cold storage (ST). Immediately after harvest, apples were stored for 10 days at 20 degrees C under low O(2). Thereafter, apples were cold-stored (0-4 degrees C) for 4 months and changes were monitored in terms of BP incidence, fruit quality traits and mineral element concentrations. After 4 months cold storage, LOT apples presented a 2.6-fold decrease in the rate of BP incidence (14%) versus the values obtained for standard cold-stored fruits (37% BP incidence). LOT increased flesh firmness, total soluble solids and titratable acidity as compared to the quality traits determined for cold-stored fruits. Lower cortex Ca and Mg concentrations as compared to ST apples were determined in association with LOT, 2 months after cold storage. Application of a LOT prior to cold storage may be a promising strategy to reduce the incidence of BP and preserve fruit quality, which should be further investigated.

Effects of Fermentation Temperature on Key Aroma Compounds and Sensory Properties of Apple Wine.

PubMed

Peng, Bangzhu; Li, Fuling; Cui, Lu; Guo, Yaodong

2015-12-01

Fermentation temperature strongly affects yeast metabolism during apple wine making and thus aromatic and quality profiles. In this study, the temperature effect during apple wine making on both the key aroma compounds and sensory properties of apple wine were investigated. The concentration of nine key aroma compounds (ethyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, isopentylacetate, ethyl caprylate, ethyl 4-hydroxybutanoate, isobutylalcohol, isopentylalcohol, 3-methylthio-1-propanol, and benzeneethanol) in apple wine significantly increased with the increase of fermentation temperature from 17 to 20 °C, and then eight out of the nine key aroma compounds with an exception of ethyl 4-hydroxybutanoate, decreased when the temperature goes up 20 to 26 °C. Sensory analysis showed that the apple wine fermented at 20 °C had the highest acceptance for consumers. Fermentation at the temperature of 20 °C was therefore considered to be the most suitable condition using the selected yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae AP05) for apple wine making. Changes in the fermentation temperature can considerably affect the production of key aroma compounds and sensory profiles of apple wine. These results could help apple wine producers make better quality production for consumers at the optimal fermentation temperature. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®
Sustainable approaches to control postharvest diseases of apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Long term storage of apples faces challenges in maintaining fruit quality and reducing losses from postharvest diseases. Currently, the apple industry relies mainly on synthetic fungicides to control postharvest decays. However, the limitations to fungicides such as the development of resistance i...
Effects of pulsed light treatments and pectin edible coatings on the quality of fresh-cut apples: a hurdle technology approach.

PubMed

Moreira, María R; Álvarez, María V; Martín-Belloso, Olga; Soliva-Fortuny, Robert

2017-01-01

Pulsed light (PL) treatments stand as an alternative for the shelf-life extension of fresh-cut products. The antimicrobial effects of PL are well known; however, its influence on quality attributes needs to be assessed. This study was aimed at evaluating the application of PL treatments in combination with pectin-based edible coatings enriched with dietary fiber for the preservation of fresh-cut apples. Dipping of fresh-cut apples in ascorbic acid/calcium chloride solution prior to pectin coating and PL treatments was effective to minimize browning and softening of apple surfaces. Incorporation of fiber in the pectin coating did not cause any change in microbial loads and sensory acceptability of apple cubes. Pectin-coated PL-treated apple pieces exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity values than fresh and PL control samples. At the end of storage, the combination of both treatments resulted in an almost 2 log CFU g -1 reduction of microbial counts. Sensory attribute scores did not fall below the rejection limit throughout 14 days, although the presence of off-odors limited the acceptability of the pectin-coated samples. The results demonstrate that PL treatments applied to pectin-coated fresh-cut apples may be used to maintain quality attributes, thus conferring prebiotic potential and extending the shelf-life of the product. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
X-ray micro-computer tomographic method to visualize the microstructure of different apple cultivars.

PubMed

Ting, Valentina J L; Silcock, Patrick; Bremer, Phil J; Biasioli, Franco

2013-11-01

Apples are appreciated for their texture with firmness acting as an indicator of quality. During prolonged storage, apples can soften and their texture can become undesirably mealy. Using an X-ray microcomputer tomography (μ-CT) scanner, the porosity (ratio of intercellular space [IS] to total volume) and the structural arrangement of the parenchyma tissue of 4 apple cultivars (Braeburn, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Jazz) stored under similar conditions for 100 d were visualized via the development of 2D and 3D images. The texture of the apples was also measured using a puncture test. The morphometric and textural measurements revealed that firm Jazz apples (flesh firmness: 29.84N) had a lower porosity (17%) compared to soft Golden Delicious apples (flesh firmness: 14.16N; porosity: 29.8%). In general, firm apples had a higher dry matter (%) and a lower porosity (%), while the reverse was true for softer apples. However, this was not an absolute trend as cultivar specific differences in the microstructural organization and consequent mechanical strength of the parenchyma tissue also influenced firmness. For example, although Fuji apples were firm (28.42N), they had a high porosity (29.3%) due to the presence of numerous small and compact IS. In comparison, soft Golden Delicious apples had a high porosity (29.8%) due to the presence of large, interconnected IS. Imaging technologies have the potential to provide a pictorial or graphical database showing the size range distribution of IS corresponding to different parenchyma tissue types and how they relate to apple texture and eating quality. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®
Phase analysis for three-dimensional surface reconstruction of apples using structured-illumination reflectance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yuzhen; Lu, Renfu

2017-05-01

Three-dimensional (3-D) shape information is valuable for fruit quality evaluation. This study was aimed at developing phase analysis techniques for reconstruction of the 3-D surface of fruit from the pattern images acquired by a structuredillumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) system. Phase-shifted sinusoidal patterns, distorted by the fruit geometry, were acquired and processed through phase demodulation, phase unwrapping and other post-processing procedures to obtain phase difference maps relative to the phase of a reference plane. The phase maps were then transformed into height profiles and 3-D shapes in a world coordinate system based on phase-to-height and in-plane calibrations. A reference plane-based approach, coupled with the curve fitting technique using polynomials of order 3 or higher, was utilized for phase-to-height calibrations, which achieved superior accuracies with the root-mean-squared errors (RMSEs) of 0.027- 0.033 mm for a height measurement range of 0-91 mm. The 3rd-order polynomial curve fitting technique was further tested on two reference blocks with known heights, resulting in relative errors of 3.75% and 4.16%. In-plane calibrations were performed by solving a linear system formed by a number of control points in a calibration object, which yielded a RMSE of 0.311 mm. Tests of the calibrated system for reconstructing the surface of apple samples showed that surface concavities (i.e., stem/calyx regions) could be easily discriminated from bruises from the phase difference maps, reconstructed height profiles and the 3-D shape of apples. This study has laid a foundation for using SIRI for 3-D shape measurement, and thus expanded the capability of the technique for quality evaluation of horticultural products. Further research is needed to utilize the phase analysis techniques for stem/calyx detection of apples, and optimize the phase demodulation and unwrapping algorithms for faster and more reliable detection.
7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage... from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in diameter. Corresponding smaller or larger areas would be...
7 CFR 51.316 - Injury.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.316 Injury. “Injury... the appearance or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in diameter. Corresponding smaller or larger areas would be...
7 CFR 51.316 - Injury.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.316 Injury. “Injury... the appearance or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in diameter. Corresponding smaller or larger areas would be...
7 CFR 51.317 - Damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.317 Damage. “Damage... appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in diameter. Corresponding smaller or larger areas would be allowed on...
7 CFR 51.317 - Damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.317 Damage. “Damage... appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in diameter. Corresponding smaller or larger areas would be allowed on...
7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage... from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple three inches in diameter. Corresponding smaller or larger areas would be...
Determination of the effect of different atmospheric composition on the quality of cold stored irradiated apples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okamoto, T.; Harata, J.; Osanai, T.

1972-03-01

Jonathan apples were irradiated with /sup 60/Co gamma rays, in doses of 0 (control), 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 50, 100 krad (dose rate: 20 krad/hr), and 50krad (dose rate: 100 krad/hr), and stored at 0 deg C in three controlled atmosphere rooms (oxygen 3 to 5%, carbon dioxide below 0.5%; oxygen 21%, carbon dioxide 2 to 2.5%; oxygen 3 to 5%, carbon dioxide 2 to 2.5%) and in a common refrigerated room for 4.5 months. Irradiation of apples with doses of 10 krsd or more seemed to lower slightly their qualities and the same tendency was obseved in CA apples.more » Generally, the effects of CA storage, especially in 3 to 5% O/sub 2/ and 2 to 2.5% CO/sub 2/, on the qualities of apples, i.e., respiration, organoleptic properties, changes in weight, surface color, were stronger than the irradiation effect. However, it seems to be true that the treatment with doses of about 5 krad is not at all inferior to the other treatment. So, as the pretreatment of CA storage of apples the irradiation dose of about 5 krad may be recommended. (auth)« less
A simple and rapid method for isolation of high quality genomic DNA from fruit trees and conifers using PVP.

PubMed

Kim, C S; Lee, C H; Shin, J S; Chung, Y S; Hyung, N I

1997-03-01

Because DNA degradation is mediated by secondary plant products such as phenolic terpenoids, the isolation of high quality DNA from plants containing a high content of polyphenolics has been a difficult problem. We demonstrate an easy extraction process by modifying several existing ones. Using this process we have found it possible to isolate DNAs from four fruit trees, grape (Vitis spp.), apple (Malus spp.), pear (Pyrus spp.) and persimmon (Diospyros spp.) and four species of conifer, Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis,Taxus cuspidata and Juniperus chinensis within a few hours. Compared with the existing method, we have isolated high quality intact DNAs (260/280 = 1.8-2.0) routinely yielding 250-500 ng/microl (total 7.5-15 microg DNA from four to five tissue discs).
A simple and rapid method for isolation of high quality genomic DNA from fruit trees and conifers using PVP.

PubMed Central

Kim, C S; Lee, C H; Shin, J S; Chung, Y S; Hyung, N I

1997-01-01

Because DNA degradation is mediated by secondary plant products such as phenolic terpenoids, the isolation of high quality DNA from plants containing a high content of polyphenolics has been a difficult problem. We demonstrate an easy extraction process by modifying several existing ones. Using this process we have found it possible to isolate DNAs from four fruit trees, grape (Vitis spp.), apple (Malus spp.), pear (Pyrus spp.) and persimmon (Diospyros spp.) and four species of conifer, Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis,Taxus cuspidata and Juniperus chinensis within a few hours. Compared with the existing method, we have isolated high quality intact DNAs (260/280 = 1.8-2.0) routinely yielding 250-500 ng/microl (total 7.5-15 microg DNA from four to five tissue discs). PMID:9023124
Considerations for implementing machine vision for detecting watercore in apples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upchurch, Bruce L.; Throop, James A.

1993-05-01

Watercore in apples is a physiological disorder that affects the internal quality of the fruit. Growers can experience serious economic losses due to internal breakdown of the apple if watercored apples are placed unknowingly into long term storage. Economic losses can also occur if watercore is detected and the entire `lot' is downgraded; however, a gain can be obtained if watercored fruit is segregated and marketed as a premium apple soon after harvest. Watercore is characterized by the accumulation of fluid around the vascular bundles replacing air spaces between cells. This fluid reduces the light scattering properties of the apple. Using machine vision to measure the amount of light transmitted through the apple, watercored apples were segregated according to the severity of damage. However, the success of the method was dependent upon two factors. First, the sensitivity of the camera dictated the classes of watercore that could be detected. A highly sensitive camera could separate the less severe classes at the expense of not distinguishing between the more severe classes. A second factor which is common to most quality attributes in perishable commodities is the elapsed time after harvest at which the measurement was made. At the end of the study, light transmission levels decreased to undetectable levels with the initial camera settings for all watercore classes.
QTLs detected for individual sugars and soluble solids content in apple

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sweetness is one of the most important fruit quality traits in breeding programs, determining the overall quality and flavor-perception of apples. Selecting for this trait using conventional breeding methods is challenging due to the complexity of its genetic control. In order to improve the efficie...
High-quality de novo assembly of the apple genome and methylome dynamics of early fruit development.

PubMed

Daccord, Nicolas; Celton, Jean-Marc; Linsmith, Gareth; Becker, Claude; Choisne, Nathalie; Schijlen, Elio; van de Geest, Henri; Bianco, Luca; Micheletti, Diego; Velasco, Riccardo; Di Pierro, Erica Adele; Gouzy, Jérôme; Rees, D Jasper G; Guérif, Philippe; Muranty, Hélène; Durel, Charles-Eric; Laurens, François; Lespinasse, Yves; Gaillard, Sylvain; Aubourg, Sébastien; Quesneville, Hadi; Weigel, Detlef; van de Weg, Eric; Troggio, Michela; Bucher, Etienne

2017-07-01

Using the latest sequencing and optical mapping technologies, we have produced a high-quality de novo assembly of the apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) genome. Repeat sequences, which represented over half of the assembly, provided an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the uncharacterized regions of a tree genome; we identified a new hyper-repetitive retrotransposon sequence that was over-represented in heterochromatic regions and estimated that a major burst of different transposable elements (TEs) occurred 21 million years ago. Notably, the timing of this TE burst coincided with the uplift of the Tian Shan mountains, which is thought to be the center of the location where the apple originated, suggesting that TEs and associated processes may have contributed to the diversification of the apple ancestor and possibly to its divergence from pear. Finally, genome-wide DNA methylation data suggest that epigenetic marks may contribute to agronomically relevant aspects, such as apple fruit development.
Evaluation of heat shrinkable films for shelf life, and quality of individually wrapped Royal Delicious apples under ambient conditions.

PubMed

Sharma, R R; Pal, R K; Singh, D; Samuel, D V K; Sethi, S; Kumar, A

2013-06-01

Effect of heat shrinkable films on shelf life and quality of apples under ambient conditions was studied. Fully mature Royal Delicious apples (starch index 2.5 on 4.0 point scale) were either shrink-wrapped in 3 heat shrinkable films like Cryovac (9 μ), polyolefin (13 μ) and LDPE (25 μ) or were not wrapped at all (control) and then stored at ambient conditions (22-28°C and 52-68% RH). Observations on physiological loss in weight (PLW), decay loss, firmness, juice recovery, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, ascorbic acid content and overall sensory quality were recorded immediately before packing, and after packing at weekly intervals. Best results were obtained with Cryovac (9 μ) films, which exhibited least PLW (2.3%) and decay loss (2.8%) and higher juice recovery (65.2%) and TSS (16.4%) over other films or control. Apples wrapped in Cryovac films also had higher overall sensory acceptability (8.3 out of 9) over other films or control. These studies indicated that apples could be very well packed in Cryovac heat shrinkable films for about 35 days with least PLW or decay loss, and without any adverse effect on fruit quality.
Comparison of nonfried apple snacks with commercially available fried snacks.

PubMed

Joshi, A P K; Rupasinghe, H P V; Pitts, N L

2011-06-01

The study was carried out to evaluate the selected quality attributes of a prototype nonfried apple snack produced by application of vacuum impregnation (VI) of maple syrup and vacuum drying. When maple syrup concentration was adjusted to 20-40% in the VI solution, vacuum-dried apple slices are resulted in the greatest textural attributes, whiteness index, and desirable moisture content and water activity. Comparison of the VI-treated, vacuum-dried apple slices with commercially fried apple and potato snacks revealed that the consumer acceptability was greater for the fried snack products due to their flavor and texture; however, in addition to higher oil content (>30%), commercial fried apple and potato snacks possessed lower antioxidant capacity than nonfried apple snacks. VI process enhanced the calcium content of the nonfried apple snack products.
New antioxidant treatment with yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis) infusion for fresh-cut apples: Modeling, optimization, and acceptability.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Arzuaga, Mariana; Piagentini, Andrea M

2018-04-01

Enzymatic browning affects the sensory and nutritional quality of fresh-cut apples and limits their shelf-life. Yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis), a plant widely consumed in South America as an infusion, could potentially be used in minimally processed fruits and vegetables as a natural additive to prevent browning, due to its high content of phenolic compounds with antioxidant capacity. The effects of the concentrations of ascorbic acid, citric acid, and yerba mate in an aqueous dipping solution on the instrumental color parameters, antioxidant capacity, and sensory quality of "Granny Smith" fresh-cut apples were modeled and the solution was optimized to obtain treated apples with maximum antioxidant capacity and minimum browning, without affecting the natural flavor of the fruits. The optimal composition obtained (1.2% yerba mate + 0.9% citric acid + 1.0% ascorbic acid) increased the antioxidant capacity of the apples by 36%. The sensory acceptability test carried out on the "Granny Smith" fresh-cut apples treated with the optimal dipping solution showed that more than 78% of the surveyed consumers liked the color, flavor, and texture of the apples.

Effect of pH on the survival of Listeria innocua in calcium ascorbate solutions and on quality of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Karaibrahimoglu, Yildiz; Fan, Xuetong; Sapers, Gerald M; Sokorai, Kimberly

2004-04-01

Fresh-cut apple slices were dipped in calcium ascorbate (CaA) solution at pH values ranging from 2.5 to 7.0 to inhibit browning. After treatment, the cut apples were stored at 4 and 10 degrees C for up to 21 days. Color and texture of the apples were determined on days 1, 14, and 21. In a separate experiement, the pH of CaA solution was adjusted with acetic acid to six different pH levels, and the solution was inoculated with Listeria innocua. The survival of the bacterium and the stability of CaA were determined at 0, 20, and 96 h. The cut apples maintained fresh quality when the pH of the CaA solution was above 4.5, but slight discoloration of apple slices dipped in pH 4.5 solution was observed after 14 days at 10 degrees C. At pH 5.0, the CaA dip maintained the quality of the apples at both temperatures for at least 21 days. The L. innocua population was reduced by 4 to 5 log CFU/ml at pH 4.5 after 96 h. At pH 5, the bacterial population in the CaA solution was reduced by approximately 2 log CFU/ml during the same period. The CaA solution was stable at pH 5 for at least 96 h. Reduction of the pH to between 4.5 and 5.0 might reduce the risk of foodborne illness due to consumption of fresh-cut apples treated with a CaA solution contaminated with Listeria.
A candidate gene based approach validates Md-PG1 as the main responsible for a QTL impacting fruit texture in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh).

PubMed

Longhi, Sara; Hamblin, Martha T; Trainotti, Livio; Peace, Cameron P; Velasco, Riccardo; Costa, Fabrizio

2013-03-04

Apple is a widely cultivated fruit crop for its quality properties and extended storability. Among the several quality factors, texture is the most important and appreciated, and within the apple variety panorama the cortex texture shows a broad range of variability. Anatomically these variations depend on degradation events occurring in both fruit primary cell wall and middle lamella. This physiological process is regulated by an enzymatic network generally encoded by large gene families, among which polygalacturonase is devoted to the depolymerization of pectin. In apple, Md-PG1, a key gene belonging to the polygalacturonase gene family, was mapped on chromosome 10 and co-localized within the statistical interval of a major hot spot QTL associated to several fruit texture sub-phenotypes. In this work, a QTL corresponding to the position of Md-PG1 was validated and new functional alleles associated to the fruit texture properties in 77 apple cultivars were discovered. 38 SNPs genotyped by gene full length resequencing and 2 SSR markers ad hoc targeted in the gene metacontig were employed. Out of this SNP set, eleven were used to define three significant haplotypes statistically associated to several texture components. The impact of Md-PG1 in the fruit cell wall disassembly was further confirmed by the cortex structure electron microscope scanning in two apple varieties characterized by opposite texture performance, such as 'Golden Delicious' and 'Granny Smith'. The results here presented step forward into the genetic dissection of fruit texture in apple. This new set of haplotypes, and microsatellite alleles, can represent a valuable toolbox for a more efficient parental selection as well as the identification of new apple accessions distinguished by superior fruit quality features.
A novel fluorescence microscopy approach to estimate quality loss of stored fruit fillings as a result of browning.

PubMed

Cropotova, Janna; Tylewicz, Urszula; Cocci, Emiliano; Romani, Santina; Dalla Rosa, Marco

2016-03-01

The aim of the present study was to estimate the quality deterioration of apple fillings during storage. Moreover, a potentiality of novel time-saving and non-invasive method based on fluorescence microscopy for prompt ascertainment of non-enzymatic browning initiation in fruit fillings was investigated. Apple filling samples were obtained by mixing different quantities of fruit and stabilizing agents (inulin, pectin and gellan gum), thermally processed and stored for 6-month. The preservation of antioxidant capacity (determined by DPPH method) in apple fillings was indirectly correlated with decrease in total polyphenols content that varied from 34±22 to 56±17% and concomitant accumulation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), ranging from 3.4±0.1 to 8±1mg/kg in comparison to initial apple puree values. The mean intensity of the fluorescence emission spectra of apple filling samples and initial apple puree was highly correlated (R(2)>0.95) with the HMF content, showing a good potentiality of fluorescence microscopy method to estimate non-enzymatic browning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Feature selection and recognition from nonspecific volatile profiles for discrimination of apple juices according to variety and geographical origin.

PubMed

Guo, Jing; Yue, Tianli; Yuan, Yahong

2012-10-01

Apple juice is a complex mixture of volatile and nonvolatile components. To develop discrimination models on the basis of the volatile composition for an efficient classification of apple juices according to apple variety and geographical origin, chromatography volatile profiles of 50 apple juice samples belonging to 6 varieties and from 5 counties of Shaanxi (China) were obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography. The volatile profiles were processed as continuous and nonspecific signals through multivariate analysis techniques. Different preprocessing methods were applied to raw chromatographic data. The blind chemometric analysis of the preprocessed chromatographic profiles was carried out. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) revealed satisfactory discriminations of apple juices according to variety and geographical origin, provided respectively 100% and 89.8% success rate in terms of prediction ability. Finally, the discriminant volatile compounds selected by SLDA were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The proposed strategy was able to verify the variety and geographical origin of apple juices involving only a reduced number of discriminate retention times selected by the stepwise procedure. This result encourages the similar procedures to be considered in quality control of apple juices. This work presented a method for an efficient discrimination of apple juices according to apple variety and geographical origin using HS-SPME-GC-MS together with chemometric tools. Discrimination models developed could help to achieve greater control over the quality of the juice and to detect possible adulteration of the product. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®
Effect of pulsed electric fields treatment and mash size on extraction and composition of apple juices.

PubMed

Turk, Mohammad F; Baron, Alain; Vorobiev, Eugene

2010-09-08

This study explored the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment (E=450 V/cm; tt=10 ms; E<3 kJ/kg) and apple mash size on juice yield, polyphenolic compounds, sugars, and malic acid. Juice yield increased significantly after PEF treatment of large mash (Y=71.4%) and remained higher than the juice yield obtained for a control small mash (45.6%). The acid sweet balance was not altered by PEF. A correlation was established between the decrease of light absorbance (control: 1.43; treated: 1.10) and the decline of native polyphenols yield due to PEF treatment (control: 9.6%; treated: 5.9% for small mash). An enhanced oxidation of phenolic compounds in cells due to electroporation of the inner cell membrane and the adsorption of the oxidized products on the mash may explain both the lower light absorbance and the lower native polyphenol concentration.
Evaluation of Cashew Apple Juice for the Production of Fuel Ethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinheiro, Álvaro Daniel Teles; Rocha, Maria Valderez Ponte; Macedo, Gorete R.; Gonçalves, Luciana R. B.

A commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used for the production of ethanol by fermentation of cashew apple juice. Growth kinetics and ethanol productivity were calculated for batch fermentation with different initial sugar (glucose + fructose) concentrations. Maximal ethanol, cell, and glycerol concentrations were obtained when 103.1 g L-1 of initial sugar concentration was used. Cell yield (Yx/s) was calculated as 0.24 (g microorganism)/(g glucose + fructose) using cashew apple juice medium with 41.3 g L-1 of initial sugar concentration. Glucose was exhausted first, followed by fructose. Furthermore, the initial concentration of sugars did not influence ethanol selectivity. These results indicate that cashew apple juice is a suitable substrate for yeast growth and ethanol production.
Evaluation of cashew apple juice for the production of fuel ethanol.

PubMed

Pinheiro, Alvaro Daniel Teles; Rocha, Maria Valderez Ponte; Macedo, Gorete R; Gonçalves, Luciana R B

2008-03-01

A commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used for the production of ethanol by fermentation of cashew apple juice. Growth kinetics and ethanol productivity were calculated for batch fermentation with different initial sugar (glucose + fructose) concentrations. Maximal ethanol, cell, and glycerol concentrations were obtained when 103.1 g L(-1) of initial sugar concentration was used. Cell yield (Y (X/S)) was calculated as 0.24 (g microorganism)/(g glucose + fructose) using cashew apple juice medium with 41.3 g L(-1) of initial sugar concentration. Glucose was exhausted first, followed by fructose. Furthermore, the initial concentration of sugars did not influence ethanol selectivity. These results indicate that cashew apple juice is a suitable substrate for yeast growth and ethanol production.
A mechanistic modelling approach to understand 1-MCP inhibition of ethylene action and quality changes during ripening of apples.

PubMed

Gwanpua, Sunny George; Verlinden, Bert E; Hertog, Maarten Latm; Nicolai, Bart M; Geeraerd, Annemie H

2017-08-01

1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) inhibits ripening in climacteric fruit by blocking ethylene receptors, preventing ethylene from binding and eliciting its action. The objective of the current study was to use mathematical models to describe 1-MCP inhibition of apple fruit ripening, and to provide a tool for predicting ethylene production, and two important quality indicators of apple fruit, firmness and background colour. A model consisting of coupled differential equations describing 1-MCP inhibition of apple ripening was developed. Data on ethylene production, expression of ethylene receptors, firmness, and background colour during ripening of untreated and 1-MCP treated apples were used to calibrate the model. An overall adjusted R 2 of 95% was obtained. The impact of time from harvest to treatment, and harvest maturity on 1-MCP efficacy was modelled. Different hypotheses on the partial response of 'Jonagold' apple to 1-MCP treatment were tested using the model. The model was validated using an independent dataset. Low 1-MCP blocking efficacy was shown to be the most likely cause of partial response for delayed 1-MCP treatment, and 1-MCP treatment of late-picked apples. Time from harvest to treatment was a more important factor than maturity for 1-MCP efficacy in 'Jonagold' apples. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Grading of apples based on firmness and soluble solids content using VIS-SWNIR spectroscopy and spectral scattering techniques

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sorting apple fruit based on internal quality will enhance the industry’s competiveness and profitability and assure consumer satisfaction. In this research, visible and shortwave near-infrared (Vis-SWNIR) spectroscopy (460–1,100 nm) and spectral scattering (450–1,050 nm) were used for sorting apple...
Palatability and chemical safety of apple juice fortified with pomegranate peel extract.

PubMed

Altunkaya, Arzu; Hedegaard, Rikke V; Harholt, Jesper; Brimer, Leon; Gökmen, Vural; Skibsted, Leif H

2013-10-01

Pomegranate peel extract (PPE), a by-product of the pomegranate juice industry with potential health effects, was explored for use to fortify reconstituted apple juice in the concentration range 0.5 to 2.0% (w/w). Radical scavenging and antioxidative capacities of the fortified apple juices were evaluated using (i) electron spin resonance (ESR) to quantify their ability to scavenge the stable radical Fremy's salt and (ii) the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay and compared to apple juice without fortification as control. The highest antioxidative capacity was found in the apple juice fortified with the highest percentage of pomegranate peel extract, while the optimal sensory quality was found by addition of 0.5 g PPE per 100 mL. The Artemia salina assay was used as a fast screening method for evaluating overall toxicity, and showed little toxicity with up to 1.0 g per 100 mL addition of PPE, but increasing toxicity at higher concentrations. Accordingly, it is important to balance addition of PPE, when used for enrichment of apple juice in order to obtain a healthier product, without compromising the sensorial quality or toxicological safety of the apple juice. Concentrations between 0.5 and 1.0 g PPE per 100 mL seem to be acceptable.
Dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA): interaction between DCA methods and 1-methylcyclopropene on 'Fuji Suprema' apple quality.

PubMed

Weber, Anderson; Thewes, Fabio Rodrigo; Anese, Rogerio de Oliveira; Both, Vanderlei; Pavanello, Elizandra Pivotto; Brackmann, Auri

2017-11-15

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the appropriate respiratory quotient (RQ) value to achieve a safe lowest oxygen limit (LOL), during storage of 'Fuji Suprema' apples, in dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA), treated with or without 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). The apples were stored in DCA-RQ, a new technology for storing fruits, and were compared with the HarvestWatch™, a system based on chlorophyll fluorescence DCA (DCA-CF), and static controlled atmosphere. DCA-RQ1.5 is the most suited for the storage of 'Fuji Suprema' apples. In this condition fermentative products were induced, which reduced ethylene production and respiration rate; however, it did not increase physiological disorders, and the concentration of ethyl acetate was below the odour threshold. 1-MCP application maintained higher flesh firmness and reduced the anaerobic metabolism, although it decreased fruit quality due to the occurrence of cavities, therefore its application is not recommended for 'Fuji Suprema' apple stored in DCA conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Analysis of genetically modified red-fleshed apples reveals effects on growth and consumer attributes.

PubMed

Espley, Richard V; Bovy, Arnaud; Bava, Christina; Jaeger, Sara R; Tomes, Sumathi; Norling, Cara; Crawford, Jonathan; Rowan, Daryl; McGhie, Tony K; Brendolise, Cyril; Putterill, Jo; Schouten, Henk J; Hellens, Roger P; Allan, Andrew C

2013-05-01

Consumers of whole foods, such as fruits, demand consistent high quality and seek varieties with enhanced health properties, convenience or novel taste. We have raised the polyphenolic content of apple by genetic engineering of the anthocyanin pathway using the apple transcription factor MYB10. These apples have very high concentrations of foliar, flower and fruit anthocyanins, especially in the fruit peel. Independent lines were examined for impacts on tree growth, photosynthesis and fruit characteristics. Fruit were analysed for changes in metabolite and transcript levels. Fruit were also used in taste trials to study the consumer perception of such a novel apple. No negative taste attributes were associated with the elevated anthocyanins. Modification with this one gene provides near isogenic material and allows us to examine the effects on an established cultivar, with a view to enhancing consumer appeal independently of other fruit qualities. © 2012 The Authors Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Physical and sensory properties of ready to eat apple chips produced by osmo-convective drying.

PubMed

Velickova, Elena; Winkelhausen, Eleonora; Kuzmanova, Slobodanka

2014-12-01

The low cost raw material, apple variety Idared, was turned into value-added product, apple chips. The apple chips were produced in a two-step process consisting of osmotic treatment and conventional drying. Osmotic treatment was carried out in 40 % glucose solution at room temperature, followed by convective drying at 105 °C, till reaching water activity of 0.3. Mechanical properties of the apple chips measured by compression and penetration tests were correlated with the sorption properties. The low browning index, 25.5 and high whitening index, 63.7, proved the good retention of the color of the apple chips. The instrumental characteristics of the apple chips were correlated with the sensory characteristics of the product. The new product was accepted by the 95 % of the panelists. The stored apple chips under modified atmosphere showed no significant changes in the quality parameters over 6 month period.
Chilling Affects Phytohormone and Post-Embryonic Development Pathways during Bud Break and Fruit Set in Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.)

PubMed Central

Kumar, Gulshan; Gupta, Khushboo; Pathania, Shivalika; Swarnkar, Mohit Kumar; Rattan, Usha Kumari; Singh, Gagandeep; Sharma, Ram Kumar; Singh, Anil Kumar

2017-01-01

The availability of sufficient chilling during bud dormancy plays an important role in the subsequent yield and quality of apple fruit, whereas, insufficient chilling availability negatively impacts the apple production. The transcriptome profiling during bud dormancy release and initial fruit set under low and high chill conditions was performed using RNA-seq. The comparative high number of differentially expressed genes during bud break and fruit set under high chill condition indicates that chilling availability was associated with transcriptional reorganization. The comparative analysis reveals the differential expression of genes involved in phytohormone metabolism, particularly for Abscisic acid, gibberellic acid, ethylene, auxin and cytokinin. The expression of Dormancy Associated MADS-box, Flowering Locus C-like, Flowering Locus T-like and Terminal Flower 1-like genes was found to be modulated under differential chilling. The co-expression network analysis indentified two high chill specific modules that were found to be enriched for “post-embryonic development” GO terms. The network analysis also identified hub genes including Early flowering 7, RAF10, ZEP4 and F-box, which may be involved in regulating chilling-mediated dormancy release and fruit set. The results of transcriptome and co-expression network analysis indicate that chilling availability majorly regulates phytohormone-related pathways and post-embryonic development during bud break. PMID:28198417
Mitigation of soil water repellency improves rootzone water status and yield in precision irrigated apples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostka, S.; Gadd, N.; Bell, D.

2009-04-01

Water repellent soils are documented to impact a range of hydrological properties, yet studies evaluating the consequences of soil water repellency (SWR) and its mitigation on crop yield and quality are conspicuously absent. With global concerns on drought and water availability and the projected impacts of climate change, development of novel strategies to optimize efficient rootzone delivery of water are required. Co-formulations of alkyl polyglycoside (APG) and ethylene oxide-propylene oxide (EO/PO) block copolymer surfactants have been shown to improve wetting synergistically. The objectives of this study were to determine if this surfactant technology: 1) increased soil water content and wetting front depth in mini-sprinkler irrigated, water repellent, Goulburn Valley clay loam soils and 2) assess the consequence of SWR mitigation on yield of Malus domestica Borkh. Three trials were conducted in the apple varieties 'Pink Lady' (2006/07 and 2007/08) and 'Gala' (2007/08) growing on Goulburn Valley clay loam soils in Victoria, AU. The test design was a randomized complete block with treatments replicated 5-6 times. Plot size varied by location. SWR was mitigated by applying surfactant at initial rates of 0, 5, or 10 L ha-1 in the spring, then at 0, 2.5, or 5 L ha-1 monthly for up to four months and compared to an untreated control. Treatments were applied to tree lines using a hand held small plot sprayer (118 liters of spray solution ha-1) followed by irrigation within 1-3 days of treatment applications. At each location, plots were irrigated by mini sprinklers and received the same irrigation volumes and management practices. Soil volumetric water content (VWC) was monitored at depths of 0-10 and 10-20 cm using a Theta probe (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK). At harvest, fruit number and weights were measured and used for crop yield estimations. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance with mean values summarized and separated using Least Significant Test at 5% level of probability. As surfactant rate increased, wetting front depth increased and soil VWC increased for the surfactant treatments (p=0.05). Soil VWC was significantly lower (p=0.05) in untreated soils than in the surfactant treatments on each measurement date throughout the growing season. In the surfactant treatments, soil VWC at the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths of the soil profile were 2-5 percentage points higher than at the same depths in the untreated control (p=0.05). Mean fruit size for the variety 'Pink Lady' was 17-33 g greater in the surfactant treatments than in the untreated control in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons, respectively (p=0.05). Mean fruit size differences of 41 g were observed between surfactant treatments and the untreated control in the single year of results for the variety 'Gala'. Due to thinning, there were no differences in fruit number. Total yield (kg tree-1) differed significantly between the untreated and surfactant treated plots (p=0.05), however, yields between the two surfactant treatment rates were statistically equivalent. In the variety 'Pink Lady', surfactant treatment increased total yield by approximately 20% in each of the two test seasons. Yield increases in the surfactant treated 'Gala' were nearly 50% greater than the untreated control. When examining the yield differences on a hectare basis, yield increases of 3.7 - 6.0 Mg kg ha-1 were encountered between the surfactant treatments and the control in the two varieties tested. Mitigation of SWR resulted in increased net return of 6,000 - 9000 ha-1 for the variety 'Pink Lady' and 3,600 ha-1 for the cultivar 'Gala'. This study demonstrates that simple innovative management strategies such as low level surfactant treatments to water repellent soils resulted in improved infiltration, increased rootzone water reserves, and significant increases in apple yield and quality under deficit irrigation.
Atomic-Scale Study of Plastic-Yield Criterion in Nanocrystalline Cu at High Strain Rates

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

vol. 53, pp. 3193– 3205. 25. E. Moshe, S. Eliezer, E. Dekel , A. Ludmirsky, Z. Henis, M. Werdiger, I.B. Goldberg, N. Eliaz, and D. Eliezer: J. Appl...Kondo, and M. Yoshida: J. Appl. Phys., 2001, vol. 89, pp. 3520–22. 29. E. Moshe, S. Eliezer, E. Dekel , Z. Henis, A. Ludmirsky, I.B. Goldberg, and D
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, J.E.; Weathers, P.J.; McConville, F.X.

Apple pomace (the pulp residue from pressing apple juice) is an abundant waste product and presents an expensive disposal problem. A typical (50,000 gal. juice/day) apple juice company in central Massachusetts produces 100 tons of pomace per day. Some of it is used as pig feed, but it is poor quality feed because of its low protein content. Most of the pomace is hauled away (at a cost of $4/ton) and landfilled (at a cost of $10/ton). If 5% (w/w) conversion of pomace to ethanol could be achieved, the need for this company to purchase No. 6 fuel oil (1000more » gal/day) for cooking during processing would be eliminated. Our approach was to saccharify the pomace enzymatically, and then to carry out a yeast fermentation on the hydrolysate. We chose to use enzymatic hydrolysis instead of dilute acid hydrolysis in order to minimize pH control problems both in the fermentation phase and in the residue. The only chemical studies have concerned small subfractions of apple material: for example, cell walls have been analyzed but they constitute only 1 to 2% of the fresh weight of the apple (about 15 to 30% of the pomace fraction). Therefore, our major problems were: (1) to optimize hydrolysis by enzyme mixtures, using weight loss and ultimate ethanol production as optimization criteria; (2) to optimize ethanol production from the hydrolysate by judicious choice of yeast strains and fermentation conditions; and (3) achieve these optimizations consistent with minimum processing cost and energy input. We have obtained up to 5.1% (w/w) of ethanol without saccharification. We show here that hydrolysis with high levels of enzyme can enhance ethanol yield by up to 27%, to a maximum level of 6% (w/w); however, enzyme treament may be cost-effective only a low levels, for improvement of residue compaction. 3 figures, 4 tables.« less
Melatonin in Apples and Juice: Inhibition of Browning and Microorganism Growth in Apple Juice.

PubMed

Zhang, Haixia; Liu, Xuan; Chen, Ting; Ji, Yazhen; Shi, Kun; Wang, Lin; Zheng, Xiaodong; Kong, Jin

2018-02-27

Synthetic melatonin ( N -acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MT) is popular in the US and Asian markets as a health supplement. Here, we identified a naturally occurring melatonin source in apple juice. Melatonin was present in all 18 apple cultivars tested. The highest melatonin level of the edible part of apple was detected in the apple peel. The melatonin content in 'Fuji' apple juice is comparable to the level of its flesh. Melatonin was consumed during the process of juicing due to its interaction with the oxidants. Melatonin addition significantly reduced the juice color change to brown (browning). The mechanism is that melatonin scavenges the free radicals, which was indicated by the ASBT analysis; therefore, inhibiting the conversion of o -diphenolic compounds into quinones. Most importantly, melatonin exhibited powerful anti-microorganism activity in juice. The exact mechanisms of this action are currently unknown. These effects of melatonin can preserve the quality and prolong the shelf life of apple juice. The results provide valuable information regarding commerciall apple juice processing and storage.
Potential sources of microbial contamination in unpasteurized apple cider.

PubMed

Garcia, Luis; Henderson, John; Fabri, Martha; Oke, Moustapha

2006-01-01

A study was conducted to identify possible sources of microbial contamination and to assess the effect of good cleaning and sanitation practices on the microbial quality and safety of unpasteurized apple cider. Raw unwashed apples, washed apples, cleaning water, fresh cider, and finished cider samples were collected from five Ontario producers over 4 months and microbiologically tested. Total coliforms were found in 31, 71 and 38% of the unwashed apple, water, and washed apple samples, respectively. Escherichia coli was found in 40% of the water samples from one producer alone. The washing step was identified as a potential source of contamination, possibly due to water in the dump tanks seldom being refreshed, and because scrubbers, spray nozzles, and conveyors were not properly cleaned and sanitized. Higher total coliform counts (P < 0.0001) and prevalence (P < 0.0001) in fresh cider compared with those in unwashed apples and washed apples indicated considerable microbial buildup along the process, possibly explained by the lack of appropriate equipment sanitation procedures. Results showed that producers who had better sanitary practices in place had lower (P < 0.001) total coliform prevalence than the rest of the producers. Overall results show that good sanitation procedures are associated with improved microbial quality of fresh cider in terms of total coliforms and that operators who pasteurize and/or UV treat their product should still be required to have a sound good manufacturing practices program in place to prevent recontamination. Cryptosporidium parvum, an important pathogen for this industry, was found in different sample types, including washed apples, water, and fresh and finished cider.
Black plastic mulch combined with summer cover crop increases the yield and water use efficiency of apple tree on the rainfed Loess Plateau

PubMed Central

Zheng, Wei; Wen, Meijuan; Zhao, Zhiyuan; Liu, Jie; Wang, Zhaohui; Li, Ziyan

2017-01-01

Water deficit significantly limits dryland rainfed fruit production, so increasing water conservation is crucial for improving fruit productivity in arid and semiarid areas. In this study, we tested two treatments in an apple orchard: 1) PC treatment comprising black plastic mulch (BPM) (in-row) with weed control (inter-row); 2) and PGC treatment comprising BPM (in-row) combined with a summer cover crop (inter-row) of rape (Brassica campestris L.), which was sown in mid-June and was living from July to September. Under PGC, the inter-row soil water storage increased by 17.9% and 11.5% compared with PC after the harvest in 2013 and 2014, respectively, but there was no significant increase in 2015. The evapotranspiration (ET) from the inter-row areas during the cover crop period was lower under PGC than PC in 2013 (19.6%), 2014 (11.3%), and 2015 (13.3%). However, the differences in the total ET from the inter-row areas between the two treatments were not obvious, and the total ET from in-row areas was higher under PGC than PC due to the increased water uptake by apple trees under PGC. The apple yield, water use efficiency during the cover crop period (WUEg) and total water use efficiency (WUE) fluctuated during the experimental years. Compared with PC, the apple yield increased by 14.1%, 18.8%, and 26.7% under PGC in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. In addition, the WUEg was 26.4%, 24.7%, and 32.7% higher under PGC compared with PC in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. Thus, the WUE under PGC was 13.8% and 11.7% higher than that under PC in 2013 and 2014, respectively, but the difference was not significant in 2015 (p = 0.0527). Thus, BPM combined with a summer cover crop is recommended for decreasing the summer ET and promoting apple production in rainfed dryland areas where the rainy season is usually the hot season. PMID:28957428

Perfect Syncarpy in Apple (Malus × domestica ‘Summerland McIntosh’) and its Implications for Pollination, Seed Distribution and Fruit Production (Rosaceae: Maloideae)

PubMed Central

SHEFFIELD, CORY S.; SMITH, ROBERT F.; KEVAN, PETER G.

2005-01-01

• Background and Aims The gynoecium of the domestic apple, Malus × domestica, has been assumed to be imperfectly syncarpic, whereby pollination of each stigmatic surface can result in fertilization within only one of the five carpels. Despite its implied effect on fruit quantity and quality, the resulting influence of flower form on seed set and distribution within the apple fruit has seldom been investigated. Instead, poor fruit quality is usually attributed to problems with pollination, such as low bee numbers and/or ineffective pollinators within apple agro-ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the true nature of gynoecial structure and its influence on fruit production in the apple cultivar ‘Summerland McIntosh’. • Methods A stigma-excision method was used to determine the effects of uneven pollination among the five stigmas on fruit quantity (as measured by fruit set), and quality (seed number and distribution). In addition, flowers were examined microscopically to determine pollen tube pathways. • Key Results Fruit set, seed number, seed distribution, and the microscopic examination of flower gynoecial structure reported in this study indicated that the gynoecium of the cultivar Summerland McIntosh is perfectly syncarpic and not imperfectly syncarpic as previously thought. • Conclusions Pollination levels among the five stigmas need not be uniform to obtain full seed development within Summerland McIntosh fruit; even if one stigmatic surface is adequately pollinated, a full complement of seeds is likely. The importance of perfect syncarpy in recognizing true causes of poor fruit quality in apple is discussed. Cory S. Sheffield, Robert F. Smith and Peter G. Kevan For the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Government of Canada PMID:15661749
Laser speckle technique to study the effect of chemical pre-treatment on the quality of minimally processed apples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minz, Preeti D.; Nirala, A. K.

2016-04-01

In the present study, the laser speckle technique has been used for the quality evaluation of chemically treated cut apples. Chemical pre-treatment includes 1% (w/v) solution of citric acid (CA), sodium chloride (SC), and a combination of CA and sodium chloride (CS). The variation in weight loss, respiration rate, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and absorbance of chemically treated cut apples stored at 5 °C was monitored for 11 d. The speckle grain size was calculated by an autocovariance method from the speckled images of freshly cut chemically treated apples. The effect of chemicals on TSS and the TA content variation of the cut apples were well correlated to the linear speckle grain size. Circular degree of polarization confirms the presence of a small scatterer and hence Rayleigh diffusion region. For all the treated cut apples, a decrease in the concentration of small particles nearly after the mid-period of storage results in the fast decay of circular degree of polarization. For non-invasive and fast analysis of the chemical constituent of fruits during minimal processing, the laser speckle can be practically used in the food industry.
Effects of Soil Pre-Treatment with Basamid® Granules, Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus, and Tagetes patula on Bacterial and Fungal Communities at Two Apple Replant Disease Sites

PubMed Central

Yim, Bunlong; Nitt, Heike; Wrede, Andreas; Jacquiod, Samuel; Sørensen, Søren J.; Winkelmann, Traud; Smalla, Kornelia

2017-01-01

Nurseries producing apple and rose rootstock plants, apple orchards as well as rose production often experience replanting problems after several cultivations at the same site when a chemical soil disinfectant is not applied. The etiology of apple and rose replanting problems is most likely caused by soil-borne pathogen complex, defined as “replant disease (RD)”. Symptoms typical of RD are reduced shoot and root growth, a smaller leaf area, a significant decrease in plant biomass, yield and fruit quality and a shorter life span. In our previous study, we showed that RD symptoms were reduced when apple rootstock M106 were grown in RD soils treated either with the soil fumigant Basamid or after biofumigation by incorporating Brassica juncea or Raphanus sativus or by growing Tagetes under field conditions compared to untreated control soil. The present study aimed at identifying potential bacterial and fungal taxa that were affected by different soil treatments and linking bacterial and fungal responders to plant performance. Miseq® Illumina® sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments (bacteria) and ITS regions (fungi) amplified from total community DNA extracted from soil samples taken 4 weeks after treatments were performed. Soil properties and culture history of the two RD sites greatly influenced soil microbiomes. Several bacterial genera were identified that significantly increased in treated soils such as Arthrobacter (R. sativus, both sites), Curtobacterium (Basamid, both sites), Terrimonas (Basamid and R. sativus, site A) and Ferruginibacter (B. juncea, site K and R. sativus, site A) that were also significantly and positively correlated with growth of apple M106 plants. Only few fungal genera, such as Podospora, Monographella and Mucor, were significantly promoted in soils treated with B. juncea and R. sativus (both sites). The least pronounced changes were recorded for bacterial as well as fungal communities in the RD soils planted with Tagetes. The detection of bacterial and fungal genera that were significantly increased in relative abundance in response to the treatments and that were positively correlated with plant growth suggests that management of the soil microbial community could contribute to overcome the apple RD encountered at affected sites. PMID:28919882
Honey bee-collected pollen in agro-ecosystems reveals diet diversity, diet quality, and pesticide exposure.

PubMed

Colwell, Megan J; Williams, Geoffrey R; Evans, Rodger C; Shutler, Dave

2017-09-01

European honey bees Apis mellifera are important commercial pollinators that have suffered greater than normal overwintering losses since 2007 in North America and Europe. Contributing factors likely include a combination of parasites, pesticides, and poor nutrition. We examined diet diversity, diet nutritional quality, and pesticides in honey bee-collected pollen from commercial colonies in the Canadian Maritime Provinces in spring and summer 2011. We sampled pollen collected by honey bees at colonies in four site types: apple orchards, blueberry fields, cranberry bogs, and fallow fields. Proportion of honey bee-collected pollen from crop versus noncrop flowers was high in apple, very low in blueberry, and low in cranberry sites. Pollen nutritional value tended to be relatively good from apple and cranberry sites and poor from blueberry and fallow sites. Floral surveys ranked, from highest to lowest in diversity, fallow, cranberry, apple, and blueberry sites. Pesticide diversity in honey bee-collected pollen was high from apple and blueberry sites and low from cranberry and fallow sites. Four different neonicotinoid pesticides were detected, but neither these nor any other pesticides were at or above LD 50 levels. Pollen hazard quotients were highest in apple and blueberry sites and lowest in fallow sites. Pollen hazard quotients were also negatively correlated with the number of flower taxa detected in surveys. Results reveal differences among site types in diet diversity, diet quality, and pesticide exposure that are informative for improving honey bee and land agro-ecosystem management.
Bio-conversion of apple pomace into ethanol and acetic acid: Enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation.

PubMed

Parmar, Indu; Rupasinghe, H P Vasantha

2013-02-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose present in apple pomace was investigated using process variables such as enzyme activity of commercial cellulase, pectinase and β-glucosidase, temperature, pH, time, pre-treatments and end product separation. The interaction of enzyme activity, temperature, pH and time had a significant effect (P<0.05) on release of glucose. Optimal conditions of enzymatic saccharification were: enzyme activity of cellulase, 43units; pectinase, 183units; β-glucosidase, 41units/g dry matter (DM); temperature, 40°C; pH 4.0 and time, 24h. The sugars were fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisae yielding 19.0g ethanol/100g DM. Further bio-conversion using Acetobacter aceti resulted in the production of acetic acid at a concentration of 61.4g/100g DM. The present study demonstrates an improved process of enzymatic hydrolysis of apple pomace to yield sugars and concomitant bioconversion to produce ethanol and acetic acid. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mapping the sensory perception of apple using descriptive sensory evaluation in a genome wide association study

PubMed Central

Amyotte, Beatrice; Bowen, Amy J.; Banks, Travis; Rajcan, Istvan; Somers, Daryl J.

2017-01-01

Breeding apples is a long-term endeavour and it is imperative that new cultivars are selected to have outstanding consumer appeal. This study has taken the approach of merging sensory science with genome wide association analyses in order to map the human perception of apple flavour and texture onto the apple genome. The goal was to identify genomic associations that could be used in breeding apples for improved fruit quality. A collection of 85 apple cultivars was examined over two years through descriptive sensory evaluation by a trained sensory panel. The trained sensory panel scored randomized sliced samples of each apple cultivar for seventeen taste, flavour and texture attributes using controlled sensory evaluation practices. In addition, the apple collection was subjected to genotyping by sequencing for marker discovery. A genome wide association analysis suggested significant genomic associations for several sensory traits including juiciness, crispness, mealiness and fresh green apple flavour. The findings include previously unreported genomic regions that could be used in apple breeding and suggest that similar sensory association mapping methods could be applied in other plants. PMID:28231290
Mapping the sensory perception of apple using descriptive sensory evaluation in a genome wide association study.

PubMed

Amyotte, Beatrice; Bowen, Amy J; Banks, Travis; Rajcan, Istvan; Somers, Daryl J

2017-01-01

Breeding apples is a long-term endeavour and it is imperative that new cultivars are selected to have outstanding consumer appeal. This study has taken the approach of merging sensory science with genome wide association analyses in order to map the human perception of apple flavour and texture onto the apple genome. The goal was to identify genomic associations that could be used in breeding apples for improved fruit quality. A collection of 85 apple cultivars was examined over two years through descriptive sensory evaluation by a trained sensory panel. The trained sensory panel scored randomized sliced samples of each apple cultivar for seventeen taste, flavour and texture attributes using controlled sensory evaluation practices. In addition, the apple collection was subjected to genotyping by sequencing for marker discovery. A genome wide association analysis suggested significant genomic associations for several sensory traits including juiciness, crispness, mealiness and fresh green apple flavour. The findings include previously unreported genomic regions that could be used in apple breeding and suggest that similar sensory association mapping methods could be applied in other plants.
A candidate gene based approach validates Md-PG1 as the main responsible for a QTL impacting fruit texture in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Apple is a widely cultivated fruit crop for its quality properties and extended storability. Among the several quality factors, texture is the most important and appreciated, and within the apple variety panorama the cortex texture shows a broad range of variability. Anatomically these variations depend on degradation events occurring in both fruit primary cell wall and middle lamella. This physiological process is regulated by an enzymatic network generally encoded by large gene families, among which polygalacturonase is devoted to the depolymerization of pectin. In apple, Md-PG1, a key gene belonging to the polygalacturonase gene family, was mapped on chromosome 10 and co-localized within the statistical interval of a major hot spot QTL associated to several fruit texture sub-phenotypes. Results In this work, a QTL corresponding to the position of Md-PG1 was validated and new functional alleles associated to the fruit texture properties in 77 apple cultivars were discovered. 38 SNPs genotyped by gene full length resequencing and 2 SSR markers ad hoc targeted in the gene metacontig were employed. Out of this SNP set, eleven were used to define three significant haplotypes statistically associated to several texture components. The impact of Md-PG1 in the fruit cell wall disassembly was further confirmed by the cortex structure electron microscope scanning in two apple varieties characterized by opposite texture performance, such as ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Granny Smith’. Conclusions The results here presented step forward into the genetic dissection of fruit texture in apple. This new set of haplotypes, and microsatellite alleles, can represent a valuable toolbox for a more efficient parental selection as well as the identification of new apple accessions distinguished by superior fruit quality features. PMID:23496960
Detection of contamination on selected apple cultivars using reflectance hyperspectral and multispectral analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehl, Patrick M.; Chao, Kevin; Kim, Moon S.; Chen, Yud-Ren

2001-03-01

Presence of natural or exogenous contaminations on apple cultivars is a food safety and quality concern touching the general public and strongly affecting this commodity market. Accumulations of human pathogens are usually observed on surface lesions of commodities. Detections of either lesions or directly of the pathogens are essential for assuring the quality and safety of commodities. We are presenting the application of hyperspectral image analysis towards the development of multispectral techniques for the detection of defects on chosen apple cultivars, such as Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Gala apples. Separate apple cultivars possess different spectral characteristics leading to different approaches for analysis. General preprocessing analysis with morphological treatments is followed by different image treatments and condition analysis for highlighting lesions and contaminations on the apple cultivars. Good isolations of scabs, fungal and soil contaminations and bruises are observed with hyperspectral imaging processing either using principal component analysis or utilizing the chlorophyll absorption peak. Applications of hyperspectral results to a multispectral detection are limited by the spectral capabilities of our RGB camera using either specific band pass filters and using direct neutral filters. Good separations of defects are obtained for Golden Delicious apples. It is however limited for the other cultivars. Having an extra near infrared channel will increase the detection level utilizing the chlorophyll absorption band for detection as demonstrated by the present hyperspectral imaging analysis
Ethanol reduces ripening of 'Royal Gala' apples stored in controlled atmosphere.

PubMed

Weber, Anderson; Brackmann, Auri; Both, Vanderlei; Pavanello, Elizandra P; Anese, Rogerio O; Schorr, Márcio R W

2016-03-01

This work aims at evaluate ethanol effect of acetaldehyde application in post-storage quality of 'Royal Gala' apples maintenance, and to compare them with consolidated storage techniques. Thus two experiments were performed during the years of 2008 and 2009. In the first experiment (2008), the application of ethanol, acetaldehyde or 1-MCP and ethylene scrubbing were tested. Fruits were stored in controlled atmosphere (CA) with 1.0kPa O2 and 2.0kPa CO2 at 0.5°C. In the second experiment (2009), the treatments tested were ethanol application combined or not with low relative humidity (LRH) and LRH alone. In this experiment, apples were stored in CA with 1.2kPa O2 + 2.5kPa CO2 at 0.5°C. After eight months of storage, 0.5 mL ethanol kg-1 apples month-1 or 0.25 mL acetaldehyde kg-1 apples month-1 increased mealiness, flesh browning, and decays incidence and reduced flesh firmness. In contrast, 0.3 mL ethanol kg-1 apples month-1, tested on second experiment, prevented fruit softening and decreased ACC oxidase activity and ethylene production. Although lower relative humidity was not efficient in maintaining post-storage quality, it enhanced the positive effect of ethanol application at 0.3 mL kg-1 apples month-1.
Changes in primary metabolites and polyphenols in the peel of "Braeburn" apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) during advanced maturation.

PubMed

Bizjak, Jan; Mikulic-Petkovsek, Maja; Stampar, Franci; Veberic, Robert

2013-10-30

During the two growing seasons the evolution of primary metabolites and wide range of polyphenols in the "Braeburn" apple peel during advanced maturation were investigated. During the five weeks sucrose significantly increased, whereas fructose and glucose fluctuated around the same level in one season and decreased in another. Regarding malic and citric acids, an expected decrease was recorded. The concentrations of hydroxycinnamic acids, dihydrochalcones, and flavanols remained quite constant or slightly decreased during advanced apple ripening. On the contrary an intensive accumulation of quercetin glycosides and anthocyanins took place during this period, starting with the onset of rapid formation approximately 3 weeks before the technological maturity of apples. Total phenolic content was relatively constant or slightly increased. The present results suggest that measures designed to improve the apple color and quality of "Braeburn" apples should be performed approximately 3-4 weeks before the expected technological maturity of apples.
Antagonistic effect of Pseudomonas graminis CPA-7 against foodborne pathogens in fresh-cut apples under simulated commercial conditions.

PubMed

Alegre, Isabel; Viñas, Inmaculada; Usall, Josep; Anguera, Marina; Altisent, Rosa; Abadias, Maribel

2013-04-01

Recently, we reported that the application of the strain CPA-7 of Pseudomonas graminis, previously isolated from apple, could reduce the population of foodborne pathogens on minimally processed (MP) apples and peaches under laboratory conditions. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to find an antioxidant treatment and a packaging atmosphere condition to improve CPA-7 efficacy in reducing a cocktail of four Salmonella and five Listeria monocytogenes strains on MP apples under simulated commercial processing. The effect of CPA-7 application on apple quality and its survival to simulated gastric stress were also evaluated. Ascorbic acid (2%, w/v) and N-acetyl-l-cysteine (1%, w/v) as antioxidant treatments reduced Salmonella, L. monocytogenes and CPA-7 recovery, meanwhile no reduction was observed with NatureSeal(®) AS1 (NS, 6%, w/v). The antagonistic strain was effective on NS-treated apple wedges stored at 10 °C with or without modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Then, in a semi-commercial assay, efficacy of CPA-7 inoculated at 10(5) and 10(7) cfu mL(-1) against Salmonella and L. monocytogenes strains on MP apples with NS and MAP and stored at 5 and 10 °C was evaluated. Although high CPA-7 concentrations/populations avoided Salmonella growth at 10 °C and lowered L. monocytogenes population increases were observed at both temperatures, the effect was not instantaneous. No effect on apple quality was detected and CPA-7 did not survived to simulated gastric stress throughout storage. Therefore, CPA-7 could avoid pathogens growth on MP apples during storage when use as part of a hurdle technology in combination with disinfection techniques, low storage temperature and MAP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Soluble polysaccharide composition and myo-inositol content help differentiate the antioxidative and hypolipidemic capacity of peeled apples.

PubMed

Ker, Yaw-Bee; Peng, Chiung-Huei; Chyau, Charng-Cherng; Peng, Robert Y

2010-04-28

Many people prefer to eat peeled apples. The present study investigated the composition of soluble polysaccharides (SP) in peeled apples and its antioxidative and hypolipidemic activity. The yield of SP ranged 0.43-0.88%, having MW ranging 223-848 kDa. All belonged to peptidoglycans. Among the fourteen amino acids found, seven were essential amino acids. In addition, sugar analysis indicated that 50% of apple samples consisted of glucoarabinan, 37.5% comprising taloarabinan and the remaining 12.5% containing alloglucan. Moreover, SP consisted of a huge amount of myo-inositol (>5.61%) and uronic acid (>11.7%), which may play a synergistic role in the hypolipidemic effect. Worth noting, we are the first who reported the presence of talose, allose and fucose in the apple SP. Conclusively, the biological value of SP is attributable to the differential effect of SP and the synergistic effect exerted by its unique SP pattern, high myo-inositol and uronic acid contents.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Errion, S.M.; Thommes, M.M. Caruthers, C.M.

Using the Apple LaserWriter at ANL (ANL/TM 452) explains how Argonne computer users (with CMS, MVS, or VAX/VMS accounts) can print quality text and graphics on the Apple LaserWriter. Currently, applications at Argonne that are compatible with the Apple LaserWriter include Waterloo Script, CA/ISSCO graphics software (i.e., Cuechart, Tellagraf, and Disspla), SAS/Graph, ANSYS (version 4.2), and some personal computer test and graphics software. This manual does not attempt to cover use of the Apple LaserWriter with other applications, though some information on the handling of PostScript-compatible files may be valid for other applications. Refer to the documentation of those applicationsmore » to learn how they work with the Apple LaserWriter. Most of the information in this manual applies to the Allied Linotype L300P typesetter in Building 222. However, the typesetter is not a high volume output device and should be used primarily for high quality (1250 and 2500 dots per inch) final copy output for Laboratory publications prior to making printing plates. You should print all drafts and proof pages on LaserWriers or other printers compatible with the PostScript page description language. Consult with Graphic Arts (at extension 2-5603) to determine the availability of the typesetter for printing the final copy of your document or graphics application. Since the Apple LaserWriter itself produces good quality output (300 dots per inch), we expect that most internal documents consisting of test or graphics will continue to be printed at LaserWriters distributed throughout the Laboratory. 5 figs., 2 tabs.« less
Potential for hypobaric storage as a phytosanitary treatment: Mortality of Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) in apples and effects on fruit quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The efficacy of low-oxygen atmospheres using low pressure, referred to as hypobaric conditions, to kill egg and 3rd instar Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) in apples was investigated. Infested apples were exposed to 3.33 and 6.67 kPa in glass jars at 25 and 30°C for 3-120 h. Probit analyses and lethal-d...
Genome re-sequencing reveals the history of apple and supports a two-stage model for fruit enlargement.

PubMed

Duan, Naibin; Bai, Yang; Sun, Honghe; Wang, Nan; Ma, Yumin; Li, Mingjun; Wang, Xin; Jiao, Chen; Legall, Noah; Mao, Linyong; Wan, Sibao; Wang, Kun; He, Tianming; Feng, Shouqian; Zhang, Zongying; Mao, Zhiquan; Shen, Xiang; Chen, Xiaoliu; Jiang, Yuanmao; Wu, Shujing; Yin, Chengmiao; Ge, Shunfeng; Yang, Long; Jiang, Shenghui; Xu, Haifeng; Liu, Jingxuan; Wang, Deyun; Qu, Changzhi; Wang, Yicheng; Zuo, Weifang; Xiang, Li; Liu, Chang; Zhang, Daoyuan; Gao, Yuan; Xu, Yimin; Xu, Kenong; Chao, Thomas; Fazio, Gennaro; Shu, Huairui; Zhong, Gan-Yuan; Cheng, Lailiang; Fei, Zhangjun; Chen, Xuesen

2017-08-15

Human selection has reshaped crop genomes. Here we report an apple genome variation map generated through genome sequencing of 117 diverse accessions. A comprehensive model of apple speciation and domestication along the Silk Road is proposed based on evidence from diverse genomic analyses. Cultivated apples likely originate from Malus sieversii in Kazakhstan, followed by intensive introgressions from M. sylvestris. M. sieversii in Xinjiang of China turns out to be an "ancient" isolated ecotype not directly contributing to apple domestication. We have identified selective sweeps underlying quantitative trait loci/genes of important fruit quality traits including fruit texture and flavor, and provide evidences supporting a model of apple fruit size evolution comprising two major events with one occurring prior to domestication and the other during domestication. This study outlines the genetic basis of apple domestication and evolution, and provides valuable information for facilitating marker-assisted breeding and apple improvement.Apple is one of the most important fruit crops. Here, the authors perform deep genome resequencing of 117 diverse accessions and reveal comprehensive models of apple origin, speciation, domestication, and fruit size evolution as well as candidate genes associated with important agronomic traits.
Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene and post-controlled atmosphere air storage treatments on fresh-cut Ambrosia apple slices.

PubMed

Tardelli, Francesca; Guidi, Lucia; Massai, Rossano; Toivonen, Peter M A

2013-01-01

The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment and two different post-controlled atmosphere air storage (PCAAS) durations on the quality and chemistry of fresh-cut Ambrosia apple slices was studied. PCAAS for 1 or 2 weeks prior to slicing had an overall positive effect on the resultant quality of fresh-cut apple slices. The most significant responses to PCAAS were the suppression of both phenolic and o-quinone accumulation in slices, and this was related to the significantly lower browning potential values obtained for slices from PCAAS-treated apples. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) activities were not affected by 1-MCP or PCAAS treatments. PPO and POX activities were almost completely inhibited by a 50 g L⁻¹ calcium ascorbate anti-browning dip of apple slices from all treatments. The most dramatic effect of the PCAAS treatments was to reduce the accumulation of soluble phenolics, which is likely the reason that o-quinone accumulation was also inhibited in treated fruits. The consequent reduction in browning potential may be the explanation as to why PCAAS treatment has been shown to reduce fresh apple slice browning in previous work. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
Whole surface image reconstruction for machine vision inspection of fruit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, D. Y.; Lefcourt, A. M.; Kim, M. S.; Lo, Y. M.

2007-09-01

Automated imaging systems offer the potential to inspect the quality and safety of fruits and vegetables consumed by the public. Current automated inspection systems allow fruit such as apples to be sorted for quality issues including color and size by looking at a portion of the surface of each fruit. However, to inspect for defects and contamination, the whole surface of each fruit must be imaged. The goal of this project was to develop an effective and economical method for whole surface imaging of apples using mirrors and a single camera. Challenges include mapping the concave stem and calyx regions. To allow the entire surface of an apple to be imaged, apples were suspended or rolled above the mirrors using two parallel music wires. A camera above the apples captured 90 images per sec (640 by 480 pixels). Single or multiple flat or concave mirrors were mounted around the apple in various configurations to maximize surface imaging. Data suggest that the use of two flat mirrors provides inadequate coverage of a fruit but using two parabolic concave mirrors allows the entire surface to be mapped. Parabolic concave mirrors magnify images, which results in greater pixel resolution and reduced distortion. This result suggests that a single camera with two parabolic concave mirrors can be a cost-effective method for whole surface imaging.
Characterization and quantitation of low and high molecular weight phenolic compounds in apple seeds.

PubMed

Fromm, Matthias; Bayha, Sandra; Carle, Reinhold; Kammerer, Dietmar R

2012-02-08

The phenolic constituents of seeds of 12 different apple cultivars were fractionated by sequential extraction with aqueous acetone (30:70, v/v) and ethyl acetate after hexane extraction of the lipids. Low molecular weight phenolic compounds were individually quantitated by RP-HPLC-DAD. The contents of extractable and nonextractable procyanidins were determined by applying RP-HPLC following thiolysis and n-butanol/HCl hydrolysis, respectively. As expected, the results revealed marked differences of the ethyl acetate extracts, aqueous acetone extracts, and insoluble residues with regard to contents and mean degrees of polymerization of procyanidins. Total phenolic contents in the defatted apple seed residues ranged between 18.4 and 99.8 mg/g. Phloridzin was the most abundant phenolic compound, representing 79-92% of monomeric polyphenols. Yields of phenolic compounds significantly differed among the cultivars under study, with seeds of cider apples generally being richer in phloridzin and catechins than seeds of dessert apple cultivars. This is the first study presenting comprehensive data on the contents of phenolic compounds in apple seeds comprising extractable and nonextractable procyanidins. Furthermore, the present work points out a strategy for the sustainable and complete exploitation of apple seeds as valuable agro-industrial byproducts, in particular as a rich source of phloridzin and antioxidant flavanols.
Cashew apple bagasse as a source of sugars for ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus CE025.

PubMed

Rocha, Maria Valderez Ponte; Rodrigues, Tigressa Helena Soares; Melo, Vania M M; Gonçalves, Luciana R B; de Macedo, Gorete Ribeiro

2011-08-01

The potential of cashew apple bagasse as a source of sugars for ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus CE025 was evaluated in this work. This strain was preliminarily cultivated in a synthetic medium containing glucose and xylose and was able to produce ethanol and xylitol at pH 4.5. Next, cashew apple bagasse hydrolysate (CABH) was prepared by a diluted sulfuric acid pretreatment and used as fermentation media. This hydrolysate is rich in glucose, xylose, and arabinose and contains traces of formic acid and acetic acid. In batch fermentations of CABH at pH 4.5, the strain produced only ethanol. The effects of temperature on the kinetic parameters of ethanol fermentation by K. marxianus CE025 using CABH were also evaluated. Maximum specific growth rate (μ(max)), overall yields of ethanol based on glucose consumption [Formula: see text] and based on glucose + xylose consumption (Y ( P/S )), overall yield of ethanol based on biomass (Y ( P/X )), and ethanol productivity (P (E)) were determined as a function of temperature. Best results of ethanol production were achieved at 30°C, which is also quite close to the optimum temperature for the formation of biomass. The process yielded 12.36 ± 0.06 g l(-1) of ethanol with a volumetric production rate of 0.257 ± 0.002 g l(-1) h(-1) and an ethanol yield of 0.417 ± 0.003 g g(-1) glucose.

[Environmental quality assessment of regional agro-ecosystem in Loess Plateau].

PubMed

Wang, Limei; Meng, Fanping; Zheng, Jiyong; Wang, Zhonglin

2004-03-01

Based on the detection and analysis of the contamination status of agro-ecosystem with apple-crops intercropping as the dominant cropping model in Loess Plateau, the individual factor and comprehensive environmental quality were assessed by multilevel fuzzy synthetic evaluation model, analytical hierarchy process(AHP), and improved standard weight deciding method. The results showed that the quality of soil, water and agricultural products was grade I, the social economical environmental quality was grade II, the ecological environmental quality was grade III, and the comprehensive environmental quality was grade I. The regional agro-ecosystem dominated by apple-crops intercropping was not the best model for the ecological benefits, but had the better social economical benefits.
Genome-wide association study unravels the genetic control of the apple volatilome and its interplay with fruit texture.

PubMed

Farneti, Brian; Di Guardo, Mario; Khomenko, Iuliia; Cappellin, Luca; Biasioli, Franco; Velasco, Riccardo; Costa, Fabrizio

2017-03-01

Fruit quality represents a fundamental factor guiding consumers' preferences. Among apple quality traits, volatile organic compounds and texture features play a major role. Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS), coupled with an artificial chewing device, was used to profile the entire apple volatilome of 162 apple accessions, while the fruit texture was dissected with a TAXT-AED texture analyzer. The array of volatile compounds was classed into seven major groups and used in a genome-wide association analysis carried out with 9142 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Marker-trait associations were identified on seven chromosomes co-locating with important candidate genes for aroma, such as MdAAT1 and MdIGS. The integration of volatilome and fruit texture data conducted with a multiple factor analysis unraveled contrasting behavior, underlying opposite regulation of the two fruit quality aspects. The association analysis using the first two principal components identified two QTLs located on chromosomes 10 and 2, respectively. The distinction of the apple accessions on the basis of the allelic configuration of two functional markers, MdPG1 and MdACO1, shed light on the type of interplay existing between fruit texture and the production of volatile organic compounds. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.
Long-Term Application of Bioorganic Fertilizers Improved Soil Biochemical Properties and Microbial Communities of an Apple Orchard Soil

PubMed Central

Wang, Lei; Yang, Fang; E, Yaoyao; Yuan, Jun; Raza, Waseem; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2016-01-01

Soil biochemical properties and microbial communities are usually considered as important indicators of soil health because of their association with plant nutrition. In this study, we investigated the impact of long-term application of bioorganic fertilizer (BOF) on soil biochemical properties and microbial communities in the apple orchard soil of the Loess Plateau. The experiment included three treatments: (1) control without fertilization (CK); (2) chemical fertilizer application (CF); and (3) bioorganic fertilizer application (BOF). The high throughput sequencing was used to examine the bacterial and fungal communities in apple orchard soil. The results showed that the BOF treatment significantly increased the apple yield during the experimental time (2009–2015). The application of BOF significantly increased the activities of catalase and invertase compared to those in CK and CF treatments. The high throughput sequencing data showed that the application of BOF changed the microbial community composition of all soil depths considered (0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm), e.g., the relative abundance of bio-control bacteria (Xanthomonadales, Lysobacter, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus), Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Ohtaekwangia, Ilyonectria, and Lecanicillium was increased while that of Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gp4, Gp6 and Sphaerobacter was decreased. The increase in apple yield after the application of BOF might be due to increase in organic matter, total nitrogen and catalase and invertase activities of soil and change in the bacterial community composition by enriching Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Lysobacter, and Ohtaekwangia. These results further enhance the understanding on how BOFs alter soil microbial community composition to stimulate soil productivity. PMID:27965631
Long-Term Application of Bioorganic Fertilizers Improved Soil Biochemical Properties and Microbial Communities of an Apple Orchard Soil.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Yang, Fang; E, Yaoyao; Yuan, Jun; Raza, Waseem; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2016-01-01

Soil biochemical properties and microbial communities are usually considered as important indicators of soil health because of their association with plant nutrition. In this study, we investigated the impact of long-term application of bioorganic fertilizer (BOF) on soil biochemical properties and microbial communities in the apple orchard soil of the Loess Plateau. The experiment included three treatments: (1) control without fertilization (CK); (2) chemical fertilizer application (CF); and (3) bioorganic fertilizer application (BOF). The high throughput sequencing was used to examine the bacterial and fungal communities in apple orchard soil. The results showed that the BOF treatment significantly increased the apple yield during the experimental time (2009-2015). The application of BOF significantly increased the activities of catalase and invertase compared to those in CK and CF treatments. The high throughput sequencing data showed that the application of BOF changed the microbial community composition of all soil depths considered (0-20 cm, 20-40 cm, and 40-60 cm), e.g., the relative abundance of bio-control bacteria ( Xanthomonadales, Lysobacter, Pseudomonas , and Bacillus ), Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Ohtaekwangia, Ilyonectria , and Lecanicillium was increased while that of Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gp4, Gp6 and Sphaerobacter was decreased. The increase in apple yield after the application of BOF might be due to increase in organic matter, total nitrogen and catalase and invertase activities of soil and change in the bacterial community composition by enriching Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Lysobacter , and Ohtaekwangia . These results further enhance the understanding on how BOFs alter soil microbial community composition to stimulate soil productivity.
Impact of applied ultrasonic power on the low temperature drying of apple.

PubMed

Santacatalina, J V; Contreras, M; Simal, S; Cárcel, J A; Garcia-Perez, J V

2016-01-01

Low temperature drying (LTD) allows high-quality dried products to be obtained, preserving the nutritional properties of fresh foods better than conventional drying, but it is a time-consuming operation. Power ultrasound (US) could be used to intensify LTD, but it should be taken into account that process variables, such as the level of applied power, have an influence on the magnitude and extension of the ultrasonic effects. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess the influence of the level of applied ultrasonic power on the LTD of apple, analyzing the drying kinetics and the quality of the dried product. For that purpose, apple (Malus domestica cv. Granny Smith) cubes (8.8mm side) were dried (2m/s) at two different temperatures (10 and -10°C), without and with (25, 50 and 75 W) US application. In the dried apple, the rehydration kinetics, hardness, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and microstructure were analyzed to evaluate the impact of the level of applied ultrasonic power. At both temperatures, 10 and -10°C, the higher the ultrasonic power level, the shorter the drying time; the maximum shortening of the drying time achieved was 80.3% (at -10°C and 75 W). The ultrasonic power level did not significantly (p<0.05) affect the quality parameters analyzed. Therefore, US could be considered a non-thermal method of intensifying the LTD of fruits, like apple, with only a mild impact on the quality of the dried product. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to whole apples used in commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples: United States, 2014-2015.

PubMed

Angelo, K M; Conrad, A R; Saupe, A; Dragoo, H; West, N; Sorenson, A; Barnes, A; Doyle, M; Beal, J; Jackson, K A; Stroika, S; Tarr, C; Kucerova, Z; Lance, S; Gould, L H; Wise, M; Jackson, B R

2017-04-01

Whole apples have not been previously implicated in outbreaks of foodborne bacterial illness. We investigated a nationwide listeriosis outbreak associated with caramel apples. We defined an outbreak-associated case as an infection with one or both of two outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes highly related by whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST) from 1 October 2014 to 1 February 2015. Single-interviewer open-ended interviews identified the source. Outbreak-associated cases were compared with non-outbreak-associated cases and traceback and environmental investigations were performed. We identified 35 outbreak-associated cases in 12 states; 34 (97%) were hospitalized and seven (20%) died. Outbreak-associated ill persons were more likely to have eaten commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples (odds ratio 326·7, 95% confidence interval 32·2-3314). Environmental samples from the grower's packing facility and distribution-chain whole apples yielded isolates highly related to outbreak isolates by wgMLST. This outbreak highlights the importance of minimizing produce contamination with L. monocytogenes. Investigators should perform single-interviewer open-ended interviews when a food is not readily identified.
Dynamic controlled atmosphere and ultralow oxygen storage on 'Gala' mutants quality maintenance.

PubMed

Thewes, Fabio Rodrigo; Both, Vanderlei; Brackmann, Auri; Weber, Anderson; de Oliveira Anese, Rogerio

2015-12-01

The aim of the present work was to compare the effect of ultralow oxygen (ULO) with dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) and controlled atmosphere (CA) on the post storage quality of 'Royal Gala' and 'Galaxy' apples after long-term storage. Two experiments were carried out with 'Royal Gala' and 'Galaxy' apples, in the years 2012 and 2013, respectively. A higher internal ethylene concentration was observed in fruits stored under CA; intermediate concentration in fruits under ULO; and the lowest by fruits stored under DCA-CF (DCA based on chlorophyll fluorescence). Flesh firmness was higher in fruits stored under DCA-CF and ULO differing from CA, in the year 2012, but in 2013 fruits stored under ULO showed the highest flesh firmness, differing from CA fruits. DCA-CF is efficient in quality maintenance of 'Royal Gala' and 'Galaxy' apples. Both 'Gala' mutants stored under ULO show a similar quality maintenance to those stored under DCA-CF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Screening of Potential Inhibitor against Coat Protein of Apple Chlorotic Leaf Spot Virus.

PubMed

Purohit, Rituraj; Kumar, Sachin; Hallan, Vipin

2018-06-01

In this study, we analyzed Coat protein (CP) of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), an important latent virus on Apple. Incidence of the virus is upto 60% in various apple cultivars, affecting yield losses of the order of 10-40% (depending upon the cultivar). CP plays an important role as the sole building block of the viral capsid. Homology approach was used to model 193 amino acid sequence of the coat protein. We used various servers such as ConSurf, TargetS, OSML, COACH, COFACTOR for the prediction of active site residues in coat protein. Virtual screening strategy was employed to search potential inhibitors for CP. Top twenty screened molecules considered for drugability, and toxicity analysis and one potential molecule was further analyzed by docking analysis. Here, we reported a potent molecule which could inhibit the formation of viron assembly by targeting the CP protein of virus.
Effect of Storage on Sensory and Nutritional Quality of Meal, Ready-to- Eat, Individual (MRE-1)

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

described as bitter, slightly fermented and slightly oxidized. After 24 months, panelists found the chicken ala King to have a dark color, bitter, scorched...flavor and dry, tough texture; Brownies were described as soapy, bitter, and slightly medicinal; Strawberries (A) had a bitter, scorched, fermented ...weeping ODOR: Sweet, apple, slight fermented FLAVOR: Moderately sweet, apple TEXTURE: Smooth, firm gel Your rating and comments will indicate the quality
Improving the quality of fresh-cut apples, pears, and melons using natural additives.

PubMed

Alandes, L; Quiles, A; Pérez-Munuera, I; Hernando, I

2009-03-01

Improving the quality of different fresh-cut fruits by adding natural substances was studied. "Fuji" apples, "Flor de Invierno" pears, and "Piel de Sapo" melons were treated with calcium lactate, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, glutathione, and malic acid and stored for 4 wk at 4 degrees C. Instrumental texture (penetration), microstructure (light microscopy), acidity, soluble solids, color, pectinmethylesterase activity, and microflora were studied. The results showed that the combined treatment reinforced the cell walls strengthening the structure and texture of these fruits and maintained the L* and a* values throughout 4 wk of storage at 4 degrees C. The combination of additives provided low microbial counts in apples until the 4th week and in melons until the 2nd week. So, this combined treatment could be used to extend the shelf life of some fresh-cut fruits while preserving their quality.
Identification of low allergenic apple cultivars using skin prick tests and oral food challenges.

PubMed

Vlieg-Boerstra, B J; van de Weg, W E; van der Heide, S; Kerkhof, M; Arens, P; Heijerman-Peppelman, G; Dubois, A E J

2011-04-01

As oral allergy syndrome (OAS) symptoms to apple are frequent, we aimed to identify low allergenic apple cultivars and to validate the prick-to-prick skin prick test (SPT) as a suitable screening method. Sixty-eight apple cultivars were tested by SPTs in 33 Dutch adults with OAS, before and during the birch pollen season in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Three cultivars yielding the largest number of negative SPTs (Elise, Santana and Pink Lady®) and one reference cultivar (Golden Delicious) were subsequently tested by single-blind oral food challenges (SBFC) just after picking in fall 2007 (fresh) and in spring 2008 (stored), outside the birch pollen season and preceded by SPTs. In spring, Santana was replaced by Modi®. In fresh apples, OAS symptoms of Elise, as measured by cumulative scores on a Visual Analogue Scale VASt, were significantly lower than those of Santana, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious (P = 0.021; 0.040 and 0.005, respectively). VASt scores of Santana were significantly lower than those of Golden Delicious (P = 0.049). In stored apples, VASt scores of Elise were significantly lower than that of Golden Delicious (P = 0.038). VASt scores of fresh apples did not differ significantly from stored apples, except in Golden Delicious (spring < fall: P = 0.021). The SPTs did not predict the severity of OAS. SPTs are not useful to assess the allergenicity of apple cultivars. By using SBFC, Elise and Santana were identified as low allergenic apple cultivars in patient with OAS. Our data on the effect of storage are inconclusive. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Classification of juices and fermented beverages made from unripe, ripe and senescent apples based on the aromatic profile using chemometrics.

PubMed

Braga, Cíntia Maia; Zielinski, Acácio Antonio Ferreira; Silva, Karolline Marques da; de Souza, Frederico Koch Fernandes; Pietrowski, Giovana de Arruda Moura; Couto, Marcelo; Granato, Daniel; Wosiacki, Gilvan; Nogueira, Alessandro

2013-11-15

The aim of this study was to assess differences between apple juices and fermented apple beverages elaborated with fruits from different varieties and at different ripening stages in the aroma profile by using chemometrics. Ripening influenced the aroma composition of the apple juice and fermented apple. For all varieties, senescent fruits provided more aromatic fermented apple beverages. However, no significant difference was noticed in samples made of senescent or ripe fruits of the Lisgala variety. Regarding the juices, ripe Gala apple had the highest total aroma concentration. Ethanal was the major compound identified in all the samples, with values between 11.83mg/L (unripe Lisgala juice) and 81.05mg/L (ripe Gala juice). 3-Methyl-1-butanol was the major compound identified in the fermented juices. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied and classified the juices and fermented juices based on physicochemical and aroma profile, demonstrating their applicability as tools to monitor the quality of apple-based products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effect of thyme oil-alginate-based coating on quality and microbial safety of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Sarengaowa; Hu, Wenzhong; Jiang, Aili; Xiu, Zhilong; Feng, Ke

2018-04-01

Food preservation is critical for keeping fresh-cut products fresh, nutritious, safe, attractive and available for consumers. To improve the safety and quality of fresh-cut fruits, 15 essential oils (EOs) were screened to test the antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes (LM), Salmonella typhimurium (ST), Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EC O157:H7). The effect of alginate-based edible coating (EC) incorporating different concentrations thyme oil on fresh-cut 'Red Fuji' apples was investigated. Results showed that thyme oil, cinnamon oil and oregano oil were more effective in inhibiting the microbes than other EOs. The result showed that the combined usage of 0.5 µL mL -1 thyme oil incorporated with alginate-based EC could significantly inhibit the microbial growth, respiration, weight loss, firmness and browning of fresh-cut 'Red Fuji' apples. The edible coating and natural additives like thyme oil could be used to preserve the quality of fresh-cut fruits. It revealed that EC incorporated with 0.5 µL mL -1 thyme oil can be a safe preservative for fresh-cut apples. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Control of browning and microbial growth on fresh-cut apples by sequential treatment of sanitizers and calcium ascorbate.

PubMed

Wang, Hua; Feng, Hao; Luo, Yaguang

2007-01-01

This study investigated the efficacy of different sanitizers, including acidic electrolyzed water (AEW), peroxyacetic acid (POAA), and chlorine, on the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh-cut apples. The effects of the sanitizers and sequential treatments of AEW or POAA followed by calcium ascorbate (CaA) on browning inhibition and organoleptic qualities of fresh-cut apples stored under different package atmospheres at 4 degrees C were also evaluated. Changes in package atmosphere composition, product color, firmness, total aerobic bacterial counts, yeast and mold counts, and sensory qualities were examined at 0, 4, 8, 11, and 21 d. Among all sanitizer treatments, POAA and AEW achieved the highest reduction on E. coli O157:H7 populations. The sequential treatment of AEW followed by CaA (AEW-CaA) achieved the best overall dual control of browning and bacterial growth on fresh-cut apple wedges. Package atmospheres changed significantly over time and among package materials. Packages prepared with films having an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of 158 had significantly lower O2 and higher CO2 partial pressures than those prepared with 225 OTR films and the Ziploc bags. The effect of package atmospheres on the browning of apples is more pronounced on AEW, POAA, and POAA-CaA-treated apple wedges than on AEW-CaA-treated samples.
Re-design of apple pia packaging using quality function deployment method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulungan, M. H.; Nadira, N.; Dewi, I. A.

2018-03-01

This study was aimed to identify the attributes for premium apple pia packaging, to determine the technical response to be carried out by Permata Agro Mandiri Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and to design a new apple pie packaging acceptable by the SME. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method was employed to improve the apple pia packaging design, which consisted of seven stages in data analysis. The results indicated that whats attribute required by the costumers include graphic design, dimensions, capacity, shape, strength, and resistance of packaging. While, the technical responses to be conducted by the SMEs were as follows: attractive visual packaging designs, attractive colors, clear images and information, packaging size dimensions, a larger capacity packaging (more product content), ergonomic premium packaging, not easily torn, and impact resistant packaging materials. The findings further confirmed that the design of premium apple pia packaging accepted by the SMES was the one with the capacity of ten apple pia or 200 g weight, and with rectangular or beam shape form. The packaging material used was a duplex carton with 400 grammage (g/m2), the outer part of the packaging was coated with plastic and the inside was added with duplex carton. The acceptable packaging dimension was 30 cm x 5 cm x 3 cm (L x W x H) with a mix of black and yellow color in the graphical design.
Integrated effect of gamma radiation and biocontrol agent on quality parameters of apple fruit: An innovative commercial preservation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahari Mostafavi, Hossein; Mahyar Mirmajlessi, Seyed; Fathollahi, Hadi; Shahbazi, Samira; Mohammad Mirjalili, Seyed

2013-10-01

Effects of gamma irradiation and biocontrol agent (Pseudomonas fluorescens) on the physico-chemical parameters (including moisture, total soluble solids, antioxidant activity, phenolic content and firmness) of cv. Golden Delicious apples were investigated for their ability to avoid the post-harvest blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum during cold storage. Freshly harvested apples were inoculated with P. expansum. Treated fruits were irradiated at doses of 0, 200, 400, 600 and 800 Gy and then inoculated with P. fluorescens suspension. Samples were evaluated at 3 month intervals. The results demonstrated a clear link between antioxidant activity and phenolic content, so that dose range of 200-400 Gy significantly increased phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Effect of P. fluorescens was similar to irradiation at 200 and 400 Gy that could prevent lesion diameter in pathogen-treated apples. As dose and storage time increased firmness decreased but, combination of P. fluorescens as well as irradiation (at 200-400 Gy) could decrease softening apple fruits during storage. In all parameters, P. fluorescens (as biocontrol agent) inhibited P. expansum similar to irradiation at 200-400 Gy. So, integrated treatment of irradiation and biocontrol agent explored the potential dual benefit of low doses (200 and 400 Gy) as a suitable method to sustain physico-chemical quality and conclusively reduce apple fruits losses during post-harvest preservation.
Effect of apple pomace fiber and pork fat levels on quality characteristics of uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausages.

PubMed

Choi, Yun-Sang; Kim, Young-Boong; Hwang, Ko-Eun; Song, Dong-Heon; Ham, Youn-Kyung; Kim, Hyun-Wook; Sung, Jung-Min; Kim, Cheon-Jei

2016-06-01

The effects of reducing pork fat level from 30 to 25 and 20% by partially substituting pork fat with 1 and 2% apple pomace fiber were investigated based on the evaluation of physicochemical properties and textural properties of uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausages. Increased fat level resulted in decreased moisture content, cooking loss, total expressible fluid separation, fat separation, and yellowness of uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausages, whereas, an increase in fat content, caloric energy, pH, lightness, redness, hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness was observed. The results showed that uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausage samples with increased apple pomace fiber level had lower cooking loss, total expressible fluid separation, fat separation, pH, and redness. The results from this study show that inclusion of apple pomace fiber in the formulation will successfully reduce fat content in emulsion sausages, while improving quality characteristics relative to regular-fat (30%) control. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.
Analysis of apple beverages treated with high-power ultrasound: a quality function deployment approach.

PubMed

Režek Jambrak, Anet; Šimunek, Marina; Grbeš, Franjo; Mandura, Ana; Djekic, Ilija

2018-04-01

The objective of this paper was to demonstrate application of quality function deployment in analysing effects of high power ultrasound on quality properties of apple juices and nectars. In order to develop a quality function deployment model, joint with instrumental analysis of treated samples, a field survey was performed to identify consumer preferences towards quality characteristics of juices/nectar. Based on field research, the three most important characteristics were 'taste' and 'aroma' with 28.5% of relative absolute weight importance, followed by 'odour' (16.9%). The quality function deployment model showed that the top three 'quality scores' for apple juice were treatments with amplitude 90 µm, 9 min treatment time and sample temperature 40 °C; 60 µm, 9 min, 60 °C; and 90 µm, 6 min, 40 °C. For nectars, the top three were treatments 120 µm, 9 min, 20 °C; 60 µm, 9 min, 60 °C; and A2.16 60 µm, 9 min, 20 °C. This type of quality model enables a more complex measure of large scale of different quality parameters. Its simplicity should be understood as its practical advantage and, as such, this tool can be a part of design quality when using novel preservation technologies. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Characterization of nine polyphenols in fruits of Malus pumila Mill by high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Bai, Lu; Guo, Sen; Liu, Qingchao; Cui, Xueqin; Zhang, Xinxin; Zhang, Li; Yang, Xinwen; Hou, Manwei; Ho, Chi-Tang; Bai, Naisheng

2016-04-01

Polyphenols are important bioactive substances in apple. To explore the profiles of the nine representative polyphenols in this fruit, a high-performance liquid chromatography method has been established and validated. The validated method was successfully applied for the simultaneous characterization and quantification of these nine apple polyphenols in 11 apple extracts, which were obtained from six cultivars from Shaanxi Province, China. The results showed that only abscission of the Fuji apple sample was rich in the nine apple polyphenols, and the polyphenol contents of other samples varied. Although all the samples were collected in the same region, the contents of nine polyphenols were different. The proposed method could serve as a prerequisite for quality control of Malus products. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Low pressure/low temperature treatments: insect efficacy and apple quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Because U.S. apples, pears and cherries may be infested with codling moth, they require fumigation with methyl bromide before export to certain markets. Although quarantine and pre-shipment treatments are currently allowable under the Montreal Protocol, there is growing concern that this exemption w...

Involvement of Dactylonectria and Ilyonectria spp. in tree decline affecting multigeneration apple orchards

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study examined the etiology of typical replant disease symptom development, including growth reduction and leaf chlorosis, that was limited to specific foci within three multi-generation apple orchards that overall demonstrated optimal growth and good quality standard production. In bioassays c...
Cost and accuracy of advanced breeding trial designs in apple

PubMed Central

Harshman, Julia M; Evans, Kate M; Hardner, Craig M

2016-01-01

Trialing advanced candidates in tree fruit crops is expensive due to the long-term nature of the planting and labor-intensive evaluations required to make selection decisions. How closely the trait evaluations approximate the true trait value needs balancing with the cost of the program. Designs of field trials of advanced apple candidates in which reduced number of locations, the number of years and the number of harvests per year were modeled to investigate the effect on the cost and accuracy in an operational breeding program. The aim was to find designs that would allow evaluation of the most additional candidates while sacrificing the least accuracy. Critical percentage difference, response to selection, and correlated response were used to examine changes in accuracy of trait evaluations. For the quality traits evaluated, accuracy and response to selection were not substantially reduced for most trial designs. Risk management influences the decision to change trial design, and some designs had greater risk associated with them. Balancing cost and accuracy with risk yields valuable insight into advanced breeding trial design. The methods outlined in this analysis would be well suited to other horticultural crop breeding programs. PMID:27019717
[Analytic study of juices obtained by pressure, by cold extraction and warm extraction (the DDS system) of marc from apples of the Golden Delicious variety].

PubMed

Tanner, H

1978-01-01

The cold water extraction of apple press residues to increase the juice yield has found much interest in recent years. Such a process has been developed by a Swiss company, but the food legislation does not permit it yet. Juice yield is increased up to 91 p. 100 (w.). Therefore we investigated the chemical and sensorical properties of pressed juice, cold water extract of press residues and warm water extract (System DDS) of identical raw material. The water extract differs from the pressed juice mainly by an increased amount of non-sugar extract and changes of the pigment and polyphenole content. The cold water extract had more and the better aroma than the warm extract.
Impact of noncovalent interactions between apple condensed tannins and cell walls on their transfer from fruit to juice: studies in model suspensions and application.

PubMed

Le Bourvellec, Carine; Le Quere, Jean-Michel; Renard, Catherine M G C

2007-09-19

The adsorption of procyanidins (condensed tannins) on cell-wall material was quantified by bringing into contact solutions of procyanidins and suspensions of cell-wall material. A model was developed on the basis of the Langmuir isotherm formulation and a factorial experimental design. The parameters that influenced the adsorption were the concentration and molecular weight of the procyanidins, the ionic strength of the solution, the temperature, and the apple cell-wall concentration. The model was applied to partitioning of procyanidins from apple between juice and mash. The parameters to be taken into account are the composition of the apples and, specifically, (i) the concentration and molecular weight of the procyanidins, (ii) their acidity and pH as a determinant of the ionic strength, and (iii) their cell-wall content and the temperature at pressing. To estimate the ability of the model to relate procyanidin concentrations in the juice to their concentration in the apple, apples of three varieties of widely different procyanidin compositions were pressed in conditions that prevent oxidation. In these conditions, yields in the juice were >80% for phenolic acids or catechin monomers but <50% for procyanidins, with the lowest rates obtained for the higher polymers in accordance with the model.
Identification, characterization and mycotoxigenic ability of Alternaria spp. causing core rot of apple fruit in Greece.

PubMed

Ntasiou, Panagiota; Myresiotis, Charalampos; Konstantinou, Sotiris; Papadopoulou-Mourkidou, Euphemia; Karaoglanidis, George S

2015-03-16

Alternaria core rot is a major postharvest disease of apple fruit in several countries of the world, including Greece. The study was conducted aiming to identify the disease causal agents at species level, investigate the aggressiveness of Alternaria spp. isolates and the susceptibility of different apple varieties and determine the mycotoxigenic potential of Alternaria spp. isolates from apple fruit. Seventy-five Alternaria spp. isolates obtained from apple fruit showing core rot symptoms were identified as either Alternaria tenuissima or Alternaria arborescens at frequencies of 89.3 and 11.7%, respectively, based on the sequence of endopolygalacturonase (EndoPG) gene. Artificial inoculations of fruit of 4 different varieties (Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Red Delicious) and incubation at two different temperatures (2 and 25°C) showed that fruit of Fuji variety were the most susceptible and fruit of Golden Delicious the most resistant to both pathogens. In addition, the production of 3 mycotoxins, alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tentoxin (TEN) was investigated in 30 isolates of both species. Mycotoxin determination was conducted both in vitro, on artificial nutrient medium and in vivo on artificially inoculated apple fruit, using a high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The results showed that most of the isolates of both species were able to produce all the 3 metabolites both in vivo and in vitro. On apple fruit A. tenuissima isolates produced more AOH than A. arborescens isolates, whereas the latter produced more TEN than the former. Such results indicate that Alternaria core rot represents a major threat of apple fruit production not only due to quantitative yield losses but also for qualitative deterioration of apple by-products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
New Insight into the History of Domesticated Apple: Secondary Contribution of the European Wild Apple to the Genome of Cultivated Varieties

PubMed Central

Cornille, Amandine; Gladieux, Pierre; Smulders, Marinus J. M.; Roldán-Ruiz, Isabel; Laurens, François; Le Cam, Bruno; Nersesyan, Anush; Clavel, Joanne; Olonova, Marina; Feugey, Laurence; Gabrielyan, Ivan; Zhang, Xiu-Guo; Tenaillon, Maud I.; Giraud, Tatiana

2012-01-01

The apple is the most common and culturally important fruit crop of temperate areas. The elucidation of its origin and domestication history is therefore of great interest. The wild Central Asian species Malus sieversii has previously been identified as the main contributor to the genome of the cultivated apple (Malus domestica), on the basis of morphological, molecular, and historical evidence. The possible contribution of other wild species present along the Silk Route running from Asia to Western Europe remains a matter of debate, particularly with respect to the contribution of the European wild apple. We used microsatellite markers and an unprecedented large sampling of five Malus species throughout Eurasia (839 accessions from China to Spain) to show that multiple species have contributed to the genetic makeup of domesticated apples. The wild European crabapple M. sylvestris, in particular, was a major secondary contributor. Bidirectional gene flow between the domesticated apple and the European crabapple resulted in the current M. domestica being genetically more closely related to this species than to its Central Asian progenitor, M. sieversii. We found no evidence of a domestication bottleneck or clonal population structure in apples, despite the use of vegetative propagation by grafting. We show that the evolution of domesticated apples occurred over a long time period and involved more than one wild species. Our results support the view that self-incompatibility, a long lifespan, and cultural practices such as selection from open-pollinated seeds have facilitated introgression from wild relatives and the maintenance of genetic variation during domestication. This combination of processes may account for the diversification of several long-lived perennial crops, yielding domestication patterns different from those observed for annual species. PMID:22589740
Combination of sodium chlorite and calcium propionate reduces enzymatic browning and microbial population of fresh-cut "Granny Smith" apples.

PubMed

Guan, Wenqiang; Fan, Xuetong

2010-03-01

Tissue browning and microbial growth are the main concerns associated with fresh-cut apples. In this study, effects of sodium chlorite (SC) and calcium propionate (CP), individually and combined, on quality and microbial population of apple slices were investigated. "Granny Smith" apple slices, dipped for 5 min in CP solutions at 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% (w/v) either alone or in combination with 0.05% (w/v) SC, were stored at 3 and 10 degrees C for up to 14 d. Color, firmness, and microflora population were measured at 1, 7, and 14 d of storage. Results showed that CP alone had no significant effect on the browning of cut apples. Even though SC significantly inhibited tissue browning initially, the apple slices turned brown during storage at 10 degrees C. The combination of CP and SC was able to inhibit apple browning during storage. Samples treated with the combination of SC with CP did not show any detectable yeast and mold growth during the entire storage period at 3 degrees C. At 10 degrees C, yeast and mold count increased on apple slices during storage while CP reduced the increase. However, high concentrations of CP reduced the efficacy of SC in inactivating E. coli inoculated on apples. Overall, our results suggested that combination of SC with 0.5% and 1% CP could be used to inhibit tissue browning and maintain firmness while reducing microbial population. Practical Application: Apple slices, which contain antioxidants and other nutrient components, have emerged as popular snacks in food service establishments, school lunch programs, and for family consumption. However, the further growth of the industry is limited by product quality deterioration caused by tissue browning, short shelf-life due to microbial growth, and possible contamination with human pathogens during processing. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop treatments to reduce microbial population and tissue browning of "Granny Smith" apple slices. Results showed that an antimicrobial compound, sodium chlorite, is effective in not only eliminating microbes but also inhibiting tissue browning of apple slices. However, the compound caused tissue softening and its antibrowning effect was short-lived, lasting only for a few days. Combination of the compound with a calcium-containing food additive was able to improve firmness and freshness of apple slices while reducing population of Escherichia coli artificially inoculated on samples and inhibiting the growth of yeast and mold during storage.
Patulin in apple-based foods: occurrence and safety evaluation.

PubMed

Beretta, B; Gaiaschi, A; Galli, C L; Restani, P

2000-05-01

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by certain species of Penicillium and Aspergillus, often detectable in mouldy fruits and their derivatives. On the basis of a PMTDI of 0.4 microgram/kg bw, limit values of 50 micrograms/kg or 50 micrograms/l of patulin have been set in fruit derivatives. To estimate the quantity of patulin that can be taken in with the diet, we analysed by HPLC samples of apples and apple derivatives which are most likely to be contaminated with patulin. In apple juices and in homogenized baby-foods, the mycotoxin concentration was always below the established limits, while in some samples of juice with pulp the mycotoxin content exceeded the safe levels. In rotten apples, not only was the amount of patulin extraordinarily high in the rotten area, but the mycotoxin had also spread to the part unaffected by mould. The data presented in this study indicate that the intake of patulin with apple derivatives is usually below the tolerable level of 0.4 microgram/kg bw/day, but since the patulin content in apples can vary considerably, the quality of fruits used in the production of apple derivatives should be strictly controlled in order not to exceed the safe limits.
Polyphenolic profiles of Basque cider apple cultivars and their technological properties.

PubMed

Alonso-Salces, Rosa M; Barranco, Alejandro; Abad, Beatriz; Berrueta, Luis A; Gallo, Blanca; Vicente, Francisca

2004-05-19

The polyphenolic compositions of 31 Basque cider apple cultivars were determined in pulp, peel, and juice by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection analysis of crude extracts and after thiolysis. Total polyphenols are distributed in a wide concentration range depending on the cultivar. Procyanidins are the class of polyphenols that present major concentrations in apple. Their average degrees of polymerization range from 4 to 8 depending on the cultivar. Apple cultivars were technologically classified into bitter and nonbitter categories using different classification systems obtained by applying several pattern recognition techniques, such as principal component analysis, K-nearest neighbors, soft independent modeling of class analogy, partial least-squares, and multilayer feed-forward-artificial neural networks, to apple pulp, peel, or juice data (individual polyphenol concentrations, total procyanidin content, and the average degree of polymerization of procyanidins). Bitter apple cultivars present higher contents of flavan-3-ols and/or dihydrochalcones than nonbitter cultivars. Detailed knowledge of the polyphenolic profile of each apple cultivar affords information about their susceptibility to oxidation, their sensory properties (bitterness, astringency), and their possible influence on the characteristics and quality of the final product (juice, cider) when apples are processed.
Up-regulation of genes in diphenylamine- and 1-methylcyclopropene-treated apples during cold storage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cold storage reduces the rate of quality loss and extends availability of fresh apples in the marketplace, but several cultivars develop various postharvest browning disorders of the peel or flesh tissue such as superficial scald and external carbon dioxide injury. Postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene...
Uncovering co-expression gene network regulating fruit acidity in diverse apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Acidity is a major contributor to fruit quality. Several organic acids are present in apple fruit, but malic acid is predominant and determines fruit acidity. The trait is largely controlled by the Malic acid (Ma) locus, underpinning which Ma1 that encodes an Aluminum-activated Malate Transporter1 (...
Optimal Wavelengths Selection Using Hierarchical Evolutionary Algorithm for Prediction of Firmness and Soluble Solids Content in Apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hyperspectral scattering is a promising technique for rapid and noninvasive measurement of multiple quality attributes of apple fruit. A hierarchical evolutionary algorithm (HEA) approach, in combination with subspace decomposition and partial least squares (PLS) regression, was proposed to select o...
Efficacy and safety of nitric oxide fumigation for controlling codling moth in apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitric oxide (NO) fumigation under ultralow oxygen (ULO) conditions was studied for its efficacy in controlling codling moth and effects on postharvest quality of apples. NO fumigation was effective against eggs and larvae of different sizes on artificial diet in 48 h treatments. Small larvae were...
Effect of low-temperature plasma on the degradation of omethoate residue and quality of apple and spinach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xingmin, SHI; Jinren, LIU; Guimin, XU; Yueming, WU; Lingge, GAO; Xiaoyan, LI; Yang, YANG; Guanjun, ZHANG

2018-04-01

Dielectric barrier corona discharge was developed to generate low-temperature plasma (LTP) to treat apple and spinach samples contaminated with omethoate. Experimental results showed that, after 20 min exposure, the degradation rate of omethoate residue in apple and spinach was (94.55 ± 0.01)% and (95.55 ± 0.01)%, respectively. When the treatment time was shorter than 20 min, the contents of moisture, vitamin C and beta-carotene were not affected by LTP. Exploration of related mechanisms suggested that LTP might destroy unsaturated double bonds of omethoate and produce phosphate ion, eventually leading to omethoate destruction. It is concluded that appropriate dosage of LTP can effectively degrade omethoate residue in fruits and vegetables without affecting their quality.
Reducing patulin contamination in apple juice by using inactive yeast.

PubMed

Yue, Tianli; Dong, Qinfang; Guo, Caixia; Worobo, Randy W

2011-01-01

The mycotoxin, patulin (4-hydroxy-4H-furo[3,2c]pyran-2[6H]-one), is a secondary metabolite produced mainly in rotten parts of fruits and vegetables, most notably apples and apple products, by a wide range of fungal species in the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Byssochlamys. Due to its mutagenic and teratogenic nature and possible health risks to consumers, many countries have regulations to reduce levels of patulin in apple products. In the present study, reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice by using 10 different inactivated yeast strains was assessed. Our results indicated that nearly twofold differences in biomass existed among the 10 yeast strains. Eight of the 10 inactivated yeast strains could provide >50% patulin reduction in apple juice within 24 h, with the highest reduction rate being >72%. Furthermore, juice quality parameters, i.e., degrees Brix, total sugar, titratable acidity, color value, and clarity, of the treated apple juice were very similar to those of the untreated patulin-free juice. Potential applications of using inactivated yeast strain for patulin control are also discussed.
Studying apple bruise using a finite element method analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascoal-Faria, P.; Alves, N.

2017-07-01

Apple bruise damage from harvesting, handling, transporting and sorting is considered to be the major source of reduced fruit quality, resulting in a loss of profits for the entire fruit industry. Bruising is defined as damage and discoloration of fruit flesh, usually with no breach of the skin. The three factors which can physically cause fruit bruising are vibration, compression load and impact. The last one is the main source of bruise damage. Therefore, prediction of the level of damage, stress distribution and deformation of the fruits under external force has become a very important task. To address these problems a finite element analysis has been developed for studying Portuguese Royal Gala apple bruise. The results obtained will be suitable to apple distributors and sellers and will allow a reduction of the impact caused by bruise damage in apple annual production.
Biochemistry of Apple Aroma: A Review.

PubMed

Espino-Díaz, Miguel; Sepúlveda, David Roberto; González-Aguilar, Gustavo; Olivas, Guadalupe I

2016-12-01

Flavour is a key quality attribute of apples defined by volatile aroma compounds. Biosynthesis of aroma compounds involves metabolic pathways in which the main precursors are fatty and amino acids, and the main products are aldehydes, alcohols and esters. Some enzymes are crucial in the production of volatile compounds, such as lipoxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and alcohol acyltransferase. Composition and concentration of volatiles in apples may be altered by pre- and postharvest factors that cause a decline in apple flavour. Addition of biosynthetic precursors of volatile compounds may be a strategy to promote aroma production in apples. The present manuscript compiles information regarding the biosynthesis of volatile aroma compounds, including metabolic pathways, enzymes and substrates involved, factors that may affect their production and also includes a wide number of studies focused on the addition of biosynthetic precursors in their production.
Biochemistry of Apple Aroma: A Review

PubMed Central

Espino-Díaz, Miguel; Sepúlveda, David Roberto; González-Aguilar, Gustavo

2016-01-01

Summary Flavour is a key quality attribute of apples defined by volatile aroma compounds. Biosynthesis of aroma compounds involves metabolic pathways in which the main precursors are fatty and amino acids, and the main products are aldehydes, alcohols and esters. Some enzymes are crucial in the production of volatile compounds, such as lipoxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and alcohol acyltransferase. Composition and concentration of volatiles in apples may be altered by pre- and postharvest factors that cause a decline in apple flavour. Addition of biosynthetic precursors of volatile compounds may be a strategy to promote aroma production in apples. The present manuscript compiles information regarding the biosynthesis of volatile aroma compounds, including metabolic pathways, enzymes and substrates involved, factors that may affect their production and also includes a wide number of studies focused on the addition of biosynthetic precursors in their production. PMID:28115895
Influence of apple pomace inclusion on the process of animal feed pelleting.

PubMed

Maslovarić, Marijana D; Vukmirović, Đuro; Pezo, Lato; Čolović, Radmilo; Jovanović, Rade; Spasevski, Nedeljka; Tolimir, Nataša

2017-08-01

Apple pomace (AP) is the main by-product of apple juice production. Large amounts of this material disposed into landfills can cause serious environmental problems. One of the solutions is to utilise AP as animal feed. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dried AP inclusion into model mixtures made from conventional feedstuffs on pellet quality and pellet press performance. Three model mixtures, with different ratios of maize, sunflower meal and AP, were pelleted. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied when designing the experiment. The simultaneous and interactive effects of apple pomace share (APS) in the mixtures, die thickness (DT) of the pellet press and initial moisture content of the mixtures (M), on pellet quality and production parameters were investigated. Principal component analysis (PCA) and standard score (SS) analysis were applied for comprehensive analysis of the experimental data. The increase in APS led to an improvement of pellet quality parameters: pellet durability index (PDI), hardness (H) and proportion of fines in pellets. The increase in DT and M resulted in pellet quality improvement. The increase in DT and APS resulted in higher energy consumption of the pellet press. APS was the most influential variable for PDI and H calculation, while APS and DT were the most influential variables in the calculation of pellet press energy consumption. PCA showed that the first two principal components could be considered sufficient for data representation. In conclusion, addition of dried AP to feed model mixtures significantly improved the quality of the pellets.
Apple production and quality when cultivated under anti-hail cover in Southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosco, Leosane Cristina; Bergamaschi, Homero; Cardoso, Loana Silveira; de Paula, Viviane Aires; Marodin, Gilmar Arduino Bettio; Nachtigall, Gilmar Ribeiro

2015-07-01

Anti-hail nets may change the microclimate of orchards and hence modify the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of fruits. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of anti-hail nets on the physical, chemical, and sensory attributes of apples grown in southern Brazil. The study was conducted in commercial orchards, with apples grown under a black anti-hail net under an open sky during the 2008/2009, 2009/2010, and 2010/2011 cycles. Measurements of photosynthetically active radiation were collected at both sites. Physical, chemical, and sensory analyses of fruits were performed in the laboratory. The anti-hail net reduced incident photosynthetically active radiation by 32 %. The light spectrum in the canopy changed the corresponding R/FR (red/far-red) ratio in the lower and upper canopy layers from 0.27 to 1.55, respectively. In contrast to the majority of microclimate studies carried out in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere, this study in the southern hemisphere showed that although it reduced the incident solar radiation, the cover did not change the color or organoleptic characteristics of "Royal Gala" and "Fuji Suprema" apples. The net cover prolonged the subperiod between fruit setting and harvesting, thus slowing fruit ripening. Therefore, the use of anti-hail nets on apple orchards is a suitable alternative for the protection of apple trees against hail because it causes only small changes in the microclimate and in the maturation period, ensuring fruit production without affecting its quality.

Apple production and quality when cultivated under anti-hail cover in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Bosco, Leosane Cristina; Bergamaschi, Homero; Cardoso, Loana Silveira; de Paula, Viviane Aires; Marodin, Gilmar Arduino Bettio; Nachtigall, Gilmar Ribeiro

2015-07-01

Anti-hail nets may change the microclimate of orchards and hence modify the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of fruits. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of anti-hail nets on the physical, chemical, and sensory attributes of apples grown in southern Brazil. The study was conducted in commercial orchards, with apples grown under a black anti-hail net under an open sky during the 2008/2009, 2009/2010, and 2010/2011 cycles. Measurements of photosynthetically active radiation were collected at both sites. Physical, chemical, and sensory analyses of fruits were performed in the laboratory. The anti-hail net reduced incident photosynthetically active radiation by 32%. The light spectrum in the canopy changed the corresponding R/FR (red/far-red) ratio in the lower and upper canopy layers from 0.27 to 1.55, respectively. In contrast to the majority of microclimate studies carried out in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere, this study in the southern hemisphere showed that although it reduced the incident solar radiation, the cover did not change the color or organoleptic characteristics of "Royal Gala" and "Fuji Suprema" apples. The net cover prolonged the subperiod between fruit setting and harvesting, thus slowing fruit ripening. Therefore, the use of anti-hail nets on apple orchards is a suitable alternative for the protection of apple trees against hail because it causes only small changes in the microclimate and in the maturation period, ensuring fruit production without affecting its quality.
Chilling-Mediated DNA Methylation Changes during Dormancy and Its Release Reveal the Importance of Epigenetic Regulation during Winter Dormancy in Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.).

PubMed

Kumar, Gulshan; Rattan, Usha Kumari; Singh, Anil Kumar

2016-01-01

Winter dormancy is a well known mechanism adopted by temperate plants, to mitigate the chilling temperature of winters. However, acquisition of sufficient chilling during winter dormancy ensures the normal phenological traits in subsequent growing period. Thus, low temperature appears to play crucial roles in growth and development of temperate plants. Apple, being an important temperate fruit crop, also requires sufficient chilling to release winter dormancy and normal phenological traits, which are often associated with yield and quality of fruits. DNA cytosine methylation is one of the important epigenetic modifications which remarkably affect the gene expression during various developmental and adaptive processes. In present study, methylation sensitive amplified polymorphism was employed to assess the changes in cytosine methylation during dormancy, active growth and fruit set in apple, under differential chilling conditions. Under high chill conditions, total methylation was decreased from 27.2% in dormant bud to 21.0% in fruit set stage, while no significant reduction was found under low chill conditions. Moreover, the demethylation was found to be decreased, while methylation increased from dormant bud to fruit set stage under low chill as compared to high chill conditions. In addition, RNA-Seq analysis showed high expression of DNA methyltransferases and histone methyltransferases during dormancy and fruit set, and low expression of DNA glcosylases during active growth under low chill conditions, which was in accordance with changes in methylation patterns. The RNA-Seq data of 47 genes associated with MSAP fragments involved in cellular metabolism, stress response, antioxidant system and transcriptional regulation showed correlation between methylation and their expression. Similarly, bisulfite sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis of selected genes also showed correlation between gene body methylation and gene expression. Moreover, significant association between chilling and methylation changes was observed, which suggested that chilling acquisition during dormancy in apple is likely to affect the epigenetic regulation through DNA methylation.
Chilling-Mediated DNA Methylation Changes during Dormancy and Its Release Reveal the Importance of Epigenetic Regulation during Winter Dormancy in Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.)

PubMed Central

Kumar, Gulshan; Rattan, Usha Kumari; Singh, Anil Kumar

2016-01-01

Winter dormancy is a well known mechanism adopted by temperate plants, to mitigate the chilling temperature of winters. However, acquisition of sufficient chilling during winter dormancy ensures the normal phenological traits in subsequent growing period. Thus, low temperature appears to play crucial roles in growth and development of temperate plants. Apple, being an important temperate fruit crop, also requires sufficient chilling to release winter dormancy and normal phenological traits, which are often associated with yield and quality of fruits. DNA cytosine methylation is one of the important epigenetic modifications which remarkably affect the gene expression during various developmental and adaptive processes. In present study, methylation sensitive amplified polymorphism was employed to assess the changes in cytosine methylation during dormancy, active growth and fruit set in apple, under differential chilling conditions. Under high chill conditions, total methylation was decreased from 27.2% in dormant bud to 21.0% in fruit set stage, while no significant reduction was found under low chill conditions. Moreover, the demethylation was found to be decreased, while methylation increased from dormant bud to fruit set stage under low chill as compared to high chill conditions. In addition, RNA-Seq analysis showed high expression of DNA methyltransferases and histone methyltransferases during dormancy and fruit set, and low expression of DNA glcosylases during active growth under low chill conditions, which was in accordance with changes in methylation patterns. The RNA-Seq data of 47 genes associated with MSAP fragments involved in cellular metabolism, stress response, antioxidant system and transcriptional regulation showed correlation between methylation and their expression. Similarly, bisulfite sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis of selected genes also showed correlation between gene body methylation and gene expression. Moreover, significant association between chilling and methylation changes was observed, which suggested that chilling acquisition during dormancy in apple is likely to affect the epigenetic regulation through DNA methylation. PMID:26901339
Utility of Metabolomics toward Assessing the Metabolic Basis of Quality Traits in Apple Fruit with an Emphasis on Antioxidants

PubMed Central

Cuthbertson, Daniel; Andrews, Preston K.; Reganold, John P.; Davies, Neal M.; Lange, B. Markus

2012-01-01

A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry approach was employed to evaluate the use of metabolite patterns to differentiate fruit from six commercially grown apple cultivars harvested in 2008. Principal component analysis (PCA) of apple fruit peel and flesh data indicated that individual cultivar replicates clustered together and were separated from all other cultivar samples. An independent metabolomics investigation with fruit harvested in 2003 confirmed the separate clustering of fruit from different cultivars. Further evidence for cultivar separation was obtained using a hierarchical clustering analysis. An evaluation of PCA component loadings revealed specific metabolite classes that contributed the most to each principal component, whereas a correlation analysis demonstrated that specific metabolites correlate directly with quality traits such as antioxidant activity, total phenolics, and total anthocyanins, which are important parameters in the selection of breeding germplasm. These data sets lay the foundation for elucidating the metabolic basis of commercially important fruit quality traits. PMID:22881116
Expression Patterns of Genes Involved in Sugar Metabolism and Accumulation during Apple Fruit Development

PubMed Central

Cheng, Lailiang

2012-01-01

Both sorbitol and sucrose are imported into apple fruit from leaves. The metabolism of sorbitol and sucrose fuels fruit growth and development, and accumulation of sugars in fruit is central to the edible quality of apple. However, our understanding of the mechanisms controlling sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple remains quite limited. We identified members of various gene families encoding key enzymes or transporters involved in sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple fruit using homology searches and comparison of their expression patterns in different tissues, and analyzed the relationship of their transcripts with enzyme activities and sugar accumulation during fruit development. At the early stage of fruit development, the transcript levels of sorbitol dehydrogenase, cell wall invertase, neutral invertase, sucrose synthase, fructokinase and hexokinase are high, and the resulting high enzyme activities are responsible for the rapid utilization of the imported sorbitol and sucrose for fruit growth, with low levels of sugar accumulation. As the fruit continues to grow due to cell expansion, the transcript levels and activities of these enzymes are down-regulated, with concomitant accumulation of fructose and elevated transcript levels of tonoplast monosaccharide transporters (TMTs), MdTMT1 and MdTMT2; the excess carbon is converted into starch. At the late stage of fruit development, sucrose accumulation is enhanced, consistent with the elevated expression of sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), MdSPS5 and MdSPS6, and an increase in its total activity. Our data indicate that sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple fruit is developmentally regulated. This represents a comprehensive analysis of the genes involved in sugar metabolism and accumulation in apple, which will serve as a platform for further studies on the functions of these genes and subsequent manipulation of sugar metabolism and fruit quality traits related to carbohydrates. PMID:22412983
Laccase SilA from Streptomyces ipomoeae CECT 3341, a key enzyme for the degradation of lignin from agricultural residues?

PubMed Central

Blánquez, Alba; Ball, Andrew S.; González-Pérez, José Antonio; Jiménez-Morillo, Nicasio T.; González-Vila, Francisco; Arias, M. Enriqueta

2017-01-01

The role of laccase SilA produced by Streptomyces ipomoeae CECT 3341 in lignocellulose degradation was investigated. A comparison of the properties and activities of a laccase-negative mutant strain (SilA−) with that of the wild-type was studied in terms of their ability to degrade lignin from grass lignocellulose. The yields of solubilized lignin (acid precipitable polymeric lignin, APPL) obtained from wheat straw by both strains in Solid State Fermentation (SSF) conditions demonstrated the importance of SilA laccase in lignin degradation with the wild-type showing 5-fold more APPL produced compared with the mutant strain (SilA−). Analytical pyrolysis and FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) confirmed that the APPL obtained from the substrate fermented by wild-type strain was dominated by lignin derived methoxyphenols whereas those from SilA− and control APPLs were composed mainly of polysaccharides. This is the first report highlighting the role of this laccase in lignin degradation. PMID:29112957
Laccase SilA from Streptomyces ipomoeae CECT 3341, a key enzyme for the degradation of lignin from agricultural residues?

PubMed

Blánquez, Alba; Ball, Andrew S; González-Pérez, José Antonio; Jiménez-Morillo, Nicasio T; González-Vila, Francisco; Arias, M Enriqueta; Hernández, Manuel

2017-01-01

The role of laccase SilA produced by Streptomyces ipomoeae CECT 3341 in lignocellulose degradation was investigated. A comparison of the properties and activities of a laccase-negative mutant strain (SilA-) with that of the wild-type was studied in terms of their ability to degrade lignin from grass lignocellulose. The yields of solubilized lignin (acid precipitable polymeric lignin, APPL) obtained from wheat straw by both strains in Solid State Fermentation (SSF) conditions demonstrated the importance of SilA laccase in lignin degradation with the wild-type showing 5-fold more APPL produced compared with the mutant strain (SilA-). Analytical pyrolysis and FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) confirmed that the APPL obtained from the substrate fermented by wild-type strain was dominated by lignin derived methoxyphenols whereas those from SilA- and control APPLs were composed mainly of polysaccharides. This is the first report highlighting the role of this laccase in lignin degradation.
Down-regulation of POLYGALACTURONASE1 alters firmness, tensile strength and water loss in apple (Malus x domestica) fruit.

PubMed

Atkinson, Ross G; Sutherland, Paul W; Johnston, Sarah L; Gunaseelan, Kularajathevan; Hallett, Ian C; Mitra, Deepali; Brummell, David A; Schröder, Roswitha; Johnston, Jason W; Schaffer, Robert J

2012-08-02

While there is now a significant body of research correlating apple (Malus x domestica) fruit softening with the cell wall hydrolase ENDO-POLYGALACTURONASE1 (PG1), there is currently little knowledge of its physiological effects in planta. This study examined the effect of down regulation of PG1 expression in 'Royal Gala' apples, a cultivar that typically has high levels of PG1, and softens during fruit ripening. PG1-suppressed 'Royal Gala' apples harvested from multiple seasons were firmer than controls after ripening, and intercellular adhesion was higher. Cell wall analyses indicated changes in yield and composition of pectin, and a higher molecular weight distribution of CDTA-soluble pectin. Structural analyses revealed more ruptured cells and free juice in pulled apart sections, suggesting improved integrity of intercellular connections and consequent cell rupture due to failure of the primary cell walls under stress. PG1-suppressed lines also had reduced expansion of cells in the hypodermis of ripe apples, resulting in more densely packed cells in this layer. This change in morphology appears to be linked with reduced transpirational water loss in the fruit. These findings confirm PG1's role in apple fruit softening and suggests that this is achieved in part by reducing cellular adhesion. This is consistent with previous studies carried out in strawberry but not with those performed in tomato. In apple PG1 also appears to influence other fruit texture characters such as juiciness and water loss.
Comparing domestic versus imported apples: a focus on energy use.

PubMed

Milà i Canals, Llorenç; Cowell, Sarah J; Sim, Sarah; Basson, Lauren

2007-07-01

The issue of whether food miles are a relevant indicator for the environmental impacts associated with foods has received significant attention in recent years. It is suggested here that issues other than the distance travelled need to be considered. The argument is presented by illustrating the case for the provision of apples. The effects of variability in primary energy requirements for apple cultivation and for other life cycle stages, seasonality (timing of consumption) and loss of produce during storage are studied in this paper, by comparing apples from different supplier countries for consumption in Europe. Data sources for primary energy use (PEU) of apple production are identified ranging from 0.4-3.8 MJ/kg apples for European and Southern American countries and 0.4-0.7 MJ/kg for New Zealand. This variability is related to different yields and producer management practices in the different countries. Storage loss may range from 5% to 40% for storage periods between 4 and 10 months, and this has a significant effect on the results (e.g. increasing the total PEU by 8-16% when stored for 5-9 months in Europe as compared with a no loss and no storage situation). The storage periods and related storage losses change markedly through the year for imported (i.e. non-European) versus European apples. The timing of consumption and related storage losses need to be included in the assessment, as this affects the order of preference for locally sourced versus imported apples. The variability in energy requirements in different life cycle stages, but particularly for the fruit production stage, is also significant in this comparative analysis. Overall, it seems that there are similarities in the total PEU ranges for European and New Zealand apples during the Southern Hemisphere's apple season (European spring and summer). However, during the European autumn and winter (Northern Hemisphere apple season) PEU values are generally higher for apples imported from the Southern Hemisphere compared with European apples consumed in Europe. However, this latter observation may not hold true where apples for consumption in one European country are imported from another European country, because energy use for road transportation has a significant influence on the result. Future studies comparing alternative sources of fresh produce need to account for ranges of data for the fruit production and storage stages, which reflect the seasonality of production.
Microbial analysis and survey test of gamma-irradiated freeze-dried fruits for patient's food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jae-Nam; Sung, Nak-Yun; Byun, Eui-Hong; Byun, Eui-Baek; Song, Beom-Seok; Kim, Jae-Hun; Lee, Kyung-A.; Son, Eun-Joo; Lyu, Eun-Soon

2015-06-01

This study examined the microbiological and organoleptic qualities of gamma-irradiated freeze-dried apples, pears, strawberries, pineapples, and grapes, and evaluated the organoleptic acceptability of the sterilized freeze-dried fruits for hospitalized patients. The freeze-dried fruits were gamma-irradiated at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 12, and 15 kGy, and their quality was evaluated. Microorganisms were not detected in apples after 1 kGy, in strawberries and pears after 4 kGy, in pineapples after 5 kGy, and in grapes after 12 kGy of gamma irradiation. The overall acceptance score, of the irradiated freeze-dried fruits on a 7-point scale at the sterilization doses was 5.5, 4.2, 4.0, 4.1, and 5.1 points for apples, strawberries, pears, pineapples, and grapes, respectively. The sensory survey of the hospitalized cancer patients (N=102) resulted in scores of 3.8, 3.7, 3.9, 3.9, and 3.7 on a 5-point scale for the gamma-irradiated freeze-dried apples, strawberries, pears, pineapples, and grapes, respectively. The results suggest that freeze-dried fruits can be sterilized with a dose of 5 kGy, except for grapes, which require a dose of 12 kGy, and that the organoleptic quality of the fruits is acceptable to immuno-compromised patients. However, to clarify the microbiological quality and safety of freeze-dried fruits should be verified by plating for both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.
Quality comparison of elephant apple juices after high-pressure processing and thermal treatment.

PubMed

Nayak, Prakash Kumar; Rayaguru, Kalpana; Radha Krishnan, Kesavan

2017-03-01

In the present work, the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) on the quality parameters (pH, °Brix, total acidity, viscosity, colour, antioxidant activity, total phenols, total flavonoids, microbial flora, and sensory analysis) of elephant apple (Dillenia indica) juice was investigated. The juice samples were analysed periodically (0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days) during 60 days of storage period and results were compared with thermally processed as well as with untreated (fresh juice) samples. Slight variations had been observed in the quality parameters like pH, °Brix and total acidity. Other parameters like colour values, antioxidant activity, total phenols and total flavonoids were varied significantly (P < 0.05) in between the treated (HPP and thermal) and untreated juice samples. The microbial counts of the HPP treated samples were lower than the other samples. Sensory results also showed similar results to those of the other analyses that the treated samples were better for consumption rather than the untreated samples. The shelf-life of the HPP processed elephant apple juice was established as 60 days at 4 °C. This study showed that application of HPP effectively maintained quality attributes and extended shelf life of the elephant apple juice. It may be suggested that application of HPP could be considered for commercial application during storage and marketing. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Prediction of valid acidity in intact apples with Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Liu, Yan-De; Ying, Yi-Bin; Fu, Xia-Ping

2005-03-01

To develop nondestructive acidity prediction for intact Fuji apples, the potential of Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) method with fiber optics in interactance mode was investigated. Interactance in the 800 nm to 2619 nm region was measured for intact apples, harvested from early to late maturity stages. Spectral data were analyzed by two multivariate calibration techniques including partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR) methods. A total of 120 Fuji apples were tested and 80 of them were used to form a calibration data set. The influences of different data preprocessing and spectra treatments were also quantified. Calibration models based on smoothing spectra were slightly worse than that based on derivative spectra, and the best result was obtained when the segment length was 5 nm and the gap size was 10 points. Depending on data preprocessing and PLS method, the best prediction model yielded correlation coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.759, low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.0677, low root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.0562. The results indicated the feasibility of FT-NIR spectral analysis for predicting apple valid acidity in a nondestructive way.
Prediction of valid acidity in intact apples with Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy*

PubMed Central

Liu, Yan-de; Ying, Yi-bin; Fu, Xia-ping

2005-01-01

To develop nondestructive acidity prediction for intact Fuji apples, the potential of Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) method with fiber optics in interactance mode was investigated. Interactance in the 800 nm to 2619 nm region was measured for intact apples, harvested from early to late maturity stages. Spectral data were analyzed by two multivariate calibration techniques including partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR) methods. A total of 120 Fuji apples were tested and 80 of them were used to form a calibration data set. The influences of different data preprocessing and spectra treatments were also quantified. Calibration models based on smoothing spectra were slightly worse than that based on derivative spectra, and the best result was obtained when the segment length was 5 nm and the gap size was 10 points. Depending on data preprocessing and PLS method, the best prediction model yielded correlation coefficient of determination (r 2) of 0.759, low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.0677, low root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.0562. The results indicated the feasibility of FT-NIR spectral analysis for predicting apple valid acidity in a nondestructive way. PMID:15682498
Development of a multispectral structured-illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) system and its application to bruise detection of apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Structured-illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) is a new, promising imaging modality for enhancing quality detection of food. A liquid-crystal tunable filter (LCTF)-based multispectral SIRI system was developed and used for selecting optimal wavebands to detect bruising in apples. Immediately aft...
Thermosonication as a potential quality enhancement technique of apple juice.

PubMed

Abid, Muhammad; Jabbar, Saqib; Hu, Bing; Hashim, Malik Muhammad; Wu, Tao; Lei, Shicheng; Khan, Muhammad Ammar; Zeng, Xiaoxiong

2014-05-01

Enzymatic browning and microbial growth lead to quality losses in apple products. In the present study, fresh apple juice was thermosonicated using ultrasound in-bath (25 kHz, 30 min, 0.06 W cm(-3)) and ultrasound with-probe sonicator (20 kHz, 5 and 10 min, 0.30 W cm(-3)) at 20, 40 and 60°C for inactivation of enzymes (polyphenolase, peroxidase and pectinmethylesterase) and microflora (total plate count, yeast and mold). Additionally, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, pH, titratable acidity, (°)Brix and color values influenced by thermosonication were investigated. The highest inactivation of enzymes was obtained in ultrasound with-probe at 60°C for 10 min, and the microbial population was completely inactivated at 60°C. The retention of ascorbic acid, total phenolics, flavonoids and flavonols were significantly higher in ultrasound with-probe than ultrasound in-bath at 60°C. These results indicated the usefulness of thermosonication for apple juice processing at low temperature, for enhanced inactivation of enzymes and microorganisms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Effects of dynamic controlled atmosphere by respiratory quotient on some quality parameters and volatile profile of 'Royal Gala' apple after long-term storage.

PubMed

Both, Vanderlei; Thewes, Fabio Rodrigo; Brackmann, Auri; de Oliveira Anese, Rogerio; de Freitas Ferreira, Daniele; Wagner, Roger

2017-01-15

The effects of dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) storage based on chlorophyll fluorescence (DCA-CF) and respiratory quotient (DCA-RQ) on the quality and volatile profile of 'Royal Gala' apple were evaluated. DCA storage reduces ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) oxidase activity, ethylene production and respiration rate of apples stored for 9months at 1.0°C plus 7days at 20°C, resulting in higher flesh firmness, titratable acidity and lesser physiological disorders, and provided a higher proportion of healthy fruit. Storage in a regular controlled atmosphere gave higher levels of key volatiles (butyl acetate, 2-methylbutyl acetate and hexyl acetate), as compared to fruit stored under DCA-CF, but fruit stored under DCA-RQ 1.5 and RQ 2.0 also showed higher amounts of key volatile compounds, with increment in ethanol and ethyl acetate, but far below the odour threshold. Storage in DCA-CF reduces fruit ester production, especially 2-methylbutyl acetate, which is the most important component of 'Royal Gala' apple flavour. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Thermal degradation of cloudy apple juice phenolic constituents.

PubMed

De Paepe, D; Valkenborg, D; Coudijzer, K; Noten, B; Servaes, K; De Loose, M; Voorspoels, S; Diels, L; Van Droogenbroeck, B

2014-11-01

Although conventional thermal processing is still the most commonly used preservation technique in cloudy apple juice production, detailed knowledge on phenolic compound degradation during thermal treatment is still limited. To evaluate the extent of thermal degradation as a function of time and temperature, apple juice samples were isothermally treated during 7,200s over a temperature range of 80-145 °C. An untargeted metabolomics approach based on liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry was developed and applied with the aim to find out the most heat labile phenolic constituents in cloudy apple juice. By the use of a high resolution mass spectrometer, the high degree of in-source fragmentation, the quality of deconvolution and the employed custom-made database, it was possible to achieve a high degree of structural elucidation for the thermolabile phenolic constituents. Procyanidin subclass representatives were discovered as the most heat labile phenolic compounds of cloudy apple juice. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Monitoring methods and predictive models for water status in Jonathan apples.

PubMed

Trincă, Lucia Carmen; Căpraru, Adina-Mirela; Arotăriţei, Dragoş; Volf, Irina; Chiruţă, Ciprian

2014-02-01

Evaluation of water status in Jonathan apples was performed for 20 days. Loss moisture content (LMC) was carried out through slow drying of wholes apples and the moisture content (MC) was carried out through oven drying and lyophilisation for apple samples (chunks, crushed and juice). We approached a non-destructive method to evaluate LMC and MC of apples using image processing and multilayer neural networks (NN) predictor. We proposed a new simple algorithm that selects the texture descriptors based on initial set heuristically chosen. Both structure and weights of NN are optimised by a genetic algorithm with variable length genotype that led to a high precision of the predictive model (R(2)=0.9534). In our opinion, the developing of this non-destructive method for the assessment of LMC and MC (and of other chemical parameters) seems to be very promising in online inspection of food quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Production of volatiles in fresh-cut apple: effect of applying alginate coatings containing linoleic acid or isoleucine.

PubMed

Maya-Meraz, Irma O; Espino-Díaz, Miguel; Molina-Corral, Francisco J; González-Aguilar, Gustavo A; Jacobo-Cuellar, Juan L; Sepulveda, David R; Olivas, Guadalupe I

2014-11-01

One of the main quality parameters in apples is aroma, its main precursors are fatty acids (FA) and amino acids (AA). In this study, alginate edible coatings were used as carriers of linoleic acid or isoleucine to serve as precursors for the production of aroma in cut apples. Apple wedges were immersed in a CaCl2 solution and coated with one of the following formulations: alginate solution (Alg-Ca), Alg-Ca-low-level linoleic acid (0.61 g/Lt), (LFA), Alg-Ca-high-level linoleic acid (2.44 g/L; HFA), Alg-Ca-low-level isoleucine (0.61 g/L; LAA), and Alg-Ca-high-level isoleucine (2.44 g/L; HAA). Apple wedges were stored at 3 °C and 85% relative humidity for 21 d and key volatiles were studied during storage. Addition of precursors, mainly isoleucine, showed to increase the production of some key volatiles on coated fresh-cut apples during storage. The concentration of 2-methyl-1-butanol was 4 times higher from day 12 to day 21 in HAA, while 2-methyl butyl acetate increased from day 12 to day 21 in HAA. After 21 d, HAA-apples presented a 40-fold value of 2-methyl-butyl acetate, compared to Alg-Ca cut apples. Values of hexanal increased during cut apple storage when the coating carried linoleic acid, mainly on HFA, from 3 to 12 d. The ability of apples to metabolize AA and FA depends on the concentration of precursors, but also depends on key enzymes, previous apple storage, among others. Further studies should be done to better clarify the behavior of fresh-cut apples as living tissue to metabolize precursors contained in edible coatings for the production of volatiles. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®
Effect of Grinding at Modified Atmosphere or Vacuum on Browning, Antioxidant Capacities, and Oxidative Enzyme Activities of Apple.

PubMed

Kim, Ah-Na; Lee, Kyo-Yeon; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Chun, Jiyeon; Kerr, William L; Choi, Sung-Gil

2018-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of grinding at atmospheric pressure (control), under vacuum (∼2.67 kPa), or with modified atmosphere (N 2 and CO 2 ) on the browning, antioxidant activity, phenolics, and oxidative enzyme activity of apples as a function of time. The control group was affected most, showing distinct browning and losing most of the antioxidant activity and concentrations of the main phenolic compounds. The modified atmosphere groups retained color, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds better than the control group. Least changes were obtained with vacuum grinding, particularly in terms of preventing enzymatic browning and oxidation of antioxidants apples. At 12 h after grinding, vacuum-ground apples retained total phenolic contents 5.32, 1.54, and 1.49 times higher than control, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide gas-ground samples, respectively. The oxidative enzyme activity, including that of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, decreased in the control and modified atmosphere group, but they were maintained in the samples ground under the vacuum. In this study, we found that grinding with modified atmosphere or vacuum conditions could effectively prevent browning as well as loss of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of ground apples. These results can help scientists and engineers build better grinding systems for retaining nutrient and quality factors of ground apples. In addition, these results may be useful to other fruit and vegetable industries that wish to retain fresh-like quality and nutritional value during grinding and storage. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Selection of low-variance expressed Malus x domestica (apple) genes for use as quantitative PCR reference genes (housekeepers)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To accurately measure gene expression using PCR-based approaches, there is the need for reference genes that have low variance in expression (housekeeping genes) to normalise the data for RNA quantity and quality. For non-model species such as Malus x domestica (apples), previously, the selection of...
EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN ON APPLE TREE PRODUCTIVITY AND FRUIT QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Mature 'McIntosh', 'Empire', and 'Golden Delicious' apple trees (Malus domestica) were sprayed with simulated acid rain solutions in the pH range of 2.5 to 5.5 at full bloom in 1980 and 1981. In 1981, weekly sprays were applied at pH 2.75 and pH 3.25. Necrotic lesions developed o...
An analysis of ash and isotopic carbon discrimination (delta13C) methods to evaluate water use efficiency in apple

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple cultivars are selected for fruit quality, disease and insect resistance, not water use efficiency (WUE), however, the need for more water use efficient crops is accelerating due to climate change and increased competition for water resources. On a whole plant basis, calculation of water use e...
The effect of fermented apple diet supplementation on the growth performance and meat quality in finishing pigs.

PubMed

Lee, Sung Dae; Kim, Hoi Yun; Jung, Hyun Jung; Ji, Sang Yun; Chowdappa, Rekha; Ha, Ji Hee; Song, Young Min; Park, Jun Cheol; Moon, Hong Kil; Kim, In Cheul

2009-02-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of fermented apple diet (FAD) supplementation on the growth performance and meat quality in finishing Berkshires. The FAD was made from dropped apple mixed with rice bran and barley bran. Until 81 +/- 1 kg live weight at 133 +/- 1 days, the animals were fed a growing diet, after which experimental samples were fixed at 0, 2, 4 and 6% FAD as C, T1, T2 and T3 in the finishing diets. Growth performance, ADG, ADFI and feed efficiency were improved in T1 than other groups. In carcass parameters, carcass weight was higher (P < 0.05) in T1 than in other groups. In meat quality, moisture and crude protein contents decreased (P < 0.05) by addition of FAD. pH(24) and WHC were higher (P < 0.05) in T1 than other groups. In sensory evaluation, marbling of fresh meat and tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall acceptability of cooked meat were improved by the addition of FAD. According to the results of our experiment, FAD can be used for improvement of meat quality parameters.
Effectiveness of High Intensity Light Pulses (HILP) treatments for the control of Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua in apple juice, orange juice and milk.

PubMed

Palgan, I; Caminiti, I M; Muñoz, A; Noci, F; Whyte, P; Morgan, D J; Cronin, D A; Lyng, J G

2011-02-01

High Intensity Light Pulses (HILP) represent an emerging processing technology which uses short (100-400 μs) light pulses (200-1100 nm) for product decontamination. In this study, model and real foods of differing transparencies (maximum recovery diluent (MRD), apple and orange juices and milk) were exposed to HILP in a batch system for 0, 2, 4 or 8 s at a frequency of 3 Hz. After treatment, inactivation of Escherichia coli or Listeria innocua was evaluated in pre-inoculated samples. Sensory and other quality attributes (colour, pH, Brix, titratable acidity, non-enzymatic browning, total phenols and antioxidant capacity (TEAC)) were assessed in apple juice. Microbial kill decreased with decreasing transparency of the medium. In apple juice (the most transparent beverage) E. coli decreased by 2.65 and 4.5 after exposure times of 2 or 4 s, respectively. No cell recovery was observed after 48 h storage at 4°C. No significant differences were observed in quality parameters, excepting TEAC and flavour score, where 8 s exposure caused a significant decrease (p<0.05). Based on these results, HILP with short exposure times could represent a potential alternative to thermal processing to eliminate undesirable microorganisms, while maintaining product quality, in transparent fruit juices. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Storage Test on Apple Juice After Ultrasound Treatment

PubMed Central

Fasolato, Luca; Balzan, Stefania; De Nardi, Roberta; Marchesini, Giorgio; Cardazzo, Barbara; Novelli, Enrico

2014-01-01

Apple juice, for its sensory and nutritional qualities, is consumed by people of all ages. Apples are an excellent source of several phenolic compounds and the presence of polyphenols is recognized for their health promoting antioxidant properties. Thermal pasteurization of fruit juices is the conventional method used for their preservation. Therefore, this constitutes the most extensively available methods for the inactivation of microorganisms in fruit juices but it causes side effects on their flavour and nutritional quality. Consumers tend to prefer recently extracted juices with fresh taste and minimal flavor or vitamin losses. To meet consumers’ demand, among the novel technologies that involve non-thermal processes, power ultrasound have been investigated as an alternative to conventional heat treatments. Objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of ultrasound in an attempt to maintain the organoleptic characteristics typical of a natural apple juice. In particular, it was evaluated the action on the microflora residing and shelf life of the product through microbiological and sensory analyses. Juice treated with ultrasound highlighted a reduction of aerobic mesophilic counts and psychrophilic bacteria respectively about 3 and 5 log CFU/mL and an enhanced yeast growth. The general opinion expressed by the panelist was in favour of the sonicated juice. This preliminary study showed that non-thermal methods such as power ultrasound technology may give new opportunities to develop fresh-like apple juice. PMID:27800306
Integrating fluorescence and interactance measurements to improve apple maturity assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Hyun Kwon; Lu, Renfu

2006-10-01

Fluorescence and reflectance (or interactance) are promising techniques for measuring fruit quality and condition. Our previous research showed that a hyperspectral imaging technique integrating fluorescence and reflectance could improve predictions of selected quality parameters compared to single sensing techniques. The objective of this research was to use a low cost spectrometer for rapid acquisition of fluorescence and interactance spectra from apples and develop an algorithm integrating the two types of data for predicting skin and flesh color, fruit firmness, starch index, soluble solids content, and titratable acid. Experiments were performed to measure UV light induced transient fluorescence and interactance spectra from 'Golden Delicious' apples that were harvested over a period of four weeks during the 2005 harvest season. Standard destructive tests were performed to measure maturity parameters from the apples. Principal component (PC) analysis was applied to the interactance and fluorescence data. A back-propagation feedforward neural network with the inputs of PC data was used to predict individual maturity parameters. Interactance mode was consistently better than fluorescence mode in predicting the maturity parameters. Integrating interactance and fluorescence improved predictions of all parameters except flesh chroma; values of the correlation coefficient for firmness, soluble solids content, starch index, and skin and flesh hue were 0.77, 0.77, 0.89, 0.99, and 0.96 respectively, with the corresponding standard errors of 6.93 N, 0.90%, 0.97 g/L, 0.013 rad, and 0.013 rad. These results represented 4.1% to 23.5% improvements in terms of standard error, in comparison with the better results from the two single sensing methods. Integrating interactance and fluorescence can better assess apple maturity and quality.
Down-regulation of POLYGALACTURONASE1 alters firmness, tensile strength and water loss in apple (Malus x domestica) fruit

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background While there is now a significant body of research correlating apple (Malus x domestica) fruit softening with the cell wall hydrolase ENDO-POLYGALACTURONASE1 (PG1), there is currently little knowledge of its physiological effects in planta. This study examined the effect of down regulation of PG1 expression in ‘Royal Gala’ apples, a cultivar that typically has high levels of PG1, and softens during fruit ripening. Results PG1-suppressed ‘Royal Gala’ apples harvested from multiple seasons were firmer than controls after ripening, and intercellular adhesion was higher. Cell wall analyses indicated changes in yield and composition of pectin, and a higher molecular weight distribution of CDTA-soluble pectin. Structural analyses revealed more ruptured cells and free juice in pulled apart sections, suggesting improved integrity of intercellular connections and consequent cell rupture due to failure of the primary cell walls under stress. PG1-suppressed lines also had reduced expansion of cells in the hypodermis of ripe apples, resulting in more densely packed cells in this layer. This change in morphology appears to be linked with reduced transpirational water loss in the fruit. Conclusions These findings confirm PG1’s role in apple fruit softening and suggests that this is achieved in part by reducing cellular adhesion. This is consistent with previous studies carried out in strawberry but not with those performed in tomato. In apple PG1 also appears to influence other fruit texture characters such as juiciness and water loss. PMID:22856470
Fate of Listeria monocytogenes on Fresh Apples under Different Storage Temperatures.

PubMed

Sheng, Lina; Edwards, Katheryn; Tsai, Hsieh-Chin; Hanrahan, Ines; Zhu, Mei-Jun

2017-01-01

Fresh apples are typically stored for up to 1 year commercially; different apple varieties require different storage temperatures to maintain their quality characteristics. There is sparse information available about Listeria monocytogenes survival on fresh apples under various storage temperatures. The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the effect of storage temperature on apple fruit decay and L. monocytogenes survival. Unwaxed apple fruits of selected varieties (Fuji and Granny Smith) were dip inoculated in a three-strain L. monocytogenes cocktail to establish ∼3.5 and 6.0 Log 10 CFU/apple. Twenty-four hours post-inoculation, apples were subjected to 1, 4, 10, or 22°C storage for up to 3 months. Apples under the different storage treatments were sampled at 1-, 4-, 7- and 14-day for short-term storage under all four tested temperatures, and 2-, 4-, 8-, and 12-week for long-term storage at 1, 4, and 10°C. A set of uninoculated and unwaxed apples were simultaneously subjected to the previously mentioned storage temperatures and sampled biweekly for their total bacterial count (TPC) and yeasts/molds (Y/M) count. During the 2-week short-term storage, L. monocytogenes population on organic Granny Smith apples stored at 1, 4, or 10°C was reduced by 0.2-0.3 Log. When apples were stored at 22°C, there was a 0.5-1.2 Log 10 CFU/apple reduction 14-day post storage dependent on the initial inoculation level. During the 12-week cold storage under 1, 4, and 10°C, L. monocytogenes count on organic Granny Smith apples decreased by 0.5-1.5 Log 10 CFU/apple for both inoculation levels. L. monocytogenes had similar survival pattern on conventional Granny Smith and Fuji apples with 0.8-2.0 Log 10 CFU/apple reduction over a 3-month cold storage period. Interestingly, both TPC and Y/M count were stable regardless of apple variety or cultivation practice during the 12-week storage at all tested temperatures. In summary, while L. monocytogenes did not proliferate on apple surfaces during 12 weeks of refrigerated storage, only a limited reduction of L. monocytogenes was observed in this study. Therefore, the apple industry cannot rely on cold storage alone to control this pathogen. Additional interventions are needed to eradicate Listeria on fresh apples during long-term cold storage.
Biotechnology and apple breeding in Japan

PubMed Central

Igarashi, Megumi; Hatsuyama, Yoshimichi; Harada, Takeo; Fukasawa-Akada, Tomoko

2016-01-01

Apple is a fruit crop of significant economic importance, and breeders world wide continue to develop novel cultivars with improved characteristics. The lengthy juvenile period and the large field space required to grow apple populations have imposed major limitations on breeding. Various molecular biological techniques have been employed to make apple breeding easier. Transgenic technology has facilitated the development of apples with resistance to fungal or bacterial diseases, improved fruit quality, or root stocks with better rooting or dwarfing ability. DNA markers for disease resistance (scab, powdery mildew, fire-blight, Alternaria blotch) and fruit skin color have also been developed, and marker-assisted selection (MAS) has been employed in breeding programs. In the last decade, genomic sequences and chromosome maps of various cultivars have become available, allowing the development of large SNP arrays, enabling efficient QTL mapping and genomic selection (GS). In recent years, new technologies for genetic improvement, such as trans-grafting, virus vectors, and genome-editing, have emerged. Using these techniques, no foreign genes are present in the final product, and some of them show considerable promise for application to apple breeding. PMID:27069388
Biotechnology and apple breeding in Japan.

PubMed

Igarashi, Megumi; Hatsuyama, Yoshimichi; Harada, Takeo; Fukasawa-Akada, Tomoko

2016-01-01

Apple is a fruit crop of significant economic importance, and breeders world wide continue to develop novel cultivars with improved characteristics. The lengthy juvenile period and the large field space required to grow apple populations have imposed major limitations on breeding. Various molecular biological techniques have been employed to make apple breeding easier. Transgenic technology has facilitated the development of apples with resistance to fungal or bacterial diseases, improved fruit quality, or root stocks with better rooting or dwarfing ability. DNA markers for disease resistance (scab, powdery mildew, fire-blight, Alternaria blotch) and fruit skin color have also been developed, and marker-assisted selection (MAS) has been employed in breeding programs. In the last decade, genomic sequences and chromosome maps of various cultivars have become available, allowing the development of large SNP arrays, enabling efficient QTL mapping and genomic selection (GS). In recent years, new technologies for genetic improvement, such as trans-grafting, virus vectors, and genome-editing, have emerged. Using these techniques, no foreign genes are present in the final product, and some of them show considerable promise for application to apple breeding.
Honey in combination with vacuum impregnation to prevent enzymatic browning of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Jeon, M; Zhao, Y

2005-05-01

This study evaluated the antioxidative capacity of 13 US Northwest honeys from different floral sources and their anti-browning effect on fresh-cut apples. The inhibitory effect of honey on enzymatic browning of fresh-cut apples were studied by simply immersing apple slices in 10% honey solution for 30 min or vacuum impregnating (vacuum at 75 mmHg for 15 min followed with 30 min restoration at atmospheric pressure) in the same honey solution. The 10% diluted high-fructose corn syrup solution was used as a comparison. The surface color of the apple slices was monitored during 14 days of storage at 3 degrees C and 90% relative humidity. Physicochemical properties of the apples immediately after treatment were also evaluated. Wildflower honey had the darkest color and the highest antioxidative capacity among all test honeys. Vacuum impregnation with honey was more effective in controlling browning discoloration than that of simple immersion treatment. Honey in combination with vacuum impregnating operation may have a great potential for developing high-quality fresh-cut fruits.
Metabolic profiling of apples from different production systems before and after controlled atmosphere (CA) storage studied by 1H high resolution-magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR.

PubMed

Vermathen, Martina; Marzorati, Mattia; Diserens, Gaëlle; Baumgartner, Daniel; Good, Claudia; Gasser, Franz; Vermathen, Peter

2017-10-15

Determination of metabolic alterations in apples induced by such processes as different crop protection strategies or storage, are of interest to assess correlations with fruit quality or fruit disorders. Preliminary results proposed the metabolic discrimination of apples from organic (BIO), integrated (IP) and low-input (LI) production. To determine contributions of temporal metabolic developments and to define the type of metabolic changes during storage, 1 H high resolution-magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectroscopy of apple pulp was performed before and after two time points of controlled atmosphere storage. Statistical analysis revealed similar metabolic changes over time for IP-, LI- and BIO-samples, mainly decreasing lipid and sucrose, and increasing fructose, glucose and acetaldehyde levels, which are potential contributors to fruit aroma. Across the production systems, BIO apples had consistently higher levels of fructose and monomeric phenolic compounds but lower levels of condensed polyphenols than LI and IP apples, while the remaining metabolites assimilated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Online Multitasking Line-Scan Imaging Techniques for Simultaneous Safety and Quality Evaluation of Apples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Moon Sung; Lee, Kangjin; Chao, Kaunglin; Lefcourt, Alan; Cho, Byung-Kwan; Jun, Won

We developed a push-broom, line-scan imaging system capable of simultaneous measurements of reflectance and fluorescence. The system allows multitasking inspections for quality and safety attributes of apples due to its dynamic capabilities in simultaneously capturing fluorescence and reflectance, and selectivity in multispectral bands. A multitasking image-based inspection system for online applications has been suggested in that a single imaging device that could perform a multitude of both safety and quality inspection needs. The presented multitask inspection approach in online applications may provide an economically viable means for a number of food processing industries being able to adapt to operate and meet the dynamic and specific inspection and sorting needs.
Patulin surveillance in apple cider and juice marketed in Michigan.

PubMed

Harris, Kerri L; Bobe, Gerd; Bourquin, Leslie D

2009-06-01

Patulin is the most common mycotoxin found in apples and apple juices. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of patulin in (i) apple cider produced and marketed by Michigan apple cider mills during the fall seasons of 2002 to 2003 and 2003 to 2004 and (ii) apple juice and cider, including shelf-stable products, marketed in retail grocery stores in Michigan throughout 2005 and 2006. End product samples (n=493) obtained from 104 Michigan apple cider mills were analyzed for patulin concentration by using solid-phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Patulin was detected (> or =4 microg/liter) in 18.7% of all cider mill samples, with 11 samples (2.2%) having patulin concentrations of > or =50 microg/liter. A greater percentage of cider samples obtained from mills using thermal pasteurization contained detectable patulin (28.4%) than did those from mills using UV light radiation (13.5%) or no pathogen reduction treatment (17.0%). Among retail grocery store samples (n=159), 23% of apple juice and cider samples contained detectable patulin, with 18 samples (11.3%) having patulin concentrations of > or =50 microg/liter. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action level for patulin is 50 microg/kg. Some apple juice samples obtained from retail grocery stores had exceptionally high patulin concentrations, ranging up to 2700 microg/liter. Collectively, these results indicate that most apple cider and juice test samples from Michigan were below the FDA action level for patulin but that certain apple cider and juice processors have inadequate controls over patulin concentrations in final products. The industry, overall, should focus on improved quality of fruit used in juice production and improve culling procedures to reduce patulin concentrations.
Nondestructive quantification of the soluble-solids content and the available acidity of apples by Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Yibin; Liu, Yande; Tao, Yang

2005-09-01

This research evaluated the feasibility of using Fourier-transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy to quantify the soluble-solids content (SSC) and the available acidity (VA) in intact apples. Partial least-squares calibration models, obtained from several preprocessing techniques (smoothing, derivative, etc.) in several wave-number ranges were compared. The best models were obtained with the high coefficient determination (r) 0.940 for the SSC and a moderate r of 0.801 for the VA, root-mean-square errors of prediction of 0.272% and 0.053%, and root-mean-square errors of calibration of 0.261% and 0.046%, respectively. The results indicate that the FT-NIR spectroscopy yields good predictions of the SSC and also showed the feasibility of using it to predict the VA of apples.
A simple protocol for protein extraction of recalcitrant fruit tissues suitable for 2-DE and MS analysis.

PubMed

Song, Jun; Braun, Gordon; Bevis, Eric; Doncaster, Kristen

2006-08-01

Fruit tissues are considered recalcitrant plant tissue for proteomic analysis. Three phenol-free protein extraction procedures for 2-DE were compared and evaluated on apple fruit proteins. Incorporation of hot SDS buffer, extraction with TCA/acetone precipitation was found to be the most effective protocol. The results from SDS-PAGE and 2-DE analysis showed high quality proteins. More than 500 apple polypeptides were separated on a small scale 2-DE gel. The successful protocol was further tested on banana fruit, in which 504 and 386 proteins were detected in peel and flesh tissues, respectively. To demonstrate the quality of the extracted proteins, several protein spots from apple and banana peels were cut from 2-DE gels, analyzed by MS and have been tentatively identified. The protocol described in this study is a simple procedure which could be routinely used in proteomic studies of many types of recalcitrant fruit tissues.
Influence of gamma irradiation and benzyl adenine on keeping quality of custard apple fruits during storage.

PubMed

Chouksey, Swati; Singh, Alpana; Thakur, Rajendra Singh; Deshmukh, Reena

2013-10-01

The custard apple (Annona squamosa) fruits were procured from local market, irradiated with radiation doses 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75 kGy and then treated with benzyl adenine (50 and 100 part per million) and stored at ambient temperature (25 ± 5 °C, Relative Humidity 90 ± 2%) for 12 days. The treated fruits were evaluated for sensory (viz; flavour, texture, internal and external colour) and chemical constituents (viz; Total Soluble Solids, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid, free soluble sugar, reducing sugar. non reducing sugar, carbohydrate) during storage. The study concluded that radiation dose of 1.5 kilo Gray along with 50 ppm benzyl adenine enhanced in shelf-life of custard apple fruits by 6 days at ambient temperature with good pulp texture, flavour, colour and nutritional quality as compared to control.
Laccase pretreatment for agrofood wastes valorization.

PubMed

Giacobbe, Simona; Pezzella, Cinzia; Lettera, Vincenzo; Sannia, Giovanni; Piscitelli, Alessandra

2018-06-01

Apple pomace, potato peels, and coffee silverskin are attractive agrofood wastes for the production of biofuels and chemicals, due to their abundance and carbohydrate content. As lignocellulosic biomasses, their conversion is challenged by the presence of lignin that prevents hydrolysis of polysaccharides, hence demanding a pretreatment step. In this work, the effectiveness of Pleurotus ostreatus laccases (with and without mediator) to remove lignin, improving the subsequent saccharification, was assessed. Optimized conditions for sequential protocol were set up for all agrofood wastes reaching delignification and detoxification yields correlated with high saccharification. Especially noteworthy were results for apple pomace and coffee silverskin for which 83% of and 73% saccharification yields were observed, by using laccase and laccase mediator system, respectively. The herein developed sequential protocol, saving soluble sugars and reducing the amount of wastewater, can improve the overall process for obtaining chemicals or fuels from agrofood wastes. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Effect of dynamic controlled atmosphere monitored by respiratory quotient and 1-methylcyclopropene on the metabolism and quality of 'Galaxy' apple harvested at three maturity stages.

PubMed

Thewes, Fabio Rodrigo; Brackmann, Auri; Anese, Rogerio de Oliveira; Ludwig, Vagner; Schultz, Erani Eliseu; Dos Santos, Luana Ferreira; Wendt, Lucas Mallmann

2017-05-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction between controlled atmosphere (CA), CA+1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and dynamic controlled atmosphere monitored by respiratory quotient (DCA-RQ) with three fruit maturity stages at harvest (early harvest date, optimal harvest date and late harvest date) on 'Galaxy' apple metabolism and quality after harvest and 9months storage plus 7days of shelf life at 20°C. Fruit stored under dynamic controlled atmosphere monitored by respiratory quotient 1.3 (DCA-RQ 1.3) showed lower ethylene production, respiration rate, mealiness and higher flesh firmness in comparison to CA stored fruit, but did not differ from those treated with 1-MCP. The dynamic controlled atmosphere monitored by respiratory quotient 1.5 (DCA-RQ 1.5) increased the acetaldehyde, ethanol and ethyl acetate concentration, regardless of the fruit maturity at harvest. The storage of 'Galaxy' apple under DCA-RQ 1.3 is efficient in keeping quality regardless of the maturity stage at harvest. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gamma irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment for fresh pome fruits produced in Patagonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez, J.; Lires, C.; Horak, C.; Pawlak, E.; Docters, A.; Kairiyama, E.

2009-07-01

Argentina produces 1.8 million tons/year of apples ( Malus domestica L.) and pears ( Pyrus communis L.) in the Patagonia region. Cydia pomonella, codling moth, and Grapholita molesta, Oriental fruit moth, ( Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) are quarantine pests in pome fruits. Irradiation is a promising phytosanitary treatment because a dose of 200 Gy completely prevents pest adult emergence. A pilot irradiation process of commercially packaged 'Red Delicious' apples and 'Packham's Triumph' pears was performed in an irradiation facility with a Cobalt 60 source. Quality analyses were carried out at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 months of storage (1 °C, RH 99%) to evaluate fruit tolerance at 200, 400 and 800 Gy. Irradiation at 200 and 400 Gy had no undesirable effects on fruit quality (pulp firmness, external colour, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and sensory evaluations). Irradiation of 'Red Delicious' apples and 'Packham's Triumph' pears can be applied as a commercial quarantine treatment with a minimum absorbed dose of 200 Gy (to control codling moth and Oriental fruit moth) and <800 Gy (according to quality results).
Relationship between dry matter content at harvest and maturity index and post-harvest quality of "Fuji" apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the relationship between dry matter content (DMC) and maturity index of ‘Fuji’ apple fruit sports (‘Mishima’, ‘Fuji Select’ and ‘Fuji Suprema’) during the final stage of fruit growth, and the relationship between DMC at harvest and the post-harvest fruit ...
Spatial and compositional variation in the fungal communities of organic and conventionally grown apple fruit at the consumer point-of-purchase

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fungal diversity in harvested apples from organic or conventional management practices was analyzed in different fruit locations (stem end, calyx end, peel, and wounded flesh) shortly after fruit purchase (T1) and after two weeks of storage (T5). A total of 5,760,162 high quality fungal sequenc...
[Application of fingerprint chromatogram in quality assessment of apple cider].

PubMed

Xu, Kangzhen; Song, Jirong; Ren, Yinghui; Ma, Haixia; Huang, Jie; Du, Xiaodan

2007-01-01

Fingerprints of 14 apple cider samples from different manufacturers were studied using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an electrochemical detector (ECD). The analysis was carried out on a Zorbax SB-C18 column at 30 degrees C with 2% (v/v) methanol aqueous solution-4% (v/v) acetic acid aqueous solution as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. The electrochemical detector was set at 0.7 V. By calculating the relative retention times of certain peaks with chlorogenic acid as the reference standard, 8 common peaks in the samples were analyzed. Relative retention times for the common peaks of various samples were calculated, and the similarities of all the samples were figured out through each peak area with the vectorial angle cosine method and correlative coefficient method. The results indicated that apple cider products of the same manufacturer have good similarity, with the similarities greater than 92.7%. According to this experiment, effectual microcosmic information for apple cider analysis was gained through HPLC and ECD. Moreover, this test method will help the analysis and the control of product quality, the development of new products and the establishment of trade standard.
Differentiation Between Organic and Non-Organic Apples Using Diffraction Grating and Image Processing-A Cost-Effective Approach.

PubMed

Jiang, Nanfeng; Song, Weiran; Wang, Hui; Guo, Gongde; Liu, Yuanyuan

2018-05-23

As the expectation for higher quality of life increases, consumers have higher demands for quality food. Food authentication is the technical means of ensuring food is what it says it is. A popular approach to food authentication is based on spectroscopy, which has been widely used for identifying and quantifying the chemical components of an object. This approach is non-destructive and effective but expensive. This paper presents a computer vision-based sensor system for food authentication, i.e., differentiating organic from non-organic apples. This sensor system consists of low-cost hardware and pattern recognition software. We use a flashlight to illuminate apples and capture their images through a diffraction grating. These diffraction images are then converted into a data matrix for classification by pattern recognition algorithms, including k -nearest neighbors ( k -NN), support vector machine (SVM) and three partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA)- based methods. We carry out experiments on a reasonable collection of apple samples and employ a proper pre-processing, resulting in a highest classification accuracy of 94%. Our studies conclude that this sensor system has the potential to provide a viable solution to empower consumers in food authentication.
Characterization of odor-active volatiles in apples: influence of cultivars and maturity stage.

PubMed

Mehinagic, Emira; Royer, Gaëlle; Symoneaux, Ronan; Jourjon, Frédérique; Prost, Carole

2006-04-05

The aroma and texture of three different apple cultivars, harvested at three maturity stages, were analyzed by sensory and instrumental analysis. The emphasis was on the identification of the most potent odorant volatiles, and the challenge was to separate the few most important flavor compounds, which may be trace chemicals, from the vast number of nonodorant compounds present in apple aroma extracts. Thirty-six odorant compounds were detected, 24 of which were common to all extracts. A significant correlation coefficient was found between the aroma intensity scores and overall quantity of the odorant volatiles, which shows that the development of sensory aroma is similar to that of odorant volatiles. This study also showed that the parameters measured by penetrometry and compression were highly correlated with sensory textural attributes. The determination of the optimal maturity stage for different apple cultivars by the usual parameters, such as color, diameter, total soluble solids, and titrable acidity, may not be sufficient to determine the optimal sensory quality for consumers. Moreover, the sensory quality of fruits changes during maturation in a different way from one cultivar to another, and this should be taken into account.
The influence of plant protection by effective microorganisms on the content of bioactive phytochemicals in apples.

PubMed

Kusznierewicz, Barbara; Lewandowska, Anna; Martysiak-Żurowska, Dorota; Bartoszek, Agnieszka

2017-09-01

The phytochemicals of two apple cultivars (Yellow Transparent and Early Geneva) protected in two ways, conventionally with chemical pesticides or by effective microorganisms (EM), were compared. Two types of components were determined: lipids synthesised constitutively and generated via inducible pathways polyphenols along with antioxidant activity and profiles. The antioxidant activities assessed with ABTS, DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents were about two-fold higher in the case of microbiologically protected apples. The qualitative composition of phenolics determined by LC-DAD-MS varied between cultivars and the part of apples studied, while the method of protection caused mainly differences in concentration of some groups of polyphenols (hydroxycinnamates, flavanols, dihydrochalcones, flavonols, anthocyanins). The apples from biological cultivation contained about 34-54% more phenolics than these from a conventional orchard. In contrast, lipid composition did not differ significantly between apples originating from conventional and bio-crops. The results indicate that the advantage of using the EM technology in agriculture may not only be the reduction of consumption of chemical fertilisers and synthetic pesticides, but also, at least in the case of apples, may lead to the production of crops with improved health quality due to the higher content of bioactive phytochemicals. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Influence of ultra-high pressure homogenisation on antioxidant capacity, polyphenol and vitamin content of clear apple juice.

PubMed

Suárez-Jacobo, Angela; Rüfer, Corinna E; Gervilla, Ramón; Guamis, Buenaventura; Roig-Sagués, Artur X; Saldo, Jordi

2011-07-15

Ultra-high pressure homogenisation (UHPH) is a recently developed technology and is still under study to evaluate its effect on different aspects of its application to food products. The aim of this research work was to evaluate the effect of UHPH treatments on quality characteristics of apple juice such as antioxidant capacity, polyphenol composition, vitamin C and provitamin A contents, in comparison with raw (R) and pasteurised (PA) apple juice. Several UHPH treatments that include combinations of pressure (100, 200 and 300MPa) and inlet temperatures (4 and 20°C) were assayed. Apple juice was pasteurised at 90°C for 4min. Antioxidant capacity was analysed using the oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay while total phenolic content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau assay. According to the FRAP and DPPH assays, UHPH processing did not change apple juice antioxidant capacity. However, significant differences were detected between samples analysed by TEAC and ORAC assays. In spite of these differences, high correlation values were found between the four antioxidant capacity assays, and also with total polyphenol content. The analysis and quantification of individual phenols by HPLC/DAD analytical technique reflects that UHPH-treatment prevented degradation of these compounds. Vitamin C concentrations did not change in UHPH treated samples, retaining the same value as in raw juice. However, significant losses were observed for provitamin A content, but lower than in PA samples. UHPH-treatments at 300MPa can be an alternative to thermal treatment in order to preserve apple juice quality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Climate change and apple farming in Indian Himalayas: a study of local perceptions and responses.

PubMed

Basannagari, Basavaraj; Kala, Chandra Prakash

2013-01-01

Apple farming is an important activity and profession of farmer communities in the Himalayan states of India. At present, the traditional apple farming is under stress due to changes in climate. The present study was undertaken in an Indian Himalayan state, Himachal Pradesh, with the major aim of studying perceptions of farmers on the effects of climate change on apple farming along the altitudinal gradient. Through questionnaire survey, the perceptions of farmers were recorded at low hills (<2500 m), mid-hills (2500-3000 m), and upper hills (>3000 m). At all elevation range the majority of farmers reported that there was increase in atmospheric temperature, and hence at low hills 72% farmers believed that this increase in temperature was responsible for decline in fruit size and so that the quality. Thirty five percent farmers at high hills and 30% at mid hills perceived frost as a major cause for damaging apple farming whereas at low hills 24% farmers perceived hailstorm as the major deterrent for apple farming. The majority of farmers, along the altitude (92% at high hills, 79% at mid hills and 83% at low hills), reported decrease in snowfall. The majority of farmers at low altitude and mid altitude reported decline in apple farming whereas 71% farmers at high hill areas refused decline in apple farming. About 73-83% farmers admitted delay in apple's harvesting period. At mid hills apple scab and at low hills pest attack on apple crops are considered as the indicators of climate change. The change in land use practices was attributed to climate change and in many areas the land under apple farming was replaced for production of coarse grains, seasonal vegetables and other horticulture species. Scientific investigation claiming changes in Indian Himalayan climate corroborates perceptions of farmers, as examined during the present study.
Transcription profiling of the chilling requirement for bud break in apples: a putative role for FLC-like genes.

PubMed

Porto, Diogo Denardi; Bruneau, Maryline; Perini, Pâmela; Anzanello, Rafael; Renou, Jean-Pierre; dos Santos, Henrique Pessoa; Fialho, Flávio Bello; Revers, Luís Fernando

2015-05-01

Apple production depends on the fulfilment of a chilling requirement for bud dormancy release. Insufficient winter chilling results in irregular and suboptimal bud break in the spring, with negative impacts on apple yield. Trees from apple cultivars with contrasting chilling requirements for bud break were used to investigate the expression of the entire set of apple genes in response to chilling accumulation in the field and controlled conditions. Total RNA was analysed on the AryANE v.1.0 oligonucleotide microarray chip representing 57,000 apple genes. The data were tested for functional enrichment, and differential expression was confirmed by real-time PCR. The largest number of differentially expressed genes was found in samples treated with cold temperatures. Cold exposure mostly repressed expression of transcripts related to photosynthesis, and long-term cold exposure repressed flavonoid biosynthesis genes. Among the differentially expressed selected candidates, we identified genes whose annotations were related to the circadian clock, hormonal signalling, regulation of growth, and flower development. Two genes, annotated as FLOWERING LOCUS C-like and MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING, showed strong differential expression in several comparisons. One of these two genes was upregulated in most comparisons involving dormancy release, and this gene's chromosomal position co-localized with the confidence interval of a major quantitative trait locus for the timing of bud break. These results indicate that photosynthesis and auxin transport are major regulatory nodes of apple dormancy and unveil strong candidates for the control of bud dormancy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Calcium dips enhance volatile emission of cold-stored 'Fuji Kiku-8' apples.

PubMed

Ortiz, Abel; Echeverría, Gemma; Graell, Jordi; Lara, Isabel

2009-06-10

Despite the relevance of volatile production for overall quality of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) fruit, only a few studies have focused on the effects of calcium treatments on this quality attribute. In this work, 'Fuji Kiku-8' apples were harvested at commercial maturity, dipped in calcium chloride (2%, w/v), stored at 1 degrees C and 92% relative humidity for 4 or 7 months under either air or ultralow oxygen (ULO; 1 kPa of O(2)/2 kPa of CO(2)), and placed subsequently at 20 degrees C. Ethylene production, standard quality parameters, emission of volatile compounds, and the activities of some related enzymes were assessed 7 days thereafter. Calcium concentration was higher in CaCl(2)-treated than in untreated fruit, suggesting that the treatment was effective in introducing calcium into the tissues. Higher calcium contents were concomitant with higher flesh firmness and titratable acidity after storage. Furthermore, calcium treatment led to increased production of volatiles in middle-term stored apples, probably arising from enhanced supply of precursors for ester production as a consequence of increased pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activities. After long-term storage, higher volatile emission might have arisen also from the enhancement of alcohol o-acyltransferase (AAT) activity, which was increased as a result of calcium treatment. In addition to storage period, the effects of calcium treatment were also partially dependent on storage atmosphere and more noticeable for fruit stored in air.
Application of enzymatic apple pomace hydrolysate to production of 2,3-butanediol by alkaliphilic Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 8059.

PubMed

Białkowska, Aneta M; Gromek, Ewa; Krysiak, Joanna; Sikora, Barbara; Kalinowska, Halina; Jędrzejczak-Krzepkowska, Marzena; Kubik, Celina; Lang, Siegmund; Schütt, Fokko; Turkiewicz, Marianna

2015-12-01

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) synthesis by a nonpathogenic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 8059 from enzymatic hydrolysate of depectinized apple pomace and its blend with glucose was studied. In shake flasks, the maximum diol concentration in fed-batch fermentations was 113 g/L (in 163 h, from the hydrolysate, feedings with glucose) while in batch processes it was around 27 g/L (in 32 h, from the hydrolysate and glucose blend). Fed-batch fermentations in the 0.75 and 30 L fermenters yielded 87.71 g/L 2,3-BD in 160 h, and 72.39 g/L 2,3-BD in 94 h, respectively (from the hydrolysate and glucose blend, feedings with glucose). The hydrolysate of apple pomace, which was for the first time used for microbial 2,3-BD production is not only a source of sugars but also essential minerals.
Enhancing polyphenol extraction from unripe apples by carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes.

PubMed

Zheng, Hu-zhe; Hwang, In-Wook; Chung, Shin-Kyo

2009-12-01

The effects of process variables such as enzyme types, enzyme ratio, reaction temperature, pH, time, and ethanol concentration on the extraction of unripe apple polyphenol were investigated. The results indicated that Viscozyme L had the strongest effect on polyphenols extraction and was selected to study the polyphenol composition. The ratio of enzyme (Viscozyme L) to substrate (2 fungal beta-glucanase units (FBG)) at 0.02, reaction at pH 3.7, 50 degrees C for 12 h, and ethanol concentration of 70% were chosen as the most favorable extraction condition. Total phenolic content (TPC), reducing sugar content (RSC), and extraction yield increased by about 3, 1.5, and 2 times, respectively, compared with control. The contents of p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid increased to 8, 4, and 32 times, respectively. The enzyme-aided polyphenol extraction process from unripe apples might be applied to food industry for enhancing bioactive compound production.
Enhancing polyphenol extraction from unripe apples by carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes*

PubMed Central

Zheng, Hu-zhe; Hwang, In-Wook; Chung, Shin-Kyo

2009-01-01

The effects of process variables such as enzyme types, enzyme ratio, reaction temperature, pH, time, and ethanol concentration on the extraction of unripe apple polyphenol were investigated. The results indicated that Viscozyme L had the strongest effect on polyphenols extraction and was selected to study the polyphenol composition. The ratio of enzyme (Viscozyme L) to substrate (2 fungal beta-glucanase units (FBG)) at 0.02, reaction at pH 3.7, 50 °C for 12 h, and ethanol concentration of 70% were chosen as the most favorable extraction condition. Total phenolic content (TPC), reducing sugar content (RSC), and extraction yield increased by about 3, 1.5, and 2 times, respectively, compared with control. The contents of p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid increased to 8, 4, and 32 times, respectively. The enzyme-aided polyphenol extraction process from unripe apples might be applied to food industry for enhancing bioactive compound production. PMID:19946955
Nondestructive quantification of the soluble-solids content and the available acidity of apples by Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ying Yibin; Liu Yande; Tao Yang

2005-09-01

This research evaluated the feasibility of using Fourier-transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy to quantify the soluble-solids content (SSC) and the available acidity (VA) in intact apples. Partial least-squares calibration models, obtained from several preprocessing techniques (smoothing, derivative, etc.) in several wave-number ranges were compared. The best models were obtained with the high coefficient determination (r{sup 2}) 0.940 for the SSC and a moderate r{sup 2} of 0.801 for the VA, root-mean-square errors of prediction of 0.272% and 0.053%, and root-mean-square errors of calibration of 0.261% and 0.046%, respectively. The results indicate that the FT-NIR spectroscopy yields good predictions of the SSCmore » and also showed the feasibility of using it to predict the VA of apples.« less
School Microware Reviews. Evaluations of Educational Software for Apple, PET, TRS-80, with Index to Evaluations in Other Publications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Microware Reviews, 1981

1981-01-01

This document describes the operation and quality of pre-college instructional software sold for use on microcomputers. It also assists in locating other sources of similar information about instructional software. This edition is limited to programs for the Apple II, Commodore PET, and Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I. Fifty reviews of software…
Transcriptomics of shading-induced and NAA-induced abscission in apple (Malus domestica) reveals a shared pathway involving reduced photosynthesis, alterations in carbohydrate transport and signaling and hormone crosstalk

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), a synthetic auxin analogue, is widely used as an effective thinner in apple orchards. When applied shortly after fruit set, some fruit abscise leading to improved fruit size and quality. However, the thinning results of NAA are inconsistent and difficult to predict, s...
Evaluation of the Ration, Cold Weather, by Navy Seals, 1984

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

Rankings (9 point scale, l=Dislike Extremely, 9=Like Extremely) BREAKFAST Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal ENTREES...EVALUATION: Items should be evaluated for taste, quality, quanti Follow each rating with a supporting statement and comments Apple and Cinnamon ...Oatmeal Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal Orange Nut Cake Brownie Orange Beverage Bars Cocoa Tea Chicken Noodle Soup Strawberry Fruit Soup Raspberry
Determination of the Optimum Harvest Window for Apples Using the Non-Destructive Biospeckle Method.

PubMed

Skic, Anna; Szymańska-Chargot, Monika; Kruk, Beata; Chylińska, Monika; Pieczywek, Piotr Mariusz; Kurenda, Andrzej; Zdunek, Artur; Rutkowski, Krzysztof P

2016-05-10

Determination of the optimum harvest window plays a key role in the agro-food chain as the quality of fruit depends on the right harvesting time and appropriate storage conditions during the postharvest period. Usually, indices based on destructive measurements are used for this purpose, like the De Jager Index (PFW-1), FARS index and the most popular Streif Index. In this study, we proposed a biospeckle method for the evaluation of the optimum harvest window (OHW) of the "Ligol" and "Szampion" apple cultivars. The experiment involved eight different maturity stages, of which four were followed by long cold storage and shelf life to assist the determination of the optimum harvest window. The biospeckle activity was studied in relation to standard quality attributes (firmness, acidity, starch, soluble solids content, Streif Index) and physiological parameters (respiration and ethylene emission) of both apple cultivars. Changes of biospeckle activity (BA) over time showed moderate relationships with biochemical changes during apple maturation and ripening. The harvest date suggested by the Streif Index and postharvest quality indicators matched with characteristic decrease in BA. The ability of biospeckle method to characterize the biological state of apples was confirmed by significant correlations of BA with firmness, starch index, total soluble solids and Streif Index, as well as good match with changes in carbon dioxide and ethylene emission. However, it should be noted that correlations between variables changing over time are not as meaningful as independent observations. Also, it is a well-known property of the Pearson's correlation that its value is highly susceptible to outlier data. Due to its non-selective nature the BA reflected only the current biological state of the fruit and could be affected by many other factors. The investigations showed that the optimum harvest window for apples was indicated by the characteristic drop of BA during pre-harvest development. Despite this, at the current state of development the BA method cannot be used as an indicator alone. Due to rather poor results for prediction in OHW the BA measurements should be supported by other destructive methods to compensate its low selectivity.
Determination of the Optimum Harvest Window for Apples Using the Non-Destructive Biospeckle Method

PubMed Central

Skic, Anna; Szymańska-Chargot, Monika; Kruk, Beata; Chylińska, Monika; Pieczywek, Piotr Mariusz; Kurenda, Andrzej; Zdunek, Artur; Rutkowski, Krzysztof P.

2016-01-01

Determination of the optimum harvest window plays a key role in the agro-food chain as the quality of fruit depends on the right harvesting time and appropriate storage conditions during the postharvest period. Usually, indices based on destructive measurements are used for this purpose, like the De Jager Index (PFW-1), FARS index and the most popular Streif Index. In this study, we proposed a biospeckle method for the evaluation of the optimum harvest window (OHW) of the “Ligol” and “Szampion” apple cultivars. The experiment involved eight different maturity stages, of which four were followed by long cold storage and shelf life to assist the determination of the optimum harvest window. The biospeckle activity was studied in relation to standard quality attributes (firmness, acidity, starch, soluble solids content, Streif Index) and physiological parameters (respiration and ethylene emission) of both apple cultivars. Changes of biospeckle activity (BA) over time showed moderate relationships with biochemical changes during apple maturation and ripening. The harvest date suggested by the Streif Index and postharvest quality indicators matched with characteristic decrease in BA. The ability of biospeckle method to characterize the biological state of apples was confirmed by significant correlations of BA with firmness, starch index, total soluble solids and Streif Index, as well as good match with changes in carbon dioxide and ethylene emission. However, it should be noted that correlations between variables changing over time are not as meaningful as independent observations. Also, it is a well-known property of the Pearson’s correlation that its value is highly susceptible to outlier data. Due to its non-selective nature the BA reflected only the current biological state of the fruit and could be affected by many other factors. The investigations showed that the optimum harvest window for apples was indicated by the characteristic drop of BA during pre-harvest development. Despite this, at the current state of development the BA method cannot be used as an indicator alone. Due to rather poor results for prediction in OHW the BA measurements should be supported by other destructive methods to compensate its low selectivity. PMID:27171093

75 FR 71771 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change by NASDAQ OMX PHLX, Inc...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-24

... provide investors and traders additional opportunities and strategies to hedge high priced securities... varying yields to the investor. For example if Apple, Inc. (``AAPL'') would trade at $310 \\6\\ with...
Laser scatter feature of surface defect on apples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Xiuqin; Ying, Yibin; Cen, YiKe; Huang, Haibo

2006-10-01

A machine vision system for real-time fruit quality inspection was developed. The system consists of a chamber, a laser projector, a TMS-7DSP CCD camera (PULNIX Inc.), and a computer. A Meteor-II/MC frame grabber (Matrox Graphics Inc.) was inserted into the slot of the computer to grab fruit images. The laser projector and the camera were mounted at the ceiling of the chamber. An apple was put in the chamber, the spot of the laser projector was projected on the surface of the fruit, and an image was grabbed. 2 breed of apples was test, Each apple was imaged twice, one was imaged for the normal surface, and the other for the defect. The red component of the images was used to get the feature of the defect and the sound surface of the fruits. The average value, STD value and comentropy Value of red component of the laser scatter image were analyzed. The Standard Deviation value of red component of normal is more suitable to separate the defect surface from sound surface for the ShuijinFuji apples, but for bintang apples, there is more work need to do to separate the different surface with laser scatter image.
Effect of whey protein isolate films incorporated with montmorillonite and citric acid on the preservation of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Azevedo, Viviane Machado; Dias, Marali Vilela; de Siqueira Elias, Heloisa Helena; Fukushima, Katia Lumi; Silva, Eric Keven; de Deus Souza Carneiro, João; de Fátima Ferreira Soares, Nilda; Borges, Soraia Vilela

2018-05-01

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of bioactive whey protein isolate/montmorillonite films containing citric acid on the inhibition of enzymatic browning and physicochemical properties in minimally processed apples. Whey protein isolate films incorporated with montmorillonite (3 g/100 g) and citric acid (5 and 10 g/100 g) were applied to the apples slices. All samples were packaged in polypropylene trays (14.6 cm × 11.4 cm × 6.5 cm) and stored at 5 ± 2 °C and 85 ± 3% RH for eight days. Every two days, the apples samples were evaluated for color, acidity, pH, soluble solids, water activity and polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase enzyme activity. The enzymatic browning of the apples slices was reduced for all films during storage. However, the films containing citric acid maintained the color characteristics, reducing the loss of quality associated the maintenance of acidity, soluble solids, water activity, reduction of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activity, thus prolonging the shelf life of the apples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Getting More Power from Your Flowers: Multi-Functional Flower Strips Enhance Pollinators and Pest Control Agents in Apple Orchards

PubMed Central

Wilby, Andrew; Sutton, Peter; Wäckers, Felix

2017-01-01

Flower strips are commonly recommended to boost biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services (e.g., pollination and pest control) on farmland. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regards the extent to which they deliver on these aims. Here, we tested the efficacy of flower strips that targeted different subsets of beneficial arthropods (pollinators and natural enemies) and their ecosystem services in cider apple orchards. Treatments included mixes that specifically targeted: (1) pollinators (‘concealed-nectar plants’); (2) natural enemies (‘open-nectar plants’); or (3) both groups concurrently (i.e., ‘multi-functional’ mix). Flower strips were established in alleyways of four orchards and compared to control alleyways (no flowers). Pollinator (e.g., bees) and natural enemy (e.g., parasitoid wasps, predatory flies and beetles) visitation to flower strips, alongside measures of pest control (aphid colony densities, sentinel prey predation), and fruit production, were monitored in orchards over two consecutive growing seasons. Targeted flower strips attracted either pollinators or natural enemies, whereas mixed flower strips attracted both groups in similar abundance to targeted mixes. Natural enemy densities on apple trees were higher in plots containing open-nectar plants compared to other treatments, but effects were stronger for non-aphidophagous taxa. Predation of sentinel prey was enhanced in all flowering plots compared to controls but pest aphid densities and fruit yield were unaffected by flower strips. We conclude that ‘multi-functional’ flower strips that contain flowering plant species with opposing floral traits can provide nectar and pollen for both pollinators and natural enemies, but further work is required to understand their potential for improving pest control services and yield in cider apple orchards. PMID:28930157
Getting More Power from Your Flowers: Multi-Functional Flower Strips Enhance Pollinators and Pest Control Agents in Apple Orchards.

PubMed

Campbell, Alistair John; Wilby, Andrew; Sutton, Peter; Wäckers, Felix

2017-09-20

Flower strips are commonly recommended to boost biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services (e.g., pollination and pest control) on farmland. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regards the extent to which they deliver on these aims. Here, we tested the efficacy of flower strips that targeted different subsets of beneficial arthropods (pollinators and natural enemies) and their ecosystem services in cider apple orchards. Treatments included mixes that specifically targeted: (1) pollinators ('concealed-nectar plants'); (2) natural enemies ('open-nectar plants'); or (3) both groups concurrently (i.e., 'multi-functional' mix). Flower strips were established in alleyways of four orchards and compared to control alleyways (no flowers). Pollinator (e.g., bees) and natural enemy (e.g., parasitoid wasps, predatory flies and beetles) visitation to flower strips, alongside measures of pest control (aphid colony densities, sentinel prey predation), and fruit production, were monitored in orchards over two consecutive growing seasons. Targeted flower strips attracted either pollinators or natural enemies, whereas mixed flower strips attracted both groups in similar abundance to targeted mixes. Natural enemy densities on apple trees were higher in plots containing open-nectar plants compared to other treatments, but effects were stronger for non-aphidophagous taxa. Predation of sentinel prey was enhanced in all flowering plots compared to controls but pest aphid densities and fruit yield were unaffected by flower strips. We conclude that 'multi-functional' flower strips that contain flowering plant species with opposing floral traits can provide nectar and pollen for both pollinators and natural enemies, but further work is required to understand their potential for improving pest control services and yield in cider apple orchards.
Traceability of different apple varieties by multivariate analysis of isotope ratio mass spectrometry data.

PubMed

Mimmo, Tanja; Camin, Federica; Bontempo, Luana; Capici, Calogero; Tagliavini, Massimo; Cesco, Stefano; Scampicchio, Matteo

2015-11-15

The awareness of customers of the origin of foods has become an important issue. The growing demand for foods that are healthy, safe and of high quality has increased the need for traceability and clear labelling. Thus, this study investigates the capability of C and N stable isotope ratios to determine the geographical origin of several apple varieties grown in northern Italy. Four apple varieties (Cripps Pink, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith) have been sampled in orchards located in the Districts of Bolzano, Ferrara, Verona and Udine (northern Italy). Carbon (δ(13) C) and nitrogen (δ(15) N) isotope values of the whole apple fruits and three sub-fractions (peel, pulp and seed) have been determined simultaneously by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The δ(13) C and δ(15) N values of apples and apple sub-fractions, such as peel, seed and pulp, were significantly affected by the geographical origin and the fruit variety. The four varieties could be distinguished to a certain extent only within each district. A 99% correct identification of the samples according to their origin was, however, achieved by cross validation with the 'leave-one-out' method. This study proves the potential of stable isotopes to discriminate the geographical origin of apples grown in orchards located only a few hundreds of kilometres apart. Stable isotopes were also able to discriminate different apple varieties, although only within small geographical areas. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of apple chips technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalska, Hanna; Marzec, Agata; Kowalska, Jolanta; Samborska, Kinga; Tywonek, Małgorzata; Lenart, Andrzej

2018-05-01

For develop of apple chips technology without chemical preservation osmotic dehydration in cherry or apple juice concentrates or fructooligosaccharide solutions and convection drying were used. Studies included the effect of dehydration on the mass transfer in apples and the quality of the final product. The temperature, type of osmotic solution and its concentration were changeable. The fruit were tested on mass transfer indicators, stability (water activity), texture (breaking test) and nutritional value (polyphenol content, acidity). Sensory evaluation was also performed. On this basis, the verification of all options was made and the most acceptable samples were selected. Concentration of osmotic solutions at 25°Brix limited solids gain in apples. Under these conditions, the phenomenon of osmosis caused 8-10 times greater water loss than solids gain. Increasing the concentration of solutions up to 50°Brix had a significantly greater impact on mass exchange in apples, compared to increasing the temperature from 40 to 60 °C. Osmotic dehydration before drying did not significantly affect the water activity but increase of the temperature negatively affected on breaking force of the chips. Chips obtained by osmotic dehydration of apples in a cherry concentrate solution contained significantly more polyphenols, and were characterized by a higher acidity than the variants obtained by dehydration in concentrated apple juice. Furthermore, they were marked by red color which has been thought as part of the attractiveness of the product. The least sensory acceptable chips were prepared using osmotic pre-treatment in cherry concentrated juice solution with the addition of fructooligosaccharide.
A Quality Sorting of Fruit Using a New Automatic Image Processing Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amenomori, Michihiro; Yokomizu, Nobuyuki

This paper presents an innovative approach for quality sorting of objects such as apples sorting in an agricultural factory, using an image processing algorithm. The objective of our approach are; firstly to sort the objects by their colors precisely; secondly to detect any irregularity of the colors surrounding the apples efficiently. An experiment has been conducted and the results have been obtained and compared with that has been preformed by human sorting process and by color sensor sorting devices. The results demonstrate that our approach is capable to sort the objects rapidly and the percentage of classification valid rate was 100 %.
Silencing leaf sorbitol synthesis alters long-distance partitioning and apple fruit quality

PubMed Central

Teo, Gianni; Suzuki, Yasuo; Uratsu, Sandie L.; Lampinen, Bruce; Ormonde, Nichole; Hu, William K.; DeJong, Ted M.; Dandekar, Abhaya M.

2006-01-01

Sorbitol and sucrose are major products of photosynthesis distributed in apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. “Greensleeves”) that affect quality in fruit. Transgenic apple plants were silenced or up-regulated for sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase by using the CaMV35S promoter to define the role of sorbitol distribution in fruit development. Transgenic plants with suppressed sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase compensated by accumulating sucrose and starch in leaves, and morning and midday net carbon assimilation rates were significantly lower. The sorbitol to sucrose ratio in leaves was reduced by ≈90% and in phloem exudates by ≈75%. The fruit accumulated more glucose and less fructose, starch, and malic acid, with no overall differences in weight and firmness. Sorbitol dehydrogenase activity was reduced in silenced fruit, but activities of neutral invertase, vacuolar invertase, cell wall-bound invertase, fructose kinase, and hexokinase were unaffected. Analyses of transcript levels and activity of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism throughout fruit development revealed significant differences in pathways related to sorbitol transport and breakdown. Together, these results suggest that sorbitol distribution plays a key role in fruit carbon metabolism and affects quality attributes such as sugar–acid balance and starch accumulation. PMID:17132742
Effects of addition of different fibers on rheological characteristics of cake batter and quality of cakes.

PubMed

Aydogdu, Ayca; Sumnu, Gulum; Sahin, Serpil

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of addition of dietary fibers on rheological properties of batter and cake quality. Wheat flour was replaced by 5 and 10% (wt%) oat, pea, apple and lemon fibers. All cake batters showed shear thinning behavior. Incorporation of fibers increased consistency index (k), storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″). As quality parameters, specific volume, hardness, weight loss, color and microstructure of cakes were investigated. Cakes containing oat and pea fibers (5%) had similar specific volume and texture with control cakes which contained no fiber. As fiber concentration increased, specific volume decreased but hardness increased. No significant difference was found between weight loss of control cake and cakes with oat, pea and apple fibers. Lemon fiber enriched cakes had the lowest specific volume, weight loss and color difference. When microstructural images were examined, it was seen that control cake had more porous structure than fiber enriched cakes. In addition, lemon and apple fiber containing cakes had less porous crumb structure as compared to oat and pea containing ones. Oat and pea fiber (5%) enriched cakes had similar physical properties (volume, texture and color) with control cakes.
Production of apple snail for space diet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Masamichi; Motoki, Shigeru; Space Agriculture Task Force, J.; Katayama, Naomi

For food production in space at recycling bio-elements under closed environment, appropriate organisms should be chosen to drive the closed materials recycle loop. We propose a combination of green algae, photosynthetic protozoa, and aquatic plants such as Wolffia spp., for the primary producer fixing solar energy to chemical form in biomass, and apple snail, Pomacea bridgesii, which converts this biomass to animal meat. Because of high proliferation rate of green algae or protozoa compared to higher plants, and direct conversion of them to apple snail, the efficiency of food production in this combination is high, in terms of energy usage, space for rearing, and yield of edible biomass. Furthermore, green algae and apple snail can form a closed ecological system with exchanging bio-elements between two member, i.e. excreta of snail turn to fertilizer of algae, and grown algae become feed for snail. Since apple snail stays in water or on wet substrate, control of rearing is easy to make. Mass production technology of apple snail has been well established to utilize it as human food. Nutrients of apple snail are also listed in the standard tables of food composition in Japan. Nutrients for 100 g of apple snail canned in brine are energy 340 kJ, protein 16.5 g, lipid 1.0 g, cholesterol 240 mg, carbohydrate 0.8 g, Ca 400 mg, Fe 3.9 mg, Zn 1.5 mg. It is rich in minerals, especially Ca and Fe. Vitamin contents are quite low, but K 0.005 mg, B2 0.09 mg, B12 0.0006 mg, folate 0.001 mg, and E 0.6 mg. The amino acid score of apple snail could not be found in literature. Overall, apple snail provides rich protein and animal lipid such as cholesterol. It could be a good source of minerals. However, it does not give enough vitamin D and B12 , which are supposed to be supplemented by animal origin foods. In terms of acceptance in food culture, escargot is a gourmet menu in French dishes, and six to ten snail, roughly 50 g, are served for one person. Apple snail reaches to 30 g of body weight within two or three month from its egg. Several hundreds of egg are laid by one snail. It start egg laying after three months from hatching. In order to harvest 50 g for every day's meal, 3 m2 is required for rearing space. Eating apple snail and establishing its rearing system might save the food crisis on Earth.
Contrasting Transcriptional Programs Control Postharvest Development of Apples (Malus x domestica Borkh.) Submitted to Cold Storage and Ethylene Blockage.

PubMed

Storch, Tatiane Timm; Finatto, Taciane; Bruneau, Maryline; Orsel-Baldwin, Mathilde; Renou, Jean-Pierre; Rombaldi, Cesar Valmor; Quecini, Vera; Laurens, François; Girardi, César Luis

2017-09-06

Apple is commercially important worldwide. Favorable genomic contexts and postharvest technologies allow year-round availability. Although ripening is considered a unidirectional developmental process toward senescence, storage at low temperatures, alone or in combination with ethylene blockage, is effective in preserving apple properties. Quality traits and genome wide expression were integrated to investigate the mechanisms underlying postharvest changes. Development and conservation techniques were responsible for transcriptional reprogramming and distinct programs associated with quality traits. A large portion of the differentially regulated genes constitutes a program involved in ripening and senescence, whereas a smaller module consists of genes associated with reestablishment and maintenance of juvenile traits after harvest. Ethylene inhibition was associated with a reversal of ripening by transcriptional induction of anabolic pathways. Our results demonstrate that the blockage of ethylene perception and signaling leads to upregulation of genes in anabolic pathways. We also associated complex phenotypes to subsets of differentially regulated genes.
Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties of South African Cashew Apple Juice as a Biofuel Feedstock

PubMed Central

Deenanath, Evanie Devi; Daramola, Michael; Falcon, Rosemary; Iyuke, Sunny

2015-01-01

Cashew apple juice (CAJ) is one of the feedstocks used for biofuel production and ethanol yield depends on the physical and chemical properties of the extracted juice. As far as can be ascertained, information on physical and chemical properties of South African cashew apple juice is limited in open literature. Therefore, this study provides information on the physical and chemical properties of the South African cashew apple juice. Physicochemical characteristics of the juice, such as specific gravity, pH, sugars, condensed tannins, Vitamin C, minerals, and total protein, were measured from a mixed variety of cashew apples. Analytical results showed the CAJ possesses specific gravity and pH of 1.050 and 4.52, respectively. The highest sugars were glucose (40.56 gL−1) and fructose (57.06 gL−1). Other chemical compositions of the juice were condensed tannin (55.34 mgL−1), Vitamin C (112 mg/100 mL), and total protein (1.78 gL−1). The minerals content was as follows: zinc (1.39 ppm), copper (2.18 ppm), magnesium (4.32 ppm), iron (1.32 ppm), sodium (5.44 ppm), and manganese (1.24 ppm). With these findings, South African CAJ is a suitable biomass feedstock for ethanol production. PMID:26345160
Enhanced Soluble Protein and Biochemical Methane Potential of Apple Biowaste by Different Pretreatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulun, Şevket; Bilgin, Melayib

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the anaerobic digestion of apple pomace waste in terms of pretreatment. In this study, the main pretreatment strategies for apple pomace include: ultrasound (35 and 53 kHz), thermal and chemical (pH 5 and 10). For each pretreatment method four different temperatures are selected as 25, 40, 50, and 60 °C, and operation times are selected as 5th, 15th, 30th, and 45th minutes. The effects on pretreatment were investigated by measuring changes in the soluble protein concentrations of pretreated wastes and the enhanced anaerobic digestion was investigated by using the biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay. The soluble proteins of ultrasonic (35 kHz at 60 °C, 45th min), ultrasonic (53 kHz at 60 °C, 45th min), chemical (pH 5 at 60 °C, 5th min), chemical (pH 10 at 60 °C, 30th min) and thermal chemical (40 °C, 15th min) pretreatment apple pomace were 74.3, 75.6, 48.7, 85.5 and 58.6% higher, respectively. The results indicated that apple pomace treated with 53 kHz at 60 °C, 45th min had the highest biogas yield of 1519 mL CH4/g VSS.day after anaerobic digestion, which was on average 40.9% higher than raw pomace.
Enhanced Soluble Protein and Biochemical Methane Potential of Apple Biowaste by Different Pretreatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulun, Şevket; Bilgin, Melayib

2018-05-01

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the anaerobic digestion of apple pomace waste in terms of pretreatment. In this study, the main pretreatment strategies for apple pomace include: ultrasound (35 and 53 kHz), thermal and chemical (pH 5 and 10). For each pretreatment method four different temperatures are selected as 25, 40, 50, and 60 °C, and operation times are selected as 5th, 15th, 30th, and 45th minutes. The effects on pretreatment were investigated by measuring changes in the soluble protein concentrations of pretreated wastes and the enhanced anaerobic digestion was investigated by using the biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay. The soluble proteins of ultrasonic (35 kHz at 60 °C, 45th min), ultrasonic (53 kHz at 60 °C, 45th min), chemical (pH 5 at 60 °C, 5th min), chemical (pH 10 at 60 °C, 30th min) and thermal chemical (40 °C, 15th min) pretreatment apple pomace were 74.3, 75.6, 48.7, 85.5 and 58.6% higher, respectively. The results indicated that apple pomace treated with 53 kHz at 60 °C, 45th min had the highest biogas yield of 1519 mL CH4/g VSS.day after anaerobic digestion, which was on average 40.9% higher than raw pomace.
Defining Quality in Assisted Living: Comparing Apples, Oranges, and Broccoli

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawes, Catherine; Phillips, Charles D.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss and describe various measures of quality, quality indicators, and uses of information on quality with specific reference to the role or purpose of assisted living. Design and Methods: We reviewed a variety of major studies of assisted living quality. We elaborated models of assisted living based…
Genetic control of pear rootstock-induced dwarfing and precocity is linked to a chromosomal region syntenic to the apple Dw1 loci.

PubMed

Knäbel, Mareike; Friend, Adam P; Palmer, John W; Diack, Robert; Wiedow, Claudia; Alspach, Peter; Deng, Cecilia; Gardiner, Susan E; Tustin, D Stuart; Schaffer, Robert; Foster, Toshi; Chagné, David

2015-09-22

The vigour and precocity of trees highly influences their efficiency in commercial production. In apple, dwarfing rootstocks allow high-density plantings while their precocious flowering enables earlier fruit production. Currently, there is a lack of pear (Pyrus communis L.) rootstocks that are equivalent to the high yielding apple rootstock 'M9'. For the efficient breeding of new Pyrus rootstocks it is crucial to understand the genetic determinants of vigour control and precocity. In this study we used quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analysis to identify genetic loci associated with the desired traits, using a segregating population of 405 F1 P. communis seedlings from a cross between 'Old Home' and 'Louise Bonne de Jersey' (OHxLBJ). The seedlings were grafted as rootstocks with 'Doyenne du Comice' scions and comprehensively phenotyped over four growing seasons for traits related to tree architecture and flowering, in order to describe the growth of the scions. A high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genetic map comprising 597 polymorphic pear and 113 apple markers enabled the detection of QTLs influencing expression of scion vigour and precocity located on linkage groups (LG)5 and LG6 of 'Old Home'. The LG5 QTL maps to a position that is syntenic to the apple 'Malling 9' ('M9') Dw1 locus at the upper end of LG5. An allele of a simple sequence repeat (SSR) associated with apple Dw1 segregated with dwarfing and precocity in pear and was identified in other pear germplasm accessions. The orthology of the vigour-controlling LG5 QTL between apple and pear raises the possibility that the dwarfing locus Dw1 arose before the divergence of apple and pear, and might therefore be present in other Rosaceae species. We report the first QTLs associated with vigour control and flowering traits in pear rootstocks. Orthologous loci were found to control scion growth and precocity in apple and pear rootstocks. The application of our results may assist in the breeding process of a pear rootstock that confers both vigour control and precocity to the grafted scion cultivar.
Enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production from cashew apple bagasse pretreated with alkaline hydrogen peroxide.

PubMed

da Costa, Jessyca Aline; Marques, José Edvan; Gonçalves, Luciana Rocha Barros; Rocha, Maria Valderez Ponte

2015-03-01

The effect of combinations and ratios between different enzymes has been investigated in order to assess the optimal conditions for hydrolysis of cashew apple bagasse pretreated with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (the solids named CAB-AHP). The separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) processes were evaluated in the ethanol production. The enzymatic hydrolysis conducted with cellulase complex and β-glucosidase in a ratio of 0.61:0.39, enzyme loading of 30FPU/g(CAB-AHP) and 66CBU/g(CAB-AHP), respectively, using 4% cellulose from CAB-AHP, turned out to be the most effective conditions, with glucose and xylose yields of 511.68 mg/g(CAB-AHP) and 237.8 mg/g(CAB-AHP), respectively. Fermentation of the pure hydrolysate by Kluyveromyces marxianus ATCC 36907 led to an ethanol yield of 61.8kg/ton(CAB), corresponding to 15 g/L ethanol and productivity of 3.75 g/( Lh). The ethanol production obtained for SSF process using K. marxianus ATCC 36907 was 18 g/L corresponding to 80% yield and 74.2kg/ton(CAB). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsline, P.L.; Musselman, R.C.; Kender, W.J.

Mature McIntosh, Empire, and Golden Delicious apple trees (Malus domestica) were sprayed with simulated acid rain solutions in the pH range of 2.5 to 5.5 at full bloom in 1980 and 1981. In 1981, weekly sprays were applied at pH 2.75 and pH 3.25. Necrotic lesions developed on apple petals at pH 2.5 with slight injury appearing at pH 3.0 and 3.5. Apple foliage had no acid rain lesions at any of the pH levels tested. Pollen germination was reduced at pH 2.5 in Empire. Slight fruit set reduction at pH 2.5 was observed in McIntosh. Even at the lowestmore » pH levels no detrimental effects of simulated acid rain were found on apple tree productivity and fruit quality when measured as fruit set, seed number per fruit, and fruit size and appearance.« less
The genome of the domesticated apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.).

PubMed

Velasco, Riccardo; Zharkikh, Andrey; Affourtit, Jason; Dhingra, Amit; Cestaro, Alessandro; Kalyanaraman, Ananth; Fontana, Paolo; Bhatnagar, Satish K; Troggio, Michela; Pruss, Dmitry; Salvi, Silvio; Pindo, Massimo; Baldi, Paolo; Castelletti, Sara; Cavaiuolo, Marina; Coppola, Giuseppina; Costa, Fabrizio; Cova, Valentina; Dal Ri, Antonio; Goremykin, Vadim; Komjanc, Matteo; Longhi, Sara; Magnago, Pierluigi; Malacarne, Giulia; Malnoy, Mickael; Micheletti, Diego; Moretto, Marco; Perazzolli, Michele; Si-Ammour, Azeddine; Vezzulli, Silvia; Zini, Elena; Eldredge, Glenn; Fitzgerald, Lisa M; Gutin, Natalia; Lanchbury, Jerry; Macalma, Teresita; Mitchell, Jeff T; Reid, Julia; Wardell, Bryan; Kodira, Chinnappa; Chen, Zhoutao; Desany, Brian; Niazi, Faheem; Palmer, Melinda; Koepke, Tyson; Jiwan, Derick; Schaeffer, Scott; Krishnan, Vandhana; Wu, Changjun; Chu, Vu T; King, Stephen T; Vick, Jessica; Tao, Quanzhou; Mraz, Amy; Stormo, Aimee; Stormo, Keith; Bogden, Robert; Ederle, Davide; Stella, Alessandra; Vecchietti, Alberto; Kater, Martin M; Masiero, Simona; Lasserre, Pauline; Lespinasse, Yves; Allan, Andrew C; Bus, Vincent; Chagné, David; Crowhurst, Ross N; Gleave, Andrew P; Lavezzo, Enrico; Fawcett, Jeffrey A; Proost, Sebastian; Rouzé, Pierre; Sterck, Lieven; Toppo, Stefano; Lazzari, Barbara; Hellens, Roger P; Durel, Charles-Eric; Gutin, Alexander; Bumgarner, Roger E; Gardiner, Susan E; Skolnick, Mark; Egholm, Michael; Van de Peer, Yves; Salamini, Francesco; Viola, Roberto

2010-10-01

We report a high-quality draft genome sequence of the domesticated apple (Malus × domestica). We show that a relatively recent (>50 million years ago) genome-wide duplication (GWD) has resulted in the transition from nine ancestral chromosomes to 17 chromosomes in the Pyreae. Traces of older GWDs partly support the monophyly of the ancestral paleohexaploidy of eudicots. Phylogenetic reconstruction of Pyreae and the genus Malus, relative to major Rosaceae taxa, identified the progenitor of the cultivated apple as M. sieversii. Expansion of gene families reported to be involved in fruit development may explain formation of the pome, a Pyreae-specific false fruit that develops by proliferation of the basal part of the sepals, the receptacle. In apple, a subclade of MADS-box genes, normally involved in flower and fruit development, is expanded to include 15 members, as are other gene families involved in Rosaceae-specific metabolism, such as transport and assimilation of sorbitol.

Cost-effectiveness of a school-based health promotion program in Canada: A life-course modeling approach.

PubMed

Ekwaru, John Paul; Ohinmaa, Arto; Tran, Bach Xuan; Setayeshgar, Solmaz; Johnson, Jeffrey A; Veugelers, Paul J

2017-01-01

The Alberta Project Promoting active Living and healthy Eating in Schools (APPLE Schools) has been recognized as a "best practice" in preventing childhood obesity. To inform decision making on the economic implications of APPLE Schools and to justify investment, we evaluated the project's cost-effectiveness following a life-course approach. We developed a state transition model for the lifetime progression of body weight status comparing elementary school students attending APPLE Schools and control schools. This model quantified the lifetime impact of APPLE Schools in terms of prevention of excess body weight, chronic disease and improved quality-adjusted life years (QALY), from a school system's cost perspective. Both costs and health outcomes were discounted to their present value using 3% discount rate. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio(ICER) of APPLE schools was CA$33,421 per QALY gained, and CA$1,555, CA$1,709 and CA$14,218 per prevented person years of excess weight, obesity and chronic disease, respectively. These estimates show that APPLE Schools is cost effective at a threshold of ICER < CA$50,000. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, APPLE Schools was cost effective more than 64% of the time per QALY gained, when using a threshold of ICER
Cost-effectiveness of a school-based health promotion program in Canada: A life-course modeling approach

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background The Alberta Project Promoting active Living and healthy Eating in Schools (APPLE Schools) has been recognized as a “best practice” in preventing childhood obesity. To inform decision making on the economic implications of APPLE Schools and to justify investment, we evaluated the project’s cost-effectiveness following a life-course approach. Methods We developed a state transition model for the lifetime progression of body weight status comparing elementary school students attending APPLE Schools and control schools. This model quantified the lifetime impact of APPLE Schools in terms of prevention of excess body weight, chronic disease and improved quality-adjusted life years (QALY), from a school system’s cost perspective. Both costs and health outcomes were discounted to their present value using 3% discount rate. Results The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio(ICER) of APPLE schools was CA$33,421 per QALY gained, and CA$1,555, CA$1,709 and CA$14,218 per prevented person years of excess weight, obesity and chronic disease, respectively. These estimates show that APPLE Schools is cost effective at a threshold of ICER < CA$50,000. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, APPLE Schools was cost effective more than 64% of the time per QALY gained, when using a threshold of ICER
A CIPK protein kinase targets sucrose transporter MdSUT2.2 at Ser254 for phosphorylation to enhance salt tolerance.

PubMed

Ma, Qi-Jun; Sun, Mei-Hong; Kang, Hui; Lu, Jing; You, Chun-Xiang; Hao, Yu-Jin

2018-05-23

Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stressors that negatively affect crop growth and yield. Salt stress can regulate antioxidants and the accumulation of osmoprotectants. In the study, a sucrose transporter MdSUT2.2 was identified in apple. Overexpression of MdSUT2.2 gene increased salt tolerance in the transgenic apple, compared with the WT control 'Gala'. In addition, it was found that protein MdSUT2.2 was phosphorylated at Ser 254 site in response to salt. A DUAL membrane yeast hybridization system through an apple cDNA library demonstrated that a protein kinase MdCIPK13 interacted with MdSUT2.2. A series of transgenic analysis in apple calli showed that MdCIPK13 was required for the salt-induced phosphorylation of MdSUT2.2 protein and enhanced its stability and transport activity. Finally, it was found that MdCIPK13 improved salt resistance in an MdSUT2.2-dependent manner. These findings had enriched our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying abiotic stress. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Microorganisms in Fermented Apple Beverages: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Le Guellec, Rozenn; Schlusselhuber, Margot; Laplace, Jean-Marie; Cretenet, Marina

2017-01-01

Production of fermented apple beverages is spread all around the world with specificities in each country. ‘French ciders’ refer to fermented apple juice mainly produced in the northwest of France and often associated with short periods of consumption. Research articles on this kind of product are scarce compared to wine, especially on phenomena associated with microbial activities. The wine fermentation microbiome and its dynamics, organoleptic improvement for healthy and pleasant products and development of starters are now widely studied. Even if both beverages seem close in terms of microbiome and process (with both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations), the inherent properties of the raw materials and different production and environmental parameters make research on the specificities of apple fermentation beverages worthwhile. This review summarizes current knowledge on the cider microbial ecosystem, associated activities and the influence of process parameters. In addition, available data on cider quality and safety is reviewed. Finally, we focus on the future role of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in the development of even better or new beverages made from apples. PMID:28757560
Microorganisms in Fermented Apple Beverages: Current Knowledge and Future Directions.

PubMed

Cousin, Fabien J; Le Guellec, Rozenn; Schlusselhuber, Margot; Dalmasso, Marion; Laplace, Jean-Marie; Cretenet, Marina

2017-07-25

Production of fermented apple beverages is spread all around the world with specificities in each country. 'French ciders' refer to fermented apple juice mainly produced in the northwest of France and often associated with short periods of consumption. Research articles on this kind of product are scarce compared to wine, especially on phenomena associated with microbial activities. The wine fermentation microbiome and its dynamics, organoleptic improvement for healthy and pleasant products and development of starters are now widely studied. Even if both beverages seem close in terms of microbiome and process (with both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations), the inherent properties of the raw materials and different production and environmental parameters make research on the specificities of apple fermentation beverages worthwhile. This review summarizes current knowledge on the cider microbial ecosystem, associated activities and the influence of process parameters. In addition, available data on cider quality and safety is reviewed. Finally, we focus on the future role of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in the development of even better or new beverages made from apples.
The potential of kiwifruit puree as a clean label ingredient to stabilize high pressure pasteurized cloudy apple juice during storage.

PubMed

Yi, Junjie; Kebede, Biniam; Kristiani, Kristiani; Buvé, Carolien; Van Loey, Ann; Grauwet, Tara; Hendrickx, Marc

2018-07-30

In the fruit juice industry, high pressure (HP) processing has become a commercial success. However, enzymatic browning, cloud loss, and flavor changes during storage remain challenges. The aim of this study is to combine kiwifruit puree and HP pasteurization (600 MPa/3 min) to stabilize cloudy apple juice during storage at 4 °C. A wide range of targeted and untargeted quality characteristics was evaluated using a multivariate approach. Due to high ascorbic acid content and high viscosity, kiwifruit puree allowed to prevent enzymatic browning and phase separation of an apple-kiwifruit mixed juice. Besides, no clear changes in organic acids, viscosity, and particle size distribution were detected in mixed juice during storage. Sucrose of apple and mixed juices decreased with glucose and fructose increasing during storage. The volatile changes of both juices behaved similar, mainly esters being degraded. Sensory evaluation demonstrated consumer preferred the aroma of mixed juice compared to apple juice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Genome-Enabled Estimates of Additive and Nonadditive Genetic Variances and Prediction of Apple Phenotypes Across Environments

PubMed Central

Kumar, Satish; Molloy, Claire; Muñoz, Patricio; Daetwyler, Hans; Chagné, David; Volz, Richard

2015-01-01

The nonadditive genetic effects may have an important contribution to total genetic variation of phenotypes, so estimates of both the additive and nonadditive effects are desirable for breeding and selection purposes. Our main objectives were to: estimate additive, dominance and epistatic variances of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) phenotypes using relationship matrices constructed from genome-wide dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers; and compare the accuracy of genomic predictions using genomic best linear unbiased prediction models with or without including nonadditive genetic effects. A set of 247 clonally replicated individuals was assessed for six fruit quality traits at two sites, and also genotyped using an Illumina 8K SNP array. Across several fruit quality traits, the additive, dominance, and epistatic effects contributed about 30%, 16%, and 19%, respectively, to the total phenotypic variance. Models ignoring nonadditive components yielded upwardly biased estimates of additive variance (heritability) for all traits in this study. The accuracy of genomic predicted genetic values (GEGV) varied from about 0.15 to 0.35 for various traits, and these were almost identical for models with or without including nonadditive effects. However, models including nonadditive genetic effects further reduced the bias of GEGV. Between-site genotypic correlations were high (>0.85) for all traits, and genotype-site interaction accounted for <10% of the phenotypic variability. The accuracy of prediction, when the validation set was present only at one site, was generally similar for both sites, and varied from about 0.50 to 0.85. The prediction accuracies were strongly influenced by trait heritability, and genetic relatedness between the training and validation families. PMID:26497141
Quality Characteristics and Quantification of Acetaldehyde and Methanol in Apple Wine Fermentation by Various Pre-Treatments of Mash

PubMed Central

Won, Seon Yi; Seo, Jae Soon; Kwak, Han Sub; Lee, Youngseung; Kim, Misook; Shim, Hyoung-Seok; Jeong, Yoonhwa

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of adding lactic acid and pectinase, and chaptalization for the quality of apple wine and the production of hazardous compounds (methanol and acetaldehyde). The pH of all of the samples was below 4; therefore, mash seemed to be fermented without any issue. Total acidity was the highest in sample A due to lactic acid addition. Pre-treated groups (samples B, C, and D) showed higher total acidities than that of the control (P<0.05). Pre-treatments might influence the production of organic acids in apple wines. The control and pectinase added sample (sample B) had the lowest alcohol contents. Adding lactic acid produced more alcohol, and chaptalized samples produced more alcohol due to the addition of sugar. Adding pectinase with and without chaptalization was not effective for producing more alcohol. The control sample had significantly higher acetaldehyde content (2.39 mg/L) than the other samples (1.00~2.07 mg/L); therefore, pre-treatments for apple wine fermentation produced a lower amount of acetaldehyde. Among the pre-treated samples, samples C and D showed the lowest acetaldehyde content of 1.00 mg/L and 1.16 mg/L, respectively. On the other hand, a significantly higher amount of methanol was generated for sample A (1.03 mg/L) and sample D (1.22 mg/L) than that of the control (0.82 mg/L) (P<0.05). Adding lactic acid or chaptalization was effective in reducing methanol and acetaldehyde in apple wines. PMID:26770917
Comparison of Cultivable Acetic Acid Bacterial Microbiota in Organic and Conventional Apple Cider Vinegar.

PubMed

Štornik, Aleksandra; Skok, Barbara; Trček, Janja

2016-03-01

Organic apple cider vinegar is produced from apples that go through very restricted treatment in orchard. During the first stage of the process, the sugars from apples are fermented by yeasts to cider. The produced ethanol is used as a substrate by acetic acid bacteria in a second separated bioprocess. In both, the organic and conventional apple cider vinegars the ethanol oxidation to acetic acid is initiated by native microbiota that survived alcohol fermentation. We compared the cultivable acetic acid bacterial microbiota in the production of organic and conventional apple cider vinegars from a smoothly running oxidation cycle of a submerged industrial process. In this way we isolated and characterized 96 bacteria from organic and 72 bacteria from conventional apple cider vinegar. Using the restriction analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S-23S rRNA gene ITS regions, we identified four different Hae III and five different Hpa II restriction profiles for bacterial isolates from organic apple cider vinegar. Each type of restriction profile was further analyzed by sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA gene ITS regions, resulting in identification of the following species: Acetobacter pasteurianus (71.90%), Acetobacter ghanensis (12.50%), Komagataeibacter oboediens (9.35%) and Komagataeibacter saccharivorans (6.25%). Using the same analytical approach in conventional apple cider vinegar, we identified only two different Hae III and two different Hpa II restriction profiles of the 16S‒23S rRNA gene ITS regions, which belong to the species Acetobacter pasteurianus (66.70%) and Komagataeibacter oboediens (33.30%). Yeasts that are able to resist 30 g/L of acetic acid were isolated from the acetic acid production phase and further identified by sequence analysis of the ITS1-5.8S rDNA‒ITS2 region as Candida ethanolica , Pichia membranifaciens and Saccharomycodes ludwigii . This study has shown for the first time that the bacterial microbiota for the industrial production of organic apple cider vinegar is clearly more heterogeneous than the bacterial microbiota for the industrial production of conventional apple cider vinegar. Further chemical analysis should reveal if a difference in microbiota composition influences the quality of different types of apple cider vinegar.
Intensity compensation for on-line detection of defects on fruit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Zhiqing; Tao, Yang

1997-10-01

A machine-vision sorting system was developed that utilizes the difference in light reflectance of fruit surfaces to distinguish the defective and good apples. To accommodate to the spherical reflectance characteristics of fruit with curved surface like apple, a spherical transform algorithm was developed that converts the original image to a non-radiant image without losing defective segments on the fruit. To prevent high-quality dark-colored fruit form being classified into the defective class and increase the defect detection rate for light-colored fruit, an intensity compensation method using maximum propagation was used. Experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the method based on maximum propagation and spherical transform for on-line detection of defects on apples.
Improved hybrid de novo genome assembly of domesticated apple (Malus x domestica).

PubMed

Li, Xuewei; Kui, Ling; Zhang, Jing; Xie, Yinpeng; Wang, Liping; Yan, Yan; Wang, Na; Xu, Jidi; Li, Cuiying; Wang, Wen; van Nocker, Steve; Dong, Yang; Ma, Fengwang; Guan, Qingmei

2016-08-08

Domesticated apple (Malus × domestica Borkh) is a popular temperate fruit with high nutrient levels and diverse flavors. In 2012, global apple production accounted for at least one tenth of all harvested fruits. A high-quality apple genome assembly is crucial for the selection and breeding of new cultivars. Currently, a single reference genome is available for apple, assembled from 16.9 × genome coverage short reads via Sanger and 454 sequencing technologies. Although a useful resource, this assembly covers only ~89 % of the non-repetitive portion of the genome, and has a relatively short (16.7 kb) contig N50 length. These downsides make it difficult to apply this reference in transcriptive or whole-genome re-sequencing analyses. Here we present an improved hybrid de novo genomic assembly of apple (Golden Delicious), which was obtained from 76 Gb (~102 × genome coverage) Illumina HiSeq data and 21.7 Gb (~29 × genome coverage) PacBio data. The final draft genome is approximately 632.4 Mb, representing ~ 90 % of the estimated genome. The contig N50 size is 111,619 bp, representing a 7 fold improvement. Further annotation analyses predicted 53,922 protein-coding genes and 2,765 non-coding RNA genes. The new apple genome assembly will serve as a valuable resource for investigating complex apple traits at the genomic level. It is not only suitable for genome editing and gene cloning, but also for RNA-seq and whole-genome re-sequencing studies.
LCD displays performance comparison by MTF measurement using the white noise stimulus method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitjà, Carles; Escofet, Jaume

2011-01-01

The amount of images produced to be viewed as soft copies on output displays are significantly increasing. This growing occurs at the expense of the images targeted to hard copy versions on paper or any other physical support. Even in the case of high quality hard copy production, people working in professional imaging uses different displays in selecting, editing, processing and showing images, from laptop screen to specialized high end displays. Then, the quality performance of these devices is crucial in the chain of decisions to be taken in image production. Metrics of this quality performance can help in the equipment acquisition. Different metrics and methods have been described to determine the quality performance of CRT and LCD computer displays in clinical area. One of most important metrics in this field is the device spatial frequency response obtained measuring the modulation transfer function (MTF). This work presents a comparison between the MTF of three different LCD displays, Apple MacBook Pro 15", Apple LED Cinema Display 24" and Apple iPhone4, measured by the white noise stimulus method, over vertical and horizontal directions. Additionally, different displays show particular pixels structure pattern. In order to identify this pixel structure, a set of high magnification images is taken from each display to be related with the respective vertical and horizontal MTF.
Developing cluster strategy of apples dodol SMEs by integration K-means clustering and analytical hierarchy process method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustaniroh, S. A.; Effendi, U.; Silalahi, R. L. R.; Sari, T.; Ala, M.

2018-03-01

The purposes of this research were to determine the grouping of apples dodol small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Batu City and to determine an appropriate development strategy for each cluster. The methods used for clustering SMEs was k-means. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach was then applied to determine the development strategy priority for each cluster. The variables used in grouping include production capacity per month, length of operation, investment value, average sales revenue per month, amount of SMEs assets, and the number of workers. Several factors were considered in AHP include industry cluster, government, as well as related and supporting industries. Data was collected using the methods of questionaire and interviews. SMEs respondents were selected among SMEs appels dodol in Batu City using purposive sampling. The result showed that two clusters were formed from five apples dodol SMEs. The 1stcluster of apples dodol SMEs, classified as small enterprises, included SME A, SME C, and SME D. The 2ndcluster of SMEs apples dodol, classified as medium enterprises, consisted of SME B and SME E. The AHP results indicated that the priority development strategy for the 1stcluster of apples dodol SMEs was improving quality and the product standardisation, while for the 2nd cluster was increasing the marketing access.
Chemical composition and organoleptic evaluation of juice from steamed cashew apple blended with orange juice.

PubMed

Inyang, U E; Abah, U J

1997-01-01

Fully riped cashew apples (yellow variety) were steamed for 7 minutes prior to juice extraction. The extracted juice was blended with various proportions of sweet orange juice. Chemical composition and organoleptic evaluation were carried out on both the blended and unblended juices. The ascorbic acid content of unsteamed cashew apple juice was 287 mg/100 ml. Steaming of the cashew apple prior to juice extraction resulted in a decreased (230 mg/100 ml) content of ascorbic acid. It also led to slight decreases in soluble solids and titratable acidity. A comparison of the chemical composition of the two juices showed that the orange juice contained more sugars, titratable acidity and soluble solids but less ascorbic acid than cashew apple juice. Consequently, the soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing and total sugars of the blends increased with increase in the proportions of orange juice while the content of ascorbic acid was decreasing. In spite of the decrease in ascorbic acid content of the blends, results showed that blended juice would no doubt be a very good source of ascorbic acid. Result of the organoleptic evaluation revealed that a 60% cashew apple and 40% orange juice gave a good quality juice in terms of flavor, after taste and overall acceptability.
Application of Bioorganic Fertilizer Significantly Increased Apple Yields and Shaped Bacterial Community Structure in Orchard Soil.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Li, Jing; Yang, Fang; E, Yaoyao; Raza, Waseem; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2017-02-01

Application of bioorganic fertilizers has been reported to improve crop yields and change soil bacterial community structure; however, little work has been done in apple orchard soils where the biological properties of the soils are being degraded due to long-term application of chemical fertilizers. In this study, we used Illumina-based sequencing approach to characterize the bacterial community in the 0-60-cm soil profile under different fertilizer regimes in the Loess Plateau. The experiment includes three treatments: (1) control without fertilization (CK); (2) application of chemical fertilizer (CF); and (3) application of bioorganic fertilizer and organic-inorganic mixed fertilizer (BOF). The results showed that the treatment BOF increased the apple yields by 114 and 67 % compared to the CK and CF treatments, respectively. The treatment BOF also increased the soil organic matter (SOM) by 22 and 16 % compared to the CK and CF treatments, respectively. The Illumina-based sequencing showed that Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were the predominant phyla and Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were the most abundant classes in the soil profile. The bacterial richness for ACE was increased after the addition of BOF. Compared to CK and CF treatments, BOF-treated soil revealed higher abundance of Proteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, Rhizobiales, and Xanthomonadales while Acidobacteria, Gp7, Gp17, and Sphaerobacter were found in lower abundance throughout the soil profile. Bacterial community structure varied with soil depth under different fertilizer treatments, e.g., the bacterial richness, diversity, and the relative abundance of Verruccomicrobia, Candidatus Brocadiales, and Skermanella were decreased with the soil depth in all three treatments. Permutational multivariate analysis showed that the fertilizer regime was the major factor than soil depth in the variations of the bacterial community composition. Two groups, Lysobacter and Rhodospirillaceae, were found to be the significantly increased by the BOF addition and the genus Lysobacter may identify members of this group effective in biological control-based plant disease management and the members of family Rhodospirillaceae had an important role in fixing molecular nitrogen. These results strengthen the understanding of responses to the BOF and possible interactions within bacterial communities in soil that can be associated with disease suppression and the accumulation of carbon and nitrogen. The increase of apple yields after the application of BOF might be attributed to the fact that the application of BOF increased SOM, and soil total nitrogen, and changed the bacterial community by enriching Rhodospirillaceae, Alphaprotreobateria, and Proteobacteria.
Relation of biospeckle activity with quality attributes of apples.

PubMed

Zdunek, Artur; Cybulska, Justyna

2011-01-01

Biospeckle is nondestructive optical technique based on the analysis of variations of laser light scattered from biological samples. Biospeckle activity reflects the state of the investigated object. In this study the relation of biospeckle activity (BA) with firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and starch content (SC) during the shelf life of seven apple cultivars was studied. The results showed that the quality attributes change significantly during storage. Significant and pronounced positive correlation between BA and SC was found. This result shows that degradation of starch granules, which could be stimulated to vibration by intracellular cyclosis, causes a lesser number of laser light scattering centers and results in smaller apparent biospeckle activity.
Relation of Biospeckle Activity with Quality Attributes of Apples

PubMed Central

Zdunek, Artur; Cybulska, Justyna

2011-01-01

Biospeckle is nondestructive optical technique based on the analysis of variations of laser light scattered from biological samples. Biospeckle activity reflects the state of the investigated object. In this study the relation of biospeckle activity (BA) with firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and starch content (SC) during the shelf life of seven apple cultivars was studied. The results showed that the quality attributes change significantly during storage. Significant and pronounced positive correlation between BA and SC was found. This result shows that degradation of starch granules, which could be stimulated to vibration by intracellular cyclosis, causes a lesser number of laser light scattering centers and results in smaller apparent biospeckle activity. PMID:22163957
Green tea extract as an anti-browning agent for cloudy apple juice.

PubMed

Klimczak, Inga; Gliszczyńska-Świgło, Anna

2017-03-01

Enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables and their products is an important factor worsening their quality. The influence of five green tea extracts at the concentrations of 1 g L -1 , 2 g L -1 and 3 g L -1 on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in fresh cloudy apple juice was investigated. Moreover, PPO inhibition by tea extract and colour stability of juice during short-time refrigerated storage was studied. The changes of juice colour during storage was expressed as the total colour differences (ΔE*), browning index (BI), yellowness index (YI), and the absorbance at 420 nm (A 420 ). All extracts inhibited PPO activity in fresh apple juice in concentration-dependent manner. PPO activity in pure apple juice decreased by 7% after 48 h, whereas PPO activity in samples with 1 g L -1 , 2 g L -1 and 3 g L -1 tea extract decreased by 53%, 74%, and 96%, respectively. Browning of apple juice during storage decreased with increased concentration of green tea extract. After 48 h, extract at 1 g L -1 , 2 g L -1 and 3 g L -1 inhibited browning of juice expressed as BI by 48%, 60%, and 86%, respectively, comparing to pure apple juice. Green tea extract may be an effective anti-browning agent for short-time stored cloudy apple juices. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Extraction and Characterization of Highly Gelling Low Methoxy Pectin from Cashew Apple Pomace

PubMed Central

Yapo, Beda M.; Koffi, Kouassi L.

2013-01-01

Investigation on the pectic substances of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) apple under different acid-extraction conditions (pH 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) showed that more than 10%–25% of A. occidentale pectins (AOP) could be extracted, depending on the extractant strength. The extracted AOP contained high amounts of galacturonic acid (GalA: 69.9%–84.5%) with some neutral sugars of which rhamnose (Rha: 1.3%–2.5%), arabinose (Ara: 2.6%–5.4%), and galactose (Gal: 4.7%–8.6%) were the main constituents. The degree of methoxylation (DM) was in the range of 28%–46% and was only slightly affected by the extractant strength, thereby indicating isolation of naturally low methoxy pectins (LMP). In terms of gelling capability, AOP yielded firmer Ca2+-mediated LMP gels than commercial citrus LMP with comparable DM. Cashew apple pomace, therefore, appears to be a potentially viable source for possible production of “non-chemically or enzymatically-tailored” LMP. PMID:28234301
Heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple juice.

PubMed

Splittstoesser, D F; McLellan, M R; Churey, J J

1996-03-01

The objective was to determine the effect of cider composition on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7. The average D52 value in a model Empire apple juice was 18 min with a z value of 4.8 degrees C. Increasing the Brix from 11.8 to 16.5 degrees had no effect on thermal resistance, while increasing L-malic acid from 0.2 to 0.8%, or reducing the pH from 4.4 to 3.6 sensitized the cells to heat. The greatest effect on heat resistance was afforded by the preservatives benzoic and sorbic acids: D50 values in ciders containing 1,000 mg/l were 5.2 min in the presence of sorbic acid and only 0.64 min in the presence of benzoic acid. Commercial apple juice concentrates yielded lower numbers of survivors than single-strength juices even though their higher sugar concentrations of about 46 degrees Brix increased heat resistance.

Genome Wide Analysis of the Apple MYB Transcription Factor Family Allows the Identification of MdoMYB121 Gene Confering Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

PubMed Central

Wang, Rong-Kai; Zhang, Rui-Fen; Hao, Yu-Jin

2013-01-01

The MYB proteins comprise one of the largest families of transcription factors (TFs) in plants. Although several MYB genes have been characterized to play roles in secondary metabolism, the MYB family has not yet been identified in apple. In this study, 229 apple MYB genes were identified through a genome-wide analysis and divided into 45 subgroups. A computational analysis was conducted using the apple genomic database to yield a complete overview of the MYB family, including the intron-exon organizations, the sequence features of the MYB DNA-binding domains, the carboxy-terminal motifs, and the chromosomal locations. Subsequently, the expression of 18 MYB genes, including 12 were chosen from stress-related subgroups, while another 6 ones from other subgroups, in response to various abiotic stresses was examined. It was found that several of these MYB genes, particularly MdoMYB121, were induced by multiple stresses. The MdoMYB121 was then further functionally characterized. Its predicted protein was found to be localized in the nucleus. A transgenic analysis indicated that the overexpression of the MdoMYB121 gene remarkably enhanced the tolerance to high salinity, drought, and cold stresses in transgenic tomato and apple plants. Our results indicate that the MYB genes are highly conserved in plant species and that MdoMYB121 can be used as a target gene in genetic engineering approaches to improve the tolerance of plants to multiple abiotic stresses. PMID:23950843
Fermentation process for production of apple-based kefir vinegar: microbiological, chemical and sensory analysis.

PubMed

Viana, Roberta Oliveira; Magalhães-Guedes, Karina Teixeira; Braga, Roberto Alves; Dias, Disney Ribeiro; Schwan, Rosane Freitas

The aim of this study was to develop a kefir apple-based vinegar and evaluate this fermentation process using new methodology with Biospeckle Laser. Brazilian kefir grains were inoculated in apple must for vinegar production. In this study, the microbial community present in kefir, and correspondent vinegar, was investigated using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization - Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Acetobacter pasteurianus and Acetobacter syzygii were the microbial species identified. S. cerevisiae, L. plantarum, A. pasteurianus and A. syzygii were found in smaller quantities at the beginning of the alcoholic fermentation, but were found throughout the alcoholic and acetic fermentation. Kefir grains were able to utilize apple must as substrate to produce ethanol, and acetic acid. Acetate, volatile alcohols and aldehydes in the vinegar-based kefir were also produced. The yield of acetic acid in the kefir vinegars was ∼79%. The acetic acid concentration was ∼41gL -1 , reaching the required standard for the Brazilian legislation accepts it as vinegar (4.0% acetic acid). Kefir vinegar showed good acceptance in the sensory analysis. The technology proposed here is novel by the application of immobilized-cell biomass (kefir grains) providing a mixed inocula and eliminating the use of centrifuge at the end of the fermentative process. This step will save energy demand and investment. This is the first study to produce apple vinegar using kefir grains. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.
Automated audiometry using apple iOS-based application technology.

PubMed

Foulad, Allen; Bui, Peggy; Djalilian, Hamid

2013-11-01

The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of an Apple iOS-based automated hearing testing application and to compare its accuracy with conventional audiometry. Prospective diagnostic study. Setting Academic medical center. An iOS-based software application was developed to perform automated pure-tone hearing testing on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. To assess for device variations and compatibility, preliminary work was performed to compare the standardized sound output (dB) of various Apple device and headset combinations. Forty-two subjects underwent automated iOS-based hearing testing in a sound booth, automated iOS-based hearing testing in a quiet room, and conventional manual audiometry. The maximum difference in sound intensity between various Apple device and headset combinations was 4 dB. On average, 96% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91%-100%) of the threshold values obtained using the automated test in a sound booth were within 10 dB of the corresponding threshold values obtained using conventional audiometry. When the automated test was performed in a quiet room, 94% (95% CI, 87%-100%) of the threshold values were within 10 dB of the threshold values obtained using conventional audiometry. Under standardized testing conditions, 90% of the subjects preferred iOS-based audiometry as opposed to conventional audiometry. Apple iOS-based devices provide a platform for automated air conduction audiometry without requiring extra equipment and yield hearing test results that approach those of conventional audiometry.
Effect of thermal treatment on the quality of cloudy apple juice.

PubMed

Krapfenbauer, Gottfried; Kinner, Mathias; Gössinger, Manfred; Schönlechner, Regine; Berghofer, Emmerich

2006-07-26

Apple juice from eight different varieties of apples was heated at high-temperature (60-90 degrees C) and short-time (20-100 s) (HTST) combinations. To determine the effect of heating conditions on enzymatic browning and cloud stability in apple juices, the activity of polyphenol oxidase and pectinesterase was analyzed and correlated with the thermal treatment conditions and the quality of the juice. Additional investigations included the measurement of pH value, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, color, and turbidity after 3 and 6 months. The results showed that HTST treatment at 80 degrees C already inactivated polyphenol oxidase, whereas pectinesterase activity was reduced to half and could even at 90 degrees C not be inactivated completely. In fact, highest residual pectinesterase activity was found at 60 degrees C. Heating at 70 degrees C caused stable pectinesterase activity and even a slight increase for 50 and 100 s heating times. Turbidity and lightness increased after HTST treatment. In particular, differences in cloud stability between the varieties were measured. HTST parameters did not correlate with the residual cloud stability after 6 months. The sensory evaluation revealed that only a few combinations were distinguishable. The best stability of cloud and color in relation to heat impact was achieved by HTST treatment between 70 degrees C/100 s and 80 degrees C/20 s.
Reflective mulch enhances ripening and health compounds in apple fruit.

PubMed

Overbeck, Verena; Schmitz-Eiberger, Michaela A; Blanke, Michael M

2013-08-15

The objective of the study was to improve fruit quality, including health compounds, by improving light utilization for fruit crops under hail net. Four reflective mulches including plastics such as Extenday® and a bio-degradable paper were spread in the alleyways of a cv. 'Gala Mondial' apple orchard on 10 August 2010 5 weeks before anticipated harvest. Reflective mulch affected neither fruit firmness nor sugar, but accelerated starch breakdown, indicative of riper fruits (smaller Streif index), compared with the uncovered grass alleyway (control). Reflective mulches also improved fruit quality such as red coloration of cv. 'Gala Mondial' apples. This was due to significantly enhanced flavonoids and anthocyanins. Flavonoids increased up to 52.4% in the Extenday® treatment (29.2 nmol cm(-2) in the grass control versus 44.5 nmol cm(-2) fruit peel with reflective mulch). Similarly, reflective mulch improved anthocyanin content in cv. 'Gala Mondial' peel up to 66% compared to grass control (14.5 nmol cm(-2) in control fruit versus 24.1 nmol cm(-2) with reflective mulch). The reflective mulch did not affect chlorophyll and carotenoid content in the 'Gala' fruit peel. Overall, the application of reflective mulches improved fruit quality in terms of better coloration and health compounds and accelerated ripening, leading to higher market value. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.
A proposed naming convention for genes in Rosaceae species

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the last few years, a considerable effort has yielded the complete genome sequence of four key Rosaceae species: Apple, Strawberry, Peach, and Pear with more to come. With this genomic information, it is now possible to identify gene family members rapidly and through other genomic technologies,...
Torrefaction of agricultural by-products: Effects of temperature and time on energy yields

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural by-products, such as apple, grape, olive, and tomato pomaces as well as almond and walnut shells, were torrefied at different temperatures and times. Torrefaction of biomass involves heating in an inert atmosphere to remove volatile components for improved grindability and increased ene...
Antimicrobial potential of sophorolipids for anti-acne, anti-dental caries, hide preservation and food safety applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sophorolipids (SLs) are microbial glycolipids that can be produced via fermentation in relatively large yields (reportedly as high as 400 g/L under appropriate growth conditions). These versatile molecules have demonstrated usefulness as additives in detergent, cleaner, cosmetic, and stabilizer appl...
The biospeckle method for early damage detection of fruits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Lei; Liu, Jiaxin; Men, Sen

2017-07-01

In the field of fruits damage assessment, biospeckle activity is considered relevant to quality properties of plants, such us damage, aging, or diseases. In this paper, biospeckle technique was applied to identify the early bruising of apples. Then a total of 50 undamaged apples were determined to be artificially bruised as samples. Three methods (Fujii, GD, and LSTCA) were used to extract effective information from these speckle images for measuring the intensity of biospeckle activity. The results showed that for all of three methods, the biospeckle activities of the undamaged areas in apple were similar; after the hit, the damaged area showed a lower biospeckle activity. It can be concluded that early bruising can be identified by biospeckle technique.
A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RADIATION ON APPLES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smock, R.M.; Sparrow, A.H.

1957-01-01

Gamma radiation (cobalt source) of Rhode Island Greening apples did not lower the respiration rate. The 40,000 r lot had a higher than normal rate. This lot also softened more during the holding period at.74 deg F. Dosages over 10,000 r seemed to aggravate mealy breakdown. Dosages of 20,000 amd 40,000 r reduced the production of ethylene and volatiles other than ethylene. The respiration rate of Cortland apples was reduced slightly by gamma radiation. Keeping quality of this variety in storage was not affected, except for the 30,000 r lot which was slightly softer. Weight losses were not affected bymore » radiation. No commercially important benefits were observed with either variety. (auth)« less
Stability and anti-glycation properties of intermediate moisture apple products fortified with green tea.

PubMed

Lavelli, Vera; Corey, Mark; Kerr, William; Vantaggi, Claudia

2011-07-15

Intermediate moisture products made from blanched apple flesh and green tea extract (about 6mg of monomeric flavan 3-ols added per g of dry apple) or blanched apple flesh (control) were produced, and their quality attributes were investigated over storage for two months at water activity (a(w)) levels of 0.55 and 0.75, at 30°C. Products were evaluated for colour (L(∗), a(∗), and b(∗) Hunter's parameters), phytochemical contents (flavan 3-ols, chlorogenic acid, dihydrochalcones, ascorbic acid and total polyphenols), ferric reducing antioxidant potential, 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl radical-scavenging activity and ability to inhibit formation of fructose-induced advanced glycation end-products. During storage of the fortified and unfortified intermediate moisture apples, water availability was sufficient to support various chemical reactions involving phytochemicals, which degraded at different rates: ascorbic acid>flavan 3-ols>dihydrochalcones and chlorogenic acid. Colour variations occurred at slightly slower rates after green tea addition. In the intermediate moisture apple, antioxidant and anti-glycoxidative properties decreased at similar rates (half-life was about 80d at a(w) of 0.75, 30°C). In the green tea-fortified intermediate moisture apple, the antioxidant activity decreased at a slow rate (half-life was 165d at a(w) of 0.75, 30°C) and the anti-glycoxidative properties did not change, indicating that flavan 3-ol degradation involved the formation of derivatives that retained the properties of their parent compounds. Since these properties are linked to oxidative- and advanced glycation end-product-related diseases, these results suggest that green tea fortification of intermediate moisture apple products could be a valuable means of product innovation, to address consumers' nutritional needs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Potential for hypobaric storage as a phytosanitary treatment: mortality of Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) in apples and effects on fruit quality.

PubMed

Hulasare, Rajshekhar; Payton, Mark E; Hallman, Guy J; Phillips, Thomas W

2013-06-01

The efficacy of low-oxygen atmospheres using low pressure, referred to as hypobaric conditions, to kill egg and third-instar Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) in apples was investigated. Infested apples were exposed to 3.33 and 6.67 kPa in glass jars at 25 and 30 degrees C for times ranging from 3 to 120 h. Probit analyses and lethal dose ratio tests were performed to determine differences in lethal time values. Eggs were more tolerant of low pressure compared with third-instar R. pomonella. Mortality of eggs and larvae increased with increase in time of exposure to low pressure and temperature. Lower pressures increased percent mortality of eggs, but these values were not significantly different at the pressures tested in this investigation. The LT99 for R. pomonella eggs at 3.33 kPa was 105.98 and 51.46 h, respectively, at 25 and 30 degrees C, which was a significant effect of the higher temperature on egg mortality. Investigation into consumer acceptance of low-pressure-treated apples was done with 'Red Delicious' and 'Golden Delicious'. Apples exposed to 3.33 kPa at 25 and 30 degrees C for 3 and 5 d were stored at 1 degrees C for 2 wk and presented to a sensory panel for evaluation. The panelists rated treated apples with untreated controls for external and internal appearance and taste. Golden Delicious apples were unaffected for all three sensory factors across both temperatures and exposure times. Although taste was unaffected for Red Delicious, the internal and external appearances deteriorated. Use of low pressure for disinfestation and preservation of apples is a potential nonchemical alternative to chemical fumigants such as methyl bromide and phosphine.
Regeneration of volatile compounds in Fuji apples following ultra low oxygen atmosphere storage and its effect on sensory acceptability.

PubMed

Altisent, Rosa; Graell, Jordi; Lara, Isabel; López, Luisa; Echeverría, Gemma

2008-09-24

The aim of this work was to assess whether extra time spent under AIR conditions after storage in an ultra low oxygen (ULO) atmosphere could allow the regeneration of volatile compound emission without negatively affecting quality parameters and the consumer acceptability of Fuji apples. Fruits were stored for 19 and 30 weeks at 1 degrees C and 92% RH under ULO atmosphere conditions (1 kPa O 2:1 kPa CO 2) or under ULO conditions followed by different periods (2 and 4 weeks) in cold AIR atmosphere (ULO + 2w or ULO + 4w, respectively). Standard quality and emission of volatile compounds were analyzed after storage plus 1 and 7 days at 20 degrees C. Sensory attributes and acceptability were also determined after 7 days at 20 degrees C. The extra period of 30 weeks in an AIR atmosphere after ULO storage resulted in an increase in the concentration of the compounds that most contribute to the flavor of Fuji apples. These fruits were relatively well accepted by consumers despite a slight decline in firmness and acidity.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsline, P.L.; Musselman, R.C.; Kender, W.J.

Mature 'McIntosh', 'Empire', and 'Golden Delicious' apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.) were sprayed with simulated acid rain solutions in the pH range of 2.5 to 5.5 at full bloom in 1980 and in 1981. In 1981, weekly sprays were applied at pH 2.75 and pH 3.25. Necrotic lesions developed on apple petals at pH 2.5 with slight injury appearing at pH 3.0 and pH 3.5. Apple foliage had no acid rain lesions at any of the pH levels tested. Pollen germination was reduced at ph 2.5 in 'Empire'. Slight fruit set reduction at pH 2.5 was observed in 'McIntosh'. Themore » incidence of russetting on 'Golden Delicious' fruits was ameliorated by the presence of rain-exclusion chambers but was not affected by acid rain. With season-long sprays at pH 2.75, there was a slight delay in maturity and lower weight of 'McIntosh' apples. Even at the lowest pH levels no detrimental effects of simulated acid rain were found on apple tree productivity and fruit quality when measured as fruit set, seed number per fruit, and fruit size and appearance.« less
A simplified strategy for studying the etiology of viral diseases: Apple stem grooving virus as a case study.

PubMed

Dhir, Sunny; Walia, Yashika; Zaidi, A A; Hallan, Vipin

2015-03-01

A simple method to amplify infective, complete genomes of single stranded RNA viruses by long distance PCR (LD PCR) from woody plant tissues is described in detail. The present protocol eliminates partial purification of viral particles and the amplification is achieved in three steps: (i) easy preparation of template RNA by incorporating a pre processing step before loading onto the column (ii) reverse transcription by AMV or Superscript reverse transcriptase and (iii) amplification of cDNA by LD PCR using LA or Protoscript Taq DNA polymerase. Incorporation of a preprocessing step helped to isolate consistent quality RNA from recalcitrant woody tissues such as apple, which was critical for efficient amplification of the complete genomes of Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV). Complete genome of ASGV was cloned under T7 RNA polymerase promoter and was confirmed to be infectious through transcript inoculation producing symptoms similar to the wild type virus. This is the first report for the largest RNA virus genome amplified by PCR from total nucleic acid extracts of woody plant tissues. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Monitoring the apple polyphenol oxidase-modulated adduct formation of phenolic and amino compounds.

PubMed

Reinkensmeier, Annika; Steinbrenner, Katrin; Homann, Thomas; Bußler, Sara; Rohn, Sascha; Rawel, Hashadrai M

2016-03-01

Minimally processed fruit products such as smoothies are increasingly coming into demand. However, they are often combined with dairy ingredients. In this combination, phenolic compounds, polyphenoloxidases, and amino compounds could interact. In this work, a model approach is presented where apple serves as a source for a high polyphenoloxidase activity for modulating the reactions. The polyphenoloxidase activity ranged from 128 to 333nakt/mL in different apple varieties. From these, 'Braeburn' was found to provide the highest enzymatic activity. The formation and stability of resulting chromogenic conjugates was investigated. The results show that such adducts are not stable and possible degradation mechanisms leading to follow-up products formed are proposed. Finally, apple extracts were used to modify proteins and their functional properties characterized. There were retaining antioxidant properties inherent to phenolic compounds after adduct formation. Consequently, such interactions may also be utilized to improve the textural quality of food products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The effect of grinding at various vacuum levels on the color, phenolics, and antioxidant properties of apple.

PubMed

Kim, Ah-Na; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Kerr, William L; Choi, Sung-Gil

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of grinding at different vacuum levels (2.67, 6.67, 13.33, 19.99, and 101.33kPa) on key quality factors of apple. In the control apple, ground at atmospheric pressure of 101.33kPa, the antioxidant activities rapidly decreased within the first 30min, then plateaued thereafter, while enzymatic browning increased. When apples were ground and held under vacuum, changes in color and antioxidant activity were much less, and the least change was measured in samples prepared at the lowest pressure. Model fitting of the data showed that antioxidant activity decreased as a function of the logarithm of the absolute pressure. The results from analysis for key phenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid, procyanidin B2, and epicatechin indicated that these compounds were least changed at vacuum grinding at 2.67kPa, compared to atmospheric grinding. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Extraction and quantitation of coumarin from cinnamon and its effect on enzymatic browning in fresh apple juice: a bioinformatics approach to illuminate its antibrowning activity.

PubMed

Thada, Rajarajeshwari; Chockalingam, Shivashri; Dhandapani, Ramesh Kumar; Panchamoorthy, Rajasekar

2013-06-05

Enzymatic browning by polyphenoloxidase (PPO) affects food quality and taste in fruits and vegetables. Thus, the study was designed to reduce browning in apple juice by coumarin. The ethanolic extract of cinnamon was prepared and its coumarin content was quantitated by HPLC, using authentic coumarin (AC) as standard. The effect of cinnamon extract (CE) and AC on enzymatic browning, its time dependent effects, and the specific activity of PPO and peroxidase (POD) were studied in apple juice. The docking of coumarin with PPO and POD was also performed to elucidate its antibrowning mechanism. The CE (73%) and AC (82%) showed better reduction in browning, maintained its antibrowning effect at all time points, and significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the specific activity of PPO and POD when compared with controls. Coumarin showed strong interaction with binding pockets of PPO and POD, suggesting its potential use as inhibitor to enzyme mediated browning in apple juice.
MdHY5 positively regulates cold tolerance via CBF-dependent and CBF-independent pathways in apple.

PubMed

An, Jian-Ping; Yao, Ji-Fang; Wang, Xiao-Na; You, Chun-Xiang; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Hao, Yu-Jin

2017-11-01

Cold stress is a major external stimulator that affects crop quality and productivity. The CBF cold regulatory pathway has been regarded as a master regulator in the response to cold stress. In this study, we found that the apple bZIP transcription factor, MdHY5, was responsive to cold treatment both at the transcriptional and at the post-translational levels. Moreover, overexpression of MdHY5 enhanced cold tolerance in apple calli and Arabidopsis. Subsequently, EMSA assay and transient expression assay demonstrated that MdHY5 positively regulated the transcript of MdCBF1 by binding to G-Box motif of its promoter. Furthermore, MdHY5 also regulated the expression of CBF-independent cold-regulated genes. Taken together, our data suggest that MdHY5 positively modulates plant cold tolerance through CBF-dependent and CBF-independent pathways, providing a deeper understanding of MdHY5-regulated cold tolerance in apple. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Comparison of Cultivable Acetic Acid Bacterial Microbiota in Organic and Conventional Apple Cider Vinegar

PubMed Central

Štornik, Aleksandra; Skok, Barbara

2016-01-01

Summary Organic apple cider vinegar is produced from apples that go through very restricted treatment in orchard. During the first stage of the process, the sugars from apples are fermented by yeasts to cider. The produced ethanol is used as a substrate by acetic acid bacteria in a second separated bioprocess. In both, the organic and conventional apple cider vinegars the ethanol oxidation to acetic acid is initiated by native microbiota that survived alcohol fermentation. We compared the cultivable acetic acid bacterial microbiota in the production of organic and conventional apple cider vinegars from a smoothly running oxidation cycle of a submerged industrial process. In this way we isolated and characterized 96 bacteria from organic and 72 bacteria from conventional apple cider vinegar. Using the restriction analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S−23S rRNA gene ITS regions, we identified four different HaeIII and five different HpaII restriction profiles for bacterial isolates from organic apple cider vinegar. Each type of restriction profile was further analyzed by sequence analysis of the 16S−23S rRNA gene ITS regions, resulting in identification of the following species: Acetobacter pasteurianus (71.90%), Acetobacter ghanensis (12.50%), Komagataeibacter oboediens (9.35%) and Komagataeibacter saccharivorans (6.25%). Using the same analytical approach in conventional apple cider vinegar, we identified only two different HaeIII and two different HpaII restriction profiles of the 16S‒23S rRNA gene ITS regions, which belong to the species Acetobacter pasteurianus (66.70%) and Komagataeibacter oboediens (33.30%). Yeasts that are able to resist 30 g/L of acetic acid were isolated from the acetic acid production phase and further identified by sequence analysis of the ITS1−5.8S rDNA‒ITS2 region as Candida ethanolica, Pichia membranifaciens and Saccharomycodes ludwigii. This study has shown for the first time that the bacterial microbiota for the industrial production of organic apple cider vinegar is clearly more heterogeneous than the bacterial microbiota for the industrial production of conventional apple cider vinegar. Further chemical analysis should reveal if a difference in microbiota composition influences the quality of different types of apple cider vinegar. PMID:27904401

Influence of prefermentary clarification on the composition of apple musts.

PubMed

Hubert, Bertrand; Baron, Alain; Le Quere, Jean-Michel; Renard, Catherine M G C

2007-06-27

The polyphenol contents and colors of cider apple juices were compared before (NCM, not clarified must) and after five clarification treatments: enzymatic depectinization by pectinases followed by (i) sedimentation (depectinized and decanted juice), (ii) tangential microfiltration (microfiltered juice) or (iii) fining using gelatin (gelatin-treated juice); (iv) enzymatic gelification of pectin by pectin methylesterase followed by natural keeving by a cider manufacturer (producer keeved juice), or (v) flotation (floated with nitrogen gas juice). The pressing of the apples led to the highly selective extraction of the flavan-3-ols with the lowest molecular weights: In the apples, the number average degree of polymerization of the flavanols was 14.7, and it dropped to 2.2 in the NCM. Keeving had the highest impact on the reduction of both flavanol content and number average degree of polymerization. The flavanol concentrations were decreased in the permeate by fining (30%) much more than by depectinization. The clarification step led to a further decrease of the number average degree of polymerization. Hydroxycinnamic acids were less affected by the extraction process (with extraction yields >50%) and not affected by clarification. The color evolved with all treatments: L*, a*, b*, and chromaticity distance index measures indicated a reduction of orange-yellow saturation except after sedimentation.
Apple juice clarification by immobilized pectolytic enzymes in packed or fluidized bed reactors.

PubMed

Diano, Nadia; Grimaldi, Tiziana; Bianco, Mariangela; Rossi, Sergio; Gabrovska, Katya; Yordanova, Galya; Godjevargova, Tzonka; Grano, Valentina; Nicolucci, Carla; Mita, Luigi; Bencivenga, Umberto; Canciglia, Paolo; Mita, Damiano G

2008-12-10

The catalytic behavior of a mixture of pectic enzymes, covalently immobilized on different supports (glass microspheres, nylon 6/6 pellets, and PAN beads), was analyzed with a pectin aqueous solution that simulates apple juice. The following parameters were investigated: the rate constant at which pectin hydrolysis is conducted, the time (tau(50)) in which the reduction of 50% of the initial viscosity is reached, and the time (tau(comp,dep)) required to obtain complete depectinization. The best catalytic system was proven to be PAN beads, and their pH and temperature behavior were determined. The yields of two bed reactors, packed or fluidized, using the catalytic PAN beads, were compared to the circulation flow rate of real apple juice. The experimental conditions were as follows: pH 4.0, T = 50 degrees C, and beads volume = 20 cm(3). The initial pectin concentration was the one that was present in our apple juice sample. No differences were observed at low circulation rates, while at higher recirculation rates, the time required to obtain complete pectin hydrolysis into the fluidized reactor was found to be 0.25 times smaller than in the packed bed reactor: 131 min for the packed reactors and 41 min for the fluidized reactors.
Analysis of volatile organic compounds of ‘Fuji’ apples following electron beam irradiation and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hyun-Pa; Shim, Sung-Lye; Lee, Sun-Im; Kim, Dong-Ho; Kwon, Joong-Ho; Kim, Kyong-Su

2012-08-01

The volatile organic compounds of non-irradiated and electron-beam irradiated 'Fuji' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) at 0, 0.5, and 1 kGy were isolated through simultaneous distillation extractions and analyzed using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. A total of 53 volatile organic compounds were characterized in 0 and 1 kGy irradiated samples, whereas two more compounds related to ketone and terpenoid group were identified in 0.5 kGy irradiated samples. The contents of volatile compounds were 24.33, 36.49, and 35.28 mg/kg in 0, 0.5, and 1 kGy irradiated samples, respectively. The major compounds identified were butanol, hexanal, [E]-2-hexenal, and hexanol in all samples. The relative content of alcohol increased after 30 days of storage in all samples, whereas that of aldehyde decreased. Although the contents of some volatile compounds were changed by electron-beam irradiation, the total yield and major flavor compounds of irradiated 'Fuji' apples were similar to, or even greater than, those of the control. Therefore, the application of e-beam irradiation if required for microbial decontamination of 'Fuji' apples is an acceptable method as it does not bring about any major quantitative changes of volatile organic compounds.
Effects of PLA Film Incorporated with ZnO Nanoparticle on the Quality Attributes of Fresh-Cut Apple.

PubMed

Li, Wenhui; Li, Lin; Cao, Yun; Lan, Tianqing; Chen, Haiyan; Qin, Yuyue

2017-07-31

A novel nanopackaging film was synthesized by incorporating ZnO nanoparticles into a poly-lactic acid (PLA) matrix, and its effect on the quality of fresh-cut apple during the period of preservation was investigated at 4 ± 1 °C for 14 days. Six wt % cinnamaldehyde was added into the nano-blend film. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed a rougher cross-section of the nano-blend films and an X-ray diffraction (XRD) was carried out to determine the structure of the ZnO nanoparticles. Compared to the pure PLA film, the nano-blend film had a higher water vapor permeability (WVP) and lower oxygen permeability. With the increase of the nanoparticles (NPs) in the PLA, the elongation at break (ε) and elastic modulus (EM) increased, while tensile strength (TS) decreased. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) presented a relatively good thermostability. Most importantly, the physical and biochemical properties of the fresh-cut apple were also measured, such as weight loss, firmness, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), total phenolic content, browning index (BI), sensory quality, and microbiological level. The results indicated that nano-blend packaging films had the highest weight loss at the end of storage compared to the pure PLA film; however, nanopackaging provided a better retention of firmness, total phenolic countent, color, and sensory quality. It also had a remarkable inhibition on the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, Nano-ZnO active packaging could be used to improve the shelf-life of fresh-cut produce.
Effects of PLA Film Incorporated with ZnO Nanoparticle on the Quality Attributes of Fresh-Cut Apple

PubMed Central

Li, Lin; Cao, Yun; Lan, Tianqing; Chen, Haiyan

2017-01-01

A novel nanopackaging film was synthesized by incorporating ZnO nanoparticles into a poly-lactic acid (PLA) matrix, and its effect on the quality of fresh-cut apple during the period of preservation was investigated at 4 ± 1 °C for 14 days. Six wt % cinnamaldehyde was added into the nano-blend film. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed a rougher cross-section of the nano-blend films and an X-ray diffraction (XRD) was carried out to determine the structure of the ZnO nanoparticles. Compared to the pure PLA film, the nano-blend film had a higher water vapor permeability (WVP) and lower oxygen permeability. With the increase of the nanoparticles (NPs) in the PLA, the elongation at break (ε) and elastic modulus (EM) increased, while tensile strength (TS) decreased. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) presented a relatively good thermostability. Most importantly, the physical and biochemical properties of the fresh-cut apple were also measured, such as weight loss, firmness, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), total phenolic content, browning index (BI), sensory quality, and microbiological level. The results indicated that nano-blend packaging films had the highest weight loss at the end of storage compared to the pure PLA film; however, nanopackaging provided a better retention of firmness, total phenolic countent, color, and sensory quality. It also had a remarkable inhibition on the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, Nano-ZnO active packaging could be used to improve the shelf-life of fresh-cut produce. PMID:28758980
Patulin reduction in apple juice by inactivated Alicyclobacillus spp.

PubMed

Yuan, Y; Wang, X; Hatab, S; Wang, Z; Wang, Y; Luo, Y; Yue, T

2014-12-01

This study aimed to investigate the reduction of patulin (PAT) in apple juice by 12 inactivated Alicyclobacillus strains. The reduction rate of PAT by each strain was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results indicated that the removal of PAT was strain specific. Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris 92 and A. acidoterrestris 96 were the most effective ones among the 12 tested strains in the removal of PAT. Therefore, these two strains were selected to study the effects of incubation time, initial PAT concentration and bacteria powder amount on PAT removal abilities of Alicyclobacillus. The highest PAT reduction rates of 88·8 and 81·6% were achieved after 24-h incubation with initial PAT concentration of 100 μg l(-1) and bacteria powder amount of 40 g l(-1) , respectively. Moreover, it was found that the treatment by these 12 inactivated Alicyclobacillus strains had no negative effect on the quality parameters of apple juice. Similar assays were performed in supermarket apple juice, where inactivated Alicyclobacillus cells could efficiently reduce PAT content. Taken together, these data suggest the possible application of this strategy as a means to detoxify PAT-contaminated juices. Inactivated Alicyclobacillus cells can efficiently reduce patulin concentration in apple juice. It provides a theoretical foundation for recycling of Alicyclobacillus cells from spoiled apple juice to reduce the source of pollution and the cost of juice industry. This is the first report on the use of Alicyclobacillus to remove patulin from apple juice. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Quality of frozen fruit bars manufactured through infrared pre-dehydration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, frozen restructured whole apple and strawberry bars were manufactured by partial dehydration, using infrared (IR) heating, followed by restructuring and freezing. The objective of this investigation was to determine the effect of IR partial dehydration on the quality of restructured f...
Changes in the taste and textural attributes of apples in response to climate change

PubMed Central

Sugiura, Toshihiko; Ogawa, Hidekazu; Fukuda, Noriaki; Moriguchi, Takaya

2013-01-01

The effects of climate change on the taste and textural attributes of foods remain largely unknown, despite much public interest. On the basis of 30–40 years of records, we provide evidence that the taste and textural attributes of apples have changed as a result of recent global warming. Decreases in both acid concentration, fruit firmness and watercore development were observed regardless of the maturity index used for harvest date (e.g., calendar date, number of days after full bloom, peel colour and starch concentration), whereas in some cases the soluble-solids concentration increased; all such changes may have resulted from earlier blooming and higher temperatures during the maturation period. These results suggest that the qualities of apples in the market are undergoing long-term changes. PMID:23948740
Effects of crop load on distribution and utilization of 13C and 15N and fruit quality for dwarf apple trees.

PubMed

Ding, Ning; Chen, Qian; Zhu, Zhanling; Peng, Ling; Ge, Shunfeng; Jiang, Yuanmao

2017-10-26

In order to define the effects of fruit crop load on the distribution and utilization of carbon and nitrogen in dwarf apple trees, we conducted three crop load levels (High-crop load, 6 fruits per trunk cross-sectional area (cm 2 , TCA)), Medium-crop load (4 fruits cm -2 TCA), Low-crop load (2 fruits cm -2 TCA)) in 2014 and 2015. The results indicated that the 15 N derived from fertilizer (Ndff) values of fruits decreased with the reduction of crop load, but the Ndff values of annual branches, leaves and roots increased. The plant 15 N-urea utilization rates on Medium and Low-crop load were 1.12-1.35 times higher than the High-crop load. With the reduction of crop load, the distribution rate of 13 C and 15 N in fruits was gradually reduced, but in contrast, the distribution of 13 C and 15 N gradually increased in annual branches, leaves and roots. Compared with High-crop load, the Medium and Low-crop load significantly improved fruit quality p < 0.05. Hence, controlling fruit load effectively regulated the distribution of carbon and nitrogen in plants, improved the nitrogen utilization rate and fruit quality. The appropriate crop load level for mature M.26 interstocks apple orchards was deemed to be 4.0 fruits cm -2 TCA.
A sampling approach for predicting the eating quality of apples using visible-near infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Martínez Vega, Mabel V; Sharifzadeh, Sara; Wulfsohn, Dvoralai; Skov, Thomas; Clemmensen, Line Harder; Toldam-Andersen, Torben B

2013-12-01

Visible-near infrared spectroscopy remains a method of increasing interest as a fast alternative for the evaluation of fruit quality. The success of the method is assumed to be achieved by using large sets of samples to produce robust calibration models. In this study we used representative samples of an early and a late season apple cultivar to evaluate model robustness (in terms of prediction ability and error) on the soluble solids content (SSC) and acidity prediction, in the wavelength range 400-1100 nm. A total of 196 middle-early season and 219 late season apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) cvs 'Aroma' and 'Holsteiner Cox' samples were used to construct spectral models for SSC and acidity. Partial least squares (PLS), ridge regression (RR) and elastic net (EN) models were used to build prediction models. Furthermore, we compared three sub-sample arrangements for forming training and test sets ('smooth fractionator', by date of measurement after harvest and random). Using the 'smooth fractionator' sampling method, fewer spectral bands (26) and elastic net resulted in improved performance for SSC models of 'Aroma' apples, with a coefficient of variation CVSSC = 13%. The model showed consistently low errors and bias (PLS/EN: R(2) cal = 0.60/0.60; SEC = 0.88/0.88°Brix; Biascal = 0.00/0.00; R(2) val = 0.33/0.44; SEP = 1.14/1.03; Biasval = 0.04/0.03). However, the prediction acidity and for SSC (CV = 5%) of the late cultivar 'Holsteiner Cox' produced inferior results as compared with 'Aroma'. It was possible to construct local SSC and acidity calibration models for early season apple cultivars with CVs of SSC and acidity around 10%. The overall model performance of these data sets also depend on the proper selection of training and test sets. The 'smooth fractionator' protocol provided an objective method for obtaining training and test sets that capture the existing variability of the fruit samples for construction of visible-NIR prediction models. The implication is that by using such 'efficient' sampling methods for obtaining an initial sample of fruit that represents the variability of the population and for sub-sampling to form training and test sets it should be possible to use relatively small sample sizes to develop spectral predictions of fruit quality. Using feature selection and elastic net appears to improve the SSC model performance in terms of R(2), RMSECV and RMSEP for 'Aroma' apples. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.
A blinded assessment of video quality in wearable technology for telementoring in open surgery: the Google Glass experience.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Daniel A; Phitayakorn, Roy; Fernandez-del Castillo, Carlos; Meireles, Ozanan

2016-01-01

The goal of telementoring is to recreate face-to-face encounters with a digital presence. Open-surgery telementoring is limited by lack of surgeon's point-of-view cameras. Google Glass is a wearable computer that looks like a pair of glasses but is equipped with wireless connectivity, a camera, and viewing screen for video conferencing. This study aimed to assess the safety of using Google Glass by assessing the video quality of a telementoring session. Thirty-four (n = 34) surgeons at a single institution were surveyed and blindly compared via video captured with Google Glass versus an Apple iPhone 5 during the open cholecystectomy portion of a Whipple. Surgeons were asked to evaluate the quality of the video and its adequacy for safe use in telementoring. Thirty-four of 107 invited surgical attendings (32%) responded to the anonymous survey. A total of 50% rated the Google Glass video as fair with the other 50% rating it as bad to poor. A total of 52.9% of respondents rated the Apple iPhone video as good. A significantly greater proportion of respondents felt Google Glass video quality was inadequate for telementoring versus the Apple iPhone's (82.4 vs 26.5%, p < 0.0001). Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.924 (95% CI 0.660-0.999, p < 0.001). While Google Glass provides a great breadth of functionality as a wearable device with two-way communication capabilities, current hardware limitations prevent its use as a telementoring device in surgery as the video quality is inadequate for safe telementoring. As the device is still in initial phases of development, future iterations or competitor devices may provide a better telementoring application for wearable devices.
A noninvasive technique for real-time detection of bruises in apple surface based on machine vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Juan; Peng, Yankun; Dhakal, Sagar; Zhang, Leilei; Sasao, Akira

2013-05-01

Apple is one of the highly consumed fruit item in daily life. However, due to its high damage potential and massive influence on taste and export, the quality of apple has to be detected before it reaches the consumer's hand. This study was aimed to develop a hardware and software unit for real-time detection of apple bruises based on machine vision technology. The hardware unit consisted of a light shield installed two monochrome cameras at different angles, LED light source to illuminate the sample, and sensors at the entrance of box to signal the positioning of sample. Graphical Users Interface (GUI) was developed in VS2010 platform to control the overall hardware and display the image processing result. The hardware-software system was developed to acquire the images of 3 samples from each camera and display the image processing result in real time basis. An image processing algorithm was developed in Opencv and C++ platform. The software is able to control the hardware system to classify the apple into two grades based on presence/absence of surface bruises with the size of 5mm. The experimental result is promising and the system with further modification can be applicable for industrial production in near future.
Phenolic composition and free radical scavenging activity of different apple varieties in relation to the cultivar, tissue type and storage.

PubMed

Carbone, K; Giannini, B; Picchi, V; Lo Scalzo, R; Cecchini, F

2011-07-15

The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of genotype, tissue type and cold storage on the bioactive compounds content and on the antiradical activity (AA) of different apple cultivars (Golden cl. B, Fuji cl. Kiku8, Braeburn cl. Hillwell). The content of analysed phyto-compounds depended on the clone, on the part of fruit, and to a minor extent, on the storage. For EC(50) data, the cultivar represented the main source of variation and the interaction with the type of tissue, was significant. The AA of apples, measured by means of the DPPH test, was highly correlated to the flavan-3-ols content, which represents a good predictor of the apple antiradical power. The new Braeburn's clone, the Hillwell, had the worst AA related to a minor phyto-chemical content. Also, its phenolic content was dramatically reduced after cold storage (flesh: -50%; peels: -20%; p<0.05). Obtained results underlined the key role of the genotype on the content of the nutraceutical power of apples, which is important to improve their quality and consumption benefits, suggesting to the breeders to pay more attention to the potential healthy compounds in the development of new hybrids. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Physico-Chemical Characterization, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Malay Apple [Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry

PubMed Central

Nunes, Polyana Campos; Aquino, Jailane de Souza; Rockenbach, Ismael Ivan; Stamford, Tânia Lúcia Montenegro

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physico-chemical characteristics, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Malay apple fruit (Syzygium malaccense) grown in Brazil with regard to the geographical origin and its peel fractions and edible portion analyzed independently. Fruit diameter, weight, yield, and centesimal composition, ascorbic acid, reductive sugars, total soluble solids, pH and fiber content were determined. Total phenolics (1293 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g) and total anthocyanins (1045 mg/100 g) contents were higher in the peel, with the major anthocyanin identified using HPLC-DAD-MS/MS as cyanidin 3-glucoside. Higher values for DPPH antiradical scavenging activity (47.52 μMol trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity/g) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP, 0.19 mM ferreous sulfate/g) were also observed in the peel fraction. All extracts tested showed the ability to inhibit oxidation in the β-carotene/linoleic acid system. This study highlights the potential of Malay apple fruit as a good source of antioxidant compounds with potential benefits to human health. PMID:27352306
Application of a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Cold Plasma (Dbd-Acp) for Eshcerichia Coli Inactivation in Apple Juice.

PubMed

Liao, Xinyu; Li, Jiao; Muhammad, Aliyu Idris; Suo, Yuanjie; Chen, Shiguo; Ye, Xingqian; Liu, Donghong; Ding, Tian

2018-02-01

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a promising non-thermal technology in food industry. In this study, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)-ACP exhibited strong bactericidal effect on Escherichia coli in apple juice. Under a 30 to 50 W input power, less than 40 s treatment time was required for DBD-ACP to result in 3.98 to 4.34 log CFU/mL reduction of E. coli in apple juice. The inactivation behavior of ACP on E. coli was well described by the Weibull model. During the treatment, the cell membrane of E. coli was damaged severely by active species produced by plasma, such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone and nitrate. In addition, the ACP exposure had slight effect on the °Brix, pH, titratable acidity (TA), color values, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity of apple juice. However, higher level of DBD-ACP treatment, 50 W for more than 10 s in this case, resulted in significant change of the pH, TA, color and total phenolic content of apple juice. The results in this study have provided insight in potential use of DBD-ACP as an alternative to thermal processing for fruit juices in food industry. Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple juice is a potential risk for public health. This study demonstrated that 30 s cold plasma treatment resulted in more than 4 log CFU/mL reduction under 50 W, while the quality attributes of apple juice were not significantly affected. Therefore, cold plasma technology is a promising alternative substitute of traditional thermal processing for juice pasteurization. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.
Quality stability and sensory attributes of apple juice processed by thermosonication, pulsed electric field and thermal processing.

PubMed

Sulaiman, Alifdalino; Farid, Mohammed; Silva, Filipa Vm

2017-04-01

Worldwide, apple juice is the second most popular juice, after orange juice. It is susceptible to enzymatic browning spoilage by polyphenoloxidase, an endogenous enzyme. In this study, Royal Gala apple juice was treated by thermosonication (TS: 1.3 W/mL, 58 ℃, 10 min), pulsed electric field (PEF: 24.8 kV/cm, 60 pulses, 169 µs treatment time, 53.8 ℃) and heat (75 ℃, 20 min) and stored at 3.0 ℃ and 20.0 ℃ for 30 days. A sensory analysis was carried out after processing. The polyphenoloxidase activity, antioxidant activity and total color difference of the apple juice were determined before and after processing and during storage. The sensory analysis revealed that thermosonication and pulsed electric field juices tasted differently from the thermally treated juice. Apart from the pulsed electric field apple juice stored at room temperature, the processed juice was stable during storage, since the pH and soluble solids remained constant and fermentation was not observed. Polyphenoloxidase did not reactivate during storage. Along storage, the juices' antioxidant activity decreased and total color difference increased (up to 6.8). While the antioxidant activity increased from 86 to 103% with thermosonication and was retained after pulsed electric field, thermal processing reduced it to 67%. The processing increased the total color difference slightly. No differences in the total color difference of the juices processed by the three methods were registered after storage. Thermosonication and pulsed electric field could possibly be a better alternative to thermal preservation of apple juice, but refrigerated storage is recommended for pulsed electric field apple juice.
Apple Fruit Diameter and Length Estimation by Using the Thermal and Sunshine Hours Approach and Its Application to the Digital Orchard Management Information System

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yong; Fu, Chunxia; Xing, Bin; Li, Wenyong; Qian, Jianping; Li, Sha; Wang, Hui; Fan, Xiaodan; Yan, Yujing; Wang, Yan’an; Yang, Xinting

2015-01-01

In apple cultivation, simulation models may be used to monitor fruit size during the growth and development process to predict production levels and to optimize fruit quality. Here, Fuji apples cultivated in spindle-type systems were used as the model crop. Apple size was measured during the growing period at an interval of about 20 days after full bloom, with three weather stations being used to collect orchard temperature and solar radiation data at different sites. Furthermore, a 2-year dataset (2011 and 2012) of apple fruit size measurements were integrated according to the weather station deployment sites, in addition to the top two most important environment factors, thermal and sunshine hours, into the model. The apple fruit diameter and length were simulated using physiological development time (PDT), an indicator that combines important environment factors, such as temperature and photoperiod, as the driving variable. Compared to the model of calendar-based development time (CDT), an indicator counting the days that elapse after full bloom, we confirmed that the PDT model improved the estimation accuracy to within 0.2 cm for fruit diameter and 0.1 cm for fruit length in independent years using a similar data collection method in 2013. The PDT model was implemented to realize a web-based management information system for a digital orchard, and the digital system had been applied in Shandong Province, China since 2013. This system may be used to compute the dynamic curve of apple fruit size based on data obtained from a nearby weather station. This system may provide an important decision support for farmers using the website and short message service to optimize crop production and, hence, economic benefit. PMID:25831065
Apple fruit diameter and length estimation by using the thermal and sunshine hours approach and its application to the digital orchard management information system.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Chen, Meixiang; Zhang, Yong; Fu, Chunxia; Xing, Bin; Li, Wenyong; Qian, Jianping; Li, Sha; Wang, Hui; Fan, Xiaodan; Yan, Yujing; Wang, Yan'an; Yang, Xinting

2015-01-01

In apple cultivation, simulation models may be used to monitor fruit size during the growth and development process to predict production levels and to optimize fruit quality. Here, Fuji apples cultivated in spindle-type systems were used as the model crop. Apple size was measured during the growing period at an interval of about 20 days after full bloom, with three weather stations being used to collect orchard temperature and solar radiation data at different sites. Furthermore, a 2-year dataset (2011 and 2012) of apple fruit size measurements were integrated according to the weather station deployment sites, in addition to the top two most important environment factors, thermal and sunshine hours, into the model. The apple fruit diameter and length were simulated using physiological development time (PDT), an indicator that combines important environment factors, such as temperature and photoperiod, as the driving variable. Compared to the model of calendar-based development time (CDT), an indicator counting the days that elapse after full bloom, we confirmed that the PDT model improved the estimation accuracy to within 0.2 cm for fruit diameter and 0.1 cm for fruit length in independent years using a similar data collection method in 2013. The PDT model was implemented to realize a web-based management information system for a digital orchard, and the digital system had been applied in Shandong Province, China since 2013. This system may be used to compute the dynamic curve of apple fruit size based on data obtained from a nearby weather station. This system may provide an important decision support for farmers using the website and short message service to optimize crop production and, hence, economic benefit.
[Soil moisture variation under different water and fertilization managements in apple orchard of Weibei dryland, China].

PubMed

Zhao, Zhi Yuan; Zheng, Wei; Liu, Jie; Ma, Peng Yi; Li, Zi Yan; Zhai, Bing Nian; Wang, Zhao Hui

2018-04-01

To evaluate the variations of soil moisture under different water and fertilizer treatments in apple orchard in the Weibei dryland, a field experiment was carried out in 2013-2016 at Tianjiawa Village, Baishui County, Shaanxi Province. There were three treatments, i.e., farmers traditional model (only addition of NPK chemical fertilizer, FM), extension model (swine manure and NPK chemical fertilizer combined with black plastic film in tree row space, EM), and optimized model (swine manure and NPK chemical fertilizer combined with black plastic film in tree row space and planting rape in the inter-row of apple trees, OM). The results showed that OM treatment significantly increased soil water storage capacity in 0-200 cm soil layer. Water content of 0-100 cm soil layer was increased by 5.6% and 15.3% in the dry season compared with FM and EM treatment, respectively. Moreover, the soil water relative deficit index of OM was lower than that of EM in 200-300 cm soil layer. The rainfall infiltration in the dry year could reach 300 cm depth under OM. Meanwhile, OM stabilized soil water content and efficiently alleviated the desiccation in deep soil layer. Compared with FM and EM, the 4-year average yield of OM was increased by 36.6% and 22.5%, respectively. In summary, OM could increase water use efficiency through increasing the contents of available soil water and improving the soil water condition in shallow and deep layers, which help alleviate the soil deficit in deep layer and increase yield.
Sensory profiling and consumer acceptability of new dark cocoa bars containing Tuscan autochthonous food products.

PubMed

Cantini, Claudio; Salusti, Patrizia; Romi, Marco; Francini, Alessandra; Sebastiani, Luca

2018-03-01

A new set of cocoa bars named Toscolata ® were developed containing top-quality extra virgin olive oil, dried apples cultivars, and chestnut flour. The present work has been conducted to define the sensory profile of these products through tasting by trained experts and consumers to study the acceptability, preference, and quality perception. The four sensorial profiles of the bars differed in the level of persistence, bitterness, aromaticity, acidity, astringency, and tastiness. In particular, the sour attribute could be traced to the presence of dried apple. Bars containing apple and chestnut flour obtained higher acceptance ratings, compared to those with extra virgin olive oil. The bar with chestnut flour was preferred by consumers who considered it to be sweeter due to the presence of natural sugars, which lowered the bitter sensation of cocoa. These results showed that the selection of the preferred bar by consumers was mainly based on the level of bitterness and, in particular, elderly consumers expressed a strong preference for the sweetest product. As far as we know, this is the first study comparing the results of a panel of expert tasters with that of consumers in the tasting of dark chocolate.

Reduction of patulin in apple cider by UV radiation.

PubMed

Dong, Qingfang; Manns, David C; Feng, Guoping; Yue, Tianli; Churey, John J; Worobo, Randy W

2010-01-01

The presence of the mycotoxin patulin in processed apple juice and cider presents a continual challenge to the food industry as both consumer health and product quality issues. Although several methods for control and/or elimination of patulin have been proposed, no unifying method has been commercially successful for reducing patulin burdens while maintaining product quality. In the present study, exposure to germicidal UV radiation was evaluated as a possible commercially viable alternative for the reduction and possible elimination of the patulin mycotoxin in fresh apple cider. UV exposure of 14.2 to 99.4 mJ/cm(2) resulted in a significant and nearly linear decrease in patulin levels while producing no quantifiable changes in the chemical composition (i.e., pH, Brix, and total acids) or organoleptic properties of the cider. For the range of UV doses tested, patulin levels decreased by 9.4 to 43.4%; the greatest reduction was achieved after less than 15 s of UV exposure. The method of UV radiation (the CiderSure 3500 system) is an easily implemented, high-throughput, and cost-effective method that offers simultaneous UV pasteurization of cider and juice products and reduction and/or elimination of patulin without unwanted alterations in the final product.
Bio-speckle assessment of bruising in fruits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajuelo, M.; Baldwin, G.; Rabal, H.; Cap, N.; Arizaga, R.; Trivi, M.

2003-07-01

The dynamic speckle patterns or bio-speckle is a phenomenon produced by laser illumination of active materials, such as a biological tissue. Fruits, even hard peel ones, show a speckle activity that can be related to maturity, turgor, damage, aging, and mechanical properties. In this case, we suggest a bio-speckle technique as a potential methodology for the study of impact on apples and the analysis of bruises produced by them. The aim is to correlate physical properties of apples with quality factors using a non-contact and non-invasive technique.
Assessment of bruising in fruits using dynamic speckle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajuelo, Myriam; Baldwin-Olguin, Guillermo; Rabal, Hector J.; Arizaga, Ricardo A.; Trivi, Marcelo

2001-08-01

When a rough surface changes, its optical properties change also and the scattered light shows intensity fluctuations named dynamic speckle. Fruits, even hard peel ones, shows a speckle activity that can be related to maturity, turgor, damage, aging, and mechanical properties. Many techniques have been sued to study these properties, most of them destructive ones. We present an application of dynamical speckle to the study of impact on apples and the analysis of bruises produced by them. The aim is to correlate physical properties of apples with quality factors.
L-lactic acid production from apple pomace by sequential hydrolysis and fermentation.

PubMed

Gullón, Beatriz; Yáñez, Remedios; Alonso, José Luis; Parajó, J C

2008-01-01

The potential of apple pomace (a solid waste from cider and apple juice making factories) as a source of sugars and other compounds for fermentation was evaluated. The effect of the cellulase-to-solid ratio (CSR) and the liquor-to-solid ratio (LSR) on the kinetics of glucose and total monosaccharide generation was studied. Mathematical models suitable for reproducing and predicting the hydrolyzate composition were developed. When samples of apple pomace were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, the glucose and fructose present in the raw material as free monosaccharides were extracted at the beginning of the process. Using low cellulase and cellobiase charges (8.5 FPU/g-solid and 8.5 IU/g-solid, respectively), 79% of total glucan was saccharified after 12 h, leading to solutions containing up to 43.8 g monosaccharides/L (glucose, 22.8 g/L; fructose, 14.8 g/L; xylose+mannose+galactose, 2.5 g/L; arabinose+rhamnose, 2.8g/L). These results correspond to a monosaccharide/cellulase ratio of 0.06 g/FPU and to a volumetric productivity of 3.65 g of monosaccharides/L h. Liquors obtained under these conditions were used for fermentative lactic acid production with Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT-288, leading to media containing up to 32.5 g/L of L-lactic acid after 6 h (volumetric productivity=5.41 g/L h, product yield=0.88 g/g).
Transcriptomic events associated with internal browning of apple during postharvest storage.

PubMed

Mellidou, Ifigeneia; Buts, Kim; Hatoum, Darwish; Ho, Quang Tri; Johnston, Jason W; Watkins, Christopher B; Schaffer, Robert J; Gapper, Nigel E; Giovannoni, Jim J; Rudell, David R; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Nicolai, Bart M

2014-11-28

Postharvest ripening of apple (Malus x domestica) can be slowed down by low temperatures, and a combination of low O2 and high CO2 levels. While this maintains the quality of most fruit, occasionally storage disorders such as flesh browning can occur. This study aimed to explore changes in the apple transcriptome associated with a flesh browning disorder related to controlled atmosphere storage using RNA-sequencing techniques. Samples from a browning-susceptible cultivar ('Braeburn') were stored for four months under controlled atmosphere. Based on a visual browning index, the inner and outer cortex of the stored apples was classified as healthy or affected tissue. Over 600 million short single-end reads were mapped onto the Malus consensus coding sequence set, and differences in the expression profiles between healthy and affected tissues were assessed to identify candidate genes associated with internal browning in a tissue-specific manner. Genes involved in lipid metabolism, secondary metabolism, and cell wall modifications were highly modified in the affected inner cortex, while energy-related and stress-related genes were mostly altered in the outer cortex. The expression levels of several of them were confirmed using qRT-PCR. Additionally, a set of novel browning-specific differentially expressed genes, including pyruvate dehydrogenase and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase, was validated in apples stored for various periods at different controlled atmosphere conditions, giving rise to potential biomarkers associated with high risk of browning development. The gene expression data presented in this study will help elucidate the molecular mechanism of browning development in apples at controlled atmosphere storage. A conceptual model, including energy-related (linked to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the electron transport chain) and lipid-related genes (related to membrane alterations, and fatty acid oxidation), for browning development in apple is proposed, which may be relevant for future studies towards improving the postharvest life of apple.
Efficacy of plant-derived antimicrobials as antimicrobial wash treatments for reducing enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 on apples.

PubMed

Baskaran, Sangeetha Ananda; Upadhyay, Abhinav; Kollanoor-Johny, Anup; Upadhyaya, Indu; Mooyottu, Shankumar; Roshni Amalaradjou, Mary Anne; Schreiber, David; Venkitanarayanan, Kumar

2013-09-01

This study investigated the efficacy of 3 GRAS-status, plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), carvacrol (CR), and β-resorcylic acid (BR) applied as an antimicrobial wash for killing Escherichia coli O157:H7 on apples. "Red delicious" apples inoculated with a 5 strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7 were subjected to washing in sterile deionized water containing 0% PDA (control), 0.15% TC, 0.35% TC, 0.15% CR, 0.30% CR, 0.5% BR, or 1% BR for 1, 3, and 5 min at 23 °C in the presence and absence of 1% soil, and surviving pathogen populations on apples were enumerated at each specified time. All PDAs were more effective in reducing E. coli O157:H7 compared to the water wash treatment (P < 0.05) and reduced the pathogen by 4- to 5-log CFU/apple in 5 min. Chlorine (1%) was the most effective treatment reducing the pathogen on apples to undetectable levels in 1 min (P < 0.05). Moreover, the antimicrobial effect of CR and BR was not affected by the presence of soil, whereas the efficacy of TC and BR was decreased in the presence of soil. Further, no bacteria were detected in the wash solution containing CR and BR; however, E. coli O157:H7 was recovered in the control wash water and treatment solutions containing TC and chlorine, in the presence of 1% soil (P < 0.05). Results suggest that the aforementioned PDAs, especially CR and BR could be used effectively to kill E. coli O157:H7 on apples when used as a wash treatment. Studies on the sensory and quality characteristics of apples treated with PDAs are needed before recommending their usage. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®
Natural Variation Underlies Differences in ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR17 Activity in Fruit Peel Degreening1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Han, Zhenyun; Hu, Yanan; Lv, Yuanda; Sun, Yaqiang; Shen, Fei; Wang, Yi; Zhang, Xinzhong; Xu, Xuefeng

2018-01-01

Through natural or human selection, many fleshy fruits have evolved vivid external or internal coloration, which often develops during ripening. Such developmental changes in color are associated with the biosynthesis of pigments as well as with degreening through chlorophyll degradation. Here, we demonstrated that natural variation in the coding region of the gene ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR17 (ERF17) contributes to apple (Malus domestica) fruit peel degreening. Specifically, ERF17 mutant alleles with different serine (Ser) repeat insertions in the coding region exhibited enhanced transcriptional regulation activity in a dual-luciferase reporter assay when more Ser repeats were present. Notably, surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that the number of Ser repeats affected the binding activity of ERF17 to the promoter sequences of chlorophyll degradation-related genes. In addition, overexpression of ERF17 in evergreen apples altered the accumulation of chlorophyll. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ERF17 has been under selection since the origin of apple tree cultivation. Taken together, these results reveal allelic variation underlying an important fruit quality trait and a molecular genetic mechanism associated with apple domestication. PMID:29431631
Effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma on the inactivation of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii and quality of apple juice.

PubMed

Xiang, Qisen; Liu, Xiufang; Li, Junguang; Liu, Shengnan; Zhang, Hua; Bai, Yanhong

2018-07-15

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on inactivation of spoilage yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii (Z. rouxii), in apple juice. Results showed that DBD plasma treatment at 90 W for 140 s resulted in about 5-log reduction of Z. rouxii in apple juice. The levels of extracellular nucleic acids and proteins as well as contents of H 2 O 2 and NO 2 - in yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) medium increased significantly after DBD plasma treatment at 90 W for 40-200 s. The increases in membrane permeability and generation of reactive species would likely contribute to DBD plasma-mediated inactivation of Z. rouxii. DBD plasma caused significant changes in pH, titratable acidity, and certain color parameters of apple juice, but had no effect on the contents of total soluble solids, reducing sugar, and total phenolics. This study provides key implications for the application of DBD plasma in fruit juice processing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Optimization of pectin extraction and antioxidant activities from Jerusalem artichoke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shengyi; Shi, Xuejie; Xu, Lanlan; Yi, Yuetao

2016-03-01

Jerusalem artichoke is an economic crop widely planted in saline-alkaline soil. The use of Jerusalem artichoke is of great significance. In this study, the response surface method was employed to optimize the effects of processing variables (extraction temperature, pH, extraction time, and liquid-to-solid ratio) on the yield of Jerusalem artichoke pectin. Under the optimal extraction conditions: pH 1.52, 63.62 min, 100°C and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 44.4 mL/g, the maximum pectin yield was predicted to be 18.76%. Experiments were conducted under these optimal conditions and a pectin yield of 18.52±0.90% was obtained, which validated the model prediction. The effects of diff erent drying methods (freeze drying, spray drying and vacuum drying) on the properties of Jerusalem artichoke pectin were evaluated and they were compared with apple pectin. FTIR spectral analysis showed no major structural diff erences in Jerusalem artichoke pectin samples produced by various drying treatments. The antioxidant activities of pectin dried by diff erent methods were investigated using in vitro hydroxyl and DPPH radical scavenging systems. The results revealed that the activities of spray dried pectin (SDP) and apple pectin (AP) were stronger than those of vacuum oven dried pectin (ODP) and vacuum freeze dried pectin (FDP). Therefore compared with the other two drying methods, the spray drying method was the best.
Health service ignores what is known to work.

PubMed

1993-02-03

'Apple pie' marketing statements like 'Meeting Customers' Needs' and 'Putting Quality Services First' have been ridiculed by Professor Alan Maynard, Director of the Centre for Health Economics at York University.
Vacuum frying as a route to produce novel snacks with desired quality attributes according to new health trends.

PubMed

Dueik, V; Bouchon, P

2011-03-01

Consumers look for products that contribute to their wellness and health, however, even health-conscious consumers are not willing to sacrifice organoleptic properties, and intense full-flavor snacks remain an important trend. The objective of this study was to examine most important quality parameters of vacuum (1.92 inHg) and atmospheric-fried carrot, potato, and apple slices to determine specific advantages of vacuum technology. Slices were fried using equivalent thermal driving forces, maintaining a constant difference between oil temperature and the boiling point of water at the working pressure (ΔT = 60 and 80 °C). This resulted in frying temperatures of 160 and 180 °C, and 98 and 118 °C, for atmospheric and vacuum frying, respectively. Vacuum-fried carrot and potato chips absorbed about 50% less oil than atmospheric-fried chips, whereas vacuum-fried apple chips reduced oil absorption by 25%. Total carotenoids and ascorbic acid (AA) were greatly preserved during vacuum frying. Carrot chips vacuum fried at 98 °C retained about 90% of total carotenoids, whereas potato and apple slices vacuum fried at 98 °C, preserved around 95% of their initial AA content. Interestingly, results showed that the antioxidant capacity of chips may be related to both the presence of natural antioxidants and brown pigments developed at elevated temperatures. A way to reduce detrimental effects of deep-fat frying is through operating-pressure reduction, the essence behind vacuum deep-fat frying. In this way, it is possible to remove product moisture at a low temperature in a low-oxygen environment. The objective of this research was to study the effect of oil temperature reduction when vacuum frying traditional (potatoes) and nontraditional products (carrots and apples) on most important quality attributes (vitamins, color, and oil uptake). Results are promising and show that vacuum frying can be an alternative to produce nutritious and novel snacks with desired quality attributes, since vitamins and color were greatly preserved and oil absorption could be substantially reduced.
Information Management of a Structured Admissions Interview Process in a Medical College with an Apple II System

PubMed Central

O'Reilly, Robert; Fedorko, Steve; Nicholson, Nigel

1983-01-01

This paper describes a structured interview process for medical school admissions supported by an Apple II computer system which provides feedback to interviewers and the College admissions committee. Presented are the rationale for the system, the preliminary results of analysis of some of the interview data, and a brief description of the computer program and output. The present data show that the structured interview yields very high interrater reliability coefficients, is acceptable to the medical school faculty, and results in quantitative data useful in the admission process. The system continues in development at this time, a second year of data will be shortly available, and further refinements are being made to the computer program to enhance its utilization and exportability.
Effects of thinned young apple polyphenols on the quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) surimi during cold storage.

PubMed

Sun, Lijun; Sun, Jiaojiao; Thavaraj, Pridhuvi; Yang, Xingbin; Guo, Yurong

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of young apple polyphenols (YAP) on the quality of grass cap surimi (GCS) during storage at 4°C. The addition of YAP into GCS was found to be effective in delaying lipid oxidation, soluble myofibrillar protein (SMP) degradation and changes of L ∗ , a ∗ and b ∗ values of GCS. Chlorogenic acid was screened to be the primary component showing preservative effects. YAP was shown to protect the functional properties of SMP during cold storage, retarding both the decrease in emulsifying activity and stability, and the increase in surface hydrophobicity of SMP. Additionally, the loss of gel strength and texture of GCS with YAP were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of GCS without YAP during cold storage. Therefore, YAP may be developed as a natural antioxidant to maintain the quality and to extend the shelf life of freshwater fish surimi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Utilisation of preharvest dropped apple peels as a flour substitute for a lower glycaemic index and higher fibre cake.

PubMed

Jun, Yujin; Bae, In Young; Lee, Suyong; Lee, Hyeon Gyu

2014-02-01

Fibre-enriched materials (FEMs) obtained from preharvest dropped apple peels were utilised as a source of dietary fibre in baked cakes and their effects on the textural/nutritional qualities and starch digestibility (glucose release behaviour, starch digestion fraction, predicted glycaemic index) of the cakes were evaluated. When FEMs were incorporated into the cake formulation (3 g and 6 g of dietary fibre per serving (100 g)), the volume of the cakes seemed to be reduced and their texture become harder. However, 3 g of FEMs did not degrade the cake qualities. The use of FEMs in cakes significantly reduced the levels of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digestible starch, while the levels of resistant starch increased. Additionally, the cake samples prepared with FEMs exhibited a lower predicted glycaemic index. This study may give rise to multi-functional bakery products with acceptable quality and low glycaemic index.
Efficacy of salicylic acid to reduce Penicillium expansum inoculum and preserve apple fruits.

PubMed

da Rocha Neto, Argus Cezar; Luiz, Caroline; Maraschin, Marcelo; Di Piero, Robson Marcelo

2016-03-16

Apples are among the most commonly consumed fruits worldwide. Blue mold (Penicillium expansum) is one of the major diseases in apples postharvest, leading to wide use of fungicides and the search for alternative products to control the pathogen. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of salicylic acid (SA) as an alternative product to control blue mold and to preserve the physicochemical characteristics of apple fruit postharvest. The antimicrobial effect of SA was determined both in vitro and in situ, by directly exposing conidia to solutions of different concentrations SA or by inoculating the fruit with P. expansum and treating them curatively, eradicatively, or preventively with a 2.5mM SA solution. The physiological effects of SA on fruit were determined by quantifying the weight loss, total soluble solids content, and titratable acidity. In addition, the accumulation of SA in the fruit was determined by HPLC. SA (2.5mM) inhibited 100% of fungal germination in vitro and also controlled blue mold in situ when applied eradicatively. In addition, HPLC analysis demonstrated that SA did not persist in apple fruit. SA also maintained the physicochemical characteristics of fruit of different quality categories. Thus, SA may be an alternative to the commercial fungicides currently used against P. expansum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Impingement drying for preparing dried apple pomace flour and its fortification in bakery and meat products.

PubMed

Jung, Jooyeoun; Cavender, George; Zhao, Yanyun

2015-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate impingement drying (ID) as a rapid drying method to dry wet apple pomace (WAP) and to investigate the fortification of dried apple pomace flour (APF) or WAP in bakery and meat products. ID at ~110 °C reduced the moisture content of apple pomace from 80 % (wet basis) to 4.5 % within 3 h, compared with 24 h to 2.2 % using 40 °C forced-air drying and ~60 h to 2.3 % using freeze drying. Furthermore, ID enhanced the extractable phenolic compounds, allowing for a 58 % increase in total phenolic content (TPC) compared with wet pomace, a 110 % and 83 % higher than TPC in forced-air dried and freeze dried samples, respectively. The 15-20 % APF-fortified cookies were found to be ~44-59 % softer, ~30 % more chewy, and ~14 % moister than those of the control. WAP-fortified meat products had significantly higher dietary fiber content (0.7-1.8 % vs. 0.1-0.2 % in control) and radical scavenging activity than that of the control. These results suggest that impingement drying is a fast and effective method for preparing dried APF with highly retained bioactive compounds, and apple pomace fortified products maintained or even had improved quality.
Estimation of Apple Intake for the Exposure Assessment of Residual Chemicals Using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Database

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The aims of this study were to develop strategies and algorithms of calculating food commodity intake suitable for exposure assessment of residual chemicals by using the food intake database of Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). In this study, apples and their processed food products were chosen as a model food for accurate calculation of food commodity intakes uthrough the recently developed Korea food commodity intake calculation (KFCIC) software. The average daily intakes of total apples in Korea Health Statistics were 29.60 g in 2008, 32.40 g in 2009, 34.30 g in 2010, 28.10 g in 2011, and 24.60 g in 2012. The average daily intakes of apples by KFCIC software was 2.65 g higher than that by Korea Health Statistics. The food intake data in Korea Health Statistics might have less reflected the intake of apples from mixed and processed foods than KFCIC software has. These results can affect outcome of risk assessment for residual chemicals in foods. Therefore, the accurate estimation of the average daily intake of food commodities is very important, and more data for food intakes and recipes have to be applied to improve the quality of data. Nevertheless, this study can contribute to the predictive estimation of exposure to possible residual chemicals and subsequent analysis for their potential risks. PMID:27152299
Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Apple Fruit Ripening and Softening by Suppression Subtractive Hybridization

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zongying; Jiang, Shenghui; Wang, Nan; Li, Min; Ji, Xiaohao; Sun, Shasha; Liu, Jingxuan; Wang, Deyun; Xu, Haifeng; Qi, Sumin; Wu, Shujing; Fei, Zhangjun; Feng, Shouqian; Chen, Xuesen

2015-01-01

Apple is one of the most economically important horticultural fruit crops worldwide. It is critical to gain insights into fruit ripening and softening to improve apple fruit quality and extend shelf life. In this study, forward and reverse suppression subtractive hybridization libraries were generated from ‘Taishanzaoxia’ apple fruits sampled around the ethylene climacteric to isolate ripening- and softening-related genes. A set of 648 unigenes were derived from sequence alignment and cluster assembly of 918 expressed sequence tags. According to gene ontology functional classification, 390 out of 443 unigenes (88%) were assigned to the biological process category, 356 unigenes (80%) were classified in the molecular function category, and 381 unigenes (86%) were allocated to the cellular component category. A total of 26 unigenes differentially expressed during fruit development period were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. These genes were involved in cell wall modification, anthocyanin biosynthesis, aroma production, stress response, metabolism, transcription, or were non-annotated. Some genes associated with cell wall modification, anthocyanin biosynthesis and aroma production were up-regulated and significantly correlated with ethylene production, suggesting that fruit texture, coloration and aroma may be regulated by ethylene in ‘Taishanzaoxia’. Some of the identified unigenes associated with fruit ripening and softening have not been characterized in public databases. The results contribute to an improved characterization of changes in gene expression during apple fruit ripening and softening. PMID:26719904
Development of a real-time PCR assay for Penicillium expansum quantification and patulin estimation in apples.

PubMed

Tannous, Joanna; Atoui, Ali; El Khoury, André; Kantar, Sally; Chdid, Nader; Oswald, Isabelle P; Puel, Olivier; Lteif, Roger

2015-09-01

Due to the occurrence and spread of the fungal contaminants in food and the difficulties to remove their resulting mycotoxins, rapid and accurate methods are needed for early detection of these mycotoxigenic fungi. The polymerase chain reaction and the real time PCR have been widely used for this purpose. Apples are suitable substrates for fungal colonization mostly caused by Penicillium expansum, which produces the mycotoxin patulin during fruit infection. This study describes the development of a real-time PCR assay incorporating an internal amplification control (IAC) to specifically detect and quantify P. expansum. A specific primer pair was designed from the patF gene, involved in patulin biosynthesis. The selected primer set showed a high specificity for P. expansum and was successfully employed in a standardized real-time PCR for the direct quantification of this fungus in apples. Using the developed system, twenty eight apples were analyzed for their DNA content. Apples were also analyzed for patulin content by HPLC. Interestingly, a positive correlation (R(2) = 0.701) was found between P. expansum DNA content and patulin concentration. This work offers an alternative to conventional methods of patulin quantification and mycological detection of P. expansum and could be very useful for the screening of patulin in fruits through the application of industrial quality control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Generation of organic acids and monosaccharides by hydrolytic and oxidative transformation of food processing residues.

PubMed

Fischer, Klaus; Bipp, Hans-Peter

2005-05-01

Carbohydrate-rich biomass residues, i.e. sugar beet molasses, whey powder, wine yeast, potato peel sludge, spent hops, malt dust and apple marc, were tested as starting materials for the generation of marketable chemicals, e.g. aliphatic acids, sugar acids and mono-/disaccharides. Residues were oxidized or hydrolyzed under acidic or alkaline conditions applying conventional laboratory digestion methods and microwave assisted techniques. Yields and compositions of the oxidation products differed according to the oxidizing agent used. Main products of oxidation by 30% HNO(3) were acetic, glucaric, oxalic and glycolic acids. Applying H(2)O(2)/CuO in alkaline solution, the organic acid yields were remarkably lower with formic, acetic and threonic acids as main products. Gluconic acid was formed instead of glucaric acid throughout. Reaction of a 10% H(2)O(2) solution with sugar beet molasses generated formic and lactic acids mainly. Na(2)S(2)O(8) solutions were very inefficient at oxidizing the residues. Glucose, arabinose and galactose were formed during acidic hydrolysis of malt dust and apple marc. The glucose content reached 0.35 g per gram of residue. Important advantages of the microwave application were lower reaction times and reduced reagent demands.

Hydrolytic pre-treatment methods for enhanced biobutanol production from agro-industrial wastes.

PubMed

Maiti, Sampa; Gallastegui, Gorka; Suresh, Gayatri; Sarma, Saurabh Jyoti; Brar, Satinder Kaur; Drogui, Patrick; LeBihan, Yann; Buelna, Gerardo; Verma, Mausam; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

2018-02-01

Brewery industry liquid waste (BLW), brewery spent grain (BSG), apple pomace solid wastes (APS), apple pomace ultrafiltration sludge (APUS) and starch industry wastewater (SIW) have been considered as substrates to produce biobutanol. Efficiency of hydrolysis techniques tested to produce fermentable sugars depended on nature of agro-industrial wastes and process conditions. Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of BLW and BSG gave a total reducing sugar yield of 0.433 g/g and 0.468 g/g respectively. Reducing sugar yield from microwave assisted hydrothermal method was 0.404 g/g from APS and 0.631 g/g from APUS, and, 0.359 g/g from microwave assisted acid-catalysed SIW dry mass. Parameter optimization (time, pH and substrate concentration) for acid-catalysed BLW hydrolysate utilization using central composite model technique produced 307.9 g/kg glucose with generation of inhibitors (5-hydroxymethyl furfural (20 g/kg), furfural (1.6 g/kg), levulinic acid (9.3 g/kg) and total phenolic compound (0.567 g/kg)). 10.62 g/L of acetone-butanol-ethanol was produced by subsequent clostridial fermentation of the substrate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Syringe-cartridge solid-phase extraction method for patulin in apple juice.

PubMed

Eisele, Thomas A; Gibson, Midori Z

2003-01-01

A syringe-cartridge solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was developed for determination of patulin in apple juice. A 2.5 mL portion of test sample was passed through a conditioned macroporous SPE cartridge and washed with 2 mL 1% sodium bicarbonate followed by 2 mL 1% acetic acid. Patulin was eluted with 1 mL 10% ethyl acetate in ethyl ether and determined by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using a mobile phase consisting of 81% acetonitrile, 9% water, and 10% 0.05M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 2.4. Recoveries averaged 92% and the relative standard deviation was 8.0% in test samples spiked with 50 ng/mL patulin. The method appears to be applicable for monitoring apple juice samples to meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration compliance action level of 50 microg/kg in an industrial quality assurance laboratory environment.
Untargeted NMR Spectroscopic Analysis of the Metabolic Variety of New Apple Cultivars

PubMed Central

Eisenmann, Philipp; Ehlers, Mona; Weinert, Christoph H.; Tzvetkova, Pavleta; Silber, Mara; Rist, Manuela J.; Luy, Burkhard; Muhle-Goll, Claudia

2016-01-01

Metabolome analyses by NMR spectroscopy can be used in quality control by generating unique fingerprints of different species. Hundreds of components and their variation between different samples can be analyzed in a few minutes/hours with high accuracy and low cost of sample preparation. Here, apple peel and pulp extracts of a variety of apple cultivars were studied to assess their suitability to discriminate between the different varieties. The cultivars comprised mainly newly bred varieties or ones that were brought onto the market in recent years. Multivariate analyses of peel and pulp extracts were able to unambiguously identify all cultivars, with peel extracts showing a higher discriminative power. The latter was increased if the highly concentrated sugar metabolites were omitted from the analysis. Whereas sugar concentrations lay within a narrow range, polyphenols, discussed as potential health promoting substances, and acids varied remarkably between the cultivars. PMID:27657148
Untargeted NMR Spectroscopic Analysis of the Metabolic Variety of New Apple Cultivars.

PubMed

Eisenmann, Philipp; Ehlers, Mona; Weinert, Christoph H; Tzvetkova, Pavleta; Silber, Mara; Rist, Manuela J; Luy, Burkhard; Muhle-Goll, Claudia

2016-09-19

Metabolome analyses by NMR spectroscopy can be used in quality control by generating unique fingerprints of different species. Hundreds of components and their variation between different samples can be analyzed in a few minutes/hours with high accuracy and low cost of sample preparation. Here, apple peel and pulp extracts of a variety of apple cultivars were studied to assess their suitability to discriminate between the different varieties. The cultivars comprised mainly newly bred varieties or ones that were brought onto the market in recent years. Multivariate analyses of peel and pulp extracts were able to unambiguously identify all cultivars, with peel extracts showing a higher discriminative power. The latter was increased if the highly concentrated sugar metabolites were omitted from the analysis. Whereas sugar concentrations lay within a narrow range, polyphenols, discussed as potential health promoting substances, and acids varied remarkably between the cultivars.
Increasing Efficiency of Water Use in Agriculture through Management of Soil Water Repellency to Optimize Soil and Water Productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Demie; Kostka, Stan; McMillan, Mica; Gadd, Nick

2010-05-01

Water's ability to infiltrate and disperse in soils, and soil's ability to receive, transport, retain, filter and release water are important factors in the efficient use of water in agriculture. Deteriorating soil conditions, including development of soil water repellency, negatively impact hydrological processes and, consequently, the efficiency of rainfall and irrigation. Soil water repellency is increasingly being identified in diverse soils and cropping systems. Recently research has been conducted on the use of novel soil surfactants (co-formulations of alkyl polyglycoside and block copolymer surfactants) to avoid or overcome soil water repellency and enhance water distribution in soils. Results indicate that this is an effective and affordable approach to maintaining or restoring soil and water productivity in irrigated cropping systems. Results from studies conducted in Australia and the United States to determine how this technology modifies soil hydrological behavior and crop yields will be presented. A range of soils and various crops, including potatoes, corn, apples and grapes, were included. Several rates were compared to controls for effect on soil moisture levels, soil water distribution, and crop yield. An economic analysis was also conducted in some trials. Treatments improved rootzone water status, significantly increased crop yield and quality, and in some cases allowed significant reductions in water requirements. Where assessed, a positive economic return was generated. This technology holds promise as a strategy for increasing efficiency of water use in agriculture.
Genomic selection for fruit quality traits in apple (Malus×domestica Borkh.).

PubMed

Kumar, Satish; Chagné, David; Bink, Marco C A M; Volz, Richard K; Whitworth, Claire; Carlisle, Charmaine

2012-01-01

The genome sequence of apple (Malus×domestica Borkh.) was published more than a year ago, which helped develop an 8K SNP chip to assist in implementing genomic selection (GS). In apple breeding programmes, GS can be used to obtain genomic breeding values (GEBV) for choosing next-generation parents or selections for further testing as potential commercial cultivars at a very early stage. Thus GS has the potential to accelerate breeding efficiency significantly because of decreased generation interval or increased selection intensity. We evaluated the accuracy of GS in a population of 1120 seedlings generated from a factorial mating design of four females and two male parents. All seedlings were genotyped using an Illumina Infinium chip comprising 8,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and were phenotyped for various fruit quality traits. Random-regression best liner unbiased prediction (RR-BLUP) and the Bayesian LASSO method were used to obtain GEBV, and compared using a cross-validation approach for their accuracy to predict unobserved BLUP-BV. Accuracies were very similar for both methods, varying from 0.70 to 0.90 for various fruit quality traits. The selection response per unit time using GS compared with the traditional BLUP-based selection were very high (>100%) especially for low-heritability traits. Genome-wide average estimated linkage disequilibrium (LD) between adjacent SNPs was 0.32, with a relatively slow decay of LD in the long range (r(2) = 0.33 and 0.19 at 100 kb and 1,000 kb respectively), contributing to the higher accuracy of GS. Distribution of estimated SNP effects revealed involvement of large effect genes with likely pleiotropic effects. These results demonstrated that genomic selection is a credible alternative to conventional selection for fruit quality traits.
Comparison of optimal wavelengths selection methods for visible/near-infrared prediction of apple firmness and soluble solids content

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy is now being used for nondestructive quality measurement of fruits and other food products. To implement the technology, it is necessary to develop an effective calibration model relating the acquired spectral data to the quality attribute(s) of inter...
Effects of fresh Aloe vera gel coating on browning alleviation of fresh cut wax apple (Syzygium samarangenese) fruit cv. Taaptimjaan.

PubMed

Supapvanich, S; Mitrsang, P; Srinorkham, P; Boonyaritthongchai, P; Wongs-Aree, C

2016-06-01

The effect of natural coating by using fresh Aloe vera (A. vera) gel alleviating browning of fresh-cut wax apple fruits cv. Taaptimjaan was investigated. The fresh-cut fruits were dipped in fresh A. vera gel at various concentrations of 0, 25, 75 or 100 % (v/v) for 2 min at 4 ± 1 °C for 6 days. Lightness (L*), whiteness index (WI), browning index (BI), total color difference (ΔE*), sensorial quality attributes, total phenolic (TP) content, antioxidant activity and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities were determined. During storage, L* and WI of the fresh-cut fruits surface decreased whilst their BI and ΔE* increased. A. vera coating maintained the L* and WI and delayed the increase in BI and ΔE*, especially at 75 % A. vera dip. The fresh-cut fruits dipped in 75 % A. vera had the lowest browning score, the highest acceptance score and delayed the increase in TP content and PPO activity. However POD activity was induced by A. vera coating. Antioxidant activity had no effect on browning incidence of the fresh-cut fruits. Consequently, A. vera gel coating could maintain quality and retarded browning of fresh-cut wax apple fruits during storage.
[Temperature compensation for portable Vis/NIR spectrometer measurement of apple fruit soluble solids contents].

PubMed

Wang, Jia-hua; Qi, Shu-ye; Tang, Zhi-hui; Jia, Shou-xing; Li, Yong-yu

2012-05-01

Visible (Vis)/near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been used successfully to measure soluble solids content (SSC) in fruit. However, for practical implementation, the NIR technique needs to be able to compensate for fruit temperature fluctuations, as it was observed that the sample temperature affects the NIR spectrum. A portable Vis/NIR spectrometer was used to collect diffused transmittance spectra of apples at different temperatures (0-30 degrees C). The spectral data of apple at 20 degrees C was used to develop a norm partial least squares (PLS) model. Slope/bias technique was found to well suits to control the accuracy of the calibration model for SSC concerning temperature fluctuations. The correctional PLS models were used to predict the SSC of apple at 0, 10 and 30 degrees C, respectively. The correctional method was found to perform well with Q values of 0.810, 0.822 and 0.802, respectively. When no precautions are taken, the Q value on the SSC may be as small as 0.525-0.680. The results obtained highlight the potential of portable Vis/NIR instruments for assessing internal quality of fruits on site under varying weather conditions.
Transcriptomic signatures in seeds of apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh) during fruitlet abscission.

PubMed

Ferrero, Sergio; Carretero-Paulet, Lorenzo; Mendes, Marta Adelina; Botton, Alessandro; Eccher, Giulia; Masiero, Simona; Colombo, Lucia

2015-01-01

Abscission is the regulated process of detachment of an organ from a plant. In apple the abscission of fruits occurs during their early development to control the fruit load depending on the nutritional state of the plant. In order to control production and obtain fruits with optimal market qualities, the horticultural procedure of thinning is performed to further reduce the number of fruitlets. In this study we have conducted a transcriptomic profiling of seeds from two different types of fruitlets, according to size and position in the fruit cluster. Transcriptomic profiles of central and lateral fruit seeds were obtained by RNAseq. Comparative analysis was performed by the functional categorization of differentially expressed genes by means of Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of the apple genome. Our results revealed the overexpression of genes involved in responses to stress, hormone biosynthesis and also the response and/or transport of auxin and ethylene. A smaller set of genes, mainly related to ion transport and homeostasis, were found to be down-regulated. The transcriptome characterization described in this manuscript contributes to unravelling the molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in the physiological abscission of apple fruits and suggests a role for seeds in this process.
Transcriptomic Signatures in Seeds of Apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh) during Fruitlet Abscission

PubMed Central

Ferrero, Sergio; Carretero-Paulet, Lorenzo; Mendes, Marta Adelina; Botton, Alessandro; Eccher, Giulia; Masiero, Simona; Colombo, Lucia

2015-01-01

Abscission is the regulated process of detachment of an organ from a plant. In apple the abscission of fruits occurs during their early development to control the fruit load depending on the nutritional state of the plant. In order to control production and obtain fruits with optimal market qualities, the horticultural procedure of thinning is performed to further reduce the number of fruitlets. In this study we have conducted a transcriptomic profiling of seeds from two different types of fruitlets, according to size and position in the fruit cluster. Transcriptomic profiles of central and lateral fruit seeds were obtained by RNAseq. Comparative analysis was performed by the functional categorization of differentially expressed genes by means of Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of the apple genome. Our results revealed the overexpression of genes involved in responses to stress, hormone biosynthesis and also the response and/or transport of auxin and ethylene. A smaller set of genes, mainly related to ion transport and homeostasis, were found to be down-regulated. The transcriptome characterization described in this manuscript contributes to unravelling the molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in the physiological abscission of apple fruits and suggests a role for seeds in this process. PMID:25781174
Moving toward integrated value-based planning: The issues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chamberlin, J.H.; Braithwait, C.L.

1988-07-01

Integrated Value-Based Planning (IVP) is a promising new planning approach that uses value, as well as cost, as the common denominator for evaluating supply and demand resource options. Planning based on value yields an ''apples to apples'' comparison of utility and customer options. The IVP approach can form the cornerstone of a successful market-driven utility planning strategy. This conference will raise questions, discuss issues, and further the exchange of information regarding the tools, concepts, and techniques needed to put IVP into the utility planner's toolbox. This proceedings is more than a compendium of papers. It is designed to let bothmore » participants and non-participants exchange information. To this end, listings and cross-listings of papers, speakers and participant interest areas, along with the ever-invaluable phone number have been included.« less
Use of homologous and heterologous gene expression profiling tools to characterize transcription dynamics during apple fruit maturation and ripening.

PubMed

Costa, Fabrizio; Alba, Rob; Schouten, Henk; Soglio, Valeria; Gianfranceschi, Luca; Serra, Sara; Musacchi, Stefano; Sansavini, Silviero; Costa, Guglielmo; Fei, Zhangjun; Giovannoni, James

2010-10-25

Fruit development, maturation and ripening consists of a complex series of biochemical and physiological changes that in climacteric fruits, including apple and tomato, are coordinated by the gaseous hormone ethylene. These changes lead to final fruit quality and understanding of the functional machinery underlying these processes is of both biological and practical importance. To date many reports have been made on the analysis of gene expression in apple. In this study we focused our investigation on the role of ethylene during apple maturation, specifically comparing transcriptomics of normal ripening with changes resulting from application of the hormone receptor competitor 1-methylcyclopropene. To gain insight into the molecular process regulating ripening in apple, and to compare to tomato (model species for ripening studies), we utilized both homologous and heterologous (tomato) microarray to profile transcriptome dynamics of genes involved in fruit development and ripening, emphasizing those which are ethylene regulated.The use of both types of microarrays facilitated transcriptome comparison between apple and tomato (for the later using data previously published and available at the TED: tomato expression database) and highlighted genes conserved during ripening of both species, which in turn represent a foundation for further comparative genomic studies. The cross-species analysis had the secondary aim of examining the efficiency of heterologous (specifically tomato) microarray hybridization for candidate gene identification as related to the ripening process. The resulting transcriptomics data revealed coordinated gene expression during fruit ripening of a subset of ripening-related and ethylene responsive genes, further facilitating the analysis of ethylene response during fruit maturation and ripening. Our combined strategy based on microarray hybridization enabled transcriptome characterization during normal climacteric apple ripening, as well as definition of ethylene-dependent transcriptome changes. Comparison with tomato fruit maturation and ethylene responsive transcriptome activity facilitated identification of putative conserved orthologous ripening-related genes, which serve as an initial set of candidates for assessing conservation of gene activity across genomes of fruit bearing plant species.
Ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3, an aquaporin gene, increased fruit size and enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic tomatoes.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Li, Qing-Tian; Lei, Qiong; Feng, Chao; Zheng, Xiaodong; Zhou, Fangfang; Li, Lingzi; Liu, Xuan; Wang, Zhi; Kong, Jin

2017-12-19

Water deficit severely reduces apple growth and production, is detrimental to fruit quality and size. This problem is exacerbated as global warming is implicated in producing more severe drought stress. Thus water-efficiency has becomes the major target for apple breeding. A desired apple tree can absorb and transport water efficiently, which not only confers improved drought tolerance, but also guarantees fruit size for higher income returns. Aquaporins, as water channels, control water transportation across membranes and can regulate water flow by changing their amount and activity. The exploration of molecular mechanism of water efficiency and the gene wealth will pave a way for molecular breeding of drought tolerant apple tree. In the current study, we screened out a drought inducible aquaporin gene MdPIP1;3, which specifically enhanced its expression during fruit expansion in 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Red Fuji). It localized on plasma membranes and belonged to PIP1 subfamily. The tolerance to drought stress enhanced in transgenic tomato plants ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3, showing that the rate of losing water in isolated transgenic leaves was slower than wild type, and stomata of transgenic plants closed sensitively to respond to drought compared with wild type. Besides, length and diameter of transgenic tomato fruits increased faster than wild type, and in final, fruit sizes and fresh weights of transgenic tomatoes were bigger than wild type. Specially, in cell levels, fruit cell size from transgenic tomatoes was larger than wild type, showing that cell number per mm 2 in transgenic fruits was less than wild type. Altogether, ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3 enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic tomatoes partially via reduced water loss controlled by stomata closure in leaves. In addition, the transgenic tomato fruits are larger and heavier with larger cells via more efficient water transportation across membranes. Our research will contribute to apple production, by engineering apples with big fruits via efficient water transportation when well watered and enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic apples under water deficit.
Functional genomics reveals that a compact terpene synthase gene family can account for terpene volatile production in apple.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuizen, Niels J; Green, Sol A; Chen, Xiuyin; Bailleul, Estelle J D; Matich, Adam J; Wang, Mindy Y; Atkinson, Ross G

2013-02-01

Terpenes are specialized plant metabolites that act as attractants to pollinators and as defensive compounds against pathogens and herbivores, but they also play an important role in determining the quality of horticultural food products. We show that the genome of cultivated apple (Malus domestica) contains 55 putative terpene synthase (TPS) genes, of which only 10 are predicted to be functional. This low number of predicted functional TPS genes compared with other plant species was supported by the identification of only eight potentially functional TPS enzymes in apple 'Royal Gala' expressed sequence tag databases, including the previously characterized apple (E,E)-α-farnesene synthase. In planta functional characterization of these TPS enzymes showed that they could account for the majority of terpene volatiles produced in cv Royal Gala, including the sesquiterpenes germacrene-D and (E)-β-caryophyllene, the monoterpenes linalool and α-pinene, and the homoterpene (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene. Relative expression analysis of the TPS genes indicated that floral and vegetative tissues were the primary sites of terpene production in cv Royal Gala. However, production of cv Royal Gala floral-specific terpenes and TPS genes was observed in the fruit of some heritage apple cultivars. Our results suggest that the apple TPS gene family has been shaped by a combination of ancestral and more recent genome-wide duplication events. The relatively small number of functional enzymes suggests that the remaining terpenes produced in floral and vegetative and fruit tissues are maintained under a positive selective pressure, while the small number of terpenes found in the fruit of modern cultivars may be related to commercial breeding strategies.
Investigation of optimum ohmic heating conditions for inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in apple juice.

PubMed

Park, Il-Kyu; Ha, Jae-Won; Kang, Dong-Hyun

2017-05-19

Control of foodborne pathogens is an important issue for the fruit juice industry and ohmic heating treatment has been considered as one of the promising antimicrobial interventions. However, to date, evaluation of the relationship between inactivation of foodborne pathogens and system performance efficiency based on differing soluble solids content of apple juice during ohmic heating treatment has not been well studied. This study aims to investigate effective voltage gradients of an ohmic heating system and corresponding sugar concentrations (°Brix) of apple juice for inactivating major foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes) while maintaining higher system performance efficiency. Voltage gradients of 30, 40, 50, and 60 V/cm were applied to 72, 48, 36, 24, and 18 °Brix apple juices. At all voltage levels, the lowest heating rate was observed in 72 °Brix apple juice and a similar pattern of temperature increase was shown in18-48 °Brix juice samples. System performance coefficients (SPC) under two treatment conditions (30 V/cm in 36 °Brix or 60 V/cm in 48 °Brix juice) were relatively greater than for other combinations. Meanwhile, 5-log reductions of the three foodborne pathogens were achieved after treatment for 60 s in 36 °Brix at 30 V/cm, but this same reduction was observed in 48 °Brix juice at 60 V/cm within 20 s without affecting product quality. With respect to both bactericidal efficiency and SPC values, 60 V/cm in 48 °Brix was the most effective ohmic heating treatment combination for decontaminating apple juice concentrates.
Functional Genomics Reveals That a Compact Terpene Synthase Gene Family Can Account for Terpene Volatile Production in Apple1[W

PubMed Central

Nieuwenhuizen, Niels J.; Green, Sol A.; Chen, Xiuyin; Bailleul, Estelle J.D.; Matich, Adam J.; Wang, Mindy Y.; Atkinson, Ross G.

2013-01-01

Terpenes are specialized plant metabolites that act as attractants to pollinators and as defensive compounds against pathogens and herbivores, but they also play an important role in determining the quality of horticultural food products. We show that the genome of cultivated apple (Malus domestica) contains 55 putative terpene synthase (TPS) genes, of which only 10 are predicted to be functional. This low number of predicted functional TPS genes compared with other plant species was supported by the identification of only eight potentially functional TPS enzymes in apple ‘Royal Gala’ expressed sequence tag databases, including the previously characterized apple (E,E)-α-farnesene synthase. In planta functional characterization of these TPS enzymes showed that they could account for the majority of terpene volatiles produced in cv Royal Gala, including the sesquiterpenes germacrene-D and (E)-β-caryophyllene, the monoterpenes linalool and α-pinene, and the homoterpene (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene. Relative expression analysis of the TPS genes indicated that floral and vegetative tissues were the primary sites of terpene production in cv Royal Gala. However, production of cv Royal Gala floral-specific terpenes and TPS genes was observed in the fruit of some heritage apple cultivars. Our results suggest that the apple TPS gene family has been shaped by a combination of ancestral and more recent genome-wide duplication events. The relatively small number of functional enzymes suggests that the remaining terpenes produced in floral and vegetative and fruit tissues are maintained under a positive selective pressure, while the small number of terpenes found in the fruit of modern cultivars may be related to commercial breeding strategies. PMID:23256150
Spatial and compositional variation in the fungal communities of organic and conventionally grown apple fruit at the consumer point-of-purchase

PubMed Central

Abdelfattah, Ahmed; Wisniewski, Michael; Droby, Samir; Schena, Leonardo

2016-01-01

The fungal diversity in harvested apples from organic or conventional management practices was analyzed in different fruit locations (stem end, calyx end, peel, and wounded flesh) shortly after fruit purchase (T1) and after 2 weeks of storage (T5). A total of 5,760,162 high-quality fungal sequences were recovered and assigned to 8,504 Operational Taxonomic Units. Members of the phylum Ascomycota were dominant in all samples and accounted for 91.6% of the total number of detected sequences. This was followed by Basidiomycota (8%), Chytridiomycota (0.1%), and unidentified fungi (0.3%). Alpha and beta diversity analyses revealed the presence of significantly different fungal populations in the investigated fruit parts. Among detected fungi, the genus Penicillium prevailed in the peel and in the wounded flesh while Alternaria spp. prevailed in the calyx and stem end samples that included apple core tissues. Several taxonomic units that appear to be closely related to pathogenic fungi associated with secondary human infections were present in peel and wounds. Moreover, significantly different populations were revealed in organic and conventional apples and this result was consistent in all investigated fruit parts (calyx end, peel, stem end, and wounded flesh). Several unique taxa were exclusively detected in organic apples suggesting that management practices may have been a contributing factor in determining the taxa present. In contrast, little differences were revealed in the two assessment times (T1 and T5). Results of the present study represent an advancement of the current knowledge on the fungal microbiota in collected fruit tissues of apple. PMID:27766161
Spatial and compositional variation in the fungal communities of organic and conventionally grown apple fruit at the consumer point-of-purchase.

PubMed

Abdelfattah, Ahmed; Wisniewski, Michael; Droby, Samir; Schena, Leonardo

2016-01-01

The fungal diversity in harvested apples from organic or conventional management practices was analyzed in different fruit locations (stem end, calyx end, peel, and wounded flesh) shortly after fruit purchase (T1) and after 2 weeks of storage (T5). A total of 5,760,162 high-quality fungal sequences were recovered and assigned to 8,504 Operational Taxonomic Units. Members of the phylum Ascomycota were dominant in all samples and accounted for 91.6% of the total number of detected sequences. This was followed by Basidiomycota (8%), Chytridiomycota (0.1%), and unidentified fungi (0.3%). Alpha and beta diversity analyses revealed the presence of significantly different fungal populations in the investigated fruit parts. Among detected fungi, the genus Penicillium prevailed in the peel and in the wounded flesh while Alternaria spp. prevailed in the calyx and stem end samples that included apple core tissues. Several taxonomic units that appear to be closely related to pathogenic fungi associated with secondary human infections were present in peel and wounds. Moreover, significantly different populations were revealed in organic and conventional apples and this result was consistent in all investigated fruit parts (calyx end, peel, stem end, and wounded flesh). Several unique taxa were exclusively detected in organic apples suggesting that management practices may have been a contributing factor in determining the taxa present. In contrast, little differences were revealed in the two assessment times (T1 and T5). Results of the present study represent an advancement of the current knowledge on the fungal microbiota in collected fruit tissues of apple.
Effect of postharvest spray of apple polyphenols on the quality of fresh-cut red pitaya fruit during shelf life.

PubMed

Fan, Panhui; Huber, Donald J; Su, Zihan; Hu, Meijiao; Gao, Zhaoyin; Li, Min; Shi, Xuequn; Zhang, Zhengke

2018-03-15

Fresh-cut (FC) red pitaya fruit were treated with 5ga.i.l -1 apple polyphenols (APP) and then stored at 20°C for up to 4days to evaluate the effects on attributes. Results showed that FC pitaya fruit with APP treatment showed greater colour retention, delayed softening, reduced loss of soluble solids content, titratable acidity, betacyanin and total phenolics compared with untreated FC fruit. APP treatment also maintained antioxidant activity, as indicated by higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity and reducing power compared with untreated FC pitaya fruit. APP treatment strongly suppressed microbial growth, contributing to improvement of product safety. Because APP is a natural product, we propose that application of APP could be a convenient, safe and low-cost approach to maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of FC red pitaya fruit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation preservation and test marketing of fruits and vegetables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhicheng, Xu; Dong, Cai; Fuying, He; Deyao, Zhao

1993-07-01

To develop the technology for radiation preservation of fruits and vegetables, many varieties of fruits and vegetables had been researched. Results showed that the low dose irradiation is useful to preservation of fruits and vegetables. On the besis of research, 1900 tons garlic, 950 tons onion, 500 tons potatoes, 710 tons apples and 1000 kg litchi had been irradiated in commercial scale. The quality control standards of irradiated garlic, onion and potato had been established and used for commercial scale irradiation. In order to collect consumers in store response to irradiated foods, a special counter was set up for selling irradiated apples in Nan Jing Road (W), Shanghai. 634 sheets of consumer in-store respense investigation forms have been returned and analysed. These results showed that when consumer understands the benefit of irradiation preservation such as higher quality, greater safety, longer shelf-live, wide product availability, or good prices for value, consumer would willingly buy irradiated food.
Effects of ozone treatment on Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in relation to horticultural product quality.

PubMed

Sharpe, Deana; Fan, Lihua; McRae, Ken; Walker, Brad; MacKay, Ron; Doucette, Craig

2009-08-01

Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum are fungal pathogens that cause the decay of many fruits and vegetables. Ozone may be used as an antimicrobial agent to control the decay. The effect of gaseous ozone on spore viability of B. cinerea and mycelial growth of B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum were investigated. Spore viability of B. cinerea was reduced by over 99.5% (P < 0.01) and height of the aerial mycelium was reduced from 4.7 mm in the control to less than 1 mm after exposure to 450 or 600 ppb ozone for 48 h at 20 degrees C. Sporulation of B. cinerea was also substantially inhibited by ozone treatments. However, ozone had no significant effect on mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum in vitro. Decay and quality parameters including color, chlorophyll fluorescence (CF), and ozone injury were further assessed for various horticultural commodities (apple, grape, highbush blueberry, and carrot) treated with 450 ppb of ozone for 48 h at 20 degrees C over a period of 12 d. Lesion size and height of the aerial mycelium were significantly reduced by the ozone treatment on carrots inoculated with mycelial agar plugs of B. cinerea or S. sclerotiorum. Lesion size was also reduced on treated apples inoculated with 5 x 10(6) spores/mL of B. cinerea, and decay incidence of treated grapes was reduced. The 450 ppb ozone for 48 h treatment had no significant effect on color of carrots and apples or on CF of apples and grapes. Ozone, an environmentally sound antimicrobial agent, inactivates microorganisms through oxidization and residual ozone spontaneously decomposes to nontoxic products. It may be applied to fruits and vegetables to reduce decay and extend shelf life.
Impact of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal) in Mid-Atlantic tree fruit orchards in the United States: case studies of commercial management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Four commercial orchards in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States were surveyed weekly in 2010 and 2011 for the presence of brown marmorated stink bug and the injury caused to both apple and peaches. Among tested sampling techniques, baited pyramid traps yielded the most brown marmorated sti...
Combination of hot water and rachis removal as an alternative to chemical treatment for maintaining the quality of table grapes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Decay and rachis browning are major problems that limit the shelf life of fresh table grapes (Vitis vinifera cv. Crismons seedless) and are often controlled by application of sulfur dioxide (SO2) to maintain quality. However, sulphite residues pose a health risk for allergic individuals and SO2 appl...
Radiological interpretation of images displayed on tablet computers: a systematic review.

PubMed

Caffery, L J; Armfield, N R; Smith, A C

2015-06-01

To review the published evidence and to determine if radiological diagnostic accuracy is compromised when images are displayed on a tablet computer and thereby inform practice on using tablet computers for radiological interpretation by on-call radiologists. We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies on the diagnostic accuracy or diagnostic reliability of images interpreted on tablet computers. Studies were screened for inclusion based on pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were assessed for quality and risk of bias using Quality Appraisal of Diagnostic Reliability Studies or the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Treatment of studies was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. 10 of these studies tested the Apple iPad(®) (Apple, Cupertino, CA). The included studies reported high sensitivity (84-98%), specificity (74-100%) and accuracy rates (98-100%) for radiological diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference in accuracy between a tablet computer and a digital imaging and communication in medicine-calibrated control display. There was a near complete consensus from authors on the non-inferiority of diagnostic accuracy of images displayed on a tablet computer. All of the included studies were judged to be at risk of bias. Our findings suggest that the diagnostic accuracy of radiological interpretation is not compromised by using a tablet computer. This result is only relevant to the Apple iPad and to the modalities of CT, MRI and plain radiography. The iPad may be appropriate for an on-call radiologist to use for radiological interpretation.
[Effects of different nitrogen application rates on 15N-urea absorption, utilization, loss and fruit yield and quality of dwarf apple].

PubMed

Chen, Qian; Ding, Ning; Peng, Ling; Ge, Shun Feng; Jiang, Yuan Mao

2017-07-18

Seven-year-old 'Yanfu3'/M 26 /M. hupehensis Rehd. seedlings and 15 N trace technique were used to explore the characteristics of 15 N-urea absorption, utilization, loss and fruit yield and quality under different nitrogen application rates (N 100 , N 200 and N 300 ). The main results were as follows: the plant growth, 15 N absorption, utilization and loss differed significantly under different treatments. The plant leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value), photosynthetic rate (P n ), total N content of leaves and the biomass, as well as the root-shoot ratio of N 200 treatment were obviously higher than the N 100 and N 300 treatments. Significant differences were observed in the 15 N derived from fertilizer (Ndff value) of different organs under different nitrogen application rates. The Ndff of fruits (flowers), leaves, one-year-old branch, and perennial branches in each measurement period was N 100 >N 200 ＞N 300 , while that of the roots at full-bloom and spring shoot growing slowly stage was N 100 >N 200 ＞N 300 , and in a trend of N 200 >N 100 ＞N 300 at autumn shoot growing stage, fruit rapid-swel-ling stage and fruit maturity stage. At fruit maturity stage, plant 15 N nitrogen utilization ratio of N 200 treatment was 23.6%, which was obviously higher than the N 100 (16.3%) and N 300 (14.4%) treatments, with the 15 N loss rate of 56.4%, obviously lower than the N 100 (60.6%) and N 300 (66.1%) treatments. There were significant differences among the treatments in fruit mass, yield per plant, soluble solid, fruit firmness, soluble sugar, titratable acids and sugar-acid ratio of different nitrogen rates, and the N 200 treatment showed the best performance, followed by the N 300 treatment, and then the N 100 treatment.
Evaluation of browning ratio in an image analysis of apple slices at different stages of instant controlled pressure drop-assisted hot-air drying (AD-DIC).

PubMed

Gao, Kun; Zhou, Linyan; Bi, Jinfeng; Yi, Jianyong; Wu, Xinye; Zhou, Mo; Wang, Xueyuan; Liu, Xuan

2017-06-01

Computer vision-based image analysis systems are widely used in food processing to evaluate quality changes. They are able to objectively measure the surface colour of various products since, providing some obvious advantages with their objectivity and quantitative capabilities. In this study, a computer vision-based image analysis system was used to investigate the colour changes of apple slices dried by instant controlled pressure drop-assisted hot air drying (AD-DIC). The CIE L* value and polyphenol oxidase activity in apple slices decreased during the entire drying process, whereas other colour indexes, including CIE a*, b*, ΔE and C* values, increased. The browning ratio calculated by image analysis increased during the drying process, and a sharp increment was observed for the DIC process. The change in 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and fluorescent compounds (FIC) showed the same trend with browning ratio due to Maillard reaction. Moreover, the concentrations of 5-HMF and FIC both had a good quadratic correlation (R 2 > 0.998) with the browning ratio. Browning ratio was a reliable indicator of 5-HMF and FIC changes in apple slices during drying. The image analysis system could be used to monitor colour changes, 5-HMF and FIC in dehydrated apple slices during the AD-DIC process. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
A multidisciplinary approach providing new insight into fruit flesh browning physiology in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.).

PubMed

Di Guardo, Mario; Tadiello, Alice; Farneti, Brian; Lorenz, Giorgia; Masuero, Domenico; Vrhovsek, Urska; Costa, Guglielmo; Velasco, Riccardo; Costa, Fabrizio

2013-01-01

In terms of the quality of minimally processed fruit, flesh browning is fundamentally important in the development of an aesthetically unpleasant appearance, with consequent off-flavours. The development of browning depends on the enzymatic action of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In the 'Golden Delicious' apple genome ten PPO genes were initially identified and located on three main chromosomes (2, 5 and 10). Of these genes, one element in particular, here called Md-PPO, located on chromosome 10, was further investigated and genetically mapped in two apple progenies ('Fuji x Pink Lady' and 'Golden Delicious x Braeburn'). Both linkage maps, made up of 481 and 608 markers respectively, were then employed to find QTL regions associated with fruit flesh browning, allowing the detection of 25 QTLs related to several browning parameters. These were distributed over six linkage groups with LOD values spanning from 3.08 to 4.99 and showed a rate of phenotypic variance from 26.1 to 38.6%. Anchoring of these intervals to the apple genome led to the identification of several genes involved in polyphenol synthesis and cell wall metabolism. Finally, the expression profile of two specific candidate genes, up and downstream of the polyphenolic pathway, namely phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), provided insight into flesh browning physiology. Md-PPO was further analyzed and two haplotypes were characterised and associated with fruit flesh browning in apple.
Signaling Pathways Mediating the Induction of Apple Fruitlet Abscission1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Botton, Alessandro; Eccher, Giulia; Forcato, Claudio; Ferrarini, Alberto; Begheldo, Maura; Zermiani, Monica; Moscatello, Stefano; Battistelli, Alberto; Velasco, Riccardo; Ruperti, Benedetto; Ramina, Angelo

2011-01-01

Apple (Malus × domestica) represents an interesting model tree crop for studying fruit abscission. The physiological fruitlet drop occurring in this species can be easily magnified by using thinning chemicals, such as benzyladenine (BA), to obtain fruits with improved quality and marketability. Despite the economic importance of this process, the molecular determinants of apple fruitlet abscission are still unknown. In this research, BA was used to obtain fruitlet populations with different abscission potentials to be analyzed by means of a newly released 30K oligonucleotide microarray. RNAs were extracted from cortex and seed of apple fruitlets sampled over a 4-d time course, during which BA triggers fruit drop, and used for microarray hybridization. Transcriptomic profiles of persisting and abscising fruitlets were tested for statistical association with abscission potential, allowing us to identify molecular signatures strictly related to fruit destiny. A hypothetical model for apple fruitlet abscission was obtained by putting together available transcriptomic and metabolomic data. According to this model, BA treatment would establish a nutritional stress within the tree that is primarily perceived by the fruitlet cortex whose growth is blocked by resembling the ovary growth inhibition found in other species. In weaker fruits, this stress is soon visible also at the seed level, likely transduced via reactive oxygen species/sugar and hormones signaling cross talk, and followed by a block of embryogenesis and the consequent activation of the abscission zone. PMID:21037112
A Multidisciplinary Approach Providing New Insight into Fruit Flesh Browning Physiology in Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.)

PubMed Central

Farneti, Brian; Lorenz, Giorgia; Masuero, Domenico; Vrhovsek, Urska; Costa, Guglielmo; Velasco, Riccardo; Costa, Fabrizio

2013-01-01

In terms of the quality of minimally processed fruit, flesh browning is fundamentally important in the development of an aesthetically unpleasant appearance, with consequent off-flavours. The development of browning depends on the enzymatic action of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In the ‘Golden Delicious’ apple genome ten PPO genes were initially identified and located on three main chromosomes (2, 5 and 10). Of these genes, one element in particular, here called Md-PPO, located on chromosome 10, was further investigated and genetically mapped in two apple progenies (‘Fuji x Pink Lady’ and ‘Golden Delicious x Braeburn’). Both linkage maps, made up of 481 and 608 markers respectively, were then employed to find QTL regions associated with fruit flesh browning, allowing the detection of 25 QTLs related to several browning parameters. These were distributed over six linkage groups with LOD values spanning from 3.08 to 4.99 and showed a rate of phenotypic variance from 26.1 to 38.6%. Anchoring of these intervals to the apple genome led to the identification of several genes involved in polyphenol synthesis and cell wall metabolism. Finally, the expression profile of two specific candidate genes, up and downstream of the polyphenolic pathway, namely phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), provided insight into flesh browning physiology. Md-PPO was further analyzed and two haplotypes were characterised and associated with fruit flesh browning in apple. PMID:24205065
Near infrared spectrometric technique for testing fruit quality: optimisation of regression models using genetic algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isingizwe Nturambirwe, J. Frédéric; Perold, Willem J.; Opara, Umezuruike L.

2016-02-01

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has gained extensive use in quality evaluation. It is arguably one of the most advanced spectroscopic tools in non-destructive quality testing of food stuff, from measurement to data analysis and interpretation. NIR spectral data are interpreted through means often involving multivariate statistical analysis, sometimes associated with optimisation techniques for model improvement. The objective of this research was to explore the extent to which genetic algorithms (GA) can be used to enhance model development, for predicting fruit quality. Apple fruits were used, and NIR spectra in the range from 12000 to 4000 cm-1 were acquired on both bruised and healthy tissues, with different degrees of mechanical damage. GAs were used in combination with partial least squares regression methods to develop bruise severity prediction models, and compared to PLS models developed using the full NIR spectrum. A classification model was developed, which clearly separated bruised from unbruised apple tissue. GAs helped improve prediction models by over 10%, in comparison with full spectrum-based models, as evaluated in terms of error of prediction (Root Mean Square Error of Cross-validation). PLS models to predict internal quality, such as sugar content and acidity were developed and compared to the versions optimized by genetic algorithm. Overall, the results highlighted the potential use of GA method to improve speed and accuracy of fruit quality prediction.
Use of a tissue sectioner to expose internal structures of biological samples for scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Brown, M F; Brotzman, H G; Kinden, D A

1976-09-01

A procedure yielding sections of unembedded biological samples for observation by scanning electron microscopy is described. Sections of samples, fixed and hardened in OsO4, were obtained in quantity with a tissue sectioner. Subsequent treatments to osmium-coat cut surfaces were employed prior to critical point drying. The procedure yields cleanly cut surfaces through cells and cytoplasmic organelles which are retained in their normal position. Sections of apple leaf and mouse kidney are illustrated. Sections can be readily cut in a desired plane with less structural damage than is typically encountered by other sectioning or dissection techniques.
Fermentation of Apple Juice with a Selected Yeast Strain Isolated from the Fermented Foods of Himalayan Regions and Its Organoleptic Properties.

PubMed

Kanwar, S S; Keshani

2016-01-01

Twenty-three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from different fermented foods of Western Himalayas have been studied for strain level and functional diversity in our department. Among these 23 strains, 10 S. cerevisiae strains on the basis of variation in their brewing traits were selected to study their organoleptic effect at gene level by targeting ATF1 gene, which is responsible for ester synthesis during fermentation. Significant variation was observed in ATF1 gene sequences, suggesting differences in aroma and flavor of their brewing products. Apple is a predominant fruit in Himachal Pradesh and apple cider is one of the most popular drinks all around the world hence, it was chosen for sensory evaluation of six selected yeast strains. Organoleptic studies and sensory analysis suggested Sc21 and Sc01 as best indigenous strains for soft and hard cider, respectively, indicating their potential in enriching the local products with enhanced quality.
Fermentation of Apple Juice with a Selected Yeast Strain Isolated from the Fermented Foods of Himalayan Regions and Its Organoleptic Properties

PubMed Central

Kanwar, S. S.; Keshani

2016-01-01

Twenty-three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from different fermented foods of Western Himalayas have been studied for strain level and functional diversity in our department. Among these 23 strains, 10 S. cerevisiae strains on the basis of variation in their brewing traits were selected to study their organoleptic effect at gene level by targeting ATF1 gene, which is responsible for ester synthesis during fermentation. Significant variation was observed in ATF1 gene sequences, suggesting differences in aroma and flavor of their brewing products. Apple is a predominant fruit in Himachal Pradesh and apple cider is one of the most popular drinks all around the world hence, it was chosen for sensory evaluation of six selected yeast strains. Organoleptic studies and sensory analysis suggested Sc21 and Sc01 as best indigenous strains for soft and hard cider, respectively, indicating their potential in enriching the local products with enhanced quality. PMID:27446050
Extending storage life of fresh-cut apples using natural products and their derivatives.

PubMed

Buta, J G; Moline, H E; Spaulding, D W; Wang, C Y

1999-01-01

Prevention of browning of apples slices has been difficult to achieve because of the rapidity of the enzymatic oxidation of phenolic substrates even under reduced atmospheric pressure storage. Combinations of enzymatic inhibitors, reducing agents, and antimicrobial compounds containing calcium to extend storage life were tested to decrease the browning of Red Delicious apple slices stored at 5 and 10 degrees C under normal atmospheric conditions. Treatments were devised to prevent browning for up to 5 weeks at 5 degrees C with no apparent microbial growth using dipping solutions of compounds derived from natural products consisting of 4-hexylresorcinol, isoascorbic acid, a sulfur-containing amino acid (N-acetylcysteine), and calcium propionate. Analyses of organic acids and the major sugars revealed that the slices treated with the combinations of antibrowning compounds retained higher levels of malic acid and had no deterioration in sugar levels at 5 and 10 degrees C, indicating that higher quality was maintained during storage.
Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity in cashew apple juice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queiroz, C.; Moreira, C. F. F.; Lavinas, F. C.; Lopes, M. L. M.; Fialho, E.; Valente-Mesquita, V. L.

2010-12-01

The cashew apple is native to Brazil, but there is insufficient information regarding the nutritional properties of this fruit. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of high pressure processing (HPP) at room temperature (25 °C) on phenolic compound and ascorbic acid contents and antioxidant capacity of cashew apple juice. This study showed that HPP at 250 or 400 MPa for 3, 5 and 7 min did not change pH, acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid or hydrolysable polyphenol contents. However, juice pressurized for 3 and 5 min showed higher soluble polyphenol contents. Antioxidant capacity, measured by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power method, was not altered by HPP, but when treated at 250 MPa for 3 min, it resulted in an increased value when 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl was used. These data demonstrate that HPP can be used in the food industry for the generation of products with higher nutritional quality.
Transcriptomic analysis of molecular responses in Malus domestica 'M26' roots affected by apple replant disease.

PubMed

Weiß, Stefan; Bartsch, Melanie; Winkelmann, Traud

2017-06-01

Gene expression studies in roots of apple replant disease affected plants suggested defense reactions towards biotic stress to occur which did not lead to adequate responses to the biotic stressors. Apple replant disease (ARD) leads to growth inhibition and fruit yield reduction in replanted populations and results in economic losses for tree nurseries and fruit producers. The etiology is not well understood on a molecular level and causal agents show a great diversity indicating that no definitive cause, which applies to the majority of cases, has been found out yet. Hence, it is pivotal to gain a better understanding of the molecular and physiological reactions of the plant when affected by ARD and later to overcome the disease, for example by developing tolerant rootstocks. For the first time, gene expression was investigated in roots of ARD affected plants employing massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE) and RT-qPCR. In reaction to ARD, genes in secondary metabolite production as well as plant defense, regulatory and signaling genes were upregulated whereas for several genes involved in primary metabolism lower expression was detected. For internal verification of MACE data, candidate genes were tested via RT-qPCR and a strong positive correlation between both datasets was observed. Comparison of apple 'M26' roots cultivated in ARD soil or γ-irradiated ARD soil suggests that typical defense reactions towards biotic stress take place in ARD affected plants but they did not allow responding to the biotic stressors attack adequately, leading to the observed growth depressions in ARD variants.
Parametric Evaluation of Interstellar Exploration Mission Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Robert B.

2017-01-01

One persistent difficulty in evaluating the myriad advanced propulsion concepts proposed over the last 60 years is a true apples to apples comparison of the expected gain in performance. This analysis is complicated by numerous factors including, multiple missions of interest to the advanced propulsion community, the lack of a credible closed form solution to 'medium thrust' trajectories, and lack of detailed design data for most proposed concepts that lend credibility to engine performance estimates. This paper describes a process on how to make fair comparisons of different propulsion concepts for multiple missions over a wide range of performance values. The figure below illustrates this process. This paper describes in detail the process and outlines the status so far in compiling the required data. Parametric data for several missions are calculated and plotted against specific power-specific impulse scatter plots of expected propulsion system performance. The overlay between required performance as defined by the trajectory parametrics and expected performance as defined in the literature for major categories of propulsion systems clearly defines which propulsion systems are the most apt for a given mission. The application of the Buckingham Pi theorem to general parameters for interstellar exploration ( mission time, mass, specific impulse, specific power, distance, propulsion source energy/mass, etc.) yields a number of dimensionless variables. The relationships of these variables can then be explored before application to a particular mission. Like in the fields of fluid mechanics and heat transfer, the use of the Buckingham Pi theorem results in new variables to make apples to apples comparisons.
An acidic pectin lyase from Aspergillus niger with favourable efficiency in fruit juice clarification.

PubMed

Xu, S X; Qin, X; Liu, B; Zhang, D Q; Zhang, W; Wu, K; Zhang, Y H

2015-02-01

The pectin lyase gene pnl-zj5a from Aspergillus niger ZJ5 was identified and expressed in Pichia pastoris. PNL-ZJ5A was purified by ultrafiltration, anion exchange and gel chromatography. The Km and Vmax values determined using citrus pectin were 0.66 mg ml(-1) and 32.6 μmol min(-1) mg(-1) , respectively. PNL-ZJ5A exhibited optimal activity at 43°C and retained activity over 25-50°C. PNL-ZJ5A was optimally active at pH 5 and effective in apple juice clarification. Compared with controls, PNL-ZJ5A increased the fruit juice yield significantly. Furthermore, PNL-ZJ5A reduced the viscosity of apple juice by 38.8% and increased its transmittance by 86.3%. PNL-ZJ5A combined with a commercial pectin esterase resulted in higher juice volume. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Identification of QTLs for fruit quality traits in Japanese apples: QTLs for early ripening are tightly related to preharvest fruit drop

PubMed Central

Kunihisa, Miyuki; Moriya, Shigeki; Abe, Kazuyuki; Okada, Kazuma; Haji, Takashi; Hayashi, Takeshi; Kim, Hoytaek; Nishitani, Chikako; Terakami, Shingo; Yamamoto, Toshiya

2014-01-01

Many important apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit quality traits are regulated by multiple genes, and more information about quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for these traits is required for marker-assisted selection. In this study, we constructed genetic linkage maps of the Japanese apple cultivars ‘Orin’ and ‘Akane’ using F1 seedlings derived from a cross between these cultivars. The ‘Orin’ map consisted of 251 loci covering 17 linkage groups (LGs; total length 1095.3 cM), and the ‘Akane’ map consisted of 291 loci covering 18 LGs (total length 1098.2 cM). We performed QTL analysis for 16 important traits, and found that four QTLs related to harvest time explained about 70% of genetic variation, and these will be useful for marker-assisted selection. The QTL for early harvest time in LG15 was located very close to the QTL for preharvest fruit drop. The QTL for skin color depth was located around the position of MYB1 in LG9, which suggested that alleles harbored by ‘Akane’ are regulating red color depth with different degrees of effect. We also analyzed soluble solids and sugar component contents, and found that a QTL for soluble solids content in LG16 could be explained by the amount of sorbitol and fructose. PMID:25320559

Impact of shelf life on content of primary and secondary metabolites in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.).

PubMed

Veberic, Robert; Schmitzer, Valentina; Petkovsek, Maja M; Stampar, Franci

2010-01-01

In this study, we evaluated the changes in apple fruit quality during shelf life. After a month of cold storage, apples of cultivars "Jonagold" and "Golden Delicious" were exposed to ambient temperatures for 21 d, with subsequent sampling every 3 or 4 d. Fruit firmness, changes in amounts of sugars, malic acid, and phenolics were observed during shelf life. Chemical analyses were done with HPLC-PDA system. An interchange between various sugars was noticed, but in general, the sum of sugars remained at the same level. The content of malic acid remained stable or dropped, resulting in sweeter fruit. Levels of phenolics were more constant in the pulp of both cultivars analyzed, while in the peel, the changes were more pronounced. In the pulp, a peak in the content of hydroxycinnamic acids and flavanols was noticed on the 2nd or 3rd sampling and afterwards, the amounts remained constant. In the peel an initial decrease of all analyzed phenolic groups was observed in both cultivars, however it was more pronounced in "Jonagold." It can be concluded that changes in primary and secondary metabolites are not the main reason for the lower quality of fruit exposed to ambient temperatures. On the other hand, fruit firmness might be the limiting factor for shelf life duration. © 2010 Institute of Food Technologists®
The Influence of Adding Spices to Reduced Sugar Foods on Overall Liking

PubMed Central

Marker, Ryan; Pan, Zhaoxing; Breen, Jeanne Anne; Hill, James O.

2018-01-01

Abstract Reducing sugar intake is a major public health goal but many consumers are reluctant to use low calorie sweeteners. Two studies were conducted in healthy adults aged 18 to 65 to investigate whether addition of culinary spices to foods reduced in sugar could preserve hedonic liking. Test foods, black tea, oatmeal, and apple crisp, were prepared in full sugar (FS), reduced sugar (RS), and reduced sugar with spice (RSS) versions. Sugar reductions were 100%, 35%, and 37% for tea, oatmeal, and apple crisp, respectively. In Study 1, 160 subjects rated absolute liking of FS, RS, and RSS versions of a breakfast of oatmeal and tea and an afternoon snack of apple crisp on consecutive weeks. In Study 2, 150 subjects rated relative liking of all 3 versions of one food at the same seating, with different foods tested 1 wk apart. Liking was assessed using a 9‐point Likert scale. Both studies yielded similar results. For all 3 test items, liking was significantly higher for FS than for RS (P < 0.03). For tea, addition of spices did not significantly improve liking in either study. For oatmeal, addition of spices did not consistently improve liking compared to RS. For apple crisp, relative liking of RSS was not different then FS. These results indicate that it is possible to preserve the hedonic pleasure of a reduced sugar version of a dessert food, apple crisp, by addition of culinary spices. This may be a promising strategy to reduce sugar in some foods without using low calorie sweeteners. Practical Application Reducing sugar consumption is an important public health goal. Many consumers are reluctant to use low calorie sweeteners and alternative approaches are needed. Using culinary spices to enhance the flavor of foods may allow sugar reduction while still preserving acceptable overall liking. PMID:29476623
Noncontact and Wide-Field Characterization of the Absorption and Scattering Properties of Apple Fruit Using Spatial-Frequency Domain Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Dong; Fu, Xiaping; He, Xueming; Ying, Yibin

2016-12-01

Spatial-frequency domain imaging (SFDI), as a noncontact, low-cost and wide-field optical imaging technique, offers great potential for agro-product safety and quality assessment through optical absorption (μa) and scattering (μ) property measurements. In this study, a laboratory-based SFDI system was constructed and developed for optical property measurement of fruits and vegetables. The system utilized a digital light projector to generate structured, periodic light patterns and illuminate test samples. The diffuse reflected light was captured by a charge coupled device (CCD) camera with the resolution of 1280 × 960 pixels. Three wavelengths (460, 527, and 630 nm) were selected for image acquisition using bandpass filters in the system. The μa and μ were calculated in a region of interest (ROI, 200 × 300 pixels) via nonlinear least-square fitting. Performance of the system was demonstrated through optical property measurement of ‘Redstar’ apples. Results showed that the system was able to acquire spatial-frequency domain images for demodulation and calculation of the μa and μ. The calculated μa of apple tissue experiencing internal browning (IB) were much higher than healthy apple tissue, indicating that the SFDI technique had potential for IB tissue characterization.
The SAFE project: 'plant food allergies: field to table strategies for reducing their incidence in Europe' an EC-funded study.

PubMed

Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K

2005-04-01

The true prevalence of food allergy as an IgE mediated reaction is still under discussion. Using apple as a model allergen source a multidisciplinary consortium worked together at developing various strategies for reducing the incidence of fruit allergies in an EC-funded project. Patient allergen profiles were established using in vitro and in vivo tests with respect to geographic area and mild or severe symptoms. Apple allergens (Mal d 1-Mal d 4) were characterised, variants identified, cloned and sequenced. These individual allergens were used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis. Furthermore, they provided better prognosis of disease severity. RT-PCR and ELISA were developed for determining the allergen specific mRNA and expressed allergenic protein in a large number of apple cultivars. Similarly, changes in allergen characteristics from harvest through storage to processing and the impact of agronomic practices were investigated. Allergen genes were mapped on a molecular linkage map of apple. The biological function of Mal d 1 was studied using the RNA interference strategy. Finally, consumer attitudes in Northern, Central and Southern Europe were gauged on the acceptability of low allergen cultivars or a GMO and its impact on product quality.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Syn, C

Strength of the apple parts has been noticed to decrease, especially those installed by the new induction heating system since the LEP campaign started. Fig. 1 shows the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and elongation of the installed or installation-simulated apples on various systems. One can clearly see the mean values of UTS and YS of the post-LEP parts decreased by about 8 ksi and 6 ksi respectively from those of the pre-LEP parts. The slight increase in elongation seen in Fig.1 can be understood from the weak inverse relationship between the strength and elongation in metals. Fig.2more » shows the weak correlation between the YS and elongation of the parts listed in Fig. 1. Strength data listed in Figure 1 were re-plotted as histograms in Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 3a and 4a show histograms of all UTS and YS data. Figs. 3b and 4b shows histograms of pre-LEP data and Figs. 3c and 4c of post-LEP data. Data on statistical scatter of tensile strengths have been rarely published by material suppliers. Instead, only the minimum 'guaranteed' strength data are typically presented. An example of strength distribution of aluminum 7075-T6 sheet material, listed in Fig. 5, show that its scatter width of both UTS and YS for a single sheet can be about 6 ksi and for multi-lot scatter can be as large as 11 ksi even though the sheets have been produced through well-controlled manufacturing process. By approximating the histograms shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by a Gaussian or similar type of distribution curves, one can plausibly see the strength reductions in the later or more recent apples. The pre-LEP data in Figs. 3b and 4b show wider scatter than the post-LEP data in Figs. 3c and 4c and seem to follow the binomial distribution of strength indicating that the apples might have been made from two different lots of material, either from two different vendors or from two different melts of perhaps slightly different chemical composition by a single vendor. The post-LEP apples seem to have been from a single batch of material. The pre-LEP apples of the weak strength and the post-LEP apples with even weaker strength could have been made of the same batch of material, and the small strength differential might be due to the difference in the induction heating system. If the pre-LEP apples with the lower strength and the post LEP apples are made from the same batch of material, their combined scatter of strength data would be wider and can be understood as a result of the additional processing steps of stress relief and induction heating as discussed.« less
Biobutanol production from apple pomace: the importance of pretreatment methods on the fermentability of lignocellulosic agro-food wastes.

PubMed

Hijosa-Valsero, María; Paniagua-García, Ana I; Díez-Antolínez, Rebeca

2017-11-01

Apple pomace was studied as a possible raw material for biobutanol production. Five different soft physicochemical pretreatments (autohydrolysis, acids, alkalis, organic solvents and surfactants) were compared in a high-pressure reactor, whose working parameters (temperature, time and reagent concentration) were optimised to maximise the amount of simple sugars released and to minimise inhibitor generation. The pretreated biomass was subsequently subjected to a conventional enzymatic treatment to complete the hydrolysis. A thermal analysis (DSC) of the solid biomass indicated that lignin was mainly degraded during the enzymatic treatment. The hydrolysate obtained with the surfactant polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) (1.96% w/w) contained less inhibitors than any other pretreatment, yet providing 42 g/L sugars at relatively mild conditions (100 °C, 5 min), and was readily fermented by Clostridium beijerinckii CECT 508 in 96 h (3.55 g/L acetone, 9.11 g/L butanol, 0.26 g/L ethanol; 0.276 g B /g S yield; 91% sugar consumption). Therefore, it is possible to optimise pretreatment conditions of lignocellulosic apple pomace to reduce inhibitor concentrations in the final hydrolysate and perform successful ABE fermentations without the need of a detoxification stage.
Influencing Public Policy through Collaborative Efforts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brulle, Andrew R.

This paper discusses how the collaboration of several educational groups (the Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Illinois Association of Teacher Education, Commission for Quality Teacher Education in Illinois, Golden Apple Foundation, and Illinois Staff Development Council) has helped influence public policy. The…
Application of a sensory-instrumental tool to study apple texture characteristics shaped by altitude and time of harvest.

PubMed

Charles, Mathilde; Corollaro, Maria Laura; Manfrini, Luigi; Endrizzi, Isabella; Aprea, Eugenio; Zanella, Angelo; Corelli Grappadelli, Luca; Gasperi, Flavia

2018-02-01

Texture is important in the preferences of apple consumers. Of the pre-harvest factors affecting fruit quality and especially texture, altitude and subsequent climatic conditions are crucial, determining differences in the physiological mechanisms of fruit growth, ripening stage and chemical composition, as demonstrated by several studies. This work applies a detailed sensory-instrumental protocol developed in a previous paper to investigate the impact of altitude, time of harvest and their cross-effect on sensory characteristics of apple, with a focus on texture. Sensory differences were found in relation to altitude, although the profile results were mainly affected by the time of harvest. Fruit from lower altitude was described as juicier, crunchier and sweeter than samples from higher altitude, which were floury, sourer and more astringent. Texture performance, soluble solids content and titratable acidity corroborated this sensory description. Moreover, anatomical data showed that fruit from lower altitude had a larger volume, a higher number of cells and a higher percentage of intercellular spaces. We demonstrated that differences between fruit from various altitudes can be perceived through human senses, and that the proposed sensory-instrumental tool can be used to describe such differences. This study brings more understanding about the impact of altitude and time of harvest on apple sensory properties. This work could support apple producers, from semi-mountainous regions (Alps, Tyrol, etc.), in advertising and valorising their products with their specific characteristics in a more efficient manner. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Application of Freezing and Thawing in Apple (Malus domestica) Juice Extraction.

PubMed

Nadulski, Rafał; Kobus, Zbigniew; Wilczyński, Kamil; Zawiślak, Kazimierz; Grochowicz, Józef; Guz, Tomasz

2016-09-28

The paper presents the results of the research on the impact of enzymatic liquefaction, freezing and thawing on the efficiency of juice pressure extraction from apple pulp and quality of the obtained juices. The research was conducted using three types of pretreatment prior the pressing: crushing and enzymatic liquefaction in temperature of 25 °C, crushing and enzymatic liquefaction in temperature of 45 °C and crushing followed by freezing and thawing of the pulp. The study included three varieties of apples. The juice was obtained using a laboratory basket press. It was determined that the pretreatment of the pulp as well as the varietal characteristics of the fruits have a significant impact on the efficiency of the pressure extraction process. The enzymatic treatment of the pulp, irrespective of the temperature at which it was conducted, significantly increased the efficiency of the process. No effect of the temperature (25 or 45 °C) of enzymatic treatment on the efficiency of the pressure extraction process was found. Pretreatment of the pulp based on freezing and thawing contributes to the increase of efficiency of pressing in the case of two apple cultivars, that is, Idared and Red Delicious. It was showed that total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, the soluble solids content and juice acidity (pH) depend on the pretreatment of the pulp and the varietal characteristics of apples. Following the application of pretreatment of the pulp, an increase was observed in the content of polyphenols and in the antioxidant activity of the juices obtained. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®
QTL analysis and candidate gene mapping for the polyphenol content in cider apple.

PubMed

Verdu, Cindy F; Guyot, Sylvain; Childebrand, Nicolas; Bahut, Muriel; Celton, Jean-Marc; Gaillard, Sylvain; Lasserre-Zuber, Pauline; Troggio, Michela; Guilet, David; Laurens, François

2014-01-01

Polyphenols have favorable antioxidant potential on human health suggesting that their high content is responsible for the beneficial effects of apple consumption. They control the quality of ciders as they predominantly account for astringency, bitterness, color and aroma. In this study, we identified QTLs controlling phenolic compound concentrations and the average polymerization degree of flavanols in a cider apple progeny. Thirty-two compounds belonging to five groups of phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by reversed phase liquid chromatography on both fruit extract and juice, over three years. The average polymerization degree of flavanols was estimated in fruit by phloroglucinolysis coupled to HPLC. Parental maps were built using SSR and SNP markers and used for the QTL analysis. Sixty-nine and 72 QTLs were detected on 14 and 11 linkage groups of the female and male maps, respectively. A majority of the QTLs identified in this study are specific to this population, while others are consistent with previous studies. This study presents for the first time in apple, QTLs for the mean polymerization degree of procyanidins, for which the mechanisms involved remains unknown to this day. Identification of candidate genes underlying major QTLs was then performed in silico and permitted the identification of 18 enzymes of the polyphenol pathway and six transcription factors involved in the apple anthocyanin regulation. New markers were designed from sequences of the most interesting candidate genes in order to confirm their co-localization with underlying QTLs by genetic mapping. Finally, the potential use of these QTLs in breeding programs is discussed.
Total phenolics content, anthocyanins, and dietary fiber content of apple pomace powders produced by vacuum-belt drying.

PubMed

Yan, Huitong; Kerr, William L

2013-04-01

Apple pomace is a waste material from apple juice processing, and contains significant amounts of dietary fiber and phytochemicals. Many of these compounds may be degraded post-pressing and during drying operations. Continuous vacuum-belt drying (VBD) was studied as a means of drying and maintaining quality of apple pomace. The color and chemical properties of samples dried by vacuum-belt drying at different temperatures were evaluated including total phenolics content (TPC), monomeric anthocyanins (TMA) and dietary fiber content (TDF). VBD powders were pale golden yellow, and those dried at 80°C did not differ in L*, a* and b* values from freeze-dried powders. VBD pomace had 44.9 to 51.9 g gallic acid equivalents kg(-1) TPC, with greatest retention for pomace dried at 80 and 95°C. TPC for pomace dried at 80 or 95°C was not significantly different from that for freeze-dried pomace. TMA levels (74.0 mg C3G kg(-1), where C3G is cyanidine 3-O-glucoside equivalents) were highest in pomace vacuum dried at 80°C. TDF ranged from 442 to 495 g kg(-1) in vacuum-dried pomace and was not significantly different from TDF of freeze-dried poamce (480 g kg(-1)). In all cases, TPC, TMA and TDF were higher in VBD pomace than in freeze-dried whole apple, while VBD pomace prepared at 80 or 95°C had fiber and phytochemical levels similar to freeze-dried powders. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
Radiological interpretation of images displayed on tablet computers: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Armfield, N R; Smith, A C

2015-01-01

Objective: To review the published evidence and to determine if radiological diagnostic accuracy is compromised when images are displayed on a tablet computer and thereby inform practice on using tablet computers for radiological interpretation by on-call radiologists. Methods: We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies on the diagnostic accuracy or diagnostic reliability of images interpreted on tablet computers. Studies were screened for inclusion based on pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were assessed for quality and risk of bias using Quality Appraisal of Diagnostic Reliability Studies or the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Treatment of studies was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Results: 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. 10 of these studies tested the Apple iPad® (Apple, Cupertino, CA). The included studies reported high sensitivity (84–98%), specificity (74–100%) and accuracy rates (98–100%) for radiological diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference in accuracy between a tablet computer and a digital imaging and communication in medicine-calibrated control display. There was a near complete consensus from authors on the non-inferiority of diagnostic accuracy of images displayed on a tablet computer. All of the included studies were judged to be at risk of bias. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the diagnostic accuracy of radiological interpretation is not compromised by using a tablet computer. This result is only relevant to the Apple iPad and to the modalities of CT, MRI and plain radiography. Advances in knowledge: The iPad may be appropriate for an on-call radiologist to use for radiological interpretation. PMID:25882691
Assessment of the reduced allergenic properties of the Santana apple.

PubMed

Kootstra, Helmi S; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J; Dubois, Anthony E J

2007-12-01

Approximately 2% of the Northern and Central European population is allergic to apples. Because of symptoms of oral allergy syndrome, many individuals avoid eating fresh apples. A strategy to allow apple allergic individuals to eat apples is the development of hypoallergenic apple varieties. To investigate the allergenicity of a putatively hypoallergenic apple cultivar, the Santana apple, on apple allergic individuals using a method of challenge in which loss of allergenicity is minimized. The study population consisted of 15 apple allergic individuals, who underwent an open oral challenge with 3 different apple cultivars: Santana, Golden Delicious, and Topaz. Food challenges were performed between February 1 and May 31, 2005, during the birch tree pollen season. Sensory perception during challenges was minimized by use of a blindfold and nose clip and randomization of challenge order. Subjective symptoms were scored by a visual analog scale. After challenge with the Santana apple, 8 of 15 study participants (53%) developed no symptoms, which was a significantly greater proportion than after challenge with the Topaz apple (1 participant) and Golden Delicious apple (1 participant) (P = .002). The visual analog scale scores for the Santana apple (dose 1) were significantly lower than that for the Golden Delicious and Topaz apples. A total of 73% of the participants stated they would eat Santana apples in the future. The Santana apple caused significantly fewer allergic symptoms in apple allergic individuals than the Golden Delicious and Topaz apples. The Santana apple may be a good choice for most apple allergic individuals who want to eat apples.
Use of homologous and heterologous gene expression profiling tools to characterize transcription dynamics during apple fruit maturation and ripening

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Fruit development, maturation and ripening consists of a complex series of biochemical and physiological changes that in climacteric fruits, including apple and tomato, are coordinated by the gaseous hormone ethylene. These changes lead to final fruit quality and understanding of the functional machinery underlying these processes is of both biological and practical importance. To date many reports have been made on the analysis of gene expression in apple. In this study we focused our investigation on the role of ethylene during apple maturation, specifically comparing transcriptomics of normal ripening with changes resulting from application of the hormone receptor competitor 1-Methylcyclopropene. Results To gain insight into the molecular process regulating ripening in apple, and to compare to tomato (model species for ripening studies), we utilized both homologous and heterologous (tomato) microarray to profile transcriptome dynamics of genes involved in fruit development and ripening, emphasizing those which are ethylene regulated. The use of both types of microarrays facilitated transcriptome comparison between apple and tomato (for the later using data previously published and available at the TED: tomato expression database) and highlighted genes conserved during ripening of both species, which in turn represent a foundation for further comparative genomic studies. The cross-species analysis had the secondary aim of examining the efficiency of heterologous (specifically tomato) microarray hybridization for candidate gene identification as related to the ripening process. The resulting transcriptomics data revealed coordinated gene expression during fruit ripening of a subset of ripening-related and ethylene responsive genes, further facilitating the analysis of ethylene response during fruit maturation and ripening. Conclusion Our combined strategy based on microarray hybridization enabled transcriptome characterization during normal climacteric apple ripening, as well as definition of ethylene-dependent transcriptome changes. Comparison with tomato fruit maturation and ethylene responsive transcriptome activity facilitated identification of putative conserved orthologous ripening-related genes, which serve as an initial set of candidates for assessing conservation of gene activity across genomes of fruit bearing plant species. PMID:20973957
Quality and sensory acceptability of a chilled functional apple ready-dessert.

PubMed

Keenan, D F; Brunton, N P; Gormley, T R; Butler, F

2012-04-01

An apple and dairy based ready-dessert with an added prebiotic was stored and chill temperatures and number of quality attributes were monitored during chill (4 °C) storage for 30 days. All ready-desserts were thermally processed by sous vide (P (90) > 10 min). The stability of the dairy component in ready-desserts was monitored by measuring volatile free fatty acids. Changes in these components were more evident in prebiotic-enriched samples compared to controls. However, no significant differences were observed over storage in control and prebiotic-enriched ready-desserts. This was supported by sensory analysis that showed no significant changes over storage in control or prebiotic-enriched samples. Of the other quality parameters, the addition of prebiotic inclusions resulted in lower L and b values and dry matter (p < 0.05), while increasing (p < 0.05) soluble solids content compared to control samples. Fluctuations in some of the quality parameters were also observed over storage. Rheological characteristics, i.e. flow behaviour (n), consistency index (K), storage (G'), loss (G″) and complex (G*) moduli were unaffected by prebiotic inclusion. However, storage affected the rheological characteristics of ready-desserts. A decrease (p < 0.05) in flow behaviour (n) led to concomitant increases in consistency index (K) and complex modulus (G*) values in control samples.
Efficacy of supercritical carbon dioxide for inactivating Lactobacillus plantarum in apple cider

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Juice makers have traditionally used thermal pasteurization to prevent deterioration by spoilage bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum; however this thermal processing causes adverse effects on product quality such as undesirable taste and destruction of heat sensitive nutrients. For this reason,...
Inactivation of microorganisms in apple cider and orange juice using supercritical carbon dioxide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Juice processors have traditionally used thermal pasteurization to prevent deterioration by spoilage bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae; however, thermal processing may cause adverse effects on product quality such as undesirable taste and destruction of heat sensi...
Coatings for fresh fruits and vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Coatings (waxes) are applied to apples, citrus, stone fruits, avocados, tomatoes and cucumbers prior to marketing in order to reduce water loss and shrinkage, create a modified atmosphere inside the produce, slow down senescence and ageing, impart shine, and allow for better quality and marketing pr...
Effect of Electropermeabilization by Ohmic Heating for Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in Buffered Peptone Water and Apple Juice

PubMed Central

Park, Il-Kyu

2013-01-01

The effect of electric field-induced ohmic heating for inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in buffered peptone water (BPW) (pH 7.2) and apple juice (pH 3.5; 11.8 °Brix) was investigated in this study. BPW and apple juice were treated at different temperatures (55°C, 58°C, and 60°C) and for different times (0, 10, 20, 25, and 30 s) by ohmic heating compared with conventional heating. The electric field strength was fixed at 30 V/cm and 60 V/cm for BPW and apple juice, respectively. Bacterial reduction resulting from ohmic heating was significantly different (P < 0.05) from that resulting from conventional heating at 58°C and 60°C in BPW and at 55°C, 58°C, and 60°C in apple juice for intervals of 0, 10, 20, 25, and 30 s. These results show that electric field-induced ohmic heating led to additional bacterial inactivation at sublethal temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations and the propidium iodide (PI) uptake test were conducted after treatment at 60°C for 0, 10, 20, 25 and 30 s in BPW to observe the effects on cell permeability due to electroporation-caused cell damage. PI values when ohmic and conventional heating were compared were significantly different (P < 0.05), and these differences increased with increasing levels of inactivation of three food-borne pathogens. These results demonstrate that ohmic heating can more effectively reduce bacterial populations at reduced temperatures and shorter time intervals, especially in acidic fruit juices such as apple juice. Therefore, loss of quality can be minimized in a pasteurization process incorporating ohmic heating. PMID:23995939
The distribution and impact of common copy-number variation in the genome of the domesticated apple, Malus x domestica Borkh.

PubMed

Boocock, James; Chagné, David; Merriman, Tony R; Black, Michael A

2015-10-23

Copy number variation (CNV) is a common feature of eukaryotic genomes, and a growing body of evidence suggests that genes affected by CNV are enriched in processes that are associated with environmental responses. Here we use next generation sequence (NGS) data to detect copy-number variable regions (CNVRs) within the Malus x domestica genome, as well as to examine their distribution and impact. CNVRs were detected using NGS data derived from 30 accessions of M. x domestica analyzed using the read-depth method, as implemented in the CNVrd2 software. To improve the reliability of our results, we developed a quality control and analysis procedure that involved checking for organelle DNA, not repeat masking, and the determination of CNVR identity using a permutation testing procedure. Overall, we identified 876 CNVRs, which spanned 3.5 % of the apple genome. To verify that detected CNVRs were not artifacts, we analyzed the B- allele-frequencies (BAF) within a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array dataset derived from a screening of 185 individual apple accessions and found the CNVRs were enriched for SNPs having aberrant BAFs (P < 1e-13, Fisher's Exact test). Putative CNVRs overlapped 845 gene models and were enriched for resistance (R) gene models (P < 1e-22, Fisher's exact test). Of note was a cluster of resistance gene models on chromosome 2 near a region containing multiple major gene loci conferring resistance to apple scab. We present the first analysis and catalogue of CNVRs in the M. x domestica genome. The enrichment of the CNVRs with R gene models and their overlap with gene loci of agricultural significance draw attention to a form of unexplored genetic variation in apple. This research will underpin further investigation of the role that CNV plays within the apple genome.

Effect of electropermeabilization by ohmic heating for inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in buffered peptone water and apple juice.

PubMed

Park, Il-Kyu; Kang, Dong-Hyun

2013-12-01

The effect of electric field-induced ohmic heating for inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in buffered peptone water (BPW) (pH 7.2) and apple juice (pH 3.5; 11.8 °Brix) was investigated in this study. BPW and apple juice were treated at different temperatures (55°C, 58°C, and 60°C) and for different times (0, 10, 20, 25, and 30 s) by ohmic heating compared with conventional heating. The electric field strength was fixed at 30 V/cm and 60 V/cm for BPW and apple juice, respectively. Bacterial reduction resulting from ohmic heating was significantly different (P<0.05) from that resulting from conventional heating at 58°C and 60°C in BPW and at 55°C, 58°C, and 60°C in apple juice for intervals of 0, 10, 20, 25, and 30 s. These results show that electric field-induced ohmic heating led to additional bacterial inactivation at sublethal temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations and the propidium iodide (PI) uptake test were conducted after treatment at 60°C for 0, 10, 20, 25 and 30 s in BPW to observe the effects on cell permeability due to electroporation-caused cell damage. PI values when ohmic and conventional heating were compared were significantly different (P<0.05), and these differences increased with increasing levels of inactivation of three food-borne pathogens. These results demonstrate that ohmic heating can more effectively reduce bacterial populations at reduced temperatures and shorter time intervals, especially in acidic fruit juices such as apple juice. Therefore, loss of quality can be minimized in a pasteurization process incorporating ohmic heating.
Extreme Hypoxic Conditions Induce Selective Molecular Responses and Metabolic Reset in Detached Apple Fruit

PubMed Central

Cukrov, Dubravka; Zermiani, Monica; Brizzolara, Stefano; Cestaro, Alessandro; Licausi, Francesco; Luchinat, Claudio; Santucci, Claudio; Tenori, Leonardo; Van Veen, Hans; Zuccolo, Andrea; Ruperti, Benedetto; Tonutti, Pietro

2016-01-01

The ripening physiology of detached fruit is altered by low oxygen conditions with profound effects on quality parameters. To study hypoxia-related processes and regulatory mechanisms, apple (Malus domestica, cv Granny Smith) fruit, harvested at commercial ripening, were kept at 1°C under normoxic (control) and hypoxic (0.4 and 0.8 kPa oxygen) conditions for up to 60 days. NMR analyses of cortex tissue identified eight metabolites showing significantly different accumulations between samples, with ethanol and alanine displaying the most pronounced difference between hypoxic and normoxic treatments. A rapid up-regulation of alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate-related metabolism (lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate decarboxylase, alanine aminotransferase) gene expression was detected under both hypoxic conditions with a more pronounced effect induced by the lowest (0.4 kPa) oxygen concentration. Both hypoxic conditions negatively affected ACC synthase and ACC oxidase transcript accumulation. Analysis of RNA-seq data of samples collected after 24 days of hypoxic treatment identified more than 1000 genes differentially expressed when comparing 0.4 vs. 0.8 kPa oxygen concentration samples. Genes involved in cell-wall, minor and major CHO, amino acid and secondary metabolisms, fermentation and glycolysis as well as genes involved in transport, defense responses, and oxidation-reduction appeared to be selectively affected by treatments. The lowest oxygen concentration induced a higher expression of transcription factors belonging to AUX/IAA, WRKY, HB, Zinc-finger families, while MADS box family genes were more expressed when apples were kept under 0.8 kPa oxygen. Out of the eight group VII ERF members present in apple genome, two genes showed a rapid up-regulation under hypoxia, and western blot analysis showed that apple MdRAP2.12 proteins were differentially accumulated in normoxic and hypoxic samples, with the highest level reached under 0.4 kPa oxygen. These data suggest that ripe apple tissues finely and specifically modulate sensing and regulatory mechanisms in response to different hypoxic stress conditions. PMID:26909091
Mass Release of Trichogramma evanescens and T. cacoeciae Can Reduce Damage by the Apple Codling Moth Cydia pomonella in Organic Orchards under Pheromone Disruption

PubMed Central

Sigsgaard, Lene; Herz, Annette; Korsgaard, Maren; Wührer, Bernd

2017-01-01

Cydia pomonella is a major pest in apples in Denmark. Trichogramma spp. are known biocontrol agents of C. pomonella eggs and two naturally occurring species in Denmark, which are also both commercially available, were chosen for mass-release trials. Trichogramma evanescens, T. cacoeciae or a mix of the two species were evaluated for mass-release to control C. pomonella in two commercial organic apple orchards, one in 2012 and one in 2013, using a complete randomized block design. Pheromone disruption was used in both orchards, making the study one of the first to evaluate Trichogramma release under a mating disruption regime. Trichogramma activity was assessed using bait cards with Sitotroga cerealella eggs. The percent C. pomonella damaged fruit was recorded and the fruit yield was estimated. In 2012 cool and wet weather conditions resulted in low Trichogramma activity (<16% bait cards parasitized) and only T. evanescens was recovered from bait cards. The conditions in 2013 were warmer but T. evanescens was still >10 times more frequently found in bait cards than T. cacoeciae. There was a significant effect of the treatment and year (p = 0.009) and of the sampling period (p = 0.0008) on Trichogramma activity (proportion bait cards parasitized), with no significant difference between treatments in 2012. In 2013 the highest activity was found in T. evanescens and mixed treatments, in July reaching 69% and 47% bait cards parasitized, respectively. Fruit damage was highest in the control plots (7.1%) compared with Trichogramma treatments (T. evanescens 2.8%, T. cacoeciae 3.8%, mixed 3.3%) (p = 0.028). Yield did not differ significantly between treatments. In conclusion, Trichogramma mass release is a promising biocontrol method for use in the Danish climate, but further studies are needed regarding the performance of the two Trichogramma species (and potential other Trichogramma species) towards C. pomonella eggs in the field to identify the best biocontrol candidate. PMID:28375171
Mass Release of Trichogramma evanescens and T. cacoeciae Can Reduce Damage by the Apple Codling Moth Cydia pomonella in Organic Orchards under Pheromone Disruption.

PubMed

Sigsgaard, Lene; Herz, Annette; Korsgaard, Maren; Wührer, Bernd

2017-04-04

Cydia pomonella is a major pest in apples in Denmark. Trichogramma spp. are known biocontrol agents of C. pomonella eggs and two naturally occurring species in Denmark, which are also both commercially available, were chosen for mass-release trials. Trichogramma evanescens , T. cacoeciae or a mix of the two species were evaluated for mass-release to control C. pomonella in two commercial organic apple orchards, one in 2012 and one in 2013, using a complete randomized block design. Pheromone disruption was used in both orchards, making the study one of the first to evaluate Trichogramma release under a mating disruption regime. Trichogramma activity was assessed using bait cards with Sitotroga cerealella eggs. The percent C. pomonella damaged fruit was recorded and the fruit yield was estimated. In 2012 cool and wet weather conditions resulted in low Trichogramma activity (<16% bait cards parasitized) and only T. evanescens was recovered from bait cards. The conditions in 2013 were warmer but T. evanescens was still >10 times more frequently found in bait cards than T. cacoeciae . There was a significant effect of the treatment and year ( p = 0.009) and of the sampling period ( p = 0.0008) on Trichogramma activity (proportion bait cards parasitized), with no significant difference between treatments in 2012. In 2013 the highest activity was found in T. evanescens and mixed treatments, in July reaching 69% and 47% bait cards parasitized, respectively. Fruit damage was highest in the control plots (7.1%) compared with Trichogramma treatments ( T. evanescens 2.8%, T. cacoeciae 3.8%, mixed 3.3%) ( p = 0.028). Yield did not differ significantly between treatments. In conclusion, Trichogramma mass release is a promising biocontrol method for use in the Danish climate, but further studies are needed regarding the performance of the two Trichogramma species (and potential other Trichogramma species) towards C. pomonella eggs in the field to identify the best biocontrol candidate.
Chitosan as a novel clarifying agent on clear apple juice production: Optimization of process conditions and changes on quality characteristics.

PubMed

Taştan, Özge; Baysal, Taner

2017-12-15

In this study, the use of chitosan as a clarification agent in the production of clear apple juice (AJ) was investigated, the optimum conditions were determined using RSM, and the effects on the quality of AJ were analyzed during storage at 4°C and 20°C for 4months. Optimum conditions for clarifying the AJ were chitosan concentration of 191.6mg/100ml juice, the process temperature of 20°C and process time of 30min. Changes in quality characteristics such as turbidity, pH, acidity, color, total monomeric anthocyanin, total phenolic, and protein contents were evaluated and compared to traditional clarification. Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris causes significant safety issues in fruit juice industry; therefore also the antimicrobial effect of chitosan on A. acidoterrestris during the clarification process was examined. The results showed that clear AJ production can be achieved by the clarification step with direct chitosan addition, without the need for enzymatic treatment. However, the microbial reduction of A. acidoterrestris during the clarification process was not found to be significant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Surgical smartphone applications across different platforms: their evolution, uses, and users.

PubMed

Kulendran, Myutan; Lim, Marcus; Laws, Georgia; Chow, Andre; Nehme, Jean; Darzi, Ara; Purkayastha, Sanjay

2014-08-01

There are a vast array of smartphone applications that could benefit both surgeons and their patients. To review and identify all relevant surgical smartphone applications available for the Apple iPhone iOS and Google Android platform based on their user group and subspecialty for which they were designed. Both the literature using PubMed and Google Scholar were searched using the following terms: application$, smartphone$, app$, app*, surgery, surgical, surg*, general surgery, general surg*, bariatric$, urology and plastic surgery, ortho*, orthop(a)edic, cardiac surgery, cardiothoracic, neurosurgery, and ophthalmology. The search yielded 38 articles of which 23 were eligible. Each of the key specialties was searched in the Apple iTunes App Store for iPhone iOS and the Google Play Android application store. In total, there were 621 surgical applications for Apple iPhone iOS and 97 identified on Android's Google Play. There has been a 9-fold increase in the number of surgical applications available for the Apple iPhone iOS from 2009 to 2012. Of these applications there were 126 dedicated to plastic surgery, 79 to orthopedics, 41 to neurosurgical, 180 to general surgery, 36 to cardiac surgery, 121 to ophthalmology, and 44 to urology. There was a wide range of applications ranging from simple flashcards to be used for revision to virtual surgery applications that provided surgical exposure and familiarization with common operative procedures. Despite the plethora of surgical applications available for smartphones, there is no taxonomy for medical applications. Only 12% were affiliated with an academic institution or association, which highlights the need for greater regulation of surgical applications. © The Author(s) 2014.
LED lighting for use in multispectral and hyperspectral imaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lighting for machine vision and hyperspectral imaging is an important component for collecting high quality imagery. However, it is often given minimal consideration in the overall design of an imaging system. Tungsten-halogens lamps are the most common source of illumination for broad spectrum appl...
Lactic acid bacteria and natural antimicrobials to improve the safety and shelf-life of minimally processed sliced apples and lamb's lettuce.

PubMed

Siroli, Lorenzo; Patrignani, Francesca; Serrazanetti, Diana I; Tabanelli, Giulia; Montanari, Chiara; Gardini, Fausto; Lanciotti, Rosalba

2015-05-01

Outbreaks of food-borne disease associated with the consumption of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables have increased dramatically over the last few years. Traditional chemical sanitizers are unable to completely eradicate or kill the microorganisms on fresh produce. These conditions have stimulated research to alternative methods for increasing food safety. The use of protective cultures, particularly lactic acid bacteria (LAB), has been proposed for minimally processed products. However, the application of bioprotective cultures has been limited at the industrial level. From this perspective, the main aims of this study were to select LAB from minimally processed fruits and vegetables to be used as biocontrol agents and then to evaluate the effects of the selected strains, alone or in combination with natural antimicrobials (2-(E)-hexenal/hexanal, 2-(E)-hexenal/citral for apples and thyme for lamb's lettuce), on the shelf-life and safety characteristics of minimally processed apples and lamb's lettuce. The results indicated that applying the Lactobacillus plantarum strains CIT3 and V7B3 to apples and lettuce, respectively, increased both the safety and shelf-life. Moreover, combining the selected strains with natural antimicrobials produced a further increase in the shelf-life of these products without detrimental effects on the organoleptic qualities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A novel feedstuff: ensiling of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) stover and apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) mixtures. Evaluation of the nutritive value, fermentation quality and aerobic stability.

PubMed

Andrade, Ederson; Gonçalves, Alexandre; Mendes-Ferreira, Ana; Silva, Valéria; Pinheiro, Victor; Rodrigues, Miguel; Ferreira, Luis

2017-10-01

Agro-industrial by-products are of low economic value as foods for human consumption but may have potential value as animal feedstuffs. This study evaluated a novel feedstuff, ensiled discarded apple (85%) and cowpea stover (15%) mixtures with two different ensiling periods (45 and 60 days), regarding the nutritive value, fermentation quality and aerobic stability. Generally, no differences (P > 0.05) were observed between ensiling periods for nutritive value and fermentation characteristics. Silages were stable after ensiling, presenting high lactic acid (77.3 g kg -1 dry matter (DM)) and acetic acid (54.7 g kg -1 DM) and low ethanol (15.7 g kg -1 DM) and NH 3 -N (105.6 g kg -1 total N) concentrations. No butyric acid was detected in silages, and they were aerobically stable for up to 216 h. Lactic acid bacteria numbers were high at silo opening (7.14 log colony-forming units (CFU) g -1 ), while Enterobacteriaceae were not detected and yeasts/moulds were low (2.44 log CFU g -1 ). Yeast/mould and Enterobacteriaceae numbers grew considerably during 12 days of air exposure. A mixture of low calibre discarded apples with cowpea stover can be used as animal feed after the ensiling process owing to its nutritive value and long aerobic stability. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
[Improving apple fruit quality predictions by effective correction of Vis-NIR laser diffuse reflecting images].

PubMed

Qing, Zhao-shen; Ji, Bao-ping; Shi, Bo-lin; Zhu, Da-zhou; Tu, Zhen-hua; Zude, Manuela

2008-06-01

In the present study, improved laser-induced light backscattering imaging was studied regarding its potential for analyzing apple SSC and fruit flesh firmness. Images of the diffuse reflection of light on the fruit surface were obtained from Fuji apples using laser diodes emitting at five wavelength bands (680, 780, 880, 940 and 980 nm). Image processing algorithms were tested to correct for dissimilar equator and shape of fruit, and partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis was applied to calibrate on the fruit quality parameter. In comparison to the calibration based on corrected frequency with the models built by raw data, the former improved r from 0. 78 to 0.80 and from 0.87 to 0.89 for predicting SSC and firmness, respectively. Comparing models based on mean value of intensities with results obtained by frequency of intensities, the latter gave higher performance for predicting Fuji SSC and firmness. Comparing calibration for predicting SSC based on the corrected frequency of intensities and the results obtained from raw data set, the former improved root mean of standard error of prediction (RMSEP) from 1.28 degrees to 0.84 degrees Brix. On the other hand, in comparison to models for analyzing flesh firmness built by means of corrected frequency of intensities with the calibrations based on raw data, the former gave the improvement in RMSEP from 8.23 to 6.17 N x cm(-2).
Response of Pink Lady® apples to post-harvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene as a function of applied dose, maturity at harvest, storage time and controlled atmosphere storage.

PubMed

Cocci, Emiliano; Sacchetti, Giampiero; Rocculi, Pietro; Dalla Rosa, Marco

2014-10-01

1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is an inhibitor of ethylene reception used in post-harvest treatments to delay fruit ripening. Several factors affect the efficacy of 1-MCP treatments. The effect of a post-harvest treatment with 1-MCP on the quality of Pink Lady® apples as a function of 1-MCP dose, storage time and maturity at harvest was investigated. 1-MCP treatment was further tested in combination with controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. 1-MCP limited fruit respiration and softening during storage and was more effective on partially matured fruits and at prolonged storage times. The delaying of 1-MCP on the increase of ripening index was greater on matured fruits at prolonged storage times. The combination of 1-MCP and CA treatments positively affected quality indices of mature apples during 6 months of storage and 7 days of commercial life, with 1-MCP being more effective than CA. 1-MCP and CA showed positive combined effects on firmness and ripening index after 6 months of storage, and on firmness and CO₂ production after a further 7 days of commercial life. By knowing fruit maturity at harvest and expected storage time it is possible to choose the most suitable 1-MCP dose to meet the market requirements by applying a simple polynomial model. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.
40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... apple products subcategory. 407.20 Section 407.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple... processing of apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products...
40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...
40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... apple juice subcategory. 407.10 Section 407.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...
40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...
40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...
40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...
40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...
40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...
40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...

40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...
Efficient reduction of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms from apple cider by combining microfiltration with UV treatment.

PubMed

Zhao, Dongjun; Barrientos, Jessie Usaga; Wang, Qing; Markland, Sarah M; Churey, John J; Padilla-Zakour, Olga I; Worobo, Randy W; Kniel, Kalmia E; Moraru, Carmen I

2015-04-01

Thermal pasteurization can achieve the U. S. Food and Drug Administration-required 5-log reduction of pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Cryptosporidium parvum in apple juice and cider, but it can also negatively affect the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the treated products. In addition, thermal pasteurization is only marginally effective against the acidophilic, thermophilic, and spore-forming bacteria Alicyclobacillus spp., which is known to cause off-flavors in juice products. In this study, the efficiency of a combined microfiltration (MF) and UV process as a nonthermal treatment for the reduction of pathogenic and nonpathogenic E. coli, C. parvum, and Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris from apple cider was investigated. MF was used to physically remove suspended solids and microorganisms from apple cider, thus enhancing the effectiveness of UV and allowing a lower UV dose to be used. MF, with ceramic membranes (pore sizes, 0.8 and 1.4 μm), was performed at a temperature of 10 °C and a transmembrane pressure of 155 kPa. The subsequent UV treatment was conducted using at a low UV dose of 1.75 mJ/cm(2). The combined MF and UV achieved more than a 5-log reduction of E. coli, C. parvum, and A. acidoterrestris. MF with the 0.8-μm pore size performed better than the 1.4-μm pore size on removal of E. coli and A. acidoterrestris. The developed nonthermal hurdle treatment has the potential to significantly reduce pathogens, as well as spores, yeasts, molds, and protozoa in apple cider, and thus help juice processors improve the safety and quality of their products.
Detection of fresh bruises in apples by structured-illumination reflectance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yuzhen; Li, Richard; Lu, Renfu

2016-05-01

Detection of fresh bruises in apples remains a challenging task due to the absence of visual symptoms and significant chemical alterations of fruit tissues during the initial stage after the fruit have been bruised. This paper reports on a new structured-illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) technique for enhanced detection of fresh bruises in apples. Using a digital light projector engine, sinusoidally-modulated illumination at the spatial frequencies of 50, 100, 150 and 200 cycles/m was generated. A digital camera was then used to capture the reflectance images from `Gala' and `Jonagold' apples, immediately after they had been subjected to two levels of bruising by impact tests. A conventional three-phase demodulation (TPD) scheme was applied to the acquired images for obtaining the planar (direct component or DC) and amplitude (alternating component or AC) images. Bruises were identified in the amplitude images with varying image contrasts, depending on spatial frequency. The bruise visibility was further enhanced through post-processing of the amplitude images. Furthermore, three spiral phase transform (SPT)-based demodulation methods, using single and two images and two phase-shifted images, were proposed for obtaining AC images. Results showed that the demodulation methods greatly enhanced the contrast and spatial resolution of the AC images, making it feasible to detect the fresh bruises that, otherwise, could not be achieved by conventional imaging technique with planar or uniform illumination. The effectiveness of image enhancement, however, varied with spatial frequency. Both 2-image and 2-phase SPT methods achieved the performance similar to that by conventional TPD. SIRI technique has demonstrated the capability of detecting fresh bruises in apples, and it has the potential as a new imaging modality for enhancing food quality and safety detection.
Elucidation of the ‘Honeycrisp’ pedigree through haplotype analysis with a multi-family integrated SNP linkage map and a large apple (Malus×domestica) pedigree-connected SNP data set

PubMed Central

Howard, Nicholas P; van de Weg, Eric; Bedford, David S; Peace, Cameron P; Vanderzande, Stijn; Clark, Matthew D; Teh, Soon Li; Cai, Lichun; Luby, James J

2017-01-01

The apple (Malus×domestica) cultivar Honeycrisp has become important economically and as a breeding parent. An earlier study with SSR markers indicated the original recorded pedigree of ‘Honeycrisp’ was incorrect and ‘Keepsake’ was identified as one putative parent, the other being unknown. The objective of this study was to verify ‘Keepsake’ as a parent and identify and genetically describe the unknown parent and its grandparents. A multi-family based dense and high-quality integrated SNP map was created using the apple 8 K Illumina Infinium SNP array. This map was used alongside a large pedigree-connected data set from the RosBREED project to build extended SNP haplotypes and to identify pedigree relationships. ‘Keepsake’ was verified as one parent of ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Duchess of Oldenburg’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ were identified as grandparents through the unknown parent. Following this finding, siblings of ‘Honeycrisp’ were identified using the SNP data. Breeding records from several of these siblings suggested that the previously unreported parent is a University of Minnesota selection, MN1627. This selection is no longer available, but now is genetically described through imputed SNP haplotypes. We also present the mosaic grandparental composition of ‘Honeycrisp’ for each of its 17 chromosome pairs. This new pedigree and genetic information will be useful in future pedigree-based genetic studies to connect ‘Honeycrisp’ with other cultivars used widely in apple breeding programs. The created SNP linkage map will benefit future research using the data from the Illumina apple 8 and 20 K and Affymetrix 480 K SNP arrays. PMID:28243452
Cancer chemopreventive potential of apples, apple juice, and apple components.

PubMed

Gerhauser, Clarissa

2008-10-01

Apples ( MALUS sp., Rosaceae) are a rich source of nutrient as well as non-nutrient components and contain high levels of polyphenols and other phytochemicals. Main structural classes of apple constituents include hydroxycinnamic acids, dihydrochalcones, flavonols (quercetin glycosides), catechins and oligomeric procyanidins, as well as triterpenoids in apple peel and anthocyanins in red apples. Several lines of evidence suggest that apples and apple products possess a wide range of biological activities which may contribute to health beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease, asthma and pulmonary dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, and cancer (reviewed by Boyer and Liu, Nutr J 2004). The present review will summarize the current knowledge on potential cancer preventive effects of apples, apple juice and apple extracts (jointly designated as apple products). In brief, apple extracts and components, especially oligomeric procyanidins, have been shown to influence multiple mechanisms relevant for cancer prevention in IN VITRO studies. These include antimutagenic activity, modulation of carcinogen metabolism, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, modulation of signal transduction pathways, antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity, as well as novel mechanisms on epigenetic events and innate immunity. Apple products have been shown to prevent skin, mammary and colon carcinogenesis in animal models. Epidemiological observations indicate that regular consumption of one or more apples a day may reduce the risk for lung and colon cancer.
Suspended-sediment loads from major tributaries to the Missouri River between Garrison Dam and Lake Oahe, North Dakota, 1954-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macek-Rowland, Kathleen M.

2000-01-01

Annual suspended-sediment loads for water years 1954 through 1998 were estimated for the major tributaries in the Missouri River Basin between Garrison Dam and Lake Oahe in North Dakota and for the Missouri River at Garrison Dam and the Missouri River at Bismarck, N. Dak. The major tributaries are the Knife River, Turtle Creek, Painted Woods Creek, Square Butte Creek, Burnt Creek, Heart River, and Apple Creek. Sediment and streamflow data used to estimate the suspended-sediment loads were from selected U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations located within each basin. Some of the stations had no sediment data available and limited continuous streamflow data for water years 1954 through 1998. Therefore, data from nearby streamflow-gaging stations were assumed for the calculations. The Heart River contributed the largest amount of suspended sediment to the Missouri River for 1954-98. Annual suspended-sediment loads in the Heart River near Mandan ranged from less than 1 to 40 percent of the annual suspended-sediment load in the Missouri River. The Knife River contributed the second largest amount of suspended sediment to the Missouri River. Annual suspended-sediment loads in the Knife River at Hazen ranged from less than 1 to 19 percent of the annual suspended-sediment load in the Missouri River. Apple Creek, Turtle Creek, Painted Woods Creek, Square Butte Creek, and Burnt Creek all contributed 2 percent or less of the annual suspended-sediment load in the Missouri River. The Knife River and the Heart River also had the largest average suspended-sediment yields for the seven tributaries. The yield for the Knife River was 91.1 tons per square mile, and the yield for the Heart River was 133 tons per square mile. The remaining five tributaries had yields of less than 24 tons per square mile based on total drainage area.
Pressure and temperature dependence of shear modulus and yield strength for aluminum, copper, and tungsten under shock compression

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peng Jianxiang; Jing Fuqian; Li Dahong

2005-07-01

Experimental data for the shear modulus and yield strength of shocked aluminum, copper, and tungsten were systematically analyzed. Comparisons between these data and calculations using the Steinberg-Cochran-Guinan (SCG) constitutive model [D. J. Steinberg, S. G. Cochran, and M. W. Guinan, J. Appl. Phys. 51, 1498 (1980)] indicate that the yield strength has the same dependence on pressure and temperature as the shear modulus for aluminum for shock pressures up to 50 GPa, for copper to 100 GPa, and for tungsten to 200 GPa. Therefore, the assumption of Y{sub p}{sup '}/Y{sub 0}=G{sub p}{sup '}/G{sub 0},Y{sub T}{sup '}/Y{sub 0}=G{sub T}{sup '}/G{sub 0}more » is basically acceptable for these materials, and the SCG model can be used to describe the shear modulus and yield strength of the shocked material at high pressure and temperature.« less
Structured-illumination reflectance imaging coupled with spiral phase transform for bruise detection and three-dimensional geometry reconstruction of apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Structured-illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) is a new, promising imaging technique with enhanced, versatile capabilities for quality evaluation of food products. SIRI enables simultaneous acquisition of higher-contrast/resolution and better depth-controlled intensity and phase images for detec...
ACCT Trustee Quarterly; Volume 8, Numbers 1-4, 1983-1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchins, Sally, Ed.

1984-01-01

These four issues of "ACCT Trustee Quarterly" contain articles on topics of current concern to community college trustees. The first issue contains articles on high technology, humanistic management, a legislative history of the "Apple" Bill, trustee-president relations, educational quality, part-time instructors, and health promotion through…
The domestication and evolutionary ecology of apples.

PubMed

Cornille, Amandine; Giraud, Tatiana; Smulders, Marinus J M; Roldán-Ruiz, Isabel; Gladieux, Pierre

2014-02-01

The cultivated apple is a major fruit crop in temperate zones. Its wild relatives, distributed across temperate Eurasia and growing in diverse habitats, represent potentially useful sources of diversity for apple breeding. We review here the most recent findings on the genetics and ecology of apple domestication and its impact on wild apples. Genetic analyses have revealed a Central Asian origin for cultivated apple, together with an unexpectedly large secondary contribution from the European crabapple. Wild apple species display strong population structures and high levels of introgression from domesticated apple, and this may threaten their genetic integrity. Recent research has revealed a major role of hybridization in the domestication of the cultivated apple and has highlighted the value of apple as an ideal model for unraveling adaptive diversification processes in perennial fruit crops. We discuss the implications of this knowledge for apple breeding and for the conservation of wild apples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Cashew juice containing prebiotic oligosaccharides.

PubMed

da Silva, Isabel Moreira; Rabelo, Maria Cristiane; Rodrigues, Sueli

2014-09-01

The enzyme dextransucrase in a medium containing sucrose and an acceptor as substrate synthesizes prebiotics oligosaccharides. The cashew apple juice works as a source of acceptors because it is rich in glucose and fructose (enzyme acceptors). The use of cashew apple juice becomes interesting because it aims at harnessing the peduncle of the cashew that is wasted during the nut processing, which is the product of greater economic expression. The production of dextransucrase enzyme was done by fermentative process by inoculating the bacterium Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B512F into a culture medium containing sucrose as the only carbon source. Thus, the aim of this work was the production of prebiotic oligosaccharides by enzymatic process with addition of the dextransucrase enzyme to the clarified cashew apple juice. Dextran yield was favored by the combination of low concentrations of sucrose and reducing sugars. The formation of oligosaccharides was favored by increasing the concentration of reducing sugars and by the combination of high concentrations of sucrose and reducing sugars, the highest concentration of oligosaccharides obtained was 104.73 g/L and the qualitative analysis showed that at concentrations of 25 g/L and 75 g/L of sucrose and reducing sugar, respectively, it is possible to obtain oligosaccharides of degree of polymerization up to 12. The juice containing prebiotic oligosaccharide is a potential new functional beverage.
Neonicotinoid pesticide exposure impairs crop pollination services provided by bumblebees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Dara A.; Garratt, Michael P. D.; Wickens, Jennifer B.; Wickens, Victoria J.; Potts, Simon G.; Raine, Nigel E.

2015-12-01

Recent concern over global pollinator declines has led to considerable research on the effects of pesticides on bees. Although pesticides are typically not encountered at lethal levels in the field, there is growing evidence indicating that exposure to field-realistic levels can have sublethal effects on bees, affecting their foraging behaviour, homing ability and reproductive success. Bees are essential for the pollination of a wide variety of crops and the majority of wild flowering plants, but until now research on pesticide effects has been limited to direct effects on bees themselves and not on the pollination services they provide. Here we show the first evidence to our knowledge that pesticide exposure can reduce the pollination services bumblebees deliver to apples, a crop of global economic importance. Bumblebee colonies exposed to a neonicotinoid pesticide provided lower visitation rates to apple trees and collected pollen less often. Most importantly, these pesticide-exposed colonies produced apples containing fewer seeds, demonstrating a reduced delivery of pollination services. Our results also indicate that reduced pollination service delivery is not due to pesticide-induced changes in individual bee behaviour, but most likely due to effects at the colony level. These findings show that pesticide exposure can impair the ability of bees to provide pollination services, with important implications for both the sustained delivery of stable crop yields and the functioning of natural ecosystems.
Culture medium pH influence on Gluconacetobacter physiology: Cellulose production rate and yield enhancement in presence of multiple carbon sources.

PubMed

Yassine, Fatima; Bassil, Nathalie; Flouty, Roula; Chokr, Ali; Samrani, Antoine El; Boiteux, Gisèle; Tahchi, Mario El

2016-08-01

Gluconacetobacter genera are valued for bacterial cellulose (BC) and acetic acid production. BC is produced at optimal yields in classical microbiological media that are expensive for a large scale of production. In addition, BC usage for industrial purposes is limited due to low conversion rate into cellulose and to long incubation duration. In this paper, Gluconacetobacter isolated from apple vinegar was kinetically studied to evaluate cellulose production in presence of different carbon sources. Acetic and citric acid effect on Gluconacetobacter metabolism is clarified. It was shown that Gluconacetobacter uses glucose as a primary carbon source for cells growth and products formation. Acetic acid employment as a co-carbon source in Hestrin Schramm medium showed an increase of 17% in BC yield with a moderate decrease in the crystallite size of the resulting polymer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Short-term biomarkers of apple consumption.

PubMed

Saenger, Theresa; Hübner, Florian; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich

2017-03-01

Urinary biomarkers are used to estimate the nutritional intake of humans. The aim of this study was to distinguish between low, medium, and high apple consumption by quantifying possible intake biomarkers in urine samples after apple consumption by HPLC-MS/MS. Apples were chosen as they are the most consumed fruits in Germany. Thirty subjects took part in 7-day study. They abstained from apples and apple products except for one weighed apple portion resembling one, two, or four apples. Before apple consumption and during the following days spot urine samples were collected. These urine samples were incubated with β-glucuronidase, diluted, and directly measured by HPLC-MS/MS. Phloretin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, and quercetin were detected in urine using Scheduled MRM TM mode. Phloretin was confirmed as a urinary biomarker of apple intake and had the ability to discriminate between low or medium (one or two apples) and high apple consumption (four apples). The groups also differ in the excretion of epicatechin and procyanidin B2. Apple consumption can be monitored by urinary biomarkers for a period of at least 12 h after consumption. Furthermore the amount of apples consumed can be estimated by the concentration of certain biomarkers. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
[Hyperspectral Estimation of Apple Tree Canopy LAI Based on SVM and RF Regression].

PubMed

Han, Zhao-ying; Zhu, Xi-cun; Fang, Xian-yi; Wang, Zhuo-yuan; Wang, Ling; Zhao, Geng-Xing; Jiang, Yuan-mao

2016-03-01

Leaf area index (LAI) is the dynamic index of crop population size. Hyperspectral technology can be used to estimate apple canopy LAI rapidly and nondestructively. It can be provide a reference for monitoring the tree growing and yield estimation. The Red Fuji apple trees of full bearing fruit are the researching objects. Ninety apple trees canopies spectral reflectance and LAI values were measured by the ASD Fieldspec3 spectrometer and LAI-2200 in thirty orchards in constant two years in Qixia research area of Shandong Province. The optimal vegetation indices were selected by the method of correlation analysis of the original spectral reflectance and vegetation indices. The models of predicting the LAI were built with the multivariate regression analysis method of support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF). The new vegetation indices, GNDVI527, ND-VI676, RVI682, FD-NVI656 and GRVI517 and the previous two main vegetation indices, NDVI670 and NDVI705, are in accordance with LAI. In the RF regression model, the calibration set decision coefficient C-R2 of 0.920 and validation set decision coefficient V-R2 of 0.889 are higher than the SVM regression model by 0.045 and 0.033 respectively. The root mean square error of calibration set C-RMSE of 0.249, the root mean square error validation set V-RMSE of 0.236 are lower than that of the SVM regression model by 0.054 and 0.058 respectively. Relative analysis of calibrating error C-RPD and relative analysis of validation set V-RPD reached 3.363 and 2.520, 0.598 and 0.262, respectively, which were higher than the SVM regression model. The measured and predicted the scatterplot trend line slope of the calibration set and validation set C-S and V-S are close to 1. The estimation result of RF regression model is better than that of the SVM. RF regression model can be used to estimate the LAI of red Fuji apple trees in full fruit period.
7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...
7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...
7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...
7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...
7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...

Volatility of patulin in apple juice.

PubMed

Kryger, R A

2001-08-01

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by certain fungi, such as those found commonly on apples. The patulin content of apple juice is a regulatory concern because patulin is a suspected carcinogen and mutagen. A simple model of the apple juice concentration process was carried out to examine the possible contamination of patulin in apple aroma, a distillate produced commercially in the concentration of apple juice. The results show no evidence for patulin volatility, and document a reduction in patulin content by at least a factor of 250 in the apple distillate obtained from apple juice. Furthermore, a survey of several commercial apple aroma samples found no evidence of patulin content.
Delta 13C predicts water deficit sensitivity in Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M. Roem. from a xerophytic site in Kazakhstan

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Modern apples [Malus x domestica (Borkh.)] are thought to have originated in western China from the progenitor species, Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M. Roem. Due to many generations of selection for traits associated with high fruit quality, our current breeding germplasm has become dangerously narrow....
Genome Sequences of 19 Novel Erwinia amylovora Bacteriophages

PubMed Central

Esplin, Ian N. D.; Berg, Jordan A.; Sharma, Ruchira; Allen, Robert C.; Arens, Daniel K.; Ashcroft, Cody R.; Bairett, Shannon R.; Beatty, Nolan J.; Bickmore, Madeline; Bloomfield, Travis J.; Brady, T. Scott; Bybee, Rachel N.; Carter, John L.; Choi, Minsey C.; Duncan, Steven; Fajardo, Christopher P.; Foy, Brayden B.; Fuhriman, David A.; Gibby, Paul D.; Grossarth, Savannah E.; Harbaugh, Kala; Harris, Natalie; Hilton, Jared A.; Hurst, Emily; Hyde, Jonathan R.; Ingersoll, Kayleigh; Jacobson, Caitlin M.; James, Brady D.; Jarvis, Todd M.; Jaen-Anieves, Daniella; Jensen, Garrett L.; Knabe, Bradley K.; Kruger, Jared L.; Merrill, Bryan D.; Pape, Jenny A.; Payne Anderson, Ashley M.; Payne, David E.; Peck, Malia D.; Pollock, Samuel V.; Putnam, Micah J.; Ransom, Ethan K.; Ririe, Devin B.; Robinson, David M.; Rogers, Spencer L.; Russell, Kerri A.; Schoenhals, Jonathan E.; Shurtleff, Christopher A.; Simister, Austin R.; Smith, Hunter G.; Stephenson, Michael B.; Staley, Lyndsay A.; Stettler, Jason M.; Stratton, Mallorie L.; Tateoka, Olivia B.; Tatlow, P. J.; Taylor, Alexander S.; Thompson, Suzanne E.; Townsend, Michelle H.; Thurgood, Trever L.; Usher, Brittian K.; Whitley, Kiara V.; Ward, Andrew T.; Ward, Megan E. H.; Webb, Charles J.; Wienclaw, Trevor M.; Williamson, Taryn L.; Wells, Michael J.; Wright, Cole K.; Breakwell, Donald P.; Hope, Sandra

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Erwinia amylovora is the causal agent of fire blight, a devastating disease affecting some plants of the Rosaceae family. We isolated bacteriophages from samples collected from infected apple and pear trees along the Wasatch Front in Utah. We announce 19 high-quality complete genome sequences of E. amylovora bacteriophages. PMID:29146842
Codling moth establishment in China: stages of invasion and potential future distribution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) is an internal feeding pest of apples and can cause substantial economic losses to fruit growers due to larval feeding which in turn degrades fruit quality and can result in complete crop loss if left uncontrolled. Although this pest originally developed in central ...
Fast demodulation of pattern images by spiral phase transform in structured-illumination reflectance imaging for detection of bruises in apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A structured-illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) system was recently developed in our laboratory for enhanced quality evaluation of horticultural products. It was implemented using a digital camera to acquire reflectance images from food products subjected to sinusoidal patterns (or other simila...
Motherhood, Apple Pie, and Differentiated Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanSciver, James H.

2005-01-01

A good Little League baseball coach will analyze a pitcher's performance and develop an individual prescription based on that analysis. Just as all pitchers do not receive the same remedies from high-quality coaches, the author believes, neither should all students. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) stands as the imposing batter to many teachers and…
Mistletoe Extracts (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

Cancer.gov

Mistletoe, a semiparasitic plant that grows on several types of trees such as apple, oak, pine and elm, is commonly used in cancer patients in Europe. Read about laboratory and human studies of extracts, such as Iscador and Eurixor, and their effects on quality of life, survival and symptom relief in this expert-reviewed summary.
Cryotherapy by encapsulation-dehydration is effective for in vitro eradication of latent viruses from ‘Marubakaido’ apple rootstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) and Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) are several major viral pathogens of apple trees, responsible for substantial damage to the world's apple industry. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of encapsulation-dehydratio...
GoPro HERO 4 Black recording of scleral buckle placement during retinal detachment repair.

PubMed

Ho, Vincent Y; Shah, Vaishali G; Yates, David M; Shah, Gaurav K

2017-08-01

GoPro and Google Glass technology have previously been used to record procedures in ophthalmology and other medical fields. In this manuscript, GoPro's latest HERO 4 Black edition camera (GoPro Inc, San Mateo, Calif.) will be used to record the placement of a scleral buckle during retinal detachment surgery. GoPro HERO 4 Black edition camera, which records 4K-quality video with a resolution of 3840 (pixels) x 2160 (lines), was mounted on a head strap to record placement of a scleral buckle for a retinal detachment. Excellent video quality was achieved with the 4K SuperView setting. Bluetooth connection with an Apple iPad (Apple Inc, Cupertino, Calif.) provided live streaming and use of the GoPro App. Zoom, horizontal/vertical alignment, exposure, and contrast adjustments were made with postproduction editing on GoPro Studio software. Video recording with the GoPro HERO 4 Black edition camera is an excellent way to document extraocular procedures to improve medical education, self-training, or medicolegal documentation. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
MdMYB1 Regulates Anthocyanin and Malate Accumulation by Directly Facilitating Their Transport into Vacuoles in Apples1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Hu, Da-Gang; Sun, Cui-Hui; Ma, Qi-Jun; You, Chun-Xiang; Hao, Yu-Jin

2016-01-01

Tonoplast transporters, including proton pumps and secondary transporters, are essential for plant cell function and for quality formation of fleshy fruits and ornamentals. Vacuolar transport of anthocyanins, malate, and other metabolites is directly or indirectly dependent on the H+-pumping activities of vacuolar H+-ATPase (VHA) and/or vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase, but how these proton pumps are regulated in modulating vacuolar transport is largely unknown. Here, we report a transcription factor, MdMYB1, in apples that binds to the promoters of two genes encoding the B subunits of VHA, MdVHA-B1 and MdVHA-B2, to transcriptionally activate its expression, thereby enhancing VHA activity. A series of transgenic analyses in apples demonstrates that MdMYB1/10 controls cell pH and anthocyanin accumulation partially by regulating MdVHA-B1 and MdVHA-B2. Furthermore, several other direct target genes of MdMYB10 are identified, including MdVHA-E2, MdVHP1, MdMATE-LIKE1, and MdtDT, which are involved in H+-pumping or in the transport of anthocyanins and malates into vacuoles. Finally, we show that the mechanism by which MYB controls malate and anthocyanin accumulation in apples also operates in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). These findings provide novel insights into how MYB transcription factors directly modulate the vacuolar transport system in addition to anthocyanin biosynthesis, consequently controlling organ coloration and cell pH in plants. PMID:26637549
3D surface scan of biological samples with a Push-broom Imaging Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Haibo; Kincaid, Russell; Hruska, Zuzana; Brown, Robert L.; Bhatnagar, Deepak; Cleveland, Thomas E.

2013-08-01

The food industry is always on the lookout for sensing technologies for rapid and nondestructive inspection of food products. Hyperspectral imaging technology integrates both imaging and spectroscopy into unique imaging sensors. Its application for food safety and quality inspection has made significant progress in recent years. Specifically, hyperspectral imaging has shown its potential for surface contamination detection in many food related applications. Most existing hyperspectral imaging systems use pushbroom scanning which is generally used for flat surface inspection. In some applications it is desirable to be able to acquire hyperspectral images on circular objects such as corn ears, apples, and cucumbers. Past research describes inspection systems that examine all surfaces of individual objects. Most of these systems did not employ hyperspectral imaging. These systems typically utilized a roller to rotate an object, such as an apple. During apple rotation, the camera took multiple images in order to cover the complete surface of the apple. The acquired image data lacked the spectral component present in a hyperspectral image. This paper discusses the development of a hyperspectral imaging system for a 3-D surface scan of biological samples. The new instrument is based on a pushbroom hyperspectral line scanner using a rotational stage to turn the sample. The system is suitable for whole surface hyperspectral imaging of circular objects. In addition to its value to the food industry, the system could be useful for other applications involving 3-D surface inspection.
Deciphering the genetic control of fruit texture in apple by multiple family-based analysis and genome-wide association

PubMed Central

Di Guardo, Mario; Bink, Marco C.A.M.; Guerra, Walter; Letschka, Thomas; Lozano, Lidia; Busatto, Nicola; Poles, Lara; Tadiello, Alice; Bianco, Luca; Visser, Richard G.F.; van de Weg, Eric

2017-01-01

Abstract Fruit texture is a complex feature composed of mechanical and acoustic properties relying on the modifications occurring in the cell wall throughout fruit development and ripening. Apple is characterized by a large variation in fruit texture behavior that directly impacts both the consumer’s appreciation and post-harvest performance. To decipher the genetic control of fruit texture comprehensively, two complementing quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping approaches were employed. The first was represented by a pedigree-based analysis (PBA) carried out on six full-sib pedigreed families, while the second was a genome-wide association study (GWAS) performed on a collection of 233 apple accessions. Both plant materials were genotyped with a 20K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and phenotyped with a sophisticated high-resolution texture analyzer. The overall QTL results indicated the fundamental role of chromosome 10 in controlling the mechanical properties, while chromosomes 2 and 14 were more associated with the acoustic response. The latter QTL, moreover, showed a consistent relationship between the QTL-estimated genotypes and the acoustic performance assessed among seedlings. The in silico annotation of these intervals revealed interesting candidate genes potentially involved in fruit texture regulation, as suggested by the gene expression profile. The joint integration of these approaches sheds light on the specific control of fruit texture, enabling important genetic information to assist in the selection of valuable fruit quality apple varieties. PMID:28338805
Deciphering the genetic control of fruit texture in apple by multiple family-based analysis and genome-wide association.

PubMed

Di Guardo, Mario; Bink, Marco C A M; Guerra, Walter; Letschka, Thomas; Lozano, Lidia; Busatto, Nicola; Poles, Lara; Tadiello, Alice; Bianco, Luca; Visser, Richard G F; van de Weg, Eric; Costa, Fabrizio

2017-03-01

Fruit texture is a complex feature composed of mechanical and acoustic properties relying on the modifications occurring in the cell wall throughout fruit development and ripening. Apple is characterized by a large variation in fruit texture behavior that directly impacts both the consumer's appreciation and post-harvest performance. To decipher the genetic control of fruit texture comprehensively, two complementing quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping approaches were employed. The first was represented by a pedigree-based analysis (PBA) carried out on six full-sib pedigreed families, while the second was a genome-wide association study (GWAS) performed on a collection of 233 apple accessions. Both plant materials were genotyped with a 20K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and phenotyped with a sophisticated high-resolution texture analyzer. The overall QTL results indicated the fundamental role of chromosome 10 in controlling the mechanical properties, while chromosomes 2 and 14 were more associated with the acoustic response. The latter QTL, moreover, showed a consistent relationship between the QTL-estimated genotypes and the acoustic performance assessed among seedlings. The in silico annotation of these intervals revealed interesting candidate genes potentially involved in fruit texture regulation, as suggested by the gene expression profile. The joint integration of these approaches sheds light on the specific control of fruit texture, enabling important genetic information to assist in the selection of valuable fruit quality apple varieties. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.
QTL validation and stability for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in apple.

PubMed

Costa, Fabrizio; Cappellin, Luca; Zini, Elena; Patocchi, Andrea; Kellerhals, Markus; Komjanc, Matteo; Gessler, Cesare; Biasioli, Franco

2013-10-01

The aroma trait in apple is a key factor for fruit quality strongly affecting the consumer appreciation, and its detection and analysis is often an extremely laborious and time consuming procedure. Molecular markers associated to this trait can to date represent a valuable selection tool to overcome these limitations. QTL mapping is the first step in the process of targeting valuable molecular markers to be employed in marker-assisted breeding programmes (MAB). However, a validation step is usually required before a newly identified molecular marker can be implemented in marker-assisted selection. In this work the position of a set of QTLs associated to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was confirmed and validated in three different environments in Switzerland, namely Wädenswil, Conthey and Cadenazzo, where the progeny 'Fiesta×Discovery' was replicated. For both QTL identification and validation, the phenotypic data were represented by VOCs produced by mature apple fruit and assessed with a Proton Transfer Reaction-Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) instrument. The QTL-VOC combined analysis performed among these three locations validated the presence of important QTLs in three specific genomic regions, two located in the linkage group 2 and one in linkage group 15, respectively, for compounds related to esters (m/z 43, 61 and 131) and to the hormone ethylene (m/z 28). The QTL set presented here confirmed that in apple some compounds are highly genetically regulated and stable across environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
MdMYB1 Regulates Anthocyanin and Malate Accumulation by Directly Facilitating Their Transport into Vacuoles in Apples.

PubMed

Hu, Da-Gang; Sun, Cui-Hui; Ma, Qi-Jun; You, Chun-Xiang; Cheng, Lailiang; Hao, Yu-Jin

2016-03-01

Tonoplast transporters, including proton pumps and secondary transporters, are essential for plant cell function and for quality formation of fleshy fruits and ornamentals. Vacuolar transport of anthocyanins, malate, and other metabolites is directly or indirectly dependent on the H(+)-pumping activities of vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (VHA) and/or vacuolar H(+)-pyrophosphatase, but how these proton pumps are regulated in modulating vacuolar transport is largely unknown. Here, we report a transcription factor, MdMYB1, in apples that binds to the promoters of two genes encoding the B subunits of VHA, MdVHA-B1 and MdVHA-B2, to transcriptionally activate its expression, thereby enhancing VHA activity. A series of transgenic analyses in apples demonstrates that MdMYB1/10 controls cell pH and anthocyanin accumulation partially by regulating MdVHA-B1 and MdVHA-B2. Furthermore, several other direct target genes of MdMYB10 are identified, including MdVHA-E2, MdVHP1, MdMATE-LIKE1, and MdtDT, which are involved in H(+)-pumping or in the transport of anthocyanins and malates into vacuoles. Finally, we show that the mechanism by which MYB controls malate and anthocyanin accumulation in apples also operates in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). These findings provide novel insights into how MYB transcription factors directly modulate the vacuolar transport system in addition to anthocyanin biosynthesis, consequently controlling organ coloration and cell pH in plants. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.
Detection and quantification of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris by electrical impedance in apple juice.

PubMed

Fernández, Pilar; Gabaldón, José Antonio; Periago, Mª Jesús

2017-12-01

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is a thermotolerant bacterium able to grow in fruit juices and drinks, as the spoilage by Alicyclobacillus in the final product does not product any gas, but leads to a "medicine flavor" due to the formation of guaicol. Also, its detection is a challenge for the quality control departments, because it takes several days to get the results of traditional microbiology methods. This study aimed at developing a more accurate electrical impedance technique for the detection of A. acidoterrestris in concentrated apple juice. Samples of apple juice were inoculated with A. acidoterrestris spores isolated from a peach and grape juice. For the spore germination, several heat-shock treatments were tested (80 °C/10 min, 70 °C/20 min and 60 °C/30 min). Direct and indirect electrical impedance was applied to detect and quantify the microorganism in the inoculated apple juice, using BAT broth and Bimedia 002A (pH 4). The 80 °C/10 min treatment was selected for spore activation. The valid electrical impedance technique was the indirect method in BAT broth, which measured the changes in the impedance through the formation of CO 2 . In addition, a positive correlation (r = 0.98, R 2 = 0.97) was observed between the classical microbiology (BAM agar) and the indirect impedance method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Metabolomic profiling and sensorial quality of 'Golden Delicious', 'Liberty', 'Santana', and 'Topaz' apples grown using organic and integrated production systems.

PubMed

Vanzo, Andreja; Jenko, Mojca; Vrhovsek, Urska; Stopar, Matej

2013-07-03

Apple quality was investigated in the scab-resistant 'Liberty', 'Santana', and 'Topaz' cultivars and the scab-susceptible 'Golden Delicious' cultivar. Trees subjected to the same crop load were cultivated using either an organic (ORG) or an integrated production (IP) system. Physicochemical properties, phenolic content, and sensorial quality of fruit from both systems were compared. There were no significant differences in fruit mass, starch, and total soluble solid content (the latter was higher in ORG 'Liberty') between ORG and IP fruit, whereas significantly higher flesh firmness was found in ORG fruit (except no difference in 'Golden Delicious'). Significantly higher total phenolic content in ORG fruit was found in 'Golden Delicious', whereas differences in other cultivars were not significant. Targeted metabolomic profiling of multiple classes of phenolics confirmed the impact of the production system on the 'Golden Delicious' phenolic profile as higher levels of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, neo- and chlorogenic acids, phloridzin, procyanidin B2+B4, -3-O-glucoside and -3-O-galactoside of quercetin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and rutin being found in ORG fruit. The results obtained suggested that scab resistance influenced the phenolic biosynthesis in relation to the agricultural system. Sensorial evaluation indicated significantly better flavor (except for 'Topaz') and better appearance of IP fruit.
Fate of Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Apples and Caramel Apples.

PubMed

Salazar, Joelle K; Carstens, Christina K; Bathija, Vriddi M; Narula, Sartaj S; Parish, Mickey; Tortorello, Mary Lou

2016-05-01

An outbreak of listeriosis in late 2014 and early 2015 associated with caramel apples led to questions about how this product became a vector for Listeria monocytogenes. This investigation aimed to determine information about the survival and growth of L. monocytogenes in both fresh apples and caramel apples, specifically examining the effects of site and level of inoculation, inoculum drying conditions, and storage temperature. At a high inoculation level (7 log CFU per apple), L. monocytogenes inoculated at the stem end proliferated on Gala caramel apples at both 5 and 25°C and on Granny Smith caramel apples at 25°C by as much as 3 to 5 log CFU per apple. Fresh apples and caramel apples inoculated at the equatorial surface supported survival but not growth of the pathogen. Growth rates (μmax) for apples inoculated at the stem end, as determined using the Baranyi and Roberts growth model, were 1.64 ± 0.27 and 1.38 ± 0.20 log CFU per apple per day for Gala and Granny Smith caramel apples, respectively, stored at 25°C. At a low inoculation level (3 log CFU per apple), L. monocytogenes inoculated at the stem end and the equatorial surface survived but did not grow on fresh Gala and Granny Smith apples stored at 25°C for 49 days; however, on caramel apples inoculated at the stem end, L. monocytogenes had significant growth under the same conditions. Although certain conditions did not support growth, the pathogen was always detectable by enrichment culture. The inoculation procedure had a significant effect on results; when the inoculum was allowed to dry for 24 h at 5°C, growth was significantly slowed compared with inoculum allowed to dry for 2 h at 25°C. Variation in stick materials did affect L. monocytogenes survival, but these differences were diminished once sticks were placed into caramel apples.
Proteomics and SSH Analyses of ALA-Promoted Fruit Coloration and Evidence for the Involvement of a MADS-Box Gene, MdMADS1

PubMed Central

Feng, Xinxin; An, Yuyan; Zheng, Jie; Sun, Miao; Wang, Liangju

2016-01-01

Skin color is a key quality attribute of fruits and how to improve fruit coloration has long been a major concern. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a natural plant growth regulator, can significantly increase anthocyanin accumulation in fruit skin and therefore effectively improve coloration of many fruits, including apple. However, the molecular mechanism how ALA stimulates anthocyanin accumulation in fruit skin remains unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of ALA on apple skin at the protein and mRNA levels. A total of 85 differentially expressed proteins in apple skins between ALA and water treatment (control) were identified by complementary gel-based and gel-free separation techniques. Most of these differentially expressed proteins were up-regulated by ALA. Function analysis suggested that 87.06% of the ALA-responsive proteins were associated with fruit ripening. To further screen ALA-responsive regulators, we constructed a subtracted cDNA library (tester: ALA treatment; driver: control) and obtained 104 differentially expressed unigenes, of which 38 unigenes were indicators for the fruit ripening-related genes. The differentially changed proteins and transcripts did not correspond well at an individual level, but showed similar regulated direction in function at the pathway level. Among the identified fruit ripening-related genes, the expression of MdMADS1, a developmental transcription regulator of fruit ripening, was positively correlated with expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes (MdCHS, MdDFR, MdLDOX, and MdUFGT) in apple skin under ALA treatment. Moreover, overexpression of MdMADS1 enhanced anthocyanin content in transformed apple calli, which was further enhanced by ALA. The anthocyanin content in MdMADS1-silenced calli was less than that in the control with ALA treatment, but higher than that without ALA treatment. These results indicated that MdMADS1 is involved in ALA-induced anthocyanin accumulation. In addition, anthocyanin-related verification in apple calli suggested that the regulation of MdMADS1 on anthocyanin biosynthesis was partially independent of fruit ripening process. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the mechanism how ALA regulates anthocyanin accumulation and add new information on transcriptase regulators of fruit coloration. PMID:27872628
Apple skin patterning is associated with differential expression of MYB10

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Some apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) varieties have attractive striping patterns, a quality attribute that is important for determining apple fruit market acceptance. Most apple cultivars (e.g. 'Royal Gala') produce fruit with a defined fruit pigment pattern, but in the case of 'Honeycrisp' apple, trees can produce fruits of two different kinds: striped and blushed. The causes of this phenomenon are unknown. Results Here we show that striped areas of 'Honeycrisp' and 'Royal Gala' are due to sectorial increases in anthocyanin concentration. Transcript levels of the major biosynthetic genes and MYB10, a transcription factor that upregulates apple anthocyanin production, correlated with increased anthocyanin concentration in stripes. However, nucleotide changes in the promoter and coding sequence of MYB10 do not correlate with skin pattern in 'Honeycrisp' and other cultivars differing in peel pigmentation patterns. A survey of methylation levels throughout the coding region of MYB10 and a 2.5 Kb region 5' of the ATG translation start site indicated that an area 900 bp long, starting 1400 bp upstream of the translation start site, is highly methylated. Cytosine methylation was present in all three contexts, with higher methylation levels observed for CHH and CHG (where H is A, C or T) than for CG. Comparisons of methylation levels of the MYB10 promoter in 'Honeycrisp' red and green stripes indicated that they correlate with peel phenotypes, with an enrichment of methylation observed in green stripes. Conclusions Differences in anthocyanin levels between red and green stripes can be explained by differential transcript accumulation of MYB10. Different levels of MYB10 transcript in red versus green stripes are inversely associated with methylation levels in the promoter region. Although observed methylation differences are modest, trends are consistent across years and differences are statistically significant. Methylation may be associated with the presence of a TRIM retrotransposon within the promoter region, but the presence of the TRIM element alone cannot explain the phenotypic variability observed in 'Honeycrisp'. We suggest that methylation in the MYB10 promoter is more variable in 'Honeycrisp' than in 'Royal Gala', leading to more variable color patterns in the peel of this cultivar. PMID:21599973

Quantitative evaluation of low-cost frame-grabber boards for personal computers.

PubMed

Kofler, J M; Gray, J E; Fuelberth, J T; Taubel, J P

1995-11-01

Nine moderately priced frame-grabber boards for both Macintosh (Apple Computers, Cupertino, CA) and IBM-compatible computers were evaluated using a Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE) pattern and a video signal generator for dynamic range, gray-scale reproducibility, and spatial integrity of the captured image. The degradation of the video information ranged from minor to severe. Some boards are of reasonable quality for applications in diagnostic imaging and education. However, price and quality are not necessarily directly related.
Apple Pomace as Potential Source of Natural Active Compounds.

PubMed

Waldbauer, Katharina; McKinnon, Ruxandra; Kopp, Brigitte

2017-08-01

Apple pomace is a waste product of the apple manufacturing industry that has been in the focus of life sciences as it represents a low-cost source of fruit-derived compounds. High fruit consumption is associated with beneficial health effects, and therefore, apple pomace and its constituents raise therapeutic interest. The present work reviews (i) the chemical constituents of apple pomace, (ii) optimized extraction methods of apple pomace compounds, and (iii) biological activities of apple pomace. Current evidence of apple pomace influence on digestion and metabolism, cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis, diabetes, and sex hormones is summarized. Furthermore, studies regarding its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antibacterial and antiviral effects are presented. The review concludes that apple pomace is an underutilized waste product of the apple industry with the potential of being processed for its nutritional and pharmaceutical value. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
Consumer Mobile Apps for Potential Drug-Drug Interaction Check: Systematic Review and Content Analysis Using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS).

PubMed

Kim, Ben Yb; Sharafoddini, Anis; Tran, Nam; Wen, Emily Y; Lee, Joon

2018-03-28

General consumers can now easily access drug information and quickly check for potential drug-drug interactions (PDDIs) through mobile health (mHealth) apps. With aging population in Canada, more people have chronic diseases and comorbidities leading to increasing numbers of medications. The use of mHealth apps for checking PDDIs can be helpful in ensuring patient safety and empowerment. The aim of this study was to review the characteristics and quality of publicly available mHealth apps that check for PDDIs. Apple App Store and Google Play were searched to identify apps with PDDI functionality. The apps' general and feature characteristics were extracted. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) was used to assess the quality. A total of 23 apps were included for the review-12 from Apple App Store and 11 from Google Play. Only 5 of these were paid apps, with an average price of $7.19 CAD. The mean MARS score was 3.23 out of 5 (interquartile range 1.34). The mean MARS scores for the apps from Google Play and Apple App Store were not statistically different (P=.84). The information dimension was associated with the highest score (3.63), whereas the engagement dimension resulted in the lowest score (2.75). The total number of features per app, average rating, and price were significantly associated with the total MARS score. Some apps provided accurate and comprehensive information about potential adverse drug effects from PDDIs. Given the potentially severe consequences of incorrect drug information, there is a need for oversight to eliminate low quality and potentially harmful apps. Because managing PDDIs is complex in the absence of complete information, secondary features such as medication reminder, refill reminder, medication history tracking, and pill identification could help enhance the effectiveness of PDDI apps. ©Ben YB Kim, Anis Sharafoddini, Nam Tran, Emily Y Wen, Joon Lee. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 28.03.2018.
Consumer Mobile Apps for Potential Drug-Drug Interaction Check: Systematic Review and Content Analysis Using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS)

PubMed Central

Kim, Ben YB; Sharafoddini, Anis; Tran, Nam; Wen, Emily Y

2018-01-01

Background General consumers can now easily access drug information and quickly check for potential drug-drug interactions (PDDIs) through mobile health (mHealth) apps. With aging population in Canada, more people have chronic diseases and comorbidities leading to increasing numbers of medications. The use of mHealth apps for checking PDDIs can be helpful in ensuring patient safety and empowerment. Objective The aim of this study was to review the characteristics and quality of publicly available mHealth apps that check for PDDIs. Methods Apple App Store and Google Play were searched to identify apps with PDDI functionality. The apps’ general and feature characteristics were extracted. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) was used to assess the quality. Results A total of 23 apps were included for the review—12 from Apple App Store and 11 from Google Play. Only 5 of these were paid apps, with an average price of $7.19 CAD. The mean MARS score was 3.23 out of 5 (interquartile range 1.34). The mean MARS scores for the apps from Google Play and Apple App Store were not statistically different (P=.84). The information dimension was associated with the highest score (3.63), whereas the engagement dimension resulted in the lowest score (2.75). The total number of features per app, average rating, and price were significantly associated with the total MARS score. Conclusions Some apps provided accurate and comprehensive information about potential adverse drug effects from PDDIs. Given the potentially severe consequences of incorrect drug information, there is a need for oversight to eliminate low quality and potentially harmful apps. Because managing PDDIs is complex in the absence of complete information, secondary features such as medication reminder, refill reminder, medication history tracking, and pill identification could help enhance the effectiveness of PDDI apps. PMID:29592848
Evidence from the domestication of apple for the maintenance of autumn colours by coevolution

PubMed Central

Archetti, Marco

2009-01-01

The adaptive value of autumn colours is still a puzzle for evolutionary biology. It has been suggested that autumn colours are a warning signal to insects that use the trees as a host. I show that aphids (Dysaphis plantaginea) avoid apple trees (Malus pumila) with red leaves in autumn and that their fitness in spring is lower on these trees, which suggests that red leaves are an honest signal of the quality of the tree as a host. Autumn colours are common in wild populations but not among cultivated apple varieties, which are no longer under natural selection against insects. I show that autumn colours remain only in the varieties that are very susceptible to the effects of a common insect-borne disease, fire blight, and therefore are more in need of avoiding insects. Moreover, varieties with red leaves have smaller fruits, which shows that they have been under less effective artificial selection. This suggests a possible trade off between fruit size, leaf colour and resistance to parasites. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that autumn colours are a warning signal to insects, but not with other hypotheses. PMID:19369261
Climacteric ripening of apple fruit is regulated by transcriptional circuits stimulated by cross-talks between ethylene and auxin.

PubMed

Busatto, Nicola; Tadiello, Alice; Trainotti, Livio; Costa, Fabrizio

2017-01-02

Apple is a fleshy fruit distinguished by a climacteric type of ripening, since most of the relevant physiological changes are triggered and governed by the action of ethylene. After its production, this hormone is perceived by a series of receptors to regulate, through a signaling cascade, downstream ethylene related genes. The possibility to control the effect of ethylene opened new horizons to the improvement of the postharvest fruit quality. To this end, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene antagonist, is routinely used to modulate the ripening progression increasing storage life. In a recent work published in The Plant Journal, the whole transcriptome variation throughout fruit development and ripening, with the adjunct comparison between normal and impaired postharvest ripening, has been illustrated. In particular, besides the expected downregulation of ethylene-regulated genes, we shed light on a regulatory circuit leading to de-repressing the expression of a specific set of genes following 1-MCP treatment, such as AUX/IAA, NAC and MADS. These findings suggested the existence of a possible ethylene/auxin cross-talk in apple, regulated by a transcriptional circuit stimulated by the interference at the ethylene receptor level.
Comparison of Seismic Sources and Frequencies in West Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaip, G.; Harder, S. H.; Karplus, M. S.

2017-12-01

During October 2017 the Seismic Source Facility (SSF) located at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Department of Geological Sciences collected seismic data at SSF test facility located near Fabens, TX. The project objective was to compare source amplitudes and frequencies of various seismic sources available through the SSF. Selecting the appropriate seismic source is important to reach geological objectives. We compare seismic sources between explosive sources (pentolite and shotgun) and mechanical sources (accelerated weight drop and hammer on plate), focusing on amplitude and frequency. All sources were tested in same geologic environment. Although this is not an ideal geologic formation for source coupling, it does allow an "apples to apples" comparison. Twenty Reftek RT125A seismic recorders with 4.5 Hz geophones were laid out in a line with 3m station separation. Mechanical sources were tested first to minimize changes in the subsurface related to explosive sources Explosive sources, while yielding higher amplitudes, have lower frequency content. The explosions exhibit a higher signal-to-noise ratio, allowing us to recognize seismic energy deeper and farther from the source. Mechanical sources yield higher frequencies allowing better resolution at shallower depths, but have a lower signal-to-noise ratio and lower amplitudes, even with source stacking. We analyze the details of the shot spectra from the different types of sources. A combination of source types can improve data resolution and amplitude, thereby improving imaging potential. However, cost, logistics, and complexities also have a large influence on source selection.
Appl1 Is Dispensable for Mouse Development, and Loss of Appl1 Has Growth Factor-selective Effects on Akt Signaling in Murine Embryonic Fibroblasts*

PubMed Central

Tan, Yinfei; You, Huihong; Wu, Chao; Altomare, Deborah A.; Testa, Joseph R.

2010-01-01

The adaptor protein APPL1 (adaptor protein containing pleckstrin homology (PH), phosphotyrosine binding (PTB), and leucine zipper motifs) was first identified as a binding protein of AKT2 by yeast two-hybrid screening. APPL1 was subsequently found to bind to several membrane-bound receptors and was implicated in their signal transduction through AKT and/or MAPK pathways. To determine the unambiguous role of Appl1 in vivo, we generated Appl1 knock-out mice. Here we report that Appl1 knock-out mice are viable and fertile. Appl1-null mice were born at expected Mendelian ratios, without obvious phenotypic abnormalities. Moreover, Akt activity in various fetal tissues was unchanged compared with that observed in wild-type littermates. Studies of isolated Appl1−/− murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) showed that Akt activation by epidermal growth factor, insulin, or fetal bovine serum was similar to that observed in wild-type MEFs, although Akt activation by HGF was diminished in Appl1−/− MEFs. To rule out a possible redundant role played by the related Appl2, we used small interfering RNA to knock down Appl2 expression in Appl1−/− MEFs. Unexpectedly, cell survival was unaffected under normal culture conditions, and activation of Akt was unaltered following epidermal growth factor stimulation, although Akt activity did decrease further after HGF stimulation. Furthermore, we found that Appl proteins are required for HGF-induced cell survival and migration via activation of Akt. Our studies suggest that Appl1 is dispensable for development and only participate in Akt signaling under certain conditions. PMID:20040596
Patulin and patulin producing Penicillium spp. occurrence in apples and apple-based products including baby food.

PubMed

Hammami, Walid; Al-Thani, Roda; Fiori, Stefano; Al-Meer, Saeed; Atia, Fathy Atia; Rabah, Duha; Migheli, Quirico; Jaoua, Samir

2017-04-30

Patulin has raised the international attention because of its health risk. In fact, it has mutagenic, neurotoxic, immunotoxic, genotoxic and gastrointestinal effects in animals. In the present work, patulin and patulin-producing Penicillium spp. in apple and apple-based products marketed in Qatar were analysed. Sampling was carried out using apple fruits and apple-based products. Fungi were isolated from undamaged apples, apple juice and baby apple food. DNA extraction was carried out with DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Valencia, USA). The molecular identification of fungal isolates was carried out using ITS1-ITS4 PCR. PCR products were sequenced and blasted. Patulin was extracted and analyzed by LC/MS/MS, then quantified using Agilent 1290UHPLC coupled to 6460 triple quadruple mass spectrometer. Forty-five samples of undamaged fresh apple fruits, apple juice and apple-based baby food products sold in different markets in Qatar were surveyed for both fungal and patulin contamination using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometery (LC/MS/MS). Twenty-five Penicillium spp. isolates were selected, including 23 P. expansum and one isolate each of P. brevicompactum and P. commune. All the tested Penicillium spp. isolates produced patulin in vitro (from 40 to 100 μg/g on Malt Yeast Extract agar medium). Patulin was detected in 100% of apple juice samples at levels ranging from 5.27 to 82.21 µg/kg. Only 5 samples contained patulin levels higher than European Union recommended limit (50 µg/kg). The average patulin contamination was 30.67 µg/kg and 10.92 µg/kg in baby apple juice and in baby apple compote, respectively.
Association between apple consumption and physician visits: appealing the conventional wisdom that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

PubMed

Davis, Matthew A; Bynum, Julie P W; Sirovich, Brenda E

2015-05-01

Fruit consumption is believed to have beneficial health effects, and some claim, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." To examine the relationship between eating an apple a day and keeping the doctor away. A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US adult population. A total of 8728 adults 18 years and older from the 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and reported that the quantity of food they ate was reflective of their usual daily diet. Daily apple eaters (consuming the equivalent of at least 1 small apple daily, or 149 g of raw apple) vs non-apple eaters, based on the reported quantity of whole apple consumed during the 24-hour dietary recall period. The primary outcome measure was success at "keeping the doctor away," measured as no more than 1 visit (self-reported) to a physician during the past year; secondary outcomes included successful avoidance of other health care services (ie, no overnight hospital stays, visits to a mental health professional, or prescription medications). Of 8399 eligible study participants who completed the dietary recall questionnaire, we identified 753 adult apple eaters (9.0%)--those who typically consume at least 1 small apple per day. Compared with the 7646 non-apple eaters (91.0%), apple eaters had higher educational attainment, were more likely to be from a racial or ethnic minority, and were less likely to smoke (P<.001 for each comparison). Apple eaters were more likely, in the crude analysis, to keep the doctor (and prescription medications) away: 39.0% of apple eaters avoided physician visits vs 33.9% of non-apple eaters (P=.03). After adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, however, the association was no longer statistically significant (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.93-1.53; P=.15). In the adjusted analysis, apple eaters also remained marginally more successful at avoiding prescription medications (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.00-1.63). There were no differences seen in overnight hospital stay or mental health visits. Evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications.
Slow softening of Kanzi apples (Malus×domestica L.) is associated with preservation of pectin integrity in middle lamella.

PubMed

Gwanpua, Sunny George; Verlinden, Bert E; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Nicolai, Bart M; Hendrickx, Marc; Geeraerd, Annemie

2016-11-15

Kanzi is a recently developed apple cultivar that has an extremely low ethylene production, and maintains its crispiness during ripening. To identify key determinants of the slow softening behaviour of Kanzi apples, a comparative analysis of pectin biochemistry and tissue fracture pattern during different ripening stages of Kanzi apples was performed against Golden Delicious, a rapid softening cultivar. While substantial pectin depolymerisation and solubilisation was observed during softening in Golden Delicious apples, no depolymerisation or increased solubilisation was observed in Kanzi apples. Moreover, tissue failure during ripening was mainly by cell breakage in Kanzi apples and, in contrast, by cell separation in Golden Delicious apples. Kanzi apples had lower activity of beta-galactosidase, with no decline in the extent of branching of the pectin chain. A sudden decrease in firmness observed during senescence in Kanzi apples was not due to middle lamella dissolution, as tissue failure still occurred by cell breakage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Phylogenetic analysis of 47 chloroplast genomes clarifies the contribution of wild species to the domesticated apple maternal line.

PubMed

Nikiforova, Svetlana V; Cavalieri, Duccio; Velasco, Riccardo; Goremykin, Vadim

2013-08-01

Both the origin of domesticated apple and the overall phylogeny of the genus Malus are still not completely resolved. Having this as a target, we built a 134,553-position-long alignment including two previously published chloroplast DNAs (cpDNAs) and 45 de novo sequenced, fully colinear chloroplast genomes from cultivated apple varieties and wild apple species. The data produced are free from compositional heterogeneity and from substitutional saturation, which can adversely affect phylogeny reconstruction. Phylogenetic analyses based on this alignment recovered a branch, having the maximum bootstrap support, subtending a large group of the cultivated apple sorts together with all analyzed European wild apple (Malus sylvestris) accessions. One apple cultivar was embedded in a monophylum comprising wild M. sieversii accessions and other Asian apple species. The data demonstrate that M. sylvestris has contributed chloroplast genome to a substantial fraction of domesticated apple varieties, supporting the conclusion that different wild species should have contributed the organelle and nuclear genomes to the domesticated apple.
Assessment of sustainable deficit irrigation in a Moroccan apple orchard as a climate change adaptation strategy.

PubMed

El Jaouhari, Nabil; Abouabdillah, Aziz; Bouabid, Rachid; Bourioug, Mohamed; Aleya, Lotfi; Chaoui, Mohamed

2018-06-14

This study was conducted over three consecutive years, 2015, 2016 and 2017, in the Imouzzer Kander region located in northwestern Morocco. The main objective is to evaluate apple tree responses to two sustainable deficit irrigation strategies with 75% (T2) and 50% (T3) of calculated crop evapotranspiration (ETc), compared to a control irrigated with 100% ETc (T1). During the three experiment years, estimated reference evapotranspiration (ET 0 ) was 630, 684 and 728 mm, respectively, in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Under the two restricted regimes, shoot length and fruit size evolution were not significantly affected. During the fruit set of 2017, no significant effects of sustainable deficit irrigation on the relative water content were observed, whereas they increased significantly during the fruit-swelling stage for the T3 treatment. Likewise, net CO 2 assimilation (A n ) was not affected by the irrigation dose, whereas it increased significantly and inversely proportional to the amount of applied water during fruit swelling. Thus, under our experimental conditions, the trees subjected to extreme deficit irrigation (T3) were not stressed at either stage. Moreover, deficit irrigation at 75% ETc increased apple yield significantly. In contrast, deficit irrigation at 50% ETc throughout the cycle was not enough to maintain an acceptable fruit size for the three studied campaigns. However, the best qualitative performance, notably for fruit firmness and sugar content, was attributed to this irrigation regime (T3). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of pretreated cashew apple bagasse with alkali and diluted sulfuric Acid for bioethanol production.

PubMed

Rocha, Maria Valderez Ponte; Rodrigues, Tigressa Helena Soares; de Macedo, Gorete Ribeiro; Gonçalves, Luciana R B

2009-05-01

The aim of this work was to optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose fraction of cashew apple bagasse (CAB) after diluted acid (CAB-H) and alkali pretreatment (CAB-OH), and to evaluate its fermentation to ethanol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Glucose conversion of 82 +/- 2 mg/g CAB-H and 730 +/- 20 mg/g CAB-OH was obtained when 2% (w/v) of solid and 30 FPU/g bagasse was used during hydrolysis at 45 degrees C, 2-fold higher than when using 15 FPU/g bagasse, 44 +/- 2 mg/g CAB-H, and 450 +/- 50 mg/g CAB-OH, respectively. Ethanol concentration and productivity, achieved after 6 h of fermentation, were 20.0 +/- 0.2 g L(-1) and 3.33 g L(-1) h(-1), respectively, when using CAB-OH hydrolyzate (initial glucose concentration of 52.4 g L(-1)). For CAB-H hydrolyzate (initial glucose concentration of 17.4 g L(-1)), ethanol concentration and productivity were 8.2 +/- 0.1 g L(-1) and 2.7 g L(-1) h(-1) in 3 h, respectively. Hydrolyzates fermentation resulted in an ethanol yield of 0.38 and 0.47 g/g glucose with pretreated CAB-OH and CAB-H, respectively. Ethanol concentration and productivity, obtained using CAB-OH hydrolyzate, were close to the values obtained in the conventional ethanol fermentation of cashew apple juice or sugar cane juice.
Genetic control of biennial bearing in apple

PubMed Central

Guitton, Baptiste; Kelner, Jean-Jacques; Velasco, Riccardo; Gardiner, Susan E.; Chagné, David; Costes, Evelyne

2012-01-01

Although flowering in mature fruit trees is recurrent, floral induction can be strongly inhibited by concurrent fruiting, leading to a pattern of irregular fruiting across consecutive years referred to as biennial bearing. The genetic determinants of biennial bearing in apple were investigated using the 114 flowering individuals from an F1 population of 122 genotypes, from a ‘Starkrimson’ (strong biennial bearer)×‘Granny Smith’ (regular bearer) cross. The number of inflorescences, and the number and the mass of harvested fruit were recorded over 6 years and used to calculate 26 variables and indices quantifying yield, precocity of production, and biennial bearing. Inflorescence traits exhibited the highest genotypic effect, and three quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on linkage group (LG) 4, LG8, and LG10 explained 50% of the phenotypic variability for biennial bearing. Apple orthologues of flowering and hormone-related genes were retrieved from the whole-genome assembly of ‘Golden Delicious’ and their position was compared with QTLs. Four main genomic regions that contain floral integrator genes, meristem identity genes, and gibberellin oxidase genes co-located with QTLs. The results indicated that flowering genes are less likely to be responsible for biennial bearing than hormone-related genes. New hypotheses for the control of biennial bearing emerged from QTL and candidate gene co-locations and suggest the involvement of different physiological processes such as the regulation of flowering genes by hormones. The correlation between tree architecture and biennial bearing is also discussed. PMID:21963613
Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits

PubMed Central

Boyer, Jeanelle; Liu, Rui Hai

2004-01-01

Evidence suggests that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and phytochemicals including phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids from fruits and vegetables may play a key role in reducing chronic disease risk. Apples are a widely consumed, rich source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory, apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol. Apples contain a variety of phytochemicals, including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, all of which are strong antioxidants. The phytochemical composition of apples varies greatly between different varieties of apples, and there are also small changes in phytochemicals during the maturation and ripening of the fruit. Storage has little to no effect on apple phytochemicals, but processing can greatly affect apple phytochemicals. While extensive research exists, a literature review of the health benefits of apples and their phytochemicals has not been compiled to summarize this work. The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent literature regarding the health benefits of apples and their phytochemicals, phytochemical bioavailability and antioxidant behavior, and the effects of variety, ripening, storage and processing on apple phytochemicals. PMID:15140261
Evaluation of productivity and antioxidant profile of solid-state cultivated macrofungi Pleurotus albidus and Pycnoporus sanguineus.

PubMed

Gambato, Gabriela; Todescato, Kelly; Pavão, Elisa Maria; Scortegagna, Angélica; Fontana, Roselei Claudete; Salvador, Mirian; Camassola, Marli

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the production profile of Pleurotus albidus and Pycnoporus sanguineus on different waste substrates containing natural phenolics, and also to investigate whether phenolic-rich substrates can improve the phenolic content of these macrofungi. The medium formulated with Pinus sp. sawdust (PSW) made possible the highest yields (2.62±0.73%) of P. sanguineus. However, the supplementation of PSW with apple waste (AW) resulted in better P. albidus yields (23.94±2.92%). The results indicated that the substrate composition affected macrofungi production, also the chemical composition and the presence of phenolic compounds in the production media influence phenolic content and antioxidant activity in macrofungi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Genome Sequences of 19 Novel Erwinia amylovora Bacteriophages.

PubMed

Esplin, Ian N D; Berg, Jordan A; Sharma, Ruchira; Allen, Robert C; Arens, Daniel K; Ashcroft, Cody R; Bairett, Shannon R; Beatty, Nolan J; Bickmore, Madeline; Bloomfield, Travis J; Brady, T Scott; Bybee, Rachel N; Carter, John L; Choi, Minsey C; Duncan, Steven; Fajardo, Christopher P; Foy, Brayden B; Fuhriman, David A; Gibby, Paul D; Grossarth, Savannah E; Harbaugh, Kala; Harris, Natalie; Hilton, Jared A; Hurst, Emily; Hyde, Jonathan R; Ingersoll, Kayleigh; Jacobson, Caitlin M; James, Brady D; Jarvis, Todd M; Jaen-Anieves, Daniella; Jensen, Garrett L; Knabe, Bradley K; Kruger, Jared L; Merrill, Bryan D; Pape, Jenny A; Payne Anderson, Ashley M; Payne, David E; Peck, Malia D; Pollock, Samuel V; Putnam, Micah J; Ransom, Ethan K; Ririe, Devin B; Robinson, David M; Rogers, Spencer L; Russell, Kerri A; Schoenhals, Jonathan E; Shurtleff, Christopher A; Simister, Austin R; Smith, Hunter G; Stephenson, Michael B; Staley, Lyndsay A; Stettler, Jason M; Stratton, Mallorie L; Tateoka, Olivia B; Tatlow, P J; Taylor, Alexander S; Thompson, Suzanne E; Townsend, Michelle H; Thurgood, Trever L; Usher, Brittian K; Whitley, Kiara V; Ward, Andrew T; Ward, Megan E H; Webb, Charles J; Wienclaw, Trevor M; Williamson, Taryn L; Wells, Michael J; Wright, Cole K; Breakwell, Donald P; Hope, Sandra; Grose, Julianne H

2017-11-16

Erwinia amylovora is the causal agent of fire blight, a devastating disease affecting some plants of the Rosaceae family. We isolated bacteriophages from samples collected from infected apple and pear trees along the Wasatch Front in Utah. We announce 19 high-quality complete genome sequences of E. amylovora bacteriophages. Copyright © 2017 Esplin et al.
Adaptor protein containing PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper (APPL1) regulates the protein level of EGFR by modulating its trafficking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Jae-Rin; Hahn, Hwa-Sun; Kim, Young-Hoon

2011-11-11

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer APPL1 regulates the protein level of EGFR in response to EGF stimulation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Depletion of APPL1 accelerates the movement of EGF/EGFR from the cell surface to the perinuclear region in response to EGF. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Knockdown of APPL1 enhances the activity of Rab5. -- Abstract: The EGFR-mediated signaling pathway regulates multiple biological processes such as cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Previously APPL1 (adaptor protein containing PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper 1) has been reported to function as a downstream effector of EGF-initiated signaling. Here we demonstrate that APPL1 regulates EGFR protein levels in response to EGF stimulation.more » Overexpression of APPL1 enhances EGFR stabilization while APPL1 depletion by siRNA reduces EGFR protein levels. APPL1 depletion accelerates EGFR internalization and movement of EGF/EGFR from cell surface to the perinuclear region in response to EGF treatment. Conversely, overexpression of APPL1 decelerates EGFR internalization and translocation of EGF/EGFR to the perinuclear region. Furthermore, APPL1 depletion enhances the activity of Rab5 which is involved in internalization and trafficking of EGFR and inhibition of Rab5 in APPL1-depleted cells restored EGFR levels. Consistently, APPL1 depletion reduced activation of Akt, the downstream signaling effector of EGFR and this is restored by inhibition of Rab5. These findings suggest that APPL1 is required for EGFR signaling by regulation of EGFR stabilities through inhibition of Rab5.« less
Cultivar and Year Rather than Agricultural Practices Affect Primary and Secondary Metabolites in Apple Fruit

PubMed Central

Renard, Catherine M. G. C.; Plenet, Daniel; Gautier, Hélène; Touloumet, Line; Girard, Thierry; Simon, Sylvaine

2015-01-01

Many biotic and abiotic parameters affect the metabolites involved in the organoleptic and health value of fruits. It is therefore important to understand how the growers' decisions for cultivar and orchard management can affect the fruit composition. Practices, cultivars and/or year all might participate to determine fruit composition. To hierarchize these factors, fruit weight, dry matter, soluble solids contents, titratable acidity, individual sugars and organics acids, and phenolics were measured in three apple cultivars (‘Ariane’, ‘Melrose’ and ‘Smoothee’) managed under organic, low-input and conventional management. Apples were harvested at commercial maturity in the orchards of the cropping system experiment BioREco at INRA Gotheron (Drôme, 26) over the course of three years (2011, 2012 and 2013). The main factors affecting primary and secondary metabolites, in both apple skin and flesh, were by far the cultivar and the yearly conditions, while the management system had a very limited effect. When considering the three cultivars and the year 2011 to investigate the effect of the management system per se, only few compounds differed significantly between the three systems and in particular the total phenolic content did not differ significantly between systems. Finally, when considering orchards grown in the same pedoclimatic conditions and of the same age, instead of the usual organic vs. conventional comparison, the effect of the management system on the apple fruit quality (Fruit weight, dry matter, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, individual sugars, organic acids, and phenolics) was very limited to non-significant. The main factors of variation were the cultivar and the year of cropping rather than the cropping system. More generally, as each management system (e.g. conventional, organic…) encompasses a great variability of practices, this highlights the importance of accurately documenting orchard practices and design beside the generic type of management in such studies. PMID:26618711

[Research on Identification and Determination of Pesticides in Apples Using Raman Spectroscopy].

PubMed

Zhai, Chen; Peng, Yan-kun; Li, Yong-yu; Dhakal, Sagar; Xu, Tian-feng; Guo, Lang-hua

2015-08-01

Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometric methods has been thought to an efficient method for identification and determination of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. In the present research, a rapid and nondestructive method was proposed and testified based on self-developed Raman system for the identification and determination of deltamethrin and acetamiprid remaining in apple. The peaks of Raman spectra at 574 and 843 cm(-1) can be used to identify deltamethrin and acetamiprid, respectively, the characteristic peaks of deltamethrin and acetamiprid were still visible when the concentrations of the two pesticides were 0.78 and 0.15 mg · kg(-1) in apples samples, respectively. Calibration models of pesticide content were developed by partial least square (PLS) algorithm with different spectra pretreatment methods (Savitzky-Golay smoothing, first derivative transformation, second derivative transformation, baseline calibration, standard normal variable transformation). The baseline calibration methods by 8th order polynomial fitting gave the best results. For deltamethrin, the obtained prediction coefficient (Rp) value from PLS model for the results of prediction and gas chromatography measurement was 0.94; and the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) was 0.55 mg · kg(-1). The values of Rp and RMSEP were respective 0.85 and 0.12 mg · kg(-1) for acetamiprid. According to the detect performance, applying Raman technology in the nondestructive determination of pesticide residuals in apples is feasible. In consideration of that it needs no pretreatment before spectra collection and causes no damage to sample, this technology can be used in detection department, fruit and vegetable processing enterprises, supermarket, and vegetable market. The result of this research is promising for development of industrially feasible technology for rapid, nondestructive and real time detection of different types of pesticide with its concentration in apples. This supplies a rapid nondestructive and environmentally friendly way for the determination of fruit and vegetable quality and safety.
Orienting apples for imaging using their inertial properties and random apple loading

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The inability to control apple orientation during imaging has hindered development of automated systems for sorting apples for defects such as bruises and for safety issues such as fecal contamination. Recently, a potential method for orienting apples based on their inertial properties was discovere...
Are Red Apples Sweeter Than Green Apples?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Chris

1999-01-01

Describes how a classroom observation of apples led to the development of a science project. Discusses the correlation between the greenness and the acidity of apples. Finds that the greener the apple, the lower its pH, and thus the more acidic and less sweet it tastes. (Author/CCM)
Portable programming on parallel/networked computers using the Application Portable Parallel Library (APPL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quealy, Angela; Cole, Gary L.; Blech, Richard A.

1993-01-01

The Application Portable Parallel Library (APPL) is a subroutine-based library of communication primitives that is callable from applications written in FORTRAN or C. APPL provides a consistent programmer interface to a variety of distributed and shared-memory multiprocessor MIMD machines. The objective of APPL is to minimize the effort required to move parallel applications from one machine to another, or to a network of homogeneous machines. APPL encompasses many of the message-passing primitives that are currently available on commercial multiprocessor systems. This paper describes APPL (version 2.3.1) and its usage, reports the status of the APPL project, and indicates possible directions for the future. Several applications using APPL are discussed, as well as performance and overhead results.
Study of the cross-contamination and survival of Salmonella in fresh apples.

PubMed

Perez-Rodriguez, F; Begum, M; Johannessen, G S

2014-08-01

The present work aimed at studying the cross contamination of apples by Salmonella during the processing of commercial fresh apples and its survival capacity on apple at room temperature. For the first study, the typical process of fresh apples was simulated at laboratory scale in which an apple that was artificially contaminated by Salmonella at different concentration levels (8, 6 and 5 log cfu/apple) was introduced in one batch and processed including a simulated transport/washing step and drying step using sponges to simulate the porous material used in the industry. Results indicated that at 8 log cfu/apple, 50% fresh apples were contaminated after processing, with all analysed environmental samples being positive for the pathogen, consisting of washing water and sponges. However, at lower inoculum levels (5-6 log cfu/apple) no cross contamination was detected in apples, and only environmental samples showed contamination by Salmonella after processing including both water and sponges. Experiments on the survival of Salmonella on apple showed that the pathogen was capable to survive for 12 days, only showing a significant drop at the end of the experiment. Finally, two-class attribute sampling plans were assessed as tool to detect Salmonella in different contamination scenarios in fresh apple. This analysis indicated that with the highest inoculum level, a total of 16 apples would be needed to reach 95% of detecting Salmonella (i.e. lot rejection). In turn, when low levels were assessed (5-6 log cfu/apple), a large number of apples (n=1021) would have to be sampled to obtain the same confidence level (95%). If the environment is sampled (i.e. water and sponges), a lower number of samples would be needed to detect the pathogen. However, the feasibility of environmental sampling has not been assessed from a practical point of view. Overall, the results in this study evidenced that cross contamination by Salmonella might occur during processing of fresh apples and subsequently, the pathogen might survive for a noticeable period of time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A Meta-analysis of Interannual Changes and the Influencing Factors of Soil Water and Organic Carbon in Apple Orchard of Southern Loess Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Liu, W.; LI, G.

2017-12-01

The Loess Plateau is located in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River basin, its southern part is a world famous production area for high quality apple. In recent years, as an agricultural mainstay industry, the region apple planting area and total output reach 1.3 million ha and 15 million tons respectively, which account for about 60% and 55% of the country. In the 1980s, an apple producing base on the Shannxi Weibei Plateau was established, and its planting area accounted for more than50% of arable land in recent years. Due to lack of irrigation conditions in the region, the apple cultivation depends mainly on rain water resources. In the backdrop of a large scale project of grain to green and with constantly expanding of farmland into orchard in the region, soil water balance and soil environments have changed considerably under the new agro-fruit production system. This paper presents an integrative analysis of the related researches regarding the variation characteristics of soil water, organic carbon and their influencing factors of apple orchard. Results on soil hydrology are summarized as: (i) for young orchards, depth of soil moisture depleted by root system extended downward with orchard age increasing; (ii) because the water consumption of fruit trees exceeded the recharged water from precipitation in a year, soil moisture of orchard decreased continuously and reached the minimum in the full fruit period, followed by a certain degree of recovery; (iii) depth distribution of dry soil layer (DSL)showed a trend of increasing year by year, which existed in 3.5-10 m in the full fruit period. The presence of DSL blocks the recharging of groundwater by rainwater infiltration. Results on soil organic carbon (SOC) show that: the SOC content increased gradually with time when orchard was under 15 years old, reached to the maximum SOC content, 6.66g/kg of 0-100cm for the 15 year old orchard, and then slightly decreased. The SOC content in 0-20cm soil accounted for a large proportion in the soil profile. Our results suggest that apple tree planting density should be reduced to have an appropriate productivity level in the orchard, and a reasonable ratio of farmland to orchard area should be maintained to achieve the sustainable use of regional water resources, food security and economic development in the region.
Consumer Smartphone Apps Marketed for Child and Adolescent Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Content Analysis.

PubMed

Bry, Laura Jane; Chou, Tommy; Miguel, Elizabeth; Comer, Jonathan S

2018-03-01

Anxiety disorders are collectively the most prevalent mental health problems affecting youth. To increase the reach of mental health care, recent years have seen increasing enthusiasm surrounding mobile platforms for expanding treatment delivery options. Apps developed in academia and supported in clinical trials are slow to reach the consumer marketplace. Meanwhile, proliferation of industry-developed apps on consumer marketplaces has been high. The present study analyzed content within mobile products prominently marketed toward consumers for anxiety in youth. Systematic inventory of the Google Play Store and Apple Store using keyword searches for child and adolescent anxiety yielded 121 apps, which were evaluated on the basis of their descriptive characteristics, mobile functionalities, and adherence to evidence-based treatment principles. Findings revealed that evidence-based treatment content within the sample is scant and few comprehensive anxiety self-management apps were identified. Advanced features that leverage the broader functionalities of smartphone capabilities (e.g., sensors, ecological momentary assessments) were rarely present. Findings underscore the need to increase the prominence and accessibility of quality child anxiety intervention products for consumers. Strategies for improving marketing of supported apps to better penetrate consumer markets are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Transcription Factor AREB2 Is Involved in Soluble Sugar Accumulation by Activating Sugar Transporter and Amylase Genes.

PubMed

Ma, Qi-Jun; Sun, Mei-Hong; Lu, Jing; Liu, Ya-Jing; Hu, Da-Gang; Hao, Yu-Jin

2017-08-01

Sugars play important roles in plant growth and development, crop yield and quality, as well as responses to abiotic stresses. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a multifunctional hormone. However, the exact mechanism by which ABA regulates sugar accumulation is largely unknown in plants. Here, we tested the expression profile of several sugar transporter and amylase genes in response to ABA treatment. MdSUT2 and MdAREB2 were isolated and genetically transformed into apple ( Malus domestica ) to investigate their roles in ABA-induced sugar accumulation. The MdAREB2 transcription factor was found to bind to the promoters of the sugar transporter and amylase genes and activate their expression. Both MdAREB2 and MdSUT2 transgenic plants produced more soluble sugars than controls. Furthermore, MdAREB2 promoted the accumulation of sucrose and soluble sugars in an MdSUT2 -dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that the ABA-responsive transcription factor MdAREB2 directly activates the expression of amylase and sugar transporter genes to promote soluble sugar accumulation, suggesting a mechanism by which ABA regulates sugar accumulation in plants. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.
Effect of location in the canopy on the colour development of three apple cultivars during growth.

PubMed

Unuk, Tatjana; Tijskens, L M M Pol; Germšek, Blaž; Zadravec, Peter; Vogrin, Andrej; Hribar, Janez; Simčič, Marjan; Tojnko, Stanislav

2012-09-01

Homogeneity in appearance is one of the quality aspects asked for in the supply chain. Decreasing the biological variation in batches of harvested apples (cultivars Braeburn, Fuji and Gala) becomes increasingly important. Skin colour is one of the aspects that determine both optimal harvest and stage of development. Skin colour is affected by location in the canopy. The rules of development of biological variation are now established and will be used on skin colour data. The Minolta colour aspects a*, b* and L* measured before commercial harvest change in a sigmoidal fashion and can be analysed including the biological variation, with a logistic model in indexed nonlinear regression, obtaining explained parts of above 90%. The mechanism of colour change is not affected by state of development or location in the canopy. The location in the canopy affects the intensity of both red and green colouring compounds. The variation in colouration is not affected by the location in the canopy. The red-coloured apple cultivar (Gala) depends more on the location in the canopy than the less-coloured cultivars (Fuji and Braeburn). The colour development in Fuji apples is considerably slower, with a much larger variation in stage of development. The location in the canopy affects all aspects of biological variation (biological shift factor and asymptotic starting level of colouration) for all three colour aspects L*, a* and b*, but only the mean value, not the standard deviation. The biological shift factors per colour aspects are linearly related. Once induced, variation remains constant during development. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
Vacuum drying of apples (cv. Golden Delicious): drying characteristics, thermodynamic properties, and mass transfer parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadi, Fatemeh; Tzempelikos, Dimitrios

2018-01-01

In this work, apples of cv. Golden Delicious were cut into slices that were 5 and 7 mm thick and then vacuum dried at 50, 60 and 70 °C and pressure of 0.02 bar. The thin layer model drying kinetics was studied, and mass transfer properties, specifically effective moisture diffusivity and convective mass transfer coefficient, were evaluated using the Fick's equation of diffusion. Also, thermodynamic parameters of the process, i.e. enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (ΔS) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG), were determined. Colour properties were evaluated as one of the important indicators of food quality and marketability. Determination of mass transfer parameters and thermodynamic properties of vacuum dried apple slices has not been discussed much in the literature. In conclusion, the Nadi's model fitted best the observed data that represent the drying process. Thermodynamic properties were determined based on the dependence of the drying constant of the Henderson and Pabis model on temperature, and it was concluded that the variation in drying kinetics depends on the energy contribution of the surrounding environment. The enthalpy and entropy diminished, while the Gibbs free energy increased with the increase of the temperature of drying; therefore, it was possible to verify that variation in the diffusion process in the apple during drying depends on energetic contributions of the environment. The obtained results showed that diffusivity increased for 69%, while the mass transfer coefficient increase was even higher, 75%, at the variation of temperature of 20 °C. The increase in the dimensionless Biot number was 20%.
Oxygenated Phosphine Fumigation for Control of Light Brown Apple Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Eggs on Cut-Flowers.

PubMed

Liu, Samuel S; Liu, Yong-Biao; Simmons, Gregory S

2015-08-01

Light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker), eggs were subjected to oxygenated phosphine fumigation treatments under 70% oxygen on cut flowers to determine efficacy and safety. Five cut flower species: roses, lilies, tulips, gerbera daisy, and pompon chrysanthemums, were fumigated in separate groups with 2,500 ppm phosphine for 72 h at 5°C. Egg mortality and postharvest quality of cut flowers were determined after fumigation. Egg mortalities of 99.7-100% were achieved among the cut flower species. The treatment was safe to all cut flowers except gerbera daisy. A 96-h fumigation treatment with 2,200 ppm phosphine of eggs on chrysanthemums cut flowers also did not achieve complete control of light brown apple moth eggs. A simulation of fumigation in hermetically sealed fumigation chambers with gerbera daisy showed significant accumulations of carbon dioxide and ethylene by the end of 72-h sealing. However, oxygenated phosphine fumigations with carbon dioxide and ethylene absorbents did not reduce the injury to gerbera daisy, indicating that it is likely that phosphine may directly cause the injury to gerbera daisy cut flowers. The study demonstrated that oxygenated phosphine fumigation is effective against light brown apple moth eggs. However, it may not be able to achieve the probit9 quarantine level of control and the treatment was safe to most of the cut flower species. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.
Vacuum drying of apples (cv. Golden Delicious): drying characteristics, thermodynamic properties, and mass transfer parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadi, Fatemeh; Tzempelikos, Dimitrios

2018-07-01

In this work, apples of cv. Golden Delicious were cut into slices that were 5 and 7 mm thick and then vacuum dried at 50, 60 and 70 °C and pressure of 0.02 bar. The thin layer model drying kinetics was studied, and mass transfer properties, specifically effective moisture diffusivity and convective mass transfer coefficient, were evaluated using the Fick's equation of diffusion. Also, thermodynamic parameters of the process, i.e. enthalpy ( ΔH), entropy ( ΔS) and Gibbs free energy ( ΔG), were determined. Colour properties were evaluated as one of the important indicators of food quality and marketability. Determination of mass transfer parameters and thermodynamic properties of vacuum dried apple slices has not been discussed much in the literature. In conclusion, the Nadi's model fitted best the observed data that represent the drying process. Thermodynamic properties were determined based on the dependence of the drying constant of the Henderson and Pabis model on temperature, and it was concluded that the variation in drying kinetics depends on the energy contribution of the surrounding environment. The enthalpy and entropy diminished, while the Gibbs free energy increased with the increase of the temperature of drying; therefore, it was possible to verify that variation in the diffusion process in the apple during drying depends on energetic contributions of the environment. The obtained results showed that diffusivity increased for 69%, while the mass transfer coefficient increase was even higher, 75%, at the variation of temperature of 20 °C. The increase in the dimensionless Biot number was 20%.
Use of cyclodextrin-based polymer for patulin analysis in apple juice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Penicillium expansum, one of the patulin producing fungi that causes decay on apple, is recognized as the main source of patulin contamination on apple and apple products. The widely used method for patulin analysis in apple juice is liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate followed by HPLC-UV or...
7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...
7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...
7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...
7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...
7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...
78 FR 42086 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Arsenic in Apple Juice: Action Level; Supporting Document for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-15

... Level for Arsenic in Apple Juice; A Quantitative Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice... Arsenic in Apple Juice'' (the draft supporting document) and ``A Quantitative Assessment of Inorganic... document entitled ``A Quantitative Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice.'' The draft guidance...
75 FR 65213 - Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-22

...-0020] RIN 0579-AD08 Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples From Japan AGENCY: Animal and Plant... the importation of Fuji variety apples from Japan to allow all varieties of Malus domestica apples... that the risk associated with allowing other varieties of M. domestica apples from Japan into the...

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