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In recent years, there has been an increase in the study of phytomelatonin. Having numerous functions in animals, melatonin produced by plants (phytomelatonin) is also a multi‐regulatory molecule with great potential in plant physiology and in mitigating abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, chilling, heat, chemical contamination, and UV‐radiation stress. This review highlights the primary functions of phytomelatonin as an anti‐stress molecule against abiotic stress. We discuss the role of phytomelatonin as a master regulator, oxidative stress manager, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species regulator, and defense compounds inducer. Although there exist a handful of reviews on the crosstalk of phytomelatonin with other signaling molecules like auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene, nitric oxide, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid, this review looks at studies that have reported a few aspects of phytomelatonin with newly discovered signaling molecules along with classical signaling molecules with relation to abiotic stress tolerance. The research and applications of phytomelatonin with hydrogen sulfide, strigolactones, brassinosteroids, and polyamines are still in their nascent stage but hold a promising scope for the future. Additionally, this review states the recent developments in the signaling of phytomelatonin with nitrogen metabolism and nitrosative stress in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storing apples for up to a year is a well-established practice aimed at providing a continuous, locally produced fruit supply to consumers and adapting to market trends for optimized profits. Temperature control is the cornerstone of postharvest conservation, and apples are typically kept at temperatures ranging from 0 to 3 °C. However, the energy-intensive process of the initial cool-down and subsequent temperature maintenance poses significant financial challenges with adverse effects on the carbon footprint. Higher storage temperatures could reduce cooling-related energy usage but also pose the risk of enhanced ripening and quality loss. This work explores different storage technologies aiming to reduce energy consumption, such as 1-methylcyclopropene, ultra-low oxygen, and a dynamically controlled atmosphere with raised temperatures. The integration of advanced monitoring and control systems, coupled with data analytics and energy management, in apple storage is also discussed. These strategies can be implemented without cost-intensive construction measures in standard storage facilities. Furthermore, beneficial side effects of higher storage temperatures in terms of a reduced occurrence of storage disorder symptoms and higher maintenance of quality attributes are also discussed for this special issue on sustainable horticultural production systems and supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The best strategy to extend the shelf life of fresh horticultural produce is to keep it at a low temperature. However, storing fruits and vegetables at a temperature lower than their recommended storage temperature and above the freezing point for a prolonged time leads to the development of chilling injury (CI). Melatonin (MT) being a versatile biological signal has been reported to possess antioxidant properties that aid in mediating stress response and extending the postharvest storage life of horticultural crops. Among CI‐induced mechanisms, MT substantially reduces oxidative stress by elevating the reactive oxygen species scavenging and triggering the phenol accumulation in association with 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1 picryl hydrazyl scavenging activity. Besides, MT increases intracellular energy by maintaining a proper ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid and improving cellular fluidity. Additionally, MT regulates arginine metabolism by maintaining the γ‐aminobutyric acid synthesis. Furthermore, MT encodes the mitogen‐activated protein kinases, and calcium‐dependent protein kinases cascade and acclimate to cold stress by activating C‐repeat binding factors and helps in maintaining postharvest quality. This review reports the recent progress of MT‐induced physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms for enhancing chilling tolerance, which can elevate the marketability and earnings from postharvest horticultural crops. Core Ideas: Chilling injury during storage is a common problem in fruits and vegetables.Melatonin plays a vital role in mitigating postharvest chilling injury.Melatonin increases intracellular energy by maintaining a proper ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid.Melatonin imparts chilling tolerance via reactive oxygen species, arginine pathway, GABA, and proline accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach being a climacteric fruit has a limited shelf life. Cold storage of peaches is an essential measure to maintain their quality. However, prolonged exposure to cold temperatures causes chilling injury in peaches, resulting in significant economic losses. Approximately, 40% of the produced commodity is lost in postharvest handling in which chilling injury contributes to about 25%. Melatonin can be a green solution and plays a key role in protecting peaches from chilling injury. Therefore, this experiment aimed to determine the effect of melatonin on the "Silver King" peaches by dipping them in 100 μM melatonin for 2 hours followed by storing them at chilling temperatures of 2 ± 1°C and 90–95% relative humidity for 21 d. The results showed that while control fruit experienced chilling injury and poor fruit quality, increased respiration rate, and enhanced senescence, 100 μM melatonin treatment was successful in preserving the fruit quality at chilling temperatures and was associated with the delayed respiration rate and lower malondialdehyde levels, along with the preservation of certain physicochemical parameters, namely, total soluble solids, pH, fruit firmness, and titratable acidity. Moreover, a 1.5 times higher proline concentration was observed in melatonin-treated peaches when compared to that of nontreated peaches. This rise was linked to the enhanced activity of Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase and ornithine-δ-aminotransferase along with a decrease in the activity of proline dehydrogenase during 21 d of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to draw attention to the vital nutrients, health advantages, and potential for encouraging the consumption of jamun fruits (Syzygium cumini L.) and making the most of their useful features to create valuable goods. In the current study, efforts have been made to evaluate the jamun fruit's physicochemical characteristics and bioactive components. Moreover, ready-to-serve beverages, squash, syrup, and jam, have been prepared, and their quality has been monitored throughout the storage. Jamun fruit had an ovoid or spherical form and was a dark purple tint. The initial analysis of fruits showed 83.59% moisture, 17.56 °Brix, 3.63 pH, 328.50 mg cyd-3-Glu/100 g anthocyanin, 219.21 mg GAE/100 g total phenolics, 91.33 mg QE/100 g total flavonoids, and 91.33% antioxidant activity. High-performance liquid chromatography examination, revealed the existence of three main anthocyanin pigments, delphinidin 3, 5-diglucoside, petunidin 3, 5-diglucoside, and malvidin 3, 5-diglucoside, which were measured at 175.80, 156.50, and 83.12 mg/100 g, respectively. While the main phenolic compounds present were chlorogenic, gallic, caffeic, vanillic, and catechin, with respective concentrations of 14.22, 12.18, 10.33, 6.44, and 4.13 mg/100 g. Total soluble solids, pH, and total sugars increased with the storage of jamun products, but acidity, total phenolic, and anthocyanin contents declined. In conclusion, jamun is a fruit that has promise for the future of producing useful goods. The various jamun fruit-based products met good standards and were sensory-acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the physico-chemical composition, techno-functional properties and in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of papaya, pineapple and mango peels for their possible use as functional ingredients. The peel powders were found to possess interesting techno-functional properties, high dietary fiber content (37.77 to 62.26%) and phenolic compounds, namely gallic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acid, catechin, quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside and quercetin. They also showed excellent antioxidant activity, as determined by ABTS (3.63 to 29.8 µM TE/g), DPPH (5.76 to 35.3 µM TE/g), NO. (60.67 to 86.35%) and O2 – (17.56 to 50.64%). Mango peel powders presented the best ability to inhibit the activity of the different enzymes evaluated: modest α-amylase inhibition (51.40%), stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activities (70.32%), and moderate antiglycation potential (57.15%). Peel powders of these tropical fruits make them suitable to be used as food ingredients with possible health benefits, improving intestinal function and controlling hyperglycemia. Further studies require animal models and, subsequently, in humans. This study aims to evaluate the physico-chemical composition, techno-functional properties and in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of papaya, pineapple and mango peels for their possible use as functional ingredients. The peel powders were found to possess interesting techno-functional properties, high dietary fiber content (37.77 to 62.26%) and phenolic compounds, namely gallic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acid, catechin, quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside and quercetin. They also showed excellent antioxidant activity, as determined by ABTS (3.63 to 29.8 µM TE/g), DPPH (5.76 to 35.3 µM TE/g), NO. (60.67 to 86.35%) and O2 – (17.56 to 50.64%). Mango peel powders presented the best ability to inhibit the activity of the different enzymes evaluated: modest α-amylase inhibition (51.40%), stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activities (70.32%), and moderate antiglycation potential (57.15%). Peel powders of these tropical fruits make them suitable to be used as food ingredients with possible health benefits, improving intestinal function and controlling hyperglycemia. Further studies require animal models and, subsequently, in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food sustainability and waste reduction have gained considerable importance in recent years. Despite being rich in nutrients and functional characteristics, by-products like seeds from fruits remain underutilized. The decorticated seeds and seeds flour of muskmelon and watermelon were analyzed for their physical, nutritional, functional, and thermal properties to aid in designing systems for storage, processing, and incorporation as functional ingredients in food products. Standard methods estimated the seeds' dimensional, frictional, gravimetric, nutritional, and functional properties. The seeds' flour was defatted to assess thermal properties using the DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry). The seeds of muskmelon and watermelon were rich in proteins (29.21 %, 29.56 %) and fats (39.07 %, 44.31 %), respectively. Both the seeds' flour exhibited a similar range of porosity (68.8 %). The static coefficient of friction (0.78) was the highest for thermocol among all tested surfaces for both seeds. The foaming capacity (39.39 %) and oil absorption capacity (1.26 g/g) of muskmelon seeds flour were higher than watermelon seeds flour (36.36 % and 1.00 g/g, respectively). The thermal denaturation temperature of defatted watermelon seeds flour (66.4 °C) was higher than defatted muskmelon seeds flour (63.8 °C). Reports on these seeds' properties, especially the thermal properties of seed flour, are very scarce. This research work would aid in effectively utilizing seeds and their flours as functional ingredients in the food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green banana (Musa spp.) is a significant source of starch (resistant starch ∼50%), phenolics and flavonoid compounds, and minerals (K, Mg, Zn, and Fe). The utilization of green bananas in their fresh form is limited, whereas the drying of bananas provides the opportunity to use them for various purposes. Drying temperature and slice thickness are important to be optimized for drying of bananas as they affect the quality parameters. The present study was conducted using response surface methodology to optimize tray-drying temperatures (50–80°C) and slice thicknesses (2–8 mm) on the basis of phytochemical and physical parameters of dried green banana slices. The cubic model was found to be the best fit for most of the responses (R2 = 0.95–1), and the quadratic model was fit for water activity ( a w ) (R2 = 0.92). The optimized drying conditions were found as drying temperature of 50°C and slice thickness of 4.5 mm. Experimental responses exhibited maximum L ∗ (84.06), C ∗ (13.73), and ho(83.53) and minimum losses of total phenolic content (89.22 mg GAE/100 g) and total flavonoid content (3.10 mg QE/100 g) along with lower a w (0.25). The optimized green banana flour was rich in carbohydrates (77.25 ± 0.06%) and low in fat (1.79 ± 0.11%). The flour obtained had good flowability with a mean particle size of 60.75 ± 1.99 µm. Flour's gelatinization and decomposition temperatures were 102.7 and 292°C, respectively. In addition, flour's water absorption, oil absorption, and solubility were 5.19 ± 0.01, 1.58 ± 0.01, and 0.14 ± 0.02 g/g, respectively. Green bananas dried at optimized conditions resulted in a better product with less phytochemical loss than dried with other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of oil has received immense importance nowadays because of the enormous benefits the process offers. However, the literature evaluating this process is scarce for sea buckthorn oil. Furthermore, to date, to the best of our knowledge, a study evaluating the combined use of enzymes and UAE for this oil is lacking. In this study, oil from freeze-dried sea buckthorn berries was extracted using ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) and the effect of variables (time, enzyme concentration, and solvent to sample ratio) was evaluated on oil yield and its physiochemical properties (acid value, peroxide value, iodine value, density, and color). The optimum conditions were determined using the response surface methodology. The optimum conditions established were 5.08 mL/g, 14.65 min, and 3.13 U/g for a solvent to sample ratio, ultra-sonication time, and enzyme units, respectively. The oil yield was 18.32%. Physicochemical parameters were found better in UAEE oil than in the Soxhlet-extracted oil. Gas chromatography detected relatively higher levels of fatty acids, including palmitic, palmitoleic, and oleic acids in UAEE oil. The optimum conditions were also verified for adequacy by validation and results were matched with predicted values with 0.8 to 1.5 error %, which states that the model can be utilized to predict oil yield percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushrooms are characterized as the fruiting bodies of fungi and are fruitful source of high-quality protein and vitamins with low calories. Among the three most cultivated species, the oyster mushroom stands with limited shelf life (2-3 days at refrigerated conditions). Elevated quotients of browning reaction and restricted shelf life obliges the preservation of species as a matter of concern. A suitable pre-treatment along with the drying method is very important to retain the bioactive compounds of oyster mushroom. Pre-treatment optimization prior to oyster mushroom drying was carried out in two steps which involved individual and combined effects of blanching (70 to 90°C) and chemical treatments. Thereafter, it was dried in a recently developed multi-mode novel drying unit under hot air and vacuum drying (50-70°C) conditions. Pre-treatment with citric acid and blanching at 80 oC for 2 min resulted in the lowest residual activity of polyphenol oxidase. Retention of phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid and antioxidant compounds were higher in the samples dried using vacuum drying. Increase in temperature from 50 to 70°C significantly decreased the bioactive compounds and colour of vacuum dried samples. In samples dried using hot air-drying, the higher retention of bioactive compounds and colour was obtained at 60°C as compared to 70°C and 50°C. Page model was found to be the best fitted model among the different models studied. Analysis inferred the usefulness of optimised pre-treatment and vacuum drying technique at low temperature for drying of oyster mushrooms. Abbreviations: AA, Ascorbic acid; BI, Browning index CA, Citric acid; FRAP, Ferric reducing antioxidant power; KMS, Potassium metabisulphite; MR, Moisture ratio; PPO, Polyphenol oxidase; RR, Rehydration ratio; RSA, Radical scavenging activity; TFC, Total flavonoid content; TPC, Total phenol content [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A completely randomized design was applied on pomegranate arils for several post-harvest treatments before the packaging in polypropylene boxes for 15 days at (5 ± 1 °C, 95 ± 2% RH): control (untreated), Aloe vera gel (10% or 20%), 10% Aloe vera + rosehip oil (0.25% or 0.50%), 20% Aloe vera + rosehip oil (0.25% or 0.50%), 10% Aloe vera + cinnamon oil (0.25% or 0.50%), and 20% Aloe vera + cinnamon oil (0.25% or 0.50%). Aloe vera in combination with cinnamon oil resulted in an enhanced shelf life (15 d) compared to the uncoated arils (control). The Aloe vera + cinnamon oil coating led to the retention of total phenolics, anthocyanin, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity in context to the quality attributes. Moreover, this coating showed minimal change in the color, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness, delayed ethylene production, respiration rate, and physiological weight loss. Also, A. vera + cinnamon oil coatings significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the total counts of mesophilic aerobics, coliforms, and yeast and mold. Organoleptic attributes, including color, flavor, aroma, texture, and purchase acceptability were higher for the arils that were treated with 10% A. vera + 0.25% cinnamon oil; thus, this highly economical and easily available coating material can be formulated and used commercially to extend the shelf life and enhance the profit of the producers and/or processors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different formulations of chitosan (1%, 2%, or 3%) with the incorporation of cinnamon oil (0.25% or 0.50%) were prepared for the preservation of pomegranate aril cv. Bhagwa. Six combinations of chitosan-cinnamon oil formulations along with one control (untreated) were applied to the freshly extracted arils using the dipping application method. All treatments were found to be effective in enhancing the shelf life, improving the postharvest characteristics, and reducing microbial populations on pomegranate arils during a 15-day storage period at 4 ± 1°C. The treated pomegranate arils exhibited excellent resistance to microbial decay, moisture loss, respiration rate, preservation of phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants activity, among other characteristics. Chitosan 2% + cinnamon oil 0.25% edible coating has a high potential to enhance the storage life and biochemical properties and reduce the microbial population of arils. This treatment recorded a higher total phenolic content (18%) and antioxidant activity (16%) than the control sample, respectively, at the end of storage. In addition, the treatment also helped to decrease the microbial activity by 45% compared to the control sample. The present investigation proposed an alternative method to prolong the shelf life of pomegranate arils during the 15 days of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of ultrasound treatment (UT) on a beverage from mango pulp and carrot juice with added turmeric powder on total soluble phenolic content (TSP), total carotenoid content (TC) and antioxidant capacity (AOC) was evaluated. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to obtain the optimal formulation of the beverage. The AOC was assigned as a response variable in addition to TSP and TC. Mathematical modeling showed that the formulation with 35% (v/v) of mango pulp, 10% (v/v) of carrot juice, and 0.7% (w/v) of turmeric powder, yielded the highest values of TSP, TC, and AOC. The beverages were subjected to different ultrasound conditions with varying exposure times (ET), sonication amplitudes (SA), and pulse cycles (PC) to obtain the highest values for response variables. Statistical modeling showed that a UT at 21 min ET, 100% SA, and 0.7 s PC, increased TSP, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) by 15.5%, 45.1%, and 15.9%, respectively. Seven phenolic acids, three curcuminoids, five flavonoids, and a xanthonoid were identified in the beverages. The quantities of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acids, (+)-catechin, quercetin, kaempferol, (-)-gallocatechin gallate, and mangiferin were higher in the UT beverage compared to the control, suggesting their release from cell-wall structures as a result of UT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroalgae are a rich source of polyphenols, and their ingestion promotes various health benefits. However, information on factors contributing to health benefits such as antioxidants, antimicrobial properties, bioaccessibility, and cytotoxicity is less explored and often unavailable. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the above-mentioned parameters for the brown and green macroalgae Sargassum wightii and Ulva rigida, respectively, collected from the southeast coast of India. S. wightii exhibited higher antioxidant activity and moderate antimicrobial activity against major food pathogens in an agar well diffusion assay and in the broth microdilution method (MIC50 being <0.5 mg/mL for all microorganisms tested). Both macroalgae extracts exhibited significantly high bioaccessibility of polyphenols. To evaluate the safety of the extracts, in vitro cytotoxicity by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was carried out on the primary cells: mouse splenic lymphocytes. An almost complete decline in the cell viability was seen at considerably high concentration (50 mg/mL), expressing the reasonably high safety of the extracts. The extracts of both macroalgae were quantified for polyphenols, wherein fucoxanthin (9.27 ± 2.28 mg/kg DW) and phloroglucinol (17.96 ± 2.80 mg/kg DW) were found to be greater in the S. wightii apart from other phenolics, like gallic acid, quercetin, vanillin, and ferulic acid. The results signify the tremendous scope for the value addition of S. wightii through extraction and purification of polyphenols for its potential exploitation in functional foods and nutraceuticals or as an antimicrobial ingredient in active or smart packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of an exogenous application of various concentrations and dipping duration of melatonin (MT) treatment on postharvest senescence, quality, chilling tolerance, and antioxidant metabolism of mango fruit cv. "Dashehari" were examined. Fruits were treated with three concentrations of MT (50, 100, or 150 µM), each applied for three times (60, 90, or 120 min), followed by storage at 5 ± 1°C. The MT concentration of 100 µM with a dipping duration of 120 min was efficient in reducing the chilling injury and maintaining the quality of mango fruit for 28 d. Effects of this treatment were due to its effectiveness in reducing metabolic activity, specifically, respiration rate and ethylene production, resulting in higher firmness, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid content and lower weight loss, total soluble solids, pH, and total soluble solid : acidity ratio. Moreover, it maintained a higher concentration of total phenolics and total flavonoids, as well as antioxidant capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and cupric reducing antioxidant power assays), as compared to other treatments. This was further confirmed with higher activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase and membrane stability (according to a lower malondialdehyde content and lipoxygenase activity). Thus, our data show that a 100 µM MT administered for 120 min appears to be the most appropriate treatment to maintain the quality of mango fruits stored at chilling temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year tons of onion waste is produced worldwide. The dried outer onion skin contributed up to 70% of this waste. Outer-dried skins of fifteen prominent onion cultivars from India were selected for the study. A comparative study was done for proximate profiling, thermal characteristics, functional grouping, and mineral contents. Skin of cv. "NHRDF Red" contained the highest amount of crude protein (5.97 ± 0.15 g/100 g), ash (12.24 ± 0.59 g/100 g), and fiber (8.28 ± 0.20 g/100 g), whereas cv. "Pusa Red" possessed the highest amount of total fat (0.47 ± 0.02 g/100 g) and the maximum carbohydrates (76.66 ± 0.56 g/100 g) were found in "Pusa Riddhi." Mineral analysis showed that cv. "NHRDF Red" had the maximum concentration of all 9 minerals along with sulphur content. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis explored the various metabolites present in each cultivar. The thermal analysis explored cv. "Agrifound Dark Red" as highly thermally stable having 70.98% residual mass. The lowest Tg temperature range was found between 64.4°C and 90.6°C for "Agrifound Dark Red." Skin of cv. "NHRDF Red" was reported as the best source of protein, fiber, and minerals, which may be utilized for developing a food product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: A randomized block design experiment was performed to investigate the influence of drying on the physical, chemical and nutritional quality attributes of five prominent cultivars of India under sun drying (SD) (mean temperature 35.5 °C, average daily radiation 5.26 kW h m−2 and mean relative humidity 73.66% RH), hot air drying (HD) at 65 °C, microwave vacuum drying (MVD) (800 W, 5 kPa) and freeze drying (FD) (−50 °C, 5 kPa). Water activity, pH, total phenolic content (TPC), ascorbic acid (AA), capsaicin, β‐carotene, color and Scoville heat unit were studied. RESULTS: TPC, AA, capsaicin content, β‐carotene, color and water activity were significantly affected by the drying method. FD was observed to be most efficient in minimizing the loss of color, capsaicin and β‐carotene. The hotness of analyzed samples decreased in the order ‘Bird's Eye’ > ‘Sannam S4’ > ‘CO‐4’ > ‘PLR‐1’ > ‘PKM‐1’ among the studied cultivars, and FD > MVD > HD > SD among the drying methods. CONCLUSION: The FD method was observed to be the most efficient drying method for retaining capsaicin content over other drying methods (SD, HD, MVD), whereas MVD was found to be most efficient in minimizing the loss to nutritional attributes for all five pepper cultivars. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fruits and vegetables are the most utilized commodities among all horticultural crops. They are consumed raw, minimally processed, as well as processed, due to their nutrients and health‐promoting compounds. With the growing population and changing diet habits, the production and processing of horticultural crops, especially fruits and vegetables, have increased very significantly to fulfill the increasing demands. Significant losses and waste in the fresh and processing industries are becoming a serious nutritional, economical, and environmental problem. For example, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that losses and waste in fruits and vegetables are the highest among all types of foods, and may reach up to 60%. The processing operations of fruits and vegetables produce significant wastes of by‐products, which constitute about 25% to 30% of a whole commodity group. The waste is composed mainly of seed, skin, rind, and pomace, containing good sources of potentially valuable bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, polyphenols, dietary fibers, vitamins, enzymes, and oils, among others. These phytochemicals can be utilized in different industries including the food industry, for the development of functional or enriched foods, the health industry for medicines and pharmaceuticals, and the textile industry, among others. The use of waste for the production of various crucial bioactive components is an important step toward sustainable development. This review describes the types and nature of the waste that originates from fruits and vegetables, the bioactive components in the waste, their extraction techniques, and the potential utilization of the obtained bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) cv. Esmeralda is a commercially important fruit with many bioactive compounds like vitamin C, β-carotene, phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which have been reported only for fruits of commercial maturity. Our objective was to evaluate changes in concentration of main pineapple bioactives, their contribution to total antioxidant capacity and enzyme activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) during pineapple ripening. Fruits were grouped into four ripening stages (RS) according to their weight, size and percentage of yellow skin color (RS1: 100% green, RS2: up to 30% yellow, RS3: 30% - 75% yellow, RS4: 75% - 100% yellow). Vitamin C content initially increased, and decreased at RS4; β-carotene, phenolics and antioxidant capacity increased gradually. Phenolics contributed over 40% of antioxidant capacity, followed by vitamin C and β-carotene. Major phenolic compounds identified were gallic acid, catechin and epicatechin. PAL and POD activity increased with ripening and correlated with concentration of phenolics. No PPO activity was quantified. We concluded that ripening of pineapple cv. Esmeralda alters the concentration of bioactive compounds. Phenolic compounds, particularly gallic acid, exert the most antioxidant capacity during all RS, even if other compounds have higher concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyamines (PAs) are natural compounds involved in many growth and developmental processes in plants, and, specifically in fruits, play a vital role regulating its development, ripening and senescence processes. Putrescine (PUT), spermine (SPE), and spermidine (SPD) are prominent PAs applied exogenously to extend shelf life of fruits. They also originate endogenously during developmental phases of horticultural crops and simultaneously affect the quality attributes and shelf life. Their anti-ethylene nature is being exploited to enhance the shelf life when exogenously applied on fruits. In growth and development of fruits, PA levels generally fall, which marks the beginning of senescence at postharvest phase. PUT, SPE and SPD treatments are being applied during postharvest phase to prolong the shelf life. They enhance the shelf life of fruits by reducing respiration rate, ethylene release and enhance firmness and quality attributes in fruits. PAs have a mitigating impact on biotic and abiotic stresses including chilling injury (CI) in tropical and sub-tropical fruits. PAs are environment friendly in nature and are biodegradable without showing any negative effect on environment. Biotechnological interventions by using chimeric gene constructs of PA encoding genes has boosted the research to develop transgenic fruits and vegetables which would possess inherent or in situ mechanism of enhanced biosynthesis of PAs at different stages of development and thereby will enhance the shelf life and quality in fruits. Internal and external quality attributes of fruits are improved by modulation of antioxidant system and by strengthening biophysical morphology of fruits by electrostatic interaction between PAs and phospholipids in the cell wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate is a subtropical and tropical fruit of great importance from a health point of view. Despite increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits of pomegranate, consumption of the fruit is still limited owing to poor postharvest handling, storage recommendations, short shelf life and quality deterioration during transportation, storage and marketing. The occurrence of physiological disorders such as husk scald, splitting and chilling injury is another challenge reducing marketability and consumer acceptance. Recently, notable work on postharvest biology and technology has been done. Pomegranate is highly sensitive to low-oxygen (<5 kPa) atmospheres, chilling injury and decay. One of the major problems associated with pomegranate fruit is excessive weight loss, which may result in hardening of the husk and browning of the rind and arils. To reduce chilling injury incidence and to extend storability and marketing of pomegranates, good results were obtained with polyamine, heat, salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate or methyl salicylate treatments prior to cold storage. This article reviews the maturity indices, changes during maturation and ripening, postharvest physiology and technology of pomegranate fruit as well as the various postharvest treatments for maintaining fruit quality. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is a subtropical evergreen tree whose fruit is consumed both fresh and processed. Loquat fruit is a good source of minerals and carotenoids, while the kernel is rich in protein and carbohydrates. It has been considered a non-climacteric fruit, but there is evidence that some cultivars have a ripening pattern similar to that of climacteric fruits. The fruit has a short postharvest life at ambient temperatures and is susceptible to physical and mechanical damage, loss of moisture and nutrients, and decay. Low-temperature storage extends the shelf life of loquat fruit, but some cultivars are severely affected by chilling injury and flesh browning during cold storage. Purple spot, browning and leatheriness are major postharvest disorders. The shelf life of loquat can be extended by modified or controlled atmosphere storage as well as by postharvest treatment with 1-methyl cyclopropene or methyl jasmonate. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of pre-storage application of 100 µM melatonin on conferring chilling tolerance in fruit of four mango cultivars stored at 5 ± 1 ºC for 28 d was investigated. 'Langra' and 'Gulab Jamun' mangoes had maximum and minimum chilling tolerance, respectively. Accumulation of endogenous polyamines and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the peel and the pulp of 'Langra' fruit treated with melatonin was a possible reason for its chilling tolerance. Accumulation of endogenous polyamines was associated with higher arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and lower diamine oxidase (DAO) and polyamine oxidase (PAO) activities in the peel and pulp. Additionally, higher GABA shunt (Glutamate decarboxylase and GABA-transaminase) activity was associated with elevated GABA content in 'Langra' mangoes. The limited effectiveness of melatonin treatment for chilling injury alleviation in 'Chaunsa' was probably due to higher polyamines accumulation accompanied with lower PAO and DAO activity in the peel and pulp of the fruit, in addition to higher ADC and ODC in the peel. • Melatonin treatment (MTT) confers chilling tolerance (CT) in mango fruit. • MTT enhances polyamines accumulation and γ-aminobutyric acid shunt pathway activity. • MTT is effective in inhancing CT in 'Langra' mango. • MTT is moderately effective in inhancing CT in 'Chaunsa' and 'Dashehari' mangoes. • MTT is ineffective in inhancing CT in 'Gulab Jamun' mango. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (MT) treatment (100 µM, 2 h) was applied to four mango fruit cultivars ('Langra', 'Chaunsa', 'Dashehari', and 'Gulab Jamun'), before being stored at 5 ± 1 °C for 28 d, in order to alleviate chilling injury (CI). Maximum CI reduction was observed in 'Langra' mangoes, and minimum in 'Gulab Jamun' mangoes. This positive effect on quality preservation was associated with an increased concentration of endogenous MT, which prevented the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (H2O2 and O2·−) and stimulated non-enzymatic antioxidants (total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids), possibly due to higher activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase and tyrosine ammonia lyase. Increased antioxidant activity was also documented in MT-treated 'Langra' mangoes, according to four different assays (DPPH, TEAC, FRAP, and CUPRAC) and higher activity of six antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and dehydroascorbate reductase). In contrast, 'Gulab Jamun' mangoes showed minimal or no positive effects on the aforementioned variables in response to the exogenous MT application. 'Chaunsa' and 'Dashehari' mangoes had some intermediate effects on their antioxidant system (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) and alleviation of CI, when treated with exogenous MT. We conclude that exogenous MT exerts a cultivar-dependent stimulating effect on the antioxidant system of mangoes, which results in an increase in the fruits' resistance to low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jujube, also known as ziziphus, is grown and cultivated in India, Russia southern Europe, China and the Middle East. The fruit has been used in Chinese medicine for over 4,000 years. In India, the jujube is grown for just a few niche markets. Jujube contains potassium, phosphorus, manganese and calcium as the major minerals. There are also high amounts of sodium, zinc, iron and copper. Jujube also contains vitamin C, riboflavin and thiamine. The vitamin and mineral content of the fruit helps to support cardiovascular health and enhance metabolism. This brief review provides information on nutritional composition, changes in nutritional components with maturity and its maturity indices of Indian (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) and Chinese (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.) jujube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]