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This study examined the effects of spread formulation and the structural/lubricant properties of six different commercial hazelnut and cocoa spreads on sensory perception. Rheology, tribology, and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was assessed by also evaluating the correlation coefficients between the quality descriptor and the rheological and textural parameters. The viscosity was evaluated at different temperatures to better simulate conditions before and after ingestion. Tribological analysis was executed at 37 degrees C to mimic the human oral cavity. The effect of saliva presence and the number of runs on tribological behaviors was investigated. Moreover, textural, calorimetric, and particle size distribution measurements were performed to reinforce the correlation between structural/thermal parameters (e.g., firmness, stickiness, sugar melting point) and sensory aspects. "Visual viscosity," defined as a sensory attribute evaluated prior to consumption, negatively correlated with apparent viscosity measured at 20 degrees C and 10 s-1, whereas "body," defined during oral processing and related to creaminess, positively correlated with apparent viscosity measured at 37 degrees C and 50 s-1. These attributes were mainly influenced by particulate microstructure and solid volume fraction within the formulation. Textural stickiness positively correlated with sensory "adhesiveness" and was related to fat composition and milk powder addition, while "sweetness" was related to sucrose content and sugar melting enthalpy. Tribological data provided meaningful information related to particle-derived attributes, as well as after-coating perception (fattiness/oiliness), thus better predicting food evolution during oral consumption.Influence of the composition and structural attribute of different hazelnut/cocoa spread on sensory perception, evaluating rheology, tribology, and quantitative descriptive analysis. Rheology and tribology well correlated with sensorial analy

Grape seeds are a valuable source of natural phenolic compounds, particularly flavan-3-ol derivatives such as condensed tannins. Recent studies have shown that grape seed powder can be applied to reduce the undesirable effects of protein instability in wine. One pretreatment method applied to grape seeds is roasting. Roasting causes the heavier proanthocyanidins (PAC) oligomers to break down, thereby increasing the concentration of smaller oligomers available for interaction with proteins. In addition, roasting can prolong grape seed storage. Among the subclasses of proanthocyanidins, oligomeric macrocyclic proanthocyanidins have also shown potential effects in terms of wine stabilization, particularly by presenting selective interactions with metal cations such as potassium and calcium. However, their composition in grape seed extracts has never been studied. Here, the characterization of condensed tannins according to the degree of polymerization in grape seeds, the profile of cyclic proanthocyanidins and the total polyphenol content were characterized in relation to different grape varieties and the application of roasting. Roasting greatly influenced the distribution of PAC according to the degree of polymerization, increasing the abundance of almost all classes of PAC. However, the overall effect of roasting was highly dependent on grape variety. PAC were analyzed according to the degree of polymerization. Grape seed roasting of red varieties (Croatina and Sangiovese) showed an increase in all classes of PAC except trimers. The white variety (Ortrugo) and the mix of Nebbiolo and Barbera varieties (80% and 20% w/w, respectively) showed no clear effect on the profile of PAC upon roasting. Notably, cyclic procyanidins were identified for the first time in grape seeds: a cyclic tetrameric procyanidin (ESI + m/z 1153) and cyclic pentameric procyanidin (ESI + m/z 1441) were found. The abundances of these cyclic PAC were found to be completely stable upon roasting, al

Commercial cocoa and hazelnut-based sweet spreads typically present a poor nutribiochemical level due to their ingredients and recipes, while nowadays, there is the need of developing sustainable food products addressing both an improved nutritional and environmental profile. The aim of this work was then to develop an innovative hazelnut/carob-based spread with potential high sustainability and nutritional profile, including the exploitation of grape-processing residues (grape skin flour and grapeseed oil) and carob pulp as cocoa surrogate. Rheological (rotational/oscillatory), oxidative, and thermal features of the spread were assessed and compared with two commercial nut-cocoa-based products. Tribology was used to mimic and evaluate the spreads' behavior during oral consumption, and sensory profile (by quantitative descriptive analysis) was also assessed. All products exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior, with the elastic component prevailing over the viscous one. The innovative product showed the highest lubricity from both rheological and sensory analysis, thus well correlating to the obtained lowest viscosity and friction factor trends. Grapeseed oil provided a better nutritional profile, but the largest amount of unsaturated fatty acids promoted oxidation, despite the higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity coming from the use of carob and grape skin powders. The sensory perception investigation revealed a characteristic mouthfeel/flavor for the new spread identified having a more fluid consistency and a bitter/sour taste, together with a greater stickiness and a poorer smoothness due to a higher fiber content and solid fat absence.

The aroma of coffee is a complex mixture of more than 1000 compounds. The volatile compounds in green and roasted coffee were analyzed to detect several features related to quality, roasting level, origins, and the presence of specific defects. With respect to specialty coffee, the flavor profile and peculiarities of the aforementioned characteristics are even more relevant knowing the expectations of consumers to find, in a cup of coffee, unicity bestowed by its origin and post-harvesting processes. In this work, which dealt with 46 lots of specialty Arabica coffee, we used HS-SPME/GC-MS to detect the volatile compounds in green coffees together with those in the same coffees roasted at three different levels to identify whether differences in headspace composition were ascribable to the origin, the post-harvesting processes, and the roasting profiles. The main results are related to the discriminant power of the volatile compounds in green coffee, which are impacted by the origins more than the post-harvesting processes. Compounds such as linalool and 2,3-butanediol were more concentrated in natural coffees, while hexanal was more concentrated in washed varieties (p < 0.05). In roasted coffees, the differences in composition were due to roasting levels, countries of origin, and the post-harvesting processes, in descending order of significance.

One of the major challenges that global warming poses to viticulture is the maintenance of adequate acidity at maturity in white grapes for sparkling winemaking.)is issue arises from three main occurrences: (i) with higher temperatures, degradation of malic acid is significantly enhanced; (ii) with a general advancement in grapevine phenology, grape maturity may occur under suboptimal climatic conditions; and (iii) harvesting grapes at "traditional" dates results in overripe fruits for sparkling destinations. In this biennial work, we compared the fruit and must composition of a local, widely grown white grape variety in the Colli Piacentini area (cv. Ortrugo, ORT) with those of a minor autochthonous variety, namely, Barbesino (BRB). Furthermore, we compared the composition, aromatic, and sensory profiles of wines obtained from ORTand BRB grapes picked on the same date and, in addition, of a second Barbesino wine from late harvest (BRB-LH). ORT and BRB had a similar sugar accumulation dynamic, whereas BRB exhibited a delayed loss of titratable acidity. In more details, BRB had lower malic acid degradation rates when malate concentration was <9 g/L. As a result, with comparable yield and total soluble solid content (TSS) (similar to 20 degrees Brix), BRB had a higher berry titratable acidity and malic acid concentration at harvest than ORT. BRB wines showed the highest titratable acidity (TA), while ORT had the lowest TA and a higher pH, and as expected, BRB-LH had the highest pH and a lower TA than BRB although still higher than those of ORTwine.)e aroma profiles of wines were mainly characterized by fermentative aromas, including esters, fatty acids, higher alcohols, and C-6 compounds, and BRB-LH wines showed the highest concentration of higher alcohols, while the fermentative esters were higher in ORTwines. Panelists considered BRB significantly fresher and with bigger aroma intensity than ORT, confirming that the higher acidity detected in BRB musts is well pr

Untargeted metabolomics based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was combined with sensory analysis to provide new insights into the impact of the feeding system from mountain regions (grassland deriving from permanent meadows) on the chemical fingerprint of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO hard cheese. In the framework of a representative investigation, two different ripening times (12 and 24 months) were also considered. Multivariate statistics allowed discriminating cheese samples from different feeding regimens according to their metabolomics signatures. Interestingly, mountain grassland-based cheese samples were characterized by a more favourable fatty acid profile, recording also feed-derived compounds (such as terpenoids and linoleic acid derivatives) potentially associated with both beneficial effects on human health and sensory properties. According to the sensory analysis, the impact of herbs and grass enhanced the colour and retro-olfactive complexity of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese, with spicy, umami and intense vegetal aromatic notes representing distinctive features.

Nature has developed fascinating mechanisms for selecting and monitoring nutrients through refined systems for food intake and uptake. One of the most important is the sense of taste. Taste is an emergent property involving a complex network of multilevel biological interactions beginning with the activation of specific protein receptors as a consequence of interaction with food molecules. In this context, crucial information about the mechanisms underlying the functioning of taste can be obtained by using molecular mechanistic modelling and machine learning tools borrowed from the field of drug design and the study of structural biology and protein biophysics. The ultimate goal is to develop predictive models capable of studying the intricate connection of molecular, sub-cellular and cellular phenomena underlying the complex biological mechanisms that regulate the relationships between food constituents and perceived taste. Artificial intelligence-driven digital tools for taste prediction and the study of molecular features of the interaction between food molecules and taste receptors have been recently developed by our group. Such tools are the operating engines of the decision support tool developed during the VIRTUOUS project (https://virtuoush2020.com). In this work, these tools were used to generate molecular fingerprints of coffee starting from its chemical composition. Through methods that integrate molecular modelling techniques and machine learning, molecules extracted from coffee were characterized in terms of binding affinity, specificity, and selectivity toward bitter receptors. The targeting ability of coffee-extracted molecules for human TAS2Rs was studied with an atomistic resolution to obtain a virtual fingerprint that links the molecular structure of food ingredients with their bitter profile. The study fits within the digital transition vision that leverages modelling and computational approaches to develop decision-supporting tools for developing

Origin of coffee, precursors concentration, post-harvesting processes and commercial roasting degrees were evaluated for their impact on acrylamide content in roasted coffee. Forty Seven Specialty Arabica and 7 high-quality Robusta green coffee samples were analysed to determine sugars, asparagine and A(w). Acrylamide was quantified on light, medium and dark roasted samples. In green coffee, glucose and fructose content resulted lower after wet and honey processes, no remarkable differences were found for sucrose and asparagine. In all samples, the content of asparagine was generally lower than what provided in previous works. Acrylamide concentration never exceeded the limit of 400 mu g kg(-1) in Arabica samples and it does once in Robusta, it peaked between light and medium roasting, and it was higher in Robusta. Moreover, it was lower in honey coffee than in others. Acrylamide correlated with asparagine in Robusta, while with monosaccharides and A(w) in dry and honey Arabica. Coffee Origin impacted on precursors and acrylamide.

Wine producers are now fully aware of the water-energy nexus, given the challenges created by climate change. By identifying potential environmental impacts of the wine industry, related to water and fossil energy use, wineries are taking action to improve their performance. This chapter reviews a set of technologies and strategies that can lead wineries to implement a regenerative approach, minimizing resources, recovering value from wastewater/waste, and replacing fossil energy with renewable sources. The approach is illustrated by presenting four case studies, located in three Mediterranean countries (France, Italy, and Portugal). The main conclusions are: (1) water and energy consumption ratios vary according to the wine type; (2) wastewater treatment systems tend to close the water cycle in countries facing severe water scarcity; and (3) the adoption of renewable energy in wineries is a reality today, but the adopted renewable energy depends on the region where it is located.

An untargeted metabolomics approach combined with sensory analysis was used to depict the impact of different traditional Italian extraction methods (i.e., Espresso, Neapolitan, Moka) along with Filter, on Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora var. robusta beverages. To this aim, polyphenols, Maillard reaction products, and coffee metabolites were screened by high resolution mass spectrometry and elaborated through both unsupervised and supervised multivariate statistical approaches. Multivariate statistics showed a distinctive chemical profile for Espresso preparation, while Moka and Neapolitan were very similar. The orthogonal projection to latent structures and discriminant analysis allowed the identification of 86 compounds showing a high VIP discrimination score (i.e., > 0.8). The 2,5-dimethyl-3-(methyldithio)-furan was a marker for the Filter preparation, while 1,2-disinapoylgentiobiose characterized both Filter and Neapolitan extractions. Caffeine (known to be a bitter compound) accumulated highly in Filter vs. Espresso, although at the sensory profile, bitterness was more perceived in Espresso. Vegetal aroma carried by pyrazines, pyridines, and phenolic acids were markers of Espresso, with Robusta showing higher values than Arabica. Notwithstanding, our findings showed that the extraction process played a hierarchically higher role in driving the chemical composition of the beverages when compared to coffee species.

In 2015, Italian Grape Ale (IGA) beers have been included as a new provisional sub-category of special-type fruit beers by the Beer Judge Certification Program, including those products whose brewing process is carried out in presence of determined quantities of grape must. However, information on the effects of these additions on the composition of final beers are still scarce. This work is hence focused on the chromatic, volatile, phenolic and sensory characterization of IGA beers obtained with the addition of grape musts during brewing process. To this aim, different amounts of must (5, 10 and 20%) from cv. Lambrusco red grapes were added to a lager wort before primary fermentation. Beers were then characterized by HPLC-MS, GC-MS and sensory analysis in order to determine phenolic and aroma compounds along with their sensory attributes. Results confirmed the addition of must from cv. Lambrusco grapes capable to enrich beers in color, acids, phenolic (up to 7-folded increased) and volatile compounds, while giving complexity to beers. These results, which were confirmed by a trained sensory panel, are among the very first insights on the impact of red grape must in brewing, both from a compositional and sensory point of view.

Beer contains the vitamins pyridoxine (B6) and folates (B9); their content is variable and depends on several factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of these vitamins during large and small scale brewing so as to identify the steps that can influence their levels in the final product. A Golden Ale and Scottish Ale were brewed at sales gravity in a 12 hL plant and a Gold Lager from a bottom fermented high gravity wort at a commercial scale. The levels of pyridoxine at mash-in differed between the brewing processes, due to the different malt used. Pyridoxine levels decreased during mashing while the pyridoxamine concentration remained constant. Although an increase of pyridoxine was observed after the fermentation, its level decreased in the final beers from the large scale process reflecting dilution and pasteurisation. With regard to folates, the levels increased during mashing, decreased after wort boiling and increased during fermentation. This study showed that both pyridoxine and folates were solubilised during the process and remained in the final product. © 2021 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling.

Grape pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins in white wine can induce haze and hinder the sale of the product. Bentonite is used to remove proteins and “heat-stabilise” wine however it is non-selective and can reduce wine quality. Grape seed powder (GSP) has previously been shown to remove PR proteins and reduce haze formation on a lab scale, however the effect on wine sensory properties was unknown and crucial to the evaluation of GSP as a bentonite alternative. Semillon (SEM) and Sauvignon Blanc (SAB) juices (20L in triplicate) were treated with GSP at two doses, Low (7.5 g/L) and High (15 g/L), prior to fermentation. GSP treatment reduced the concentration of wine PR proteins by up to 57% and 37% for SEM and SAB, respectively, and reduced the amount of haze formed in a heat test by up to 75% and 80%, respectively. Sensory analysis conducted by a trained panel showed that for both wine types the high GSP treatments were rated deeper in colour and higher in bitterness than the bentonite controls, with the low GSP treatment having a similar but less pronounced effect on these attributes. The GSP-treated SAB wine showed greater tropical fruit aroma, and pungency, compared to the bentonite control. Use of GSP can reduce the amount of bentonite needed to stabilize wines and may provide a sustainable and effective alternative to bentonite, notably for textural white wine styles.

Chitosan is a natural polymer that has quite recently been approved as an aid for microbial control, metal chelation, clarification, and reduction of contaminants in enology. In foods other than wine, chitosan has also been evidenced to have some other activities such as antioxidant and antiradical properties. Nevertheless, the actual extent of its activities in must and wines has not been fully established. This review aimed to gather and discuss the available scientific information on the efficacy of chitosan as a multifaceted aid in winemaking, including antimicrobial, chelating, clarifying and antioxidant activities, while summarizing the chemical mechanisms underlying its action. Attention has been specifically paid to those data obtained by using unmodified chitosan in wine or in conditions pertinent to its production, intentionally excluding functionalized polymers, not admitted in enology. Unconventional utilizations together with future perspectives and research needs targeting, for example, the use of chitosan from distinct sources, production strategies to increase its efficacy or the potential sensory impact of this polysaccharide, have also been outlined.

Recently the use of electrolyzed water (EW) attracted much attention as a high-performance, new technology for its potential use in the food industry. The aim of this work was to investigate the impact of grape EW treatments, applied at different time intervals prior to harvest, on the indigenous yeast populations of grape surface (Chenin blanc and Cabernet franc) and the occurrence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) in Cabernet franc wine. In addition, the evolution of inoculated and spontaneous fermentations on treated and non-treated grapes was also considered. The yeast population present on grape berries surface was influenced in a grape variety and EW treatment time-dependent way, since only Chenin blanc grapes treated with EW 7 days prior to harvest had significantly lower yeast population levels, compared to the respective control. Concerning the yeast diversity in the grape samples, a dominance of Aureobasidium pullulans was observed in treated grapes, independently of the grape variety. At the end of alcoholic fermentation, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole was detected in wine when the EW solution was applied at one or two weeks before harvest time. After wine storage, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole and chlorophenols contents generally exhibited a loss relative to initial values. The results showed that EW treatments tended to slightly increase the TCA concentration in final wine and did not affect the fermentation performances and chromatic properties of resulting wine. On the other hand, absorption or desorption phenomena by wine lees could be involved in the change of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole concentration in wine during storage time.

La qualità del vino oggi si riflette specialmente nella sua stabilità che ne preserva funzione e apprezzamento dalla messa in bottiglia sino al consumatore finale. La chiarifica è una delle fasi di vinificazione che consente di perseguire tale stabilità. Nel caso dei vini rossi, tale pratica enologica comporta l’aggiunta al vino di proteine aventi l’obiettivo di ridurre la percezione di amaro e di modulare finemente quella dell’astringenza minimizzando secondari effetti sul colore e sulle percezioni aromatiche positive. In alternativa a quelle di origine animale, oggi il mercato propone l’utilizzo di proteine vegetali la cui diffusione è anche sottesa a motivazioni di sicurezza alimentare, naturalità, tendenza di consumo di prodotti vegani. La ricerca, stimolata da finanziamenti di carattere regionale, volti ad aumentare la produttività delle aziende attraverso ricadute positive dei risultati su tutta la filiera, propone studi su scala reale che misurano gli effetti di tali coadiuvanti su vini di ampia diffusione e consumo.

Grape pathogenesis-related proteins can cause haze in wine that is undesirable for consumers. Bentonite is used to remove these proteins but is a non-renewable natural material and reduces wine volume due to poor settling. As a potential bentonite alternative, grape seeds powder (GSP) was added to four wines and two grape juice varieties. Addition to wine required high doses (25–32 g/L) for protein removal and haze prevention and this induced changes to wine composition. By contrast, addition to grape juice prior to fermentation required substantially lower doses of GSP (5 g/L) to prevent haze formation. Further 20 g/L of GSP added to the must induced less changes to wine composition than direct addition of GSP to the wine. No changes were recorded in the efficacy of protein removal by changing the GSP source (red or white grape marc), or by using grape seed roasting. Despite the need for additional trials, these preliminary results suggest that GSP may be considered as a viable alternative to bentonite especially when added to juice prior to fermentation.

L'interesse per la sostenibilità è in aumento nel settore vitivinicolo sia dal punto di vista del produttore che da quello del consumatore. Sebbene diversi studi abbiano valutato l'importanza delle preferenze dei consumatori in merito alla scelta del vino, ancora poco è stato approfondito circa le interazioni oggettive e soggettive che muovono a scelte sostenibili.

Background: While there has been an increasing interest in the health properties of chocolate, limited research has looked into the changes of antioxidants occurring in the time span from production to the best before date, which was a period of 18 months in this study. Methods: Humidity, ash, pH, acidity, fiber, carotenoids, retinols, tocopherols, sugars, proteins, theobromine, caffeine, polyphenols, fats, the peroxide value, organic acids, and volatile compounds, along with the sensory profile, were monitored at 18-week intervals for 18 months under conditions simulating a factory warehouse or a point of sale. Results: At the end of the storage period, more polyphenols were lost (64% and 87%) than vitamin E (5% and 14%) in cocoa mass and cocoa powder, respectively. Conversely, a greater loss in vitamin E (34% and 86%) than in polyphenols (19% and 47%) was shown in the hazelnut paste and gianduja chocolate, respectively. The sensory profiling of cocoa mass, cocoa powder, and hazelnut paste revealed increases in grittiness and astringency, as well as decreases in melting, bitterness, and toasted aroma. Moreover, in the hazelnut paste and gianduja chocolate, oiliness increased with a toasted and caramel aroma. Furthermore, dark chocolate was more gritty, acidic, and bitter. Milk chocolate lost its nutty aroma but maintained its sweetness and creaminess. Conclusions: These results should contribute an important reference for companies and consumers, in order to preserve the antioxidants and understand how antioxidants and sensory properties change from the date of production until the best before date.

Starmerella bacillaris (synonym Candida zemplinina) is a non-Saccharomyces yeast that has been proposed as a co-inoculant of selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in mixed culture fermentations to enhance the analytical composition of the wines. In order to acquire further knowledge on the metabolic interactions between these two species, in this study we investigated the impact of oxygen addition and combination of Starm. bacillaris with S. cerevisiae strains on the microbial growth and metabolite production. Fermentations were carried out under two different conditions of oxygen availability. Oxygen availability and strain combination clearly influenced the population dynamics throughout the fermentation. Oxygen concentration increased the survival time of Starm. bacillaris and decreased the growth rate of S. cerevisiae strains in mixed culture fermentations, whereas it did not affect the growth of the latter in pure culture fermentations. This study reveals new knowledge about the influence of oxygen availability on the successional evolution of yeast species during wine fermentation.

This study proved for the first time the metabolomics of pineapple waste as a suitable raw material for the production of fruit vinegar with interesting aroma profile and demonstrated the possibility to efficiently reduce the post-harvest losses of pineapple fruits by manufacturing them into products with food added value.

This work aims to report on the processing of pineapple (Ananas comosus) peel and core into quality wines by combining physical and enzymatic treatments of waste and alcoholic fermentation of the pineapple must with three strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (TT, AW, EM2) at three different temperatures (25C, 20C, 15C). The main parameters of the alcoholic fermentation (yeast growth, ethanol production and sugar consumption) were monitored; the fixed and the volatile compounds of pineapple wines were characterized by means of HPLC and GC-MS techniques. Results outlined that the highest levels of ethanol, i.e., more than 7 and 8% vol/vol, were reached in 96 h when the fermentation was carried out at 20 and 25C with AWand TT strains, respectively. Differently, the fermentation at 15C with EM2 achieved the highest ethanol concentration (7.60% vol/vol) after 120 h and maintained higher levels of citric and malic acid. Accordingly, as the ethanol increases a simultaneous decrease in simple sugars was observed: glucose fell faster than fructose and reached concentrations below 1 g/L after 120 h of fermentation. Significantly different aroma profiles were measured in the wines by changing temperature and strain of S. cerevisiae: the fermentation with AWat 20C produced the highest concentration of acetate and ethyl esters that increased the fruity character of pineapple wine, whilst varietal aroma was enhanced by both fermentations at 25C and 15C with TT and EM2, respectively. However, no variations in pH and acidity during fermentation and very low levels of acetic acid in any pineapple wine sample stressed the aptitude to human consumption of pineapple wines obtained from pineapple waste under this study.

This paper presents the application of the main spectroscopic techniques, including near infrared (NIR), mid-infrared (MIR) and traditional ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) wavelengths, coupled with chemometric methods, to analyze grape and wine composition. In particular, IR spectroscopic techniques have the potential to shorten the analytical procedure for the simultaneous measurement of selected grape and wine components with minimal sample preparation and reagent consumption. IR spectra show specific fingerprint-like patterns that are useful for quantification (and discrimination) purposes, including both primary and secondary grape and wine metabolites, mostly suited for process monitoring, quality control, and authenticity assessment. The current state of development related to grape and wine chemistry, sensory analysis and emerging applications are discussed herein with emphasis on quantification tasks.

During the past decade the emphasis in post-harvest fruit protection has shifted from using chemicals to various alternative techniques, including biological control, cultural adaptations, controlled atmosphere and irradiation. We can today add to the list natural antimicrobial compounds such as phenolic acids and essential oils. To keep under control strawberry post-harvest decay, we screened: UV-C irradiation, and terpens in different doses and combinations as well as different modalities in packaging. For 8 days we checked the fruit deterioration and the sensory characters (visual aspect, smell, taste and firmness). We found out that: the use of essential oils as anti-microbial compounds prolong strawberry shelf-life even without UV pre-treatment; the anti-microbial compounds have to remain, for whole the storage period, into the packaging atmosphere; the natural anti-microbial compounds maintain the fruit sensorial characteristics; the strawberry shelf-life is related to the packaging modality.

During the past decade the emphasis in post-harvest fruit protection has shifted from using chemicals to various alternative techniques, including biological control, cultural adaptations, controlled atmosphere and irradiation. We can today add to the list natural antimicrobial compounds such as phenolic acids and essential oils. To keep under control strawberry post-harvest decay, we screened: UV-C irradiation, and terpens in different doses and combinations as well as different modalities in packaging. For 8 days we checked the fruit deterioration and the sensory characters (visual aspect, smell, taste and firmness). We found out that: the use of essential oils as anti-microbial compounds prolong strawberry shelf-life even without UV pre-treatment; the anti-microbial compounds have to remain, for whole the storage period, into the packaging atmosphere; the natural anti-microbial compounds maintain the fruit sensorial characteristics; the strawberry shelf-life is related to the packaging modality.