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Lebanon is recognized as a major producer of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) within the Mediterranean region. This non-climacteric fruit is grown at various altitudes, leading to considerable variation in maturity dates among cultivated varieties and altitudes and subsequently influencing harvest timing. The interaction between genotype and environment significantly affects fruit maturity dates and physicochemical attributes. Fruit maturation entails the regulated activity of numerous genes. In this study, we analyzed gene expression in the berries of six sweet cherry varieties ("Skeena", "Teliani", "Banni", "Feraouni", "Mkahal", and "Irani") cultivated at five locations, ranging from 1130 m to 2080 m above sea level, from May to July. This research focused on the genes potentially associated with auxin response factors, Abscisic acid receptors, ethylene receptors, gibberellin, and cytokinin regulations. Additionally, hormone analysis encompassing Benzyl Adenine (BA), Zeatin, Salicylic acid (SA), Gibberellic acid (GA3), and Abscisic acid (ABA) quantification was conducted on the same samples. The results revealed significant differences in gene expression concerning harvest dates, varieties, and locations. Abscisic acid and Salicylic acid exhibited higher concentrations in the tested fruits throughout the season. Benzyl Adenine had the lowest detected content in fruits. Data also revealed dynamic changes in phytohormones, especially ABA content, among varieties. When comparing phytohormones for different harvest dates in the same location, significant differences were observed. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of plant hormones and their gene expression in the maturation of non-climacteric fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘HL 16732’ is a newly registered cultivar of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) with a blush fruit colour, which can become very attractive for producers, processors and consumers. In addition to the classical evaluation of the phenotype, this genotype was also verified by molecular methods, which determined its pollination ratios, verified the origin and the allelic composition of molecular markers associated with the key breeding characteristics of this cultivar: fruit colour, harvest time, fruit weight and fruit firmness. The results showed many advantages of the cultivar ‘HL 16732’, including later flowering, high flower and fruit set, moderately high productivity and consistent ripening. Molecular analyses confirmed its uniqueness and the excellent properties of the cultivar, which is also suitable as a starting material for further breeding. This cultivar thus has the potential to become an important choice for producers and the blush cherry market.

Consumers today seek safe functional foods with proven health-promoting properties. Current evidence shows that a healthy diet can effectively alleviate oxidative stress levels and reduce inflammatory markers, thereby preventing the occurrence of many types of cancer, hypertension, and cardiovascular and neurological pathologies. Nevertheless, as fruits and vegetables are mainly consumed fresh, they can serve as vectors for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms associated with various disease outbreaks. As a result, there has been a surge in interest in the microbiome of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, given the growing interest in sweet cherries, and since their microbial communities have been largely ignored, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate their culturome at various maturity stages for the first time. A total of 55 microorganisms were isolated from sweet cherry fruit, comprising 23 bacteria and 32 fungi species. Subsequently, the selected isolates were molecularly identified by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene and ITS region. Furthermore, it was observed that the communities became more diverse as the fruit matured. The most abundant taxa included Pseudomonas and Ralstonia among the bacteria, and Metschnikowia, Aureobasidium, and Hanseniaspora among the fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lebanon is recognized as a major producer of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) within the Mediterranean region. This non-climacteric fruit is grown at various altitudes, leading to considerable variation in maturity dates among cultivated varieties and altitudes and subsequently influencing harvest timing. The interaction between genotype and environment significantly affects fruit maturity dates and physicochemical attributes. Fruit maturation entails the regulated activity of numerous genes. In this study, we analyzed gene expression in the berries of six sweet cherry varieties (“Skeena”, “Teliani”, “Banni”, “Feraouni”, “Mkahal”, and “Irani”) cultivated at five locations, ranging from 1130 m to 2080 m above sea level, from May to July. This research focused on the genes potentially associated with auxin response factors, Abscisic acid receptors, ethylene receptors, gibberellin, and cytokinin regulations. Additionally, hormone analysis encompassing Benzyl Adenine (BA), Zeatin, Salicylic acid (SA), Gibberellic acid (GA3), and Abscisic acid (ABA) quantification was conducted on the same samples. The results revealed significant differences in gene expression concerning harvest dates, varieties, and locations. Abscisic acid and Salicylic acid exhibited higher concentrations in the tested fruits throughout the season. Benzyl Adenine had the lowest detected content in fruits. Data also revealed dynamic changes in phytohormones, especially ABA content, among varieties. When comparing phytohormones for different harvest dates in the same location, significant differences were observed. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of plant hormones and their gene expression in the maturation of non-climacteric fruits.

Sweet cherries are a very good source of phenolic compounds in our diet, including health-valuable anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anti-tumor effects. This study concerned the determination of chemical attributes of three cherry varieties: ‘Regina’, ‘Kordia’, and ‘Tamara’ from organic and integrated production in four regions in the Czech Republic. The total antioxidant activity of the varieties, the content of total polyphenols, and anthocyanins were compared. The highest antioxidant potential was found for the variety ‘Kordia’ from the organic planting in Ostroměř thanks to the high value of the total antioxidant activity 179.0 ± 14.3 μmol Trolox/100 g fresh fruit, the content of total polyphenols 138.6 ± 15.7 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g fresh fruit, and the content of anthocyanins 54.4 ± 6.8 mg/100 g fresh fruit.

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are among the most important stone fruits in Lebanon. They are harvested between May and July; however, the introduction of new early varieties in low and medium altitudes (500–1000 m) and late varieties in higher altitudes (1800–2200 m) along with postharvest technologies can extend harvesting season. In this study, physicochemical characteristics along with total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity of the most commercial cherry cultivars were evaluated at different altitudes to determine optimum harvesting time. Findings indicated that some varieties, such as "Teliani" and "Irani", are more significantly impacted by altitude than the other varieties in terms of maturity indices. Duration of fruit development was prolonged with altitude, and in most instances, higher fresh weights and sizes were observed; however, fruit firmness decreased. While total phenolic content (expressed as gallic acid equivalent) did not significantly vary between varieties, the antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH assays) showed the lowest value in "Banni" and the total anthocyanin content showed the highest levels in "Irani" and "Feraouni" and the lowest in "Mkahal" and "Banni". Furthermore, total phenolic content and reduction of ferric complex (FRAP) were interestingly influenced by geographical locations, in contrast to total anthocyanin content and radical scavenging activity (DPPH) which were unaffected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers today seek safe functional foods with proven health-promoting properties. Current evidence shows that a healthy diet can effectively alleviate oxidative stress levels and reduce inflammatory markers, thereby preventing the occurrence of many types of cancer, hypertension, and cardiovascular and neurological pathologies. Nevertheless, as fruits and vegetables are mainly consumed fresh, they can serve as vectors for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms associated with various disease outbreaks. As a result, there has been a surge in interest in the microbiome of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, given the growing interest in sweet cherries, and since their microbial communities have been largely ignored, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate their culturome at various maturity stages for the first time. A total of 55 microorganisms were isolated from sweet cherry fruit, comprising 23 bacteria and 32 fungi species. Subsequently, the selected isolates were molecularly identified by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene and ITS region. Furthermore, it was observed that the communities became more diverse as the fruit matured. The most abundant taxa included Pseudomonas and Ralstonia among the bacteria, and Metschnikowia, Aureobasidium, and Hanseniaspora among the fungi.

The development of fungal rots is one of the main limitations of the storage and marketing of sweet cherry fruit. Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) var 'Xiangquan No.1' fruit were treated with 1 g L−1 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) hydrochloride and stored at 20 °C for 12 d. Results showed that fruit treated with 5-ALA hydrochloride had significantly lowered postharvest decay. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis indicated that 1031 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and 6903 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected between 5-ALA hydrochloride treatment and the control at 6 d. A weighted gene co-correlation network analysis was employed to evaluate the gene regulatory network of DEGs. The DEGs and DAMs were co-enriched in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, the 5-ALA hydrochloride treatment improved disease resistance of the fruit by activating genes related to salicylic acid signal transduction and down-regulation of the metabolite gibberellin in sweet cherry fruit. The multiple transcription factors, including NAC50, MYB62, LEP and WRKY40 were also activated by 5-ALA hydrochloride treatment. These results provided new ideas for research on the postharvest management and maintenance of sweet cherry fruit during storage. • 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) hydrochloride reduced cherry fruit decay. • Phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were activated by 5-ALA hydrochloride. • Plant hormone signal transduction pathways were stimulated by 5-ALA hydrochloride. • Disease resistance-related TFs were activated by 5-ALA hydrochloride. • 5-ALA hydrochloride enhanced the storage quality of sweet cherry fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are among the most important stone fruits in Lebanon. They are harvested between May and July; however, the introduction of new early varieties in low and medium altitudes (500–1000 m) and late varieties in higher altitudes (1800–2200 m) along with postharvest technologies can extend harvesting season. In this study, physicochemical characteristics along with total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity of the most commercial cherry cultivars were evaluated at different altitudes to determine optimum harvesting time. Findings indicated that some varieties, such as “Teliani” and “Irani”, are more significantly impacted by altitude than the other varieties in terms of maturity indices. Duration of fruit development was prolonged with altitude, and in most instances, higher fresh weights and sizes were observed; however, fruit firmness decreased. While total phenolic content (expressed as gallic acid equivalent) did not significantly vary between varieties, the antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH assays) showed the lowest value in “Banni” and the total anthocyanin content showed the highest levels in “Irani” and ”Feraouni” and the lowest in “Mkahal” and “Banni”. Furthermore, total phenolic content and reduction of ferric complex (FRAP) were interestingly influenced by geographical locations, in contrast to total anthocyanin content and radical scavenging activity (DPPH) which were unaffected.

Abstract Cherries are an excellent source of dietary polyphenols and are marketed as sports and health dietary supplements. However, there are still limited direct evidence for their purported nutritional and health benefits. Gut microbiota modulation ought to be tested because most polyphenols reach the colon where they undergo microbial metabolization to bioactive and bioavailable metabolites. In the present study, varying dilutions of three concentrate cherries juices, Montmorency tart cherry juice, Balaton tart cherry juice, and sweet cherry juice, were examined to determine their potential effect on the murine gut microbiota composition. Forty‐five mice were randomly assigned to three different groups. Each group received an increased concentration of its assigned juices (1/20, 1/15, 1/10, 1/7, and 1/4 [v/v]) every 5 days for 25 days. Fecal samples were collected after each concentration change for microbiota characterization by high‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing using Illumina Miseq. The results revealed consistent gut microbiota modulation based on concentration regardless of the juice type, but not in a true dose‐dependent manner. The two median concentrations and the two highest were significantly different from each other and from the baseline and lowest concentration. Increasing cherries consumption consistently resulted in significant increase of the relative abundance of Barnesiella and Akkermansia, whereas Bacteroides abundance was negatively correlated with the concentration of the juice. Overall, we demonstrate that cherries induce a beneficial modulation of the murine gut microbiota, and that amounts of fruits consumed need to be considered to devise appropriate health and nutrition studies.

Dynamics of pesticides decomposition in sweet cherry fruits at different technologies of long-term storage, ultra-low oxygen and modified atmosphere packing, and after post-harvesting application of 1-methylcyclopropen and ozone has been studied. We assumed that type of pesticide and fruit storage conditions may have a profound effect on pesticide residues content. Therefore, levels of residues after applying combinations of active ingredients including acetamiprid, boscalid, cyprodinil, fenhexamid, fenpyrazamine, fludioxonil, fluopyram, pyraclostrobin, pirimicarb, tebuconazole, thiacloprid, and trifloxystrobin were monitored. We found these contents below tolerated maximum residue limits when applied at recommended times and depended on period prior to withdrawal. Low contents of acetamiprid, boscalid, fenpyrazamine, thiacloprid, pirimicarb, and fludioxonil were found when fruit were stored in modified atmosphere packages. Ozone affected degradation of tebuconazole, pyraclostrobin, and cyprodinil. However, differences between storage regimens were not statistically significant (p ≥ 0.05). Kinetic of degradation was studied with fruits stored after treatment with 1-methylcyclopropen and ozone.

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Cherries have largely been investigated due to their high content in phenolics in order to fully explore their health-promoting properties. Therefore, this work aimed to assess, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory potential of phenolic-targeted fractions of the Saco cherry, using RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Additionally, the cytotoxic effects on gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS), neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells were evaluated, as well as the ability to protect these cellular models against induced oxidative stress. The obtained data revealed that cherry fractions can interfere with cellular nitric oxide (NO) levels by capturing NO radicals and decreasing inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Furthermore, it was observed that all cherry fractions exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against AGS cells, presenting cytotoxic selectivity for these cancer cells when compared to SH-SY5Y and NHDF cells. Regarding their capacity to protect cancer cells against oxidative injury, in most assays, the total cherry extract was the most effective. Overall, this study reinforces the idea that sweet cherries can be incorporated into new pharmaceutical products, smart foods and nutraceuticals.

The stability of the main sugars and the organic acids neochlorogenic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid and rutin was assessed in the Vanda, Napoleonova, Kordia, New Moon, Sweetheart, and Regina sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars during post-harvest storage. Neochlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic acid in these sweet cherry cultivars followed by p-coumaroylquinic acid. Rutin concentrations ranged from 0.5 ± 0.38 to 12.35 ± 2.84 mg/kg of homogenate and its concentration was higher in the Sweetheart, Kordia, and Regina cultivars in the postharvest time.

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study was performed at the Experimental Station of Agriculture - Khan Krum in the period 2018-2019. The experimental plantation was established in 2001, the early Bigareau Burlat, middle early Bing and the late Germersdorfer and Van were tested. The planting material was produced on a mahaleb rootstock. The distance of planting was 6 meters interrow spacing and 5 meters intrarow spacing. The experiment was based on three replications each of them reported on a separate tree. When analyzing the frost percentage of flowers, 400 blossoms were taken from three levels of the crown of each tree, the same number of fruits were taken to determine the cracking percentage. Percentage of damaged blossoms, yield kg/ha and percentage of fruit cracking as a result of fallen rains during harvest were established. The purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of abiotic factors on the yield and quality of four sweet cherry cultivars. In this regard, the frost percentage in the range of values was 67,3 - 100%. Bigareau Burlat yield was not obtained, and it was relatively low from Germersdorf and Bing (20,1 - 24,6 kg/ha) at Van 84,6 kg/ha. The number of cracked fruits due to fallen rains during harvest was relatively high in Van and Bing (39,8 - 47,4%), while in the Germersdorf cultivar it was lower - 21,2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rain induced sweet cherry cracking is an importat economic problem for growers. The cracking level and the type of cracks can be influenced by water penetration in fruit, the features of cultivars and rootstocks, as well as growing conditions. Four sweet cherry cultivars on rootstock Prunus mahaleb L. were tested for growing under VOEN rain covers for the first time in Latvia. The total cracking level (in %) and the types of cracks were determined in 2012 and 2013. The cultivar 'Iputj' had a high level of cracking, mainly with cracks at the pedicel end and the stylar end. The cracking level of the cultivar 'Tyutchevka' was medium, the type of cracking varied depending on season. The cultivar 'Lapins' also had a medium cracking level, the cracks at the pedicel and stylar end dominated. The proportion of cracked fruits significantly decreased if grown under covers for the cultivars 'Iputj', 'Tyutchevka' and 'Lapins'. The cultivar 'Bryanskaya Rozovaya' had a low fruit cracking level, besides no significant effect of the cover was detected for this cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are among the most appreciated fruits worldwide because of their organoleptic properties and nutritional value. The accurate phytochemical composition and nutritional value of sweet cherries depends on the climatic region, cultivar, and bioaccessibility and bioavailability of specific compounds. Nevertheless, sweet cherry extracts are highly enriched in several phenolic compounds with relevant bioactivity. Over the years, technological advances in chemical analysis and fields as varied as proteomics, genomics and bioinformatics, have allowed the detailed characterization of the sweet cherry bioactive phytonutrients and their biological function. In this context, the effect of sweet cherries on suppressing important events in the carcinogenic process, such as oxidative stress and inflammation, was widely documented. Interestingly, results from our research group and others have widened the action of sweet cherries to many hallmarks of cancer, namely metabolic reprogramming. The present review discusses the anticarcinogenic potential of sweet cherries by addressing their phytochemical composition, the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of specific bioactive compounds, and the existing knowledge concerning the effects against oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, deregulated cell proliferation and apoptosis, invasion and metastization, and metabolic alterations. Globally, this review highlights the prospective use of sweet cherries as a dietary supplement or in cancer treatment.

Birds are common pests in fruit orchards. They frequently consume and damage fruit resulting in decreased yields for growers. The true extent of damage is difficult to measure. Producer surveys are often implemented to estimate damage, but the accuracy of these estimates is uncertain. We compared damage estimates obtained through field studies with estimates from a producer survey for three fruit crops: wine grapes, sweet cherries, and 'Honeycrisp' apples. We also analyzed relationships between use of various damage management methods and levels of bird damage. We found wine grape and sweet cherry growers accurately assessed bird damage, while 'Honeycrisp' apple growers may overestimate damage. Growing region appears to be an important damage predictor for wine grape and sweet cherry crops. Significant relationships between management methods and damage were positive, suggesting growers only use these methods when bird damage is substantial. • Grower and field estimates of bird damage did not differ significantly in wine grape and sweet cherry crops. • Grower and field estimates of bird damage differed significantly in 'Honeycrisp' apple crops. • Region is an important predictor of damage for sweet cherry crops. • Region was not a predictor of bird damage in 'Honeycrisp' apple crops. • Accuracy of grower estimates of bird damage is dependent on crop type and growing region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although melatonin effects on postharvest fruit ripening have been studied in some detail, information is still scarce during pre-harvest. Here, we examined whether or not melatonin may exert a regulatory role during sweet cherries ripening in orchard trees. We evaluated (i) the endogenous variations in melatonin contents, in comparison to those of well-known phytohormones such as ABA, salicylic acid and jsamonic acid, by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) during fruit ripening over two consecutive years, and (ii) to what extent melatonin treatments at low and high concentrations (at 10−4 M and 10−5 M, respectively) influence fruit ripening on the tree. Endogenous melatonin contents decreased in parallel to those of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, while ABA contents increased as fruit ripening progressed, thus suggesting an inhibitory role for melatonin in fruit ripening. Furthermore, melatonin treatment at 10−5 M, which transiently increased endogenous melatonin contents at physiological concentrations, delayed anthocyanin accumulation, thus confirming an inhibitory regulatory role for melatonin in fruit ripening. We also found that the endogenous contents of cytokinins, but not those of ABA were transiently affected by melatonin treatment at 10−5 M. It is concluded that melatonin may delay sweet cherries ripening in orchard trees, probably exerting a modulatory role through a hormonal cross-talk. These results have important implications for the use of melatonin in the control of the timing of sweet cherries ripening in orchard trees. • Endogenous variations in melatonin suggest an inhibitory role for this compound in fruit ripening. • Melatonin may exert a modulatory role on the timing of fruit ripening via a cross-talk with other hormones. • Melatonin treatments may influence titratable acidity and/or anthocyanin accumulation in sweet cherries. • Hormonal profiling may be used to improve applications in the agrifood biotechnological sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cherries are a traditional commodity grown in the Czech Republic. Placing into a cold room is essential for the fruit to be preserved in the long term. Even if optimum storage conditions are followed, the shelf life is relatively short. This study observed the effect of packing cherries into the Xtend polymer wrap on slowing down the degradation of the fruit during the storage period. The experiment was conducted using 4 varieties of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) from the identical site (Stošíkovice, Czech Republic) - 'Vanda', 'Kordia', 'Sweetheart' and 'Regina'. Part of the fruit was stored at 20 °C for 7 days (conditions in retail chains) and other part of the fruit was stored at 1 °C for 50 days, first half of fruit was stored in Xtend polymer wrap and second half in the normal air conditions. Changes were also investigated in fruit quality parameters (soluble solids, titratable acidity, weight loss, peel firmness and respiration intensity) under the shelf life conditions when the fruit was placed at the distribution temperature of 20 °C after removal from the store and analysed after 5 and 10 days. Packed fruit exhibited significantly lower weight loss than unpacked fruit. Unpacked fruits showed visible signs of wilting and it is connected to the water loss and loss of turgidity of fruit. Soluble solids content and titratable acidity reduced generally less in unpacked fruit, which was probably related to the higher weight loss in this variant. Between the packaged and control fruit firmness was not statistically significant. Carbon dioxide production characteristic the intensity of respiration was typically higher at 1 °C for fruit packed in the Xtend film. This fruit, however, largely responded by reducing the intensity of respiration when removed from the store and placed at 20 °C, whereas in unpacked fruit there was a several-fold increase in carbon dioxide production under such conditions.

The market demand for fresh sweet cherries in China has experienced continuous growth due to its rich nutritional value and unique taste. Nonetheless, the characteristics of fruits, transportation conditions and uneven distribution pose a huge obstacle in keeping high quality, especially in express logistics. This paper proposes dynamic monitoring and quality assessment system (DMQAS) to reduce the quality loss of sweet cherries in express logistics. The DMQAS was tested and evaluated in three typical express logistics scenarios with “Meizao” sweet cherries. The results showed that DMQAS could monitor the changes of critical micro-environmental parameters (temperature, relative humidity, O2, CO2 and C2H4) during the express logistics, and the freshness prediction model showed high accuracy (the relative error was controlled within 10%). The proposed DMQAS could provide complete and accurate microenvironment data and can be used to further improve the quality and safety management of sweet cherries during express logistics.

The aim of this research was to study the effect of pulsed electric fields (PEF) on the flavour profile of red-fleshed sweet cherries (Prunus avium variety Stella). The cherry samples were treated at a constant pulse frequency of 100 Hz, a constant pulse width of 20 μs, different electric field strengths between 0.3 and 2.5 kV/cm and specific energy ranging from 31 to 55 kJ/kg. Volatile compounds of samples were analysed using an automated headspace solid phase microextraction (HS–SPME) method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A total of 33 volatile compounds were identified with benzaldehyde, hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-2-hexen-1-ol, and benzyl alcohol being the predominant volatiles in different PEF-treated samples. Aldehydes namely butanal, octanal, 2-octenal, and nonanal, and (Z)-2-hexen-1-ol increased significantly 24 h after PEF treatment at electric field strengths of more than 1.0 kV/cm. Samples incubated for 24 h after PEF treatment (S3) generated higher concentrations of volatiles than samples immediately after PEF treatments (S2). Quantitative results revealed that more flavour volatiles were released and associated with S3 samples after 24 h storage and S2 samples immediately after PEF both with the highest electric field intensities. Interestingly, this study found that the PEF treatments at the applied electric field strength and energy did not result in releasing/producing undesirable flavour compounds.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Sweet cherries are an excellent source of phenolic compounds, which may contribute to a healthy diet. The objective of this work was to generate dehydrated ingredients from postharvest discard of sweet cherries. RESULTS: Four dried ingredients were obtained from fresh sweet cherry discard (Lapins var.) using an osmotic dehydration pretreatment and freeze drying or air drying. The ingredients showed an important phenolic contribution (2.8–6.6 g gallic acid kg−1 of product) and preserved the natural color of the fruit to a great extent. Freeze‐dried ingredients were less hygroscopic than air‐dried ones, and presented with a softer texture. All the ingredients were in a supercooled state at room temperature (Tg range: −23.0 to −18.8 °C). Sugar infusion pretreatment caused a decrease in water sorption capacity and molecular mobility; it also reduced the initial rehydration rate. CONCLUSION: Relevant differences in nutritional and structural characteristics of the ingredients were observed depending on the processing method used. These ingredients could be incorporated into different processed foods, such as snacks, cereal mixtures, cereal bars, and bakery and confectionery products. Air‐dried control ingredients presented better nutritional qualities and air‐dried sweet cherries with sugar infusion pretreatment could be appropriate ingredients for applications where sweet flavor and slow rehydration rate are required. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four sweet cherry cultivars grown in northern Greece (Kordia, Regina, Skeena, Mpakirtzeika) were characterized and differentiated according to both botanical and geographical origin (Skeena cultivar). Conventional quality parameter analyses applied to achieve differentiation included: a) conventional quality parameters namely, titratable acidity (TA), pH and total soluble solids (TSS) measurement of mechanical properties-penetration, b) analysis of glucose and fructose (major sugars) using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Refractive Index Detector (HPLC-RID), c) identification and semi-quantification of volatile compounds using Solid Phase Micro Extraction in combination with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) and d) analysis of minerals using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Data were analysed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Results showed that the combination of volatile compounds-conventional properties-minerals provided the highest correct prediction rate of 97.4% for botanical differentiation while for the geographical differentiation of the Skeena cultivar, conventional parameters and volatile compounds provided a 94.9% and 95.0% correct prediction rate respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of the main sugars and the organic acids neochlorogenic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid and rutin was assessed in the Vanda, Napoleonova, Kordia, New Moon, Sweetheart, and Regina sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars during post-harvest storage. Neochlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic acid in these sweet cherry cultivars followed by p-coumaroylquinic acid. Rutin concentrations ranged from 0.5 ± 0.38 to 12.35 ± 2.84 mg/kg of homogenate and its concentration was higher in the Sweetheart, Kordia, and Regina cultivars in the postharvest time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Polyphenol and ZnO loaded protein-based films were prepared by electrospinning. • Zein/Gelatin fibers were incorporated with proanthocyanidins/gallic acid and ZnO. • Nanofiber films had high hydrophobicity, antioxidant and antifungal properties. • Composite nanofiber films demonstrated active food preservation efficiency. To extend the shelf life of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) and considering the environmental problems caused by traditional packaging materials, novel Zein/Gelatin-proanthocyanidins-zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZE/GE-PC-ZnO) and Zein/Gelatin-gallic acid-zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZE/GE-GA-ZnO) protein-based composite nanofiber films were prepared by electrospinning. According to the results, ZE/GE-PC-ZnO and ZE/GE-GA-ZnO films' contact angles were higher than those of Zein/Gelatin film by 28.91% and 21.27%, and their antioxidant activities were 5 and 9 times higher, respectively. Moreover, ZE/GE-PC-ZnO film showed good inhibitory activity against B. cinerea. On the eleventh day of the cherry packaging test, compared to unwrapped cherries, the losses of weight and firmness of wrapped fruit were reduced by more than 20% and 60%, respectively. Respiration time was delayed by 5 days, and the peak of ethylene release was decreased by nearly half. In conclusion, these two nanofiber films were viable packaging materials that fulfilled global strategies for green development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degradation of acetamiprid in sweet cherry samples was evaluated at several intervals from the product application until the end of the pre-harvest interval. An orchard of sweet cherries located at Stepanovićevo village near Novi Sad was used in this study. Acetamiprid was applied according to the manufacturer’s recommendation for protecting sweet cherries from their most important pests. Sweet cherry fruit samples were collected at eight intervals: immediately after acetamiprid application and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 days after application. The extraction of acetamiprid from sweet cherry samples was performed using a QuEChERS-based method. Determination was carried out using an HPLC-UV diode array detection system (Agilent 1100, United States) with an Agilent Zorbax Eclipse C18 column (50 mm × 4.6 mm internal diameter, 1.8 μm particle size). The method was subjected to a thorough validation procedure. The recovery data were obtained by spiking blank sweet cherry samples at three concentration levels (0.1-0.3 mg/ kg), yielding 85.4% average recovery. Precision values expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) were below 1.61% for the intraday precision. Acetamiprid showed linear calibrations from 0.05 to 2.5 μg/ml with correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.995%. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 5 μg/kg and 14 μg/kg, respectively. The validated method was applied in the analysis of acetamiprid in sweet cherry samples. During the study period, the concentration of acetamiprid decreased from 0.529 mg/kg to 0.111 mg/kg. The content of acetamiprid in sweet cherry samples at the end of the pre-harvest interval was below the maximum permissible level specified by the Serbian and EU MRLs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the content of a number of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fruits of selected local and commercial sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars. The experiment showed that the selected cultivars of sweet cherries differ significantly in the content of polyphenolic compounds and carotenoids. The fruits of commercial sweet cherry cultivars were, on average, richer in polyphenols (the sum of phenolic compounds determined chromatographically), flavonoids, as well as anthocyanins and were characterized by higher antioxidant activity when compared to the local, traditional cultivars. In the group of the traditional sweet cherry cultivars, particular attention could be paid to Black Late cv., showing the highest antioxidant activity of fruits. In the group of commercial sweet cherry cultivars, Cordia and Sylvia fruits could be recognized as being rich in bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity. Yellow skin cultivars were characterized by the highest concentrations of carotenoids. Strong positive correlations between the identified bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fruits were also found. Although different cultivars of sweet cherries show a high variability in phenolics and carotenoids profiles as well as in the antioxidant activity of fruits, they all should be, similarly to other types of cherries, recognized as a rich source of bioactive compounds with an antioxidant potential.

A total of 56 sweet cherry samples belonging to four cultivars (Ferrovia, Canada Giant, Lapins, and Germersdorfer) grown in northern Greece were characterized and differentiated according to botanical origin. For the above purpose, the following parameters were determined: conventional quality parameters (titratable acidity (TA), pH, total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolic content (TPC), mechanical properties and sensory evaluation, sugars by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), volatile compounds by GC/MS, and minerals by ICP-OES. Statistical treatment of the data was carried out using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). The results showed that the combination of volatile compounds and conventional quality parameters provided a correct classification rate of 84.1%, the combination of minerals and conventional quality parameters 86.4%, and the combination of minerals, conventional quality parameters and sugars provided the highest correct classification rate of 88.6%. When the above four cherry cultivars were combined with previously studied Kordia, Regina, Skeena and Mpakirtzeika cultivars, collected from the same regions during the same seasons, the respective values for the differentiation of all eight cultivars were: 85.5% for the combination of conventional quality parameters, volatiles and minerals; and 91.3% for the combination of conventional quality parameters, volatiles, minerals, and sugars.

In order to enable long-distance transportation and ensure that the fruit presents the requisite quality on arrival at markets, the cherry industry for direct consumption needs to prolong post-harvest shelf life. Sweet cherries are highly perishable, non-climacteric fruits with shelf life of 7–14 days in cold storage. Their shelf life is shortened by loss of firmness, color and flavor, stem discoloration, desiccation and mould growth. Various factors such as harvest time, proper handling and cooling practices and above all packaging, greatly influence the shelf life of cherries. One of the areas of research that has shown promise, and had success, is modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). It is one of the fastest growing packaging technologies and has many advantages for different food products. Properly designed modified atmosphere packs can be exploited to lower respiration rates and thus ripening of fruits which results in least changes in physiochemical parameters of sweet cherries during postharvest storage. This paper intended to review a broad spectrum of studies dealt with the use of MAP for preservation of sweet cherries cultivars with an interest for future research work. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the evaluating Member State (EMS), Greece, received an application from Nisso Chemical Europe GmbH to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance cyflufenamid in apricots, cherries, peaches, plums and globe artichokes. According to EFSA, the data are sufficient to derive MRL proposal of 0.06 mg/kg for the proposed southern Europe uses on apricots, peaches, plums; of 0.1 mg/kg for cherries and of 0.03 mg/kg on globe artichokes. Adequate analytical enforcement methods are available to control the residues of cyflufenamid in the commodities under consideration. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concludes that the proposed use of cyflufenamid on the above‐mentioned crops will not result in a consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference values and therefore is unlikely to pose a consumer health risk.

Influence of four different dwarfing rootstocks: ‘Gisela 5’, ‘Gisela 6’, ‘PHL-C’ and ‘PiKU1’ on the amount of polyphenols (total phenols, total and individual anthocyanins and individual hydroxycinnamic acids) of sweet cherry cultivars ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ was researched as well as correlations between polyphenols and colorimetrically measured fruit skin colour. Total phenols (TP) and total anthocyanins (TA) were determined by spectroscopic methods, while individual anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic were quantified and identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). ‘Gisela 6’ and ‘PiKU1’ had the strongest influence on the TP content of both cultivars. The main hydroxycinnamic acid identified was p-coumaric acid (p-CA) which content was influenced by cultivar, vegetation year and interaction of cultivar*rootstock*year. Content of p-CA varied the most on rootstock ‘Gisela 5’ for both cultivars, with its lowest amount obtained in 2013 and the highest in 2014 in comparison to other rootstocks.The largest difference in TA content in cultivar*rootstock interaction was identified in ‘Gisela 6’. Substantial difference in correlation pattern between cvs. ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ lead to the conclusion that values L* and b* are better TA indicators rather than values a* and Hue.