Effect of home-refrigerator storage temperature on tomato quality

Postharvest storage, handling and distribution of fruit at low temperatures is the most common and manageable approach to control ripening and subsequent deterioration and to maximize product shelf-life. However, tomatoes, as many other subtropical fruits, are susceptible to develop symptoms of chilling injury, a physiological disorder caused by the exposure to low temperature above the freezing point. Development of chilling injury depends on temperature, time, ripening stage and tomato type/cultivar. We studied the effect of home-refrigerator storage temperature on the quality of two types of tomato: cocktail tomato (cultivars ‘Amoroso’ and ‘Brioso’) and truss tomato (cultivars ‘Capricia’ and ‘Roterno’). Fully ripe tomatoes were stored for 10 days at two temperatures: 4°C as simulation of home-refrigerator storage and 15°C as an optimal storage temperature. We evaluated several quality parameters: weight loss, firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, carbohydrates, titratable acidity and citrate content. Although we did not observe any apparent symptom of chilling injury, we found that 4°C temperature stimulates firmness decay in both cocktail tomato cultivars, increasing fruit susceptibility to mechanical injury. Moreover, already after 5 days of 4°C storage, tomatoes generally showed decreased sugar and increased acid content (especially in cocktail tomatoes) compared to 15°C stored fruit, indicating a loss of sensoric quality at 4°C

Il Pooling-score (P-score): Variabilit\ue0 inter- e intra-individuale nella valutazione endoscopica della gravit\ue0 della disfagia

This study evaluated the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Pooling score (P-score) in clinical endoscopic evaluation of severity of swal- lowing disorder, considering excess residue in the pharynx and larynx. The score (minimum 4 - maximum 11) is obtained by the sum of the scores given to the site of the bolus, the amount and ability to control residue/bolus pooling, the latter assessed on the basis of cough, raclage, number of dry voluntary or re ex swallowing acts ( 5). Four judges evaluated 30 short lms of pharyngeal transit of 10 solid (1/4 of a cracker), 11 creamy (1 tablespoon of jam) and 9 liquid (1 tablespoon of 5 cc of water coloured with methlyene blue, 1 ml in 100 ml) boluses in 23 subjects (10 M/13 F, age from 31 to 76 yrs, mean age 58.56\ub111.76 years) with different pathologies. The lms were randomly distributed on two CDs, which differed in terms of the sequence of the lms, and were given to judges (after an explanatory ses- sion) at time 0, 24 hours later (time 1) and after 7 days (time 2). The inter- and intra-rater reliability of the P-score was calculated using the intra-class correlation coef cient (ICC; 3,k). The possibility that consistency of boluses could affect the scoring of the lms was considered. The ICC for site, amount, management and the P-score total was found to be, respectively, 0.999, 0.997, 1.00 and 0.999. Clinical evaluation of a criterion of severity of a swallowing disorder remains a crucial point in the management of patients with pathologies that predispose to complications. The P-score, derived from static and dynamic parameters, yielded a very high correlation among the scores attributed by the four judges during observations carried out at different times. Bolus consistencies did not affect the outcome of the test: the analysis of variance, performed to verify if the scores attributed by the four judges to the parameters selected, might be in uenced by the different consistencies of the boluses, was not signi cant. These initial data validate the clinical use of the P-score in the management of patients with deglutition disorders by a multidisciplinary team

Verticale temperatuurgradiënten in geconditioneerde kassen: Effecten op groei, ontwikkeling en onderliggende processen bij tomaat

In de jaren 2003 tot 2007 is het aantal bedrijven waarop (semi)gesloten geteeld wordt geleidelijk toegenomen. Op alle bedrijven bleken echter vragen te bestaan over de reacties van het gewas op het nieuwe klimaat. Daarom is in 2008 door Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw een onderzoek gestart naar de groei van tomaat in geconditioneerde kassen, waarin veel aandacht wordt besteed aan de fysiologische processen in de plant. Het onderzoek wordt gefinancierd vanuit het programma Kas als Energiebron door Productschap Tuinbouw en het ministerie van EL&I en wordt begeleid door een aantal tomatentelers en een adviseur. Het onderzoek dat in dit rapport wordt beschreven had als centrale vraag hoe een verticale temperatuurgradiënt de processen in de plant beïnvloedt

Tomato quality: from the field to the consumer : interactions between genotype, cultivation and postharvest conditions

The preservation of product quality in the marketing chain is of great importance for the final financial result of all stakeholders and consumer satisfaction. Improve product quality management requires an understanding of the various aspects of product and requires the availability of techniques to measure quality in an easy and objective way. The aim of the study was to obtain more insight of the effect of both pre-and post-harvest factors on the quality of tomatoes as experienced by the consumer. In this dissertation, the effect of growing conditions (especially in closed greenhouses) on post-harvest quality of different tomato varieties was discussed. It was also examined the effects of storage of fruits at low temperatures. For the measurement of volatile aroma compounds, essential for the taste, a new method was developed based on PTR-MS coupled to an “artificial mouth”. In this manner, the aroma substances profile could be measured as that released into the mouth during eating of the tomatoes. Cold storage leads to a rapid decrease of important flavor substances, and also shows the connection with the depletion of compounds important for the color red mainly lycopene. After warming up, not all flavors back to previous levels and less desirable substances (off-flavors) are also produced. The results provide guidance on how the cold tolerance of the varieties can be improved.</p

Non-destructive PTR-ToF-MS profiling of red delicious and granny smith apple volatilomes during ripening

The optimal harvest date (OHD) for the long-term storage of apple fruits is of the utmost importance, not only for maintaining high quality levels, but also because the ripening stage, regulated by the autocatalytic activity of the internal ethylene concentration, greatly affects the VOCs’ synthesis. During apple ripening, chemical compounds undergo changes that affect the fruit’s overall quality, particularly its aromatic profile. Three main classes of organic molecules—aldehydes, alcohols, and esters—play a key role in these modifications. This study investigated the potential of proton transfer reaction time-off light mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) for the rapid, non-destructive monitoring of VOC profiles in ‘Red Delicious’ and ‘Granny Smith’ apples over a 7-week shelf-life period across three harvest dates with different ripening stages. More than 300 mass peaks in the PTR-ToF-MS spectra of the apple headspace were detected. A total of 127 of them were considered to be relevant for further analysis. Furthermore, respiration rate and IAD index were used for the non-destructive assessment of the ripening progress during the 7 weeks of shelf-life and for integrating the VOC result

High-throughput analysis of food volatilome by direct injection mass spectrometry

Rapid, non-invasive and real-time analysis of food volatilome by direct injection mass spectrometry (DIMS) techniques contributes to the evaluation of food quality. Among DIMS application, we report three case studies show the potential of the PTR-ToF-MS technique in product characterization and process monitorin

Ester content of blueberry fruit can be ruled by tailored controlled atmosphere storage management

This study examines the effects of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage with high CO2 concentration (16 KPa) on the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), considering their genetic variability. The research focuses on the denovo production of esters and their association with fermentation related VOCs, employing complementary analytical techniques for comprehensive VOC profiling: direct injection mass spectrometry using Proton Transfer Reaction - Time of Flight - Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) and gas chromatography utilizing Solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS). In the first experiment, PTR-ToF-MS and SPME/GC-MS were applied to analyze the volatilome of seven blueberry cultivars under regular (RA) and controlled (CA) atmosphere storage conditions for 42 days. In the second experiment, 39 cultivars were tested to evaluate genetic variability in response to CA storage using PTR-ToF-MS. The third experiment focused on the effect of different oxygen concentrations during storage (1, 7, and 12 kPa O2), studying four cultivars using PTR-ToF-MS. Results of the three experiments revealed high variability among Vaccinium genotypes for all quality traits, which was amplified during storage, particularly under modified atmosphere conditions. CA storage generally enhanced the positive effects of cold storage by reducing texture decay and water loss and improving VOC profiles. Several ester compounds were synthesized de novo under low oxygen conditions, possibly as a response to hypoxic stress. The study concludes that CA storage offers potential to enhance postharvest fruit quality beyond shelf-life extension. The increase in fruity ester compounds during storage may improve blueberries' organoleptic properties. However, the variability in responses among cultivars needs tailored storage protocols. This research provides valuable insights for market segmentation and breeding programs aimed at enhancing blueberry quality and storability, while also validating PTR-ToF-MS as a rapid phenotyping tool for blueberry assessmen

Tackling the grapevine Pectate Lyase gene family and its role in the berry texture determination

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most commercially valuable fruit trees worldwide. Table grapes represent an important economic sector, where consumers highly appreciate the berry firmness trait. Although several studies have addressed the key role of the cell wall in fruit firmness, the main players among cell wall degrading enzymes during fruit ripening are still unclear. This work characterizes the grapevine Pectate Lyase (VvPL) gene family which catalyses the eliminative cleavage of de-esterified pectin during the berry development. Using the latest grapevine genome assembly and annotation, 17 members of the family containing the PL domain were identified. To identify the VvPL members most involved in pectin degradation during fruit softening, an in-silico analysis in Expression Atlas and in public RNA-Seq repositories was performed. Additionally, gene expression of the VvPL genes was evaluated in table grape varieties showing contrasting texture profiles. Our results demonstrated that specific VvPL genes were up-regulated in the softer variety compared to the firmer one, suggesting their active role in the softening process during berry development. Furthermore, two VvPL genes were selected for functional characterization via genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the table grape variety ‘Sugraone

A breach in plant defences: Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae targets ethylene signalling to overcome Actinidia chinensis pathogen responses

8openInternationalBothEthylene interacts with other plant hormones to modulate many aspects of plant metabolism, including defence and stomata regulation. Therefore, its manipulation may allow plant pathogens to overcome the host’s immune responses. This work investigates the role of ethylene as a virulence factor for Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), the aetiological agent of the bacterial canker of kiwifruit. The pandemic, highly virulent biovar of this pathogen produces ethylene, whereas the biovars isolated in Japan and Korea do not. Ethylene production is modulated in planta by light/dark cycle. Exogenous ethylene application stimulates bacterial virulence, and restricts or increases host colonisation if performed before or after inoculation, respectively. The deletion of a gene, unrelated to known bacterial biosynthetic pathways and putatively encoding for an oxidoreductase, abolishes ethylene production and reduces the pathogen growth rate in planta. Ethylene production by Psa may be a recently and independently evolved virulence trait in the arms race against the host. Plant- and pathogen-derived ethylene may concur in the activation/suppression of immune responses, in the chemotaxis toward a suitable entry point, or in the endophytic colonisationopenCellini, Antonio; Donati, Irene; Farneti, Brian; Khomenko, Iuliia; Buriani, Giampaolo; Biasioli, Franco; Cristescu, Simona M.; Spinelli, Francesco;Cellini, A.; Donati, I.; Farneti, B.; Khomenko, I.; Buriani, G.; Biasioli, F.; Cristescu, S.M.; Spinelli, F