Evaluation of mineral elements and ascorbic acid contents in fruits of some wild plants

The fruits of some wild plants were examined for their contents of mineral elements and ascorbic acid.High levels of ascorbic acid were found in fruits ofSclerocarya birrea (403.3 mg/100 g) andAdansonia digitata (337 mg/100 g). In nine of the fruits examined, the mineral contents (Ca, P) were comparable with average values found in common fruits. The iron contents were however 2–5 times higher than the values for common fruits.     

Changes in nutritional value of guava fruits infected by major post-harvest pathogens

Post-infection changes in ascorbic acid, sugars, proteins and phenols were studied in guava fruits infected by major post-harvest pathogens which in order of importance wereColletotrichum gloeosporioides, (Penz.),Botryodiplodia theobromae, Pat.,Rhizopus arrhizus Fischer.,Phomopsis psidii Nag Raj and Ponnappa apud Ponnappa and Nag Raj, andPestalotiopsis versicolor (Speg.) Steyaert. Contents of ascorbic acid, sugars and proteins declined in the fruits infected byBotryodiplodia theobromae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Pestalotiopsis versicolor, Phomopsis psidii andRhizopus arrhizus. Total phenols increased in fruits infected byPestalotiopsis versicolor andRhizopus arrhizus while reverse was observed in fruits infected by other pathogens.Part of the Ph.D. thesis submitted by the senior author to the Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner.     

Changes in ascorbic acid and carbohydrate contents in tomato fruits infected with pathogens

Tomato fruits Var Romer VFN, inoculated withFusarium equiseti, F. chlamydosporium, Geotrichum candidum, Acremonium recifei, Aspergilus flavus andA. niger showed decline in ascorbic acid content with days of incubation when compared with control (uninoculated) fruits. The total soluble sugars of the inoculated fruits also showed a reduction trend as the storage period was prolonged, but slight increase was observed on the 6th day after inoculation.     

Mycoflora and vitamin content of sun-dried food condiments in Nigeria

The fungi most frequently isolated (of 20–100% incidence) from fresh okra, pepper fruits and melon seeds areBotryodiplodia theobromae, Rhizopus stolonifer, Trichoderma harzianum, Mucor mucedo andFusarium oxysporum. The major mycoflora of the fruits which had been sun-dried for twenty days are comprised ofAspergillus spp andPenicillium spp which initially had formed the minor components (of less than 20% incidence) of the colonising population. The effect of sun-drying on the fruits was a statistically significant (P=0.05) decrease in the riboflavin content and a generally small and non-significant decrease in the concentrations of thiamine, niacin, biotin and ascorbic acid. The effect of mouldiness during sun-drying was to further decrease the concentration of the vitamins.     

Determination of Antioxidant Constituents in Cactus Pear Fruits

An analytical study was carried out on the presence of antioxidant constituents and the in vitro antioxidant capacity in the extracts of three species of Spanish red-skinned cactus pear fruits (Opuntia ficus-indica, Opuntia undulata and Opuntia stricta). The cactus pear fruit extracts were analyzed for determined constituents: ascorbic acid, flavonoids (quercetin, isorhamnetin, myricetin, kaempferol and luteolin), betalains, taurine, total carotenoids and total phenolics. The antioxidant capacity was assessed by means of two different methods: the 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) method and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical method. Opuntia ficus-indica fruit extract had the strongest antioxidant capacity and taurine content. O. stricta fruits were the richest in ascorbic acid and total phenolics, whereas O. undulata fruits showed the highest carotenoid content. Quercetin and isorhamnetin were the main flavonoids detected. This study provides basic information on the presence of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in extracts of cactus pear fruits, in order to consider these extracts as ingredient for the production of health-promoting food.     

Phytochemical investigation of Prosopis juliflora D. C. I. Flavonoids and free sugars

Patulitrin was the only flavonoid component detected in the fruits ofProsopis juliflora D.C. The free sugar constituents of the fruits are glucose and sucrose.

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Zusammenfassung Patulitrin ist der einzige Flavonoid-Bestandteil inProsopis juliflora D.C. Früchten. Die freien Zucker sind Glucose und Saccharose.

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Résumé Patulitrin est la seule substance d'origine flavonique qui a pu être décelé dans les fruits duProsopis juliflora D. C., les sucres libres sont glucose et sucrosé.

     

By-Products of Opuntia ficus-indica as a Source of Antioxidant Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber and bioactive compounds are widely used as functional ingredients in processed foods. The market in this field is competitive and the development of new types of quality ingredients for the food industry is on the rise. Opuntia ficus-indica (cactus pear) produces edible tender stems (cladodes) and fruits with a high nutritional value in terms of minerals, protein, dietary fiber and phytochemicals; however, around 20% of fresh weight of cladodes and 45% of fresh weight of fruits are by-products. The objective of this study was therefore to determine the nutritional value of by-products obtained from cladodes and fruits from two varieties of Opuntia ficus-indica, examining their dietary fiber and natural antioxidant compound contents in order to obtain quality ingredients for functional foods and increase the added value of these by-products.     

Post harvest physiconutritional changes in Kagzi limes (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) treated with selected oil emulsions and diphenyl

Influence of oil emulsions and diphenyl on post-harvest physico nutritionalchanges in Kagzi limes (Citrus aurantifolia) was studied. During twelvedays of storage, physiological loss in weight (PLW) and rotting were at a minimum in fruits treated with Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) oilplus diphenyl; juice content was at a maximum in mustard oil + diphenyltreated fruits. With the advancement of storage period, total soluble solidswere increased while ascorbic acid and acidity of fruits decreased. Mustardoil plus diphenyl supported maximum ascorbic acid (25.60 mg/100 ml juice) andminimum total soluble solids (9.03%).     

Phenolics,Sugars, Antimicrobial and Free-Radical-Scavenging Activities of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melicoccus bijugatus</Emphasis> Jacq. Fruits from the Dominican Republic and Florida

Edible fruits of the native South American tree Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. are consumed fresh or in traditional food, drink and medicinal preparations. Some therapeutic effects of these fruits may be due to phenolics and sugars. Aqueous acetone, methanol or ethanol tissue extracts of different cultivars or collections of M. bijugatus fruits from the Dominican Republic and Florida were analyzed for total phenolics and free radical scavenging activity by UV-vis spectroscopy, sugars by gas chromatography, and antimicrobial activity by the disc diffusion assay. Total phenolics and free radical scavenging activities ranked: seed coat > embryo > pulp extracts. Montgomery cultivar fruits had the highest total phenolics. For sugars: pulp > embryo and highest in Punta Cana fruit pulp. In all extracts: sucrose > glucose and fructose. Glucose:fructose ratios were 1:1 (pulp) and 0.2:1 (embryo). Pulp extracts had dose-response antibacterial activity and pulp and embryo extracts had antifungal activity against one yeast species. Phenolics and sugars were confirmed with thin-layer chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance. Sugar-free pulp fractions containing phenolics had slightly more antimicrobial activity than H₂O-soluble pulp fractions with sugars. Results indicate M. bijugatus fruits contain phenolics, sugars and other H₂O-soluble compounds consistent with therapeutic uses. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Influence of Storage Environment,Surface Coating,and Individual Shrink Wrapping on Quality Assurance of Guava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium guajava</Emphasis>) Fruits

Guava (Psidium guajava) fruits of cv. L-49 with individual shrink wrapping using 9 LLDPE film could be successfully stored up to 12 days at ambient and 18 days in evaporative cool chamber with negligible loss in vitamin C content. The untreated fruits lose 25–30% of ascorbic acid within 1week after harvest. Delay in senescence and metabolic activities as supported by less changes in soluble solids, sugars, acidity, respiration, and ethylene evaluation rate was also observed in individual shrink wrapped fruits in cool chamber. The spoilage of fruits by Fusarium rots was significantly less in cool chamber in individually shrink wrapped fruits followed by Sta-fresh treatment. Sta-fresh was more effective in cool chamber than ambient. Individually stored wrapped fruits scored a better value of sensory score than Sta-fresh under both the storage condition.     

Evaluation of fungal epiphytes isolated from banana fruit surfaces for biocontrol of banana crown rot disease

Fungi isolated from the surface of banana fruits were evaluated for in vitro antagonism towards Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Thirteen fungi exhibiting pronounced growth inhibition of test pathogens were further tested for antibiosis against Thielaviopsis paradoxa, Colletotrichum musae, and Fusarium verticillioides. Clonostachys byssicola, Curvularia pallescens, Penicillium oxalicum, and Trichoderma harzianum were antagonistic to all test pathogens. Inhibition by C. pallescens and P. oxalicum to pathogens was at a distance, while C. byssicola and T. harzianum directly parasitized and killed the pathogens. The metabolites of C. byssicola, C. pallescens, and T. harzianum significantly affected the mycelial growth and conidial germination of the pathogens. In the artificial inoculation study, the antagonists survived and colonized banana fruits after 3 d. Interfungal parasitic relationship was observed between the antagonist and pathogen on artificial media and natural substrate. Postharvest application in the packing house showed that the incidence of crown rot in antagonist-treated banana was significantly lower when compared to fungicide and untreated control fruits.     

Fatty Acids, Sterols, Phenols and Antioxidant Activity of Phoenix theophrasti Fruits Growing in Crete, Greece

In the present study we report the chemical composition of the Cretan Phoenix theophrasti Gr. fruits, in comparison with dates, from its close relative Phoenix dactylifera L. for their nutritional value and their potential exploitation as a source of bioactive components such as phytosterols, lipids and polyphenols. The non polar dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂) extract of the fruits was analysed by several techniques (TLC, CC, GC and GC-MS) and was found to consist mainly from fatty acids, hydrocarbons and phytosterols. Palmitic acid was the most abundant fatty acid, 12.49% of total saponifiables, while β-sitosterol was the most prevalent phytosterol, 29.46% of total unsaponifiable lipid fraction. The polar methanolic extract was examined for its total phenolic content, by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay, as well as for its antioxidant activity through DPPH assay, in comparison with previous studies on the fruits of several Phoenix dactylifera varieties. This fraction was found to possess strong antioxidant activity despite its lower content of phenolic compounds in comparison with previously studied Phoenix dactylifera specimens.     

Constituents of plants growing in Qatar

The study of the flavonoids of the unripe fruits ofGlossonema edule, resulted in the isolation and identification of apigenin 6,8-di-C-glucoside (violanthin) and luteolin 7-O-glucoside.     

Effect of domestic processing and cooking on selected antinutrient contents of some green leafy vegetables

Three vegetables, 5 roots and tubers, 23 fruits and 3 stored products collected and consumed by tribals of Andhra Pradesh, India were analyzed for total carotenoids (TC) and Beta carotene (BC) contents using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The vitamin A activity expressed as retinol equivalents (RE) was calculated based on the in vivo conversion factor given by WHO. The results of the study indicated that the vegetables, roots and tubers analyzed showed negligible vitamin A activity with TC and BC content ranging from 0.01 to 0.61 and 0.14 to 0.23 mg%, respectively. Among the fruits, Canthium parviflorum contained very high TC (9.51 mg%) and BC (6.10 mg%) contents, and the edible orange color fresh rind portion analyzed had the highest (6.8 mg%) BC content. Other fruits contained negligible content of TC (0.0015 to 1.32 mg%) and BC (0.004 to 0.49 mg%). The edible pulp portion of the fruit (Diosphros melanoxylon contained no BC but the rind portion analyzed fresh and dried had BC) 0.79 and 2.17 mg%, respectively. Tribals were found to have distinct attitudes and beliefs towards food they use or avoid in certain physiological conditions.     

The incidence of stolbur disease and associated yield losses in vegetable crops in South Moravia (Czech Republic)

The study was performed at a vegetable farm from 2006 to 2008 in the intensive horticultural area of Lednice (South Moravia, Czech Republic), where a stolbur (phytoplasma) epidemic had occurred. The study showed that the incidence of stolbur disease reached 15% in both tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum), and up to 6.7% in celeriac (Apium graveolens). There were significant yield losses in the stolbur-affected plants; total yield losses were up to 60% in tomato, 93% in pepper, and 100% in celeriac. The mean yield was significantly decreased in stolbur-affected plants, compared to healthy plants (i.e. from 42.79 to 17.21 fruits per plant in tomatoes; from 10.11 to 0.74 fruits per plant in peppers). In the locality studied, it was mainly the weed plants Convolvulus arvensis and Cirsium arvense (which were frequently interspersed among the crops), which tested positive for the stolbur phytoplasma and might have provided a reservoir for the phytoplasma infection.     

Six Edible Wild Fruits as Potential Antioxidant Additives or Nutritional Supplements

Total antioxidant activity of six non-cultivated but traditionally collected fruits from the south of Europe was assessed by measuring their ability to reduce the hydroxyl radical ( OH^· ) \left( {{\hbox{O}}{{\hbox{H}}^\bullet }} \right) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and their Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). This antioxidant activity was compared with that shown by the synthetic antioxidants BHA (E-320), BHT (E-321) and propyl gallate (E-310). Total phenolics, ascorbic acid and the carotenoid content of the fruits were also analyzed. All fruits showed a high ability to scavenge the OH^· {\hbox{O}}{{\hbox{H}}^\bullet } radical, ranging from 60.61% to 81.04% inhibition for Rosa canina and Crataegus monogyna, respectively. The H₂O₂ scavenging capacity and the TEAC value varied widely, ranging between 3.63% and 87.26% inhibition of H₂O₂ and between 0.47 and 416.64 mM trolox g⁻¹ FW for Sorbus domestica and Rosa canina, respectively. The antioxidant activity of fruits was higher than that of the synthetic additives analyzed, except in the TEAC assay. The phenolic and carotenoid content of R. canina was much higher than that of the other fruits analyzed and its ascorbic acid concentration was also high, reflecting its higher efficacy towards ABTS ^·- {\hbox{ABT}}{{\hbox{S}}^{ \bullet - }} (TEAC assay) and H₂O₂ species_. In spite of these associations, the correlation coefficients between total antioxidant activity and the antioxidant compounds analyzed were not very significant; only phenolics and carotenoids showed a marginal correlation with the TEAC assay. The results support the possible use of R. canina as natural antioxidant to replace the synthetic additives, as well as their use in the production of functional foods with a high antioxidant activity.     

Variation in Growth and Yield Performance of Seventeen Water Chestnut Accessions (Trapa spp.) Collected from Asia and Europe

Abstract

Water chestnut is an aquatic annual herb, and its fresh, edible fruit is a valuable crop. The huge variation in growth and yield of water chestnuts has not been well documented. In this study, the yield performance of 17 water chestnut lines, eight from China (Trapa acornis L., T. bicornis L., T. bispinosa Roxb, T. quadrispinosa Roxb), one from France (T. natans L.), one from India (T. bispinosa Roxb.), three from Italy (T. natans L.), three from Japanese (T. incisa L., T. japonica Flerov, T. natans.L. var. rubeola Makino), and one from Korean (T. japonica Flerov.) were cultivated in Saga City, Japan during the summer, 2005, and the morphological characters of their fruit were analyzed. European lines were early flowering, but had a lower yield due to poor canopy density and lower rosette density. All the Asian lines had a higher rosette density. In spite of the smaller number of fruits per rosette, the Chinese lines had a higher yield than the other lines because the fruit was larger. The yield performance of the Indian line was similar to that of the Chinese lines. The Korean and Japanese lines produced a large number of small fruits per unit land area. Apart from the variation in fruit size, a huge variation in shape including the height, width and the spines were observed. Path analysis revealed that productive rosette number m-² and the single fresh fruit weight are two direct yield determinants while number of fruits per rosette has indirect negative influence on yield via productive rosette number and single fruit weight.     

Pistacia Mutica F. et M. als Nutzplanze

Résumé Pistacia mutica F. et M. est un élément irano-touranien avec pénétration dans la région méditerranéenne. L'arbre donne des fruits édibles, de la résine utilisée en technique. Les feuilles sont utilisées comme fourage, le bois est dur et de bonne qualité, les fruits donnent jusqu'à 60% d'une huile utilisée en technique (savon, pour brûler). L'arbre est résistant aux froids, on pourrait l'utiliser pour y greffer lePistacia vera, qui est plus sensible aux températures basses.     

Seasonal changes of lipids and fatty acids in two varieties of Avocado pear fruits

The study of the lipid content of two varieties of Avocado pear (Fuerte andDeuke), cultivated in Egypt, revealed marked increase during fruit growth and development. The saturated and unsaturated fatty acids of the lipids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography; the results obtained showed that the total unsaturated fatty acids (particularly oleic acid) increased during fruit growth and reached its maximum at the maturity stage in both varieties i.e. after 32 and 16 weeks for Fuerte and Deuke respectively.

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Zusammenfassung Die Untersuchung des Lipidgehaltes zweier in Ägypten kultivierter Avocado-Birnen-Arten (Fuerte undDeuke) ergab während der Fruchtentwicklung einen merklichen Anstieg. Die gesättigten und ungesättigten Fettsäuren des Lipids wurden gaschromatographisch bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, daß der Gehalt an ungesättigten Fettsäuren, insbesondere Ölsäure, während der Fruchtentwicklung zunimmt und für Fuerte und Deuke sein Maximum nach 32 bzw. 16 Wochen erreicht.

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Résumé L'étude du taux des lipides de deux variétés de fruits d'Avocado (Fuerte etDeuke) cultivés in Egypte, révèle une augmentation marquée durant le développement et la maturation des fruits. Les acides gras saturés et non saturés du lipide ont été déterminés par la chromatographie gas liquide. Les résultats obtenus montrent une augmentation de tous les acides gras non saturés (particulièrement l'acide oleic) surtout pendant du developpement des fruits et atteint son maximum au stage de maturation dans les deux variétés viz. après 32 et 16 semaines pour les variétésFuerte et Deuke respectivement.