Mass spectrometric determination of the predominant adrenergic protoalkaloids in bitter orange (Citrus aurantium)

The predominant adrenergic protoalkaloid found in the peel and fruit of bitter orange, Citrus aurantium, is synephrine. Synephrine is reputed to have thermogenic properties and is used as a dietary supplement to enhance energy and promote weight loss. However, there exists some concern that the consumption of dietary supplements containing synephrine or similar protoalkaloids may contribute to adverse cardiovascular events. This study developed and validated a positive-ion mode liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the quantitative determination of the major (synephrine) and minor (tyramine, N-methyltyramine, octopamine, and hordenine) adrenergic protoalkaloids in a suite of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bitter orange Standard Reference Materials (SRMs): SRM 3258 Bitter Orange Fruit, SRM 3259 Bitter Orange Extract, and SRM 3260 Bitter Orange Solid Oral Dosage Form. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) for all protoalkaloids is approximately 1 pg on-column, except for octopamine (20 pg on-column). Additionally, the method has a linear dynamic range of > or =3 orders of magnitude for all of the protoalkaloids. Individual, as well as "total", protoalkaloid levels (milligrams per kilogram) in the NIST SRMs were determined and compared to the levels measured by an independent liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection (LC/FD) method. Satisfactory concordance between the LC/MS/MS and LC/FD protoalkaloid measurements was demonstrated. LC/MS/MS analysis of the protoalkaloids in the SRMs resulted in mean measurement imprecision levels of < or =10% coefficient of variation (% CV).     

Synephrine content of juice from Satsuma mandarins (Citrus unshiu Marcovitch)

Synephrine, the main protoalkaloid in Citrus species, is commonly analyzed as the active component in citrus peel-containing herbal supplements, but the edible parts of mandarins have been largely ignored. The synephrine concentration has been determined in the juices of Citrus unshiu mandarins harvested from 10 different groves located in a major growing region in California. For comparison, the physicochemical properties of the juices, including pH, conductivity, soluble solids content, and titratable acidity, were also measured. The synephrine values among 10 groves ranged from 73.3 to 158.1 mg L (-1). Repeat sampling of fruit from the 10 locations showed that the intragrove variability in synephrine concentrations ranged from 1.0 to 27.7% CV and was grove dependent. Among the physicochemical properties, titratable acidity weakly correlated with synephrine, and for one sample a low maturity index was linked to high synephrine content. The overall mean synephrine concentration of 92.8 mg L (-1) is up to 6-fold higher than values previously determined for orange juices and suggests that mandarin juice could constitute a significant dietary source of synephrine. Furthermore, the results suggest that grove location and maturity affect synephrine content.     

Morphological characterization of African bush mango trees (Irvingia species) in West Africa

The variation of the morphological characters of bitter and sweet African bush mango trees (Irvingia species) was investigated in the Dahomey Gap which is the West African savannah woodland area separating the Upper and the Lower Guinean rain forest blocks. African bush mangoes have been rated as the highest priority multi-purpose food trees species that need improvement research in West and Central Africa. A total of 128 trees from seven populations were characterized for their bark, fruits, mesocarp and seeds to assess the morphological differences between bitter and sweet trees and among populations. Multivariate analysis revealed that none of the variables: type of bark, mature fruit exocarp colour, fruit roughness and fresh mesocarp colour, could consistently distinguish bitter from sweet trees in the field. The analysis of the measurements of fruits, mesocarps and seeds demonstrated that bitter fruits have the heaviest seeds and this consistently distinguishes them from sweet fruits. However, the measurements of the fruit, mesocarp and seed did not have a joint effect in grouping types and populations of ABMTs. This indicates high diversity with a potential for selection existing across all phytogeographical regions investigated. The sweet trees of Couffo and those of Dassa in Benin are clearly different from all other populations. This can be attributed to traditional domestication (bringing into cultivation) and climate, respectively. The large fruits and the heavy seeds of the cultivated populations are evidence of successful on-going traditional selection of sweet trees in the Dahomey Gap.     

Influence of an Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus on Competition for Phosphorus Between Sweet Orange and a Leguminous Herb

Grass or herb intercropping with trees is widely practiced as an orchard-floor management strategy, but nutrient competition from grass species can inhibit the growth of intercropped fruit trees. Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus versiforme can alleviate such competition and thus promote the growth of intercropped fruit trees by increasing soil nutrient exploitation. In the first experiment, intercropping was established in rhizoboxes containing sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and the leguminous herb Stylosanthes gracilis inoculated with the AM fungus. Mycorrhizal inoculation did not appear to decrease competition, but increased the biomass of the herb much more than that of sweet orange. Inoculation had little effect on phosphorus (P) content of sweet orange, but significantly increased that of the legume roots. The AM fungal contribution to P uptake of the herb was twice that of sweet orange. Lateral roots of the herb tended to branch horizontally, with a large proportion entering the soil volume occupied by sweet orange; AM inoculation enhanced this effect. In Experiment 2, growth of the plants in monoculture revealed that the mycorrhizal dependency of the legume was much higher than that of sweet orange. It is suggested that mycorrhizal dependency can have a large influence on the role of the AM fungus in mediating competition in an intercropping system, and that fruit trees with high mycorrhizal dependency, together with a grass or herb with low mycorrhizal dependency, may be the optimum intercrop combination in orchards.     

Racemization at C-2 of naringin in sour oranges with increasing maturity determined by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography

Naringin is the major flavanone-7-O-glycoside of sour orange, and it is mainly responsible for the bitter taste of the fruit. The relative content of (2S)- and (2R)-naringin in the albedo of sour oranges during maturation in the entire season was determined by normal phase HPLC using Chiralcel OD-H as chiral stationary phase and n-hexane/ethanol doped with 0.5% of TFA as mobile phase. HPLC traces were complicated by the presence of (2S)-neohesperidin, and a software-guided analysis was developed to assess the relative amount of the C-2 diastereomers of naringin. A sigmoid curve was obtained showing variation from 94% of (2S)-naringin in very immature fruits to 69.7% in mature fruit samples. Spontaneous epimerization of (2S)-naringin in the ethanolic solutions of the albedo was noted after prolonged keeping for less acid samples. The separation of the C-2 diastereomers of other flavanoid-7-O-glycosides present in Citrus (neoeriocitrin, neohesperidin, and eriocitrin) was also obtained by chiral HPLC and afforded the identification, including stereochemistry, of the eluting peaks in the HPLC traces of the albedo extracts.     

柑桔皱皮果与果皮及其细胞壁矿质元素关系的研究

对红 1 7甜橙、红江橙及红江橙正常果与皱皮果、红江橙阴面果与阳面果的果皮及其细胞壁N、P、K、Ca、Mg的含量进行了分析 ,探讨这些矿质元素与柑桔成熟期皱皮果形成的关系。结果发现红 1-7甜橙皱皮果发生率较低 ,仅为 7.34% ,而红江橙皱皮果发生率高达 28.06% ;皱皮现象 86%以上出现在果实的阴面果皮。果皮N、P含量与柑桔皱皮果的形成没有相关性 ,K在皱皮果中的含量比正常果高 ,而在阳面果皮比阴面果皮高 ;Mg在皱皮果和阴面果皮及其细胞壁的含量都比在正常果和阳面果皮稍低 ,但Mg的含量与皱皮果率的相关性不显著 ;Ca在正常果和阳面果皮及其细胞壁的含量都明显高于皱皮果和阴面果皮 ,皱皮果率与Ca的含量呈显著的负相关     

Soil Nutrients Balance in Sweet Orange Intercropped with Some Arable Crops

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L) Osbeck Cv. Agege) was intercropped between 1996 and 1999 on an alfisol (Oxic Paleustalf), at the National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan Nigeria. The objectives were to determine the best compatible crops that would provide stable environmental conditions for sweet orange growth and yield. The companion crops were maize (M) (Zea mays L. DMR-LSR-W) in the early planting season, followed by cowpea (CP) (Vigna unguiculata L., Walp cv. Ife-brown) in the late planting season of each year, cassava (CA) (Manihot esculenta, Crantz cv. TMS30572), and pineapple (P) (Ananas comosus,cv. Smooth cayenne). For comparison, there were sole plots of sweet orange (SCT), maize (SM), cowpea (SCP), Cassava (SCA), and pineapple (SP) to serve as controls. The treatments were assigned to plots using a randomized complete block design (RCB). The growth of sweet orange intercropped with cassava was not as good as that of sole orange or orange intercropped with maize/cowpea (CT + M/CP) and pineapple (CT + P). Sweet orange in pure stands and CT + M/CP produced flowers 24 months after transplanting, with 75% and 87% of trees producing flowers and fruits, respectively. Forty-two months after transplanting sweet orange, SCT, CT + M/CP, and CT + CA had 1.63, 1.45, and 0.05 citrus fruit t/ha, respectively. Sweet orange intercropped with pineapple did not produce fruits. The effects of the crop mixtures on the soil showed that pH decreased by 2.17, which was a 5.2% decrease for all the cropping systems after three years of continuous cropping. There was a build up of nitrogen (N) and organic carbon in the soil for all the intercrops after the third year of the study. The cropping mixture of CT + M/CP and SCT had the highest N value of 0.70 g N/kg soil as compared to 0.30 g N/kg pre-planting. Zinc (Zn) a major nutrient of citrus, decreased from 3.16 mg/kg to 0.37 mg/kg under SCT and SP cropping systems. Sweet orange leaf analysis for N in all the treatments showed that leaf N was higher than the 2.5–2.7% optimum level, except for citrus intercropped with cassava, which had a leaf N concentration of 2.36%. Sweet orange intercropped with maize/cowpea had the highest phosphorus (P) level of 0.17%, followed by SCT, while sweet orange intercropped with cassava or pineapple had the lowest P values. Potassium (K) was in the adequate range in the sweet orange leaves for all the cropping systems, but the Zn content was below the satisfactory range of 20–50 ppm. The nutrient dynamics were results of the interaction among cropping systems, soil depth, and cropping cycle. Maize intercropped in the early planting season followed by cowpea in the late season was the most compatible crop with sweet orange in terms of fruit yield.     

Absorption and Mobility of Boron in Young Citrus Plants

Boron (B) deficiency is widespread in Brazilian citrus orchards and has been considered an important soil constraint to citrus yield. The aim of this work was to study B uptake and its mobility in young citrus trees, under different B statuses, in two rootstocks. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, with ‘Valencia’ sweet orange trees budded on Rangpur lime or Swingle citrumelo. The plants were grown in pots containing nutrient solutions under either adequate or deficient B supply. Plants with different B levels were transplanted into solution with adequate level of B, enriched in ¹⁰B in different stages of development (vegetative growth and fruiting). About 20 to 35% of B content in the new parts of orange tree came from plant reserves. Boron mobility within the plant was influenced by its nutritional status; that is, the longer the period was that the plants were grown under deficient supply, the smaller was the mobility. Boron concentration in the sweet orange trees on Swingle was higher than that on Rangpur, suggesting higher demand of swingle Citrumelo for B.     

Fast HPLC for the analysis of oxygen heterocyclic compounds of citrus essential oils.

A fast HPLC method for the determination of the oxygen heterocyclic compounds of citrus essential oils was developed. Five different oils were analyzed under identical conditions, by reversed-phase HPLC with photodiode array detector, for a direct comparison of the composition of their oxygen heterocyclic fraction. Analysis time was 7 min. The oils analyzed were lemon, bergamot, mandarin, sweet orange, and bitter orange. The method developed is good for rapid screening or fingerprinting of these essential oils; a slightly slower method is recommended for higher resolution and better quantitative results.     

Isolation and Characterization of Atriplex hortensis and Sweet Chenopodium quinoa Starches

Starches from garden orach (Atriplex hortensis) and sweet quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd. ‘Surumi’) seeds were isolated, examined for compositional characteristics, and compared with bitter quinoa (Cheno‐podium quinoa Willd.) starch. Garden orach and sweet quinoa seeds were similar in fat and ash contents, while garden orach seeds contained ≈10% more protein. Starches were isolated from seeds following a 12‐hr soak in dilute alkaline solution using a series of grinding, screening, centrifugation, and washing steps. Isolated starches viewed by scanning electron microscopy yielded angular, polygonal granules ≈1–2 μm in diameter. Starches displayed typical A‐type crystalline packing arrangements as determined by X‐ray powder diffractometry. Apparent amylose contents for garden orach (21.2%), sweet quinoa (20.6%), and bitter quinoa (19.8%) were determined according to colorimetric procedure. Differential scanning calorimetry data indicated a higher and wider gelatinization temperature range for garden orach as compared with sweet and bitter quinoa starches. Starch pasting profiles generated using a Rapid Visco Analyser indicated a reduced peak paste viscosity for garden orach starch relative to sweet and bitter quinoa and common corn starches.     

The determination of sugars in tomato fruit: A comparison of volumetric,automated colorimetric and gas chromatographic methods

Abstract

Fifty samples of tomato fruit have been analysed for sugars using a reliable but laborious volumetric method and the results compared with those obtained both by a rapid automated colorimetric procedure employing the Technicon AutoAnalyzer and by a gas Chromatographic (GLC) technique. Using cleared fruit extracts, the overall mean results for the volumetric and automated methods were not significantly different. Automated analysis of uncleared extracts gave only slightly lower results and in view of its speed this method is recommended for the rapid routine analysis of tomato fruit. The GLC procedure gave results some 4% lower than those for cleared extracts by the other methods, but this technique has the advantage that the concentrations of the individual sugars (glucose and fructose) are readily obtained if required.     

Hydroxylated polymethoxyflavones and methylated flavonoids in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) peel

Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) from citrus genus have been of particular interest because of their broad spectrum of biological activities, including antiinflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antiatherogenic properties. There have been increasing interests in the exploration of health beneficial properties of PMFs in citrus fruits. Therefore, the isolation and characterization of PMFs from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) peel will lead to new applications of the byproducts from orange juice processes and other orange consumption in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. In our study, eight hydroxylated PMFs, six PMFs, one polymethoxyflavanone, one hydroxylated polymethoxyflavanone, and two hydroxylated polymethoxychalcones were isolated from sweet orange peel and their structures were elucidated by various MS, UV, and different NMR techniques. Some of the hydroxylated PMFs and chalcones are newly isolated from sweet orange peel.     

Structural analogues of homoeriodictyol as flavor modifiers. Part III: short chain gingerdione derivatives

In order to find new flavor modifiers, various short chain gingerdione derivatives were synthesized as structural analogues of the known bitter masker homoeriodictyol and evaluated by a sensory panel for masking and sweetness enhancing activities. 1-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hexa-3,5-dione ([2]-gingerdione) and the homologue 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hepta-3,5-dione ([3]-gingerdione) at concentration ranges 50-500 mg kg (-1) showed the most promising masking activity of 20-30% against bitterness of a 500 mg kg (-1) aqueous caffeine solution. Additionally, both compounds were able to reduce the bitterness of a 5 mg kg (-1) quinine solution by about 20%; however, the bitter tastes of salicine, the model peptide H-Leu-Trp-OH, and KCl solutions were not reduced. Whereas for bitter masking activity a vanillyl moiety seems to be important, some of the tested isovanillyl isomers showed an interesting sweet enhancing effect without exhibiting a significant intrinsic sweetness. The isomer 1-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)hexa-3,5-dione ([2]-isogingerdione) at 100 mg kg (-1) caused a significant and synergistic increase of 27% of sweet taste of a 5% sucrose solution.     

我国不同种类柑橘养分状况及氮磷钾推荐用量研究

[目的]调查不同种类柑橘果实矿质养分含量,结合土壤及树体养分含量状况,对我国主要种类柑橘进行推荐施肥研究.[方法]根据土壤类型 、 柑橘种类(宽皮柑橘类、甜橙类、柚类、柠檬类和杂柑类)、树龄及产量水平,将我国柑橘主产区湖北、湖南、江西、四川、广东、广西、福建、云南、浙江、陕西、重庆等11省(市、区)的柑橘园划分为120...     

Effects of processing methods on the proximate composition and momordicosides K and L content of bitter melon vegetable

Bitter melon (Mormodica charantia L.) has been associated with health benefits such as hypoglycemic, antiatherogenic, and anti-HIV activities. The vegetable, however, has an unpleasant bitter taste. The purpose of this research was to establish the effect of various processing methods on the moisture, lipid, and protein content of the Sri Lanka variety of bitter melon and to determine the effect of the processing methods on momordicosides K and L contents. The processing methods used were frying, blanching, sun drying, oven drying, freeze drying, and bitter masking with five different commercial bitter masking agents. Moisture, lipid, and protein analyses were done using standard AACC methods. Drying decreased moisture content from 92% to 9.5-10.2%. Frying lowered moisture content to 0.8% while increasing lipid content from 3.6 to 67%. Protein content remained unaffected by treatments. A liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) method was used to identify momordicosides K and L in methanolic extracts of fresh and processed samples. Only extracted ion chromatographs for blanched bitter melon and bitter melon with MY 68 agent showed the absence of momordicosides K and L.     

Characterization and semiquantitative analysis of volatiles in seedless watermelon varieties using solid-phase microextraction

Seedless triploid watermelons have increased in popularity since the early 1990s, and the demand for seedless fruit is on the rise. Sweetness and sugars are crucial breeding focuses for fruit quality. Volatiles also play an important role; yet, we found no literature for seedless varieties and no reports using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in watermelon. The objective of this experiment was to identify volatile and semivolatile compounds in five seedless watermelon varieties using carboxen divinylbenzene polydimethylsiloxane solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fully ripe watermelon was squeezed through miracloth to produce rapid juice extracts for immediate headspace SPME GC-MS. Aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and one furan (2-pentyl furan, a lipid oxidation product) were recovered. On the basis of total ion count peak area, the most abundant compounds in five varieties were 3-nonen-1-ol/(E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal (16.5-28.2%), (E)-2-nonenal (10.6-22.5%), and (Z)-6-nonenal (2.0-11.3%). Hexanal was most abundant (37.7%) in one variety (Petite Perfection) [corrected] The most abundant ketone was 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (2.7-7.7%). Some sensory attributes reported for these compounds are melon, citrus, cucumber, orange, rose, floral, guava, violet, vegetable, green, grassy, herbaceous, pungent, fatty, sweet, and waxy. Identifying and relating these compounds to sensory attributes will allow for future monitoring of the critical flavor compounds in seedless watermelon after processing and throughout fresh-cut storage.     

Effect of calcium spray materials,rate, time of spray application,and rootstocks on fruit quality of ‘red’ and ‘golden delicious’ apples

Calcium (Ca) spray materials improved fruit quality as measured by control of bitter pit, fruit finish (appearance), increased red skin color, reduced incidence of scald, increased juiciness, texture, and fruit firmness of ‘Red’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples (Malus domestica, Borkh.). Concentrations of Ca in leaf and fruit tissues were increased by Ca sprays, especially calcium chloride (CaCl₂)‐containing spray materials. Improved fruit firmness and control of bitter pit occurred for either standard recommended or high rates of Ca spray materials. At high rates of application, the only significant difference that occurred between early and late applications of Ca spray materials was that less leaf injury occurred with the early applications. Unsprayed ‘Red Delicious’ fruit from M.7 rootstocks had greater fruit peel Ca concentrations and a lower incidence of bitter pit but smaller fruit than fruit from trees on M.26 rootstocks. The above information is strong evidence that Ca sprays are important for the improvement of apple quality.     

Characterization of monkey orange (Strychnos spinosa Lam.), a potential new crop for arid regions

The green monkey orange (Strychnos spinosa Lam., Loganiaceae), a tree indigenous to tropical and subtropical Africa, produces juicy, sweet-sour, yellow fruits containing numerous hard brown seeds. The species has recently been introduced into Israel as a potential new commercial crop. However, little is known about its agronomical performance, fruit development and ripening, or postharvest physiology. The current study shows that during ripening in storage, the peel color changes from green to yellow, accompanied by a climacteric burst of ethylene and carbon dioxide emission. Total soluble solids slightly increased during storage, whereas total titratable acidity and pH did not change significantly. The major sugars that accumulated during ripening in storage were sucrose, glucose, and fructose, and the main acids, citric and malic acids. The main volatiles present in the peel of ripe fruits were phenylpropanoids, trans-isoeugenol being the major compound.     

基于周长面积分形维数的柑橘品种机器识别

柑橘品种自动识别是有针对性的柑橘病虫害防治、肥培管理、采摘等自动化作业的重要环节。为了评价宫川温州蜜柑、脐橙朋娜和沪溪无核椪柑3个柑橘品种机器自动识别的可行性,采集3个柑橘品种花萼面和侧面数字图像,以图像中柑橘轮廓像素数和区域像素数作为柑橘周长与面积,通过周长—面积方法计算其分形维数。将周长、面积和分形维数作为品种特征值,用小波神经网络识别3个品种,正确识别率分别为95%、95%、97.5%。试验结果表明,用周长、面积和分形维数3个特征值能有效识别3个柑橘品种,并具有较高的识别精度。