Development of a rapid "fingerprinting" system for wine authenticity by mid-infrared spectroscopy

This paper reports on the development of a rapid and simple method for red wine authenticity confirmation during transport and processing; namely, a wine "fingerprinting" system. When wine is transported between two sites, a sample is taken and a mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum is obtained. One hundred sixty-one (n = 161) samples of three main red wine varieties grown in Australia, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, were collected from six commercial wineries across Australia and scanned in transmission on two MIR spectrophotometers located at The Hardy Wine Company's main site at Reynella, South Australia (Foss WineScan FT 120) (926-5012 cm-1). A similarity index (SI) method was used as a tool to classify wine samples on the basis of their spectral data. The results showed that high rates of classification were obtained when wine samples scanned in different instruments were analyzed. The SI has been proven to provide an acceptable measurement for authentication of red wine integrity during transportation. In five of the six winery data sets, the SI correctly classified 98% of the wines. It was also observed that less than 1% of wines were misclassified between the different wineries investigated. Further studies are needed in order to test the applicability of the SI in a commercial situation and to evaluate its potential as a rapid quality control tool for routine use to authenticate wine samples during transport.     

A rapid sample screening method for authenticity control of whiskey using capillary electrophoresis with online preconcentration

The present study aimed to develop a methodology using capillary electrophoresis for the determination of sinapaldehyde, syringaldehyde, coniferaldehyde, and vanillin in whiskey samples. The main objective was to obtain a screening method to differentiate authentic samples from seized samples suspected of being false using the phenolic aldehydes as chemical markers. The optimized background electrolyte was composed of 20 mmol L(-1) sodium tetraborate with 10% MeOH at pH 9.3. The study examined two kinds of sample stacking, using a long-end injection mode: normal sample stacking (NSM) and sample stacking with matrix removal (SWMR). In SWMR, the optimized injection time of the samples was 42 s (SWMR42); at this time, no matrix effects were observed. Values of r were >0.99 for the both methods. The LOD and LOQ were better than 100 and 330 mg mL(-1) for NSM and better than 22 and 73 mg L(-1) for SWMR. The CE-UV reliability in the aldehyde analysis in the real sample was compared statistically with LC-MS/MS methodology, and no significant differences were found, with a 95% confidence interval between the methodologies.     

Discrimination of cheese products for authenticity control by infrared spectroscopy

Quality and authenticity control serve as the customers' and manufacturers' insurance, and thus the development of analytical tools providing these tasks represents an important step of each product development. The control of authenticity in food manufacturing is even more important due to the direct influence of its products on the health of the population. This study sought to develop an easy to use and robust method for the authenticity control of cheese products. The method is based on the measurement of infrared spectra of the gas phase obtained by heating of selected cheese under controlled conditions. Two different procedures, that is, treatment of samples in a desiccator and their freeze-drying, were compared, and also various temperatures and heating times were studied. It was found that suitable fingerprint infrared spectra can be obtained by both techniques; however, freeze-drying offered faster analysis times. The sample heating temperature and time were evaluated using advanced statistical approaches, and it was found that suitable results could be obtained using 120 °C heating for 90 min. This method was tested for the authenticity control of two cheese families, Tvaruzky and Romadur, for which four cheese products were evaluated and successfully discriminated for each family. This method can be potentially used as a cheap and easy to use alternative to other commercially available options.     

Analysis of phenolic compounds in the evaluation of commercial quince jam authenticity

The phenolic compounds present in 17 samples of Portuguese commercial and three homemade quince jams were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC/DAD, to determine their authenticity. Two different extraction methods were needed for the complete definition of quince jams profiles, one of them including an Amberlite XAD-2 cleaning step. These analyses showed that all the samples presented a similar profile composed of at least eight identified phenolic compounds, several unidentified characteristic procyanidin polymers, and sodium benzoate as preservative of quince jams. Several samples also contained arbutin, suggesting that these quince jam samples were fraudulently adulterated with pear puree.     

Assessing insecticide and fungicide effects on the culturable soil bacterial community by analyses of variance of their DGGE fingerprinting data

To assess the effects of three insecticides (aldicarb, chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin) and two fungicides (tebuconazole and metalaxyl + mancozeb) on the PCR-DGGE fingerprints of culturable soil bacterial communities (CSBC), a greenhouse experiment was carried out with soil samples from an Integrated System for Agroecological Production (ISAP), a Conventional Potato Production Area (CPPA) and a Secondary Forest Area (SFA) close to the CPPA. Samples were obtained at 15 day intervals starting at 32 until 77 days after sowing (DAS) to perform the PCR-DGGE analysis of the CSBC cultured on media amended with soil suspension. Analysis of variance from PCR-DGGE data indicated significant differences among treatments. Regardless the type of pesticide applied, CSBC was disturbed and similarity values varied from 5% to 90% in comparison to the control. Significant shifts on CSBC were only detected among treatments in the first two harvests, while CSBC tended to be more akin to each other at the last two harvest dates. The most significant responses observed were due to different soil sample origins, where values of 5% of similarity to the control were observed on CPPA soil. The use of analysis of variance on PCR-DGGE data was useful to a better understanding of the changes on CSBC induced by pesticides applications.     

Soil tillage for crop production and for protection of soil and environmental quality: a Scandinavian viewpoint

Based on experience from 35 years of tillage research in Sweden, future development of soil tillage is discussed and some research problems are identified. Tillage and seeding methods must be more carefully adapted to conditions at individual sites and occasions. Low-pressure typres, better weed control and improved seed coulters favour the increased use of reduced tillage. In order to diminish the impact of agriculture on the environment, it is necessary to develop methods for establishment of crops in the early spring or immediately after harvest, even in soils with large amounts of crop residues or high moisture content. The roles of tillage methods, and of soil compaction and structure on environmental impact of agriculture must be investigated. World food production must increase, since the world population is rapidly increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to develop improved crop production systems, including crop establishment systems, which favour efficient use of basic crop growth factors, while protecting or increasing soil productivity. Compaction, decreased organic matter content, and erosion are important long-term threats to soil productivity.     

Effect of regulated deficit irrigation and crop load on the antioxidant compounds of peaches

The use of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies is becoming a common practice in areas with low water availability. Little information is available about the effects of RDI on the antioxidant content of fruits. In this study, the influence of RDI on the content of vitamin C, phenolic compounds and carotenoids was investigated. Two irrigation strategies, fully irrigated (FI) and RDI, were compared at two levels of thinning, commercial and half of the commercial crop load. RDI strategies affected the content of vitamin C, phenolics and carotenoids of Flordastar peaches. RDI caused fruit peel stress lowering the content of vitamin C and carotenoids, while increasing the phenolic content, mainly anthocyanins and procyanidins. Fruit weight was the only quality index influenced by the crop load as it increased in FI fruits at low crop load. In general, fruits from commercial crop load had slightly higher content of antioxidants to fruits from low crop load, although these influences were only observed in the peel. Additionally, the influence of irrigation controlled by two sensors related to plant water level, maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) and sap flow (SF) on the antioxidant constituents of peaches was evaluated. The response of the fruits to SF sensor was similar to that observed for RDI strategy. According to the tested water sensors, SF did not act as a good plant-based water indicator for use in irrigation scheduling, as it caused an increase in the content of phenolics, similar to that observed for fruits subjected to RDI. Therefore, selection of RDI strategies and plant water indicators should be taken into account as they affect the content of antioxidants of peaches.     

Determination of the potential evapotranspiration and crop coefficient for saffron using a water-balance lysimeter

Agriculture is the major consumer of water and it is possible to decrease water consumption in this sector by proper irrigation scheduling. Irrigation scheduling is based on crop water requirements. Saffron is an important crop in Iran. The main purpose of this study was to determine the potential evapotranspiration and crop coefficient for saffron using single and dual crop coefficients, in Badjgah region, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Three water-balance lysimeters were used for this experiment in a two-year study. Total saffron potential evapotranspiration values were 523 and 640 mm in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. The maximum evapotranspiration rates for saffron were 4.5 and 6.1 mm d^?1 in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. Based on the results of this study, different saffron growing stages for evapotranspiration were 30, 40, 70 and 60 days. Crop coefficient (K _c) values for the initial, mid- and late-season growth stages were 0.41–0.45, 0.93–1.05 and 0.29–0.31 in both years, respectively. Basal crop coefficient (K _cb) values for the initial, mid- and late-season growth stages were 0.15–0.16, 0.41–0.65 and 0.15–0.17 in both years, respectively.     

Use of the enantiomeric composition for the assessment of the authenticity of fruit beverages

Enantiomeric compositions of chiral terpenes in commercial fruit beverages were examined by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography (SPME-GC). Optimization of the method was accomplished on the basis of some parameters involved in the extraction, such as heating temperature and extraction time, that provided the highest peak areas, 60 degrees C and 2 min being the optimal values. With the proposed method relative standard deviation (RSD) values from three replicates ranging from 2 to 12% were obtained. The enantiomeric distribution of some terpenes remained constant, whereas other terpenes (linalool, terpinen-4-ol, and alpha-terpineol) exhibited a considerable variation among samples. This can be indicative of the eventual addition of aromas to some fruit beverages.     

Development of an immunoassay for the pyrethroid insecticide esfenvalerate.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the detection of the pyrethroid insecticide esfenvalerate. Two haptens containing amine or propanoic acid groups on the terminal aromatic ring of the fenvalerate molecule were synthesized and coupled to carrier proteins as immunogens. Five antisera were produced and screened against eight different coating antigens. The assay that had the least interference and was the most sensitive for esfenvalerate was optimized and characterized. The I(50) for esfenvalerate was 30 +/- 6.2 microg/L, and the lower detection limit (LDL) was 3.0 +/- 1.8 microg/L. The assay was very selective. Other pyrethroid analogues and esfenvalerate metabolites tested did not cross-react significantly in this assay. To increase the sensitivity of the overall method, a C(18) sorbent-based solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used for water matrix. With this SPE step, the LDL of the overall method for esfenvalerate was 0.1 microg/L in water samples.     

Managing crop residues for the retention of carbon

Soil organic matter, a major sink for carbon, is controlled by many factors that have complex interactions. The management of crop residues is of primary importance. Reduced tillage and no-tillage practices result in a significant build-up of soil organic matter because they greatly reduce the rates of decomposition of both the native soil organic matter and of the crop residues. The crop residues decompose slower because most remain on the soil surface where there is less biological activity, and the native soil organic matter decomposes slower because there is less tillage for aerating the soil and for breaking the aggregates that expose organic compounds to the soil microorganisms. Crop residues, however, are highly variable. Although most crop residues contain about 40 percent carbon, the nitrogen contents range from very low to more than 3.5 percent. For carbon to be stabilized in the soil as organic matter, there must be adequate nitrogen available in the system and this factor is frequently overlooked. Climate is often the most critical factor determining the sustainability and enhancement of soil organic matter. As temperatures increase, organic matter decomposition, particularly in frequently tilled soils, is greatly accelerated. As precipitation decreases, there is less biomass produced for replenishing decomposed carbon. Consequently, soil organic matter maintenance becomes increasingly difficult in either hot or arid regions, and particularly difficult in areas that are both hot and arid. Semiarid regions comprise almost 40% of the world's land area so management of crop residues in these fragile areas is important in relation to the global C picture.     

Application of (1)h NMR and multivariate statistics for screening complex mixtures: quality control and authenticity of instant coffee

Principal components analysis (PCA) followed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra from 98 instant spray-dried coffees, obtained from 3 different producers, correctly attributed 99% of the samples to their manufacturer. Blind testing of the PCA model with a further 36 samples of instant coffee resulted in a 100% success rate in identifying the samples from the 3 manufacturers. Coffees from one manufacturer were also assigned into 2 groups using these techniques, and the compound 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde was identified as the primary marker of differentiation.     

Sediment source analysis using the fingerprinting method in a small catchment of the Loess Plateau,China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This paper aims to use the composite fingerprinting method to reconstruct the environmental history after the Grain-for-Green Project and to provide effective...     

Effects of tillage and traffic on crop production in dryland farming systems: II. Long-term simulation of crop production using the PERFECT model

Soil water conservation is critical to long-term crop production in dryland cropping areas in Northeast Australia. Many field studies have shown the benefits of controlled traffic and zero tillage in terms of runoff and soil erosion reduction, soil moisture retention and crop yield improvement. However, there is lack of understanding of the long-term effect of the combination of controlled traffic and zero tillage practices, as compared with other tillage and traffic management practices.In this study, a modeling approach was used to estimate the long-term effect of tillage, traffic, crop rotation and type, and soil management practices in a heavy clay soil. The PERFECT soil–crop simulation model was calibrated with data from a 5-year field experiment in Northeast Australia in terms of runoff, available soil water and crop yield; the procedure and outcomes of this calibration were given in a previous contribution. Three cropping systems with different tillage and traffic treatments were simulated with the model over a 44-year-period using archived weather data.Results showed higher runoff, and lower soil moisture and crop production with conventional tillage and accompanying field traffic than with controlled traffic and zero tillage. The effect of traffic is greater than the effect of tillage over the long-term. The best traffic, tillage and crop management system was controlled traffic zero tillage in a high crop intensity rotation, and the worst was conventional traffic and stubble mulch with continuous wheat. Increased water infiltration and reduced runoff under controlled traffic resulted in more available soil water and higher crop yield under opportunity cropping systems.     

An application of ranked set sampling for mean and median estimation using USDA crop production data

Ranked set sampling (RSS) is a sampling approach that leads to improved statistical inference in situations where the units to be sampled can be ranked (either through some subjective judgment or via the use of an auxiliary variable) relative to each other prior to formal measurement. It has the most promise for leading to improved methodology in situations where ranking of the items to be sampled can be carried out relatively easily and cheaply compared to the effort and expense required for actual quantification of the characteristic of interest. Although the theoretical benefits of RSS in estimation and statistical inference have been extensively demonstrated in the literature, the methodology has not yet been widely adopted by practitioners. The aim of this study is to use a crop production dataset from the United States Department of Agriculture to demonstrate the practical benefits of RSS relative to the more commonly used simple random sampling in estimation of the mean and median of a population. The results of our study provide clear evidence that the use of RSS can lead to substantial gains in precision of estimation for both of these situations.     

Studying the extent of genetic diversity among Gossypium arboreum L. genotypes/cultivars using DNA fingerprinting

Genetic diversity is an area of concern for sustaining crop yield. Information on genetic relatedness/diversity among Gossypium arboreum L. cultivars/genotypes is scanty. We have used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis to assess the genetic divergence/relationship among 30 genotypes/cultivars of G. arboreum. Of 45 primers surveyed, 63% were polymorphic. Out of the total number of loci amplified, 36% were polymorphic. The calculated genetic similarity between the cultivars/genotypes was in the range of 47.05–98.73%. Two genotypes, HK-244 and Entry-17, were the most distantly related. The average genetic relatedness among all the genotypes was 80.46%. However, most of the cultivated varieties showed a close genetic relationship, indicating a narrow genetic base in comparison to the non-cultivated germplasm. The calculated coefficients were used to construct a dendrogram using the unweighted pair group of arithmetic means (UPGMA) algorithm, which grouped the genotypes/cultivars into two major and three smaller clusters. The study is the first comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity of G. arboreum germplasm and identifies cultivars that will be useful in extending the genetic diversity of cultivated varieties and future genome mapping projects.