Quality of bell peppers after harvest is largely influenced by water loss from the fruit. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fruit fresh weight, size, and stage of ripeness on the rate of water loss and permeance to water vapor. Fruit diameter was correlated with fresh weight, and surface area was associated with fresh weight and diameter. Fruit surface area decreased logarithmically with increases in fruit size, with smaller fruit showing larger changes in surface area than larger fruit. Mean water loss rate for individual fruit and permeance to water vapor declined with increases in fruit size and as fruit ripeness progressed. Fruit surface area/fresh weight ratio and rate of water loss were both highest in immature fruit and showed no differences between mature green and red fruit. In mature fruit, permeance to water vapor for the skin and calyx were 29 µmol m −2 s −1 kPa −1 and 398 µmol m −2 s −1 kPa −1 , respectively. About 26% of the water loss in mature fruit occurred through the calyx. There was a decline in firmness, water loss rate, and permeance to water vapor of the fruit with increasing fruit water loss during storage. 2006 Society of Chemical Industry Keywords: bell pepper; Capsicum annum; fruit transpiration; permeance to water vapor; ripeness; postharvest; storage
INTRODUCTIONAs in other plant organs, the epidermis (skin) of fruit and vegetables plays an important role in gas exchange between the product and the surrounding environment. The skin allows the fruit to maintain a high water content despite the low relative humidity in the air around the product. This protection against dehydration is particularly important after harvest, when the fruit will not be receiving any more water from the plant. Bell pepper fruit quality and postharvest life are highly determined by fruit water loss or transpiration. 1 -3 Fruit water loss occurs through the stomata, lenticels, cuticle, and epicuticular wax platelets, as well as through the calyx, pedicel or floral ends. 3 Fruit water loss accounts for most of the weight loss in the majority of horticultural produce. 4 In tomatoes, transpiration represents 92-97% of fruit weight loss. 5 Temperature and humidity are the environmental factors that have the strongest influence on fruit quality. 4 The effect of humidity on fruit quality varies among crops. In non-climacteric fruit, such as bell pepper, storage in high humidity conditions which results in reduced fruit transpiration has a stronger effect in delaying senescence than storage at low temperatures. 1,6 Lurie et al. 7 found that water stress hastens and triggers the onset of senescence in
Blue maize is an excellent source of bioactive components such as phenolic acids and anthocyanins but when it is processed for human consumption, these compounds decrease considerably. Therefore, blue maize could be directed to produce nutraceutical extracts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between anthocyanins composition of acidified and non-acidified extracts from native and hybrid blue maize genotypes and their antiproliferative effect in mammary (MCF7), liver (HepG2), colon (Caco2 and HT29) and prostate (PC3) cancer cells. The most abundant phenolic acid was ferulic acid. Nine anthocyanins were quantified in the extracts, being Cy3-Glu the most abundant. Acylated forms were also obtained in high abundance depending of the extraction method. An extract concentration range of 4.31 to 7.23 mg/mL inhibited by 50% the growth of untransformed cells NIH3T3. Antiproliferative effect on PC3, Caco2, HepG2 and MCF7 cancer cells of acidified extracts from hybrid blue maize was larger than the observed using non-acidified extracts. Among the nine compounds that were quantified in the extracts tested, CyMalGlu I showed the strongest correlation with the reduction of cell viability in Caco2 (-0.876), HepG2 (-0.813), MCF7 (-0.765) and PC3 (-0.894). No significant correlation or differences in antiproliferative effect on HT29 was found among the extracts. The method of extraction of maize anthocyanins must be selected to obtain a high yield of CyMalGlu I more than only Cy3-Glu since acylation affects the inhibition of cancer cell growth.
BACKGROUND: The marketability of bananas over long distances has been limited due to their highly perishable nature and sensitivity to ethylene. To increase the shelf-life several alternatives have been tested in attempts to maintain quality characteristics. We evaluated the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (SmartFresh SM , 1-MCP) and a chitosan-based edible coating (FreshSeal , EC), applied alone or combined, on bananas at ripeness stage 3. All fruits were stored for 8 days at 22• C, 85% RH. Color development, weight loss, firmness, physiological, sensory and chemical variables were evaluated.
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