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Agriculture
Special Issues
Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties
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Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2025) | Viewed by 5331

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chang Shu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo St., Hilo, HI 96720, USA
Interests: food science; shelf life; active packaging; encapsulation; postharvest preservation
Dr. Xiuxiu Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo St., Hilo, HI 96720, USA
Interests: active packaging; encapsulation; antimicrobial; antioxidant; postharvest preservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As we navigate the complexities of meeting the nutritional needs of a burgeoning population, it remains vitally important to scrutinize the physicochemical and sensory properties of agricultural food products. This endeavor not only contributes to the enhancement of food quality, but also plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer preferences and ensuring sustainability of the food supply chain.

The physicochemical attributes of agricultural food products encompass a wide array of factors, including composition, structure and stability. Understanding these properties is essential for optimizing production processes, mitigating post-harvest losses and meeting regulatory standards. From the moisture content of fruits to the lipid profile of grains, each property contributes to the overall quality and safety of the end product. Through advanced analytical techniques, researchers can unravel the intricacies of these physicochemical properties, offering insights that guide both agricultural practices and food processing methodologies.

This Special Issue focuses on research relating to the components of food, and their nutritional, physiological, sensory, flavor and microbiological aspects that affect the physicochemical and sensory properties of agricultural food. All types of articles, including original research, opinions and reviews, are welcome.

Dr. Chang Shu
Dr. Xiuxiu Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food technology
  • physicochemical analyze
  • sensory evaluation
  • consumer preference
  • edible crops
  • shelf life
  • postharvest technology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 847 KiB  
Article
Sensory and Nutritional Characteristics of Organic Italian Hazelnuts from the Lazio Region
by Maria Teresa Frangipane, Lara Costantini, Stefania Garzoli, Nicolò Merendino and Riccardo Massantini
Agriculture 2025, 15(12), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15121279 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 140
Abstract
Currently, there is an ever-increasing demand for organic food from consumers who are convinced that it is healthier and more nutritious. The purpose of our research was to carry out an evaluation of the nutritional and sensory characteristics of organic and conventional hazelnuts [...] Read more.
Currently, there is an ever-increasing demand for organic food from consumers who are convinced that it is healthier and more nutritious. The purpose of our research was to carry out an evaluation of the nutritional and sensory characteristics of organic and conventional hazelnuts of Tonda Gentile Romana cv. To this end, volatile composition, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and sensory profile of organic and conventional hazelnuts were identified. In comparison to conventional hazelnuts, organic hazelnuts had a greater amount of total phenols and antioxidants. Furthermore, organic hazelnuts had a different sensory profile, with more crunchiness (6.722 vs. 4.056 for raw and 8.389 vs. 4.667 for roasted) and sweetness (7.667 vs. 4.867 for raw and 7.089 vs. 3.889 for roasted), accompanied by distinct hazelnut, almond, walnut, popcorn, coffee, and roasty notes, present in much higher amounts than conventional hazelnuts. One of our key findings is that organic hazelnuts have a higher nutritional value due to their higher antioxidant capacity. Promoting organic hazelnuts helps to encourage consumers to use these products, which have a high nutritional value, thus contributing to public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties)
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18 pages, 1037 KiB  
Article
Modeling of the Physicochemical and Nutritional Composition of Musa paradisiaca (Williams Variety) at Different Ripening Stages in Ecuador
by María Fernanda Garcés-Moncayo, Fabricio Guevara-Viejó, Juan Diego Valenzuela-Cobos, Purificación Galindo-Villardón and Purificación Vicente-Galindo
Agriculture 2025, 15(10), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15101025 - 9 May 2025
Viewed by 442
Abstract
The banana (Musa paradisiaca AAA) is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, widely cultivated in over 130 tropical and subtropical countries. It plays a vital role in both rural and urban diets and serves as a key economic resource in producing [...] Read more.
The banana (Musa paradisiaca AAA) is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, widely cultivated in over 130 tropical and subtropical countries. It plays a vital role in both rural and urban diets and serves as a key economic resource in producing regions. This study examined how different ripening stages of bananas (Musa paradisiaca var. Williams) affect their physicochemical properties and nutritional composition. The bananas underwent a controlled ripening process and were classified into eight stages based on pericarp color, ranging from dark green (P1) to yellow with pronounced brown spots (P8). The results showed significant changes during ripening: pH decreased from 5.48 to 4.95, soluble solids (SS) increased from 15.2% to 21.73%, total starch (TS) decreased from 76.15% to 33.92%, and free sugars (FS) increased from 19.78 mg/g to 361.85 mg/g. Vitamin C content rose from 281.4 µg/g to 354.14 µg/g, while oxalic acid and tannins decreased significantly, improving palatability. Statistical analysis using PERMANOVA confirmed significant differences between ripening stages in the evaluated properties (p < 0.001), explaining more than 75% of the observed variability. The HJ-Biplot analysis illustrated the relationships between ripening stages and variables, showing that early stages were correlated with higher starch and acidic compound content, while later stages were associated with increased sugar levels and vitamin C content. These findings demonstrate that ripening stages significantly influence the composition of bananas, providing essential information for optimizing agricultural, industrial, and commercial practices to enhance their nutritional value and meet the demands of consumers seeking healthy foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties)
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15 pages, 4287 KiB  
Article
Effects of Pneumatic Defoliation on Fruit Quality and Skin Coloration in ‘Fuji’ Apples
by Nay Myo Win, Jingi Yoo, Van Giap Do, Sangjin Yang, Soon-Il Kwon, Hun-Joong Kweon, Seonae Kim, Youngsuk Lee, In-Kyu Kang and Juhyeon Park
Agriculture 2024, 14(9), 1582; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14091582 - 11 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1018
Abstract
Fruit skin color and physical quality are important for customer acceptability and market value. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of pneumatic defoliation on the fruit quality, coloration, and anthocyanin content of ‘Fuji’ apples. Apple trees were subjected to no defoliation [...] Read more.
Fruit skin color and physical quality are important for customer acceptability and market value. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of pneumatic defoliation on the fruit quality, coloration, and anthocyanin content of ‘Fuji’ apples. Apple trees were subjected to no defoliation (control) and defoliation at low (0.6 bar) and high (0.9 bar) air pressure 20 days before harvest at 1 km/h of tractor speed. High-defoliation treatment increased the leaf damage rate but did not significantly affect the defoliation rate compared to low-defoliation treatment. Additionally, photosynthetically active radiation and solar irradiance inside the tree canopies were highest in the high-defoliation group, followed by the low-defoliation and control groups. With the exception of higher firmness in the high-defoliation treatment, pneumatic defoliation treatments had little effect on fruit size and weight, titratable acidity, soluble solids content, the starch pattern index, and the sunburn incidence of fruit. Compared with that of the control group, both defoliation treatments significantly increased the a* and C values and decreased the ho values of the fruit color. Moreover, both defoliation treatments significantly increased anthocyanin content and upregulated the anthocyanin biosynthesis genes (MdPAL, MdCHS, MdCHI, MdF3H, MdANS, MdANS, MdUFGT) and the transcription factor (MdMYB10). A Pearson′s correlation analysis also showed that anthocyanin production was strongly correlated with each of the anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, especially in the pneumatic defoliation treatments. Conclusively, the results show that pneumatic defoliation at low pressure bars could be an effective strategy for improving the red coloration of ‘Fuji’ apples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties)
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15 pages, 2865 KiB  
Article
Effect of Near-Freezing Temperature Storage on the Quality and Organic Acid Metabolism of Apple Fruit
by Chang Shu, Bangdi Liu, Handong Zhao, Kuanbo Cui and Weibo Jiang
Agriculture 2024, 14(7), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14071057 - 30 Jun 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1657
Abstract
Organic acids play critical roles in fruit physiological metabolism and sensory quality. However, the conventional storage of apple fruit at 0 ± 0.1 °C cannot maintain fruit acidity efficiently. This study investigated near-freezing temperature (NFT) storage for ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, and the quality [...] Read more.
Organic acids play critical roles in fruit physiological metabolism and sensory quality. However, the conventional storage of apple fruit at 0 ± 0.1 °C cannot maintain fruit acidity efficiently. This study investigated near-freezing temperature (NFT) storage for ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, and the quality parameters, organic acid content, and malate metabolism were studied. The results indicate that NFT storage at −1.7 ± 0.1 °C effectively maintained the postharvest quality of apple fruit when compared to traditional storage at 0 ± 0.1 °C. Fruit that underwent NFT storage showed a better appearance and lower respiratory rate, ethylene production, weight loss, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content but higher firmness and soluble solids content. Further, fruit after NFT storage contained higher titratable acid (18.75%), malate (51.61%), citrate (36.59%), and succinate (2.12%) content when compared to the control after 250 days. This was achieved by maintaining higher cytosolic NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase (cyNAD-MDH), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase), and vacuolar inorganic pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) activities that promote malate biosynthesis and accumulation while inhibiting enzyme activity that is responsible for malate decomposition, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase (PEPCK) as well as the cytosolic NAD phosphate-dependent malic enzyme (cyNADP-ME). Further, storage at NFTs maintained a higher expression of malate biosynthesis-related genes (MdcyNAD-MDH and MdPEPC) and transport-related genes (MdVHA and MdVHP) while suppressing malate consumption-related genes (MdcyME and MdPEPCK). The results demonstrate that NFT storage could be an effective application for apple fruit, which maintains postharvest quality and alleviates organic acid degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties)
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Review

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19 pages, 7089 KiB  
Review
Andean Fabaceae Species with Pharmacological Potential: Exploration of Antioxidant, Anticarcinogenic, and Antimicrobial Properties
by Jhoseline Stayce Guillén-Sánchez, Walter Rojas-Villacorta and Ricardo Diego Duarte Galhardo de Albuquerque
Agriculture 2024, 14(12), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14122337 - 20 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1146
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to explore the pharmacological potential of three Andean Fabaceae species—Prosopis pallida (algarrobo), Caesalpinia spinosa (tara), and Inga feuilleei (pacae)—as well as their phytochemical composition and traditional uses. A search was conducted in the Scopus database, [...] Read more.
The objective of the present study was to explore the pharmacological potential of three Andean Fabaceae species—Prosopis pallida (algarrobo), Caesalpinia spinosa (tara), and Inga feuilleei (pacae)—as well as their phytochemical composition and traditional uses. A search was conducted in the Scopus database, and the bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer version 1.6.20. The interventions included antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. Tara exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds, followed by pacae and algarrobo, with flavonoids such as quercetin, coumaric acid, and isoflavones identified as responsible for this potential. Regarding microbial activity, tara demonstrated inhibitory effects against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while algarrobo exhibited inhibitory effects only against the latter. The considerable diversity of phenolic compounds in these species represents a broad field for research, where their cultural and nutritional reevaluation may have significant applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, contributing to health preservation. All studies support in some way the beneficial effects of phytochemicals on human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Agricultural Food Physicochemical and Sensory Properties)
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