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Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 13326

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lucía Cassani

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Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)—CITEXVI, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Interests: fruit and vegetable quality; bioactive compounds; green processing; functional foods; waste recycling; nanoencapsulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Andrea Gomez-Zavaglia

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Guest Editor

Center for Research and Development in Food Cryotechnology, (CIDCA-CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
Interests: probiotics; prebiotics; fermented products; circular economy; food processing; green synthesis processes; structure function relationship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing demand for fresh fruit- and vegetable-based products is related to growing evidence regarding both their nutritional value and the presence of health-promoting compounds. However, fresh fruits and vegetables are highly perishable, leading to significant losses throughout the whole supply chain. Thus, extending the shelf life of minimally processed fruit and vegetables while retaining overall quality remains a challenging task. For this purpose, the application of emerging processes and the development of edible coatings and films are some of the currently applied strategies to overcome these disadvantages. On the other hand, innovative approaches have been proposed to valorize waste and fruit and vegetable byproducts including green extraction procedures for bioactive ingredients, micro/nanoencapsulation, fermentation processes, and the synthesis of nanoparticles, among others. Thus, this Special Issue seeks to provide an overview of recent advancements in processes aiming toward maintaining the overall quality (microbiological, sensory, and nutritional) of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables for prolonged storage as well as green approaches that deal with valorizing waste from the agrofood industry. The development of novel functional foods containing fruit- and vegetable-waste-based ingredients will be also considered.

We invite researchers to submit original research or review articles to this Special Issue that are in line with the above-mentioned objectives. These high-quality articles should consider one or more of the following topics: emerging preservation technologies, edible coatings and films, fermentation processes, green extraction technologies, micro/nanoencapsulation, the synthesis of nanoparticles for application in the food industry, the incorporation of bioactive compounds into functional foods, and/or sustainable valorizing processes.

Dr. Lucía Cassani
Dr. Andrea Gomez-Zavaglia
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. Foods 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 2900 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

valorizing strategies
overall quality
extended shelf life
green processes
bioactive compounds
stabilizing approaches
nanotechnology
functional foods

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1756 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Combined Mung Bean and Mulberry Powder: Combination Index and Shelf Life of Total Phenolic, Anthocyanin, and GABA Contents and Neuroprotective Activity

by Pontapan Polyiam, Jintanaporn Wattanathorn and Wipawee Thukhammee

Foods 2025, 14(6), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060993 - 14 Mar 2025

Viewed by 530

Abstract

Plant-based products are widely used in the food industry. This study aims to develop neurofunctional ingredients derived from mung beans with mulberry fruit powder, evaluate their phytochemical contents (total phenolic, anthocyanin, and GABA contents), impact of anti-oxidant activities (DPPH free radical scavenging inhibition and Ferric Reducing Ability Power (FRAP)) and neuroprotective activities (acetylcholinesterase (AChE), monoamine oxidase (MAO), MAO type A, and gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T)), and focus on their shelf life. Result: A total of nine ratios of mung beans and mulberry fruit powder mix were evaluated, which showed that a ratio of 1:3 (g/g) provided better IC50 values of antioxidant and neuroprotective activities than other ratios, and showed a combination index (CI < 1) which was interpreted as a synergistic effect on AChE inhibition. Thus, this ratio was selected to make freeze-dried powder (mung bean mix mulberry fruit powder (MMP)), and its shelf life was evaluated as showing stability in its phytochemical contents (except GABA, which was reduced by more than 50% at 30 ± 2 °C) and antioxidant and neuroprotective activities, which remained stabilized at more than 50% in both real-time and accelerated conditions for 6 months and 8 weeks, respectively. During 1 to 6 months of storage at 4 °C, IC50 values of FRAP showed inhibited DPPH, AChE, MAO, MAO-A, and GABA-T levels in ranges of 4.43–6.69 mg/mL, 4.10–4.68 mg/mL, 5.18–5.90 mg/mL, 4.95–5.43 mg/mL, 5.93–6.42 mg/mL, and 5.05–5.53 mg/mL respectively, not significantly different when compared to 0 months. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the shelf life of the bioactivities of MMP remain stabilized for up to six months, so it could be applied in the food industry for use as a healthy plant-based supplement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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11 pages, 1209 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Density Change with Hydrogen Peroxide but Not Carbohydrate Concentration in the Leaf Content of Different Lettuce Types and Spinach

by Maria T. Brandl, Sui S. T. Hua and Siov B. L. Sarreal

Foods 2025, 14(4), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040709 - 19 Feb 2025

Viewed by 436

Abstract

Leafy greens injuries occur from farm to table, causing leakage of cellular contents that promote the multiplication of foodborne pathogens and impose oxidative stress. Fresh beverages made from blended uncooked fruit and vegetables have become a popular food. The effect of cellular contents of different leafy greens on the multiplication of the important pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EcO157) under temperature abuse was investigated. Leafy greens consisted of spinach and different lettuce types (romaine, iceberg, butterhead, green leaf, and red leaf). Fructose, glucose, and sucrose concentrations in the leaves were quantified by HPLC. H₂O₂ concentration was measured via a peroxidase-based assay. Young leaves of iceberg, romaine, and green leaf lettuce held significantly greater total amounts of the three carbohydrates than middle-aged leaves. Except for iceberg and red leaf lettuce, all middle-aged leaves contained greater H₂O₂ than young leaves. EcO157 density change in leaf contents over 5 h incubation related neither to individual nor total carbohydrate concentration but was negatively associated with H₂O₂ concentration (regression analysis; p < 0.05). Given the common use of antioxidants to maintain the organoleptic aspects of homogenized produce beverages and certain fresh-cut produce, the antimicrobial effect of reactive oxygen species may be important to preserve in ensuring their microbial safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 1726 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Total Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Profiles of Calabrian Breba Figs: A Detailed Study of Pulp and Skin from 29 Ficus carica L. Accessions

by Alessandra De Bruno, Rocco Mafrica, Valentino Branca, Amalia Piscopo and Marco Poiana

Foods 2024, 13(24), 4035; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244035 - 13 Dec 2024

Viewed by 765

Abstract

This work was carried out on twenty-nine fig accessions cultivated in the Calabria region (Italy). The main antioxidant parameters were determined with the aim of selecting superior genotypes and supporting the establishment of new commercial orchards specializing in breba production. The studied samples were divided into two main classes characterized by different skin fruit colors (light and dark). The total antioxidant capacity (DPPH and ABTS), total polyphenols, and total flavonoids of the fig accessions were analyzed spectrophotometrically, while the individual phenolic components were identified and quantified by UHPLC-PDA. The phenolic profiles showed significant differences among the tested samples and between flesh and skin. The highest concentrations of bioactive components were found in the skin rather than the flesh. The total polyphenol contents varied between 15 and 50 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 g of fresh weight (FW) in the pulp and between 18 and 251 mg GAE per 100 g (FW) in the skin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 3043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Qualitative Traits and Antioxidant Properties of Blood Oranges Are Affected by the Genotype and the Climatic Conditions

by Giulia Modica, Pilar Legua, Stefano La Malfa, Alessandra Gentile and Alberto Continella

Foods 2024, 13(19), 3137; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13193137 - 30 Sep 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1070

Abstract

Blood oranges are increasingly cultivated worldwide as consumers become more aware of the health benefits of their nutraceutical properties and natural antioxidants, specifically polyphenols and anthocyanins. The amounts of these compounds in the fruit mostly depend on the cultivar, rootstock, maturity stage, and environmental conditions. This work focused on the study of the qualitative features of numerous blood orange cultivars grown in three different environments in Spain and Italy. The aim of the work was to investigate the accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites, including bioactive compounds, and to characterize fruit qualitative traits at the time of harvest. Simple sugars were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography and organic acids, polyphenols, and flavonoids by spectrophotometric analysis. The antioxidant potential of the juice was assessed by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. Cultivation area affected juice color, with Moro and T. Ippolito being the varieties with the highest pigmentation. The cultivation area also determined the pattern of primary and secondary metabolite accumulation in the Tarocco lines. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential was influenced by the diverse environments. Principal Component Analysis highlighted three clusters, two overlapping clusters for the varieties grown in the two Spanish plots and a third clearly separated cluster for the genotypes grown in Italy. This study provides novel knowledge on primary and secondary metabolite accumulation in blood oranges, elucidating the role of genotype and environmental conditions on fruit quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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14 pages, 448 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison in Antioxidant Potential and Concentrations of Selected Bioactive Ingredients in Fruits of Lesser-Known Species

by Barbara Łata, Piotr Latocha, Radosław Łaźny and Anna Gutfeld

Foods 2024, 13(18), 2926; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13182926 - 15 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1194

Abstract

Fruits with a high content of biologically active compounds are essential in preventing many diseases. Therefore, the interest in searching for and testing new plant sources for bioactive constituents remains strong. Although many publications on individual species exist, their results are difficult to compare directly due to varying methods and conditions of analysis. Only a few studies have investigated many different species in a single analysis. Therefore, we examined and compared 21 different genotypes, using various measurement methods for total phenolic content (TPC) (Folin–Ciocalteu, FBBB), total antioxidant capacity (ABTS, FRAP, DPPH), and the HPLC technique for the total ascorbate concentration in freshly harvested fruits. One-way ANOVA, Principal Component Analysis, and Pearson Correlation were used to analyse and compare the results. The tested samples showed significant differences in TPC, ascorbate content, and antioxidant capacity. The correlation between the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity depended on the analytical methods, with results obtained using the FRAP test being the most strongly correlated. Due to higher levels of polyphenols, ascorbate, and antioxidant potential, the most promising species for further evaluation appear to be Chaenomeles × californica, Actinidia kolomikta, Mespilus germanica, and ×Sorboaronia fallax. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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13 pages, 4250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Black Mulberries (Morus nigra L.) Modulate Oxidative Stress and Beta-Amyloid-Induced Toxicity, Becoming a Potential Neuroprotective Functional Food

by Guillermo Cásedas, Cristina Moliner, Alba Abad-Longas, Sonia Núñez, Carlota Gómez-Rincón, Filippo Maggi and Víctor López

Foods 2024, 13(16), 2577; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13162577 - 17 Aug 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2196

Abstract

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a common edible fruit from the Moraceae family with a wide variety of nutritional and medicinal applications, mainly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this work was to investigate the cytoprotective and neuroprotective capacity of a hydrophilic black mulberry solvent-free extract rich in polyphenols, including the antioxidant, antiradical, and enzymatic mechanisms that would explain these effects. Its neuroprotective potential was evaluated in vitro using the Neuro-2a cell line and in vivo through the Caenorhabditis elegans organism model. Neuro-2a cells were treated at different concentrations of the extract (25–500 µg/mL) and hydrogen peroxide (300 µM) as an oxidant agent, simultaneously. From these treatments, redox status (intracellular ROS production) and cellular activity (MTT) were also quantified in Neuro-2a. Regarding the C. elegans assay, the protection of the extract against β-amyloid toxicity was measured against the CL4176 strain, which is a model of Alzheimer disease. As a complementary neuroprotective assay, its potential to inhibit the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) enzyme was measured. In addition, an Artemia salina bioassay was performed for preliminary toxicity screening. And its antioxidant properties were evaluated by means of the FRAP assay. The results confirm its neuroprotective potential and its ability to scavenge free radicals and decrease ROS production, also acting as a moderate MAO-A inhibitor. Moreover, the polyphenolic extract alleviates the toxicity induced by β-amyloid accumulation in C. elegans. Concluding, Morus nigra can be considered a functional food with bioactive compounds that may prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 1293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution of Quality Parameters and Bioactivity of Actinidia chinensis cv. Sungold (Kiwifruit) Slices Subjected to Different Drying Conditions Storage for 4 Months

by Sicari Vincenzo, Mincione Antonio, Romeo Rosa, Pino Roberta, Conforti Filomena and Loizzo Monica Rosa

Foods 2024, 13(13), 2100; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13132100 - 1 Jul 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1239

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the impact on nutritional and functional properties of dried kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis cv. Sungold) slices during conservation for 120 days in sealed containers in the dark at 25 °C. For this purpose, kiwifruits slices were dried at two different temperatures, 40 and 55 °C, for 30 and 25 h, respectively. Fresh and dried kiwi slices were analyzed for their pH, activity water, total solid soluble (TSS), color, titratable acidity, total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids content (TFC), organic acids, and radical scavenging activities. Analysis carried out on the dehydrated samples showed a good aptitude of kiwi material towards the drying process. Particularly, it has been observed that the drying treatment at low temperature helped to preserve the nutraceutical properties of the fruits. In fact, samples treated at 40 °C (KLT) showed at day 0 (T0) the highest TPC and TFC with values of 979.42 Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE)/100 g of dried weight (dw) and 281.84 mg catechin equivalents (CTE)/100 g dw even if compared with fresh kiwi slices sample (FKF). Moreover, KLT also exhibited the highest values of antioxidant activity (1657 mmol Trolox/100 g dw). After 120 days storage, all dried samples showed a high ascorbic acid content (429–339 mg/100 g dw fruits) and only a slight variation of physicochemical parameters. Textural Parameters (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness), apart from resilience results, showed significant differences between kiwifruit dried at 55 °C and at 50 °C (KLT and KHT, respectively). Color and aroma intensity were the main sensory descriptors with higher scores. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 1383 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Genoprotective Effects of Callus Cultures Obtained from the Pulp of Malus pumila cv Miller (Annurca Campana Apple)

by Federica Gubitosa, Daniele Fraternale, Leila Benayada, Roberta De Bellis, Andrea Gorassini, Roberta Saltarelli, Sabrina Donati Zeppa and Lucia Potenza

Foods 2024, 13(13), 2036; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13132036 - 27 Jun 2024

Viewed by 2554

Abstract

Apples are rich in phytochemicals useful for human health. However, environmental factors can greatly affect the accumulation of these compounds. To face this problem, the callus culture technique was used to obtain large quantities of phytochemicals. Specifically, two callus cultures were obtained from ripe Annurca apple pulp (Malus pumila cv Miller) and cultivated under different light conditions: darkness and an 18-h photoperiod. The hydro-alcoholic extracts from the calli underwent analysis using GC-MS, GC-FID, and HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSⁿ to determine the qualitative and quantitative content of phenolic and triterpenic acids. The study revealed the predominant presence of triterpenic compounds in both calli. Furthermore, we investigated their radical scavenging and antioxidant activities through DPPH, ABTS, ORAC assays, and lipoxygenase inhibition activity. Genoprotection was evaluated via nicking assay, and the anti-inflammatory effect was investigated via Griess assay on LPS-injured murine macrophages. All the analyses performed were compared with peel and pulp hydroalcoholic extracts. The results showed that both calli primarily show anti-inflammatory activity and moderate antioxidant effect and can protect DNA against oxidative stimuli. This data encouraged further research aimed at utilizing callus as a bioreactor to produce secondary metabolites for use in preventive and therapeutic applications to combat acute or chronic age-associated diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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Review

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18 pages, 1841 KiB

Open AccessReview

Food Additives Derived from Fruits and Vegetables for Sustainable Animal Production and Their Impact in Latin America: An Alternative to the Use of Antibiotics

by Marina Golowczyc and Andrea Gomez-Zavaglia

Foods 2024, 13(18), 2921; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13182921 - 15 Sep 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2469

Abstract

The production of healthy animal-derived food entails the effective control of foodborne pathogens and strategies to mitigate microbial threats during rearing. Antibiotics have been traditionally employed in animal farming to manage bacterial infections. However, the prohibition of antibiotic growth promoters in livestock farming has brought significant changes in animal production practices. Although antibiotics are now restricted to treating and preventing bacterial infections, their overuse has caused serious public health issues, including antibiotic resistance and the presence of antibiotic residues in food and wastewater. Therefore, sustainable animal production is crucial in reducing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Annually, 40–50% of fruit and vegetable production is discarded worldwide. These discards present significant potential for extracting value-added ingredients, which can reduce costs, decrease waste, and enhance the food economy. This review highlights the negative impacts of antibiotic use in livestock farming and stresses the importance of analyzing the challenges and safety concerns of extracting value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable co-products at an industrial scale. It also explores the current trends in reducing antibiotic use in livestock, with a focus on Latin American contexts. Finally, the suitability of using value-added ingredients derived from fruit and vegetable co-products for animal feeds is also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit and Vegetable Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Nutritional Value: 2nd Edition)

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