Search Results (37)

In this study, we report the development of mixed gas composition for packaging dried apple slices in a modified atmosphere to extend their shelf life and maintain their quality. We used the response surface methodology to optimize oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in the mixture for packaging in a modified atmosphere based on the changes in mass, hardness, browning index, polyphenols, and vitamin C content during apple chip storage. Studies have shown that the optimal concentration of oxygen should be 2.663% and carbon dioxide 3.785% when packaging dried apple slices in a modified atmosphere to obtain minimal changes in the measured quality attributes. These findings can be applied in food processing and storage, providing a useful guideline for improving the preservation and nutritional value of dried fruits. Full article

The production of fruit tree seedlings generates waste wood biomass, which results from the pruning of budded rootstocks in the first year of the two-year production cycle. This study proposes a new method of managing this biomass by recycling the wood chips (2, 3 and 5 t ha⁻¹) back into the soil. The impact of different wood chip doses on selected physicochemical soil properties after the production process (especially soil organic carbon content (SOC), as well as the quantity and quality of the produced Malus domestica fruit tree seedlings, was determined. The recycling of waste biomass contributed to enriching the soil with additional components, mainly organic carbon with the potential for biotransformation into humic substances. The applied doses of wood chips, in amounts of 2, 3, and 5 t ha⁻¹, resulted in an increase in SOC content compared to the control by 21.5%, 22.5%, and 35.8%, respectively. Additionally, the recycling of waste biomass introduced other compounds important for plant growth and development into the soil, particularly iron, zinc, magnesium, and manganese. It should be noted that the proposed method of managing waste biomass generated during the apple tree seedling production stage resulted in reduced production costs while maintaining high production indices. Full article

Sulcotrione is a member of triketone herbicides, a class of HPPD (4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase) inhibitors with broad-spectrum herbicidal activity. Modifications of glycosylation mediated by glycosyltransferases (GT) are involved in plant detoxification. In this study, we analyzed chip data published online and found that eight glycosyltransferases from group A of the apple glycosyltransferase family 1 may be involved in the metabolic mechanism of detoxification of triketone herbicides. To verify this prediction, we induced apple seedlings with six types of triketone herbicides, and then detected the expression levels of eight glycosyltransferase genes through real-time PCR. We found that triketone herbicides induced up-regulation of eight glycosyltransferase genes to varying degrees, with MdUGT91AJ2 being the most significantly up-regulated by sulcotrione-induced glycosyltransferase gene expression. Then, through in vitro enzymatic reactions and HPLC identification of glycoside substrates, it was found that the glycosyltransferase MdUGT91AJ2 had the highest specific enzyme activity against the triketone herbicide sulcotrione. Furthermore, the in vivo mechanism of the glycosyltransferase MdUGT91AJ2 in the detoxification metabolism of sulcotrione was further validated by overexpressing the strain in the plant. HPLC analysis showed that the content of sulcotrione glycosides in the overexpressing strain of MdUGT91AJ2 was significantly higher than that in the wild type. This result indicated that the apple glycosyltransferase MdUGT91AJ2 can still glycosylate and modify sulfotrione in plants, and participate in its detoxification metabolism. In summary, this study identified for the first time a novel apple glycosyltransferase MdUGT91AJ2 and elucidated its mechanism of action in the detoxification and metabolism of the triketone herbicide sulfotriene. Full article

Wood chips contain numerous active compounds that can affect the wine’s characteristics. They are commonly used in red grape wines, whisky, cherry and brandy, but in fruit wines, production is not typically utilised. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of an oak barrel ageing with the effect of the addition of chips made from various types of wood (oak, maple, cherry, apple) and with various degrees of toasting to the apple wines on their antioxidant, oenological and sensory properties. The oenological parameters, the polyphenols content, antioxidant activity and content of volatile odour-active compounds were assessed. It was shown that ageing in the presence of wood chips had a less noticeable effect on the oenological and sensory parameters of the wine than barrel ageing. Moreover, wood chips used did not significantly affect the acidity, alcohol and extract content of apple wines. Wines aged in the presence of oak chips (particularly lightly toasted) exhibited the greatest increase in polyphenols, while the polyphenol content of wines aged in the presence of other chips was not dependent on their toasting degree. The ageing of fruit wines with wood chips influences the volatile profile and the olfactory sensations, which can improve their quality. Full article

Sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) is an important link in the process of sugar metabolism. In addition, it is also involved in abiotic stresses in plants. In order to study the SPS gene family and its role in abiotic stress, we identified the MdSPS gene family members by bioinformatics methods such as correlation analysis, the HMM method, and the Clustering method, and analyzed the transient expression of MdSPS genes by quantitative real-time fluorescence analysis (qRT-PCR). The MdSPS gene family consists of a total of 19 members divided into three subfamilies distributed on 14 chromosomes in apples. The MdSPS gene family has 12 collinearity gene pairs, indicating significant duplication. Most members of this family contain a large number of plant hormone response elements, light-inducible elements, and abiotic stress response elements 2kb upstream of the promoter. Codon bias analysis shows that there are 28 high-frequency codons and no codons with strong preference in this family. Gene chip results showed that only MdSPS2, MdSPS3, MdSPS11, and MdSPS17 were up-regulated in roots, and they were all members of subfamily C. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that all members of this family responded significantly to drought stress, salt stress, and low temperature stress. Interestingly, the relative expression of MdSPS12 was significantly down-regulated under salt stress and low temperature stress. In addition, the expression of MdSPS3, MdSPS8, MdSPS11, and MdSPS17 was more than 20 fold higher than that of the control under drought stress, salt stress, and low temperature stress. These four genes could be candidates for molecular breeding in the MdSPS family. Full article

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a drought-stress-responsive hormone that plays an important role in the stomatal activity of plant leaves. Currently, ABA glycosides have been identified in apples, but their glycosyltransferases for glycosylation modification of ABA are still unidentified. In this study, the mRNA expression of glycosyltransferase gene MdUGT73AR4 was significantly up-regulated in mature apple leaves which were treated in drought stress by Real-Time PCR. It was hypothesised that MdUGT73AR4 might play an important role in drought stress. In order to further characterise the glycosylation modification substrate of glycosyltransferase MdUGT73AR4, we demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo functional validation that MdUGT73AR4 can glycosylate ABA. Moreover, the overexpression lines of MdUGT73AR4 significantly enhance its drought stress resistance function. We also found that the adversity stress transcription factor AREB1B might be an upstream transcription factor of MdUGT73AR4 by bioinformatics, EMSA, and ChIP experiments. In conclusion, this study found that the adversity stress transcription factor AREB1B was significantly up-regulated at the onset of drought stress, which in turn positively regulated the downstream glycosyltransferase MdUGT73AR4, causing it to modify ABA by mass glycosylation and promoting the ABA synthesis pathway, resulting in the accumulation of ABA content, and displaying a stress-resistant phenotype. Full article

Nicosulfuron, an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicide, is a broad-spectrum and highly effective post-emergence herbicide. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are widely found in organisms and transfer sugar molecules from donors to acceptors to form glycosides or sugar esters, thereby altering the physicochemical properties of the acceptor molecule, such as participating in detoxification. In this study, nine glycosyltransferases in group D of the apple glycosyltransferase family I were predicted to possibly be involved in the detoxification metabolism of ALS-inhibiting herbicides based on gene chip data published online. In order to confirm this, we analysed whether the expression of the nine glycosyltransferase genes in group D was induced by the previously reported ALS-inhibiting herbicides by real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). It was found that the ALS-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron significantly increased the expression of the MdUGT73CG22 gene in group D. Further investigation of the mechanism of action revealed that the apple glycosyltransferase MdUGT73CG22 glycosylated and modified nicosulfuron both in vivo and ex vivo to form nicosulfuron glycosides, which were involved in detoxification metabolism. In conclusion, a new glycosyltransferase, MdUGT73CG22, was identified for the first time in this study, which can glycosylate modifications of the ALS-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron and may be involved in the detoxification process in plants, which can help to further improve the knowledge of the non-targeted mechanism of herbicides. Full article

Dimethoate (DIM) as an organophosphorus pesticide is widely utilized especially in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits due to its killing effect on harmful insects. However, unconscious use of DIM in large amounts can also cause serious health problems. For these reasons, rapid and reliable detection of DIM from food samples is significant. In this study, a novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor based on erbium molybdate incorporating sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (EM/S-g-C₃N₄) and a molecularly imprinting polymer (MIP) was designed for DIM detection in apple juice samples. Firstly, an EM/S-g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite with high purity was prepared under hydrothermal conditions at high temperatures over a long period of time. After the modification of the EM/S-g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite on a QCM chip, the polymerization solution including N,N′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross-linker, methacryloylamidoglutamic acid (MAGA) as a monomer, and DIM as an analyte was prepared. Then, the polymerization solution was dropped on an EM/S-g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite modified QCM chip and an ultraviolet polymerization process was applied for the formation of the DIM-imprinted polymers on the EM/S-g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite modified QCM chip. After the polymerization treatment, some characterization studies, including electrochemical, microscopic, and spectroscopic methods, were performed to illuminate the surface properties of the nanocomposite and the prepared QCM sensor. The values of the limit of quantification (LOQ) and the detection limit (LOD) of the prepared QCM sensor were as 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ M and 3.3 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, respectively. In addition, high selectivity, stability, reproducibility, and repeatability of the developed sensor was observed, providing highly reliable analysis results. Finally, thanks to the prepared sensor, it may be possible to detect pesticides from different food and environmental samples in the future. Full article

This paper proposes a novel event-driven architecture for enhancing edge-based vehicular systems within smart transportation. Leveraging the inherent real-time, scalable, and fault-tolerant nature of the Elixir language, we present an innovative architecture tailored for edge computing. This architecture employs MQTT for efficient event transport and utilizes Elixir’s lightweight concurrency model for distributed processing. Robustness and scalability are further ensured through the EMQX broker. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through two smart transportation case studies: a traffic light system for dynamically adjusting signal timing, and a cab dispatch prototype designed for high concurrency and real-time data processing. Evaluations on an Apple M1 chip reveal consistently low latency responses below 5 ms and efficient multicore utilization under load. These findings showcase the system’s robust throughput and multicore programming capabilities, confirming its suitability for real-time, distributed edge computing applications in smart transportation. Therefore, our work suggests that integrating Elixir with an event-driven model represents a promising approach for developing scalable, responsive applications in edge computing. This opens avenues for further exploration and adoption of Elixir in addressing the evolving demands of edge-based smart transportation systems. Full article

The bacterium Erwinia amylovora causes fire blight and continues to threaten global commercial apple and pear production. Conventional microbiology techniques cannot accurately determine the presence of live pathogen cells in fire blight cankers. Several factors may prevent E. amylovora from growing on solid culture media, including competing microbiota and the release of bacterial-growth-inhibitory compounds by plant material during sample processing. We previously developed a canker processing methodology and a chip-based viability digital PCR (v-dPCR) assay using propidium monoazide (PMA) to bypass these obstacles. However, sample analysis was still time-consuming and physically demanding. In this work, we improved the previous protocol using an automatic tissue homogenizer and transferred the chip-based v-dPCR to the BioRad QX200 droplet dPCR (ddPCR) platform. The improved sample processing method allowed the simultaneous, fast, and effortless processing of up to six samples. Moreover, the transferred v-ddPCR protocol was compatible with the same PMA treatment and showed a similar dynamic range, from 7.2 × 10² to 7.6 × 10⁷ cells mL⁻¹, as the previous v-dPCR. Finally, the improved protocol allowed, for the first time, the detection of E. amylovora viable but nonculturable (VBNC) cells in cankers and bark tissues surrounding cankers. Our v-ddPCR assay will enable new ways to evaluate resistant pome fruit tree germplasm, further dissect the E. amylovora life cycle, and elucidate E. amylovora physiology, epidemiology, and new options for canker management. Full article

Apple chips, which are in the snack product category, are the forefront of research due to their nutritional value and high fiber and low fat contents. Sodium metabisulfite (E223) is widely used in the food industry to prevent the browning reactions that occur during drying processes. Sodium metabisulfite (Na₂S₂O₅) is a powder that is easy and safe to use, is highly accessible and is also inexpensive in terms of cost. However, in recent years, industry and academia have focused on reducing the sulfur dioxide concentration in foods. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium metabisulfite as a pretreatment on the bioactive and technological properties of apple chips using an air-circulated tray dryer. In this context, apple discs were immersed in Na₂S₂O₅ solutions prepared at three different concentrations (0.02, 0.1 and 0.5%), and then drying was carried out at 55 °C and 1.5 m/s air flow rates. The apple chips were also produced out of unpretreated discs using both a tray dryer and freeze dryer. The differences among the sample groups were compared by performing browning index, water activity, rehydration rate, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity analyses. The findings showed that water activity (aw) values of the apple chips (0.28–0.32) were within reliable limits in terms of storage stability and shelf life. There was no significant difference between the aw values of the apple chips produced using different Na₂S₂O₅ concentrations, but the apple chips produced through the freeze-drying had the lowest aw value. The increasing concentration of Na₂S₂O₅ gradually increased the rehydration ratio of the chips produced in the tray dryer. On the other hand, the chips produced with the freeze dryer had significantly higher rehydration ratio (4.3) due to the porous structure. The browning index values of the chips gradually decreased with the increase in Na₂S₂O₅ concentration. Freeze-drying resulted in a higher conserved total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity value. Still, the Na₂S₂O₅ pretreatment also protected the bioactive components of the products when compared with those of the untreated apple discs. Full article

This study explored the potential of pulsed electric field (PEF) as an alternative wine-aging method in four Xinomavro red wines with the implementation of several wood chips (apricot, peach, apple, cherry, acacia, and oak trees). The evolution of total polyphenol content (TPC) and sensory properties of the wines were investigated. Sensory evaluation revealed that PEF treatment increased volatile compound extraction from each wood chip, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the wines. The utilization of acacia tree wood chips in Goumenissa wine led to a notable increase of 10.84% in TPC from the control sample, reaching 2334.74 mg gallic acid equivalents/L. A notable outcome was that PEF decreased TPC, a trend that was also verified through correlation analyses. The highest positive impact of PEF was observed in peach tree wood chips in Goumenissa wine, with a significant increase of 11.05% in TPC. The results from the volatile compound analysis revealed an increase in alcohols and esters from 0.24% to 23.82%, with the highest proportion found in 2-phenylethanol (16.92 mg/L) when utilizing peach tree wood chips in the production of Amyndeo wine. This study could provide a benchmark for rapid, efficient, and cost-effective wine aging through the implementation of the PEF process. Full article

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly demanding processed food products with high levels of beneficial components. Bitter melon and apple are both nutritious foods rich in bioactive compounds. In this study, restructured bitter melon and apple chips were processed using four drying techniques: hot-air drying with/without exhaust air recirculation (EAR), and radio-frequency-assisted hot-air drying (RFHAD) with/without EAR. The drying characteristics, effective moisture diffusivity (D_eff), specific energy consumption (SEC), total energy consumption (TEC), and some selected quality characteristics of the dehydrated chips were evaluated. The experimental results show that the application of radio frequency (RF) energy significantly facilitates water evaporation in the drying material, resulting in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of drying duration by 31~39% over the experimental test parameters. The higher D_eff values obtained from RFHAD and RFHAD + EAR were 6.062 × 10⁻⁹ to 6.889 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s, while lower SEC values ranged from 301.57 to 328.79 kW·h/kg. Furthermore, the dried products possessed better or fairly good quality (such as a lower color difference of 5.41~6.52, a lower shrinkage ratio of 18.24~19.13%, better antioxidant capacity, higher chlorophyll, total flavonoid, and total phenolic content, a lower polyphenol oxidase activity of 49.82~52.04 U·min⁻¹g⁻¹, smaller diameter and thickness changes, and a lower hardness of 27.75~30.48 N) compared to those of hot-air-dried chips. The combination of RF-assisted air drying and partial recirculating of dryer exhaust air achieved the highest saving in TEC of about 12.4%, along with a lower moisture absorption capacity and no deterioration of product quality attributes. This drying concept is therefore recommended for the industrial drying of several food materials. Full article

Pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment has gained significant attention within the food industry. This study examines the application of PEF combined with wood chips of diverse species to expedite the flavor aging process of Xinomavro red wine. Various wood chip species, including black locust, common juniper, apricot, sweet chestnut, cherry, apple, peach, and European oak, sourced from pruning residues were immersed in the wine prior to subjecting it to PEF treatment. The samples underwent a range of pulse durations and intervals during treatment. Comparative preparations encompassing wine without chips and wine infused with each wood type left at ambient temperature for 5 days were also examined. The sensory attributes and the volatile compounds (VC) were assessed through the utilization of headspace solid-phase microextraction and GC-MS. In the control sample, 12 VCs were identified, whereas in the samples, 22 distinct VCs were identified. Favorable sensory attributes across all PEF conditions were associated with the incorporation of cherry wood chips. These findings highlight the potential of PEF treatment to enhance the quality parameters of the aging process in Xinomavro red wine, capitalizing on the synergistic interaction between PEF and various wood chip species. This innovative approach holds promise for augmenting crucial oenological parameters of red wine, strengthening the use of PEF as an efficient technique to enhance the overall quality. Full article

Soil erosion is one of the major emerging threats to the Himalayan ecosystem. There is a dearth of diverse, cost-effective erosion control measures in the region. In the Himalayan region, where agriculture plays a pivotal role in local livelihoods and environmental stability, the management of soil erosion is of paramount importance. Hence, this study investigates the impact of biochar application on soil erosion and its related indices in the temperate Himalayas of India. This study employs a combination of physicochemical analysis and field experiments to assess the influence of biochar on soil erodibility. The research objectives include an examination of the influence of different temperature pyrolyzed biomasses and varying application rates on soil erodibility indices, viz., dispersion ratio (DR), percolation ratio (PR), clay ratio (CR), erosion ratio (ER), and mean weight diameter (MWD), considering two distinct fertilizer regimes. This study yielded quantitative results that shed light on the impact of various soil amendments and application rates on soil erodibility in the temperate Himalayas. Results showed that the mean values of the DR exhibited by amendment levels NB, AB400, AB600, RAC, DW400, DW600, and RDW were 0.37, 0.35, 0.51, 0.44, 0.51, 0.47, and 0.91, respectively. The mean values of DR for different amendment levels varied, with RDW exhibiting the highest erodibility at 0.91, while DW400 and DW600 demonstrated less soil disturbance, making them promising choices for soil erosion mitigation. Notably, the application of pyrolyzed weed residue improved soil erodibility, whereas AB600 resulted in increased soil erosion due to aggregate disintegration, as indicated by the MWD. Aquatic weed residues and apple wood chips applied without pyrolysis increased the soil erodibility, while pyrolyzed residues improved soil erodibility. The DR was 0.41 at the high application rate, 0.48 at the medium rate, and 0.61 at the low application rate. Among application rates, low rates (1 t ha⁻¹) had the highest DR, followed by medium rates (2 t ha⁻¹) and high rates (3 t ha⁻¹). The no-fertilizer level exhibited higher DR (0.49) compared to the fertilized level (0.38). Results inferred that the application of AB400 °C at 3 t ha⁻¹ can be adopted to minimize soil erosion and maintain ecological security in the temperate Himalayas. Full article