Search Results (3,552)

As demand for plant-based beverages grows, analytical tools are needed to classify and understand their structural and compositional diversity. This study applied a multi-analytical approach to characterize 41 commercial almond-, oat-, rice- and soy-based beverages, evaluating attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, protein secondary structure proportions, colorimetry, and microscopic image texture analysis. A total of 26 variables, derived from ATR-FTIR and protein secondary structure assessment, were employed in multivariate models, using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal PLS-DA (OPLS-DA) to evaluate classification performance. The results indicated clear group separation, with soy and rice beverages forming distinct clusters while almond and oat samples showing partial overlap. Variable importance in projection (VIP) scores revealed that β-turn and α-helix protein structures, along with carbohydrate-associated spectral bands, were the key features for beverages’ classification. Textural features derived from microscopy images correlated with sugar and carbohydrate content and color parameters were also employed to describe beverages’ differences related to sugar content and visual appearance in terms of homogeneity. These findings demonstrate that combining ATR-FTIR spectral data with protein secondary structure data enables the effective classification of plant-based beverages, while microscopic image textural and color parameters offer additional extended product characterization. Full article

This study investigates the potential of bamboo-based sustainable packaging in combination with passive modified atmosphere (MA) and cold storage to enhance the shelf life of strawberries while preserving their physico-chemical properties, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant enzyme activity. The study monitored key parameters such as fruit weight loss, firmness, color, and the content of bioactive compounds as well as phenolics and flavonoids. Additionally, antioxidant enzyme activity, including catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, was assessed to evaluate oxidative stress during 9 days at 4 °C. The results show that strawberries packaged with bamboo materials in a passive MA retained their physico-chemical traits, exhibiting slower changes in firmness, color, and bioactive compound content compared to those in unpackaged samples. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzyme activity remained significantly higher, suggesting a lower oxidative stress in packaged fruit. This combination of bamboo-based packaging with passive MA is a valid, effective, and sustainable approach to prolonging the qualitative traits of strawberries during cold storage, offering both environmental and nutritional benefits. Full article

Accurate and rapid aquatic organism recognition is a core technology for fisheries automation and aquatic organism statistical research. However, due to absorption and scattering effects, images of aquatic organisms often suffer from poor contrast and color distortion. Additionally, the clustering behavior of aquatic organisms often leads to occlusion, further complicating the identification task. This study proposes a lightweight object detection model, Mobile-YOLO, for the recognition of four representative aquatic organisms, namely holothurian, echinus, scallop, and starfish. Our model first utilizes the Mobile-Nano backbone network we proposed, which enhances feature perception while maintaining a lightweight design. Then, we propose a lightweight detection head, LDtect, which achieves a balance between lightweight structure and high accuracy. Additionally, we introduce Dysample (dynamic sampling) and HWD (Haar wavelet downsampling) modules, aiming to optimize the feature fusion structure and achieve lightweight goals by improving the processes of upsampling and downsampling. These modules also help compensate for the accuracy loss caused by the lightweight design of LDtect. Compared to the baseline model, our model reduces Params (parameters) by 32.2%, FLOPs (floating point operations) by 28.4%, and weights (model storage size) by 30.8%, while improving FPS (frames per second) by 95.2%. The improvement in mAP (mean average precision) can also lead to better accuracy in practical applications, such as marine species monitoring, conservation efforts, and biodiversity assessment. Furthermore, the model’s accuracy is enhanced, with the mAP increased by 1.6%, demonstrating the advanced nature of our approach. Compared with YOLO (You Only Look Once) series (YOLOv5-12), SSD (Single Shot MultiBox Detector), EfficientDet (Efficient Detection), RetinaNet, and RT-DETR (Real-Time Detection Transformer), our model achieves leading comprehensive performance in terms of both accuracy and lightweight design. The results indicate that our research provides technological support for precise and rapid aquatic organism recognition. Full article

In this study, gravlax, a niche Scandinavian delicacy, was comprehensively investigated by producing it with combinations of two different fish species (tub gurnard (Chelidonichthys lucerna Linnaeus, 1758) and garfish (Belone belone Linnaeus, 1761)) and five herbs (dill (Anethum graveolens Linnaeus, 1753), sage (Salvia officinalis Linnaeus, 1753), mint (Mentha piperita Linnaeus, 1753), sweet (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus, 1754), and purple basil (Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens Bentham, 1830)). The nutritional composition, amino acids, color parameters, mineral substances, and heavy metal content, as well as physical characteristics, texture profile analysis, and extensive sensory analyses, were conducted, and the results were thoroughly evaluated using multivariate statistical methods. The influence of using different herbs on nutritional composition was found to be significant in gravlax made from both fish species (p < 0.05). Sensory analyses revealed that panelists identified mint as enhancing aroma and umami sensations, while dill improved overall acceptance. Gravlax with sage exhibited softer textures, but lower general acceptance due to perceived high saltiness. Color analyses revealed that purple basil transferred distinct pigments, causing darkening, whereas sweet basil had a brightening effect. Amino acid analyses revealed higher umami and sweet-tasting amino acids in herb-free gravlax, whereas proteolytic activity appeared to slow down in herb-containing gravlax samples. Full article

Carcass and meat quality traits are critical in pig breeding and production. Estimating genetic parameters for these traits is a vital aspect of breeding engineering, as accurate genetic parameters are essential for estimating breeding values, predicting genetic progress, and optimizing breeding programs. This study was conducted on a population of 461 Yorkshire pigs from the same breeding farm, which were slaughtered to assess nine carcass traits and seven meat quality traits, followed by descriptive statistical analysis. Additionally, we estimated the genetic parameters of these traits using genomic information based on 50K chip data. The results indicated that sex significantly affected most carcass and meat quality traits. Carcass traits including carcass length indicators (h² = mean 0.35), backfat thickness indicators (h² = mean 0.36), eye muscle area (h² = 0.28), and the number of rib pairs (h² = 0.28) exhibited medium to high heritability. Carcass length indicators showed high genetic correlations with backfat thickness indicators (r = mean −0.49) and the number of rib pairs (r = mean 0.63), while high negative genetic correlation (r = −0.72) was noted between eye muscle area and the number of rib pairs. Meat quality traits also displayed medium to high heritability, expect for pH value measured within one hour post-slaughter (h² = 0.12). Drip loss indicators had higher genetic correlations with pH (r = mean −0.73) than with meat color indicators (r = mean 0.22). These findings may provide a theoretical reference for genetic evaluation and breeding in the Yorkshire pig population. Full article

This study explored the effects of adding a newly developed type of polydextrose on the appearance, sensory score, and textural parameters of steamed bread and the microstructure of dough, as well as the pasting, thermal, and thermal mechanical properties of high-gluten wheat flours. The results revealed that, compared with a control sample, 3–10% of polydextrose addition significantly increased the hardness, adhesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness of steamed bread, but other textural parameters like springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience remained basically the same. Further, in contrast to the control sample, 3–10% polydextrose addition significantly reduced the specific volume and width/height ratio of steamed bread but increased the brightness index, yellowish color, and color difference; improved the internal structure; and maintained the other sensory parameters and total score. Polydextrose addition decreased the peak, trough, final, breakdown, and setback viscosity of the pasting of wheat flour suspension solutions but increased the pasting temperature. Polydextrose additions significantly reduced the enthalpy of gelatinization and the aging rate of flour paste but increased the peak temperature of gelatinization. A Mixolab revealed that, with increases in the amount of added polydextrose, the dough’s development time and heating rate increased, but the proteins weakened, and the peak torque of gelatinization, starch breakdown, and starch setback torque all decreased. Polydextrose additions increased the crystalline regions of starch, the interaction between proteins and starch, and the β-sheet percentage of wheat dough without yeast and of steamed bread. The amorphous regions of starch were increased in dough through adding polydextrose, but they were decreased in steamed bread. Further, 3–10%of polydextrose addition decreased the random coils, α-helixes, and β-turns in dough, but the 3–7% polydextrose addition maintained or increased these conformations in steamed bread, while 10% polydextrose decreased them. In unfermented dough, as a hydrogel, the 5–7% polydextrose addition resulted in the formation of a continuous three-dimensional network structure with certain adhesiveness and elasticity, with increases in the porosity and gas-holding capacity of the product. Moreover, the 10% polydextrose addition further increased the viscosity, freshness, and looseness of the dough, with smaller and more numerous holes and indistinct boundaries between starch granules. These results indicate that the 3–10% polydextrose addition increases the chewiness and freshness of steamed bread by improving the gluten network structure. This study will promote the addition of polydextrose in steamed bread to improve shelf-life and dietary fiber contents. Full article

Increasing the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables using edible natural substances after harvest is economically important and can be useful for human health. Postharvest techniques help maintain the quality of edible tissues resulting in extended marketing periods and reduced food waste. The edible coating on perishable commodities is a common technique used by the food industry during the postharvest supply chain. The objective of this research was to study the effect of edible oil to minimize the loss of postharvest physio-chemical and nutritional attributes of bananas. The study selected two banana cultivars (Musa, ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Milk’) to conduct this experiment, and two edible oils (olive oil (Olea europaea) and moringa oil (Moringa peregrina)) were applied as an edible coating under two different storage conditions (15 and 25 °C). The fruit’s physio-chemical properties including weight loss, firmness, color, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), TSS: TA ratio, and mineral content were assessed. The experiment lasted for 12 days. The physicochemical properties of the banana coated with olive and moringa oils were more controlled than the non-coated (control) banana under both storage temperatures (15 °C and 25 °C). Coated bananas with olive and moringa oils stored at 15 °C resulted in further inhibition in the ripening process. There was a decrease in weight loss, retained color, and firmness, and the changes in chemical parameters were slower in banana fruits during storage in the olive and moringa oil-coated bananas. Minerals were highly retained in coated Cavendish bananas. Overall, the coated samples visually maintained acceptable quality until the final day of storage. Our results indicated that olive and moringa oils in this study have the potential to extend the shelf-life and improve the physico-chemical quality of banana fruits. Full article

Although it is one of the most important methods of fruit and vegetable preservation, pickling provides multiple interesting vistas for study, from the variety of the raw vegetal material and the composition of pickling media to the diversity of the microorganisms involved in the process or the quality of the final product. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of sodium chloride substitution with potassium or magnesium chloride on the pickling process of apples. Physical (mass, color, texture), chemical (dry matter, acidity, salinity, reducing sugars) and phytochemical parameters of the apples were analyzed during 35 days of fermentation, with a frequency of 7 days. The results show a decrease in dry matter from 14.94 ± 0.25% for all the samples and a continuous increase of lactic acid concentration to a maximum of 0.248 ± 0.032 g lactic acid/100 g product for the magnesium samples. At the same time, the phytochemical profile is enhanced, while the texture becomes softer (a decrease in firmness from 2.53 ± 0.08 N to 0.72 ± 0.02 N was registered for potassium samples). The main conclusion of the study is that sodium chloride could be successfully replaced by potassium or magnesium chloride in the fermentation process of apples. Full article

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between selected features of wood and the surface properties after sanding operations. Woods presenting different anatomical structures, i.e., ring-porous hardwood (European oak) and diffuse-porous hardwood (Norway maple), were used in the study. The wood surfaces were finished by sanding with aluminum oxide sandpapers of different grits: P60, P120, P180, and P240. It was shown that among the analyzed factors (wood species, anatomical section, measurement direction, and sandpaper grit size) and the interactions between them, the direction of measurement had the greatest influence (47%) on the Ra parameter values for oak wood. The sandpaper grit determined 22% of the Ra parameter variability. The measurement direction and the grit size of the sandpaper were identified as the most influential factors affecting the Rsm parameter values. Comparable patterns were observed in the case of Norway maple wood. Due to its diffuse-porous structure, the roughness of maple wood was less affected by the sandpaper grit compared to that of oak wood. Wood species had the greatest influence, increased from 41% to 71% when examining the contact angle at phase boundary wood-water after 3 s and 30 s. Sandpaper grit showed the greatest impact on the contact angles at the wood–diiodomethane phase boundary. This impact was practically at the same level after testing the contact angles after 3 s (27%) and after 30 s (28%). Wood species determined the color parameters, being responsible for 93% of the L* parameter, 50% of parameter a*, and 78% of parameter b*. The influence of sandpaper grit on the a* and b* parameter values was at a low level, i.e., 4%. SEM micrographs revealed the diverse structural characteristics of the wood following the sanding process. Full article

Banana (Musa paradisiaca) is a climacteric fruit with high postharvest perishability, limiting its export potential. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a natural protein–polysaccharide edible coating—comprising whey, agar, cassava starch, and glycerol—on maintaining the physicochemical quality of green bananas during 28 days of refrigerated storage (13 °C, 95% RH). Seven formulations were tested, including an uncoated control. Physicochemical parameters such as weight loss, firmness, fruit dimensions, peel color, titratable acidity, pH, and soluble solids (°Brix) were systematically monitored. Significant differences were observed among treatments (ANOVA, p < 0.001). The most effective coating (T5), composed of 16.7% whey, 16.7% agar, 33.3% cassava starch, and 33.3% glycerol (based on 30 g/L solids), reduced weight loss by 58.8%, improved firmness retention by 48.4%, and limited sugar accumulation by 17.0% compared to the control. It also stabilized pH and acidity, preserved peel thickness and color parameters (L*, a*, b*), and delayed ripening. These findings confirm the coating’s capacity to form a cohesive semipermeable barrier that modulates moisture loss and respiration, making it a functional and sustainable alternative for extending banana shelf life in tropical supply chains. Full article

The paper presents a study of changes in selected physicochemical properties of honeys during their refrigerated storage at 8 ± 1 °C for 24 weeks. On the basis of the study of primary pollen, the botanical identification of the variety of honeys was made—rapeseed, multiflower and buckwheat honey. The samples were stored for 24 weeks in dark, hermetically sealed glass containers in a refrigerated chamber (8 ± 1 °C, 73 ± 2% relative humidity). The comprehensive suite of analyses comprised sugar profiling (ion chromatography), moisture content determination (refractometry), pH and acidity measurement (titration), electrical conductivity, color assessment in the CIELab system (ΔE and BI indices), texture parameters (penetration testing), rheological properties (rheometry), and microscopic evaluation of crystal morphology; all data were subjected to statistical treatment (ANOVA, Tukey’s test, Pearson correlations). The changes in these parameters were examined at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 weeks of storage. A slight but significant increase in moisture content was observed (most pronounced in rapeseed honey), while all parameters remained within the prescribed limits and showed no signs of fermentation. The honeys’ color became markedly lighter. Already in the first weeks of storage, an increase in the L* value and elevated ΔE indices were recorded. The crystallization process proceeded in two distinct phases—initial nucleation (occurring fastest in rapeseed honey) followed by the formation of crystal agglomerates—which resulted in rising hardness and cohesion up to weeks 6–12, after which these metrics gradually declined; simultaneously, a rheological shift was noted, with viscosity increasing and the flow behavior changing from Newtonian to pseudoplastic, especially in rapeseed honey. Studies show that refrigerated storage accelerates honey crystallization, as lower temperatures promote the formation of glucose crystals. This accelerated crystallization may have practical applications in the production of creamed honey, where controlled crystal formation is essential for achieving a smooth, spreadable texture. Full article

The complex chemical composition of certain color stains on textiles requires an optimal proportion of thermal and chemical action in the Sinner cycle of the washing process. In this study, both factors were analyzed by varying the composition of the liquid detergent, bleach, and ozone at temperatures of 30 °C, 40 °C, 60 °C, 75 °C, and 90 °C. Standard cotton fabrics stained with tea, red wine, and blood/milk/ink were selected as monitors, which were evaluated before and after the washing process by spectral parameters. The data sets and their interrelationships were evaluated by a cluster analysis (CA) and ANOVA. An unstained standard cotton fabric was selected as a reference for qualification of the sanitation effect. The stain removal effects showed a selective influence of ozone in the washing processes under the investigated conditions, including the synergy of standard materials—stain monitors and different Sinner cycle factors. The most effective sanitation was achieved in processes using formulations with higher concentrations of liquid detergent (D) and bleaching agents (BA) across all tested temperatures. A lower ozone concentration in combination with lower concentrations of detergents and bleaching agents in washing processes at 30 °C and 40 °C also contributed positively to the effect on sanitation. Full article

Since the mid-1980s, the Mediterranean Sea’s surface and deeper layers have warmed at unprecedented rates, with recent projections identifying it as one of the regions most impacted by rising global temperatures. Metrics that characterize phytoplankton abundance, phenology and size structure are widely utilized as ecological indicators that enable a quantitative assessment of the status of marine ecosystems in response to environmental change. Here, using an extensive, updated in situ pigment dataset collated from numerous past research campaigns across the Mediterranean Sea, we re-parameterized an abundance-based phytoplankton size class model that infers Chl-a concentration in three phytoplankton size classes: pico- (<2 μm), nano- (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (>20 μm). Following recent advancements made within this category of size class models, we also incorporated information of sea surface temperature (SST) into the model parameterization. By tying model parameters to SST, the performance of the re-parameterized model was improved based on comparisons with concurrent, independent in situ measurements. Similarly, the application of the model to remotely sensed ocean color observations revealed strong agreement between satellite-derived estimates of phytoplankton size structure and in situ observations, with a performance comparable to the current regional operational datasets on size structure. The proposed conceptual regional model, parameterized with the most extended in situ pigment dataset available to date for the area, serves as a suitable foundation for long-term (1997–present) analyses on phytoplankton size structure and ecological indicators (i.e., phenology), ultimately linking higher trophic level responses to a changing Mediterranean Sea. Full article

Ailanthus altissima (AA) is an invasive tree species rapidly spreading worldwide, colonizing both urban and agricultural or forestry environments. This three-year study aimed to assess its effects on the growth and yield traits of the Koroneiki olive cultivar under co-cultivation in pots, combined with two irrigation regimes, full and deficit irrigation (60% of full). Within each irrigation regime, olive trees were grown either in the presence or absence (control) of AA. The trial evaluated several parameters, including vegetative growth, yield traits, and oil quality characteristics. Co-cultivation with AA had no significant impact on tree growth after three years, though it significantly reduced oil content per fruit. Antioxidant capacity of the oil improved under deficit irrigation, while AA presence did not significantly affect it, except for an increase in o-diphenol concentration. Neither the fatty acid profile nor squalene levels were significantly influenced by either treatment. Fruit weight and color were primarily affected by deficit irrigation. During storage, olive oil quality declined significantly, with pre-harvest treatments (presence or absence of AA and full or deficit irrigation regime) playing a critical role in modulating several quality parameters. In conclusion, the presence of AA near olive trees did not substantially affect the key quality indices of the olive oil, which remained within the criteria for classification as extra virgin. Full article

This study investigates the spatial distribution of transition metals—iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), and chromium (Cr)—within the Dryden crater on the Moon using hyperspectral data from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M³). By applying spectral parameters and false color composite techniques, geospatial maps of chromite distribution and FeO, TiO₂ wt.% distribution were generated at a resolution of ~140 m. The findings reveal distinct elemental enrichments along geomorphologically active regions such as crater walls, terraces, and central peaks, highlighting impact-driven material differentiation, the influence of morphology, degradation, and space weathering. These results enhance our understanding of lunar crustal evolution and support future exploration and resource utilization efforts. Full article