Search Results (898)

Lychee (Lychee chinensis Sonn.) is a tropical fruit highly appreciated for its vivid red color, sweet flavor, and nutritional properties. However, it is highly perishable, with postharvest losses often due to oxidative browning and dehydration. This study evaluated the organic olive oil coating (OC), a natural lipidic system with the potential to act as a precursor for organogel development, combined with polyamide/polyethylene (PA/PE) packaging under passive modified atmosphere. Fruits were harvested at commercial maturity and divided into two groups: OC-treated and untreated control (CTR). Both groups were stored at 5 ± 1 °C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity and analyzed on days 0, 3, 6, and 9. The OC-treated fruits showed significantly better retention of physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory qualities. The coating reduced oxidative stress and enzymatic browning, preserving color and firmness. The PA/PE packaging regulated gas exchange, lowering oxygen levels and delaying respiration and ripening. As a result, OC fruits had lower weight loss, a slower increase in browning index and maturity index, and better visual and sensory scores than the CTR group. This dual strategy proved effective in extending shelf life while maintaining the fruit’s appearance, flavor, and nutritional value. It represents a sustainable and natural approach to enhancing the postharvest stability of lychee. Full article

Dysbiosis is a strategy to control insect pests through disrupting symbiotic bacteria essential for their life cycle. The olive fly, Bactrocera oleae, has been considered a suitable system for dysbiosis, as the insect is strictly dependent on its unique symbiont Candidatus Erwinia dacicola. Here, we review older and recent results from studies of the interaction of the symbiont and its host fly. We then discuss possible methods for disrupting the symbiosis as a means to control the fly. Specifically, we summarize studies using microscopy methods that have investigated in great detail the organs where the bacterium resides and it is always extracellular. Furthermore, we discuss how genome sequences of both host and bacterium can provide valuable resources for understanding the interaction and transcriptomic analyses that have revealed important insights that can be exploited for dysbiosis strategies. We also assess experiments where compounds have been tested against the symbiont. The hitherto limited efficacy in decreasing bacterial abundance suggests that novel molecules and/or new ways for the delivery of agents will be important for successful dysbiosis strategies. Finally, we discuss how gene drive methods could be implemented in olive fly control, though a number of hurdles would need to be overcome. Full article

Effective postharvest cooling of olive fruit is increasingly critical under rising harvest temperatures driven by climate change. This study models passive cooling dynamics using a trait-based, mixed-effects statistical framework. Ten olive groups—representing seven cultivars and different ripening or size stages—were subjected to controlled cooling conditions. Surface temperature was recorded using infrared thermal imaging, and morphological and compositional traits were quantified. Temperature decay was modeled using Newton’s Law of Cooling, extended with a quadratic time term to capture nonlinear trajse thectories. A linear mixed-effects model was fitted to log-transformed, normalized temperature data, incorporating trait-by-time interactions and hierarchical random effects. The results confirmed that fruit weight, specific surface area (SSA), and specific heat capacity (SHC) are key drivers of cooling rate variability, consistent with theoretical expectations, but quantified here using a trait-based statistical model applied to olive fruit. The quadratic model consistently outperformed standard exponential models, revealing dynamic effects of traits on temperature decline. Residual variation at the group level pointed to additional unmeasured structural influences. This study demonstrates that olive fruit cooling behavior can be effectively predicted using interpretable, trait-dependent models. The findings offer a quantitative basis for optimizing postharvest cooling protocols and are particularly relevant for maintaining quality under high-temperature harvest conditions. Full article

Camellia vietnamensis grows in a unique tropical environment, and its seed oil has a rich aroma. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in C. vietnamensis oil is up to 90%, which can regulate human lipid metabolism and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Compared with olive oil, C. vietnamensis oil has a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids. This study used eleven C. vietnamensis cultivars cultivated on Hainan Island. Among the 11 cultivars, “Boao 1” had fruits with the largest vertical diameter of 45.05 mm, while “Haida 1” had fruits with the largest horizontal diameter, single-fruit weight, and fresh 100-grain weight of 53.5 mm, 70.6 g, and 479.01 g, respectively. “Boao 3” had an acid value and peroxide value of 1.59 mg/g and 3.50 mmol/kg, respectively, and its saponification value content was 213.18 mg/g. “Boao 5” had the highest iodine value, 101.86 g/100 g, among the 11 cultivars. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in the seed oil of 11 cultivars ranged from 84.87% to 87.38%. The qRT-PCR results confirmed that “Boao 3” had a higher content of flavonoids and fatty acids than other cultivars. The comprehensive analysis of physiological and biochemical indices showed that the top five cultivars were “Haida 1”, “Boao 3”, “Haida 2”, “Boao 1”, and “Boao 5”. These five cultivars were suitable for large-scale cultivation in tropical regions, such as Hainan Island. This study provided a theoretical basis for the breeding of C. vietnamensis cultivars in tropical regions. Full article

The Atlantic Diet (AD) is based on traditional dietary patterns in Galicia (northwestern Spain) and northern Portugal and is known for its health benefits. The AD focuses on fresh, local, and seasonal foods, especially fish, seafood, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruit, olive oil, and a moderate consumption of wine. However, it has received less attention from researchers than other dietary patterns. The present study had two main objectives: (i) to evaluate the dietary habits of a Galician population in relation to the AD and (ii) to create a numerical index to measure adherence to the AD. In 2022, a validated food frequency questionnaire was administered to 500 healthy adults living in Galicia. The data on participants’ dietary habits showed notable deviations from the ideal AD, especially regarding consumption of fruits, grains, and seafood. However, an adequate intake of legumes and nuts was observed, along with a reduction in the consumption of processed foods (except among younger participants) relative to that revealed in previous surveys. To assess adherence to the diet, statistical and chemometric analyses were applied, leading to the development of a new index: the Atlantic Diet Scale (ADS). The ADS was compared with three existing tools and proved to be a simple, flexible, and effective method for assessing dietary adherence based on optimal intake levels across food groups. When applied to dietary data, the ADS yielded adherence levels similar to two of the three traditional methods, with some differences relative to the third. These findings highlight the need for standardized evaluation tools, including clear definitions of food groups and consistent scoring systems, to better assess and promote adherence to the Atlantic Diet. Full article

In recent years, early olive fruit drop has been observed in the northern Mediterranean regions, causing significant economic losses, although the exact cause remains unknown. Recent studies have identified several possible causes; however, our understanding of how olive trees respond to these environmental stresses remains limited. This study includes an analysis of selected meteorological and flowering data for Olea europaea L. “Istrska belica” to evaluate the use of a chilling and forcing model for a better understanding of flowering time dynamics under a changing climate. The flowering process is influenced by high diurnal temperature ranges (DTRs) during the pre-flowering period, resulting in earlier flowering. Despite annual fluctuations due to various climatic factors, an increase in DTRs has been observed in recent decades, although the mechanisms by which olive trees respond to high DTRs remain unclear. The chilling requirements are still well met in the region (1500 ± 250 chilling units), although their total has declined over the years. According to the Chilling Hours Model, chilling units—referred to as chilling hours—represent the number of hours with temperatures between 0 and 7.2 °C, accumulated throughout the winter season. Growing degree hours (GDHs) are strongly correlated with the onset of flowering. These results suggest that global warming is already affecting the synchrony between olive tree phenology and environmental conditions in the northern Mediterranean and may be one of the reason for the green drop. Full article

Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe, with a substantial increase in cases anticipated over the next few decades. Given the constraints and adverse effects associated with standard cancer therapies, the contribution of diet and nutraceuticals to cancer prevention and treatment is receiving increased scrutiny. A diet rich in plant-based foods, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and bioactive compounds, including the Mediterranean Diet, has been associated with reduced cancer risk and improved treatment outcomes. This review aims to explore the complex mechanisms of the MedDiet and nutraceuticals (polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids) in cancer prevention, to determine their potential as cancer treatment adjuvants. Promising results show that key compounds such as bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF), cynaropicrin, oleuropein, quercetin, resveratrol, and serotonin can modulate oxidative stress, inflammation, the tumor microenvironment, the cell cycle, and drug resistance. A significant observation is that many of these substances demonstrate dual dose-dependent activity; they function as antioxidants in healthy cells but induce pro-oxidant and pro-apoptotic effects in cancerous cells. Their ability to boost chemotherapy’s effectiveness and safety while lessening side effects and offering combined advantages is also explored. To summarize, this review suggests that the Mediterranean Diet and nutraceutical supplements may help prevent and manage cancer, but more research is needed to confirm their benefits. Full article

The Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), a member of the Closterovirus genus, is considered a serious threat to citrus trees grafted onto sour orange (SO) rootstock. In the Mediterranean area, the most prevalent CTV strains are VT and T30. The VT strain includes both mild and severe isolates, some of them associated with seedling yellows (SY) syndrome. Mild CTV-VT isolates that do not induce SY symptoms (no-SY) show minor variations in their Orf1a, p23, and p33 genes, with a single nucleotide polymorphism at position 161 of the p23 gene. These isolates can repress superinfection with homologous severe isolates. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of cross-protection by means of biological indexing, real-time RT-PCR high-resolution melting (HRM), and p23 gene amplicon sequencing. Four no-SY CTV-VT isolates were inoculated onto SO seedlings and Hamlin sweet orange trees grafted on SO. These plants were later challenged with two homologous CTV-VT SY isolates and remained asymptomatic. The biological evaluation of the infection process in superinfected plants was investigated via inoculation of the bark on SO seedlings that were also asymptomatic. A parallel HRM analysis of midvein RNA extracts revealed that the melting temperature (Tm) of the no-SY isolates was statistically lower than that of the SY isolates. The Tm values of RNAs extracts from superinfected plants were not statistically different from those of the no-SY isolates. This suggests that the SY isolates failed to establish infection or replicate in plants pre-inoculated with no-SY isolates. This blockage of replication resembles superinfection exclusion, with attractive perspectives to prevent SY damage in field applications. 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

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

This study presents a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of the F-CUBED Production System (FPS), an innovative process that converts wet biogenic residues—specifically paper biosludge, virgin olive pomace, and fruit and vegetable residues—into intermediate bioenergy carriers via hydrothermal treatment (TORWASH^®), pelletization, and anaerobic digestion. The hydrothermal carbonization of these low-grade, moisture-rich biogenic residues enhances the flexibility and reliability of renewable energy systems while also offering the potential to reduce environmental burdens compared to conventional disposal methods. Through this S-LCA, the study aims to evaluate the cradle-to-gate socioeconomic impacts of the FPS in three European contexts—Sweden, Italy, and Spain—using the 2020 UNEP Guidelines and the Social Hotspots Database (SHDB) and applying quantitative modeling via SimaPro. The functional unit is defined as 1 kWh of electricity produced. The assessment combines SHDB-based modeling with primary data from stakeholder surveys conducted in the three countries. Impact categories are harmonized between SHDB and UNEP typologies, and the results are reported in medium-risk-hour equivalents (mrheq). The results show a heterogeneous social impact profile across case studies. In Sweden, the treatment of paper biosludge delivers substantial benefits with minimal risk. In Spain (orange peel), the introduction of the FPS demonstrated a strong social benefit, particularly in health and safety and labor rights, indicating high institutional performance and good integration with local industry. Conversely, in Italy (olive pomace), the FPS revealed significant social risks, especially in the biopellet production and electricity generation sectors, reflecting regional vulnerabilities in labor conditions and governance. This suggests that targeted mitigation strategies are recommended in contexts like Southern Italy. These findings highlight that the social sustainability of emerging bioenergy technologies is context-dependent and sensitive to sectoral and regional socioeconomic conditions. This S-LCA complements prior environmental assessments and emphasizes the importance of integrating social performance considerations in the deployment and scaling of innovative bioenergy systems. Full article

The Saiss plain in northern Morocco covers an area of 2300 km² and is one of the main agricultural contributors to the national economy. However, climate change and water scarcity reduce the region’s agricultural yields. Conventional methods of estimating evapotranspiration (ET) provide localized results but cannot capture regional-scale variations. This study aims to estimate the spatiotemporal evolution of daily crop ET (olives, fruit trees, cereals, and vegetables) across the Saiss plain. The METRIC model was adapted for the region using Landsat 8 data and was calibrated and validated using in situ flux tower measurements. The methodology employed an energy balance approach to calculate ET as a residual of net radiation, soil heat flux, and sensible heat flux by using hot and cold pixels for calibration. METRIC-ET ranged from 0.1 to 11 mm/day, demonstrating strong agreement with reference ET (R² = 0.76, RMSE = 1, MAE = 0.78) and outperforming MODIS-ET in accuracy and spatial resolution. Olives and fruit trees showed higher ET values compared to vegetables and cereals. The results indicated a significant impact of ET on water availability, with spatiotemporal patterns being influenced by vegetation cover, climate, and water resources. This study could support the development of adaptive agricultural strategies. Full article

Two germplasm collections, comprising 1026 peach accessions located in Italy, were analyzed with 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. SSR reactions were performed using the multiplex-ready PCR protocol, and 147 alleles were amplified with an average of 12 alleles per locus. BPPCT001 was the most informative marker displaying the highest discrimination power (0.734). The observed heterozygosity showed an average of 0.45 alleles per locus, lower than expected (0.61). The fixation index (F) values were positive in all loci, with an average of 0.27 alleles per locus, suggesting the presence of endogamy. The DNA fingerprinting data allowed the discrimination of 80.95% of the analyzed accessions. If we exclude known sport mutations, known synonymies, and cultivars with the same pedigree, 161 accessions are mislabeled, with an error rate of 16.56% within or between collections. Population structure analysis revealed three subpopulations: modern peach cultivars, modern nectarine cultivars, and a third group mainly comprising traditional peach cultivars. The results obtained in this work will be useful to efficiently manage Genebank, reducing unwanted redundancy, synonyms and homonyms, mislabeling, and spelling errors, as well as identifying parents in controlled crosses. 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

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are powerful techniques that have been employed to analyze foodstuffs comprehensively. These techniques offer in-depth information about the chemical composition, structure, and spatial distribution of components in a variety of food products. Quantitative NMR is widely applied for precise quantification of metabolites, authentication of food products, and monitoring of food quality. Low-field ¹H-NMR relaxometry is an important technique for investigating the most abundant components of intact foodstuffs based on relaxation times and amplitude of the NMR signals. In particular, information on water compartments, diffusion, and movement can be obtained by detecting proton signals because of H₂O in foodstuffs. Saffron adulterations with calendula, safflower, turmeric, sandalwood, and tartrazine have been analyzed using benchtop NMR, an alternative to the high-field NMR approach. The fraudulent addition of Robusta to Arabica coffee was investigated by ¹H-NMR Spectroscopy and the marker of Robusta coffee can be detected in the ¹H-NMR spectrum. MRI images can be a reliable tool for appreciating morphological differences in vegetables and fruits. In kiwifruit, the effects of water loss and the states of water were investigated using MRI. It provides informative images regarding the spin density distribution of water molecules and the relationship between water and cellular tissues. ¹H-NMR spectra of aqueous extract of kiwifruits affected by elephantiasis show a higher number of small oligosaccharides than healthy fruits do. One of the frauds that has been detected in the olive oil sector reflects the addition of hazelnut oils to olive oils. However, using the NMR methodology, it is possible to distinguish the two types of oils, since, in hazelnut oils, linolenic fatty chains and squalene are absent, which is also indicated by the ¹H-NMR spectrum. NMR has been applied to detect milk adulterations, such as bovine milk being spiked with known levels of whey, urea, synthetic urine, and synthetic milk. In particular, T2 relaxation time has been found to be significantly affected by adulteration as it increases with adulterant percentage. The ¹H spectrum of honey samples from two botanical species shows the presence of signals due to the specific markers of two botanical species. NMR generates large datasets due to the complexity of food matrices and, to deal with this, chemometrics (multivariate analysis) can be applied to monitor the changes in the constituents of foodstuffs, assess the self-life, and determine the effects of storage conditions. Multivariate analysis could help in managing and interpreting complex NMR data by reducing dimensionality and identifying patterns. NMR spectroscopy followed by multivariate analysis can be channelized for evaluating the nutritional profile of food products by quantifying vitamins, sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, and other nutrients. In this review, we summarize the importance of NMR spectroscopy in chemical profiling and quality assessment of food products employing magnetic resonance technologies and multivariate statistical analysis. Full article