Antioxidants Characterization of the Fruit, Juice, and Pomace of Sweet Rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.) Cultivated in Estonia

This study aimed to identify promising candidates of rowanberry cultivars for a wider cultivation and utilization. Antioxidant properties and phenolic content were evaluated for fruit, juice, and pomace samples of 16 different sweet rowanberry cultivars (cvs) and wild rowanberry (S. aucuparia L.), while the antioxidant potential was assessed using three different methods, based on the capacity to scavenge ABTS●+ and DPPH● and measure the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). In general, the radical scavenging capacity was higher for hybrid cultivars, e.g., for cvs Likernaja, Burka, Granatnaja, and Rubinovaja in all assays. The highest value in the ABTS●+ assay was determined for the fruit sample Likernaja, and in DPPH● assay in the pomace sample of cv. Likernaja, at 527.55 and 1068.28 µM TE/g dw, respectively. The highest ORAC value was found in the fruit sample of Burka (456.53 µM TE/g dw). Among the Nevezhino rowans, the highest radical scavenging values of all fractions were determined in cv. Solnechnaja. Regarding the total phenolic content (TPC), higher values were obtained in the whole fruits than in separated fractions, juice, and pomace. The tested hybrids had higher TPC values, either in fruit and pomace or in juice extracts, than those in the other analyzed S. aucuparia L. cultivars. While the fruit and juice samples showed higher anthocyanin (ACY) values, the pomace samples had higher hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) contents on average. The results revealed that the different fractions of selected rowanberry cultivars can be a promising source of antioxidants and polyphenols for further potential applications. It is envisaged that the results of this study will serve in valorizing sweet rowanberry cultivars as value-added functional ingredients for food and non-food applications.

Design and Fabrication of a Watermelon Ripeness Tester Using Matlab Software GUI

A non-destructive way to determine the ripeness of watermelon is very difficult, by outward characteristics such as size or external colour and used methods include different limitations. In this study a simple and intelligent method to determine the ripeness of watermelon was designed and developed by integrating a conventional method with electronics device, the ripeness of watermelon can be determined easily and reliable. Microphone was placed under the fruit sample to record a thumping signal. The recorded signals were converted into Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) waveform using MATLAB Software. The patterns of FFT waveforms were analysed using average magnitude at the frequency between 100 Hz and 4000 Hz to classify the ripeness. The average magnitude of was within the range of 0.00019 to 0.00030, and the magnitudes below 0.00025 were termed unripe and magnitudes above 0.00025 were termed ripe. Recommendations for further studies were stated.

Non-Invasive Fruit Analyser_1.7

Fruit quality is an important parameter in the food processing industries. It is necessary to analyze internal and external characteristics of the fruit sample. Standardizing the quality of fruit in Agro industries is essential. There is a need of standardizing equipment of affordable price because it involves huge man power. In this project, quality of the fruit is analyzed based on the capacitor concept in which the fruit will act as a dielectric medium between two parallel plates. The obtained output voltage is proportional to the condition of the fruit sample. The color variation in the outer layer of the sample is also determined using the image processing techniques. To find the quality, it is also that considered volume and weight as important parameters. All these three data are combined together in order to give the desired results at an affordable price. This product will also reduce the labor cost and the losses possibly occurred due to the destructive analysis and so on

Evaluation Results of Finnish Apple Rootstocks in Latvia

A trial was established in 2011 with five rootstocks - MTT1, MTT4 and control B.9 (1.5 × 4 m, five replications with two trees), MTT5 and control MM.106 (2.5 × 5 m, six replications with two trees), and two cultivars - ‘Auksis’ and ‘Gita’. The evaluated parameters were: tree general condition, flowering, and yielding intensity (points), number of root suckers, average yield (kg·tree-1), yield per trunk cross section area (g·cm-2), average fruit mass (g), and amount of non-standard fruits (%). A randomised fruit sample from each cultivar-rootstock combination was put into storage, and a panel taste was performed once each season. A snowless winter occurred in 2013/2014, when soil froze to 1.5 m depth, which was critical for MM.106. Other rootstocks did not show injury. The best results were obtained for MTT4, which was similar to that of M.26 in Finland. Its vigour was similar to MM.106, and start of bearing to B.9. Rootstock MTT5 was initially grouped with medium vigour MM.106, as having 60-80 % of vigour of ‘Antonovka’ seedlings in Finland. Yet in our trial, it had vigour and start of bearing was similar to that of B.9 or slightly larger, depending on cultivar; it has a tendency to form root suckers. MTT1, ranged with B.9 in Finland, had too weak vigour. The most promising cultivar-rootstock combination was ‘Gita’ on MTT4.

Bioefficacy and dissipation of β-cyfluthrin against white fly Bemisia tabaci Genn.) in okra (Abelomoschus esculentus L.)

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different insecticides viz., bifenthrin, flubendiamide, fipronil, quinalphos, pronofos and β-cyfluthrin against white fly (Bemisia tabaci) of okra (Abelomoschus esculentus) by spraying twice. Among the insecticides evaluated, β cyfluthrin at 18.75 g a.iha-1 was found to be the effective by registering 57.00 and 54.21 per cent reduction of whitefly (B. abaci) during first and second sprays, respectively. Further β-cyfluthrin at 18.75 g a. i ha-1 was subjected to dissipation studies by collecting okra (A. esculentus) fruit samples at interval of zero, one, three, five, seven, 10 and 15 days after last spray. Results of the dissipation studies showed that the initial deposits of β-cyfluthrin (18.75 g a.iha-1) in okra (A. esculentus) fruit sample was registered to be 0.11 mg kg-1 and dissipated to below detectable level (BDL) within five days after spray.

Method Validation Study of Hypoglycin A Determination in Ackee Fruit

A study was conducted to validate the performance characteristics of a published method entitled “Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatographic Detection of Hypoglycin A in Canned Ackee Fruit Sample.” Hypoglycin A (HG-A) was extracted from ackee fruit with 80% ethanol–water, centrifuged, and filtered; the sample extract then was reacted with phenylisothiocyanate. HG-A was separated by reversed-phase chromatography as the phenylthiocarbamyl derivative and detected at the low nanogram level using a UV detector at 254 nm. A study was conducted to determine recovery of HG-A added to a control ackee fruit sample. A control sample containing a low level of HG-A was spiked with 403.2, 201.6, 96.8, and 48.4 μg HG-A/g ackee fruit, respectively. Twelve replicates were analyzed for each spike level. The mean percent recovery ± standard deviation for spike levels 403.2, 201.6, 96.8, and 48.4 μg HG-A/g were 94.37 ± 1.27, 99.12 ± 2.09, 107.95 ± 5.42, and 129.18 ± 15.32%, respectively. The percent coefficient of variation (%CV) for spike levels 403.2, 201.6, 96.8, and 48.4 μg HG-A/g were 1.35, 2.11, 5.02, and 11.86%, respectively. The recovery data indicate that HG-A can be recovered from ackee fruit with excellent accuracy and precision. Precision data obtained from replicate assays of ackee fruit naturally contaminated with low, medium, and high HG-A levels is presented.