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- Author or Editor: Viktoria Zsom-Muha x
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The acoustic response method is one of the most important dynamic methods used for assessment of the mechanical texture of different fruits and vegetables. The method is based on the mechanical excitation of the sample and the assessment of its resonant frequency. Different approaches are known for the interpretation of the vibration behavior of the samples having definite shapes. According to the most widely used interpretation, the stiffness of the sample ( s ) is dependent on the resonant frequency ( f ) and the mass ( m ) of the sample. The aim was to extend the acoustic response method to typically non-spherical samples (carrot, cucumber, etc.) to find a correct interpretation of the behavior of the sample and to introduce a stiffness coefficient suitable for characterization of the mechanical properties of a long shaped sample. According to Finite Element Modeling and experimental tests on carrot samples a close correlation was found between the resonant frequency and the effective length of the sample in a given shape range. A principally new stiffness coefficient was proposed for long shaped samples. It was found to be suitable for the characterization of the hardness of the vegetables in a wide size range.
Abstract
Broccoli's high perishability and its sensitivity to negative quality changes (i.e., mass loss, ethylene induced degreening, abscission of leaves, and florets) generates quality problems during postharvest. Freshly harvested samples were stored at 5 and 21 °C after separately treated for 24 h with 625 ppb 1-methyl-cyclopropene (1-MCP), 24 h with 2 ppm ethylene and 1-MCP followed by ethylene. Quality maintenance effectivity of 1-MCP was investigated during cold and room storage by non-destructive optical methods (chlorophyll fluorescence and DA-index®) and by the evaluation of the visual physiological symptoms. The highly positive effects of 1-MCP treatment combined with cold storage were obviously proven on quality maintenance providing better retention of initial quality related to the initial mature green stage as chlorophyll content related DA-index®; F m , F v , F v /F m , and F m /F 0 chlorophyll fluorescence values. From the practical point of view, the rapid, and easy-to-use Sintéleia FRM01-F Vis/NIR DA-meter® could be applied relatively easy for the quality measurement of broccoli. The reproducibility of quality determination could be increased by the enhanced number of measuring points or using computer aided imaging methods (i.e., chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, machine vision system) providing global and more reliable information about quality changes.
Abstract
The soaking step of dry pulse products' – e.g. chickpeas' – food processing is a time consuming process. Soaking time can be significantly reduced by ultrasonic treatment or using higher processing temperatures. The effect of ultrasonic treatment can be investigated by examining the soaking water characteristics. Ultrasound-assisted soaking of chickpeas was performed at 25, 35 and 45 °C, respectively. Additionally, control samples were also prepared without ultrasonic treatment at the same temperatures. The dynamics of the fitted curve clearly shows the relationship namely the higher the treatment temperature, the faster the hydration of the raw material for both untreated and treated groups. In contrast to control group, swelling rate of 2.00 – except the group 45 °C – is not achieved during ultrasound-assisted soaking. In case of treated group, the swelling rate was about 1.90 for all temperatures applied. The ANOVA test shows that the color of the ultrasonically treated samples was significantly different compared to the control (F (5;12) = 207.86; P < 0.001). Average dry matter content and °Brix value were significantly higher in the ultrasound treated group compared to the control in case of all temperatures. This may indicate the destructive effect of ultrasound, which may cause more components to dissolve out of the raw material by the end of the soaking process.
Banana is a really chilling injury sensitive product. Its sensitivity to cold temperatures generates serious practical, economical and commercial problems. Chilling injury related physiological responses of Cavendish type green banana samples stored at 2.5, 5, 10 °C and near optimal (15 °C) cold storage temperature were investigated by nondestructive optical methods (surface color and chlorophyll fluorescence measurement, DA-index® evaluation) and by the determination of the physiological reactions (respiration, ethylene production, symptom manifestation) during cold storage and the 8-day long subsequent shelf-life. The positive effects of low temperature storage were proven on mass loss, respiration and ethylene production. In case of bananas stored at 2.5–10 °C, the chilling injury related changes in chlorophyll content related DA-index®, IR-values; Fm and Fv chlorophyll fluorescence values, the L*, a*, b*, C* and hue angle color characteristics suggested clearly from day 3 the onset of chilling injury several days before the visible signs of chilling injury appeared.
Abstract
In the experiments, the sound generated during the breaking of chocolate samples was examined. The fracture was performed by a precision penetrometer, the breaking sound was recorded. Texture index (TI) was calculated from the resulting signal. First the change of the resulting TI was monitored as a function of the samples' temperature. The sample groups of the same dark chocolate with different temperatures were completely separated from each other with statistical tool (LDA, linear discriminant analyses), but no trend was found to describe the change. Secondly, based on the TI, we could identify and classify the chocolate samples in the appropriate groups (based on cocoa content from 40 to 85%). According to linear discriminant analyses chocolates with different cocoa content were completely separated and showed a certain pattern. Based on the obtained results, it can be stated that the cocoa content of chocolate can be determined on the basis of TI obtained by acoustic method.
Abstract
Application of cold storage temperatures below optimum induces a high risk and threat of chilling injury (CI) in the case of sensitive commodities. Sweet pepper belongs to this group of vegetables, so our main objective was to investigate and monitor the effect of non-optimal temperatures (2.5 and 5 °C) induced stress (chilling injury) on kápia type sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) during its postharvest storage by nondestructive quality measuring methods. Fresh, semi-matured (reddish-green colored) samples of ‘Kapitány F1’ cultivar were stored at 2.5, 5 and 10 °C for 7 d followed by 7 d shelf-life. Nondestructive texture measurements were carried out by a purpose built tabletop acoustic stiffness device. Surface color and chlorophyll content related quality indices were evaluated by a chroma meter, a DA-meter® and a chlorophyll fluorescence imaging system. High resolution digital pictures were captured and analyzed for possible CI defects by means of surface color values (normalized RGB, hue and saturation). According to our results, the evaluated quality indices (DA-index®, acoustic stiffness coefficient, surface color parameters; F0, Fm, Fv and Fv/Fm chlorophyll fluorescence parameters) clearly represented the temperature dependent quality changes during low temperature storage, subsequently followed by ambient shelf-life. Samples stored under and at 5 °C showed the chilling temperature stressed symptoms of delayed and partly retarded postharvest ripening, even under simulated shelf-life conditions, but without the onset and manifestation of the characteristic visible symptoms of chilling injury. This may raise doubts and suggest possible future research areas regarding the role of non-optimal cold storage temperatures induced stress, the effect of chilling injury contributing factors and consequences.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ultrasound treatment on foaming properties of egg white. The samples were sonicated at 20/40 kHz and 180/300 W equipment power (3.7/6.9 W absorbed power) for 30, 45 and 60 minutes. Foam capacity had been increased by 25% due to sonication at 40 kHz and 6.9 W absorbed power for 60 minutes. This phenomenon may be caused by the homogenization effect of ultrasound and protein exposure of hydrophobic groups that improve the adsorption of protein onto the air/water interfacial molecules. It is found that frequency and duration of the treatment have no significant impact on the changes in foam capacity, only the absorbed power. On the other hand, foam stability had been decreased during the ultrasonic treatment. We can assume that sonication decreases the potential difference between the dispersed particles and the dispersion medium and this may be the cause of the collapse of the foam structure due to ultrasound treatment. In this case frequency, treatment time, and the absorbed power had a significant effect on the stability.
Abstract
Among improper harvest and/or postharvest storage conditions, the effect of direct sunlight plays an important role in quality degradation of potato resulting in the development of green surface color based on chlorophyll formation associated with the formation of poisonous chemicals – glycoalcaloids – known as α-chaconine and α-solanine. Yellow skinned and fleshed potatoes with or without visible initial marks of green surface color were stored at normal room temperature under direct natural (sun)light conditions for almost two months. The aim of this study was the preliminary investigation of the sunlight induced formation of chlorophyll related compounds in potato indirectly by the detection of chlorophyll development. This attempt was based on nondestructive determination of chlorophyll related spectral and fluorescence indices for both sunlight exposed and unexposed potato sides. For both potato groups the chlorophyll content related DA-index® and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics (F0, Fm, Fv and Fv/Fm) increased during the storage period representing chlorophyll formation. In the case of Fm, Fv and Fv/Fm values, the yellow samples reached the values of the initial spotted green samples by the 7th–9th days. From this time, the chlorophyll fluorescence values changed only minimally. After storage day 34, in the case of both at day 0 yellow and green spotted potatoes, the sunny side's F0 value was lower than that of shaded side. Close relationship was found between the results of Walz monitoring-PAM (Pulse Amplitude-Modulated) chlorophyll fluorometer and the PSI (Photon Systems Instruments) chlorophyll fluorescence imaging device (e.g. Fv R2 = 0.7226). According to our preliminary results, the Vis/NIR DA-meter®, the monitoring-PAM and the chlorophyll fluorescence imaging fluorometers were found to be suitable nondestructive devices for further investigations concerning the postharvest chlorophyll formation based greening phenomena, which is associated with solanine development in potato.
