Quality has many meanings - for this exercise it is defined in terms of objective measures that relate to the consumers experience of eating quality. The drivers behind the consumers experience of eating quality (e.g. taste, texture, smell), and the major assessable parameters relating to this experience (e.g. sugar content, acid content, dry matter content, juiciness, texture, firmness and volatiles content) are briefly reviewed, and existing (research literature, government bodies and retailer) standards on these parameters summarised. Achieving these standards has traditionally involved destructive testing of a relatively small proportion of the fruit harvested, and, as such, these standards have generally been poorly implemented. The applicability of new non-invasive technologies, such as near infrared spectroscopy, for assessment of every item of fruit for certian attributes is discussed with reference to existing standards. The uptake of these technologies will be discussed with reference to drivers in the supply chain, with examples given of successes and failures.
This study investigated the practice of artificial fruit ripening among fruit vendors of banana, plantain, mango and pawpaw in Rivers State. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Two objectives, corresponding research questions and null hypotheses guided the study. The population for the study comprised all the accessible 1,810 fruit vendors in Rivers East senatorial district. A sample size of 472 fruit vendors was drawn using multi-stage sampling procedure. A validated self-structured questionnaire titled 'Practice of Artificial Fruit Ripening' with inter-scale reliability co-efficient of 0.896 was used as instrument for data collection. The descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while inferential statistics of Z-test and One-Way Analysis of Variance were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. It was found that fruit vendors in Rivers State sometimes practiced artificial fruit ripening using chemical and non-chemical methods. It was also discovered that regardless of their level of education and years of experience in the fruit business, the fruit vendors sometimes indulged in unhealthy practice of artificial fruit ripening. More so, the study revealed significant difference in practice among the fruit vendors in Rivers State based on level of education and years of experience. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the current practice of artificial fruit ripening in Rivers State is not in tandem with global best practices and therefore portend danger to the wellbeing of Rivers people and other Nigerians. The study therefore recommended among others that; community health workers should carry-out regular and effective health awareness campaigns concerning the dangers of using chemicals to ripen fruits. The Government of Rivers State through the Ministry of Agriculture should organise training programmes for fruit vendors on faster, safer, and economically feasible methods of fruits ripening and other ...
In pome fruit cultivation, apples and pears need to be handled in various processes such as harvesting and sorting. Currently, most processes require a vast amount of manual labor. Combined with a structural shortage of seasonal workers, innovation in this field is crucial. Automated processes could provide a solution wherein the search for an appropriate manipulation tool is essential. Aside from several grippers, customized for harvesting by various researchers, the industry also provides a wide variety of standardized manipulation tools. This paper benchmarks a wide set of the most relevant gripping principles, primarily based on their ability to successfully handle fruit, without causing damage. In addition, energy consumption and general feasibility are evaluated as well. The performed study showed that the customized foam gripper scores the overall best for all test scenarios at the cost of being the least energy efficient. Furthermore, most other gripping tools excelled at certain specific tasks rather than being generally deployable. Impactive grippers are better suited for harvesting at low energy consumption, while astrictive grippers are more suited for sorting tasks constricted by the available space. The results also showed that commercially available soft grippers are not always capable of handling sensitive fruits such as pears without causing damage. ; Flemish governmental authority VLAIO [HBC2019.2051, 1SA9221N]
Based on the number of bearing trees and realized production in investigated period (2000-2009) in fruit production in Serbia, the most important fruits are plums, apples, and cherries. With an average production of 482,000 tones, plums contribute 44.90% of total fruit production followed by apples (19.20%), and sour cherries and raspberries with an average share of 7.55% each. Analysis of the investigated period reveals a tendency of the fruit production increase. Trend of increase was especially evident in plum production (rate of change 9.81%), followed by apple (7.42%), apricot (7.31%), peach (6.83%) and cherry 6.64%. From 2010 to 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republic of Serbia adopted measures through the National Program of Agriculture for the development of fruit and viticulture production. The measures primarily relate to the production and distribution of planting material, cultural technology with special emphasis on organic production, logistics, quality and standards for packaging. At this time, there is a great opportunity for the adoption of quality production from the choice of certified planting materials and modern variety selections to revolutionize this branch of agriculture. Serbia has many natural advantages for fruit production: the spatial and biological diversity, favorable climate conditions, and our tradition in the fruit production. A considerable interest among fruit farmers, steady government support through incentives and integration through cooperatives (associations) could translate into significant results.
Objectivity, although a relatively modern concept in American journalism, has become the standard by which reporters operate in the democratic arena. Along with fairness and balance, it guides journalists in their pursuit of truth. The press began to embrace the idea of objectivity in the middle of the nineteenth century in an attempt to shuck both its partisan past and broad reliance on political parties. Instead of a zealous advocate and ally of the parties, it became a neutral and independent medium of communication, though still retaining its role on editorial pages as an opinion leader. Now, the common practice of today's press is to sift through the facts to present news that is both accurate and objective without letting bias seep into coverage. Through the in-depth examination of candidates and prominent issues in editorials, news organizations are better able to engage readers, stimulate discussion and pontificate on politics. Nonetheless, while newspaper editorial pages still voice the paper's political preferences, fewer papers today choose to endorse political candidates. This presentation will document my analysis, as chronicled in a comprehensive and well-documented research paper, of political endorsements as a means in which media outlets can participate in public affairs. By looking at the transition of the American press from a political party instrument to an autonomous disseminator of ideas and information, I argue that today's endorsements, although subtle vestiges of nineteenth century partisanship, spur public discourse and help readers navigate the sea of political hype and propaganda endemic in contemporary campaigns.
ABSTRACT Fruit pulp is the most basic food product obtained from fresh fruit processing. Fruit pulps can be cold stored for long periods of time, but they also can be used to fabricate juices, ice creams, sweets, jellies and yogurts. The exploitation of tropical fruits has leveraged the entire Brazilian fruit pulp sector due mainly to the high acceptance of their organoleptic properties and remarkable nutritional facts. However, several works published in the last decades have pointed out unfavorable conditions regarding the consumption of tropical fruit pulps. This negative scenario has been associated with unsatisfactory physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of fruits pulps as outcomes of little knowledge and improper management within the fruit pulp industry. There are protocols for delineating specific identity and quality standards (IQSs) and standardized good manufacturing practices (GMP) for fruit pulps, which also embrace standard operating procedures (SOPs) and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), although this latter is not considered mandatory by the Brazilian legislation. Unfortunately, the lack of skilled labor, along with failures in complying established protocols have impaired quality of fruit pulps. It has been necessary to collect all information available with the aim to identify the most important hazards within fruit pulp processing lines. Standardizing methods and practices within the Brazilian fruit pulp industry would assurance high quality status to tropical fruit pulps and the commercial growth of this vegetal product towards international markets.
The ripening of 6.0 million tonnes of imported dessert bananas each year in the European Union is an extensive but not well analysed process in the food industry. Data and information about the biochemistry and the technical realisation of the banana ripening process is missing. The control of the highly complex processes depends on the personal knowledge and experience of the ripening master. For a better understanding of the industrial process, an experimental banana ripening plant was developed, equipped with sensitive measuring technology and connected to a process control system. The produced data of the 4-day to 7-day ripening processes, carried out based on industrial standards and objectives, provides additional and new information about the food technological process. Based on the generated data and knowledge, a mathematical model of the banana ripening process was developed. Characteristic biochemical reactions, like the degradation of starch to soluble sugars and their further oxidation, the change of colour pigments and the ethene production, were described with the help of kinetics specified in related food technological and biotechnological processes. The plant effects and process characteristics were realised with the help of mass and energy balances. The simulation results confirm with the measured values with accuracy below 10%. With the help of the model significant banana ripening process variables, like the starch concentration in the pulp, the peel colour, the mass of bananas, the concentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen, water and ethene in the process air as well as the banana and process air temperature, are simulated and can be used for the process evaluation. Furthermore, the model can be used for the prediction of future process courses and thus help to ensure targeted ripening quality. The model was used to enhance the process control of industrial ripening procedures. For this purpose, the Open-Loop-Feedback-Optimal controller was applied for an adaptive and optimised banana ripening process control. Only two significant parameters, the starch oxidation speed factor and the colour change factor, were fitted to accurate describe the running process. A simplified model was used to calculate an optimised control function with the target of an optimal storage temperature the desired banana ripening degree. The adaption to varying process characteristics and changing ripening times was successfully applied in one ripening experiment. The model-based adaptive control can be used for high quality but practical banana ripening process control.
This paper reviews changing income distributions in the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands, treating the three countries as leading economic performers in ' the three worlds of welfare capitalism.' Previous analyses have shown that earnings dispersion is increasing. The potential impact of government through the tax and transfer system has been largely ignored. It is shown that in the United States and Germany changes in market incomes favored the upper quintiles and that the bottom quintile became worse off. Government did nothing to reverse these trends. In the Netherlands the trend in market incomes was similar but the government redistributed, so that the bottom quintile' s post-government income increased along with the other quintiles. Data come from the PSID-GSOEP Equivalent File and the Dutch Socio-Economic Panel.
The report examines the viability of frozen fi sh, jam, prunes and dried apples imported from Argentina in the niche market of Australia. It has been noted that the relationship between Australia and Argentina continues to be stable and beneficial, and that each country has many similar characteristics. These characteristics infer that sometimes Australia and Argentina will be competitors on the global market; however both countries have worked together through international working groups such as the Cairns group. To analyse the viability of importing products; factors applying to all of the Australian market, as well as those affecting individual products have been looked at throughout the report. Features of the Australian consumer and export market which could affect the importation of all three products include: environmental issues such as food miles and packaging; geographical distance of Australia and likelihood of Customs regulations changing or preventing importation into the country. Additionally, the Argentine market was also analysed for how it may affect trade; however, it would largely appear that what would most prevent/encourage exportation would relate individually to specific products. In the case of frozen fish; individual aspects such as the available fish stock in Argentina, other competing products in Australia, and the dietary habits of Australians were considered. After taking into consideration such factors, it was found that it would not be beneficial to plan to export more fish into the Australian market. In regards to jam; the maturity of the Australian market and other competitors in the Australia seem to imply again that it would be a market not to consider entering into. For dried apples and prunes, it was found that the underdevelopment of production in Australia, alongside the existing consumer demand meant that it was an area in which producers of dried fruit in Argentina could consider entering further. Recommendations: It was not recommended that frozen fish be exported in greater volumes to Australia, given the declining stock in the Argentine water, and hence the difficulty in ensuring long term viability in the market. - It was not recommended that jam be exported in greater volumes to Australia, given the maturity of the market, and the great number of competitors, both Australian and otherwise. - It was recommended that dried apples and prunes be exported in greater volumes to Australia. - It was recommended that producers of dried apples and prunes contact Australian manufacturers of dried fruit such as Angas Park and Sunbeam to establish business relationships, and ways to sell their products to such companies. - It was recommended that producers of dried apples and prunes contact manufacturers such as Sara Lee and Uncle Tobys to find a secondary market, as inputs in food which will be further transformed. - It was recommended that producers of dried apples and prunes lobby the Argentine government to ensure that standards are applied in line with global and Australian standards in their industry.
Demand in industrialised countries for juice prepared from exotic fruits has been growing for several years, essentially because of the success of exotic 'multi-fruit' or 'cocktail' juices available as pure fruit juices, juices prepared using concentrate, nectars and fruit juice beverages. The harmonisation of international standards (ISO, HACCP, CODEX), the recognition of European standards (AIJN) and increased awareness of the public and governments with regard to food safety have led producers to optimise their manufacturing processes and quality systems in order to supply increasingly healthy products of good taste quality at a competitive price. Industrial production of juice from exotic fruits thus uses simple principles aimed at healthy, rapid juice production with optimum yield and conservation of the sensorial and nutritional characteristics of the raw material. Significant examples of the optimisation of processes and qualities applied to the manufacture of juices from exotic fruits are presented. Pure Florida citrus juice (orange, white and pink grapefruit): description of pressing procedures and automated aseptic technology producing high quality pure citrus juices. Some of these juices are stored in aseptic tanks with a capacity of 1 million gallons (3.87 million litres). Mango purée from Mexico: presentation of a specific line of mango purées and concentrates packed in aseptic drums. Banana purée from Ecuador: details of the critical points related to banana purée manufacture. Pure pineapple juice from Côte d'Ivoire: presentation of the optimisation of a pressing and packaging line for pure pineapple juice in aseptic cases. Potential for the production of organic pineapple juice. Guava purée from Thailand: examples of physicochemical criteria used in the quality control of raw materials (purées).
This paper investigates the impact of food safety standards promulgated by governments or imposed by byers from the private sector on the capacity of developing countries to access developed countries' markets for high value agricultural and food products. I offer an analysis that disentangles productivity-sorting from quality-sorting in fresh fruits and vegetables exports. My theoretical model and empirical analysis confirms the importance of taking into consideration importers' preference for quality as well as exporters' capacity to produce quality products when analyzing average export unit prices of fresh fruits and vegetables. Thanks to a new database on U.S import refusals, my empirical analysis shows that a shock to reputation seems to have a downgrading effect, reducing the capacity of countries to export quality products.
Many factors influence the incidence of mechanical damage in fruit handled on a grading line. This makes it difficult to address damage estimation from an analytical point of view. During fruit transfer from one element of a grading line to another, damage occurs as a combined effect of machinery roughness and the intrinsic susceptibility of fruit. This paper describes a method to estimate bruise probability by means of logistic regression, using data yielded by specific laboratory tests. Model accuracy was measured via the statistical significance of its parameters and its classification ability. The prediction model was then linked to a simulation model through which impacts and load levels, similar to those of real grading lines, could be generated. The simulation output sample size was determined to yield reliable estimations. The process makes it possible to derive a suitable line design and the type of fruit that should be handled to maintain bruise levels within European Union (EU) Standards. A real example with peaches was carried out with the aid of the software implementation SIMLIN®, developed by the authors and registered by Madrid Technical University. This kind of tool has been demanded by inter-professional associations and grading lines designers in recent years
18 Pags., 6 Tabls., 7 Figs. Available online at www.inia.es/sjar ; Fruit production development is resulting in large commercial orchards with improved water management standards. While the agronomic and economic benefits of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) have long been established, the local variability in soils and climate and the irrigation system design limits its practical applications. This paper uses a case study approach (a 225 ha stone fruit orchard) to unveil limitations derived from environmental spatial variability and irrigation performance. The spatial variability of soil physical parameters and meteorology in the orchard was characterized, and its implication on crop water requirements was established. Irrigation depths applied during 2004- 2009 were analysed and compared with crop water requirements under standard and RDI strategies. Plant water status was also measured during two irrigation seasons using stem water potential measurements. On-farm wind speed variability amounted to 55%, representing differences of 17% in reference evapotranspiration. During the study seasons, irrigation scheduling evolved towards deficit irrigation; however, the specific traits of RDI in stone fruits were not implemented. RDI implementation was limited by: 1) poor correspondence between environmental variability and irrigation system design; 2) insufficient information on RDI crop water requirements and its on-farm spatial variability within the farm; and 3) low control of the water distribution network ; This research was funded by the Plan Nacional de I+D+i of the Government of Spain through grant RIDECO-CONSOLIDER CSD2006-00067 and by CSIC through the grant PIE 2007-2009. ; Peer reviewed
The vast structural diversity of natural compounds found in plants provides unique opportunities for discovering new drugs. Anthocyanins are an example of bioactive compounds with possible beneficial effects on human health (/). Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (hawthorn) has been extensively studied due to its various alleged health benefits (2) . Herein, samples from fruits on three different maturity stages (unripe, ripened and over ripened fruits) were extracted with acidified (trifluoracetic acid) methanol. Extracts were purified on a C1s SepPak® Vac 3 cc cartridge (Phenomenex) and filtered through a 0.22-pm disposable LC filter disk. The HPLC system consisted of a 1-lewlett-Packard 1100 chromatograph (Agilent Technologies) with a quaternary pump and a diode array detector (DAD) coupled to an HP Chem Station (rev. A.05.04) data-processing. Double detection was carried out by DAD, using 520 nm as the preferred wavelength, and MS detection, performed in an API 3200 Qtrap (Applied Biosystems) equipped with an ESI source and a triple quadrupole-ion trap mass analyzer that was controlled by the Analyst 5.1 software. Further details were given by Rodrigues et al. (3). The anthocyanin profiles obtained for ripened and over ripened fruits were quite similar, consisting of five different compounds, whereas the profile in unripe fruits was simpler (only two anthocyanins). Cyanidin 3-0-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-0-glucoside and peonidin 3-0-glucos ide were positively identified by comparison with standards. The p1·esence of cyanidin 3-0-rutinoside and cyanidin pentoside was also confirmed by comparison of its chromatographic and UV and mass spectral characteristics with data in our library. Cyanidin-3-0-glucoside was the major anthocyanin in all the samples, and over ripened th1its were, by far, the phenological stage with the highest anthocyanin concentrations, which was coherent with its higher pigmentation. Accordingly, C. manogyna might be considered as a potential natural source of anthocyanins, whose bioactive properties might have several applications. ; FCT (Portugal) for financial support to 1he research centre CIMO (PEst-0E/AGR/UI0690/2011), J.C.M. Barreira grant (SFRH/BPD/72802/2010). Spanish Government for financial support to GIP-USAL through the Consolider-lngenio 2010 Programme (FUN-C-FOOD, CSD2007-00063); Programa Ramón y Cajal for M. Dueñas contract.
An investigation was carried out in Abraka and Kokori communities of Delta State, Nigeria in 2013 to evaluate the trace metal concentration in some fruits: pawpaw, banana, orange and African garden egg commonly grown and sold in their market with a view to establishing baseline information on their trace metal elements. The fruit tissues were ashed, wet-digested and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer following the additive method. The results indicated the presence of elevated trace elements including lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, manganese, nickel, cobalt and copper in the test fruits from Kokori market when compared with values obtained from the same fruits obtained from Abraka (a non oil producing community) in the same local government. The results also showed a highly significant (P<0.05) difference relative to the control (Abraka) values. Though, the values of the trace metals obtained fell below the critical permissible level following FAO and FEPA and WHO standards, their persistence in soil due to their non-biodegradability raises environmental concern because of the inter dependence between plants and animals including man in the ecosystem. The need for metal monitoring in food materials including fruits most available, affordable and sustainable sources of micronutrients in diets should be encouraged. Finding from this study have practical application in environmental science, health management and crop improvement.
