Insights on the role of chemometrics and vibrational spectroscopy in fruit metabolite analysis.

The last three decades have demonstrated the ability of combining data analytics (e.g. big data, machine learning) with modern analytical instrumental techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy (VIBSPEC) (e.g. NIR, Raman, MIR) and sensing technologies (e.g. electronic noses and tongues, colorimetric sensors) to analyse, measure and monitor a wide range of properties and samples. Developments in instrumentation, hardware and software have placed VIBSPEC as a useful tool to quantify several bioactive compounds and metabolites in a wide range of fruit and plant samples. With the incorporation of hand-held and portable instrumentation, these techniques have been valuable for the development of in-field and high throughput applications, opened new frontiers of analysis in fruits and plants. This review will present and discuss some of the current applications on the use of VIBSPEC techniques combined with data analytics on the measurement bioactive compounds and plant metabolites in different fruit samples.

Structural changes in natural actomyosin and surimi from ling cod (Ophiodon elongatus) during frozen storage in the absence or presence of cryoprotectants.

Surimi and natural actomyosin (NAM) from ling cod (Ophiodon elongatus) were subjected to frozen storage in the absence or presence of cryoprotectants (sorbitol, sucrose, lactitol, and Litesse, either individually or in combination). Effects of frozen storage were studied for NAM frozen at -10 degrees C for 10 days and for surimi after eight freeze-thaw cycles. A commercial blend cryoprotectant (4% sucrose and 4% sorbitol), individual cryoprotectants at 8%, and optimal blends at 4, 5.5, 6, and 8%, were effective in maintaining the gel strength of surimi and NAM gels. Surimi or NAM frozen in the absence of cryoprotectants or with only 4% individual cryoprotectants, showed increased percent alpha-helical content by Raman analysis. Increased disulfide content was also observed in the treatment without cryoprotectants by the Raman SS stretching band and by chemical determination. Tyrosine residues were in a buried environment before and after freezing for all treatments, and surface hydrophobicity measured by 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate decreased after frozen storage in the absence of cryoprotectants.