Prunus lusitanica L. Fruits: A Promising Underexploited Source of Nutrients with Potential Economic Value.

In recent times, less-known fruit species have increasingly attracted worldwide attention and their health benefits are at the forefront. The fruits of plants from the genus Prunus are good sources of nutrients due to their economic, agronomic, and healthy values. However, Prunus lusitanica L., commonly known as Portuguese laurel cherry is considered an endangered species. Thus, the present work aimed to monitor the nutritional components of P. lusitanica fruits grown in three locations in northern Portugal for four consecutive years (2016-2019), using AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists), spectrophotometric, and chromatographic analysis. The results evidenced the abundance of phytonutrients in P. lusitanica, such as proteins, fat, carbohydrates, soluble sugars, dietary fibre, amino acids, and minerals. It was also highlighted that the variation of nutritional components was relatively linked to the year factor, being especially relevant in the frame of the current changing climate, among others. These findings suggest that P. lusitanica L. deserves to be conserved and planted because of its food and nutraceutical applications. However, more detailed information on this rare plant species, such as phytophysiology, phytochemistry, bioactivity, pharmacology, etc., is certainly required for the design and development of appropriate uses and valorization alternatives for this species.

Multi-Functional Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains and Antimicrobial Effects in Minimally Processed Pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv Jolly Red) Arils.

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of both cells, and cell-free supernatants (CFS) of 7 selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains belonging to Limosilactobacillus fermentum (4 strains), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (1 strain), Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (1 strain), and Enterococcus faecium (1 strain) species, against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, by both the agar-well diffusion and co-culture methods. In addition, probiotic and safety traits were also detected. Great variability was detected on antimicrobial effects, whereas all tested strains were found sensitive to most of the tested antibiotics, and without any DNase, gelatinase, or hemolytic activity. Moreover, strains showed excellent survival in acidic conditions and exhibited tolerance to pepsin and bile salts. Based on the in vitro results, the CFSs of two selected L. fermentum strains were applied, in a mixed solution, as bio-preservative into minimally processed pomegranate arils, inoculated with a cocktail of L. monocytogenes and E. coli. Samples, packaged in an ordinary atmosphere, were analyzed during refrigerated storage, for up to 12 days, for physicochemical (as weight loss, texture, color, pH, total soluble solids and organic acid content) and for microbiological traits. Results revealed the effectiveness of CFS, up to 12 days, in reducing weight loss and microbial growth, without any significant effect on texture, total soluble solid content and color, found comparable to the acid citric treatment, highlighting the multi-functional potential of selected probiotic strains.

Development of an approach for simultaneous determination ofmulti-mycotoxins in fresh fruits / 预防医学

Objective@#To develop an approach for simultaneous detection of multi-mycotoxins in fresh fruits, so as to provide technical supports for mycotoxins surveillance in fresh fruits.@*Methods@#Fresh fruits were collected from markets and homogenized. Then, 2 g of fresh fruits were added with 10 mL of 0.1% formic acid ( 99∶1, v/v ) in acetonitrile and wortexed for 10 min. Following extraction with 1 g of sodium chloride and 4 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate, samples were centrifuged and 5 mL of the supernatant was cleaned up with 25 mg C18. Following centrifugation, the supernatant was dried under nitrogen. The residue was dissolved in 300 μL of methanol-acetonitrile mixture solution ( 1∶1, v/v ), and mixed evenly in 700 μL of the distilled water. Samples were then eluted in gradient series of 0.1% formic acid and 5 mmol ammonium formate and methanol-acetonitrile mixture solution ( 1∶1, v/v ). The 15 mycotoxins were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry ( LC-MS/MS ) with electrospray ion source (ESI+/ESI-) under multiple reaction monitoring. In addition, a matrix-matched standard curve was employed for quantitative analysis.@*Results@#There was a good linear relationship for 15 mycotoxins at concentrations of 0.25 to 10 ng/mL ( R2>0.992 ), the LC-MS/MS method showed the detection limits of 0.1-1.0 μg/kg, the spiked recovery rates of 71.68%-117.50%, and the relative standard deviations ( RSDs ) of 0.01%-13.60%. The detection rate of mycotoxins was 27.09% in 203 fresh fruits sold in markets.@*Conclusions@#The optimized LC-MS/MS method can be used for simultaneous determination of multi-mycotoxins in fresh fruits.

[Status of fresh vegetables and fruit consumption among Chinese aged 60 years old and above in 2015].

OBJECTIVE: To analysis the fresh vegetables and fresh fruit consumption among the elders aged 60 and above of China in 2015. METHODS: The consumption of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits in the past 12 months was calculated by using the food frequency questionnaire data of 58 335 elderly people aged 60 and above from "China National Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance of Adults(2015)", and the intake status was evaluated according to the recommended intake of Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents(2016). RESULTS: The consumption rate of fresh vegetables among the elderly in China was 98. 7%, the median intake of the whole population was 270. 0 g, the median intake of the consumer population was 300. 0 g, and the proportion of under-intake was 49. 6%. The fresh fruit consumption rate was 84. 2%, the median intake of the whole population was 30. 0 g, and the median intake of the consumer population was 50. 0 g. The proportion of insufficient intake of fresh fruits reached 85. 2%. The frequency of intake of fresh vegetables was mainly 2 times/day, accounting for 45. 9%; fresh vegetables intake 1-3 times/week and ≥2 times/day were 38. 7% and 35. 6%, respectively. The consumption rate and intake of fresh vegetables and fruits were both higher in urban areas than in rural areas, and decrease significantly with increasing age, lower educational background and lower income. In addition, the consumption rate and intake were lower in elderly living alone. CONCLUSION: China& apos; s elderly people aged 60 and above have insufficient intake of vegetables and fruits. Health education and dietary guidance should be carried out, and intervention measures should be taken for key populations to effectively promote a reasonable diet for the elderly.

Inactivation of microbes on fruit surfaces using photodynamic therapy and its influence on the postharvest shelf-life of fruits.

In this study, the disinfection effect of curcumin-mediated photodynamic therapy on the contact surfaces of fresh fruit was investigated. Our results showed that the optimum concentration of curcumin and the energy density required were 0.5 µM and 7.2 J/cm2, respectively. Photodynamic therapy showed an excellent disinfection rate for the fresh fruits with a reduction of more than 80% in the total bacteria and coliform counts. The photodynamic therapy inhibited species that belonged to the categories of gram-negative and facultative anaerobic bacteria, except for two species of the Trichoderma fungus. Importantly, photodynamic therapy prolonged the shelf-life of grapes for two days at room temperature. Therefore, photodynamic therapy should be commercialized as a high efficiency and non-thermal sterilization technology for use in the food industry.

Adoption and Reach of a statewide policy, systems, and environment intervention to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in West Virginia.

Food deserts-areas with limited access to affordable, healthy foods-are disproportionately in low-income areas of the USA and have been linked with poorer nutrition behaviors and health outcomes. From a social ecological perspective, increasing access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in communities should encourage consumption and health improvements. Change the Future West Virginia, a statewide intervention, was undertaken to make policy, system, and environment (PSE) changes to enhance access to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools, farmers markets, and retail food outlets. Previous local scale PSE change interventions have shown feasibility and population reach, but broader dissemination has not been evaluated. Thus, the purpose was to evaluate the Adoption and Reach of Change the Future West Virginia statewide nutrition-based PSE strategies, especially in food deserts. Evaluation data were collected monthly using an online performance monitoring tool, including open-ended items to assess barriers and facilitators of PSE changes. Schools from 48 of 55 counties with 261,829 enrollment (54% low-income) implemented 231 PSE activities, resulting in 35 counties serving locally produced foods. Adoption included two thirds (n = 82) of all farmers markets in the state-signed collaboration agreements, adding electronic benefit transfer machines at 29. Retail food Adoption included signed agreements with 22.1% (n = 101) of all grocery stores and 14.1% (n = 162) of all convenience stores in the state reaching 110,258 people (21.5%) in 27 food desert census tracts. Personnel consistency, local connections, and in-person meetings were important for PSE changes, highlighting the importance of human resources in the rural public health system and the potential of these intervention activities in rural, low-income states.

[Dietary control of metabolic acidosis in chronic kidney disease]. / Contrôle diététique de l'acidose métabolique chez le patient insuffisant rénal chronique.

Metabolic acidosis is a frequent complication of chronic kidney disease. Although it is known to appear at advanced stages, many studies suggest a state of "global protonic retention" starting at early stages of the disease, responsible of tissue damage, particularly musculoskeletal, alteration of protidic metabolism and endocrine disorders, promoting malnutrition and chronic inflammation, and finally increasing mortality. The majority of international recommandations suggest of supplementation by alkali, most of the time by sodium bicarbonate, to struggle against this complication. An interesting alternative to correct acidosis would consist on the modulation of the endogenous production of acid by playing with the alimentary incomes. In fact, it has been demonstrated that some different types of food produce or consume protons during their metabolism. Low protein diet and rich fresh fruits and vegetables diet would manage to correct at least as well as the supplementation by sodium bicarbonate the metabolic acidosis, and to struggle against its complications, noteworthy by slowing the decline of glomerular filtration rate by limiting the toxic adaptative fibrotic mechanisms, demonstrated by the decrease of urinary tubulo-interstitial suffering markers. Of the condition of being well led, those diets do not seem to expose patients to an over-risk of malnutrition or hyperkaliemia. They therefore appear to be an attractive alternative, efficiency and safe, to fight against chronic kidney disease metabolic acidosis and its complications.

The French, German, and Spanish sound of eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

A set of onomatopoeic expressions for eating fruits and vegetables is compared across subjects whose native language is Spanish, French, or German. Subjects chose the onomatopoeia that best represented the sound of eating a fruit or vegetable (celery, banana, strawberry, passion fruit, mango, apple, orange, and tomato). Results show there are onomatopoeias that have a higher frequency of response in one language compared to the others. Thus, it is possible to assume that depending on the language there is a better way to express haptic and auditory information associated to fruit and vegetable consumption. Moreover, and considering the three languages, results show there are three categories of responses based on the relative strength of the material (strong and medium strength, and soft). Thus, there is some consistency in the onomatopoeias that represent the sound of eating a fruit or a vegetable. To conclude, results differ by language, but they are consistent within a category of sound.

Effect of organic acids on biofilm formation and quorum signaling of pathogens from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Organic acids are known to be used as food preservatives due to their antimicrobial potential. This study evaluated the ability of three organic acids, namely, acetic acid, citric acid and lactic acid to manage E. coli and Salmonella sp. from fresh fruits and vegetables. Effect of these organic acids on biofilm forming ability and anti-quorum potential was also investigated. The effect of organic acids on inactivation of E. coli and Salmonella sp. on the surface of a selected vegetable (cucumber) was determined. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the organic acids were found to be 1.5, 2 and 0.2% in E. coli while it was observed to be 1, 1.5 and 1% in Salmonella sp. for acetic, citric and lactic acids respectively. Maximum inhibition of biofilm formation was recorded at 39.13% with lactic acid in E. coli and a minimum of 22.53% with citric acid in Salmonella sp. EPS production was affected in E. coli with lactic acid showing reduction by 13.42% while citric acid and acetic acid exhibited only 6.25% and 10.89% respectively. Swimming and swarming patterns in E. coli was notably affected by both acetic and lactic acids. Lactic and acetic acids showed higher anti-quorum sensing (QS) potential when compared to citric acid. 2% lactic acid showed a maximum inhibition of violacein production by 37.7%. Organic acids can therefore be used as potential quorum quenching agents in food industry. 2% lactic acid treatment on cucumber demonstrated that it was effective in inactivating E. coli and Salmonella sp. There was 1 log reduction in microbial count over a period of 6 days after the lactic acid treatment. Thus, organic acids can act as effective potential sanitizers in reducing the microbial load associated with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Study on E. coli and Salmonella biofilms from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Foodborne outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and vegetables are on the rise worldwide. Biofilm formation is one of the important traits of pathogens making them strongly attached to substrates as well as express virulence phenotypes. Present study investigates the biofilm forming ability of E. coli and Salmonella sp. isolated from fresh fruits and vegetables. A total of 53 strains, including 35 E. coli and 18 Salmonella sp. isolated from different fruit and vegetable samples were taken into account for the study. Initial screening for biofilm formation was done using Congo Red agar plate test. Results revealed that 22.8% E. coli and 22.2% Salmonella sp. were potential biofilm formers. However, the MTP (Micro-Titre Plate) assay suggested more isolates of both E. coli and Salmonella sp. were moderate to strong biofilm producers. Agar plate diffusion assay with Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL-4 showed the production of quorum signaling molecules (AHLs) by three isolates of E. coli and one Salmonella sp. Two E. coli isolates showed a significant amount of EPS production indicating higher biofilm forming potential. The Presence of LUX R homologue gene (sdiA) in two of the Salmonella isolates were confirmed by PCR which demonstrated their potential pathogenicity. Results of the work underline the biofilm forming and potentially virulent capacities of isolates from the surface of fruits and vegetables.

Elements of Access: The Effects of Food Outlet Proximity, Transportation, and Realized Access on Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Food Deserts.

This study surveys 900 supplemental nutrition assistance program recipient or eligible households and 300 supplemental nutrition assistance program ineligible households in local food deserts to identify the effects of different dimensions of access on fresh fruit and vegetables (FFV) consumption. While proximity and access to one's own car were not significant predictors of FFV consumption, realized access to nonsupermarket outlets did have a positive effect on fresh vegetable consumption. Among food insecure respondents, limited car access had a negative effect on FFV consumption. This research underlines the importance of focusing on dimensions of access other than proximity when considering interventions designed to improve nutrition and health outcomes in food deserts.

Cornus mas (Linnaeus) Novel Devised Medicinal Preparations: Bactericidal Effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The medicinal properties of Cornus mas L. (=Cornus mascula L.), Cornaceae, are well described in Hippocratian documents, and recent research provides experimental evidence for some of these properties. However, the chemical components of Cornus mas L. that may be of pharmaceutical importance are relatively unstable. In this respect a novel methodology for plant nutrient element extraction that provides favorable conditions for simultaneous stabilization of such fragile and unstable structures has been devised. Using this methodology, medicinal preparations derived from Cornus mas L. fresh fruits, proved to possess significant antimicrobial activity selective against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. This effect became apparent with the addition of sodium bromide in the extraction procedure and varied with the ion availability during extraction. The identification of novel agents with potent antimicrobial activity against these species is of medical importance to overcome the problem of universal antibiotic resistance.

Bioactive molecules as authenticity markers of Italian Chinotto (Citrus×myrtifolia) fruits and beverages.

Chinotto (Citrus×myrtifolia) is a uncommon fruit belonging to the Citrus genus, mainly cultivated in small areas of the Italian territory, where the main use concerns the eponymous drink, marketed with the name of "Chinotto". The lack of information about this fruit highlights the usefulness of nutraceutical compound characterization, as well as the need to identify genuineness markers in derived commercial products. An analytical strategy based on SPE-HPLC-F was developed to identify and quantify different bioactive compounds in Chinotto (Citrus×myrtifolia) fruits and commercial beverages. The method was fully validated and successfully applied to the analysis of nutraceutical compounds in Chinotto fruits of Italian origin and in some Chinotto-based beverages, granting reliable and consistent data. The obtained results provided preliminary key information about the bioactive profiling of Citrus×myrtifolia and proved the suitability of the selected compounds as authenticity markers of derived commercial soft drinks.

Quantificação de compostos fenólicos e ácido ascórbico em frutos e polpas congeladas de acerola, caju, goiaba e morango / Quantification of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid in fruits and frozen pulp of acerola, cashew, strawberry and guava

O crescente interesse da população pela promoção da saúde vem despertando a atenção dos consumidores por alimentos ricos em antioxidantes, combinado com a praticidade do consumo de sucos de frutos processados. O presente trabalho objetivou quantificar e avaliar a capacidade antioxidante de compostos fenólicos e ácido ascórbico em frutas in natura e polpas congeladas. As frutas in natura e polpas congeladas obtidas na região de Lavras - MG foram submetidas à quantificação de compostos fenólicos e ácido ascórbico e os respectivos extratos acetônico-etanólico e acetônico-metanólico. Foram determinadas suas atividades antioxidantes pelos métodos radicalares DPPH e ABTS. O extrato acetônico-metanólico foi mais efetivo para extrair os compostos antioxidantes das amostras. Apenas as polpas congeladas de acerola apresentaram uma redução do teor de compostos fenólicos em relação ao fruto. Para o teor de ácido ascórbico, houve uma redução nas polpas congeladas de acerola e goiaba. As amostras de acerola apresentaram os maiores teores de compostos fenólicos, ácido ascórbico e atividade antioxidante em relação aos demais frutos analisados.

The growing public interest in health- promotion, has called the attention of consumers for foods rich in antioxidants, combined with the practicality of the consumption of processed fruit juices. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify and evaluate the antioxidant capacity of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid in fruits "in natura" and frozen pulps. The fruits "in natura" and frozen pulps from region of Lavras-MG, underwent quantification of phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and the corresponding extracts acetonic-ethanolic and acetonic-methanolic. Their antioxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH and ABTS radical methods. The extract acetonic-methanolic was more effective to extract the antioxidant compounds from samples. Only frozen acerola pulps showed lower content of phenolic compounds in relation to fruit. For ascorbic acid, there was a reduction in the frozen pulp of acerola and guava. Acerola samples showed higher content of phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity compared to other fruits analyzed.