Introduction. Camu-camu is a native Amazonian fruit mainly known for its high vitamin C content. Its composition confers high antioxidant capacity on this fruit and makes it a potential source of antioxidant products. The use of spray-drying with the aid of a carrier agent is a technique that has been applied for the preservation of important components of foods and drugs. The objective of our work was to evaluate the influence of those agents used as shell material on the vitamin content and total phenolic compounds of camu-camu powder juice obtained by spray-drying. Materials and methods. A commercial frozen camu-camu pulp was the raw material; maltodextrin and gum arabic were the selected carrier agents. Processes were performed in a mini-spray-dryer with inlet and outlet air temperatures of 180 °C and 85 °C, respectively, and a drying air flow rate of 700 L·h–1. Laser diffraction was used to determine the particle size distribution of the samples, and sorption isotherms of spray-dried camu-camu were measured using a static gravimetric method. Total phenolic compounds and vitamin C were determined in the raw pulp and in the powders obtained. Results. When using gum arabic and maltodextrin as the carrier agents, the moisture results obtained for the spray-dried camu-camu powders were 2.8% and 3.2%, respectively; the process yield was 84% and 72%, respectively. The spray-dried powder produced using gum arabic presented higher contents of vitamin C [(15,363 ± 226) mg·100 g–1] and phenolic compounds [(6,654 ± 596) mg GAE·100 g–1] than the powder obtained with maltodextrin, respectively (11,258 ± 298) mg·100 g–1 and (5,912 ± 582) mg GAE·100 g–1. Conclusions. The concentration factors for the vitamin C and phenolic compounds in camu-camu powder reveal the effectiveness of spray-drying to preserve the antioxidant capacity of this fruit. Gum arabic was a more effective barrier than maltodextrin for bioactive compound retention.

Introduction. Persea americana (avocado) fruit is known to be a rich source of proteins and minerals, as well as vitamins. Although many biological activities have been reported for avocado fruit, far less attention has been paid to the biological properties of its lipid-soluble bioactive substances. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antihemolytic activity of lipid-soluble bioactive compounds of avocado fruit. Materials and methods. Antioxidant and antihemolytic activity of lipid-soluble bioactive compounds of avocado fruit was assessed by employing different methods. Also, the ability of avocado fruit to protect fluorescein against oxidant-induced bleaching was evaluated. Results and discussion. The tested sample showed good antioxidant and antihemolytic activities. There was no significant difference between the reducing power of lipid-soluble bioactive substances in avocado fruits and ascorbic acid (p < 0.05). The tested sample showed weak ferrous ion-chelating activity. The sample exhibited moderate hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, but exhibited good antioxidant activity. Avocado fruit showed very good activity against 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride- and hydrogen peroxide-induced hemolysis in erythrocytes. Furthermore, it showed good protective effects against peroxyl radical-induced bleaching in fluorescein. Conclusion. Lipid-soluble bioactive substances of avocado fruit showed good activity in all of the studied models.

Introduction. Pescabivona is the name of an autochthonous peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batch] population of the central west of Sicily. In a previous work, this fruit was submitted to chemical analysis, while in this paper, sensory evaluation is considered. Materials and methods. Samples of four Pescabivona landraces were harvested throughout the harvest season. A trained panel outlined the sensory profiles and the data were processed by ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A correlation between sensory analysis and instrumental data was finally carried out. Results and discussion. The results demonstrated a high standard of quality for the four landraces studied, with some differences in aroma intensity and in some other parameters, with sweetness and aroma being highly correlated with overall liking. PCA did not clearly separate the different landraces as they have the same origin. Some correlations between sensory analysis and instrumental data were verified. The sensory liking was correlated with the main ripeness parameters, as well as with the pulp firmness. Conclusion. The data obtained contribute to outlining a complete fruit profile for product comparison and shelf-life monitoring. As previously verified for chemical parameters, the sensory evaluation indicates a substantial similarity among the landraces. The good agreement between sensory evaluation and composition makes sensory analysis a precious tool to assess quality of Pescabivona landraces.

Introduction. Raspberry is an economically important berry crop; its fruit contains numerous phenolic compounds with potential health benefits. It is known that the chemical content of the fruit is affected by processing factors, but limited information is available on the influence of production factors or impact of genotypes. Materials and methods. The raspberry cultivars tested in our study were Autumn Bliss, Batum, Heritage, Polana (red fruits) and Golden Bliss (yellow fruits); a hybrid boysenberry and a black raspberry (black fruits). The plants were grown in two subtropical areas in Brazil. Harvested fruits were used to determine the contents of bioactive compounds (anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, β-carotene, lycopene and total phenols), antioxidant activity and mineral composition (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, copper, manganese, zinc and iron). Results. Our results revealed a strong influence of the site on the parameters evaluated and indicated the existence of variation among the cultivars. In general, colored raspberries are a rich source of nutrients, especially nitrogen, potassium, iron and manganese, and contain significant amounts of bioactive compounds.

Introduction. This study was carried out in French Guiana, over ten years (1994–2003) by three institutions (SPV, FDGPC and CIRAD); it updates the current state of knowledge of Tephritidae (both Dacini and Toxotrypanini tribes) species present in this country. Materials and methods. The work was mainly conducted in inhabited areas (from the Brazilian border to the Surinamese border) where cultivated fruit crops are located. Specimens were obtained by adult trapping and fruit sampling in nearby orchards and at the edge of the rainforest. Trapping was done consistently for 10 years, while fruit sampling was a discontinuous activity. We present only the results for fruit sampling from three consecutive years (2001–2003) in which a total of 880 kg from 45 fruit species in 22 plant families were collected. Results. Twenty-nine plant species from fourteen plant families were found to be hosts of twenty-one Anastrepha species and one Bactrocera species, Bactrocera carambolae Drew and Hancock. During this period, no specimen of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was collected in traps or fruit samples. We registered the main fruit trees which were hosts for B. carambolae and Anastrepha spp. Five hymenopterous parasitoid species were identified. Among them, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) is an exotic species and was introduced into French Guiana in collaboration with Brazilian authorities (EMBRAPA) in 2000 and 2001 within the framework of a classical biological control program. Conclusion. Our data provide baseline information about the tephritid species of economic importance present in French Guiana and assist in developing potential future control programs of both the B. carambolae and Anastrepha species in the Amazon Basin. These preliminary results are discussed in the light of their implication for rainforest conservation efforts and also evolutionary relationships between fruit flies and their hosts.

Introduction. Bacterial canker, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, is a destructive disease where stone fruit trees are cultivated. The efficacy of nitrogen and calcium fertilization on bacterial canker susceptibility was evaluated in stone fruits. Materials and methods. Field experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of foliar applications of calcium nitrate, and ground fertilization with CAN-17 plus low-biuret urea foliar spray on bacterial susceptibility in ‘Riegel’ peach, ‘French’ prune and ‘Nonpareil’ almond growing in ring nematode-infested and nematicide-fumigated soils. Host susceptibility was evaluated by measuring the length of lesions developed following inoculation with P. syringae pv. syringae. Results and discussion. Foliar applications of Ca(NO3)2 significantly increased leaf nitrogen and bark calcium concentrations in peach trees growing in both fumigated and nonfumigated areas. Peach trees growing in nonfumigated areas developed significantly longer lesions than trees growing in fumigated areas. However, Ca(NO3)2 foliar applications had no effect in decreasing peach susceptibility to bacterial infection in both nonfumigated and fumigated areas. After inoculation, diseased prune trees developed significantly longer lesions than healthy trees. Leaf and bark calcium concentrations of diseased prune were significantly increased after Ca(NO3)2 foliar sprays, but again the treatments did not significantly affect prune susceptibility to bacterial infection. However, nitrogen fertilization with CAN-17 and urea significantly increased the bark nitrogen concentration of almond trees, and these trees had significantly smaller lesions than those not receiving nitrogen fertilization. Foliar application of calcium (Nutri-Cal) did not affect almond susceptibility to bacterial canker. Collectively, these data support the previous hypothesis that increased susceptibility of stone fruits to P. syringae pv. syringae under nematode infestation conditions is mediated by both nitrogen effects and nitrogen-independent effects, and application of ammonium nitrogen may have some beneficial effects in reducing stone fruit susceptibility to bacterial canker where ring nematode infestation prevails.

The product. Aonla (Emblica officinalis Geartn), the king of arid fruits, popularly known as “Indian gooseberry”, is a small-sized minor subtropical fruit grown widely in North India. India ranks first in the world in aonla area and production volume. It is considered to be a “wonder fruit for health” because of its unique properties. Uses. Aonla fruit is very useful in treating many diseases such as diabetes, cough, asthma, bronchitis, headache, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, skin diseases, leprosy, jaundice, scurvy, diarrhea and cancer. Packaging. Different packaging materials such as nylon net, perforated polyethylene bags, ventilated corrugated fiber boxes, gunny bags, wooden crates, etc., can be used for prolonging the storage life of fruit. Storage. Refrigerated storage helps in enhancing the storage life of fruit. Value addition. There are numerous products such as aonla squash, candy, jam, chutney, etc., which are prepared from aonla fruit. Inclusion of these products in the diet definitely helps in improving the nutritional value of Indian meals. Discussion. The low cost of the products as well as good sensory, nutritional and shelf life qualities mean that processed aonla products are appropriate for commercialization. In order to obtain a good income from aonla, it must be sold immediately in the market; if not, to make profit, proper storage facilities should be available.