Effects of Production Methods on Flavour Characteristics of Nonalcoholic Wine

The growing awareness on the negative effects of alcohol on health and other factors like religious beliefs, responsible driving, and strict alcohol regulatory laws have contributed to the overwhelming demand for nonalcoholic wines. Numerous methods are available for producing nonalcoholic wines which encompass both restrictive ethanol production processes (interrupted fermentation, cold fermentation, juice/wine blends, use of unripe fruit, enzyme, and special and immobilized yeasts) and alcohol removal methods (heat, membrane, and extraction techniques). Studies have shown that these methods significantly affect the flavour characteristics of the wine, which is a key quality parameter in wine purchasing and consumption. It is in view of this that this work seeks to review current articles on the effects of production methods on the flavour characteristics of nonalcoholic wine. This review will provide insight on nonalcoholic wine production methods, their merits and demerits, and contributions to flavour characteristics. It will also unfold research opportunities in the field of nonalcoholic wine production for continual improvement and development of the wine industry.

Antioxidant and physicochemical properties of Chrysophyllum albidum fruit at different ripening stages

Chrysophyllum albidum (African Star Apple) fruit is an indigenous African fruit. The African Star Apple plant popularly referred to as the “alasa” tree grows widely in tropical Africa. Ripening influences biochemical processes and subsequently affects the nutritional and bioactive characteristics of the fruits. This study sampled Chrysophyllum albidum fruit of three maturity stages and determined the colour, proximate, total phenol and antioxidant characteristics of the fruits. Spectrophotometric methods were used in the determination of total antioxidant activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2-azinobis,3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in the colour of the fruit across all the ripening stages. The ripe stage of the fruit recorded the highest extent of lightness among all the other ripening stages. Both the ripe and over-ripe fruits appeared reddish in colour with the ripe fruit demonstrating a higher red intensity than the over-ripe fruit. The calculated metric chroma of the Chrysophyllum albidum fruits were in the range of 2.33-21.67 for the three ripening stages. Hue angle values recorded were in the range 46.46-92.00. Browning and colour indices for fruits of all the stages of development were of range 6.40-80.30 and -14.30-16.96, respectively. Proximate analysis of the three fruit categories showed that the unripe fruits had higher carbohydrate (69.27 %), crude protein (8.17 %), and crude fat (7.99 %) content relative to fruits which were ripe and over-ripe. The over-ripe fruit had higher crude fibre (7.36 %) and ash (3.86 %) content. Total phenolic content for the unripe fruit (20μg GAE/mg) was also higher than fruits of the other ripening stages. The antioxidant ability of the Chrysophyllum albidum fruit showed that the unripe stage recorded the highest DPPH (29.24 %) and ABTS (99.09 %) radical scavenging activity. The ferric reducing antioxidant potential of the fruit at different ripening stages was significantly different (p<0.05) with the unripe stage recording the highest potential. The unripe fruits demonstrated higher proximate and antioxidant composition than the ripe and over-ripe fruits. Extracts from the unripe fruit can serve as useful nutraceuticals in functional food formulations.

Biochemical composition, nutritional analysis and antioxidant activity of Buchanania lanzan Spreng fruits

Buchanania lanzan Spreng belongs to the family Anacardiaceae. The primary focus of this study was to examine phytochemical, proximate, antioxidant property and GCMS evaluation of unripe and ripen fruit of B. lanzan Spreng. The phytochemical studies showed that alkaloids, phenols, flavones, saponins, coumarins, glycosides and tannins are present in both ripen and unripe fruits. The proximate evaluation confirmed that crude fat (14.5%) and protein (6.37±0.69 g/100g) is high in ripen fruit. In unripe fruit (11.3%) crude fat and protein (4.11%) is less percent. The carotenoid (5.58 ± 0.5 mg/100g) and catalase (0.226±0.074 mg/100g) activity is higher in unripe fruit. The total polyphenol (6.4±0.8 mg/100g) and peroxidase (0.362±0.017 mg/100g) content show greater activity in ripen fruit. In DPPH and FRAP highest activity showed in methanol extract of ripen and unripe fruit than the other solvent. GC-MS evaluation showed many bioactive compounds present in unripe and ripen fruit. It is concluded that nutritional and bioactive ability is high in ripen and unripe fruits of B. lanzan. The fruits of B.lanzan are a good source of nutrition and medicinally important.

Parameter Optimization of Vibrating and Comb-Brushing Harvesting of Lycium barbarum L. Based on FEM and RSM

The current mechanical harvesting methods of Lycium barbarum L. are labor intensive and cause too much damage, but vibrating and comb-brushing harvesting can increase the efficiency while minimizing the damage. However, optimizing the main factors and their parameter values of vibrating and comb-brushing harvesting is challenging. To achieve the high-efficiency and low-damage harvesting of L. barbarum, firstly, the mechanical models of the materials used in the experiments were established based on the physical tests. Then, the vibrating and comb-brushing harvesting simulations were conducted based on FEM to acquire the ranges of the parameter values. The effects of the rotating speed, material, and amplitude on the harvesting rate of ripe fruit and harvesting rate of unripe fruit, as well as the damage rate of ripe fruit were determined based on RSM. Finally, the optimized parameters were obtained and verified using the field experiments. The field experiments showed that the harvesting rate of ripe fruit was 85.8%, the harvesting rate of unripe fruit was 10.5%, and the damage rate of ripe fruit was 9.7%. The findings provided the optimal parameter values, which were a design basis for the vibrating and comb-brushing harvesters of L. barbarum.

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT IN RIPE AND UNRIPE POMEGRANATE (PUNICA GRANATUM L.) FRUIT JUICE

Objective: P. granatum L. is famous for antioxidant activity and utilized as a nourishing foodstuff. This work aimed to recognize the antioxidant activity and TPC in extracts of ripe and unripe fruit juice. Methods: Competency of the solvents (water, methanol, acetone, chloroform, ethanol) were evaluated by analyzing extracts of ripe and unripe P. granatum L. fruit juice for TPC and DPPH* scavenging assay. FTC method measured the level of peroxides. Results: In TPC extraction, the water solvent showed greater potential in both ripe (10.5±2.1) and unripe fruit juice (4.1±0.3) amongst all other solvents. Ethanol and water solvent showed the highest value of DPPH* scavenging activity (96%±6.81 and 72%±3.50 respectively) in ripe and unripe fruit juice. According to absorbance of DPPH radicals, the water solvent showed the highest antioxidant potential in ripe fruit juice (86%±6.78) like chloroform solvent in unripe fruit juice (14%±0.03). Unripe fruit juice showed lowest level of absorbance of DPPH radicals and highest antioxidant potential amid all solvents. In FTC method, unripe fruit juice showed the highest antioxidant activity and low amount of peroxides for consecutively seven days. Conclusion: Ripe fruit juice showed the highest TPC and unripe fruit juice showed the maximum value of antioxidant potential. P. granatum L. provides an excellent supply of antioxidant activity and used in pharmaceutical and food industry.

Dietary fiber, starch, and sugars in bananas at different stages of ripeness in the retail market

The goal of this work was to evaluate changes in dietary fiber measured by the traditional enzymatic-gravimetric method (AOAC 991.43) and the more recently accepted modified enzymatic-gravimetric method (AOAC 2011.25), mono- and disaccharides, and starch as a function of assessed ripeness in a controlled study of a single lot of bananas and in bananas at the same assessed stages of ripeness from bananas purchased in retail stores, from different suppliers. Sugars, starch, and dietary fiber were analyzed in bananas from a single lot, at different stages of ripeness, and in retail samples at the same assessed stages of ripeness. Mean fiber measured by the traditional enzymatic-gravimetric method (EG) was ~2 g/100g and not affected by ripeness. Mean fiber assessed with the recently modified method (mEG) was ~18 g/100g in unripe fruit and decreased to 4–5 g/100g in ripe and ~2 g/100g in overripe bananas. Slightly ripe and ripe bananas differed by ~1.1 g/100g in the controlled single-lot study but not among retail samples. There was a large increase in fructose, glucose and total sugar going from unripe to ripe with no differences between ripe and overripe. Aside from stage of ripeness, the carbohydrate composition in retail bananas is likely affected by differences in cultivar and post-harvest handling. Results from this study demonstrate the importance of measuring dietary fiber using the mEG approach, developing more comprehensive and sensitive carbohydrate analytical protocols and food composition data, and recognizing the impact of different stages of maturity and ripeness on carbohydrate intake estimated from food composition data.

AEGLE MARMELOS (BAEL PATRA): AN AYURVEDIC PLANT WITH ETHNOMEDICINAL VALUE

Aegle marmelos is considered as the most sacred or holy plant which is grown by the sides of Hindu temples. This plant is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is also believed that Lord Shiva resides under the Bael tree. Besides this, the plant is associated with a great medicinal value whose medicinal description is also mentioned in the ancient treatise like Vedas, Puranas, Charaka Samhita and Brihat Samhita and has also been portrayed in the paintings of Ajanta caves. Every part of the Bael plant is used to treat various diseases. In Ayurveda, the plant is used in Panchang form to treat diarrhea, dysentery and ulcer. In folklore, the plant parts are used to treat diabetes, skin diseases and typhoid, wound healing, ulcer, stomachache, jaundice, high BP, malaria, cancer and other diseases. The fruit of the plant is edible and carries great medicinal value because of the presence of vitamins, minerals and various antioxidants. The pulp of the fruit is aromatic, sweet, pale orange and resinous. The unripe fruit pulp of the plant is used to prepare murabba, pudding and juice. The plant is associated with ethnomedicinal uses and possesses various therapeutic and pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antihistamine, radio protective, antiulcer, anticancer, cardio-protective, antidiarrheal, antibacterial, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antiviral. In this review article, attempts have been made to summarize the phytochemistry, ethnomedicinal, Ayurvedic and pharmacological view of the Bael plant.

Finite Element Method Simulations and Experiments of Detachments of Lycium barbarum L.

When harvesting Lycium barbarum L., excess amounts of detachments of the half-ripe fruit, unripe fruit, flowers, and leaves significantly affect the yield and adversely affect the subsequent processing, such as drying and grading. Finite element method (FEM) simulations and experiments of detachments were performed to harvest more ripe fruit and less half-ripe fruit, unripe fruit, flowers, and leaves. Three-dimensional (3D) models of the ripe fruit, half-ripe fruit, unripe fruit, flowers, leaves, fruit calyxes (flower calyx), fruit stems (flower stem), and branches were constructed using a 3D scanner, and material mechanics models of the above parts were established based on physical tests with universal testing machines. Detachment simulations and experiments of the ripe fruit, half-ripe fruit, unripe fruit, flowers, and leaves were performed to determine the detachment mechanisms and sequences. The detachment forces of each set of two parts were obtained. The field experiments showed that the detachment force between the fruit and calyx of ripe fruit was the lowest value of these forces, and only the ripe fruit was the first to detach from the calyx when harvesting. The results provided data support on the mechanics properties of wood and the optimization basis for the harvesting method of L. barbarum.