Automatic Milking Systems in the Production of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: Effects on the Milk Quality and on Cheese Characteristics

The adoption of innovative processes, such as the automatic milking system (AMS), in the production of typical PDO cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, needs to be evaluated and tested, to verify its influence on milk quality and the typicality of the product. The present research was aimed to study the effect of the introduction of the AMS on the cheesemaking characteristics of the milk and the ripening process and the sensory properties of the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese. Six cheesemaking trials were performed and, in each trial, two different separated pools of milk were submitted to the cheesemaking process in parallel, one from AMS and the other from a traditional milking parlor (TMP). AMS milk, in comparison with TMP one, showed higher content of lactose and calcium and lower contents of somatic cells, thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and chloride. Nevertheless, these changes were too small to influence the efficiency of the cheesemaking process and the cheese composition and its sensory profile. Moreover, cheeses made with AMS milk fully complied with the sensory characteristics of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese PDO, as defined by the PDO rules.

Aplikasi Zeolit-KMnO4 dan Silica Gel untuk Memperpanjang Green Life Mangga Arumanis (Mangifera Indica L)

Mangoes are harvested when ripe have an "eating quality" that consumers are them in, but quickly reach the senescence phase, making it less profitable for businesses. As a climacteric fruit, the ripening process of mango can be slowed down by using an ethylene adsorber. This study aims to determine the combination of zeolite-KMnO4 and silica gel as ethylene adsorber (EAB) to maintain the green life of ripe The material used is ethylene adsorber (EAB) which is applied to mango arumanis which is packaged with a weight package of 1000±50 g. After the shelf life is reached, the EAB is removed from the packaging and the mangoes are left at room temperature for natural ripening and continued until conditions are not acceptable to consumers. The results showed that the EAB application was able to maintain the green life of mangoes by the scenario of the shelf life both at cold and room temperature storage. Natural ripening of mango was achieved 5 days and 2 days after EAB was removed from the packaging, for cold and room temperature storage, respectively. The length of time until the panellists did not receive it was 20 days for cold storage and 12 days for the room, while the control for cold storage was 6 and 3 days at room temperature

Comparison of culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques in the detection of lactic acid bacteria biodiversity and dynamics throughout the ripening process: The case of Turkish artisanal Tulum cheese produced in the Anamur region

Our objective was to analyze the diversity of the microbiota over 180 d of ripening of eight batches of artisanal goatskin Tulum cheeses by culture-dependent and culture-independent (PCR-DGGE) methods. V3 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified with the PCR after direct DNA isolation from the cheese samples. Nine different species and five genera were determined by culturing, while 11 species were identified in the PCR-DGGE technique. This diversity revealed the uniqueness of artisanal cheese varieties. The dominant genera in all the cheese samples were composed of Enterococcus species. The culture-dependent method revealed five genera (Enterococcus,Bacillus,Lactococcus,Lactobacillus, Sphingomonas) while three genera (Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Lactococcus) were detected in the culture-independent method. It was concluded that combining the two methods is important for characterizing the whole microbiota of the Tulum cheese varieties produced in the Anamur region.

Transcriptional Regulation of Ripening in Chili Pepper Fruits (Capsicum spp.)

Chili peppers represent a very important horticultural crop that is cultivated and commercialized worldwide. The ripening process makes the fruit palatable, desirable, and attractive, thus increasing its quality and nutritional value. This process includes visual changes, such as fruit coloration, flavor, aroma, and texture. Fruit ripening involves a sequence of physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes that must be finely regulated at the transcriptional level. In this review, we integrate current knowledge about the transcription factors involved in the regulation of different stages of the chili pepper ripening process.

Effect of the Soil and Ripening Stage in Capsicum chinense var. Jaguar on the Content of Carotenoids and Vitamins

The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of the ripening stage and type of soil on the concentration of carotenoids and vitamins in Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Pepper plants were grown in two soils named according to the Mayan classification as: K’ankab lu’um (red soil) and Box lu’um (black soil). The results of two harvests at 320 and 334 PTD (post-transplant day) showed that the ripening stage exhibited a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the concentration of carotenoids and vitamins, while the effect of the soil type was negligible. The concentration of carotenoids decreases as the ripening process of the fruit takes place, with the highest concentration of lutein (49.47 ± 0.34 mg/100 g of dry mass), β-carotene (99.92 ± 0.69 mg/100 g of dry mass) and β-cryptoxanthin (20.93 ± 0.04 mg/100 g of dry mass) in the unripe peppers. The concentration of vitamins increases as the ripening process develops, with the highest concentration of Vitamin E (9.69 ± 0.02 mg/100 g of dry mass) and Vitamin C (119.44 ± 4.72 mg/100 g of dry mass) in the ripe peppers. This knowledge could be used to select the best ripening stage to harvest Habanero peppers according to the use of the pepper and to the needs of producers/company.

Comprehensive genome-wide analysis of calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA) in Durio zibethinus and identification of fruit ripening-associated DzCAMTAs

Background Fruit ripening is an intricate developmental process driven by a highly coordinated action of complex hormonal networks. Ethylene is considered as the main phytohormone that regulates the ripening of climacteric fruits. Concomitantly, several ethylene-responsive transcription factors (TFs) are pivotal components of the regulatory network underlying fruit ripening. Calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA) is one such ethylene-induced TF implicated in various stress and plant developmental processes. Results Our comprehensive analysis of the CAMTA gene family in Durio zibethinus (durian, Dz) identified 10 CAMTAs with conserved domains. Phylogenetic analysis of DzCAMTAs, positioned DzCAMTA3 with its tomato ortholog that has already been validated for its role in the fruit ripening process through ethylene-mediated signaling. Furthermore, the transcriptome-wide analysis revealed DzCAMTA3 and DzCAMTA8 as the highest expressing durian CAMTA genes. These two DzCAMTAs possessed a distinct ripening-associated expression pattern during post-harvest ripening in Monthong, a durian cultivar native to Thailand. The expression profiling of DzCAMTA3 and DzCAMTA8 under natural ripening conditions and ethylene-induced/delayed ripening conditions substantiated their roles as ethylene-induced transcriptional activators of ripening. Similarly, auxin-suppressed expression of DzCAMTA3 and DzCAMTA8 confirmed their responsiveness to exogenous auxin treatment in a time-dependent manner. Accordingly, we propose that DzCAMTA3 and DzCAMTA8 synergistically crosstalk with ethylene during durian fruit ripening. In contrast, DzCAMTA3 and DzCAMTA8 antagonistically with auxin could affect the post-harvest ripening process in durian. Furthermore, DzCAMTA3 and DzCAMTA8 interacting genes contain significant CAMTA recognition motifs and regulated several pivotal fruit-ripening-associated pathways. Conclusion Taken together, the present study contributes to an in-depth understanding of the structure and probable function of CAMTA genes in the post-harvest ripening of durian.

Colored Anti-Hail Nets Modify the Ripening Parameters of Nebbiolo and a Smart NIRS can Predict the Polyphenol Features

In the cultivation of vines the risk of hail appears to be increasing with the ongoing climate change. The use of protective plastic nets is spreading, but there is little knowledge on the additional processing costs and on the phenological and qualitative consequences, moreover, as depending on different colors of the nets. Thus, a randomized trial was carried out in Nebbiolo, a wine of great aging, testing three plastic anti-hail nets colored in green, gray and black. Results showed that 24% more-time was necessary for the canopy management practices under the nets. The black nets advanced the ripening process, with a berry weight decrease of about 13%. A significant decrease in the seed number per berry was observed under the black nets (-45%), while a rise (+102%) was observed under the green and gray nets with a parallel increase in the pH of the juice (+13%) and in malic acid (+28%) under the green nets. The berry skin did not show any significant differences in polyphenol and anthocyanin profiles, while the plants that matured in the upper part of the vineyard showed higher level in the berry skin extractable flavan-reactive to vanillin, and total polyphenol. On the other hand, in the seeds grown under green nets an increase in the extractable polyphenol compounds was observed, sign of a delay in seed ripening, with a higher tannin polymerization ratio, preserving the malic acid, and decreasing the acidity of the berry. In conclusion, the use of colored green may be a useful tool against excessive microclimatic warming and / or irradiation. The field internal variability affects much more the ripening dynamics than the nets used. A second aim was to develop a smart NIR SCiOTM model for polyphenols and the results were in line with the favorable expectations, providing R2 predictions of about 0.74 from the skin and 0.81 from the seeds.

Chromosome-Level Genome Sequence of Aspergillus chevalieri M1, Isolated from Katsuobushi

In this study, we report the chromosome-level genome sequence of the osmophilic filamentous fungus Aspergillus chevalieri M1, which was isolated from a dried bonito, katsuobushi. This fungus plays a significant role in the fermentation and ripening process. Thus, elucidating the sequence data for this fungus will aid in subsequent genomic research on the fungi involved in katsuobushi production.