Food Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Nutritional and sensory analysis of prepared plum (Prunus domestica) fruit leather

Girija Sherma — 2024-10-15

The aim of this study was to analyze the nutritional and chemical values of the plum pulp and prepared leather, as well as the sensory evaluation of prepared plum leather. Six samples A, B, C, D, E and F were prepared with 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, 90:10 and 100:0 fruit pulp:sugar ratio respectively. The findings revealed that as the proportion of pulp in the leather increases, proximate constituents, titratable acidity, and vitamin C content also increases, while pH decreases significantly. Conversely, increasing the amount of sugar in the leather leads to a significant increase in carbohydrate content, energy, and total soluble solids. For sensory analysis, a 9-point hedonic rating test was conducted. The sensory evaluation revealed that all sensory attribute scores were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in leather prepared using 60 parts and 70 parts plum pulp. Nevertheless, nutritional characteristics in sample C (70 parts pulp) were significantly higher than those in sample B (60 parts pulp). Therefore, sample C was selected as the best among all the samples and had moisture (18.01±0.01), crude protein (0.87±0.02%), crude fat (0.46±0.03%), total ash (1.32±0.06%), crude fiber (1.01±0.01%), titratable acidity (1.46±0.01%), vitamin C (4.90±0.01 mg/100 g), pH (4.67±0.02), total soluble solids (58.02±0.03 °Bx), energy value (393.05±0.03 Kcal/100 g), and carbohydrate (96.35±0.03%). The thickness of the final product was 0.64 cm.

Soil acidifying effects of synthetically produced fertilizer application in high rainfall areas of Northwestern Ethiopia

Shambel Aseffa Teketel — 2024-10-15

Soil acidification is a natural process in high rainfall areas where leaching slowly acidifies the soil over time. Thus, a field experiment was conducted at Pawe Agricultural Research Center in 2018 to evaluate the effects of synthetically produced fertilizer on the fertility status of soil under Pawe conditions in Northwestern Ethiopia. The treatments consisted of factorial arrangements of four levels of Nitrogen (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha) and four levels of Phosphorus (0, 37.5, 75, and 112.5 kg/ha) that were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications in a factorial arrangement. Forty-eight soil samples were collected from the field for analysis. The results of this study revealed that soil acidification and P enrichment were the foremost problems identified. Soil acidification due to the use of phosphorus fertilizer is small compared to that attributed to nitrogen due to the lower amounts of this nutrient used and the lower acidification per kg of phosphorus. Application of synthetically produced fertilizer beyond 50 kg/ha N leads to potential environmental hazards of N and P pollution of nearby aquatic bodies, specifically in areas with high rainfall. Therefore, proposing different ameliorative measures and practicing area-specific recommendations are vital in areas that can receive higher annual rainfall.

Prevalence and intensity of metacercariae in cyprinoid fish from Lam Pao Dam reservoir, Northeastern Thailand

Nipawan Du Souich — 2024-10-15

The northeast of Thailand is considered as an endemic area of trematode infection. The infective stage of trematode (metacercariae) is encysted in the cyprinoid fish which transmitted to human by raw fish ingestion. The aims of our study were to report the prevalence of the infected cyprinoid fish from Lam Pao Dam Reservoir and identify the metacercariae species. This research was conducted during May to August 2019. Fish species were identifed by morphological method then an individual samples were minced and mixed in 0.25% pepsin solution in 1% HCl. The suspension was fltered with a series of sieves (850, 300 mm) and washed with 0.85% NaCl. All metacercariae were identifed under a stereomicroscope and a compound light microscope. The total of 482 cyprinoid fish individuals were identifed as seven fish species namely Henicorhynchus siamensis, Puntioplites proctozystron, Barbonymus altus, Osteochilus vittatus, Osteochilus lini, Puntius brevis and Thynnichthys thynnoides. Metacercariae were found in fve of seven species which H. siamensis showed the highest percentage (8.18% of prevalence) with intensity was 13.61 metacercariae per fish. A total of 278 metacercariae were found and Haplorchis pumilio (88.13%) was the most abundance metacercariae. The infection of Opisthorchis viverrini and heterophyid metacercariae was also reported in this study. This research indicates the risk of human parasite infection when consuming raw fish.

Assessment of genetic variability in maize cultivars (Zea mays L.) in Mahasarakham Province, Thailand based on ISSR analysis

Juthaporn Saengprajak — 2024-10-15

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereals and most widely cultivated staple crops worldwide. Studying genetic diversity is necessary for varietal identification, better understanding of relationships, and conserving genetic resources. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of eight local maize cultivars sourced from Kantarawichai, Muang, Chiang Yuen, Na Chueak, and Yang Si Surat in Mahasarakham Province, Thailand. DNA profiling was conducted using 14 ISSR markers, revealing that 11 of these markers produced a total of 61 bands, with an average of 5.55 alleles per locus across the samples. Our findings demonstrated a high polymorphism rate of 86.85%. The genetic similarity coefficients ranged from 0.128 to 0.791, while PIC values varied from 0.12 to 0.44, averaging 0.34. ISSR markers exhibited significant discriminatory power in detecting genetic diversity. The dendrogram classified genotypes into three clusters: Cluster I comprised genotypes with yellow kernels, Cluster II included five genotypes divided into two subclusters—SCII-A with white kernels and SCII-B with mixed kernels—and Cluster III with one genotype featuring white kernels. This clustering based on kernel colors closely aligned with the ISSR profiles of the maize genetic resources, effectively distinguishing between groups with different kernel types. These results highlight the effective use of ISSR markers in assessing genetic diversity among local maize cultivars in Mahasarakham Province. This preliminary evaluation emphasizes the importance of conserving and utilizing local maize genetic resources to enhance regional maize cultivation and support future breeding programs.

Encapsulation of Trichoderma harzianum with sodium alginate and evaluation of efficacy against fungal plant pathogen

Kittisak Phuengsanthia — 2024-10-15

Plant pathogenic fungi pose signifcant agricultural challenges, potentially as the cause of crop damage and reduced yields. This study evaluated the effectiveness of bioproducts formulated by encapsulating Trichoderma harzianum spores with sodium alginate for controlling 3 plant pathogenic fungi: Fusarium sp., Curvularia sp., and Alternaria sp. The assessment employed the dual culture methods on a potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. The research revealed that this bioproduct’s wet and dry forms, stored at different temperatures (4 °C and 28±2 °C), could maintain their spherical, uniform, and green appearances. Spore counts and spore survival for wet and dry forms stored at 4 °C were 2.53×106, 1.01×106 and 1.31×106, 1.10×105 spores/ ml, respectively. Spore counts and spore survival for those stored at 28±2 °C were 3.18×106, 1.11×106 and 1.29×106, 1.00×105 spores/ml, respectively. Regarding the control of pathogenic fungi growth, both wet and dry forms stored at 4 °C exhibited inhibition percentages ranging from 64.10% to 82.35% and 64.74% to 81.25%, respectively. Similarly, those stored at 28±2 °C were shown to have inhibition percentages ranging from 65.38% to 84.31% and 66.66% to 86.27%, respectively. Statistically signifcant differences (p<0.05) were observed in the inhibition rates of all 3 pathogenic fungi between the two forms of bioproducts stored at different temperatures.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Artocarpus lakoocha leaves and heartwood for natural food preservative

Supaporn Pumriw — 2024-10-15

Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. (Moraceae) is highly regarded for its properties. The bioactive composition (total phenolic and ﬂavonoid contents) of A. lakoocha leaves and heartwood extracts, as well as the antioxidant activity against 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), were evaluated. Furthermore, the antibacterial properties of these extracts were evaluated against strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium). Our study showed that the heartwood extracts had high total phenolic content (53.93 mg GAE/g dry extract), total ﬂavonoid content (1459.73 µg QE/g dry extract), and strong antioxidant activity (119.37 µg Vitamin C/g dry extract). The antibacterial results also demonstrated that the heartwood extracts showed a maximum inhibition zone of 15.55 mm against B. cereus. While the leaf extracts’ inhibitory zone against B. cereus was 4.86 mm. Both extracts were sensitive to gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (1.953 mg/mL). However, the extracts were insensitive to S. typhimurium, with the highest MIC value of 125 mg/mL and 3.906 mg/mL from leaves and heartwood extracts respectively. The result’s fndings underscore the bioactive composition, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial properties of A. lakoocha heartwood extract, suggesting its potential as a possible natural antibacterial source for food preservation applications.

Potential of different seaweed extract compounds for sustainable post-harvest management of plant foods: A review

Mehul Chudasama — 2024-10-15

Seaweeds are a rich source of various bioactive compounds with promising applications in agriculture. This article explores the extraction techniques and potential of seaweed extracts as a natural approach to post-harvest preservation of fruits and vegetables. The presence and functions of key phytohormones in seaweed i.e., auxins, cytokinin, gibberellins, and abscisic acid (ABA) were explained. These hormones play a crucial role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. The article highlights how seaweed extracts containing these phytohormones can inﬂuence shelf life, quality, and disease resistance in fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that seaweed extracts can extend shelf life by reducing weight loss, maintaining frmness, and improving nutritional content. Additionally, seaweed extracts demonstrate potential as a natural alternative to synthetic fungicides for controlling post-harvest diseases. Overall, this review suggested that seaweed extracts offer a sustainable and effective approach to enhancing the postharvest management of fruits and vegetables.