Introduction. The cultivationof high-value fruit species is a profitable agricultural activityin many tropical countries; however, intensive fruit cultivationmay depend on high amounts of external inputs. The objective ofour study was to quantify and compare the resource use during thecultivation of eight tropical fruit species (Rubus glaucus, Solanum quitoense, Passiflora edulis, Cyphomandra betacea, Physalis peruviana, Ananas comosus, Persea americana and Mangifera indica) commonly cultivated in Colombia.It further aimed to identify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in theselected production systems and to highlight the potential to contributeto climate change mitigation efforts. Materials and methods. Theanalysis was based on data from agricultural databases and applieda life-cycle assessment with energy use and GHG emissions as impact categories.Furthermore, economic indicators were taken into account with theaim of integrating the environmental and economic goals of productionsystems. Results and discussion. Among the eight fruitspecies studied, mango (Mangifera indica) was foundto have the lowest and tree tomato (Cyphomandra betacea)the highest emission profile. The variability in resource use amonggrowers of the same species was high, indicating the need to improve managementabilities at the farm level. Mineral fertilizer production was the highestcontributor to GHG emissions. GHG- and energy-efficient managementalternatives would have a high potential to reduce the carbon footprint offruit cultivation.

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. Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceumL.) is a kind of tropical fruit with high commercial value ininternational trade. However, harvested rambutan fruits suffer from ashort shelf life and show rapid postharvest deterioration problems dueto spintern browning and flesh decay. Materials andmethods. Rambutan fruit (cv. ‘Baoyan 5’) were harvestedin 2009 and 2010. Changes in some chemical components and thephysiology of fruits were investigated at different storagetemperatures (25 °C and 10 °C) and with different packing materials(regular low-density polyethylene and anti-moisture polyethylenebags). Results and discussion. Changes in the developmentof the browning index, and contents of total soluble solids,titratable acidity and vitamin C greatly decreased during lowtemperature storage (10 °C); moreover, low temperature storage (10 °C)could maintain a significantly higher level of superoxide dismutaseactivity and lower values of malondialdehyde and cell membranepermeability. The effects of packing material were different accordingto the different storage temperatures. At 10 °C, the beneficialeffects of anti-moisture polyethylene bags on fruit quality andphysiology were observed. However, at 25 °C, fruit packed with regularlow-density polyethylene proved to be of better quality than thosepacked with anti-moisture polyethylene bags. Conclusion.The overall results suggest that packing with anti-moisturepolyethylene bags and storage at 10 °C were the most suitableconditions to maintain quality and to extend the storage life oframbutan fruit.

Introduction. The fruits ofthe Brazilian Savannah have potential to improve the human diet,income generation and, consequently, the quality of life for sociallyvulnerable families. Among the native fruits of the Savannah, onethat stands out is the ‘jatobá do cerrado’ (Hymenaea stigonocarpa).Therefore, the physical characteristics, chemical composition (titratableacidity, soluble solids, pH, moisture, ash, proteins, lipids andtotal dietary fiber), occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbicand dehydroascorbic acids), carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthinand lycopene), vitamin E (α, β, γ and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols)and folates (tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate)were evaluated in pulp of ‘jatobá do cerrado’ from the BrazilianSavannah. Materials and methods. The length, diameter,mass and fruit yield were evaluated. The titratable acidity wasdetermined by volumetric neutralization; pH by potentiometry; solublesolids by refractometry; moisture using an oven; ash using a muffle furnace;proteins by the micro-Kjeldhal method; total dietary fiber by thegravimetric non-enzymatic method; and lipids with a Soxhlet extractor.Vitamin C and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin Eand folates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results anddiscussion. The jatobá do cerrado’ presented low pulp yield (17.1%)and moisture (8.8 g×100 g–1), and high contents of total dietaryfiber (44.3 g×100 g–1), protein (5.6 mg×100 g–1) and energy (193.0 kcal×100 g–1).The fruit presented reduced contents of carotenoids and vitamin C [(0.4and 8.9) mg×100 g–1, respectively]. The contents of vitamin E andfolates [(53.5 and 495.5) μg×100 g–1, respectively] were higherthan in other widely consumed fruits. Conclusion. The‘jatobá do cerrado’ is a source of vitamin C, good source of folates, andexcellent source of dietary fiber. Due to its nutritional value,‘jatobá do cerrado’ is an important dietary alternative; thus, its consumptionshould be encouraged.

Introduction. Shea tree (V.paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.), a species endemic to the Sudaniansavanna woodlands, is dominant in the parklands of West Africa whereit is of great socioeconomic importance. However, shea tree hasbeen reported in recent decades to be threatened by plant parasites,Loranthaceae. Our study aimed to assess possible variation of theimpact of these parasites on shea tree fruit yield in two contrastinghabitats. Materials and methods. We selected 41 weaklyand 41 heavily infected shea tree individuals, of similar size,in a protected area as well as in its adjacent parklands. Shea treetraits such as diameter at breast height, canopy diameter, treeheight, canopy height, number of fruit yielded, number of parasite stumpsper tree and an impact index ratio were assessed on each shea treeindividual. Two-way ANOVA was performed to compare parasite impacton shea tree fruit yield in relation to habitat. Hierarchical cluster, canonicaldiscriminant and one-way ANOVA analyses were used to show quantitativetraits that characterize shea tree groups from habitats. Results.Loranthaceae did not reduce fruit yield significantly either inthe parklands or in the protected area. Quantitative traits tendedto discriminate all pooled shea trees in relation to habitats. Sheatree individuals in parklands were characterized mostly by the highestvalue of number of infected stumps per tree and of the impact index ratio,suggesting that many shea tree individuals in parklands were sensitiveto Loranthaceae impact on their fruit yield. Conclusion.These findings were helpful for implementing some shea tree conservationplans.

Introduction. Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme(ACE) is a key component in regulation of blood pressure by virtue ofthe rennin-angiotensin system. ACE converts the inactive decapeptide,angiotensin I, into the potent vasopressor octapeptide, angiotensinII, and inactivates bradykinin, which has a vasodilating action. So,inhibition of ACE has become a major target in control ofhypertension. It is well known that the consumption of fruits couldprovide health benefits by lowering the risk of chronic diseases suchas metabolic syndrome diseases including type 2 diabetes andcardiovascular disease. Our current study was focused on investigatingthe ACE inhibitory property of a few underutilized minor fruits ofWest Bengal using an in vitro assay. Materialsand methods. The potential antihypertensive activity ofunderutilized indigenous edible fruits of West Bengal, India, wasevaluated by their ability to inhibit Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme(ACE). The ACE inhibitory property was assayed using ACE from rabbitlung and hippuryl-histidyl-leucine as the substrate. Nineteen fruitspecies belonging to 15 families were investigated. The percentage ACEinhibitory activities of these fruits were studied at 20 µg freshweight of fruit extract per mL. The total phenol content of all thesefruits was determined following the standard Folin-Ciocalteu method.Total flavonoid content was also measured. Results. Theaqueous fruit extracts of the red variety of Trapabispinosa, Phoenix sylvestris,Cicca acida, Achras sapota andAverrhoa carambola presented more than 75% ACEinhibition. On the other hand, Punica granatum,Spondias pinnata, Trapabispinosa (green) and Ziziphus mauritianashowed about 50% inhibition. Aeglemarmelos, Annona squamosa, Annona reticulata,Feronia elephantum, Physalis peruviana andSyzygium jambos showed low activity (< 50%inhibition). Discussions. To date there has been noreport on Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme inhibitory activities ofthese underutilized minor fruits of West Bengal, India. During ourstudy no correlation could be established between the % ACE inhibitionand the total phenol or flavonoid content of these fruit extracts. So,it appears that non-phenolic components may also be responsible forACE inhibitory activity. In our investigation we tried to establishthe fact that the consumption of these underutilized minor fruitsmight have potential in managing cardiovascular diseases.

Introduction. The aim of ourstudy was to analyze the effect of various levels of light availabilityin the fruit microenvironment (induced by summer pruning) on somefruit quality traits. Materials and methods. Two levelsof summer pruning were set: removal of either 30% or 60% of thecanopy leaf area. These treatments were compared with the control(unpruned vines). Two canopy layers (upper and lower) were identifiedin each treatment and in the control vines. At harvest, yield percane and per shoot was recorded in the two canopy layers; fruitfresh weight, flesh firmness, total soluble solid content and totaltitratable acidity were measured. Fruit Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC)and Total Polyphenols (TPH) were determined at kiwifruit harvestand post-harvest (60 days after storage at 1 °C) in relation totheir position within the canopy (layer) and to the pruning treatmentapplied. Results. Removing 60% of the canopy leaf areainduced higher titratable acidity and flesh firmness of kiwifruitsat harvest; it reduced fruit weight and crop yield, but increasedTAC and TPH compared with kiwifruits of control. Removing 30% leaf areadid not reduce mean fruit weight and crop yield; it increased TACand TPH at harvest by 20%. Post-harvest TAC and TPH evolution didnot differ among treatments. Discussion and conclusion.Pergola-trained kiwifruit vines showed good performances in termsof crop yield and fruit quality when summer pruning reduced the LeafArea Index (LAI) to 3. More intense pruning resulted in a significantincrease in fruit TAC, but reduced fruit weight and crop yield,and delayed softening of pulp.

Introduction. The aim of ourresearch was to optimize the number of young mango (Mangiferaindica L. cv. ‘Arumanis’) fruits that could be maintainedper panicle and to improve the criteria for the selection of fruitto be maintained in loco to allow a high yieldto be achieved. Materials and methods. The factors investigatedwere the number of young fruits maintained per panicle (either 2,4 or 6), while the criteria of young fruits to be maintained were:the number of biggest fruit, fruits attached at the base of thepanicle, and fruits distributed evenly from the base to the topof the panicle. Results. Our study shows that maintainingsix young fruits per panicle gave the highest weight of harvestedmango fruits per plant (33 kg) and the lowest weight per fruit (466 g).Maintaining the biggest mango fruit on the panicle resulted in thehighest weight per fruit (496 g). Conclusion. Increasingthe number of young fruits maintained per panicle from 2 to 6 linearlyincreased the weight of fruits per plant, although it decreasedthe weight per fruit linearly.

Introduction.Barberry (Berberis aristata DC.), a small fruit,is found growing in the wild in the temperate region of northernPakistan. Materials and methods. Three different locations ofAzad Jammu and Kashmir, i.e., Topa, Banjosa andNeriyan Sharif, were explored; thirty accessions of barberry wereidentified and characterized on the basis of their growth habit,flowering, fruiting and chemical composition of fruits. Results.The accessions exhibited high diversity in their phenotypical/morphologicaltraits such as growth habit, intensity and time of flowering, fruitsetting, ripening time, productivity, and fruit shape and color.The location had a great impact on quantitative parameters. Accessionscollected from Neriyan Sharif had significantly greater plant height,higher number of branches per plant, extended flowering duration(days), took more time to maturity (days) and had high fruit setting (%),while those from Topa had large-sized leaves and fruits with greateraverage fruit weight. The nutritional composition of fruits indicatedthat the accessions from Topa had higher carbohydrate, ash, total solublesolids and Mn contents, with significantly higher juice pH, andlower acidity; while the accessions from Neriyan Sharif had significantlyhigher moisture, protein, fat, fiber, K, Ca, Na, Fe, Cu, Pb andCr contents and were highly acidic. The accessions collected fromBanjosa were almost intermediate for the quantitative characteristicsstudied. Conclusions. The results suggested that notonly the genotype but its growing location as well are the mainfactors that determine the growing habit, productivity and nutritionalcomposition of barberry fruits, and this ultimately provides importantinformation on how to make the best use of them.

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. The objectiveof this study was to examine the relationships among the ripeningattributes of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples at harvest and after storage,and the direct and indirect contributions of these attributes topeel greasiness and the incidence of soft scald and soggy breakdownduring storage using correlation and path-coefficient analyses. Materialsand methods. Fruit were harvested from a commercial orchardat least five times throughout the commercial harvest period during foursubsequent years (2008 to 2011). In two of the years, fruit werestored in air for 3 months at 3 °C and/or in a controlled atmosphere(1–2 kPa O2 + 1–2 kPa CO2) for 6 months at 3 °C. Fruit were analyzedat harvest and after storage. Results and discussion.Negative correlations were detected between internal ethylene concentration(IEC) and soluble solids concentration (SSC) or titratable acidity(TA) (the higher the IEC, the lower the SSC and TA) and a positivecorrelation between firmness and TA (the higher the firmness, thehigher the TA). More peel greasiness and higher incidence of soggybreakdown during storage were associated with lower firmness, SSCand TA. Negative correlations were also detected between the incidence ofsoft scald and IEC or peel greasiness. The results of the path-coefficientanalyses suggest that, in ‘Honeycrisp’, interrelationships amongpostharvest ripening indices and each individual disorder differ. Threepossible path models for the interrelationships among ripening attributes (independent variables)and the incidence of peel greasiness, soft scald and soggy breakdown(dependent variables) are presented.

Introduction. Algerian oasesare characterized by a diversification of local fruit species andcultivars. However, this diversity is subject to erosion. To preservethe genetic heritage, we undertook the first work on the inventoryof fruit species crops in the region of Touggourt in south-easternAlgeria. Materials and methods. Our working methodswere based on surveys carried out on farms in the Oued Righ regionaccording to a questionnaire that met our objectives. For this,we divided the study region into three zones and in each zone weselected ten farms for the inventory of fruit species cultivated. Results and discussion. The results of our investigationsallowed us to identify thirteen species, including four specieswith a wide distribution (pomegranate tree, apricot tree, fig treeand vine). The local genetic diversity of these species is littleknown. The varieties or cultivars inventoried have local names givenby the farmers in the region according to certain morphologicalcharacteristics of the fruit. We surveyed five cultivars for thefig tree, two cultivars for the pomegranate tree, two cultivarsfor the vine, and two apricot tree cultivars. The study of the biodiversityof fruit trees in the Oued Righ region showed high richness of thespecies and cultivars; some are local and others are endemic tothe region. Better knowledge of genetic diversity will begin withtests of behavior and characterization of the different genotypes encounteredto dispel the ambiguities and to highlight the actual compositionof populations or varieties of different species.

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.

Introduction. African fruit production, as well as regional andinternational fruit trade, have experienced heavy economic losses over the past decade dueto the damage caused by fruit flies, especially B. invadens Drew Tsuruta& White (Tephritidae: Diptera). Bactrocerainvadensattacks fruits belonging to numerous botanical families, several of which are of greateconomic importance. The females of these flies generally lay their eggs in mature fruits,but some can lay in green-immature fruits. Materials and methods. Theinfluence of the species, variety and phenology of fruits on the fruit attractiveness toB. invadens and the elicitation of B. invadensegg-laying behaviour were studied in the laboratory. Fruits harvested regularly during theyears 2008 and 2009 from orchards in the Niayes area (Senegal) were exposed to gravidfemales in cages set for the different factors tested. The exposed fruits were thenincubated and the pupae emerging from them were counted. Results anddiscussion. Bactrocera invadens females laid eggs in ripefruits. Within the same fruit species, the variety plays an important role in egg-layingpreference. Hence, among the mango varieties tested, the Pêche variety hosted the highestnumber of pupae per fruit, while the Palmer variety hosted the lowest number. Comparisonamong different fruit species showed that mature papaya was more infested than maturemango or citrus. Furthermore, flies were unable to develop on lime.Conclusion. Our study showed that B. invadens can infestgreen and ripe host fruits, and even immature abscised fruits. Consequently, management ofthis pest must include preventive measures in the development and implementation of anintegrated management system.

Introduction. The BrazilianCerrado presents a wide vegetable diversity, which is used for differentpurposes, especially in human feeding. Among the various fruitsof the Cerrado, the araticum (Annona crassiflora Mart.)stands out, due to its high nutritional value and technologicalpotential. The physical characteristics, chemical composition (titratableacidity, pH, moisture, ash, total dietary fiber, lipids and proteins),occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids),carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene),vitamin E (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols) and folates(tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate)were evaluated in araticum from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Vitamin C and carotenoids wereanalyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin E and folates by HPLC with fluorescencedetection. Results and discussion. Araticum pulp presenteda high energy value (95.12 kcal·100 g–1), as well aselevated contents of dietary fiber (6.80 g·100 g–1), carotenoids (4.98 mg·100 g–1) and vitamin A value (288.79 RAE·100 g–1).The contents of vitamin C, folates and vitamin E were 5.23 mg·100 g–1, 27.36 μg·100 g–1 and 494.04 μg·100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. Araticum presented high energy value andhigh dietary fiber content. It is a source of vitamin C and folates, andan excellent source of vitamin A.

Introduction.Strawberry is rich in health as well as bioactive compounds, andbenefits resulting from the use of natural products rich in bioactivesubstances are receiving increased interest from the pharmaceutical,food and cosmetic industries. Materials and methods.Twenty-two cultivars of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) grown under a temperate ecosystemwere screened for ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, flavonoids,anthocyanins and antioxidant activities (DPPH and FRAP assays).The phenolic content was measured by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent usinggallic acid as the standard. Antioxidant activity was determinedin terms of DPPH and FRAP assays and expressed as ascorbic acidequivalent. Total anthocyanins and total flavonoid content weredetermined using a colorimetric method. Titratable acidity (citricacid) was determined by the titration method. The average data oftwo years was analyzed using SAS 9.2 software. Results and discussion.Significant differences in the health and bioactive compounds weredetected among the cultivars. The range of ascorbic acid of thetested samples was (51.03 to 89.40) mg·100 g–1 fresh weight. Titratableacidity varied between 0.73% and 1.44%; however, total anthocyanins rangedbetween (28.24 and 43.32) mg cyanidin-3-glucoside Eq·100 g–1 freshweight. Total phenols varied from (380.10 to 888.10) mg gallic acidEq·100 g–1 and total flavonoids from (31.26 to 55.16) mg catechinEq·100 g–1. The total antioxidant activity ranged between (203.13 and471.10) mg ascorbic acid Eq·100 g–1 fresh weight for DPPH, and between (326.06and 701.13) mg ascorbic acid Eq·100 g–1 fresh weight for FRAP. Totalphenols, DPPH and FRAP showed close association; however, PCA clearlycategorized the selected cultivars intotwo broad groups.All of the diverse cultivars were clustered into two clusters which couldbe exploited for future qualitative breeding programs based on average clusterdistance and can act as gene sources for making health foods. Conclusion.The importance of our findings would be significant for farmers,breeders, consumers and industries concerning food quality, diseaseprevention and healthcare.

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.

Introduction. The aims of our study were to evaluate the genetic diversityin flavor attributes of and preferences for fresh pomegranate arils. Materials andmethods. Experiments were conducted with fresh arils extracted from 18 distinctpomegranate varieties within the Israel Pomegranate Breeding Collection of the ARO.Consumer flavor acceptance tests were conducted at a commercial supermarket branch, anddescriptive flavor analysis tests were conducted by a trained sensory panel. Resultsand discussion. Consumer flavor acceptance tests revealed wide diversity in theflavor preferences for various pomegranate varieties. Further descriptive flavor analysistests revealed that arils from highly preferred varieties were characterized by highsweetness, moderate to low acidity levels, rich red wine and pomegranate fruity odors, lowbitterness and astringency, and soft seeds. In contrast, arils from the least preferredvarieties were either too sour or bitter, had low red wine and pomegranate fruity odors,or had very hard seeds. Furthermore, all “sour” varieties tested (acid content ≥ 1.8%)received low sensory preference scores, whereas “sweet-sour” and “sweet” varieties (acidcontents 0.7–1.8% and £ 0.7%, respectively) achieved variable flavor preference scores.Overall, it is suggested that pomegranate flavor preference derives mainly from highsweetness, low to moderate acidity, rich red wine and pomegranate fruity odors, and softseeds.

Introduction. Mulberry is themost medicinally important plant of the genus Morus.The mulberry fruit is used for many medical purposes. The speciesorigin and adaptation, plant description, foliage, flowers and fruit,location, soil, and pests and diseases are summarized. Compositionof mulberry. The studies from different countries show thatthe mulberry plant is rich in phenolic compounds, macro-elements(K, Ca, Mg, Na) and micro-elements (Fe, Zn, Ni). Phenolic compoundsare found in all parts of the mulberry plant. Uses.Mulberry fruit can be used for making jam, jelly, pulp, fruit drinks,fruit sauce and cake. Mulberry fruits are rich in anthocyanins andshould be exploited for the industrial production of natural colorto be used in the food industry. Conclusion. The mulberryplant is of significant biological importance for its antioxidantand antimicrobial properties. Our study suggested the use of mulberryas a potential health food, or important antioxidant carrier inthe food and pharmaceutical industries.

Introduction. Carotenoids havebeen described as possessing several important functional propertiesand health benefits. These properties make these compounds idealfor the always increasing functional food industry as well as forpromoting the consumption of the natural products in which theyare contained. Here, we report the first characterisation of thenon-saponified carotenoid composition in fresh peach fruits and commercialpeach juice and jam. Materials and methods. Fully matureyellow-fleshed peach fruits produced in Sicily were purchased ata local market; they were peeled and the pulp was analysed. Commercialpeach juice and commercial peach jam from three different knownmanufacturers were also purchased at the local market. Both thejuice and jam analysed were produced by local manufacturers fromthe same kind of fresh fruit studied in this work. After carotenoid extractionwith organic solvents, the samples were analysed by a direct HPLC-DAD-APCI-MSmethodology. Results and discussion. Three free carotenoids(zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene) and three monoestersof β-cryptoxanthin were identified and detected in all the samplesanalysed. Interestingly, the carotenoid profile remained the same inall the samples, and it was not affected by the peach processingoccurring during the production of the peach juice and jam. Moreover,small differences were observed in the relative contents of the identifiedcomponents among the samples investigated.