The rise in consumption of energy-dense foods has resulted in the displacement of several essential dietary gaps, causing numerous long-lasting diseases, including obesity, stroke, hypertension, and several forms of cancer. Epidemiological studies encourage more fruit consumption to prevent these diseases. The defensive mechanisms provided by these fruits against illness are due to the existence of several antioxidants. Recent studies proved that (poly) phenolic compounds are ideally the core phytochemicals with both functional and health-promoting properties found in the plant’s kingdom, and low intake could result in the risk of certain diseases. Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants that can modify metabolic activation and detoxification of carcinogens. The ideal motive of this review is to provide an overview as well as illuminate the polyphenolic merits of fruits in general. Fruits have several merits, including weight maintenance, proper health development, and satiety. There are many analytical methods for determining and measuring the phenolic content of different products. Phenolic compounds are of nutritional interest since they aid in the retardation and inhibition of lipids by acting as scavengers that prevent and protect the proliferation of oxidative chains. Future studies are required to help identify the physiological metabolic activities as well as to improve human health.

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Antioxidant Potential Overviews of Secondary Metabolites (Polyphenols) in Fruits.

Melatonin in fruit production and postharvest preservation: A review.

Wood is a renewable, versatile material with multiple applications and the largest terrestrial pool of sequestered carbon. However, it is susceptible to degradation, mainly caused by wood-decaying fungi. Since several traditional wood preservatives have been banned owing to their detrimental effects on humans and the environment, extending the lifespan of wood products using new generation natural preservatives is an imperative from the perspectives of human health and environmental protection. Several natural compounds of plant and animal origin have been tested for their fungicidal properties, including essential oils, tannins, wood extractives, alkaloids, propolis or chitosan; and their enormous potential in wood protection has been shown. Although they are not free of limitations, the potential methods to overcome their drawbacks and enhance their bioactivity already exist, such as co-impregnation with different polymers, cross-linkers, metal chelators or antioxidants. The presence of the discrepancies between laboratory tests and the field performance, as well as legislation-related problems resulting from the lack of standards defining the quality and performance of natural protective formulations, however, create an urgent need for further thorough research and arrangements. The collaboration with other industries interested in the utilisation of natural active compounds will reduce the associated costs, thus, will facilitate the successful implementation of alternative antifungal agents.

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/15/3538/pdf

Natural Compounds for Wood Protection against Fungi-A Review.

Tangerine, banana and pomegranate peels valorisation for sustainable environment: A review.

Melatonin foliar sprays elicit salinity stress tolerance and enhance fruit yield and quality in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.).

The antifungal properties of poisonous plant extracts from oleanders (Nerium oleander L.) were determined when used as a wood preservative. The extract was prepared from oleanders leaves and flowers in 96% ethyl alcohol. The wood blocks of Turkish oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were impregnated with the extracts. The abilities of the extract to suppress attack by Postia placenta (Fr.) (brown rot) and Trametes versicolor (L: Fr.) Quel. (a white-rot) was investigated. Treated blocks were exposed to P. placenta and T. versicolor attacks for 12 weeks by following the soil-block method. While untreated wood specimens have weight loss ranging between 27.37 and 30.66% for P. placenta and 8.64 and 24.06% for T. versicolor, the wood treated with the extracts is of weight loss between 5.54 and 10.98% for P. placenta, and between 5.02 and 28.25% for T. versicolor. The lowest weight loss was found to be for beech wood (5.02%) impregnated with the extract of oleander at a concentration level of 0.25% against T. versicolor. While the highest weight loss was also on the beech wood (28.25%) treated with the same extract at the level of 0.50% concentration against T. versicolor. In conclusion, the extracts could be used as effective wood preservative.

/pdf/application-of-extracts-from-the-poisonous-plant-nerium-38ljkhsrgu.pdf

Application of extracts from the poisonous plant, Nerium Oleander L., as a wood preservative

Goji berry is a lesser-known fruit species and its berries have been used in traditional medicine for centuries as remedies to treat eye, liver, and kidney ailments, as well as for the prevention of cancer symptoms due to its high phytochemical content. This study aimed to investigate changes in the pomological, biochemical, and phytochemical properties of the berries of 4 goji berry genotypes harvested during 4 months (June, July, August, and September) of the same year. The results indicated that the highest berry dimensions (height and width) and soluble solid content were obtained from Genotype 2, harvested in June. The vitamin C, total phenolic, and total anthocyanin contents and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate values were between 69.06 and 169.96 mg/100 mL, 219.07 and 558.74 mg GAE/L, 2.73 and 107.94 mg/L, and 75.03 and 500.87 μL/mL, respectively, according to the genotypes and harvest months based on a 3-year (2015-2017) average, indicating great variations in both the genotypes and, in particular, the sampling months. Therefore, consumers must take into consideration the harvest times and berries of the genotypes in order to obtain better contents in the berries for human health.

/pdf/different-harvest-times-affect-market-quality-of-lycium-1supcgrpnu.pdf

Different harvest times affect market quality of Lycium barbarum L. berries

Some important physicochemical and bioactive characteristics of disease free 10 wild grown bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) accessions were evaluated. External and internal fruit quality was assessed by standard parameters (fruit weight, fruit color, fruit firmness, soluble solids, pH and total acidity) and bioactive contents (total phenolics, total anthocyanins, total antioxidant capacity and, vitamin C) in fruit were also determined. The commercial grown northern higbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum cv. Bluecrop also included in the study to make comparision with bilberry samples. The highbush blueberry cv. Bluecrop had distinctive external fruit characteristics, such as bigger and more attractive fruits. However, the wild grown bilberry accessions showed interesting characters in mesocarp, such as high total phenolic content, total anthocyanin and total antioxidant capacity. Total phenolic and total anthocyanin content was 327 mg gallic acid equivalent and 142 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent in 100 g fresh fruit in cv. Bluecrop while it was between 576–624 mg gallic acid equaivalent and 296–324 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent in 100 g fresh fruits of bilberry accessions. Moreover, wild accessions approximately had 2 folds higher antioxidant capacity than cv. Bluecrop. Results suggested that bilberry accessions may serve as a source of desirable genes to develop improved varieties that respond to the new needs of the market.

Ayşen Melda Çolak

Papers

Application of extracts from the poisonous plant, Nerium Oleander L., as a wood preservative

Different harvest times affect market quality of Lycium barbarum L. berries

Identification of some Fruit Characteristics in Wild Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) Accessions from Eastern Anatolia

Effect of melatonin and gibberellic acid foliar application on the yield and quality of Jumbo blackberry species.

Extraction, development and validation of HPLC-UV method for rapid and sensitive determination of colchicine from Colchicum autumnale L. Bulbs