Banana harvest maturity and fruit position on the quality of ripe fruit

There is an increasing market demand for smaller banana fruit. The way that this is being addressed involves harvesting some fruits on a bunch at a less advanced stage of maturity. Experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of age of fruit at harvest, position of the fruit on the bunch and different banana varieties on the speed of ripening and the quality of the ripe fruit at two different ripening temperatures after being exposed to exogenous ethylene. The maturity of bananas at harvest affected both the speed of ripening and the quality of the ripe fruit. Speed of ripening of fruit at 13°C was slower the more immature the fruit at harvest, but there was no effect on the speed of ripening of harvest maturity at a ripening temperature of 16°C. The effects of harvest maturity and position of the fruit on the bunch on peel colour and texture were significant but so small that they would be unlikely to affect the consumers' perception in a commercial situation. The higher soluble solids, flavour, sweetness and acceptability after ripening of the more mature fruit at harvest was sufficiently high that consumers could probably detect them.     

Effects of air flow rate, storage temperature, and harvest maturity on respiration and ripening of tomato fruits

The interactive effects of aeration rate, storage temperature, harvest maturity, and storage duration on respiration and ripening of tomato fruits (Lycopersicum esculentum var. Roma) were studied. Slow aeration rate strongly reduced the climacteric but did not affect ripening. Low temperature slowed ripening and reduced respiratory rates, but low temperature did not delay attainment of the climacteric maxima. The effect of air flow rate on the content of CO₂ in the fruits' internal atmospheres was investigated. The possibility that CO₂ is not the primary cause of respiratory inhibition under slow air flow rate is discussed.     

Monoclonal antibody storage conditions, and concentration effects on immunohistochemical specificity

Monoclonal antibodies against a 24,000 dalton intracellular estrogen-regulated protein in human breast cancer cells were used to study storage conditions and the effects of monoclonal antibody concentrations on immunohistochemical antigen localization. Both hybridoma supernatants and ascites fluid obtained from mice injected with hybridoma cells were used as sources of monoclonal antibodies; the monoclonal antibodies in the ascites fluid were concentrated and purified. Both antibody preparations were stored at 4, -20, or -70 degrees C and periodically tested for activity at these storage conditions. There was no difference in activity for the antibodies between storage at -20 and -70 degrees C. However, when highly diluted antibody was stored at 4 degrees C, the activity was lost within 2 weeks if carrier proteins were not added. These monoclonal antibodies were applied to immunohistochemical staining of different mouse and human tissues processed for routine paraffin sections, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase procedure. A monoclonal antibody of unrelated specificity was used as control. When these antibodies were used at high concentrations, all the different tissues examined were immunostained. With reduction of the antibody concentration, an immunohistochemical dissection of the tissues was seen until specific immunostaining was reached. When even more highly diluted monoclonal antibody was used, heterogeneity in the staining pattern became very high. On the basis of these results, certain immunohistochemical criteria are proposed for the selection of the optimum concentration of monoclonal antibodies for specific antigen detection.     

The influence of various storage conditions on cell viability in amniotic membrane

Up to now freeze-dried, gamma-sterilised or glycerol-preserved amniotic membranes (AMs) have widely been used in the field of ophthalmology and wound care (e.g. leg ulcers, burns). After some preservation processes in use, like freeze-drying or glycerol-preserving, the cells in the AM are no longer viable. Within this study we evaluated the influence of different short-term and long-term storage conditions on cell viability in AM. Therefore AMs from cesarean section placentae were washed and biopsied to evaluate the microbiological status and to determine the viability of the tissue. Additionally, viability under various storage conditions was examined by assessment of mitochondrial activity. Preservation included temperatures above and below 0°C as well as various media compositions. As expected, cell viability in amnion decreases during storage, in fact the effect was more pronounced when stored frozen, but the higher viability of amnion obtained by storage above 0°C with medium is associated with the limitation to a short period of storage of about 28 days. The evaluated preservation methods are the basis for future non-clinical in-vivo studies in which the possible benefit of amnion as a viable biomaterial in wound healing will be investigated. A part of this work was presented at the World Congress on Tissue Banking in Rio in May 2005 and was honoured by the Poster Award Commission.     

The relationship between fruit retention force at harvest and quality of feijoa after storage

Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana, cvs Apollo and Gemini) fruits were removed from the tree and grouped into treatments according to retention force (RF) at harvest. Fruits with greater RF at harvest had higher titratable acidity and flesh firmness, lower soluble solids content and less locule clarity at harvest than fruits with lower RF. After 4 wk storage at 4 °C and 5 days shelflife at 20 °C titratable acidity, soluble solids and firmness in these fruits were similar across RF grades except that after shelflife the incidence of flesh and locule browning was greater in fruits harvested with low RF when compared with fruits picked with greater force. At harvest the total sugar and organic acids, and the sugar: acid ratio were similar irrespective of RF, whereas after storage and shelflife no consistent effect of RF existed. Taste panellists could not detect differences in the eating appeal of fruit harvested with high or with low retention force after storage and shelflife. Soluble solids, acidity and flesh firmness declined markedly over storage and shelflife irrespective of retention force at harvest and although these fruits were still acceptable for eating, they no longer had the characteristic flavour and texture of unstored feijoas.     

The influence of the storage temperature and cryopreservation conditions on the extent of human sperm DNA fragmentation

We explored the influence of different storage temperature conditions, including different methods of cryopreservation, on the structure of DNA organization in human sperm using a direct labeling procedure for detecting DNA fragmentation. Nineteen sperm samples that were obtained from healthy men with normozoospermia (according to the criteria of the World Health Organization) were used for the investigation. A significant increase in human sperm DNA fragmentation was observed 8 h after the incubation at +39°C (by 76.7%) and at +37°C (by 68.9%). It was found that cooling the sperm with a cryoprotectant immediately after thawing did not produce a significant difference in the extent of DNA fragmentation; however, the samples that contained cryoprotectants showed a sharp increase in the DNA fragmentation 24 h after the incubation, which could suggest cryoprotectant cytotoxicity.     

Abscisic acid and the development of storage breakdown in apples

(±)-ABA injected into the calyx of mature fruit increased the incidence of storage breakdown in Jonathan apples. The increase in disorder was greater when ABA was added early in the storage period and was proportional to the amount of ABA added. Most of the added ABA was converted into ‘bound’ ADA which remained at high concentrations throughout storage; however, the amount of ‘free’ ABA was also always higher than that in a control fruit. GA₃ decreased and geraniol increased the amount of ‘free’ ABA in the fruit on injection into the calyx. This could explain the ability of these compounds to respectively decrease and increase the incidence of breakdown.     

The influence of certain growth conditions on the phosphatase activity of Streptococcus mutans grown in batch and continuous culture.

Acid phosphatase activity was detected in Streptococcus mutans strain NCTC 10832, and both acid and alkaline phosphatase in strains 2M2 and K1R. In batch culture, activity was maximal by mid exponential phase for 2M2 and at the end of this phase for NCTC 10832. Alkaline, but not acid, phosphatase activity of 2M2 and K1R increased when the inorganic phosphate in the medium was low; this was considered due, at least partly, to inducible or derepressible enzymes. In continuous culture, acid phosphatase activity of NCTC 10832 varied with the sugar substrate. The activity was increased by cell disruption and the degree of this increase for cells grown on different sugars parallelled the amounts of extracellular, insoluble polysaccharide produced on those sugars. Activity was highest for glucose-grown whole cells and for sucrose-grown disrupted cells.     

脱氢紫堇碱对正常和低氧豚鼠心肌细胞内钙的影响

目的 :探讨脱氢紫堇碱 (dehydeocorydaline,DHC)及维拉帕米 (verapamil,Ver)对豚鼠心肌细胞内游离钙浓度([Ca2 + ] i)变化的影响。方法 :采用离体豚鼠心脏Langendorff法灌注 ,用荧光指示剂方法 (Fure 2 /AM)标记心肌([Ca2 + ] i)变化。观察低氧后心肌 [Ca2 + ] i 的变化。结果 :①正常氧状态心肌 [Ca2 + ] i 均值为 (1 2 0 .5± 8.3)nmol/L(n =2 0 ) ;②正常氧条件下 ,DHC、Ver均使心肌 [Ca2 + ] i 明显下降。 (3)低氧状态下 ,心肌 [Ca2 + ] i 增加与缺氧时间(程度 )直线相关 (r=0 .98)。④DHC对低氧后心肌 [Ca2 + ] i 增加明显减缓。结论 :DHC在正常氧、低氧条件下阻止心肌细胞内钙超载 ,我们认为DHC可能提高心肌细胞的自我保护作用     

The influence of storage conditions of tuna viscera before fermentation on the chemical, physical and microbiological changes in fish sauce during fermentation

Effect of storage condition of tuna viscera on chemical, physical and microbiological changes of its sauce were monitored. Results based on microbial counts, protein degradation products, total volatile base (TVB), and trimethylamine (TMA) contents, showed that tuna viscera stored at room temperature underwent more deterioration than that kept in ice, especially with increasing storage time. As a result, fish sauce obtained from tuna viscera stored at room temperature for a longer time rendered the greater amino nitrogen, TVB, TMA contents as well as browning intensity. However, storage conditions had no marked effect on overall changes in chemical, physical and microbiological characteristics of sauce generated during fermentation. Additionally, fish sauce produced from tuna viscera kept at room temperature comprised lower histamine content than that prepared from fresh or ice-stored viscera. Therefore, tuna viscera stored at room temperature for up to 8h could be used for the production of fish sauce with no detrimental effect on the quality.     

The influence of temperature on the onset of first maturity in sea bass

Oocyte development was aborted and full maturity did not occur in virgin female sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax unless they remained in water above 10° C during the main period of gonad development. There was no difference in the condition factors of females with high or low I _G values in March, which indicates that retarded gonadal development was not necessarily due to poor body condition or nutritional state. It is suggested that the extended duration of the adolescent phase of female bass around southern Britain is a response to their environment, rather than an intrinsic aspect of the species'biology.     

The effect of store conditions on the rotting of apples, cv. Bramley's Seedling, by Nectria galligena

The log of the time interval between inoculation with Nectria galligena in October and the onset of rotting in apples held in air was proportional to the deficit between the temperature of incubation and 25°C, but temperature did not affect the rate of subsequent rot expansion. Rots expanded equally fast whether apples were held in dry or moist air. The quantity of rotted tissue obtained after incubating inoculated apples in atmospheres containing up to 12.5% CO₂ increased with increasing concentrations of CO₂ greater than 2.5%. The quantity of rotted tissue obtained in apples incubated in 10% CO₂ was three times as great as that obtained after incubation in air. The incidence of natural rots was lower in apples stored at 4% CO₂ than in those stored in air and rotting increased with increasing concentrations of CO₂ higher than 4%. Colonies of N. galligena grew faster on malt agar plates incubated in 5% CO₂ than in air, but growth was slower in 10% CO₂ than in air. The quantity of benzoic acid per mg hyphae accumulated in developing lesions was similarly related to the CO₂ concentrations up to 2.5% but decreased at higher concentrations, and the quantities found in apples stored in CO₂ concentrations >5.0% CO₂ were less than in those stored in air.     

The microflora of semi-preserved fish products II. The effect of the quality of raw materials,added materials,and storage conditions

This paper is concerned with titbits, i.e. canned fish products that have not been subjected to heat, but which have certain keeping qualities thanks to their high salt content, low pH, and the addition of preservatives.The effects of such factors as the raw material used, the composition of the pickle added to the titbits before they are canned, and physical procedures, e.g. freezing and thawing, on the keeping qualities of the titbits have been investigated.The keeping quality varied substantially with the amount of sugar added to the pickle, a high sugar content markedly prolonging and a low sugar content shortening the maximum tolerable duration of storage of the products.Sodium benzoate proved to have a good effect as a preservative, while nisin had no demonstrable antibiotic effect at all.Freezing of canned titbits before storage at 20 C produced some improvement in keeping qualities and seemed to damage some types of bacteria present.In fermented specimens of titbits the microflora was dominated by cocci and lactobacilli. However, the total amount of bacteria initially present in the cans is not directly correlated to the keeping qualities of the product.