Study on textural changes and pectin degradation of tarocco blood Orange during storage

Sulfonated cottonseed hydrolysates with adjustable amphiphilicity as environmental -Stress stable emulsifiers

Cottonseed protein isolate (CPI) is a valuable agro-industrial waste with potential biotechnological applications. However, inadequate stability in water due to its characteristic hinders its widespread use. Therefore, a new sulfonation modification approach was developed to improve the amphiphilicity and structural flexibility of CPI. Structural characterizations confirmed the successful incorporation of sulfonate groups with structural and conformational changes. This significantly unfolded molecular-chain, and improved amphiphilicity, flexibility, and surface-hydrophobicity while reducing pI (5.1-1.7), and molecular-weight (5745-2089 g/mol). The modified samples exhibited improved emulsification with higher amounts of absorbed proteins on the droplet interface, smaller droplet size, and a higher zeta-potential. Additionally, they possessed good emulsification ability under acidic conditions. The nano-emulsions exhibited long-term stability (≥70 days) under different environmental conditions, with excellent fluidity. This study contributes to understanding sulfonation as a viable approach for improving protein properties, thus, opening up new possibilities for their application and maximizing their economic benefits.

Acetic Acid Immersion Alleviates the Softening of Cooked Sagittaria sagittifolia L. Slices by Affecting Cell Wall Polysaccharides

This study investigated the mechanism for acetic acid pretreatment to improve cell wall integrity and thereby enhance the hardness of cooked Sagittaria sagittifolia L. slices by affecting polysaccharides in the cell wall. Distilled water immersion and 0.6% acetic acid immersion (the solid/liquid ratio is 1:10) for 15 h at room temperature could result in the conversion of pectin through different reactions during thermal processing. Combined in situ and in vitro analysis demonstrated that acetic acid pretreatment could promote the interaction of cellulose microfiber or hemicellulose with RG-Ⅰ side chains during thermal processing of S. sagittifolia L. slices, promote the entanglement between linear pectin molecules and make hemicellulose show a lower molecular weight under cooking, making it easy to firmly bind to pectin, which resulted in texture changes. The findings may help improve the texture of thermally processed vegetables and fruits and deep processing of starchy vegetables.

Effect of the pectin contents and nanostructure on the stem straightness of two Paeonia lactiflora cultivars

Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is an ancient ornamental crop and, in recent decades, an emerging popular cut flower. Straight stems are a vital criterion for cut herbaceous peony selection, while many cultivars bend as the plant develops. Pectin helps maintain the mechanical strength of the cell wall. However, little is known about its role in the stem bending of herbaceous peony. Two herbaceous peony cultivars with contrasting stem morphologies ('Dong Fang Shao Nv', upright; 'Lan Tian Piao Xiang', bending gradually) at five developmental stages were used as materials to investigate the effects of pectin content and nanostructure on straightness using the carbazole colorimetric method and atomic force microscopy observations. The contents of water-soluble pectin (WSP), CDTA-soluble pectin (CSP), and sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SSP) differed significantly between the two cultivars, and the contents and angle of the flower and branch showed correlations. For the pectin nanostructure, WSP showed agglomerates and long chains, with a higher proportion of broad agglomerates at the later stages of the bending cultivar than the upright cultivar. CSP showed branched chains, and the proportion of broad chains was higher in the upright cultivar at later stages, while CSP shape changed from agglomerates to chains in the bending cultivar. SSP mainly consisted of short linear main chains, and side chains in the upright stem were stacked, and the bent cultivar had more broad and short chains. It can be concluded that the contents, nanometric shape, and size of the three kinds of pectin are highly likely to affect herbaceous peony stem straightness. This study provides a theoretical basis for the role of pectin in the production and breeding of herbaceous peony cut flowers.

Effect of calcium chloride and 1-methylcyclopropene combined treatment on pectin degradation and textural changes of Eureka lemon during postharvest storage

During post-harvest storage, the cell wall properties are closely associated with the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the fruit. The degradation of pectin in the cell walls and middle lamella is critical to these properties. The effects of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) combined treatment on the pectin degradation, texture, and peel color of Eureka lemon were investigated during post-harvest storage. The in-situ light microscope analysis, rapid method, and FTIR test were used to investigate the spatial distribution, the pectin content, and its degradation. The results showed a reduction in pectin degradation, by 42 d the CaCl₂ and 1-MCP combined treated fruits presented a 36.7% pectin content loss which was lower than the control which was 48.3%. The treated fruits significantly exhibited enhanced textural properties, delayed weight loss, higher total acids, and improvement of other physicochemical properties in comparison to the control. The treatment deaccelerated the fruit peel color change from green to yellow and also had a better visual appearance on the final day. Overall, the results suggest that the control treatment for pectin degradation can reduce the fruit texture decline and peel color change and maintain a good visual appearance. The influence of pectin degradation on the texture and physicochemical properties of lemon provides a theoretical basis for fruit storage optimization, quality control, and shelf-life extension.

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Combined CaCl₂ and 1-MCP treatment delayed lemon postharvest degeneration.

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Treatment suppressed pectin degradation and improved the visual appearance.

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Treatment greatly delayed softening, reduce decay rate, and extended the shelf life.

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Methylesterified pectin was localized and visualized by qualitative microscopic analysis.