Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a significant crop in terms of the content of bioactive substances with antioxidant properties – vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, polyphenol compounds – as well as B-complex and potassium vitamins are appreciated by the consumer both raw and heat treated. It is suitable for storage, consumption in the fresh state or heat treatment thanks to its interesting sensory properties. The aim of the thesis was to evaluate the influence of genotype and storage conditions on the content of selected bioactive substances in the fruit of these six varieties: Liscia, Matilda F1, Orange, Serpentine, UG 205 F1 and Waltham F1. From bioactive substances we determined the content of total carotenoids and total polyphenols in the flesh of the fruits before and after storage. The total carotenoid content in the fruit before storage was in the range of 40.62 mg.100 g-1 DS (dry substance) to 76.78 mg.100 g-1 DS, after storage the range transformed into 50.58 mg.100 g -1 DS to up to 109.81 mg.100 g-1 DS. The total polyphenol content before storage ranged from 109.95 mg GAE.100 g-1 DS to 198.96 mg GAE.100 g-1 DS, after storage in the range of 152.51 mg of GAE.100 g-1 DS to 199.83 mg of GAE.100 g-1 DS. The results show that the highest content of total carotenoids in fresh fruits after harvest was determined in the pulp of the varieties UG 205 F1 (76.78 mg.100 g-1 DS), Orange (71.40 mg.100 g-1 DS), and high content of total polyphenols was determined in the Matilda F1 strains (198.96 mg GAE.100 g-1 DS) and Orange (166.09 mg GAE.100 g-1 DS). After two months of the fruit’s storage, the total carotenoid content significantly increased in Liscia by 91%, Orange and Waltham F1 both by 54%. The total polyphenol content considerably rose in Liscia and UG 205 F1 varieties by 39%. The highest content of total polyphenols after storage was found in Serpentine fruit (199.83 mg GAE.100 g-1 DS). It follows that from the point of view of the content of total carotenoids it makes sense to store the fruits of the Orange and Waltham F1 varieties and, in terms of total polyphenols content, the fruits of the Serpentine variety. Taking into account the development of the contents of both groups of bioactive substances, storage of the Liscia variety is recommended. The effect of genotype on total carotenoid and polyphenol content in fruit was statistically significant. Storing these pumpkin varieties resulted in an increment of their total carotenoid and polyphenol content, but it did not have any statistical significance.
Food safety is a very frequent topic. The article deals with the problems of fortification of the most grown mushroom in Slovakia, and the 3rd most grown mushroom in the world, Pleurotus ostreatus. Due to the high environmental pollution of soils and air, there is a risk of the production of dangerous fruiting bodies with high heavy metals content. It is known that these substances can promote serious health effects on human body, such as bone weakness or kidney damages (cadmium) and negative process of cognitive developing (lead). The experiment was focused on biofortification with selenium to reduce the accumulation of selected heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in oyster mushroom, grown with intensive cultivation under artificial conditions. This work confirms that the application of sodium selenate to the growing substrate with straw as the main component can reduce the accumulation of cadmium (by 22.45%) and lead (by 64.81%). Research by various authors reported the ability of the oyster mushroom to embed selenium from the substrate into the fruiting bodies. Based on the results of the experiments, we propose to fortify the growing substrate for the production of oyster mushroom by selenium. This way we produce a food with a high antioxidant potential.
This work is focused on the determination of antiradical activity (ARA) by the method of free radical scavenging of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Since the DPPH solution is intense purple-coloured and absorbs at a wavelength of 517 nm, similar to the anthocyanin colorants of fruits, the modification of the method examined the effect of the colour of the sample extracts on the result of the ARA determination. Statistical evaluation of the results of the analyses using Youden's graphing method revealed that the two compared method adjustments gave consistent results over the observed range of antiradical activity. It also showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean ARA values obtained by the two treatments. Investigation of the effect of the evaluated fruit components revealed a strong correlation between the content of ascorbic acid and ARA in samples containing no anthocyanin colorants. For the fruit samples studied, ARA values showed a strong correlation with polyphenol content.
Cucurbita moschata Duch. is a vegetable, native to the Central America and the northern parts of South America, not very well known in Slovak republic. It is a seasonal crop which is appreciated for its nutrimental and bioactive components providing human health benefits and its option of relatively long period of storage. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of changes of total carotenoids content and antioxidant activity in the pulp of the fruit of Cucurbita moschata Duch. after the harvest and during the storage, as well as the effect of the variety on total carotenoids content and antioxidant activity. The experiment was realised in 2018 in the experimental fields of the Botanical Garden of Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA) in Nitra. Six different varieties of Cucurbita moschata Duch. – Liscia, Matilda, Orange, Serpentine, UG 205 F1 and Waltham were examined. The harvest was was held in the second week of September 2018. The storage took place in the hall of Departmet of Vegetable. The analysis were realised after the harvest (day 0), after the storage (day 60 and day 120). Total carotenoids content after the harvest ranged from 3.80 to 8.42 mg.100g-1 FM. In the DM the content ranged from 49.66 to 91.32 mg.100g-1 .The period of 60 days of storage had positive influence on total carotenoids content in FM, as we have recorded an increase of TCC in the case of all observed varieties. After the period of 120 days of storage we have recorded both increase and decrease, depending on the variety. The increase of the total carotenoids content during the whole period of storage was by 15%. The values of the antioxidant activity after the harvest ranged from 2.76% to 10.31%. After the 60 days of storage, we have recorded both increase in ̔ Liscia, Serpentine, Waltham ̓ and decrease in the ̔ Matilda, Orange, UG 205 F1 ̓ variety. During the following 60 days of storage significant differences were found for all the varieties in all observed variants (storage period), except for the ̔ Matilda ̓ variety. Antioxidant activity significantly decreased after 60 days of storage (by 15%), but it was followed by statstically significant increase (by 25%) after 120 days of storage. The increase of the antioxidant activity during the whole period of storage was by 6.5%, but this change was not statistically significant. The variety of Cucurbita moschata Duch. had stastically proven effect both on the total carotenoids content and the antioxidant actvity.
In rational nutrition, vegetables play an important role due to their high biological and low energy value. The most widespread vegetables in our country belong to root vegetables. They are grown mainly for bulbs, corms, rhizomes, fleshy roots, and hypocotyl tubers. Root vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked. Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is a basic representative of root vegetables. For the most valuable components counts beta-carotene – the major component of total carotenoids. This paper evaluates changes in total carotenoids, refractometric dry matter, and gravimetric dry matter in three varieties of carrot (Kamaran F1, Komarno F1, Romosa) grown in soil and climatic conditions ex-situ in Nitra. We have evaluated roots grown in non-fertilized soil, soil after application of manure, horticultural compost, and their combinations. The results show that the variants fertilized with compost and a mixture of compost and manure had the most considerable influence on the synthesis and content of total carotenoids as well as the content of dry matter and refractometric dry matter
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