Cranberries are healthy fruit that contribute color, flavor, nutritional value, and functionality. They are one of only three fruits native to America. Over the past decade, public interest for the North American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) has been rising with reports of their potential health benefits linked to the numerous phytochemicals present in the fruit--the anthocyanins, the flavonols, the flavan-3-ols, the proanthocyanidins, and the phenolic acid derivatives. The presence of these phytochemicals appears to be responsible for the cranberry property of preventing many diseases and infections, including cardiovascular diseases, various cancers, and infections involving the urinary tract, dental health, and Helicobacter pylori-induced stomach ulcers and cancers. Recent years have seen important breakthroughs in our understanding of the mechanisms through which these compounds exert their beneficial biological effects, yet these remain to be scientifically substantiated. In this paper these characteristics, as well as the antioxidant, radical scavenging, antibacterial, antimutagen, and anticarcinogen properties of cranberry major bioactive compounds are explained.

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Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) were packaged in 4-liter modified atmosphere (MA) containers, and a steady-state atmosphere of 5% and 10% was maintained at 4 °C. Temperature was fluctuated from 4 °C to 20 °C during 12-d storage period in cycles: 2 d at 4 °C followed by 2 d at 20 °C. Temperature increase during fluctuations caused anoxic atmospheres both in O 2 (1.5%) and CO 2 (22% to 10%). The quality of mushrooms stored under temperature fluctuating regime was severely affected as indicated by extensive browning, loss of firmness, and the level of ethanol in the tissue compared to mushrooms stored at constant temperature. It was clear that temperature fluctuation, even if it should occur once, can seriously compromise the benefits of MA packaging and safety of the packaged produce.