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In the present study, water, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts from seven selected wild fruits originally from the Mediterranean area, namely, strawberry tree ( Arbutus unedo L., AU), azarole ( Crataegus azarolus L., CA), common hawthorn ( Crataegus monogyna L., CM), blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa L., PS), dog rose ( Rosa canina L., RC), elm-leaf blackberry ( Rubus ulmifolius Schott, RU), and rowan ( Sorbus aucuparia L., SA), were analyzed for the total amount and profile of phenolic compounds and for the in vitro antioxidant activity against the DPPH and ABTS radicals (study 1). The seven fruits showed different chemical compositions, which consequently led to different antioxidant potentials. Among the seven fruits initially analyzed, AU, CM, RC, and RU had the highest amount of phenolic compounds and displayed the greatest antioxidant activity in vitro. Extracts from these four fruits were tested as inhibitors of lipid oxidation in raw pork burger patties subjected to refrigerated storage at 2 degrees C for 12 days (study 2). The quantitative measurements of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS), hexanal content, and color stability were used as indicators of oxidative reactions. The four selected fruits displayed intense antioxidant activity against lipid oxidation, which highlights the potential usage of these fruits as ingredients for the manufacture of healthy meat products. Among them, RC and AU were particularly efficient as their protective effect against lipid oxidation was more intense than that displayed by quercetin (230 mg/kg of burger patty).

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The effect of added fruit extracts on the oxidation of muscle proteins in porcine burger patties subjected to cooking and chill storage was studied. Extracts from arbutus berries (Arbutus unedo L., AU), common hawthorns (Crataegus monogyna L., CM), dog roses (Rosa canina L., RC), and elm-leaf blackberries (Rubus ulmifolius Schott, RU) were prepared, characterized, added to burger patties (3% of total weight), and evaluated as inhibitors of protein oxidation. Negative (no added extract, C) and positive control (added quercetin, 230 mg/kg, Q) groups were also included in the design. Protein oxidation was assessed by means of tryptophan loss using fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) and formation of the specific protein carbonyls alpha-aminoadipic (AAS) and gamma-glutamic semialdehyde (GGS) using liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Both advanced methodologies (FS and LC-MS) were found to be reliable and specific protein oxidation measurements that allow us to gain chemical insight into protein oxidation. The mechanisms likely involved in the oxidative reactions affecting proteins during cooking and storage of burger patties are profusely discussed. Phenolic-rich fruit extracts protected tryptophan residues against oxidation and inhibited the formation of both semialdehydes in burger patties during cooking and subsequent chill storage. In general, RC, RU, and AU were the most effective inhibitors of protein oxidation, with this effect being more intense than that of pure polyphenols like quercetin. These fruit extracts could be considered functional ingredients as their antioxidant actions contribute to the enhancement of the nutritional value of the meat products.

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In this study, nutritional composition (protein, lipids, carbohydrates, ash, and moisture), physicochemical properties (soluble solid content, titratable acidity, texture and instrumental colour on surface, and internal section), phytochemicals (total phenolic content and anthocyanin content), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH-2,2 -diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power) of three strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cultivars (cv. "Primoris", cv. "Endurance", and cv. "Portola") produced in the western region of Portugal (Caldas da Rainha) were evaluated. From the obtained, results no significant differences (P > 0.05) in nutritional composition were detected in all of the cultivars; with the exception of lower protein content observed in cv. "Portola" (0.57 g/100 g ± 0.04; P < 0.05). Regarding the a* value of whole strawberry fruits, no significant differences (P > 0.05) were found in any of the cultivars, which revealed a similar redness. The cv. "Endurance" revealed the highest bioactivity content compared to the other cultivars. Overall, these results provide important information about the high quality of strawberry produced in the western region of Portugal and may be used as a tool for adding value to a functional food in the Mediterranean diet due to the phytochemical composition and nutritional value of strawberry fruits

No abstract

Storing non-marketable fish aboard fishing vessels takes up valuable storage space and, consequently, it is usually discarded. Therefore, the strategy to minimize the amount of discarded fish and boost the fishing economy should entail measures to turn unexploited species into marketable fish. The use of sensory descriptive analysis is usually the first step in the characterization of foods and assess their baseline appeal to the final consumer. In this study, the sensory characterization of five unexploited fish species was conducted, using a semi-trained panel, with the objective of establishing the appeal and marketability of these species. Check-all-that-apply (CATA) and Free Choice Profiling (FCP) were used to obtain descriptive attributes. Correspondence Analysis (CA) was used to examine CATA data and to compare both sensory methods, while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used for FCP data analysis. The results obtained with CATA method allowed to differentiate species by appearance, odor and flavor, while appearance and odor were statistically significant descriptors in FCP. CATA method was found to be more suitable to discriminate fish species, presenting a higher discriminatory power than FCP.