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Consumption of minimally processed fruit and vegetables has increased significantly in the past few years due to the consumers' life style. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of treatment with ascorbic acid or calcium chloride on the quality parameters of fresh-cut kiwifruit prepared from fruit previously stored for 3 months, either treated or not treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) before storage. Harvested fruit were treated with 1 microL L(-1) 1-MCP for 20 h at room temperature ( approximately 20 degrees C) (MCP) or had no treatment (C) and were then stored at 0 degrees C. After 3 months, fruit were removed from storage, peeled, and cut longitudinally in quarters, dipped in 2% ascorbic acid (Asc), 2% calcium chloride (Ca), or just water (cont), and kept at 2 degrees C for 8 days. Measurements of firmness, soluble solids content (SSC) ( degrees Brix), color (CIE L*, a*, b*), electrolyte leakage, sugars, organic acids, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS) were performed at 0, 4, and 8 days. A taste panel was performed on the seventh shelf life day. It was shown that whole MCP-treated kiwifruit kept better than the control through the 3 months storage, this effect being lost through the fresh-cut shelf life period. Furthermore, the postcut dip on 2% CaCl(2) was effective on delaying softening and browning of fresh-cut kiwifruit, which were also the fruit preferred by panelists. Both ascorbic acid and CaCl(2) were effective on preserving or improving nutritional properties (phenolics, ascorbic acid, DPPH, and ABTS) mainly in the first 4 days of shelf life. The CaCl(2) had a further beneficial effect until 8 shelf life days. It is suggested that CaCl(2) is better in keeping overall quality through 8 days of shelf life at 2 degrees C in fresh-cut kiwifruit followed by Asc, and 1-MCP has negligible effect in the conditions of this experiment.

The effect of two extraction methods of pomegranate juice on its quality and stability was evaluated. The first method consisted of separation of the seeds from fruits and centrifugation. The second method consisted of squeezing fruit halves with an electric lemon squeezer. During a period of 72 hours of cold storage at 4°C, the juices were evaluated for the presence of sugars, organic acids, and anthocyanins. Delphinidin 3-glucoside was identified to be the major anthocyanin present at the level of 45–69 mg/L. Among the organic acids, oxalic and tartaric acids dominated. The major sugars detected in pomegranate juice were glucose and sucrose. No significant differences in the content of sugars, organic acids, or anthocyanins in juices obtained through application of the two different extraction methods were detected, with the exception of the drastic decrease of cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside level in juice obtained by seed centrifugation. The pH did not show differences between treatments. Titrable acidity and the level of sugars expressed as °Brix decreased after 32 and 15 hours after extraction, respectively, when juice was obtained by centrifuging the seeds.

The essential oils of Thymus caespititius, T. camphoratus, T. capitellatus, T. carnosus, T. pulegioides, T. zygis subsp. zygis and T. zygis subsp. sylvestris collected in diff erent regions of Portugal, including the Azores islands, were evaluated for preventing lipid peroxidation and scavenging free radicals, and hydroxyl and superoxide anions. T. zygis subsp. zygis oil possessed the best capacity for preventing lipid peroxidation (IC 50 = 0.030 ± 0.003 mg/ml), immediately followed by the oils isolated from T. zygis subsp. sylvestris collected in diff erent regions of Portugal. IC 50 values ranged from 0.066 ± 0.003 to 0.087 ± 0.001 mg/ml in oils isolated from samples from Alcanena and Duas Igrejas, respectively. The oils isolated from T. zygis subsp. sylvestris, independent of the harvesting region, were shown to be the most eff ective for scavenging free radicals (0.358-0.453 mg/ml). The best capacity for scavenging hydroxyl radicals was found in the oils of T. camphoratus collected in Espartal and of T. caespititius of Lordelo, with IC 50 < 0.5 mg/ml. The low oil amount did not allow IC 50 values for the superoxide anion scavenging determination, therefore considering a unique oil concentration (5 mg/ml), the highest inhibition percentages (>50%) were registered with the essential oils of T. zygis subsp. sylvestris from Duas Igrejas and Covão do Coelho, and of T. capitellatus from Sines.

The composition of the essential oil from Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) obtained by hydrodistillation of the aerial parts was examined by GC, GC/ MS, and 13 C-NMR. The GC analysis showed that carvone is the most abundant monoterpene 75.9%, together with limonene 16.9%, accounting for 92.8% of the oil. The major components were also tested by 13 C-NMR analysis of the essential oil. The L. camara oil was assayed against several microorganisms, showing moderate antibacterial activity against the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 200 µg/ml). High antioxidant activity evaluated by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay (TEAC) was found (29.0 mmol Trolox/kg) and relative low anti-inflammatory activity due to its weak ability for inhibiting lipoxygenase (IC 50 = 81.5 µg/ml).

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Thyme essential oils are well recognized by their excellent biological activities and the antimicrobial activity of Portuguese thyme essential oils has been investigated with promising results, particularly against food borne pathogens. In this study the potential antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of five species of Thymus (Lamiaceae)