Social Impact Statement: Tomato fruit is an important and popular commodity producing $95.62 billion worldwide. Tomato fruit losses in the supply chain vary between 25% and 42% depending on the production area and the availability of postharvest technologies. For many decades, conventional tomato breeding programs have focused on extending the shelf‐life of fresh‐market varieties. However, in many instances, consumer‐based quality traits were not considered a priority. Consumers are now demanding safe, nutrient‐rich, high‐flavor, and convenient fruit. Here, we demonstrate the use of gene editing to improve fruit shelf‐life and positively impact quality, which can help significantly reduce tomato fruit losses and meet consumer expectations.Summary: Finding alternative ways to extend tomato fruit shelf‐life without reducing the quality is critical to ensure the accessibility and likeability of this commodity worldwide. Improving fruit firmness in tomato fresh‐market varieties directly impacts their shelf‐life potential. We simultaneously knocked out two pectin‐degrading enzymes, polygalacturonase (SlPG2a) and pectate lyase (SlPL), key for tomato fruit softening. We expected this gene‐editing approach to result in longer‐lasting fruit without negatively impacting consumer‐based quality attributes. By generating the double clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) knockout PGPL, we evaluated the combined functions of SlPG2a and SlPL on fruit quality, including shelf‐life attributes like firmness and water loss, fruit marketability, and disease incidence. We also assessed additional attributes impacting consumer acceptance, such as taste and aroma. We revealed that the enzymes SlPG2a and SlPL act additively, significantly impacting fruit firmness and shelf‐life, with the double CRISPR knockout PGPL outperforming the wild‐type fruit. Additionally, fruit quality traits, such as sugar: acid ratio, aroma volatiles, and skin color, were improved or not affected in the double CRISPR knockout PGPL compared to the wild‐type. The discoveries of this research provide new insights into the influence of pectin backbone degradation on fruit physiology and postharvest quality, which can be used in crop improvement programs to make fruit more resilient in the supply chain without compromising quality.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), with high unsaturation degree (oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid), is prone to oxidation during production and storage even with the presence of abundant antioxidants (e.g., phenolic compounds, alpha-tocopherol, and chlorophyll). The level of oxidation degradation is greatly affected by the EVOO chemical composition (free fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated fat ratio, total phenol content, etc.) and storage conditions (packaging material, oxygen, temperature, and light). With the increasing demand on qualitative acceptability and food safety of an EVOO product, consumers rely heavily on “shelf life” as a good indicator. Hence, it is critical for olive oil producers to provide accurate and practical information on shelf-life prediction. This review analyzes ten shelf-life prediction models that used various parameters and approaches for model establishment. Due to the complexity of chemical interactions between oil phase and environment under real-time storage and rapid accelerated testing conditions, further investigation is needed to scrutinize and minimize the discrepancies between real-time shelf life and predicted shelf life of EVOO products.

Grape pomace (GP) is a byproduct of the viticulture industry and shows promise for feeding dairy cattle as well as reducing enteric methane (CH₄) emissions. This study investigates the potential of using fresh GP in dairy cow feeding and its effects on CH₄ emissions. Multiparous Holstein dairy cows (n = 24, 205 ± 39 DIM) were housed in free stall barns and provided rations consisting of alfalfa hay, wheat hay, almond hulls, cottonseed, and grain mix. After a 2-wk adaptation period, cows were randomly assigned to one of the 3 treatments: a control diet (CON) a diet with 10% grape pomace (10% GP), and a diet with 15% GP (15% GP) on a DM basis. Treatments were arranged in a 3 × 3 Latin Square Design, where cows received 3 treatments over 3 periods, each period lasting for 4 wk. Rations were provided twice daily and gas emissions from cows were measured using an automated GreenFeed system. Milk production was recorded both in the morning and evening h and milk samples were collected weekly for fat, protein, lactose, SNF, MUN, and SCC analysis. For fatty acids analysis, milk samples were collected on the last 3 d of each 28-d period. Data were checked for normality and were analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA in proc GLIMMIX in SAS. Dry matter intake was reduced in GP-fed cow, where CON had the highest DMI followed by 10% and 15% GP. Methane and H₂ emissions were reduced in GP-supplemented group compared with CON group. On the other hand, CO₂ emissions was found higher in GP-supplemented group compared with the CON group. Milk yield was not different among different GP treatments. Although no differences were observed in fat, protein, lactose, SNF, and SCC, we did observe that MUN was lower in the 10% and 15% GP compared with CON group. The reduction in CH₄ emissions in GP-supplemented group suggests that the chemical components of GP were effective in reducing CH₄ emissions. On the other hand, lower DMI in GP supplemented groups indicates that DMI can act as an indicator of lower CH₄ production. No effects on fat, protein percentage, and milk yield indicate that GP did not negatively affect milk production. Total PUFA and linoleic acid in milk fat, were greater in 10% and 15% GP groups compared with CON group. In conclusion, GP supplementation helped reduce enteric CH₄ emissions from cows without impacting milk production.

Research continues to provide compelling insights into potential health benefits associated with diets rich in plant-based natural products (PBNPs). Coupled with evidence from dietary intervention trials, dietary recommendations increasingly include higher intakes of PBNPs. In addition to health benefits, PBNPs can drive flavor and sensory perceptions in foods and beverages. Chardonnay marc (pomace) is a byproduct of winemaking obtained after fruit pressing that has not undergone fermentation. Recent research has revealed that PBNP diversity within Chardonnay marc has potential relevance to human health and desirable sensory attributes in food and beverage products. This review explores the potential of Chardonnay marc as a valuable new PBNP ingredient in the food system by combining health, sensory, and environmental sustainability benefits that serves as a model for development of future ingredients within a sustainable circular bioeconomy. This includes a discussion on the potential role of computational methods, including artificial intelligence (AI), in accelerating research and development required to discover and commercialize this new source of PBNPs.

Dietary acrylamide formed during baking and frying of plant-based foods such as bread and other cereal products, coffee, fried potatoes, and olives is reported to induce genotoxic, carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and antifertility properties in vivo, suggesting the need to keep the acrylamide content low with respect to widely consumed heat-processed food including flatbreads. Due to the fact that pigmented corn flours contain biologically active and health-promoting phenolic and anthocyanin compounds, the objective of this study was to potentially define beneficial properties of flatbread by evaluating the acrylamide content determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) with a detection limit of 1.8 µg/kg and proximate composition by standard methods of six experimental flatbreads made from two white, two blue, one red, and one yellow corn flours obtained by milling commercial seeds. Acrylamide content was also determined in experimental flatbreads made from combinations in quinoa flour, wheat flour, and peanut meal with added broccoli or beet vegetables and of commercial flatbreads including tortillas and wraps. Proximate analysis of flatbreads showed significant differences in protein and fat but not in carbohydrate, mineral, and water content. The acrylamide content of 16 evaluated flatbreads ranged from 0 to 49.1 µg/kg, suggesting that these flatbreads have the potential to serve as low-acrylamide functional foods. The dietary significance of the results is discussed.