Fruits of wild fruit species are considered healthy foods with the potential to treat and prevent chronic diseases. In recent years, the food industry and consumers have become increasingly interested in the nutritional value and safety of food and ingredients. A traditional method of processing fruits from spontaneous flora is in the form of vinegar by simple and easy techniques. The aim of this paper was to analyze the chemical composition of homemade vinegars obtained by traditional methods from the fruits of some wild fruit species, compared with commercial vinegars. To evaluate the characteristics of the two types of vinegar, analyses were performed regarding the physicochemical properties (density, soluble dry matter, total titratable acidity, and pH) and the content of phenolic compounds using HPLC. In terms of pH, it varied between 2.58 and 3.67 for homemade vinegar and between 2.22 and 2.86 for commercial vinegar. The density of vinegar varied between 1015 and 1070 kg/m³ in the case of homemade vinegar and between 1013 and 1030 kg/m³ in the case of commercial vinegar. The phenolic compounds, gallic acid, neochlorogenic acid, catechin hydrate, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, salicylic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, and myricetin were found in homemade vinegar. Fewer phenolic compounds were identified in commercial vinegars. The data obtained highlight the high quality of homemade traditional vinegars compared with commercial ones. The biochemical composition of vinegars traditionally obtained from wild fruits, through simple recipes, demonstrates their role and importance for human well-being and the potentially beneficial effects on health.

Our study reports for the first time, over a 12-month period, the seasonal variations in chemical composition and antibacterial and antioxidant activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil (RoEO) from Southwestern Romania (Oltenia region). To analyze the constituents of RoEO, a comprehensive gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method was employed. The analysis aimed to identify and quantify the various components by comparing their mass spectra with reference spectra from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Library 2020. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of Staphylococcus aureus minimum were determined using the microdilution method (96-well plates). The antioxidant activity was analyzed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) radical scavenging assays. This analysis provided a detailed profile of RoEO’s constituents, revealing significant monthly variations. Key compounds, such as camphor, eucalyptol, α-pinene, camphene, and α-myrcene, were quantified, alongside lesser-studied constituents like β-pinene, α-terpinene, linalool, terpinolene, and carvacrol. Comparisons were made with a reference sample from Tunisia. Oxygenated monoterpenes reach the highest concentration (56.82–66.94%), followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (30.06–40.28%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (0.90–2.44%), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (0.02–0.23%). Camphor was found in high concentrations ranging from 29.41% to 40.03%. 1,8-Cineole was another dominant compound, ranging from 13.07% to 16.16%, significantly lower compared to the Tunisian reference (52.77%). α-Pinene ranged from 11.36% to 19.33%, while α-myrcene ranged from 1.65% to 3.08%. Correlations between specific compounds and their bioactivity were explored to understand their contributions to the overall efficacy of RoEO. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the potential applications and seasonal variability of RoEO from Romania.

Fresh highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are one of the most popular soft fruits characterized by attractive sensorial attributes and high antioxidant potential. They are highly perishable as they are susceptible to various microbial infections, both pre- and postharvest. The present research was conducted to investigate the effects of postharvest treatments with citric (2%), benzoic (0.2%) and sorbic (0.2%) acids on physicochemical, biochemical and microbiological evolution of fresh blueberries under cold storage conditions. Samples were evaluated initially and at 7-day interval for dry matter, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and surface microbial load for six weeks storage time. Chemical treatments significantly reduced the microbial growth on the fruit surface throughout the storage period as compared to the control samples, but they caused a significant increase in moisture loss (sorbic acid > benzoic acid > citric acid > water), probably due to the partial damage of the natural cuticular wax layer covering the fruit. Antimicrobial effects of chemical treatments were more noticeable than their biochemical effects. Total phenolic, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity showed similar variation pattern during storage in treated and control samples. However, at the end of the storage period, antioxidant activity was significantly higher in samples treated with citric acid and benzoic acid as compared with control samples.

Antimicrobial compounds used as post-harvest treatment of fruit and vegetables can extend their shelf life by reducing the rate of microbial growth. Essential oils extracted from herbs or spices can also enhance shelf life due to their antimicrobial nature. Tomatoes harvested at consumption maturity were treated by spraying with aqueous solutions of basil essential oil (BEO) and glycerol in different concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm) and stored by refrigeration at 8 ${}^{\circ }$C and 85% relative humidity. The BEO used was obtained by extraction from indigenous crops of Ocimum basilicum and was analyzed by GC-MS for discerning of the constituents present in it. The main components identified in BEO were: eucalyptol, linalool, estragol, eugenol methyl-cinamate, trans-$\mathsf{\alpha }$-bergamotene, germacrene D, $\mathsf{\gamma }$-cadinene and T-cadinol. During storage, in order to highlight the effect of the applied treatment, the following were determined: dry matter (DM), total soluble content (TSS), total phenols content (TP), antioxidant activity (AOA), color, weight loss and total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) during storage. It has been shown that spraying the fruit with solutions of different concentrations of BEO has significant effects on weight loss, DM, TSS, TP, AOA, color and TAMB, during storage. The lowest TP value was found in the control and the variant treated only with 2.5% aqueous glycerol solution (52.18 mg/100 g fw GAE) and the highest value in the variants treated with concentrations of 200, 250 and 300 ppm BEO (54.37, 55.00 and 57.81 mg GAE/100 g fw). The highest AOA values were found in the 300 ppm BEO-treated variant (119.23 $\mathsf{\mu }$mol TE/100 g fw). Spraying tomatoes with aqueous solutions of glycerol 2.5% and BEO at a dose of 250 ppm prolongs their storage while maintaining their quality for fresh consumption.

Essential oils (EOs) have been long recognized for their antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, insecticidal and antioxidant properties. The present research aimed to study the antimicrobial effects of some volatile oils from aromatic plants (sweet basil and dill) against several microorganisms, namely Bacillus subtilis, Alternaria alternata and Penicillium expansum. The oils have been extracted through distillation procedures and the antimicrobial action of the oils was assessed through the disc diffusion method. The best effect against the Bacillus subtilis strain has occurred when the essential oil of dill was undiluted. Regarding the the Alternaria species, it was noted that dill volatile oil has acted in an efficient way only undiluted. As the oil's concentration decreased, the strain becomed resistant. The sweet basil oil has proven to be highly effective when acting against the Bacillus strain. By volatilization, the sweet basil oil produced a strong antimicrobial effect, even in control disc, in which it was noticed a small development of colonies comparing with the dill oil. The results indicated that the sweet basil essential oil exerted an antimicrobial effect both against the tested bacteria and moulds, while the dill oil had a great inhibitory action on Bacillus subtilis and Alternaria alternata, but was less efficient against Penicillium expansum.

The effects of post-harvest spray treatments with essential oils (EOs) obtained from sage and aniseed on maintaining the quality of pears of the ‘Williams’ variety during storage was studied. Harvested pears were picked when they had reached their optimal maturity and underwent a treatment involving the application of aqueous solutions of glycerin, with varying amounts of sage essential oil (SEO) and aniseed essential oil (AEO). Weight loss during storage varied according to the treatment applied with the lowest values recorded for sage essential oil at concentrations of 300 ppm (6.24%) and 250 ppm (6.60%), respectively. Aniseed essential oil had a smaller effect on weight loss compared to sage essential oil. Fruit firmness was better maintained under the influence of the essential oil treatments, with those treated with sage essential oil standing out. The concentration of the essential oils that is used influences the antimicrobial activity of the post-harvest treatment that is applied, with higher essential oil concentrations leading to more pronounced decreases in the total number of mesophilic aerobic bacteria immediately after treatment (4.05 for SEO 200; 3.00 for SEO 300, respectively). The use of post-harvest techniques involving the application of aqueous solutions containing glycerol and essential plant oils by spraying can extend the shelf life of pear fruits.