In order to find an efficient way for broccoli to increase the phenolic content, this study intended primarily to elucidate the effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment on the phenolic accumulation in broccoli. The optimum concentration of MeJA was studied first, and 10 μM MeJA was chosen as the most effective concentration to improve the phenolic content in wounded broccoli. Furthermore, in order to elucidate the effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment on phenolic biosynthesis in broccoli, the key enzyme activities of phenylpropanoid metabolism, the total phenolic content (TPC), individual phenolic compounds (PC), antioxidant activity (AOX) and antioxidant metabolism-associated enzyme activities were investigated. Results show that MeJA treatment stimulated phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and 4-coumarin coenzyme A ligase (4CL) enzymes activities in phenylpropanoid metabolism, and inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and further accelerated the accumulation of the wound-induced rutin, caffeic acid, and cinnamic acid accumulation, which contributed to the result of the total phenolic content increasing by 34.8% and ferric reducing antioxidant power increasing by 154.9% in broccoli. These results demonstrate that MeJA in combination with wounding stress can induce phenylpropanoid metabolism for the wound-induced phenolic accumulation in broccoli.

Fresh-cut potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are a popular food owing to their freshness, convenience, and health benefits. However, they might present a potentially high health risk to consumers during transportation, processing, and marketing. In the current study, 18 essential oils (EOs) were screened to test their antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes (LM), Salmonella typhimurium (ST), Staphylococcus aureus (SA), and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EC O157:H7). The antibacterial effectiveness of a chitosan edible coating (EC) containing cinnamon oil was evaluated against microorganisms on fresh-cut potatoes. Fresh-cut potatoes were treated with chitosan EC and chitosan EC containing different concentrations (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%, v/v) of cinnamon oil, and uncoated samples served as the control. The viability of naturally occurring microorganisms and artificially inoculated LM on fresh-cut potatoes was evaluated, as were the colour, weight loss, and firmness of potatoes, every 4 days for a total of 16 days at 4 °C. The results demonstrate that the inhibition zones of cinnamon, oregano, and pomelo oils were 16.33–30.47 mm, 22.01–31.31 mm, and 21.75–35.18 mm, respectively. The cinnamon oil exhibits the lowest MIC (0.313 μL/mL) for four foodborne pathogens compared with oregano and pomelo oils. The chitosan EC containing 0.2% cinnamon oil effectively maintains the quality of fresh-cut potatoes including inhibiting the browning, preventing the weight loss, and maintaining the firmness. The decline of total plate counts, yeast and mould counts, total coliform counts, lactic acid bacteria count, and Listeria monocytogenes in EC containing 0.2% cinnamon oil were 2.14, 1.92, 0.98, 0.73, and 1.94 log cfu/g, respectively. Therefore, the use of chitosan EC containing cinnamon oil might be a promising approach for the preservation of fresh-cut potatoes.

Citrus fruits, renowned for their abundant of phytochemicals and bioactive compounds, hold a prominent position as commercially grown fruits with health-promoting properties. In this context, tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, CRP) is garnering attention as a byproduct of citrus fruits. Within the framework of the circular economy, CRP has emerged as a focal point due to its potential health benefits. CRP, extracted from Citrus reticulata cv. and aged for over three years, has attracted increasing attention for its diverse health-promoting effects, including its anticancer, cardiovascular-protecting, gastrointestinal-modulating, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Moreover, CRP positively impacts skeletal health and various physiological functions. This review delves into the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of CRP. The substantial therapeutic potential of CRP highlights the need for further research into its applications in both food and medicine. As a value-added functional ingredient, CRP and its constituents are extensively utilized in the development of food and health supplements, such as teas, porridges, and traditional medicinal formulations.

The effects of edible chitosan coating (0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5% and 0.75% w/v) on the changes in the quality, respiration rate, total phenolic content and anthocyanin of postharvest sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) at 10 °C were investigated. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were also determined. The result showed that the treatments of chitosan edible coating were effective at delaying the evolution of the parameters related to postharvest ripening, such as color and firmness, and respiration rate. The edible coatings also showed that the lower total phenolics and total antioxidant activity were maintained compared to that in the control associated with the overripening. It was suggested that the optimal quality and enhanced antioxidant enzymatic activities of postharvest cherry fruits were obtained by an edible coating of chitosan 0.5% up to 24 days at 10 °C. The chitosan edible coating could be favorable for extending shelf-life, maintaining the quality of sweet cherries.

The fruits of Siraitia grosvenorii (S. grosvenorii) have attracted a lot of scientific interest as part of the current healthy diet. S. grosvenorii has diverse health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, respiratory modulation, metabolic modulation, antitumor, and neuroprotective effects, as well as gastrointestinal function modulation. As a plant resource, S. grosvenorii has broad application prospects, which promotes the development of the horticultural industry. Moreover, Mogroside has attracted much attention as an important active ingredient of S. grosvenorii. This review provides an in-depth exploration of the distribution, chemical composition, health benefits, and application of S. grosvenorii, particularly Mogroside. This comprehensive exploration highlights the important therapeutic potential of S. grosvenorii, prompting further research into its applications. As value-added functional ingredients, S. grosvenorii and its constituents have significant potential for disease prevention and are widely used in the development of food and health supplements.

Fresh-cut potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are a favorite product on account of their freshness, convenience, and health benefits. However, cutting causes potatoes to lose their protective tissue and suffer mechanical damage, which greatly increases the quality deterioration and safety risk of potatoes. The background microorganism and foodborne pathogens on fresh-cut potatoes might rapidly grow during transportation, processing, and marketing, and cause high health risks for consumers. In this study, the quality and safety of fresh-cut potatoes coated with an alginate-based edible coating containing thyme essential oil (AEC-TEO) was evaluated during a storage period of 16 days at 4 °C. Samples were coated with AEC-TEO at different concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.35, and 0.65%, v/v). The quality characteristics of fresh-cut potatoes including color, weight loss, firmness, and sensory attributes were evaluated over 4 days. The viability of the background microorganism of fresh-cut potatoes and artificially inoculated bacteria involving Listeria monocytogenes (LM) was measured every 4 days. The research showed that treatment with AEC-TEO at a 0.05% concentration was the most beneficial for maintaining quality and inhibiting the microorganism of fresh-cut potatoes. The increase in L and firmness was 10.55 and 8.24 N, respectively, and the decrease in browning was 4.19 compared to that in the control. Sensory attributes represent an assessment between “indifferent” and “like a little”. The reductions in total plate counts, total coliform counts, yeast and mold counts, and Lactobacillus counts were 2.41 log cfu/g, 1.37 log cfu/g, 1.21 log cfu/g, and 2 log cfu/g, and Listeria monocytogenes decreased by 3.63 log cfu/g on fresh-cut potatoes after 16 days. Therefore, AEC-TEO effectively improved the quality of fresh-cut potatoes and, to a certain extent, prolonged their shelf life. This represents a potential application prospect for the preservation of fresh-cut potatoes.