Red raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) are highly appreciated by consumers. However, their postharvest shelf life scarcely exceeds 5 d under the refrigeration temperatures usually applied during commercialization, due to their high susceptibility to dehydration, softening and rot incidence. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the ability of UV-C radiation (UV1: 2 kJ m⁻² and UV2: 4 kJ m⁻²), passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with transmission rates (TR) for O₂ and CO₂ of 1805 mL d⁻¹ and 1570 mL d⁻¹ (MAP1), and 902 mL d⁻¹ and 785 mL d⁻¹ (MAP2), respectively, and the combination of both technologies to prolong raspberries’ shelf life at 6 °C. Their influence on respiration, physicochemical parameters, and microbiological and nutritional quality was assessed during 12 d of storage. The combination of 4 kJ m⁻² UV-C radiation and a packaging film with O₂ and CO₂ transmission rates of 902 mL d⁻¹ and 785 mL d⁻¹, respectively, produced a synergistic effect against rot development, delaying senescence of the fruit. The UV2MAP2 and MAP2 samples only showed 1.66% rot incidence after 8 d of storage. The UV2MAP2 samples also had higher bioactive content (1.76 g kg⁻¹ of gallic acid equivalents (GAE), 1.08 g kg⁻¹ of catechin equivalents (CE) and 0.32 g kg⁻¹ of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside equivalents (CGE)) than the control samples at the end of their shelf life. Moreover, the mass loss was minimal (0.56%), and fruit color and firmness were maintained during shelf life. However, the rest of the batches were not suitable for commercialization after 4 d due to excessive mold development.

The use of agroindustry by-products in animal diets allows the use of residues that are not fit for human consumption. In this study, it was investigated whether fattening commercial rabbits during 30 days with a non-medicated feed, with 20% addition of grape pomace (GPD), affected production traits and the fatty acid composition, antioxidants properties, and the shelf life of the meat compared to a conventional strategy (CON). Furthermore, it was tested, by chromatographic analysis, whether this alternative diet allowed the transfer of phenolic compounds to the meat. Thirty-six weaned rabbits were allotted to the two treatments. In each treatment, 18 rabbits were fattened in three indoor cages, each housing three males and three female rabbits. No significant differences were found in live weights (p > 0.05), but the feed conversion rate and carcass weight and yield were found to be impaired in the GPD group (p ≤ 0.05). The GPD group had a higher intramuscular fat percentage (2.01 vs. 1.54), improved polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio (0.75 vs. 0.66), and better atherogenicity (0.71 vs. 0.83) and thrombogenicity (1.14 vs. 1.24) indexes, while the n-6/n-3 ratio was higher (25.4 vs. 20.3). Total volatile basic nitrogen in meat was lower in the GPD group (p = 0.01), suggesting a delayed spoilage. However, no improvements in total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, reducing power, and lipid oxidation (p > 0.05) were found in the meat. Even though the GPD pellets offered to the animals had several grape-derived phenolic compounds, and higher antioxidant properties compared to the CON diet, none of the phenolic compounds detected in feeds were detected in the meat samples.

Five varieties of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; Futura 75, Futura 83, Felina 32, Earlina 08 FC and Henola) were planted to produce grain and then to study their potential as an alternative source of nutritional compounds due to their fat, carbohydrate and protein content. The lipid fraction can account for 35% of the total composition of hemp seeds; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine their fat content, focusing mainly on the characterisation of the fatty acid profile of the different varieties of hemp seeds through gas chromatography with a flame ionisation detector for possible use of the whole grains or the oil extracted from them. The fat content of the seeds ranged between 23 and 31% of the total composition, with Earlina 08 FC significantly (p < 0.05) being the richest in fat content. We also found that 87% of the total fatty acids were unsaturated, being polyunsaturated acids the main group and linoleic acid the most abundant fatty acid. In addition, linoleic acid acts as a precursor of biologically active molecules involved in many physiological processes. Thus, hemp seeds may be considered a valuable source of healthy fatty acids to include in plant-based food formulation, regarding that further studies are being conducted to characterise other nutritional components.

Hemp seeds (HSs) are a rich source of essential fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidant compounds, making them an attractive ingredient for the food industry. This work studies the viability of enriching corn extrudates with hemp seeds, specifically to improve their fatty acid profile and phenolic content, thereby enhancing the nutritional value of the snack. Extrudate formulations with different concentrations of HSs (up to 12.5%) were evaluated, and the physicochemical, textural, and antioxidant properties of the resulting products were analyzed. The results showed that increasing the HS concentration improved the lipid profile of the products, raising the content of unsaturated fatty acids to 75.6% in the snack fortified with 12.5% of HSs and lowering the proportion of saturated fatty acids. This may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases compared with corn extrudates. The total phenolic content of the snacks and their antioxidant capacity also increased linearly with the increase of HSs in the formulation. A reduction in specific mechanical energy during extrusion was also observed, attributed to the higher fat content, which facilitates the lubrication of the process. At the physicochemical level, the HS-enriched snacks showed improvements in texture. These snacks were softer, reducing the hardness of the corn snack while maintaining crunchiness. They were even more stable due to a lower water content. The fortification of snacks with hemp seeds provides consumers with a healthier option, while maintaining the appealing crunchy texture and visual appearance regardless of some changes in their color attributes.

ISHS VIII International Postharvest Symposium: Enhancing Supply Chain and Consumer Benefits - Ethical and Technological Issues Rambutan peel as a source of food antioxidant extracts