Search Results (43)

With the rapid development of e-commerce, ensuring product quality on online platforms has become increasingly important, especially in developing countries where market regulations are still underdeveloped. By treating different sellers offering the same brand’s products as an industry, this study examines the impact of flagship store entry on online product quality by constructing a multiple period difference-in-difference model and conducts detailed empirical tests using full-category and large-span data from Taobao. The empirical results demonstrate that flagship store entry not only prompts the exit of incumbent sellers and deters potential new entrants due to the competition effect, but also facilitates the exit of low-quality sellers while attracting high-quality sellers as a result of a consumer-learning effect. Consequently, the overall quality of the industry is improved, and this effect is more pronounced in high-priced and durable goods industries. The findings of this study have important implications for market structure design and online quality governance in online marketplaces. Full article

Spain is the world’s leading producer of organic fresh lemons, with production concentrated in the southeast. Given the relevance of this region in lemon production and the role of organic agriculture in sustainable development, this study establishes the main organic lemon production models in Southeastern Spain (Fino and Verna) and evaluates them from the economic and environmental perspective using life cycle costing (LCC) and life cycle assessment (LCA). Both models present a similar cost structure, with labor and fertilization being the most significant costs. Verna presents higher unit cost due to lower productivity. Organic management entails higher unit costs than conventional due to lower productivity and the higher costs of organic fertilization and biotechnological pest control. In LCA, the contributions of the components to the impacts of the organic models are very similar, due to the similarities in the production models. These contributions also resemble those in conventional management systems, with fertilizers being the largest contributor to impacts. Organic systems generally show lower absolute values than conventional, mainly because of the use of organic fertilizers. Fino shows lower values than Verna, driven by higher productivity. The global warming results showed relatively low emissions, 0.053 and 0.068 kg CO₂ eq·kg⁻¹ for Fino and Verna, respectively. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was performed, introducing variability in non-fresh marketable yields and considering the avoidance of synthetic fertilizers. Full article

Citrus black spot (CBS), caused by the fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa, significantly affects citrus fruit marketability and can lead to premature fruit drop. Accurate and reliable detection of this quarantine pathogen is crucial, particularly for asymptomatic plant material. This study evaluated two qPCR assays, the EPPO recommended assay PC and assay Pc-TEF1, based on TEF region, for detecting P. citricarpa through a collaborative test performance study (TPS). DNA from the isolates of Phyllosticta spp. and other fungi was spiked into citrus fruit peel extracts (lemon, orange, and pomelo) and distributed among 13 laboratories. Sample and qPCR assay stability under typical transport conditions was confirmed, although prolonged storage affected Pc-TEF1 assay performance. The assays were assessed based on sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and repeatability. Both assays demonstrated high performance, with repeatability and reproducibility exceeding 95%. The PC assay, as expected, detected different related Phyllosticta species, while Pc-TEF1 showed higher specificity for P. citricarpa included in the TPS alone. Additionally, inhibitory effects were observed specifically in the pomelo peel samples, suggesting matrix-dependent variability. This TPS confirms that both PC and Pc-TEF1 qPCR assays are robust. Further evaluation of the qPCR assays would support the selection of the most reliable assays for the detection of P. citricarpa, contributing to the effective management of CBS disease in citrus production and trade. Full article

The valorization of citrus peel byproducts presents a sustainable and innovative approach to reducing food waste while improving the nutritional content of fruit-based products. Citrus peels, a significant byproduct of the fruit juice industry, are abundant in bioactive compounds with recognized health benefits and functional properties, making them particularly suitable for jam production. The global citrus industry generates substantial amounts of waste, with peels accounting for approximately 50% of the total fruit mass. Conventional disposal methods often result in environmental concerns and the underutilization of valuable bioresources. This study aims to investigate the potential of incorporating citrus peel into jam formulations as a means of enhancing their nutritional and functional properties. Jams were prepared using a traditional processing technique (TP) incorporating citrus peel. The experimental jam variants included pomelo peel jam (PPJ), lime peel jam (LiPJ), lemon peel jam (LePJ), clementine peel jam (CPJ), orange peel jam (OPJ), and grapefruit peel jam (GPJ). All jam samples were subjected to comprehensive analyses, including assessments of chemical composition, total soluble solids (TSSs), titrable acidity (g/100 g acid citric), macro- and microelement contents, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity using the FRAP assay. The study revealed high levels of biologically active compounds, such aspolyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, in the jams, highlighting their antioxidant properties and potential health benefits. Among the jams, lemon peel jam (LePJ) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and polyphenol content, making it a superior choice in terms of functional benefits. In terms of sensory analysis, orange peel jam (OPJ) was the most favored by consumers, demonstrating its high acceptability and potential for market success. Full article

The rise of the global tea industry market, influenced by the growing demands for healthier diet options, resulted in the constant increase in herbal tea production. In accordance, increased production leads to increased waste generation, especially in the area of filter tea production, which generates waste in the form of powdered plant material with particle sizes lower than 0.315 mm. The generated amount of this powdered plant material, also called herbal dust, can vary in the range from 10 to 40% of the total processed plant, and it is often considered waste only due to its size. Therefore, within this study, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was utilized for the extraction of green tea (Camellia sinensis L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) herbal dust, and the quality of the obtained extracts was evaluated in terms of total phenolic content (TPC) and phenolic profile. In addition, UAE was conducted on the three different amplitudes (20, 60, and 100%) and two different extraction times (5 and 10 min) in order to investigate and compare the influence of different extraction parameters. The results showed that the maximum TPC for green tea, hibiscus, and lemon balm herbal dust was 152.91 ± 0.74, 60.63 ± 0.10, and 356.22 ± 3.13 mg GAE/g DE, respectively. HPLC analysis conducted for all of the obtained extracts confirmed the presence of several phenolic compounds, with the highest concentrations of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) for the extracts of green tea, and neochlorogenic acid for hibiscus herbal dust extracts. The HPLC analysis of the lemon balm extracts recorded the highest concentration of rosmarinic acid for all of the UAE conditions. The results reported within this study indicate that previously considered waste, herbal dust plant material can be successfully extracted by application of UAE and that the obtained extracts exhibit concentrations of bioactive compounds comparable to the extracts of the commercially available plant material. Full article

Lemon, as an important cash crop with rich nutritional value, holds significant cultivation importance and market demand worldwide. However, lemon diseases seriously impact the quality and yield of lemons, necessitating their early detection for effective control. This paper addresses this need by collecting a dataset of lemon diseases, consisting of 726 images captured under varying light levels, growth stages, shooting distances and disease conditions. Through cropping high-resolution images, the dataset is expanded to 2022 images, comprising 4441 healthy lemons and 718 diseased lemons, with approximately 1–6 targets per image. Then, we propose a novel model lemon surface disease YOLO (LSD-YOLO), which integrates Switchable Atrous Convolution (SAConv) and Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), along with the design of C2f-SAC and the addition of a small-target detection layer to enhance the extraction of key features and the fusion of features at different scales. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LSD-YOLO achieves an accuracy of 90.62% on the collected datasets, with mAP@50–95 reaching 80.84%. Compared with the original YOLOv8n model, both mAP@50 and mAP@50–95 metrics are enhanced. Therefore, the LSD-YOLO model proposed in this study provides a more accurate recognition of healthy and diseased lemons, contributing effectively to solving the lemon disease detection problem. Full article

Live vinegar is a product formed through a two-step fermentation process of a sugar substrate that has not been subjected to filtration or pasteurization. This is considered to preserve all nutrients and biologically active microorganisms, making it a product with a valuable composition and beneficial properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the chemical composition and antioxidant properties of the selected vinegars available on the Polish food market. The material in the study consisted of four live (naturally turbid, unfiltered, unpasteurized) fruit or vegetable vinegars: apple, pear, rhubarb, and lemon. Spectrophotometric, HPLC, and GC methods were used. Among the vinegars tested, lemon vinegar had the highest vitamin C content—15.95 mg/100 mL. Apple vinegar proved to be the best source of polyphenols and flavonoids (TPC—191.97 mg GAE/L, TFC—70.22 mg RE/L). All of the vinegars contained dihydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, and myricetin. The acetic acid content of the tested vinegars ranged from 29.180 to 38.125 mM/L. The pH values ranged from 3.14 to 3.41. In conclusion, the most promising nutraceutical with potentially beneficial health-promoting properties seems to be apple vinegar. Full article

Weight loss solutions are on the rise, and there is growing interest in natural alternatives to the pharmaceuticals in the market, which are not devoid of relevant side effects. To this end, the objective of the current study was to assess the effects of a botanical-based blend comprised of lemon verbena and hibiscus extracts on weight management, body fat, appetite, lipid, and glucose profiles in an overweight population for 90 days. The volunteers presented significant weight loss in absence of diet (approximately 3 kg, −3.4% total body weight), which coincided with decreased body fat (−1.7%, equivalent to an almost 6% decrease compared to initial value). Body fat was assessed by anthropometry, electrical bioimpedance and DEXA scans. Cholesterol levels were also significantly decreased (approximately 7% decrease). Satiety assessment revealed that the product contributed to increased feeling of fullness and satisfaction after a meal compared to the placebo group, which could contribute to the weight loss observed. Blood glucose and blood pressure levels remained unchanged, which was expected as the volunteers were normoglycemic and their blood pressure was in the healthy range. In conclusion, daily supplementation of a botanical-based blend contributes to weight loss in overweight individuals in absence of diet, while not affecting other parameters that are in the healthy range. This product could be a candidate alternative or add-on to other weight loss products as part of a healthy lifestyle. Full article

Recently, hand sanitization has gained attention for preventing disease transmission. Many on-the-market convenient dermal sanitizers contain alcohol, which can be detrimental to the skin. Therefore, three nanoemulgel formulations (LN-F1, LN-F2, LN-F3) incorporating lemon peel extract (LE), and with various increasing concentrations of xanthan gum as a gelling agent and stabilizer, were developed and characterized as a novel alternative. All formulations showed non-Newtonian shear-thinning flow behavior, particle size values below 200 nm, and increasing zeta potential with higher xanthan gum concentrations. All nanoemulgel formulations exhibited greater in vitro phenolic compound release than free LE. LN-F2 (1.0% LE, 20.0% mineral oil, 20.0% Span 80, 4.0% Cremophor RH 40, 4.0% PEG 400, 0.5% xanthan gum, 50.5% dH₂O) was selected as the optimal formulation due to improved characteristics. LE and LN-F2 potential cytotoxicity was assessed on MA-104, showing no significant cellular morphological alterations up to 10 mg/mL for both samples. LN-F2 showed in vitro antimicrobial activity against E. coli, S. Typhimurium, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and C. albicans, as well as antiviral activity against phiX 174, but no effect against rotavirus (SA-11). In vivo, LN-F2 presented a removal capacity of 83% to 100% for bacteria and 89% to 100% for fungi. These findings suggest that the formulated nanoemulgel holds potential as a safe and effective antiseptic, providing a viable alternative to commercial alcohol-based formulations. Full article

The current era witnesses a remarkable advancement in biomass utilization, guided by the principles of green chemistry and biorefinery and the comprehensive exploitation of plant-based raw materials. Predominantly, large-scale production methods have been pursued, akin to approaches in the oil industry, enabling the incorporation of novel products into energy and petrochemical markets. However, the viability of such systems on a small and medium scale is hindered by logistical challenges and the constraints of economies of scale. For small agricultural producers and food processing companies, the complete utilization of biomass transcends environmental responsibility, evolving into a strategy for survival through the diversification of by-products with enhanced value. The state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil presents a range of population dynamics, geographical features, climate conditions, and agricultural production patterns that closely resemble those found in various tropical countries and agricultural regions worldwide. This region, sustaining a green belt supporting 17 million people, provides an apt case study for investigating chemical compounds with potential value among agro-industrial residues, which can motivate the creation of a lucrative biotechnological industry. Examples include naringenin and hesperidin from oranges and lemons, epi-gallo-catechin gallate from bananas, caffeic acids from coffee, and the bromelain enzyme from pineapples. This study addresses the challenges associated with developing biotechnological alternatives within the agroindustry, considering economic, technological, logistical, and market-related aspects. The insights from examining the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro will contribute to the broader discourse on sustainable biomass utilization and the creation of value-added by-products. Full article

Ready-to-eat fresh fruit have an increasing presence in international markets due to their convenience and health benefits. However, these products are highly perishable and efficient technologies to increase their shelf life are needed. In the present research, different citrus fruit species and cultivars from organic farming were assessed to obtain enzymatically peeled citrus segments. The best results in terms of segment quality were observed for ‘Hernandina’ clementine, which was chosen to make a new ready-to-eat product based on peeled citrus segments that were packaged in glass jars with a light syrup made of citrus juice and organic sugar cane. Different citrus juice mixtures were assayed and the most appreciated syrup, based on the sensory scores given by panellists, was that containing 50–50 (v/v) of ‘Fino’ lemon and ‘Hernandina’ clementine juices. In addition, different pasteurization treatments were assessed for their effects on conserving the safety, nutritional quality and sensory properties of the product during cold storage. The results show that pasteurization treatment at 50 °C for 45 min was sufficient to prevent microbial contamination with mesophilic and psychrophilic aerobic bacteria or yeast and mould and to maintain sensory properties until five weeks of storage at 4 °C. In addition, only a 10% reduction in vitamin C concentrations was observed in fresh-segments or syrup until the end of the storage period, showing that a high bioactive compound content and health benefits were conserved in the new ready-to-eat product after pasteurization and prolonged cold storage. Full article

Together with lime, lemon is recognized as the third most extensively cultivated citrus species worldwide, trailing only behind orange and mandarin. The enhancement in the economic value of lemons as a valuable resource in Southern Italy depends by the competitiveness of local lemon production in both domestic and international markets. This necessitates conducting a comprehensive study that thoroughly explores the available indigenous germplasm at the local and national levels. This study aims to identify the most promising Sicilian and Campanian cultivars that are well suited for both fresh fruit consumption and the production of processed goods. This re-study assumes even greater importance considering the ongoing climate changes, as environmental stresses significantly impact the ripening process and the timing of fruit development. Our study has highlighted a notable diversity among the 18 investigated lemon cultivars, particularly highlighting specific cultivars that possess desirable attributes for fresh consumption. The cultivars that showed the greatest cumulative production over the 10 years of the study were Erice with 467.89 kg/tree and Femminello Siracusano 2KR with 408.44 kg. Notably, cultivars like Segesta, Erice, and Kamarina have exhibited higher percentages of juice content ranging from 27.30% to 31.08%. These cultivars show great potential for abundant juice content and optimal acidity levels for direct consumption. On the other hand, cultivars characterized by enhanced yield, such as Femminello Siracusano 2KR, Femminello Fior d’Arancio m79, and Erice, may prove to be particularly well suited to produce processed goods. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into some qualitative parameters of lemon cultivars, important either for fresh consumption or for transformed products. Full article

Citrus limon is among the species of the genus Citrus that dominates the world market. It is highly nutritious for humans as it contains twice the amount of the suggested daily intake of ascorbic acid and is also a good source of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and other bioactive compounds. This study aimed to identify the optimal extraction procedures and parameters to obtain the maximum quantity of bioactive components from lemon peel by-products. Various extraction techniques, including stirring, ultrasound, and pulsed electric field, were evaluated, along with factors such as extraction time, temperature, and solvent composition. The results revealed that simple stirring for 150 min at 20 °C proved to be the most effective and practical method. The ideal solvent mixture consisted of 75% ethanol and 25% water, highlighting the crucial role of solvent composition in maximizing extraction efficiency. Among the extracted compounds were phenolics, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids. Under optimum extraction conditions, the extract was found to contain high total phenolic content (TPC) (51.2 mg of gallic acid equivalents, GAE/g dry weight), total flavonoid content (TFC) (7.1 mg of rutin equivalents, RtE/g dry weight), amounts of ascorbic acid (3.7 mg/g dry weight), and total carotenoids content (TCC) (64.9 μg of β-carotene equivalents, CtE/g). Notably, the extracts demonstrated potent antioxidant properties (128.9 μmol of ascorbic acid equivalents, AAE/g; and 30.3 μmol of AAE/g as evidenced by FRAP and DPPH assays, respectively), making it a promising ingredient for functional foods and cosmetics. The study’s implications lie in promoting sustainable practices by converting lemon peel into valuable resources and supporting human health and wellness through the consumption of natural antioxidants. Full article

In light of the frequent occurrence of counterfeit food sold in global commercial markets, it is necessary to verify the authenticity of tasty natural-plant-based products by checking their labels, as well as their pricing and quality control. Lemon juice has repeatedly been the victim of fraud attempts by manufacturers to lower the price of products. Electronic noses are used in many fields, including the beverage industry, for classification and quality control. This involves the detection and differentiation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from food. This study evaluated pure lemon juice and 11 counterfeit samples (water, lemon pulp, and wheat straw) using an electronic nose equipped with 8 metal oxide sensors to detect fraud. Chemometric methods such as principal component analysis (PCA), linear and quadratic analysis (LDA), support vector machines (SVMs), and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to analyze the response patterns of the sensors. The outputs of eight sensors were considered as the input of the model and the number of lemon juice groups, and its adulterations were also considered as the output of the model. Of the total data, 60% (for training), 20% (for validation), and 20% (for testing) were used. According to the results, all models had an accuracy of more than 95%, and the Nu-SVM linear function method had the highest accuracy among all models. Hence, it can be concluded that the electronic nose based on metal oxide semiconductor sensors combined with chemometric methods can be an effective tool with high efficiency for rapid and nondestructive classification of pure lemon juice and its counterfeits. Full article

Rosmarinic acid (RA), an ester of caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid, is a potent radical scavenger, a chelator of prooxidant ions, and an inhibitor of lipid peroxidation. RA-containing extracts are widely used natural antioxidants in food products, and many herbal preparations and food supplements, containing RA, are marketed with claims of beneficial health effects. The current study investigated the effectiveness of subcritical water extraction (SWE) for the recovery of RA from lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), as a “green” alternative to conventional hydro-alcoholic extraction. Different durations (10 min and 20 min) and extraction temperatures (100 °C and 150 °C) were applied. Subcritical water applied at a temperature of 100 °C was equally efficient as 50% ethanol in extracting RA. However, the further elevation of temperature to 150 °C decreased RA content by up to 20% due to thermal degradation. The content of RA in dried extracts was between 2.36% and 5.55% and the higher temperature of SWE increased extract yield by up to 41%. The higher extraction yield resulted from the degradation of plant material by subcritical water as evidenced by the increased extraction and degradation of proteins, pectin, and cellulose. These results reveal that SWE is an efficient technology for the extraction of RA and other antioxidants from lemon balm at reduced extraction time and without the use of toxic organic solvents. Furthermore, by modification of SWE conditions, dry extracts with different purity and content of RA are obtained. These extracts could be used in the food industry as food antioxidants, or in the development of food supplements and functional foods. Full article