Knowledge on genetic architecture and inheritance of tomato shelf life contributing traits in different genetic backgrounds is a key issue for shelf life improvement. An investigation was undertaken to estimate the nature and magnitude of variability, traits inter-relationships, third and fourth degree statistics to unravel the genetics of 18 fruit quality and yield traits governing shelflife in F2 population of ‘Arka Vikas’ × ‘Red ball’ cross. The wider standardized range and higher estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation indicated prevalence of adequate variability for fruit quality and yield traits. Fruit firmness and pericarp thickness ranged from 1.20–3.44 kg/cm2 and 2.44–5.31 mm respectively. Pulp content and shelflife ranged from 58.59–94.70% and 10.60–26.40 days respectively. Significant positive correlation with direct effect on fruit shelf life was exhibited by fruit firmness, pericarp thickness, TSS, titratable acidity, pulp content, fruit length and locule number. Positive skewness with platykurtic distribution recorded for TSS, lycopene, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, fruit length, weight, pericarp thickness, plant height and number of branches. Negatively skewed with platykurtic distribution observed for pH, fruit diameter, firmness, pulp content, locule number, shelf life and number of clusters which signified duplicate epistasis of dominant genes in traits inheritance. The transgressive segregants for fruit quality traits indicated complementary effects of dispersed allele combinations between parents. Additive and dominance components could be exploited in the advanced segregating population by evaluating large number of families. In addition to additive effects, predominance of dominance effects of genes are important in inheritance of fruit quality traits governing shelflife.

Chitosan-based film incorporated with citric acid was prepared by the casting method for application in a Brazilian matured cheese. Three formulations of cheese were processed, with the intention of evaluating the application of a starter culture and the effect of the film in terms of its physiochemical, microbiological, and sensorial characteristics. It was observed by scanning electron microscopy (sem) analysis that the film has a homogeneous appearance, and the crosslinking between citric acid and chitosan was confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The cheese with chitosan-based film presented lower weight loss (5.2%) and showed antimicrobial activity against aerobic mesophilic bacteria. All samples showed high rates of sensorial acceptability (>79%), with no significant differences between them. It is apparent that the chitosan film maintained the typical cheese characteristics. Therefore, chitosan and citric acid film can be used to improve the characteristics of matured cheese and extend its shelf life.

Traditional Mozzarella is a fresh cheese produced in Italian local market without additives that shows a short shelf life of about 5 d. This work tested the use of natural additives (bergamot juice concentrate-BJ and calcium lactate-CL) in preserving liquid for a Mozzarella cheese with the aim to extend its shelf life, regarding the microbial growth and overall cheese quality. Results of qualitative analyses showed that the preserving liquid with the mix of BJ and CL promoted an extension of mozzarella shelf life up to 20 d. A slightly reduced growth of Pseudomonas species was evidenced after 5 d of storage, whereas no inhibition of lactic acid bacteria was observed for the storage period. Moreover, mozzarella cheese packed in mixed preserving liquid possessed better textural properties, evidenced by the lowest proteolysis index measured after 13 d of storage, and a good antioxidant activity.

Finishing late-maturing bulls on grass may alter the antioxidant/prooxidant balance leading to beef with higher susceptibility to lipid oxidation and a lower colour stability compared to bulls finished on cereal concentrates. In this context, lipid oxidation and colour stability of beef from late-maturing bulls finished on pasture, with or without concentrate supplements, or indoors on concentrate was assessed. Charolais or Limousin sired bulls (n = 48) were assigned to four production systems: (1) pasture only (P), (2) pasture plus 25% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC25), (3) pasture plus 50% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC50) or (4) a barley-based concentrate ration (C). Following slaughter and postmortem ageing, M. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum was subjected to simulated retail display (4°C, 1000 lux for 12 h out of 24 h) for 3, 7, 10 and 14 days in modified atmosphere packs (O2 : CO2; 80 : 20). Lipid oxidation was determined using the 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay; α-tocopherol was determined by HPLC; fatty acid methyl esters were determined using Gas Chromatography. Using a randomised complete block design, treatment means were compared by either ANOVA or repeated measures ANOVA using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations were not affected by treatment, n-3 PUFAs were higher (P < 0.001) and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs was lower (P < 0.001) in muscle from P, PC25 and PC50 compared to C. α-Tocopherol concentration was higher in muscle from P compared to PC50 and C bulls (P = 0.001) and decreased (P < 0.001) in all samples by day 14. Lipid oxidation was higher in muscle from C compared to P bulls on day 10 and day 14 of storage (P < 0.01). Finishing on pasture without supplementation did not affect beef colour stability and led to lower lipid oxidation, possibly due to the higher α-tocopherol concentration compared to concentrate finished beef.

Genetic diversity identified in the Capsicum genepool has been utilized extensively to improve pepper disease resistance, fruit quality and varied yield attributes. Little attention has been dedicated to evaluating the breadth of potential diversity within Capsicum for fresh-cut attributes and genetic enhancement of fresh-cut fruit quality. We evaluated fresh-cut attributes in pepper accessions with diverse fruit phenotype selected from available cultivars and the USDA, ARS Capsicum genebank. Subjective assessment of product quality and objective measurement of package atmospheric composition, tissue juice leakage and membrane electrolyte leakage after 7, 10 and 14 d of storage identified significant differences for fresh-cut attributes among as well as within sweet bell, large elongate, jalapeno and serrano germplasm. Sweet bell and large elongate fruited accessions generally exhibited increasing electrolyte leakage over days of storage, whereas jalapeno and serrano accessions maintained stable electrolyte leakage levels. Jalapeno and serrano fruit classes were typified by faster decline in package headspace O2 and accumulation in CO2 partial pressures in comparison to sweet bell and large elongated fruit classes. Regression analysis demonstrated a relationship between overall visual quality and electrolyte leakage after 14 d of storage for sweet bell and large elongated fruit classes. The results demonstrate extensive variation in Capsicum germplasm to improve pepper for fresh-cut applications and facilitate research to better understand physiological and heritable determinants of fresh-cut product quality.

In this work, an active coating and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were investigated to prolong the shelf life of Fiordilatte packaged in traditional brine. First, the screening of MAP was performed in order to select the best gas composition. Then, the combined effect of MAP and coating was investigated. Finally, the coating was loaded with potassium sorbate and its effects under MAP conditions were also assessed. Results highlighted that MAP was able to control growth of the main spoilage microbial group (Pseudomonas spp.); however, the solubilisation of carbon dioxide into the brine compromised Fiordilatte texture. Therefore, the presence of the active coating avoided the damage of gas solubilisation and promoted a shelf life prolongation by about 157%.

Objectives: Oximes such as pralidoxime (2-PAM) are essential antidotes for life-threatening organophosphate poisoning. Unfortunately, oximes are expensive, have limited use, and have short shelf lives. As such, maintaining large stockpiles in preparation for terrorist activity is not always possible. We have demonstrated that atropine is stable well beyond its labeled shelf life and that recently expired 2-PAM was clinically efficacious in a series of poisoned patients. Because 2-PAM is often dosed empirically, clinical improvement does not guarantee pharmacological stability. We therefore chose to analyze the chemical stability of expired 2-PAM.

Methods: Samples of lyophylized 2-PAM were maintained according to the manufacturer's recommendations for 20 years beyond the published shelf life. We studied 2-PAM contained in a MARK I autoinjector that was stored properly for 3 years beyond its expiration date. An Agilent LC/MSD 1100 with diode-array detector and an Agilent Sorbax SB-C-18, 4.6 × 150-mm, 5-μm column were used with the following solvent systems: water with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid and methanol with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid. Fresh reagent grade 2-PAM was used as a standard. Results were repeated for consistency.

Results: Lyophylized 2-PAM was a white powder that was clear and colorless in solution. Liquid chromatography was identical to the standard and resulted in 2 isolated peaks with identical mass spectra, suggesting that they are stereoisomers. The autoinjector discharged a clear, yellowish solution. In addition to the 2 peaks identified for lyophylized 2-PAM, a small third peak was identified with a mass spectra corresponding to the reported N -methyl pyridinium carboxaldehyde degradation product.

Conclusions: When properly stored, lyophylized 2-PAM appears to be chemically stable well beyond its expiration date. Although the relative amount of degradation product found in solubilized (autoinjector) 2-PAM was small, it is unclear whether this may be toxic and therefore is of concern. Further studies performed with lots of drug stored under varied conditions would be required to fully determine the stability of expired 2-PAM.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:20–25)

In this work the effects of addition of different amounts of sodium chloride, during cheese making, on shelf life of mozzarella cheese were evaluated. The mozzarella cheese quality decay was assessed during storage at 9 °C by monitoring microbiological, sensory and physico-chemical changes in the product. Results showed that Pseudomonas spp. growth was responsible for cheese unacceptability, whereas the sensory quality did not limit cheese shelf life. In particular, the highest shelf life values were obtained for mozzarella without salt and with the lowest salt concentration (0·23 g NaCl), and amounted to about 5 and 4 d, respectively. On the contrary, high salt concentrations affected product shelf life, probably as a consequence of progressive solubilisation of cheese casein, due to the phenomenon of ‘salting in’.

This study explains how active coating can serve to prolong the shelf life of Fior di latte cheese. The active coating was prepared by dissolving, in two sodium alginic acid solutions (5 and 8% w/v), different concentrations of lysozyme (0·25, 0·50 and 1·00 mg ml−1)+50 mm of Ethylene-Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA). Samples of Fior di latte cheese packaged in brine and active brine (lysozyme+EDTA, at the above concentrations) were also used as controls. The quality decay of the Fior di latte cheese stored at 10°C was assessed by monitoring the viable cell concentration of the main spoilage microorganism, as well as its sensory quality (i.e., external appearance, consistency, colour and flavour). The concentration of rod-or coccus-shaped Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) was also monitored to assess the effect of the proposed packaging strategies on the flora type of Fior di latte cheese. The results show that an increase in the shelf life equal to 104% was recorded for the coated samples, compared with controls packaged in brine without active compounds. This shelf life increase is slightly lower than that recorded with samples packaged in the active brine (151%), as a result of a more pronounced microbial proliferation; however, the coating could be a better packaging solution for the reduced weight of tray.

Topsoil is essential to abandoned mines and has to be stock-piled separately for post-mining land reclamation. If the storage period exceeds the 'shelf life' of the topsoil, it cannot be preserved by technical reclamation only. Opencast coal mining production in India is predicted to increase from the present level of 180 million tonnes per year to approximately 256 million tonnes per year by the year 2000. At that time about 60 km2 of land per year would be damaged by direct coal mines and 75 km2 per year would be affected by external overburden dumps and topsoil dumps. A large opencast coal mine was studied to evaluate the effect of stock-piling topsoil. Soil characteristics of soil dumps of six different ages (1, 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10 years old) were compared with those of surrounding unmined sites. Soil profiles were found to change greatly with age. Physico-chemical characteristics of soil dumps were found to deteriorate with respect to unmined soil. It was observed that, as the age of soil dumps increased from one to 10 years, the concentrations of suitable plant growth nutrients in soil gradually decreased and, after six years, the soils were found to be stagnant. This may be considered to be the 'shelf life' of topsoil. Biological reclamation must be adopted to preserve the topsoil if the storage period exceeds the shelf life period. The methodology provides guidelines for assessing the shelf life of topsoil in other areas.