2008 NOV 24 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) hybrid ('Rupali') was cut into halves, blanched and treated with 3 and 6% potassium metabisulphite (KMS) solution. The halves were dried in cabinet drier at 58 +/- 2 degrees C up to constant weight," investigators in Ludhiana, India report.

  "Physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory quality changes occuring in dried tomato halves packed in aluminum foil laminate (AFL) pouches and stored under ambient conditions (25-35 degrees C, 45-85% RH) were studied for 6 months. The moisture content, water activity, reducing sugars and non-enzymatic browning of the sample increased, while titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, total sugars, carotenoids and SO2 content decreased during storage. Dry tomato halves prepared with a combination of hot water (95 degrees C) blanching for 1 min and dipping in 6% KMS solution for 10 min retained best quality during storage. They retained the maximum ascorbic acid (95.7 mg/100 g), lycopens (83.8 mg/100 g), total carotenoids (143.6 mg/100 g), SO2 (1319 ppm), total sugars (57.3%) and exhibited highest a/b ratio (1.36), rehydration ratio (3.83) and pectin content (2.93%) with minimum non-enzymatic browning (0.26 OD) during 6 months storage. All dehydrated samples were microbially safe," wrote S. Madan and colleagues, Punjab Agricultural University ...read more

  2008 NOV 24 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Guava (Psidium guajava L.) fruits of cuhivar 'Allahabad Safeda' were harvested at optimum maturity and treated with 1-MCP at 100, 200 and 300 ppb gaseous vapours for 4 h at 20 degrees C in closed chamber," investigators in Ludhiana, India report.

  "After treatment, the fruits were packed in corrugated fiber board cartons and stored at 6 +/- 1(degrees)C and 90-95% RH. Data revealed that 1-MCP (300 ppb) treatment proved to be the most effective treatment in extending the storage life of guava fruits up to 4 weeks and maintained acceptable quality in terms of firmness, colour, total soluble solids to and acidity," wrote B.V.C. Mahajan and colleagues, Punjab Agricultural University ...read more

  2008 NOV 24 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "The diversity of Bacillus isolated from hawaijar an indigenously fermented soybean was studied. Twenty six samples from 5 Districts of Imphal valley were collected," scientists in Imphal, India report.

  "The isolated microorganisms were grouped based on colony and cell morphology. A total of 152 strains of Bacillus was isolated. Representative isolates from each group were further studied using PCR-RAPD profile. Very huge genetic diversity was noticed between groups. In between the isolates of a group, a less genetic diversity was observed. Molecular indentification of the representative strains from each group using 16S-23S rDNA spacer region followed by restriction in digestion resulted in Bacillus subtilis. B. cereus and Bacillus sp. (comparable with MTCC type strains). The isolates were also screened for their enzymatic activities (amylase, protease, and lipase)," wrote T. Premarani and colleagues, Manipur University ...read more