Xingfeng Shao

The possible mechanism of antifungal action of tea tree oil on Botrytis cinerea

Tea tree oil (TTO) has been confirmed in previous study as a potential natural antifungal agent to control Botrytis cinerea and grey mould in fresh fruit. However, the mechanism of its action has not been clearly revealed, and some hypotheses mainly depended on the results obtained from the bacterial test. For the antifungal mechanism, the effect of TTO on the mycelium morphology and ultrastructure, cell wall and membrane, and membrane fatty acid composition of B. cinerea was investigated in vitro experiments.

Domestic cooking methods affect the nutritional quality of red cabbage

The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of domestic cooking methods, including steaming, microwave heating, boiling and stir-frying on the nutritional quality of red cabbage. Compared with fresh-cut red cabbage, all cooking methods were found to cause significant reduction in anthocyanin and total glucosinolates contents. Moreover, steaming resulted in significantly greater retention of vitamin C and DPPH radical-scavenging activity, while stir-frying and boiling, two popular Chinese cooking methods, led to significant losses of total phenolic, vitamin C, DPPH radical-scavenging activity, and total soluble sugar as well as reducing sugars. Normally, red cabbage consumed fresh in salads could maintain the highest nutrition. However, considering the habits of Asian cuisine, it is recommended to use less water and less cooking time, such as steaming based on our present results, so as to retain the optimum benefits of the health-promoting compounds.

Effects of heat treatment on wound healing in Gala and Red Fuji apple fruits.

This study investigated the effects of heat treatment (hot air at 38 degrees C for 4 days) on wound healing in Gala and Red Fuji apple fruits (Malus domestica Borkh.) and the possible mechanism. Wounded apples were healed at either 20 or 38 degrees C for 4 days. During the treatment, ethylene, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and phenolic and lignin contents were measured. Following the treatment, healed wounds were inoculated with Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, and Colletotrichum acutatum, and then the decay development was observed. Results revealed that the influence of heating on wound healing in apple fruit was cultivar dependent. Compared with fruits healed at 20 degrees C, heating at 38 degrees C had a pejorative effect on wound healing in Gala apples. However, identical treatment enhanced wound healing in Red Fuji apples. Heating sharply reduced ethylene evolution, PAL and POD activity, and the accumulation of phenolic compounds and lignin around wounds in Gala apples. Alternatively, in Red Fuji apples, treatment at 38 degrees C significantly improved ethylene evolution and peroxide (H(2)O(2)) content at the first two days of treatment. In addition, both PAL and POD activities, and contents of phenolic compounds and lignin around wounds increased. Our findings suggest that this discrepancy in the effect of heat treatment on wound healing is due to different effects on ethylene evolution in cultivars of apple fruit.

Antifungal modes of action of tea tree oil and its two characteristic components against Botrytis cinerea

The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) has been evaluated as a potential eco‐friendly antifungal agent against Botrytis cinerea. In this study, we investigated the antifungal activity and mode of action of tea tree oil (TTO) and its components against B. cinerea.

Solidago canadensis L. Essential Oil Vapor Effectively Inhibits Botrytis cinerea Growth and Preserves Postharvest Quality of Strawberry as a Food Model System

This study investigated the anti-fungal properties of Solidago canadensis L. essential oil (SCLEO) against Botrytis cinerea in vitro, and its ability to control gray mold and maintain quality in strawberry fruits. SCLEO exhibited dose-dependent antifungal activity against B. cinerea and profoundly altered mycelial morphology, cellular ultrastructure, and membrane permeability as evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. SCLEO vapor at 0.1 mL/L maintained higher sensory acceptance and reduced decay of fresh strawberry fruit, and also reduced gray mold in artificially inoculated fruit. SCLEO treatment did not, however, stimulate phenylalanin ammonia-lyase, polyphenol oxidase, or chitinase, enzymes related to disease resistance. This suggests that SCLEO reduces gray mold by direct inhibition of pathogen growth. SCLEO vapor may provide a new and effective strategy for controlling postharvest disease and maintaining quality in strawberries.