Fernando Rivera-Cabrera

• PhD. (Experimental Biology)
• Professor (Full) at Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico City, Mexico

In fresh cut (FC) watermelon, texture loss on the flesh leads to tissue softening and greater water soaking, reducing the shelf life. This study was assessed the effect of calcium nanoparticles (NP) [CaO-NP and Ca(OH) 2-NP] at three concentrations (100, 150, and 200 mg L −1) compared to control (water) and CaCl 2 (1 %, w/v), on FC seed-less waterme...

Background and Objective: The antihyperglycemic effect is associated with the pre-hispanic fruit xoconostle or tunillo (Stenocereus stellatus, Pfeiffer and Riccobono). This fruit includes in various varieties, distinguished by color. Xoconostle fruits are highly perishable. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess antihyperglycemic effects of...

Agroindustrial residues such as cruciferous plant residues are important for postharvest treatments and of great interest because of their bioactive compounds with antimicrobial and antifungal activity, which can be used as an alternative to the use of chemical agents to treat pathogens during tomato postharvest. Cherry tomato fruit has a short she...

The best-known plant endophytes include mainly fungi and bacteria, but there are also a few records of microalgae growing endophytically in vascular land plants, some of which belong to the genus Coccomyxa. In this study, we isolated a single-celled photosynthetic microorganism from the arsenic-tolerant shrub Acacia farnesiana, thus we hypothesized...

Cucumber fruits commercialization is of great economic national, and global importance; however, this product suffers substantial postharvest losses, mainly due to poor and inadequate transport, handling, and postharvest storage. In this study, the application of poly(vinyl acetate–co–vinyl alcohol), P(VAc-co-VA), latex coatings added with calcium...

Most flower buds do not open after the cut flower has been separate from the plant without having an external energy source. Sugar added in vase solutions usually has positive effects; however, it can also elicit and generate greater senescence. The objective of this paper was to determine the effects of sucrose, another external elicitor such as o...

Mexico is the main producer and exporter of Persian lime worldwide. Oleocellosis is one of the main physiological disorders of acid limes which affects visual quality of the fruit and cause economic losses. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of Sour orange, Volkamerian lemon, Flying dragon, Swingle citrumelo and C-35 citrange ro...

El achiote (Bixa orellana L., Bixaceae) es una planta nativa de América tropical utilizada principalmente para obtener un colorante natural rico en carotenoides (principalmente bixina y norbixina), así como también para el uso en áreas de la fitoquímica y farmacología. En el presente trabajo, un total de 8 características cuantitativas y 14 cualita...

Background: The xoconostle (Opuntia joconostle Web.) plant is produced mainly in the Central Highlands region of Mexico. The main aim of this research was to determine the effect of pasteurization on chemical and functional properties of xoconostle juice. Methods: Total Soluble Solids (TSS), pH, Titratable Acidity (TA), total phenolic and flavonoi...

Heliocarpus appendiculatus Turcz (jonote) is used in traditional medicine in central, southern and southeastern Mexico; howe�ver, scientific information on their specific biological activities is scarce. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxi�dant, antimicrobial and toxicity activity of organic extracts of different polarity, obtain...

Lisianthus [Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners] is a flower which, once cut, requires vase care-solution to increase its postharvest life and quality. The objective of this project was to assess the effects of pectin-derived oligosaccharins solution (Pectimorf®) on the postharvest vase quality of lisianthus cut flowers. Six vase-solution treatmen...

The main problem for minimally processed acid limes commercialization is oleocellosis, a physiopathy generated on the surface of the fruit by the release of essential oils from flavedo's oil glands due to processing, which causes sinking of the tissue, necrosis and loss of product quality. In order to reduce this problem, we evaluate the effect of...

Heliocarpus appendiculatus Turcz, (jonote), tiene uso terapéutico en el sureste mexicano, no se cuenta con información científica de sus actividades biológicas específicas. El objetivo del trabajo fue, determinar la actividad antioxidante, antimicrobiana y la toxicidad en Artemia franciscana, de tres extractos (metanólico, cloruro de metileno y hex...

Mexico is the world’s leading Persian lime (Citrus latifolia T.) fruit producer and exporter. The use of rootstocks in citrus may increase fruit quality; however, the most used rootstock in Mexico is Sour orange, which is susceptible to the citrus tristeza virus. The objetive of this work was to evaluate the effect of rootstock (Sour orange, Volkam...

Response surface methodology was applied in order to select the optimal thermal treatment (TT) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) needed to preserve minimally processed cactus stems, cv Atlixco. Accordingly, a 42 s/48°C TT together with a 10% CO2 MAP were selected, and their effects evaluated during storage at 4°C. Controls lost more weight (3...

Acacia farnesiana is an arsenic (As)-tolerant shrub, widely distributed in the arid zones of Mexico. Endosymbiotic plant-bacteria associations can modify As-tolerance and its bioaccumulation in plants. Both responses are related to mechanisms that stimulate antioxidant defense and compartmentalization of As, which are mediated by changes in protein...

The cover image, by Rosa Isela Ventura‐Aguilar et al., is based on the Review Cactus stem (Opuntia ficus‐indica Mill): anatomy, physiology and chemical composition with emphasis on its biofunctional properties, DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.8493.

En Guerrero, Morelos y Chiapas, México, se realizaron 102 recolectas de ciruela mexicana (Spondias purpurea L) de época húmeda (49) y seca (53); se evaluaron en madurez de consumo algunas características físicas, fisiológicas, químicas, y actividad antioxidante. La masa de los frutos fluctuó entre 6 y 35g; los diámetros polar y ecuatorial variaron...

Spondias purpurea L. is a fruit native to Mexico, however, it is found as far away as Brazil. It possesses a high commercial potential owing to its sensorial and nutritional qualities and its low cost of production. There exists a variety of ecotypes that have not been characterized and their adequate selection process, according to their strongest...

In Guerrero, Morelos and Chiapas states, México, 102 collections of Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L) were carried out, both at humid (49) and dry (53) seasons. Physical, physiological and chemical characteristics, and antioxidant activity, were determined. The weight of fruits fluctuated from 6 to 35g, polar and equatorial diameters were 22-44.6m...

Cactus stem (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill) is native to Mesoamerica and marketed in different forms such as fresh, frozen or pre-cooked. Worldwide, this vegetable is recognized for its pharmaceutical actions, including its antioxidant, diuretic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anti-hypercholesterolemic properties, as well as th...

A phytochemical study of the hexane, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds was conducted. The effect of chia seeds aqueous extract on the weight gain of Wistar rats was also analyzed. The methanolic extract of the aerial part of the plant showed 268 fold more total flavonoids (268 ± 6 mEQ) compared to the chia seed...

Commercialization of agricultural products, including seeds and its derived products, represents an important economic source for developing countries. Natural colorants obtained from the seeds of achiote plant (annatto) have been used since pre-Hispanic times. Also, production of this crop has been important for Mayan cuisine. Annual world product...

Achiote (Bixa orellana L.) is a plant native to tropical America. The seeds of this plant are often used in the food industry, but the leaves are underutilized. In the southeastern region of Mexico, the annatto leaves are used in the traditional Mayan medicine. While the dosage and the quality remain unclear, and we studied the chemical profile and...

Context: Echinacea (Asteraceae) is used because of its pharmacological properties. However, there are few studies that integrate phytochemical analyses with pharmacological effects. Objective: Evaluate the chemical profile and biological activity of hydroalcoholic Echinacea extracts. Materials and methods: Density, dry matter, phenols (Folin–Ciocal...

Achiote (Bixa orellana) is a plant used for obtaining a natural dye rich on carotenoids (mainly bixin and norbixin); it is alsotheplantspecieswiththehighestcontentoftocotrienolsinnature. Inthepresentwork,thepigmentextractionyieldof seven Mexican accessions of Bixa orellana was quantified. Also color parameters and content of tocotrienols, tocopherol...

Buddleja cordata is a medicinal plant distributed in Mexican territory that is characterized for producing phenolic compounds possessing antioxidant activity. It was evaluated the type of morphogenetic responses induced by plant growth regulators. Furthermore, the content of verbascoside and total phenols was determined, as well as the antioxidant...

Mexican plum fruit (Spondias purpurea L.) is native from Mexico. It grows during dry and humid season. More of 30 varieties of this fruit are recognized in the country. Mexican plum ‘Cuernavaqueña’ has attractive organoleptic characteristics, but has a short postharvest life: between 1 to 8 days (d) according to the ripe stage when it is harvested....

Acacia farnesiana is a shrub widely distributed in soils heavily polluted with arsenic in Mexico. However, the mechanisms by which this species tolerates the phytotoxic effects of arsenic are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the tolerance and bioaccumulation of As by A. farnesiana seedlings exposed to high doses of arsenate (AsV) and the ro...

Abstract – Introduction. Mexico harbors a great diversity of Spondias purpurea ecotypes, whose fruit is called Mexican plum and has a good consumer acceptance because of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. Materials and methods. The concentrations of metabolites in 11 ecotypes of Mexican plum were determined from samples of rind (epic...

A B S T R A C T Refrigeration is the main postharvest technology for increasing shelf life of horticultural products; however, it has a detrimental effect on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) flavor. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of refrigerated storage at 12.5 C on tomato aroma profile, sensory quality, and consumer's f...

Plant antioxidant components can vary depending on environmental (temperature, solar radiation) conditions and postharvest treatments. Damiana (Turnera diffusa Willd) grows in arid and semi-arid areas under extreme environmental conditions, mainly in the northwest region of Mexico. It is marketed and used in dried form to elaborate several food and...

Traditional medicine based on medicinal plants has survived the passing of time, coming from indigenous communities to the urban environment, where it has lost the controls established by indigenous doctors. The present review proposes some strategies to regulate and standardize this kind of treatments in order to make its use safe in a global mark...

Introduction: Ultraviolet type B (UV-B) radiation effects on medicinal plants have been recently investigated in the context of climate change, but the modifications generated by UV-B radiation might be used to increase the content of antioxidants, including phenolic compounds. Objective: To generate information on the effect of exposure to artific...

Introduction: Ultraviolet type C (UV-C) radiation has higher energy than the UV-B radiation and has been less studied because it is completely absorbed by the ozone layer. However, artificial UV-C radiation can generate diverse modifications in the plants. Given that exposure to UV-C for short periods of time increases the antioxidant content, imp...

During ripening, tomato fruit accumulates high levels of carotenoids. These compounds, besides their function as pigments, nutrients and antioxidants, are precursors of some important volatile compounds for the development of the characteristic aroma of these fruits. In the present work, the antioxidant capacity, lycopene and (beta-carotene levels,...

Manual de laboratorio de la asignatura de Fisiología y Bioquímica Vegetal

Ribosome biogenesis is a pre-requisite for cell growth and proliferation; it is however, a highly regulated process that consumes a great quantity of energy. It requires the coordinated production of rRNA, ribosomal proteins and non-ribosomal factors which participate in the processing and mobilization of the new ribosomes. Ribosome biogenesis has...

Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems of minimally processed cactus stems (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.) packaged under modified atmospheres Summary The aim of this work was to determine the enzymatic activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) together with the total phenolic and carotenoid conte...

Sixty seven Mexican plum (Spondiaspurpurea L.) accessions native to states of Guerrero, Morelos and Chiapas were evaluated regarding fruit mass, dimensions, color components (L*, C* y H*), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA) and the TSS/TA ratio. The highest coefficient of variation (50-60 %) was observed in fruit mass, hue angle (H...

Sixty seven Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L.) accessions native to states of Guerrero, Morelos and Chiapas were evaluated regarding fruit mass, dimensions, color components (L*, C* y H*), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA) and the TSS/TA ratio. The highest coefficient of variation (50-60 %) was observed in fruit mass, hue angle (...

Damiana (Turnera diffusa Willd) is traditionally used in the elaboration of tea, liquors, in the production of cosmetic products, and as a medicinal plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant content and trace element concentrations in leaves and stems from damiana grown wild and under cultivated conditions in semi-arid zones. Pla...

The effect of the use of rootstock Criollo on the susceptibility of Manila mango fruit to infestation by Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) was determined in the present investigation. Growth, quality parameters (Soluble solids content (%), citric acid content (%), firmness, monoterpene volatiles (3-carene, limonene, alpha-pinene, and beta-myrcene), mai...

Phytoremediation offers a cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly option for cleaning sites contaminated with toxic elements. However, there is a need to find new plant species for phytoremediation and to understand the mechanisms involved in processes such as tolerance, accumulation, exclusion and metabolism of toxic metals in plants. Thereb...

For countries with tropical and subtropical climates, like Mexico, the commercialization of fresh horticultural products and their processed by products represent an important economical source. In recent years, Mexico has become one of the main citrus producing countries in the world. At the moment, Mexico is ranked as the main worldwide lime prod...

Auxin and insulin promote Zea mays embryo growth, induce S6 ribosomal protein (S6rp) phosphorylation, and promote specific protein synthesis. The objective of this research was to test a possible cross-talk between insulin and auxin transduction pathways in Z. mays coleoptiles, typical auxin target tissues. Auxin and insulin produced differential q...

Recommended temperatures for refrigerated storage of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) have been established based on maintenance of physical and visual characteristics without considering their effect in tomato flavor. In this study, the effect of refrigerated storage (10 °C) was compared to storage at 20 °C on the volatile chemical profile of the aro...

Scientific literature indicates that cooling is an important postharvest operation to preserve the quality of lychees. In order to evaluate the effect of two cooling methods on lychees, a forced-air cooler and immersion hydrocooler prototypes were designed and constructed. Both equipments were compact in design to facilitate handling and transporta...

Scientific literature indicates that cooling is an important postharvest operation to preserve the quality of lychees. In order to evaluate the effect of two cooling methods on lychees, a forced-air cooler and immersion hydrocooler prototypes were designed and constructed. Both equipments were compact in design to facilitate handling and transporta...

omato is a popular crop all over the world because of its nutritional value, attractive color and pleasant flavor. Although over 400 volatiles have been reported as components of the natural aroma of tomato, only 16 are considered to affect significantly the aroma. Odoriferous volatiles interacting with sugars and organic acids provide the typical...

The effect of two VTC tolerant rootstocks (Citrus volkameriana and Poncirus trifoliata ‘Flying Dragon’) on the external and internal quality parameters and the postharvest shelf life of lime fruits was evaluated. A set of 108 fruits were selected from each rootstock and stored at 7 and 25° C. Samples of three limes were obtained by triplicate at 0,...

Cold storage is one of the most important technologies used to maintain the postharvest quality of many horticultural commodities. However, cold storage is restrictea for Persian lime because of its susceptibility to chilling injury. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of high temperature conditioning on the susceptibility to ch...

Induction of different antioxidant enzymes by high and low temperatures prior to storage has been reported to produce tolerance to chilling injury (CI). Thus, different prestorage temperatures have been suggested to decrease CI in citrus fruits. In this work, the effectiveness of a cold-conditioning treatment (13C for 48 h) to prevent CI was evalua...

Effectiveness of a hot water dip conditioning (3 min, 53C) to prevent chilling injury was evaluated with Persian lime (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) fruits stored at 4, 8, 13 and 25C and 80% RH. Conditioning caused a significant increase in peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities and lipoperoxidation levels in the flavedo of fruits immediately af...

The effects of four cut types (wedges, slices, 1/2 and 1/4 slices) of 'Lisbon' lemons (Citrus lemon L.) and storage at four temperatures (0, 2, 5 and 10 • C) on post-cutting life were studied. Respiration rates of all cut types that were stored at 0, 2 and 5 • C up to 8 days were 2–5 times higher than those of the whole lemons, while the increase w...

Damage from latex (DPL) represents a problem in Mexican mango, causing up to 10 % of annual losses. DPL begins when exuded latex touches the fruit's skin, producing a superficial darkness that diminishes mango quality and commercial value. Previous studies in mango suggest that terpens favor damage from latex through the activation of polyphenoloxi...

Introducción. Entre los contaminantes más tóxicos y distribuidos en suelos en países industrializados, se encuentran los metales pesados (MP). En las plantas, los MP ocasionan estrés oxidativo debido a que alteran la producción de especies reactivas de oxígeno (ERO). Las ERO interactúan con proteínas, lípidos, polisacáridos y ácidos nucleicos, ocas...