title: Use of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy for predicting antioxidant compounds in summer squash (Cucurbita pepo ssp pepo).
abstract: The food industry and plant breeding programmes require fast, clean and low-cost screening techniques for nutritional compounds determination in food matrices. This is the first report on the study of the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the prediction of antioxidant compounds in summer squash tissues collected since 2009-2012. Modified partial least-squares (MPLS) regression was used to correlate spectral information and the different antioxidant compounds in the samples. The coefficients of determination in the external validation (r(2)ev) obtained were for ascorbic acid (0.77 and 0.86), chlorophyll a (0.79 and 0.66), chlorophyll b (0.86 and 0.79) and total phenolic compounds (0.65 and 0.68) in exocarp and mesocarp tissues, respectively, supporting that NIRS is able to predict in a rapid way these components for screening purposes. Major wavelengths influencing the calibration equations showed that chromophores as well as fibre components of the fruits highly participated in developing the NIR equations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Postharvest Technology and Food Industry, IFAPA Center La Mojonera, Camino San Nicolás, 1, 04745 La Mojonera, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Blanco-Díaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Breeding and Crop Biotechnology, IFAPA Center La Mojonera, Camino San Nicolás, 1, 04745 La Mojonera, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Río-Celestino
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Breeding and Crop Biotechnology, IFAPA Center La Mojonera, Camino San Nicolás, 1, 04745 La Mojonera, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: Damián
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martínez-Valdivieso
authors.affiliation: Department of Postharvest Technology and Food Industry, IFAPA Center La Mojonera, Camino San Nicolás, 1, 04745 La Mojonera, Almería, Spain. Electronic address: rafaelm.font@juntadeandalucia.es.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Font
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002138:Calibration; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D028464:Cucurbita / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012621:Seasons; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols; D002734:Chlorophyll; C037184:chlorophyll b; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
keywords: Ascorbic acid; Chlorophylls; Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS); Summer squash; Total phenolic content