Determinants of Cashew Agroforestry Adoption Among Smallholder Farmers in the Gambia: Implications for Resilient Farming Systems.
Although agroforestry effectively addresses uncertainty, risk, and shocks, its adoption is slow among rural smallholder cashew farmers in the Gambia. This study investigates the factors influencing cashew agroforestry (AF) adoption through a household survey of 250 farmers from seven villages in the Kombo East District, West Coast Region. The adoption determinants were analyzed using a […]
Low Temperature Low Humidity pretreated RF heating: a novel method of fig preservation.
Fig (Ficus carica) is an economic crop with significant importance for health. The postharvest life is very short. Once dried, the insects readily infest it. The aim is to analyze whether Low temperature low humidity (LTLH) drying followed by Radiofrequency (RF) heating is suitable for food industries (drying and disinfestation, respectively). During the preliminary study […]
Step-down RH improves plums drying behavior, quality attributes, and 3E (energy, environmental, economic) equipment performance by changing its ultrastructure and water distribution.
The energy consumption of China’s drying industry accounts for about 12% of the total industrial energy consumption, and material crusting is one of the main reasons for high energy consumption in drying. Studies have shown that increasing the drying medium’s relative humidity (RH) can inhibit material crusting and shorten drying time, yet the underlying mechanism […]
Three-dimensional characterization of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) fruit development based on X-ray micro-computed tomography
Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is one of the most appreciated and cultivated nuts in temperate areas. Producers are now facing an increasing demand and industries need to select high-yielding and finequality cultivars. In this context, a challenge to take up is the development of a rapid, non-destructive and high-resolution method to study the growth and […]
Unveiling the “hidden quality” of the walnut pellicle: a precious source of bioactive lipids
Tree nut consumption has been widely associated with various health benefits, with walnuts, in particular, being linked with improved cardiovascular and neurological health. These benefits have been attributed to walnuts’ vast array of phenolic antioxidants and abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, recent studies have revealed unexpected clinical outcomes related to walnut consumption, which cannot be […]