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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of different times and freezing temperatures on the antioxidant activity of raw human milk (HM) and the impact of light by different packaging on retinol level and the antioxidant activity of pasteurized HM.

Donor milks were homogenized to form the pool of the experimental study characterized by the evaluation of the effects of time (0, 2, 4, 8 and 15 days) freezing temperatures (−3°C, −8°C and −18°C) and the interference of the type of packaging on the antioxidant activity and retinol levels of HM.

The existing studies do not reveal the real impact of HM storage conditions adopted by human milk banks (HMB) in Brazil on their compounds, mainly in relation to the effects of temperature and freezing time and the incidence of light on retinol levels and antioxidant activity. In view of the already documented importance of these compounds for the growth, development and health of children, it is extremely important to assess their stability according to the procedures adopted by the banks. It has been observed in this study that lower freezing temperatures (−18°C) further preserve the antioxidant activity. It was found that the amber and transparent vials wrapped with aluminum foil allowed for greater retinol stability of HM, with values of 2.501±0.757 µmol/L and 4.991±0.825 µmol/L, respectively. On the contrary, there was no significant influence on antioxidant activity.

It is suggested that HMB store milk at lower temperatures and use glass jars that block the passage of light.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasound (US) treatment on the postharvest of “Isabella” grapes and the consistency of the obtained results regarding the composition of anthocyanins in grape juice over three successive harvest years using a combination of analytical techniques.

Juices produced from “Isabella” grapes sonicated for different durations (3, 5, 7 and 10 min) were analysed. The grapes were harvested and sonicated in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and each treated sample was stored for 1, 3 and 5 days in order to verify the time necessary for the development of the US response. The juices were analysed through physicochemical analysis (total monomeric anthocyanins). The anthocyanin profiles were quantified and identified using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors (HPLC-PDA-MSn).

The results demonstrated the potential of US in improving the quality of grape juice. In all three harvests, it was observed that the treatments were effective in increasing the concentration of anthocyanins. For the 2013 harvest, the application of US for 5 min led to a 103% increase in juice pigments. However, the US response profile varied among the three harvests, indicating that the US effect was influenced by the ripening conditions of the fruit. In total, 33 anthocyanins were identified in the grape juice. For the first time, peonidin-3-p-coumaroyl glucoside-5-glucoside was identified in “Isabella” juice.

The results of this study validated US treatment as a simple and effective physical method that can be used as an alternative technology for improving the general quality of products such as juice by increasing the pigment concentrations that are linked to the colour and antioxidant potential of drinks. Moreover, the results demonstrate that US treatment may be less effective in the case of a sample with distinct phenolic maturation.