Citrus, Subtropical, And Other Products Research Unit The mission of the Citrus & Subtropical Products Research Unit is (1) improve flavor, textural and nutritional quality while extending shelf life and microbial stability of subtropical and tropical fruit and fruit products; (2) use chemical and other analytical techniques to obtain fundamental information about mechanisms by which internal compositional profiles of these commodities are changed through genetics, harvest maturity, storage or processing and determine effects of such changes on available nutrients and other quality factors; (3) develop new mechanisms, or modify established mechanisms for converting commodities into more desirable products; (4) develop new approaches for the conversion of polysaccharides in fruit processing wastes to value-added products; and (5) isolate from citrus byproducts, phenols with biological activities targeted towards a number of pharmacological endpoints. The Citrus & Subtropical Products Unit conducts basic and applied research on fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables and develops by-products from citrus processing waste. Research results are used by the fresh and processed fruit and vegetable industries for quality and shelf life improvement for fresh produce their products and in development of new products from citrus processing waste.
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