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Summary: Edible fats and oils are usually considered in the production of bakery products for technological and sensory reasons, but the nutritional and economic aspects and the oxidative stability of the final product must also be taken into account. Four different oil blends (high oleic sunflower oil, 87.5% extra virgin olive oil + 12.5% sunflower oil, 75% extra virgin olive oil + 25% rice oil and 87.5% high oleic sunflower oil + 12.5% coconut oil) were used in the production of taralli as an extra virgin olive oil alternative. The lipid fraction, texture and sensory characteristics, and oxidative evaluation of the final products were studied. The use of the oil blend made of 75% extra virgin olive oil and 25% rice oil gave the best compromise for the content of sterols and tocols resulting in a combination that was able to achieve an induction period, in the accelerated oxidation test, that was comparable to that of the reference control made with extra virgin olive oil only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, whole grains are usually obtained by adding bran and middlings to refined flours, and this recombination leads to certain variations in the ratio of endosperm, bran and germ, resulting in flours with very different compositional characteristics and rheological properties. Therefore, this study focuses on the identification of specific lipid markers in different debranning fractions of Italian and Canadian durum wheat blends. The by-products obtained from five different debranning levels (3, 6, 9, 12 and 15%) had a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and a higher concentration of tocopherols and sterols than the corresponding debranned grains. The Italian and Canadian durum wheat samples did not show significant differences in the content of these bioactive lipid compounds. In particular, palmitic acid, oleic acid, tocopherol isomers and total sterols could be useful biomarkers for evaluating the grain-to-tissue ratio in recombined flours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voghiera garlic is an Italian white garlic variety which obtained in 2010 the Protected Designation of Origin. It is widely used for culinary purposes or as an ingredient for supplement production due to its phytochemical compositions. The storage conditions seem to be crucial to retain the high quality of garlic bulbs and their by-products, taking into account the high importance of organosulfur and phenolic compounds for the bioactive potency of garlic and its shelf-life. This study aims to examine the effect of storage on the phytochemical composition, biological effects, and shelf-life of Voghiera garlic PDO. In detail, we considered (i) −4 °C (industrial storage) for 3, 6, and 9 months; (ii) +4 °C for 3 months (home conservation), and (iii) −4 °C for 3 months, plus +4 °C for another 3 months. We focused our attention on the organosulfur compounds, total condensed tannins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and related antioxidant activity changes during the storage period. To evaluate the bioactive effects, the Voghiera garlic extracts at different storage conditions were administered to a breast cancer cell line, while antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity was detected using macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. We observed a decrease in sulfur compounds after 6 months which correlated to a decrease in bioactive effects, while the number of antioxidant compounds was stable during the storage period, showing the good effect of refrigerated temperature in maintaining garlic bulb shelf-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), grape seeds (GS) and pomegranate seeds (PS) are very popular for human consumption because of their nutraceutical properties. A co-milling of olives with GS or PS was carried out with the aim of a preliminary study of the lipidic and phenolic characteristics of the obtained vegetable oils, also during their shelf life. Results show that the use of GS and PS in the olive co-milling enriches the oil in healthy compounds, such as punicic acid and γ-tocopherol. However, the co-milling process must be re-evaluated, since the compositional profile of the co-milled oils is just slightly different from EVOO. The oxidative state of the oils obtained suggests the use of a protective packaging combined with small containers in order to ensure a rapid consumption. With an appropriate formulation the co-milled oils could bring health-positive compounds and, simultaneously, raw materials could be valorised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids is considered a valuable strategy to supply the low intake of these fatty acids. Thus, the safety of the supplements is an important milestone. Because of that, we analyzed 20 unflavored supplements sold in the French market for fatty acid and triglyceride composition, for EPA and DHA, and for tocol content, as well as for oxidative status. This study found that only 2.5% of the supplements did not meet their label claims for omega-3 content. TAG analysis showed high variability among the triglyceride distribution, and the same trend was also noticed for the tocol content; in fact, a high variability of the distribution of the six tocols (four tocopherols and two tocotrienols) was found among the samples. Of the tested products, all of them complied with peroxide value, p-anisidine value, and Totox values established by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) and were not oxidized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat germ (WG)'s shelf life after the milling process is incredibly short because of the presence of enzymes that aggravate the oxidation process; thus, stabilization is required in order to exploit the nutrients and bioactive compounds within WG. The critical point for the oxidation process is the mechanical treatment used to separate WG from the kernel, which exposes the lipid fraction to the air. Showing the connection between the quality of durum wheat, considering its storage management, and wheat germ oil (WGO), extracted with a cold press, solvent and supercritical CO2, is the aim of the study. The acidity and peroxide values were analyzed to evaluate lipid oxidation, while fatty acids, tocols, sterols and policosanols were evaluated for WGO characterization. The first fundamental step to control lipid oxidation is raw material management. Subsequently, the tempering phase of durum wheat, which is applied before the degermination process, is the most critical point for oxidation to develop because of the increase in moisture in the caryopsis and the activation of lipase and lipoxygenase. This represents a paradox: in order to stabilize the germ with degermination, first it seems inevitable to carry out a process that destabilizes it. To retains its highest quality, this will lead to a better use of the whole grain by reducing WG and by-product waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intended to examine whether the volatile compounds, oxidation stability and fatty acid profile of soybean oil are influenced by the refining process methods and conditions. To that end, an electrostatic field as a non‐thermal technology was used for refining soybean oil so as to resolve the drawbacks of the industrial soybean oil refining as a complex and time‐consuming process resulting in the loss of bioactive compounds in the oil due to high heat exposure. Having estimated the optimum operating condition using response surface methodology (RSM), the researchers investigated the effects of electrode number, electrode distance, voltage, clay, and electrolyte concentration on the volatile compounds (by HS–SPME‐GC/MS), oxidation stability (by titration) and fatty acids profile (by GC) of soybean oil. The results indicated that, although the electrostatic field reduced volatile compounds (36.50%), peroxide value (45.27%) and free fatty acid content (34.17%) of soybean oil, no change was observed in the fatty acid profile and tocopherol content of soybean oil. Moreover, the electrostatic field outperformed the industrial oil refining process in terms of the elimination of off‐flavor causing agents in crude soybean oil. Novelty impact statement: Electrostatic field reduced free fatty acids and peroxide value by 34.17% and 45%, respectively, and tocopherols content was not affected by the electrostatic field. Deodorization is carried out without applying the vacuum and high temperature and volatile compounds were further reduced compared to the industrial method. Electrostatic field can be useful for developing of eco‐friendly oil refining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is a major component in the human diet with an impact on nutritional health due to its significant intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of Albanian wheat by analysing chemical and nutrition parameters and understanding the health impact of the components in wheat flour. Five winter wheat cultivars grown during the year 2017 - 2018 on experimental fields of Agriculture Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) in Lushnja were analysed. Protein content (%N x 5.7) was determined by the Kjedahl method and lipid content was evaluated by Soxhlet extraction method utilizing n-hexane as solvent. The starch content was analyzed following the Megazyme Starch determination procedure (Megazyme International, Ireland, Ltd). The determination of the total content of tocopherols (TP) and tocotrienols (TT) in the five wheat cultivars was carried out using the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed for result elaboration. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed using StatSoft Statistica 10.0 software and the significant differences were calculated according to post - hoc Tukey's (HSD) test at p < 0.05. All cultivars showed higher level of protein content ranging from 11.39% to 12.38% and the starch content ranging from 58% to 62%. Statistical results indicated that the protein content was significantly affected by the wheat cultivars. α-Tocopherol and ß-tocotrienol were the most abundant compounds in all samples, ranging, from 9.8 mg/kg DW to 15.6 mg/kg DW and from 8.1 mg/kg to 12.7 mg/kg DW, respectively. The daily requirement of vitamin E calculated in whole flour ranges from 14.7% to 26%.By selecting the suitable wheat cultivars with high vitamin E content, we can contribute to increasing the content of vitamin E in Albanian wheat flour and supporting the problems of vitamin E deficiency in the human diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bergamot (Citrus × bergamia) is mainly cultivated in Calabria area (Italy) for its essential oil that is widely used in cosmetics, food and medicine. The harvest season (November to February) affects the quality of essential oil, consequently the aim of our study was to evaluate the composition of volatile fractions at different harvesting stages. Two different cultivars, Femminello and Fantastico, were collected in November, December and January and their volatile compounds composition was determined by SPME GC/MS. Fourty‐two compounds were identified. Monoterpenes were the preponderant group; limonene was the most representative compound with similar concentrations in the varieties and at the three harvesting times. β‐Ocimene, β‐mircene and α‐terpinene showed higher concentration in Femminello than Fantastico, while trans‐α‐bergamotene, α‐pinene and citronellal were mostly concentrated in Fantastico. The concentration of β‐pinene in Fantastico and Femminello was higher in December and January, respectively, and γ‐terpinene concentration was higher in Femminello in November and January and in Fantastico in December. Linalool was the most preponderant monoterpene alcohol with a significantly higher concentration in Femminello than in Fantastico, but without significant differences during ripening. cis‐γ‐Bisabolene was the most preponderant sesquiterpene; it was more concentrated in Fantastico than in Femminello and showed a significantly higher concentration in December and January than in November. Linalyl and neryl acetate were the most abundant esters, with a significantly higher concentration in Fantastico. Fantastico seems to be the variety that produces higher volatile organic compounds in essential oil; moreover, the volatile compound concentration was higher at the second and third harvest time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) is widely used in juice industries and it contains a variety of polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The effect of packaging materials and storage time on the phenol content and antioxidant stability of grape juices made with a Merlot variety was studied. In order to preserve sensory and nutritional values, the juice was stabilized with a high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and a polylactic acid (PLA) bottle was tested as a substitute for the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging. Except for odiphenols, the spectrophotometric assays of the different phenol classes showed higher values in juice after HHP treatment. Overall, a loss of most of the phenols was tested in PLA bottle samples at four months of shelf-life. On the contrary, juices in PET bottle did not show significant changes until the end of storage. A comparable trend was observed also for the antioxidant activity and the individual phenols analyzed by a liquid chromatography-diode array detection-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS), which showed anthocyanins as principal class of phenols, followed by flavonols and hydroxycinnamoyl tartrates (HCTs). These results on grape juice stability could be interesting not only for the juice production but also for the development of the best packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing competition within the food industry sector makes the requisite of innovation in processes and products essential, leading to focus the interest on the application of new processing technologies including high pressure homogenization (HPH) and ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH). In this context, the present research aimed at evaluating the effects of two UHPH treatments performed at 200 MPa for 2 and 3 cycles on quality and functionality of organic kiwifruit juice stored at three different temperatures, i.e., 5, 15, and 25°C. The results showed that only the treatment performed at 200 MPa for 3 cycles was able to significantly increase the shelf-life of organic kiwifruit juices when stored at refrigeration temperature, avoiding also phase separation that occurred in the sample treated at 0.1 MPa (control) after 20 days of refrigerated storage. The obtained data showed also that the highest applied pressure was able to increase some quality parameters of the juice such as viscosity and luminosity (L∗) and increased the availability of total phenol content consequently enhancing the juice total antioxidant activity. The application of a treatment at 200 MPa for 3 cycles allowed to obtain a stable kiwifruit juice for more than 40 days under refrigerated storage. A challenge to implement this technology in food process as full alternative to thermal treatment could be represented by the adoption of pressure level up to 400 MPa followed by the packaging in aseptic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Because of the impossibility to consume food of animal origin, vegan consumers are looking for substitutes that could enrich their diet. Among many substitutes, fermented nut products are made from different nut types and obtained after soaking, grinding, and fermentation. Although other fermented vegetable products have been deeply investigated, there are few data about the fermentative processes of nut‐based products and the microbial consortia able to colonize these products are not yet studied. This study characterized a hand‐made vegan product obtained from cashew nut. Lactic acid bacteria responsible for fermentation were identified, revealing a succession of hetero‐ and homo‐fermentative species during process. Successively, some lactic acid bacteria isolates from the home‐made vegan product were used for a pilot‐scale fermentation. The products obtained were characterized and showed features similar to the home‐made one, although the microbiological hazards have been prevented through proper and rapid acidification, enhancing their safety features. Practical Application: Spontaneous fermented products are valuable sources of microorganisms that can be used in many food processes as starter cultures. The lactic acid bacteria isolated in this research can be exploited by industries to develop new foods and therefore to enter new markets. The use of selected starter cultures guarantees good organoleptic characteristics and food safety (no growth of pathogens). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Eryngium maritimum L., also known as 'sea holly', is a typical dune plant species belonging to the Apiaceae family and commonly used in Tunisia for therapeutic purposes in folk medicine. In the present study, the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the volatile fraction extracted from air-dried fruits of five Tunisian E. maritimum ecotypes were determined. RESULTS The total volatile amount ranged from 0.31% to 0.93% (w d.w.−1). Sixty-six volatile components were identified by means of GC-MS and accounted for 77.05-86.65% of the total extracted volatile oil. The majority of the identified metabolites were hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, amounting on average to 46.69% and 30.01% of total volatiles, respectively. The principal individual components were germacrene D (13.62-31.71%), 15-hydroxy- α-muurolene (12.04-18.58%), and germacrene B (6.77-15.04%). Significant differences were noticed among E. maritimum populations. The volatile profile of E. maritimum fruits was consistently different from those of the aerial parts and roots of plants of the same species reported in previous investigations. Average radical scavenging capacity of the volatile fraction, as determined by DPPH and ABTS tests, was twice higher than that of the Trolox control. CONCLUSION This study characterised for the first time the fruits of E. maritimum for the composition and radical-scavenging capacity of their volatile fraction. The growth location confirmed as a pivotal factor in influencing the volatile profile of the fruits. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human milk (HM) provides healthy full-term infants with all their nutritional requirements during the first 6 months of life. Fatty acids (FA) and cholesterol derived from HM have many physiological functions in the neonate, including brain myelination, brain function and visual development. HM samples from mothers delivering prematurely ( n = 15) and at term ( n = 30) were collected. For pre-term mothers, longitudinal HM samples were collected up to 14 weeks post-partum. Thirty-six individual FA were identified and quantified in human milks by fast GC-FID analysis. HM from pre-term mothers had higher contents of saturated FA and long chain-polyunsaturated FA compared to HM from term mothers. The cholesterol content of full-term HM was significantly higher ( p < 0.05) than that of pre-term HM up to 5 weeks post-partum. A decrease in the levels of mono-unsaturated FA, poly-unsaturated FA and cholesterol was observed in longitudinal pre-term HM samples. The current study demonstrates how the FA and cholesterol composition of full-term and pre-term HM varies with gestational age and throughout lactation. Practical applications: The current study demonstrates how the FA and cholesterol composition of full-term and pre-term milks varies with gestational age and throughout lactation. The changes were presumably due to the differences in functional maturity of the mammary gland and/or dietary fat and carbohydrates intakes by Irish mothers. This thorough knowledge of lipid profile of human milk could be useful to design a more humanised infant formula in order to ensure the required FA and cholesterol levels of infants are satisfied during early life, particularly in supporting the growth and development of premature babies. Fatty acid and cholesterol composition were quantified by fast gas-chromatography analysis in pre-term and term human milk samples sourced from a milk bank. Significant differences in the saturated FA, long chain-polyunsaturated FA and cholesterol contents were observed between pre-term and term milk samples. Longitudinal pre-term samples showed a decrease in the levels of mono-unsaturated FA, poly-unsaturated FA and cholesterol HM samples. This study has improved the current knowledge regarding the lipid profile of human milk, and the results could be useful in designing functional infant formula products that ensure the required bioactive FA and cholesterol intakes of infants during early life, particularly for support of the growth and development of premature babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a tuber that is largely used for food and is a source of different bioactive compounds such as starch, dietary fiber, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are synthetized by the potato plant as a protection response from bacteria, fungi, viruses, and insects. Several works showed that these potato compounds exhibited health-promoting effects in humans. However, the use of the potato in the food industry submits this vegetable to different processes that can alter the phenolic content. Moreover, many of these compounds with high bioactivity are located in the potato's skin, and so are eliminated as waste. In this review the most recent articles dealing with phenolic compounds in the potato and potato byproducts, along with the effects of harvesting, post-harvest, and technological processes, have been reviewed. Briefly, the phenolic composition, main extraction, and determination methods have been described. In addition, the "alternative" food uses and healthy properties of potato phenolic compounds have been addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]