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The aim was to evaluate morpho-biochemical traits in four asparagus cultivars (‘Early California’, ‘Grande’, ‘Purple Passion’, and ‘Vegalim’), and qualitative changes in ‘Grande’ and ‘Purple Passion’ during storage in air or passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 15% O2 – 5% CO2), at 4 °C for 28 days. ‘Early California’ showed the highest total phenolic (TPh) and quercetin-3-rutinoside (rutin) content, and the highest total antioxidant activity (TAA). 'Purple Passion' was the richest in glucose and total sugars, while 'Early California' the least rich in sucrose. The nitrate content was lower than 100 mg kg−1 FM and potassium on average 280 mg 100 g−1 FM. The MAP reduced weight loss, ensuring product turgidity and mitigating the cold storage stress. In the first 7 days in storage, ‘Purple Passion’ showed higher values of TPh, rutin and TAA. Afterwards, TPh content increased in both cultivars in MAP. During storage, sugars gradually decreased, except sucrose in ‘Purple Passion’, increased by almost 40% after 14 days. ‘Grande’ and ‘Purple Passion’ spears showed optimal overall quality up to 14 days-storage, but they could not be stored for more than 21 days. Moreover, MAP allowed to preserve or enhance antioxidant properties of asparagus during the whole storage.

Ready-to-eat asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a tasty food with excellent nutraceutical properties. In order to realize a new ready-to-eat product, in this study asparagus's spears were cooked by blanching or microwave, and then dehydrated until they reached a weight loss of 25%, and packaged in air or in modified atmosphere (30% CO2 + 70% N2). Sensorial, physico-chemical, biochemical, and microbiological parameters were evaluated during a 30 days storage period at 4 °C. The microwave cooking proved to be the most effective method to preserve green colour, improving the overall acceptability of the product. Moreover, the storage in the absence of O2 and in the presence of high CO2 percentage was the most effective method to preserve phytochemical composition, total antioxidant capacity, and hygienic quality. In conclusion, asparagus spears cooked by microwave, semi-dried, packaged in modified atmosphere and stored at 4 °C for 30 days retained their quality and sensorial properties.

In Italy, the cultivation of wild rocket is still rising due to the increase of the market of minimally processed vegetables that requires innovative and high quality products. The present study focused on the interactive effect of irrigation regimes (IR) and nitrogen (N) supply on yield, water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), morphological and quality parameters of wild rocket. The research was carried out on four crop cycles during autumn-spring season in Basilicata region, Southern Italy, on wild rocket grown in a plastic greenhouse. Four IR (corresponding to 75, 100, 125 and 150% of crop evapotranspiration, and labelled respectively as I75, I100, I125 and I150) and two N levels (60 and 120 kg ha−1), were compared. The irrigation and N levels affected production traits of wild rocket. The highest yield was obtained by I100, while 8% and 6% decrease in yield was observed with I75 and I150, respectively. The greater yield was obtained with the higher N rate, to which contributed firstly the leaf number and secondly the leaf size. However, the higher N dose provided higher leaf nitrate content. Moreover, in conditions of greater water stress occurring in the last two crop cycles of I75, higher N rate adversely affected yield. Lower water and N supply improved phenols, carotenoids and antioxidant activity in rocket leaves. Both yield and biomass WUE increased in water shortage conditions (I75) at 1st crop cycle. Thereafter, both parameters tended to decrease because of the increase of water shortage, indicating that biomass and marketable yield losses were proportionally greater than the amount of water used by crops. Higher N rate improved WUE, but reduced NUE. The latter parameter was higher in water shortage conditions. Thus, adequate water and N supply are critical factors to ensure economically sustainable production levels and high quality features of wild rocket.

It is currently recognized that the human microbiota, in particular microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, has a deep impact on normal physiology and health. Alteration of GI microbiota (dysbiosis) has been associated with the occurrence of a number of diseases, not only of the GI tract itself. Therefore, manipulation of the GI microbiota is considered a potentially suitable approach for maintaining health and preventing and/or treating relevant diseases. In this regard, a marked research and commercial interest has been increasing in the last decades for the development of products containing live probiotic microorganisms which have been defined by FAO and WHO as "live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host" (FAO/WHO, 2001, 2002). Many commercial products, including fermented foods, food complements, and pharmaceutical preparations, contain bacterial strains belonging to Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species which are widely used as probiotics. Health benefits which have been claimed for probiotics include, for example, alleviation of intestinal bowel disease symptoms (Orel and Kamhi Trop, 2014), improvement of the normal microflora composition (Cha et al., 2012), pathogen inhibition by producing bactericidal substances and competing with pathogens for adherence to the intestinal epithelium (Liévin-Le Moal and Servin, 2014), reduction of serum cholesterol (Mistry, 2014), prevention of allergies (Enomoto et al., 2014), stabilization and enhancement of the gut mucosal and epithelial barrier function (Rao and Samak, 2013), improvement in the digestion of lactose in intolerant hosts (de Vrese et al., 2001), reduction of constipation symptoms (Yang et al., 2008), and most importantly, modulation of the immune system which can be considered as one of the most important mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of probiotic bacteria on human health (Borchers et al., 2009). Finally, an anticarcinogenic activity has also been attributed to probiotics (Kumar et al., 2010); in fact, for example, the regular consumption of probiotics has been associated with the reduction in specific fecal enzymatic activities, including that of ?-glucuronidase and ?-glucosidase involved in the generation of potentially carcinogenic metabolites in the colon. The chapter presents an overview of the latest information regarding the use of probiotic/protechnological Lactobacillus paracasei in vegetable foods containing bioactive molecules.

Eight cultivars of basil were screened for phenolic compounds, polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities. All cultivars showed the same phenolic pattern, but in some of them, different amounts of phenolic compounds were found. A reduction of phenolic content and of enzymatic activities was observed after two-month storage of the frozen product. The cv. 'Napoletano' (lettuce-leaf type) showed very low values of PPO and POD activities, which remain almost constant during the cold storage; therefore it is suggested for processing.

The yeast population dynamics in olive wastewaters (OMW), sampled in five mills from Salento (Apulia, Southern Italy), were investigated. Three hundred yeasts were isolated in five industrial mills and identified by molecular analysis. Strains belonging to Geotrichum, Saccharomyces, Pichia, Rhodotorula and Candida were detected. Five G. candidum strains were able to grow in OMW as the sole carbon source and to reduce phenolics, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and antimicrobial compounds. One G. candidum isolate was selected for whole-cell immobilization in calcium alginate gel. The COD and phenolic reduction obtained with immobilized cells showed a 2.2- and 2-fold increase compared to the removal obtained with free cells, respectively. The immobilization system enhanced yeast oxidative activity by avoiding the presence of microbial protease in treated OMW. To our knowledge, this is the first report on G. candidum whole-cell immobilization for OMW bioremediation.

The current growing interest for natural antioxidants has led to a renewed scientific attention for artichoke, due not only to its nutritional value, but, overall, to its polyphenolic content, showing strong antioxidant properties. The major constituents of artichoke extracts are hydroxycinnamic acids such as chlorogenic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acids caffeic acid and ferulic acid, and flavonoids such as luteolin and apigenin glycosides.Invitrostudies, using cultured rat hepatocytes, have shown its hepatoprotective functions andin vivostudies have shown the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in human subjects. Several studies have shown the effect on animal models of artichoke extracts, while information on human bioavailability and metabolism of hydroxycinnamates derivatives is still lacking. Results showed a plasma maximum concentration of 6·4 (sd 1.8) ng/ml for chlorogenic acid after 1 h and its disappearance within 2 h (P sd6·9) ng/ml for total caffeic acid were reached within 1 h, while ferulic acid plasma concentrations showed a biphasic profile with 6·4 (sd1·5) ng/ml and 8·4 (sd4·6) ng/ml within 1 h and after 8 h respectively. We observed a significant increase of dihydrocaffeic acid and dihydroferulic acid total levels after 8 h (P Cynara scolymusL. (cultivar Violetto di Provenza).