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The purpose of this study was to compare two extraction processes for the production of lemon liqueur (limoncello)—the traditional maceration of lemon peels and a cyclically pressurized extraction process also known as rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE) that uses a Naviglio extractor. To evaluate the extraction efficiency of the two processes, dry matter obtained by the evaporation of the extracts was used to construct kinetics curves. The dry matter was directly proportional to the amount of the active principle (terpenes) extracted and consequently to the total concentration. Alcoholic extracts were analysed by gas chromatography (GC) to monitor the extraction kinetics for major components of the terpene fraction and for minor components of essential oils. Moreover, alcoholic extracts were analysed by UV spectrophotometry to identify the more abundant chemical species, while the organoleptic tests (i.e., a consumer test) performed on the final product (limoncello) provided an indication of the taste of the final product and revealed features undetectable with instrumental analytical techniques. To better understand the phenomenon considered, a numerical simulation was performed to evaluate and compare the matter flow of extractable compounds during the process.

Nowadays a possible strategy in food preservation consists of the use of active and functional packaging to improve safety and ensure a longer shelf life of food products. Many studies refer to chitosan-based films because of the already-known chitosan (CH) antibacterial and antifungal activity. In this work, we developed CH-based films containing Dried Olive Leaf Extract (DOLE) obtained by Naviglio extractor, with the aim to investigate the polyphenols yield and the antioxidant activity of this extract entrapped in CH-based-edible films. Olive tree cultivation produces a huge amount of byproducts that are usually simply burned. Phenolic compounds are already studied for their beneficial effects on human health. Some studies reported that phenols isolated from olive leaves have been shown to inhibit the growth of different strains of microorganisms. Thus, the antimicrobial effect of DOLE-containing films against bacterial strains (Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC® 14028, Salmonella enteritidis RIVM 706, and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC® 29212) was tested in vitro. The DOLE component of the films is effective in inhibiting all the bacteria tested in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, it was demonstrated that these edible films can act as active bioplastics when used to wrap hamburgers in substitution for baking paper, which is normally used.

Background: Non-alcoholic liver steatosis (NAS) results from an imbalance between hepatic lipid storage, disposal, and partitioning. A multifactorial diet high in fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), polyphenols, and vitamins D, E, and C reduces NAS in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) by 40% compared to a MUFA-rich diet. We evaluated whether dietary effects on NAS are mediated by changes in hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) activity, and/or β-oxidation. Methods: According to a randomized parallel group study design, 37 individuals with T2D completed an 8-week isocaloric intervention with a MUFA diet (n = 20) or multifactorial diet (n = 17). Before and after the intervention, liver fat content was evaluated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, serum triglyceride fatty acid concentrations measured by gas chromatography, plasma β-hydroxybutyrate by enzymatic method, and DNL and SCD-1 activity assessed by calculating the palmitic acid/linoleic acid (C16:0/C18:2 n6) and palmitoleic acid/palmitic acid (C16:1/C16:0) ratios, respectively. Results: Compared to baseline, mean ± SD DNL significantly decreased after the multifactorial diet (2.2 ± 0.8 vs. 1.5 ± 0.5, p = 0.0001) but did not change after the MUFA diet (1.9 ± 1.1 vs. 1.9 ± 0.9, p = 0.949), with a significant difference between the two interventions (p = 0.004). The mean SCD-1 activity also decreased after the multifactorial diet (0.13 ± 0.05 vs. 0.10 ± 0.03; p = 0.001), but with no significant difference between interventions (p = 0.205). Fasting plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations did not change significantly after the MUFA or multifactorial diet. Changes in the DNL index significantly and positively correlated with changes in liver fat (r = 0.426; p = 0.009). Conclusions: A diet rich in multiple beneficial dietary components (fiber, polyphenols, MUFAs, PUFAs, and other antioxidants) compared to a diet rich only in MUFAs further reduces liver fat accumulation through the inhibition of DNL. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT03380416.

Lycopene is a red carotenoid pigment found in fresh tomatoes. Several epidemiological studies show that the lycopene content of tomatoes and tomato-based products is related to a variety of health benefits due to its antioxidant activity, which is fundamental in treating cardiovascular diseases, slowing down cellular ageing and preventing some forms of cancer. Furthermore, several studies in the past few years have shown that by-products of tomato processing contain significant amounts of bioactive phytochemicals, including lycopene, that once extracted from the tomato skin could be used as natural antioxidants for the formulation of functional foods or as additives in food systems to extend their shelf life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extractive process of lycopene, starting from tomato skin waste, performing a cyclically pressurized extraction process or rapid solid–liquid dynamic extraction, using a Naviglio Extractor. This is an alternative approach to recent solid–liquid extractive processes that depends on diffusion and the pressure/de-pressure mechanism, which was considered to account for the driving force (convective effect) of the accelerated extraction of compounds contained in vegetables (or, more generally, solid matrices) and those not chemically bonded to the chemical structure of solids that are insoluble in the liquid extractant. The chromatographic analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography of the lycopene extract obtained showed a purity of more than 98% (w/w). Finally, a numerical simulation of the process was performed, obtaining useful information about the kinetics of the process (time history) as well as its mathematical description. The numerical simulation supports the validity of Naviglio’s principle.

The aim of this work was to develop processing methods that safeguard the quality and antimicrobial properties of H. illucens and B. mori oils. We adopted a vegetable diet for both insects: leftover vegetables and fruit for H. illucens and mulberry leaves for B. mori. First, alternative techniques to obtain a good oil extraction yield from the dried biomass of H. illucens larvae were tested. Traditional pressing resulted to be the best system to maximize the oil yield and it was successfully applied to B. mori pupae. Oil quality resulted comparable to that obtained with other extraction methods described in the literature. In the case of B. mori pupae, different treatments and preservation periods were investigated to evaluate their influence on the oil composition and quality. Interestingly, agar diffusion assays demonstrated the sensitivity of Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus to H. illucens and B. mori derived oils, whereas the growth of Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli was not affected. This study confirms that fat and other active compounds of the oil extracted by hot pressing could represent effective antimicrobials against bacteria, a relevant result if we consider that they are by-products of the protein extraction process in the feed industry.

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), an herbaceous perennial plant able to grow with high productivity in dry and hot regions, as well as in unproductive soils, was used as a biomass source for the production of both bioactive compounds derived from leaves and proteins extracted from seeds. Naviglio® technology was found as an efficient method to obtain a cardoon leaf extract (CLE) characterized by high phenol content and oxygen scavenging activity. On the other hand, cardoon proteins (CPs) were demonstrated to give rise to handleable greenish films endowed with promising mechanical and barrier properties in the presence of glycerol used as plasticizer. Hence, the CLE was used to functionalize the films that were further characterized. Film microstructure observed by SEM revealed a good compatibility among CPs and CLE, showing a uniform distribution of the leaf extract components throughout the film network that reflected, in turn, an improvement in the mechanical and barrier properties of the obtained material. In addition, the CLE containing films exhibited higher hydrophobicity, as indicated by the contact angle measurement and by the evaluation of water solubility and swelling degree experiments. Finally, CLE-containing films showed a marked antioxidant activity, highlighting the potential of Cynara cardunculus to be exploited as a biorefinery where different low-value renewable biomass materials are turned in several higher value bio-based products.

Grape pomace, the major byproduct of the wine and juice industry, is a relevant source of bioactive phenolic compounds. However, polyphenol bioavailability in humans is not well understood, and the inter-individual variability in the production of phenolic metabolites has not been comprehensively assessed to date. The pharmacokinetic and excretive profiles of phenolic metabolites after the acute administration of a drink made from red grape pomace was here investigated in ten volunteers. A total of 35 and 28 phenolic metabolites were quantified in urine and plasma, respectively. The main circulating metabolites included phenyl-gamma-valerolactones, hydroxybenzoic acids, simple phenols, hydroxyphenylpropionic acids, hydroxycinnamates, and (epi)catechin phase II conjugates. A high inter-individual variability was shown both in urine and plasma samples, and different patterns of circulating metabolites were unravelled by applying unsupervised multivariate analysis. Besides the huge variability in the production of microbial metabolites of colonic origin, an important variability was observed due to phase II conjugates. These results are of interest to further understand the potential health benefits of phenolic metabolites on individual basis.

Traditionally, solid-liquid extractions are performed using organic and/or inorganic liquids and their mixtures as extractant solvents in contact with an insoluble solid matrix (e.g., the Soxhlet method) or using sequential atmospheric pressure systems that require long procedures, such as maceration or percolation. The objective of this procedure is the extraction of any compounds that can be carried out from the inner solid material to the outlet, resulting in a solution containing colorants, bioactive compounds, odorous substances, etc. Over the years, in the extraction techniques sector, there have been many important changes from the points of view of production, quality, and human and environmental safety due to improvements in technology. In more recent times, the interest of the scientific community has been aimed at the study of sustainable processes for the valorization of extracts from vegetables and food by-products, through the use of non-conventional (innovative) technologies that represent a valid alternative to conventional methods, generally through saving time and energy and the formation of fewer by-products. Therefore, with the development of principles based on the prevention of pollution, on a lower risk for human health, and on a low environmental impact, new systems have been implemented to reduce extraction times and solvent consumption, to improve efficiency, and to increase the productivity of the extracts. From this point of view, rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE), performed using the Naviglio extractor, compared to traditional applications, is a technique that is able to reduce extraction times, generally leads to higher yields, does not require heating of the system, allows one to extract the active ingredients, and avoids their degradation. This technique is based on a new solid-liquid extraction principle named Naviglio’s principle. In this review, after reviewing the latest extraction techniques, an overview of RSLDE applications in various research and production sectors over the past two decades is provided.

This chapter aims to explore the classifications, origins, and characteristics of natural beverages. Beverages are liquids suitable for human consumption, and the beverage of excellence is definitively water, as this substance is more essential for life than food. Natural beverages for human consumption are divided into two main categories: (1) alcoholic beverages, mainly comprising wine, beer, and beverages with ethyl alcohol content; and (2) nonalcoholic beverages, which are distinguishable in the forms of water (drinking, mineral, and table), nervine beverages (coffee, tea, chamomile, etc.), and soft beverages (soft drinks, juices, and syrups). Two major categories of alcoholic beverages are commercially distinguishable: as low-gradation alcohols having ethyl alcohol quantities less than 21% by volume (beer or wine), and spirits, obtained from the distillation of fermented beverages (e.g., brandy from wine), having alcohol contents greater than 21% by volume.

Ultrasound is composed of mechanical sound waves that originate from molecular movements that oscillate in a propagation medium. The waves have a very high frequency, equal to approximately 20 kHz, are divided into two categories (i.e., low-intensity and high-intensity waves) and cannot be perceived by the human ear. Nature has created the first ultrasound applications. Bats use ultrasound to navigate in the dark, and many cetaceans use echolocation to detect prey or obstacles using ultrasound produced by their vocal system. Ultrasound is commonly associated with the biomedical field. Today, ultrasound-based methods and equipment are available to detect organs, motion, tumour masses, and pre/post-natal handicaps, and for kidney stone removal, physiotherapy, and aesthetic cures. However, ultrasound has found multiple applications in many other fields as well. In particular, ultrasound has recently been used in the food industry to develop various effective and reliable food processing applications. Therefore, this review summarizes the major applications of ultrasound in the food industry. The most common applications in the food industry include cell destruction and extraction of intracellular material. Depending on its intensity, ultrasound is used for the activation or deactivation of enzymes, mixing and homogenization, emulsification, dispersion, preservation, stabilization, dissolution and crystallization, hydrogenation, tenderization of meat, ripening, ageing and oxidation, and as an adjuvant for solid-liquid extraction for maceration to accelerate and to improve the extraction of active ingredients from different matrices, as well as the degassing and atomization of food preparations.

In the current era of high consumption and increasing waste, many products that are believed to be unusable can find a new purpose in the market. For example, the grape peel waste resulting from the production of wine contains numerous bioactive compounds. In reality, grape peels are by-products of winemaking that can be conveniently reused in many different ways, including agronomic use and cosmetic industry applications. Moreover, the by-products can also be used in the energy field as biomass for the production of biogas or in food plants for the production of energy. In this article, to extract polyphenols, grape peels were processed via a cyclically pressurized extraction method known as rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE), which does not require the use of any organic solvent or include heating or cooling processes that can cause the loss of substances of interest. To better understand the cyclically pressurized extraction process, a numerical simulation was performed to evaluate the exchange between the grape piece solid matrix and water during the extraction process. Furthermore, a finite element model was used to numerically determine the time-dependent concentration distribution at specific times.

Pasta with eggs added (generally termed &ldquo, special pasta&rdquo, for Italian legislation) is made by adding no less than 4 eggs without shells (or no less than 200 g of liquid or lyophilized egg product) per kilogram of semolina, as provided by law. In this work, to determine the final content of eggs added to dough, an analytical procedure was developed for the rapid analysis of the cholesterol content in the finished pastas. The proposed procedure was simpler, faster, and more accurate than that of official methods of analysis based on the gravimetric determination of sterols. Moreover, the determination of the quality of fat content in the special pasta (egg pasta in this case) allowed the evaluation of its origin, avoiding possible fraud resulting from the addition of foreign fat as an alternative to fat derived from eggs. In this new gas chromatographic procedure, the internal standard squalene for the quantification of cholesterol was used because a more polar GC capillary column was used (RTX 65 TG-HT) for the separation of sterols, rather than 5% phenyl methylsilicone. The ratio between cholesterol and squalene allowed for the determination of the number of eggs added, while from analysis of the same gas chromatogram, it was also possible to evaluate the composition of triglycerides in the fat contained in the pasta, allowing discrimination of foreign fats with respect to fats contained in eggs and therefore avoiding adulteration of pasta. The same analytical procedure was applied to the determination of cholesterol content in lyophilized yolk.

French fries are popular products worldwide. However, this product is a sufferable source of high acrylamide due to high temperature and low moisture. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of grass pea flour (GPF), transglutaminase (TGase)-treated (GPF + TGase), chitosan (CH), and pectin (PEC) hydrocolloid coating solutions on the formation of acrylamide, water retention as well as on oil content. In addition, the Daily Intake (DI) and Margin of Exposure (MOE) were calculated to estimate variations in risk assessment by applying coating solutions before frying. Our results showed that the highest acrylamide content was detected in the control sample, reaching a value of 2089 µg kg−1. Hydrocolloid coating solutions were demonstrated to be an effective way to reduce acrylamide formation, with the percentage of acrylamide reduction equal to 48% for PEC, >38% for CH, ≥37% for GPF + TGase, and >31% for GPF, respectively. We hypothesized that the coatings were able to increase the water retention and, thus reduce the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for acrylamide formation. In fact, the MOE value for coated French fries was increase, resulting in being closer to the safety level to avoid carcinogenic risk. Moreover, our coatings were effective in reducing oil uptake.

There is evidence that secondary metabolites are involved in the fungal pathogenicity and virulence of Neofusicoccum spp. Fatty acids may also influence the plant&ndash, pathogen interaction but, so far, no information is available on their production by species of Neofusicoccum associated with Botryosphaeria dieback, which is a well-known syndrome of several plants with a complex etiology. In the present paper, the production of fatty acids in liquid medium, by strains of N. vitifusiforme and N. parvum associated with declining Sicilian vine plants, was evaluated. Data, acquired via gas chromatography&ndash, mass spectrometry (GC/MS), show the presence of linoleic acid as the most abundant fatty acid produced by both examined strains. In addition, the pathogenicity of N. vitifusiforme was tested on 2-year-old grapevine plants of cv. Inzolia.

Stevioside and rebaudioside A are the main diterpene glycosides present in the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is used in the production of foods and low-calorie beverages. The difficulties associated with their extraction and purification are currently a problem for the food processing industries. The objective of this study was to develop an effective and economically viable method to obtain a high-quality product while trying to overcome the disadvantages derived from the conventional transformation processes. For this reason, extractions were carried out using a conventional maceration (CM) and a cyclically pressurized extraction known as rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE) by the Naviglio extractor (NE). After only 20 min of extraction using the NE, a quantity of rebaudioside A and stevioside equal to 1197.8 and 413.6 mg/L was obtained, respectively, while for the CM, the optimum time was 90 min. From the results, it can be stated that the extraction process by NE and its subsequent purification developed in this study is a simple, economical, environmentally friendly method for producing steviol glycosides. Therefore, this method constitutes a valid alternative to conventional extraction by reducing the extraction time and the consumption of toxic solvents and favouring the use of the extracted metabolites as food additives and/or nutraceuticals. As an added value and of local interest, the experiment was carried out on stevia leaves from the Benevento area (Italy), where a high content of rebaudioside A was observed, which exhibits a sweet taste compared to stevioside, which has a significant bitter aftertaste.

This paper presents the development of three methods for quality control, fraud detection, and authentication of butter fat and other oils/fats using chromatographic techniques, with one method for triglycerides and two methods for fatty acids (FAs). The procedure for the analysis of triglycerides requires only dissolution of the sample inn-hexane and gas chromatography (GC) analysis using a capillary column. The second method is based on the transesterification of triglycerides as pentyl esters in a single-step reaction using sodium pentanoate in pentanol. The reaction proceeds at room temperature and is similar to the potassium hydroxide-catalysed transesterification of triglycerides with methanol and even more similar to the sodium methoxide method and sodium butanoate method. The advantage of using pentyl esters includes reducing the volatility of short-chain FAs, and substantial recoveries were obtained compared with methyl ester analysis. The third method involves the transesterification of triglycerides in fat through reaction with 2-phenylethanol in a single step; 2-phenylethanol possesses a chromophore, and the phenethyl esters formed are analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection.

Hydrating beans before cooking reduces cooking time, increases their tenderness and weight and improves their appearance after cooking. In this paper, we describe a process of cyclically pressurised soaking for the rapid hydration of cannellini beans at room temperature. This hydration process is approximately ten-fold faster than the traditional soaking procedure, and the microbial load developed by the end of this process is much lower compared to that obtained using the traditional process. This bean hydration process was achieved with a new extraction technique using the Naviglio extractor, which subjected the water containing the beans to cycles of pressurisation in which the pressure values ranged between 0 (atmospheric pressure) and 10 bar. This innovative hydration process (I) reduced the time required for the complete hydration of the beans to approximately 60 min and produced a product saturated with the same final amount of moisture as the product obtained from the conventional soaking process (T) that lasts 12–20 h. The numerical simulation of the hydration process (I) has provided useful indications on how the diffusion of humidity inside the beans occurred during the pressurised soaking process. The treated beans were packaged, and organoleptic tests, including taster panel tests, were conducted. Finally, the aromatisation of the legumes was conducted in conjunction with the hydration process to introduce flavouring elements used in some famous traditional recipes for Italian cuisine.

Lipid and protein oxidation is a major phenomenon reducing meat quality during cooking and storage and leading to off-flavour formation and rancidity. The use of vegetable extracts to increase shelf life is a promising new frontier in the prevention of oxidation. In this study the efficacy on lipid and protein oxidation was evaluated in chicken meat mixed with conventional methanol/water and supercritical extracts of Echinacea angustifolia after cooking and at different times of cold storage in order to propose these matrices as natural substances to increase the shelf-life of meat products. Echinacea spp. are native to North America and were traditionally used by the Indian tribes for a variety of diseases, including mouth sores, colds and snakebites. The three most commonly used Echinacea spp. are Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida and Echinacea purpurea. In particular, a series of experiments have shown that E. angustifolia extracts have significant immunomodulatory activities. Total phenols and antioxidant activity of the SFE extracts were used as parameters to characterize the vegetable extracts, TBARS and MDA were considered to monitor lipid oxidation, while protein oxidation was measured as carbonyl compounds. Results show a protective action of plant antioxidants against oxidation, but also a greater selectivity and a higher efficiency of natural extracts obtained by SFE respect to conventional extract. The study of the metabolic profile was performed by tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).

Chicken eggs represent a relevant diet source of cholesterol. With the aim of evaluating the cholesterol content of the eggs from Campania Region (Italy) and to test a new analytical procedure, a sample of 100 chicken eggs from local market was analysed by gas chromatography using a polar capillary column. The total free cholesterol was extracted from the egg yolk with n -hexane and trichloroacetic acid, and analysed without the saponification step commonly used. This alternative procedure was compared with the official method. The results indicate that the total free cholesterol content is in the range of 120–193 mg/egg (average value 157 ± 3 mg/egg) lower than the previously reported value of 213 mg/egg. The total free cholesterol quantity is not related to the yolk weight. The bound cholesterol contribution to the total cholesterol was negligible. Dietary recommendations aimed at restricting the egg consumption should be taken with caution and should not include all individuals.

Iron deficiency represents a widespread problem for a large part of the population, especially for women, and has received increasing attention in food/supplement research. The contraindications of the iron supplements commercially available (e.g., imbalances in the levels of other essential nutrients, low bioavailability, etc.) led us to search for a possible alternative. In the present work, a rapid and easy method to synthetize a solid iron (II) citrate complex from iron filings and citric acid was developed to serve, eventually, as a food supplement or additive. In order to state its atomic composition and purity, an assortment of analytical techniques was employed (e.g., combustion analysis, thermogravimetry, X-ray diffractometry, UV/Vis spectrophotometry, etc.). Results demonstrate that the synthesized crystalline solid corresponds to the formula FeC6H6O7∙H2O and, by consequence, contains exclusively iron (II), which is an advantage with respect to existing commercial products, because iron (II) is better absorbed than iron (III) (high bioavailability of iron).

This research aimed to determine the effects of cryo-maceration at different temperatures on polyphenol content during the winemaking process of Chardonnay wine. Samples of Chardonnay grapes were subjected to rapid cooling processes by direct injection of liquid CO2 to obtain final temperatures of 10.0, 8.0, 6.0 and 4.0 &deg, C and yield different batches of grape mash. Subsequently, each batch underwent the winemaking process to produce four different wines. The wines obtained were characterized by chemical analyses. We observed higher extraction of polyphenolic compounds with low-temperature cold maceration, particularly when the temperature was reduced from 10.0 to 6.0 &deg, C. Conversely, when the temperature was reduced below 6.0 &deg, C, the increase in polyphenol content in wine was negligible, whereas CO2 consumption increased. Furthermore, a numerical simulation was performed to determine the pipe length, L0, after which the temperature was constant. This condition is very important because it guarantees that after the length L0, the thermodynamic exchange between liquid CO2 and is complete, eliminating the possibility of liquid CO2 pockets in the cyclone.

BACKGROUND: Lycopene, a precursor of β-carotene with a well-known antioxidant activity, contained in many natural products such as tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), watermelon, red pepper and papaya, is usually recovered from natural vegetal sources using organic solvents and a purification step. In this paper an innovative process for the extraction of pure lycopene from tomato waste in water that uses the Naviglio® extractor and water as extracting phase is presented. RESULTS: Lycopene was obtained in the all-trans form at a very high grade of purity, not less than 98% (w/w), with an average recovery of 14% (w/w). The availability of high-purity trans-lycopene allowed measurement of the molar absorption coefficient. An alternative procedure for high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis using a phenyl-hexyl silicone phase as inverse phase and a linear gradient in water and acetonitrile is also described. CONCLUSIONS: The use of water as extracting phase considerably reduces the cost of the entire process when compared with the commonly used solvent-based procedure or with the newer supercritical extraction process of lycopene from tomato waste. Lycopene, not soluble in water, was recovered in a quasi-crystalline solid form and purified by solid-phase extraction using a small amount of organic solvent. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry This article was published online on September 15, 2008. Errors in Figures 2-4 were subsequently identified. The publishers wish to apologise for these errors. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected [September 19, 2008]

This paper describes an accurate method to determine esterified glycerol in the glycerides of edible fats and oils and, in general, in all triglyceride fat or oil. Esterified glycerol is released by means of a transesterification reaction with potassium hydroxide in methanol, which simultaneously produces fatty acid methyl esters. Free glycerol is oxidized selectively to formic acid and without any interference in the same environment in which the transesterification reaction occurs by the addition of periodate. The formic acid produced is then potentiometrically titrated using an acid–base reaction. By knowing the acidic composition and the distribution of the glycerol between triglycerides, diglycerides and monoglycerides, the determination of glycerol also makes it possible to evaluate the content of glycerides present in the fats. The most accurate glyceride determination was obtained by suitably combining the determination of bound glycerol and the distribution of fatty acids obtained by means of gas chromatographic analysis. With little modifications, the proposed method also makes it possible to successfully analyse edible fat in terms of glycerol content in aqueous containing matrixes.

The consumption of vegetables and fruits has always been seen as health promoting. One group of vegetables that were already used for medicinal purposes in ancient times and are now seen as possibly cancer protective are vegetables of the Brassica genus. The protective effect of brassicas against cancer may be due to their relatively high content of glucosinolates. Certain hydrolysis products of glucosinolates have shown anticarcinogenic properties. However, not properly cooking procedures and storage could drastically reduce the content of glucosinolates in Brassicaceae plants. This study aims to assess whether the use of agronomic techniques can increase the content of glucosinolates in Brassica plants, in order to offset these losses. For this purpose were used strains of beneficial microorganisms of Trichoderma harzianum TM10, T. atroviride P1, already known biocontrol agents, and their metabolites harzianum acid and 6-pentyl-a-pyrone on plants of Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris var. esculenta ecotype ‘‘Sessantino’’ (called with the trivial name ‘‘friarielli’’ in the south of Italy where this variety is very popular and consumed). Moreover, the antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid content were determined on plant extracts, followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of glucosinolates. In order to obtain the extraction of constituents from plant material, microwave-assisted extraction was used. Results obtained showed that the use of Trichoderma and its metabolites determined an increase in glucosinolates in plants of B. rapa. Accordingly, the proposed method could be used on other plants of food interest to increase their nutritional properties.

Objective: To assess whether a diet containing foods enriched with beta-glucans (3.6 g/d), folic acid (1600 mu g/d), long-chain (800 mg/d) and short-Chain (400 mg/d) n-3 fatty acids, and tocopherols (120 mg/d) is able to modulate positively the cardiovascular risk profile in people at slightly increased cardiovascular risk. Methods: Sixteen subjects with mild plasma lipid abnormalities were studied according to a randomized crossover design. After a 2-week run-in period, they followed a diet containing baked products enriched with active nutrients (active diet) or a diet containing the same products but without active nutrients (control diet) for 1 month and then crossed over to the other diet. At the end of each period, a test meal of the same composition as the corresponding diet was administered, and plasma samples were obtained before and for 6 hours after the meal. Hunger and satiety were evaluated by the visual analog scale at fasting and after the meal. Results: Fasting plasma triglycerides were significantly lower after the active versus the control diet (1.56 +/- 0.18 vs 1.74 +/- 0.16 mmol/l, p < 0.05), as was the postprandial level of chylomicron triglycerides and the insulin peak (p < 0.05). The active diet also reduced fasting homocysteine (8 +/- 0.6 vs 10 +/- 0.8 mu mol/l, p < 0.05) and the feeling of hunger at the fifth and sixth hour (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Baked functional products enriched with n-3 fatty acids, folates, beta-glucans, and tocopherols within the context of a balanced diet lower fasting and postprandial plasma triglycerides, fasting homocysteinemia, and the postprandial insulin peak. They induce a greater feeling of satiety with possible beneficial implications on energy intake.

To evaluate the effect of supplementing the diet of Comisana sheep with by-products from industrial tomato manufacture on the fat composition and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of milk fat, two groups of 50 ewes each were fed either total mixed ration standard (TMRS) or total mixed ration with added tomato by-products (TMRA). Milk fat composition was determined by high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC). The milk fat content for the animals fed the TMRA diet increased by 6.41% ( P P −1 fat, while the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content increased by a 6.43% ( P −1 fat. The fatty acid composition showed an increase in the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The n − 3:n − 6 ratio increased by 13% in the milk from sheep fed with the TMRA diet. These observations were confirmed by triglyceride analysis, which showed a decrease in the amount of short-chain (C 28 –C 32 ) and medium-chain (C 34 –C 42 ) triglycerides after six weeks, while the opposite was observed for the long-chain triglycerides (C 44 –C 54 ).

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The intake of wholemeal foods is consistently associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in epidemiological studies, although the mechanisms of this association are unclear. Here we aim to compare in healthy subjects the metabolic effects of a diet rich in wholemeal wheat foods versus one based on the same products in refined form. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen healthy individuals (12 M/3 F), mean age 54.5+/-7.6 years, BMI 27.4+/-3.0 kg/m(2) (mean+/-SD), participated in a randomized sequential crossover study. After 2 weeks run-in, participants were randomly assigned to two isoenergetic diets with similar macronutrient composition, one rich in wholemeal wheat foods and the other with the same foods but in refined form (cereal fibre 23.1 vs. 9.8 g/day). After the two treatment periods (each lasting 3 weeks) plasma glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, acetic acid, magnesium, adipokines, incretins and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured at fasting and for 4h after a standard test meal (kcal 1103, protein 12%, CHO 53%, fat 35%) based on wholemeal or refined wheat foods, respectively. After the two diets there were no differences in fasting nor in postprandial plasma parameter responses; only glucose was slightly but significantly lower at 240 min after the refined wheat food meal compared to the wholemeal wheat food meal. Conversely, after the wholemeal diet both total (-4.3%; p

In this article a new analytical method is proposed for the detection of extraneous fats fraudulently added to butter. The determination is carried out by gas chromatographic analysis of butter triglycerides on a capillary column having 65% phenylmethylsilicone as stationary phase. Over the past 25 years, various methods for the evaluation of butter purity have been proposed. The detection of adulterating vegetable oils is based on sterol analysis and the presence of these vegetable sterols in butter represents clear evidence of fraud. The official EU method for the detection of animal fats such as lard and tallow is time consuming and tedious; there are also problems of reproducibility and accuracy at low concentrations of the additives. The method proposed in this article allows us to detect the presence of extraneous vegetable and animal fats in a simple, rapid and precise way even when the quantity added to butter is minimal. The analysis is based on the best currently achievable resolution of single triglycerides components and a comparison with the profile observed for reference samples of certifiably pure butters. Moreover, by comparing each single sample analyzed with the EEC “BCR 164 RM” butter standard taken as reference, the present procedure can be used not only to evaluate purity but also to introduce a new parameter, “quality.” The latter is defined as the similarity between the sample percentages of single triglycerides with those in butter standards. The proposed method is simple and easy to execute, even by a nonspecialist technical staff.