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Commercial cocoa and hazelnut-based sweet spreads typically present a poor nutribiochemical level due to their ingredients and recipes, while nowadays, there is the need of developing sustainable food products addressing both an improved nutritional and environmental profile. The aim of this work was then to develop an innovative hazelnut/carob-based spread with potential high sustainability and nutritional profile, including the exploitation of grape-processing residues (grape skin flour and grapeseed oil) and carob pulp as cocoa surrogate. Rheological (rotational/oscillatory), oxidative, and thermal features of the spread were assessed and compared with two commercial nut-cocoa-based products. Tribology was used to mimic and evaluate the spreads' behavior during oral consumption, and sensory profile (by quantitative descriptive analysis) was also assessed. All products exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior, with the elastic component prevailing over the viscous one. The innovative product showed the highest lubricity from both rheological and sensory analysis, thus well correlating to the obtained lowest viscosity and friction factor trends. Grapeseed oil provided a better nutritional profile, but the largest amount of unsaturated fatty acids promoted oxidation, despite the higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity coming from the use of carob and grape skin powders. The sensory perception investigation revealed a characteristic mouthfeel/flavor for the new spread identified having a more fluid consistency and a bitter/sour taste, together with a greater stickiness and a poorer smoothness due to a higher fiber content and solid fat absence.

Triticale-based biscuits were formulated with increasing substitution levels (i.e., 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% w/w) of malted triticale flour (MTF). The products were analyzed for technological and nutritional characteristics, including the evaluation of the in vitro starch digestion. The results indicated that the substitution of triticale flour with MTF increased (p < 0.05) the total dietary fiber and ash contents. Total starch decreased (p < 0.05) when the level of MTF increased in the formulation, causing an increase in reducing sugars and an increase in the starch hydrolysis index and in the in vitro predicted glycemic index (pGI). The hardness and spread ratio values of biscuits decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of MTF in the recipe. The lightness of doughs and biscuits decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing MTF levels. Overall, MTF could be used to formulate biscuits with higher dietary fiber content than native triticale flour and a medium to high in vitro glycemic index value as a function of the substitution level.

Wheat is a prevalent food worldwide, although its production arises several tonnes of industrial by-products that merit valorisation, owing to sustainable demands. In this work, an untargeted metabolomics approach was applied to shed light on the profile of free and bound phenolic compounds in white and wholegrain flours, as well as the major wheat by-products, namely wheat bran, wheat shorts and wheat middlings. By-products and wholegrain flours were found to be rich sources of ferulic acid derivatives, lignans, and alkylresorcinols, mostly bound to wheat fibre components, whereas different flavonoids were found in their free forms. Afterwards, the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of these matrices showed that flour phenolics, in particular lignans, were more bioaccessible than those from wheat by-products. These results support the carrier effect attributed to dietary fibre and open a wide perspective on the use of underexploited wheat by-products to formulate novel functional foods.

Wheat flour is one of the most prevalent foodstuffs for human consumption, and novel strategies are underway to enhance its nutritional properties. This work evaluated wholegrain flours from bread wheat lines with different amylose/amylopectin ratios through in vitro starch digestion and large intestine fermentation. High-amylose flours presented a higher resistant starch content and lower starch hydrolysis index. Moreover, UHPLC-HRMS metabolomics was carried out to determine the profile of the resulting in vitro fermentates. The multivariate analysis highlighted distinctive profiles between the flours derived from the different lines compared to the wild type. Peptides, glycerophospholipids, polyphenols, and terpenoids were identified as the main markers of the discrimination. The high-amylose flour fermentates showed the richest bioactive profile, containing stilbenes, carotenoids, and saponins. Present findings pave the way toward applying high-amylose flours to design novel functional foods.

A multi-omics approach was adopted to investigate the impact of lactic acid fermentation and seed germination on the composition and physicochemical properties of rye doughs. Doughs were prepared with either native or germinated rye flour and fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, combined or not with a sourdough starter including Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Weissella confusa and Weissella cibaria. LAB fermentation significantly increased total titrable acidity and dough rise regardless of the flour used. Targeted metagenomics revealed a strong impact of germination on the bacterial community profile of sprouted rye flour. Doughs made with germinated rye displayed higher levels of Latilactobacillus curvatus, while native rye doughs were associated with higher proportions of Lactoplantibacillus plantarum. The oligosaccharide profile of rye doughs indicated a lower carbohydrate content in native doughs as compared to the sprouted counterparts. Mixed fermentation promoted a consistent decrease in both monosaccharides and low-polymerization degree (PD)-oligosaccharides, but not in high-PD carbohydrates. Untargeted metabolomic analysis showed that native and germinated rye doughs differed in the relative abundance of phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and phospholipids. Sourdough fermentation promoted the accumulation of terpenoids, phenolic compounds and proteinogenic and non-proteinogenic amino acids. Present findings offer an integrated perspective on rye dough as a multi-constituent system and on cereal-sourced bioactive compounds potentially affecting the functional properties of derived food products.

Durum wheat spaghetti samples prepared with increasing levels of resistant starch (RS) from debranched waxy rice starch (DWRS; i.e., 0, 5, 10, 15 g/100 g w/w) were analyzed for chemical composition, quality and sensory parameters and in vitro starch digestion. All the DWRS-containing spaghetti was “high in fibre”, the dietary fiber content being > 6 g/100 g. In addition, spaghetti with the highest level of DWRS showed the highest RS content (p < 0.05), being 11.4 g/100 g dry matter. The starch hydrolysis index decreased (p < 0.05) as the level of DWRS increased, with a reduction of >20% comparing the 15-DWRS pasta to the control. DWRS had a negative impact on quality parameters, especially at higher DWRS levels. The use of DWRS shortened the optimal cooking time and impacted the samples’ cooking loss, firmness, and stickiness. In addition, sensory analysis revealed differences among samples. However, irrespective of the level of DWRS in the recipe, the score for all attributes was > 5, which is considered the limit of acceptability. Substituting part of the semolina flour with DWRS increased the level of RS and the overall nutritional profile and affected the quality of semolina pasta, mainly at higher levels in the recipe.

Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) are becoming widespread environmental contaminants. They are currently added to several food preparations and cause a fast-growing concern for human health. The present work aims to assess the impact of zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) on the human gut metabolome and microbiome. Water samples spiked with two different concentrations of each MNPs were subjected to in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion and in-vitro large intestine fermentation. The effects of the treatments were determined through 16 S amplicon sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. Multi-omics data integration was then applied to correlate the two datasets. MNPs treatments modulated the microbial genera Bifidobacterium, Sutterella, Escherichia and Bacteroides. The treatments, especially the lower concentrations of Ag and ZnO, caused modulation of indole derivatives, peptides, and metabolites related to protein metabolism in the large intestine. Notably, these metabolites are implicated in ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. TiO2 NPs treatment in all concentrations increased E.coli relative abundance and decreased the abundance of B. longum. Moreover, for TiO2, an enrichment in proinflammatory lipid mediators of arachidonic acid metabo-lites, such as prostaglandin E2 and leukotrienes B4, was detected. For all metals except TiO2, low NP concen-trations promoted differentiated profiles, thus suggesting that MNPs aggregation can limit adverse effects on living cells.

Considering the high interest in using pulses in the production of staple foods, including pasta, this study aimed at investigating the effect of pre-gelatinisation on the overall quality of pasta from red lentils. Pre-gelatinized flours showed a lower gelatinisation temperature (up to about 57 °C vs. about 65 °C) and higher retrogradation tendency than native flour. Such changes resulted in higher water absorption capacity (up to 1.23 vs. 0.98 g g−1) and higher farinographic torque, but did not impact the cooking quality. Conversely, the resistant starch content of cooked pasta decreased (from 14.79 to 10.4 g/100 g total starch) and the starch hydrolysis index increased (from 48.28 to 67.71) when pre-gelatinised flours were used. In conclusion, pre-gelatinisation impacted starch, hydration and the mixing properties of red lentils flours, without compromising the cooking behaviour of the related pasta.

This study aims to provide information on the behaviour and biopersistence rate (BP) of metallic nanoparticles (Ag-NPs, TiO2-NPs, ZnO-NPs) naturally occurring in canned seafood and subjected to static in vitro digestion. Single particle ICP-MS analysis was performed to determine NPs distribution and concentrations in oral, gastric, and intestinal digests. Depending on the conditions of the digestive phase and the sample matrix, the phenomena of agglomeration and dispersion were highlighted and confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique. In standard suspensions, Ag-NPs had lower biopersistence (BP) than ZnO and TiO2-NPs (BP 34%, 89% and >100%, respectively). Among Ag-NPs and TiO2-NPs naturally present in the food matrix, those in canned tuna were more degradable than those in canned clam (BP Ag-NPs 36% vs. > 100%; BP TiO2-NPs 96% vs. > 100%), while BP ZnO-NPs showed high biopersistence in both seafood matrix (>100%). The biopersistence rates were higher than the recommended limit set by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (12%), referred to nanotechnologies to be applied in the food and feed chain, thus the investigated naturally occurring NPs cannot be considered readily degradable.

Trub is a brewing by-product rich in proteins and fibers. We used trub, after a debittering step, at 5, 10, and 15 g/100 g (PT5, PT10, and PT15, respectively) to fortify durum wheat fresh pasta. Technological and physical–chemical properties, in vitro digestibility, and sensorial characteristics of fortified pasta were determined. The technological aspects of the products were peculiar, suggesting the existence of complex interactions between the gluten network and starch with debittered trub powder. The fortified pasta samples showed a lower glucose release than the control at the end of in vitro starch hydrolysis. Furthermore, in vitro protein digestion rose only in PT15. PT5 and PT10 samples overcame the sensory acceptability threshold of 5, while PT15 showed the lowest acceptability. Debittered trub represents a suitable ingredient in fortified fresh pasta formulation with an up to 10% substitution level without compromising the quality and sensory characteristics of the final product.

The untargeted metabolomic profile of five pigmented whole rice varieties, namely Ermes, Orange, Nerone, Venere, and Violet, was investigated. Samples were cooked to a comparable starch gelatinization level through an electric commercial rice cooker and in vitro digested to evaluate the fate of rice compounds during in vitro starch digestion. The untargeted metabolomics profiling depicted a broad phytochemical profile of rice grains, including phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and phytosterols, among others. Interestingly, the metabolomic profile showed distinctive shaping following cooking and in vitro digestion in a variety-dependent manner. Multivariate statistics revealed that glycosylated flavonoids and hydrolysis-products of tannins (such as 1,2-digalloyl-beta-D-glucopyranose) were the most discriminant compounds of the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The combination of cooking and simulated digestion was found to affect, in a matrix-driven manner, the profile of amino acids and lipids derivatives, together with sterols and terpenoids. Cooked Violet rice grains showed the lowest starch hydrolysis index (i.e., 58.2) and the highest resistant starch content (i.e., 4.8 g/100 g) compared to the other samples. Non-pigmented phenolic compounds could be included among discriminant compounds. After combining cooking and enzyme hydrolysis, Violet rice distinctively showed positive average LogFC values for flavonoids and phenolic acids. Overall, water-soluble anthocyanins were the most retained class of polyphenols following the cooking process, with peonidin 3-(6”-acetyl-glucoside) showing the highest discriminant potential (VIP score = 1.64).

BACKGROUND: Grape pomace (GP), a wine-making by-product rich in dietary fiber (DF) and total phenolic compounds (TPC), is a potential functional ingredient in the fortification of baked goods. RESULTS: In the present study, fortified breadsticks samples were obtained by replacing wheat flour with 0, 5 and 10 g 100 g−1 of powdered GP (GPP). The GPP inclusion affected the rheological properties of the doughs by increasing the water absorption and tenacity (P) at the same time as reducing the extensibility (L), with a significant increase in the P/L value and a decrease in the swelling index (G) value and deformation energy (W). Textural characteristics of breadsticks were influenced by the GPP addition, showing a reduction in hardness and fracturability as the amount of GPP increased in the recipe. The GPP fortified breadsticks exhibited decreased pH, volume and specific volume values compared to the control. The TPC and the antioxidant capacity increased in GPP fortified breadsticks, whereas the increased amount of DF allowed the products to benefit from the claim ‘high fiber content’ at the highest level of GPP inclusion. The sensory evaluation revealed that GPP addition increased wine odor, acidity, bitterness, astringency and hardness, and decreased the regularity of alveolation and friability. Finally, the GPP fortified products achieved good sensorial acceptability. CONCLUSION: GPP improved the nutritional values of fortified breadsticks and changed the rheology of dough and breadsticks' technological properties without affecting sensory acceptability. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Pasta, a staple food worldwide consumed, was fortified with maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) berry powder (MBP) and the effect of MBP inclusion was evaluated concerning technological, nutritional, and sensory properties. Fresh pasta samples were formulated by replacing 0, 7.5, and 15 g 100 g−1 of durum wheat semolina with MBP. The inclusion of MBP did not affect the moisture content, but the water activity decreased in the fortified samples, while pH values decreased with increasing MBP levels in the recipe. The pasta fully cooking time and the swelling index were reduced, while the cooking loss and the firmness increased with increasing MBP levels. In addition, MBP increased the total dietary fiber, ash, and phenol contents, along with the in vitro antioxidant activities. The starch hydrolysis index and the predicted glycemic index of cooked fresh pasta decreased along with the increase of MBP addition. The MPB addition to fresh pasta could represent a valuable strategy for increasing its nutritional value, maintaining pasta’s technological properties without affecting the sensory acceptability.

Wheat-based vegan muffins were formulated with increasing levels (0, 5 and 10 g per 100 g substitutes to flour) of dried grape pomace powder obtained after distillation (DGPP). The DGPP-muffins showed a greater (P < 0.05) total dietary fibre and a lower (P < 0.05) total starch content to the control. The inclusion of DGPP influenced (P < 0.05) both the batter's rheological properties and the baked muffins' technological characteristics, including the baking loss, the volume, the firmness, the spread ratio and the colour. The in vitro antioxidant activity and the phenolic content increased (P < 0.05) following DGPP inclusion. The untargeted phenolic profiling by UHPLC-HRMS revealed an (P < 0.05) increase of several phenolic classes (i.e. free and bound fractions) following the inclusion of DGPP in the recipe. Flavonoids, mainly anthocyanins, were the most abundant compounds. A quantitative descriptive sensory analysis detected the DGPP-vegan muffins showed good sensory acceptability. The vegan muffin with 5 g per 100 g of DGPP obtained the highest overall acceptability score by the panellists.

Development of gluten-free (GF) pasta with improved nutritional attributes is one of the main trends in the gluten-free pasta industry. Considerable interest lays in introducing legume-based ingredients into traditional corn/rice GF formulations. This work aims to fortify multi-cereal (corn-rice) GF pasta with chickpea to investigate how different chickpea addition levels affect its quality and in vitro starch digestibility. Chickpea significantly increased pasta protein and dietary fibre contents to a level that supports the “source” or “high” fibre/protein content claims. Chickpea addition induced darkening, softening, adhesiveness decrease and solid loss reduction compared to the control. In addition, chickpea substitution significantly modified the in vitro starch digestion, which showed increasing resistant starch and decreasing slowly digestible starch contents suggesting potential mitigation of postprandial glucose response in vivo. Reformulating GF pasta with chickpea flour should, therefore, be considered as an effective tool to improve the corn–rice-based GF products' nutritional profile.

The interest in the modulation of gut microbiota by polyphenols from olives and derived products is increasing. In this work, phenolic leaf extracts (PLE) were in vitro faecal fermented to evaluate the changes in phenolic profiles and the impact on microbiota, using a commercial extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) as reference. The in vitro fermentation decreased oleuropein content in PLE, determining an increase of hydroxytyrosol and other phenolic metabolites. An increase (p < 0.05) of hydroxytyrosol (LogFC = 6.02; VIP score = 1.05) was also observed in fermented EVOO. Besides, PLE significantly (p < 0.05) changed amino acids (LogFC = 6.1) and fatty acids (LogFC = 5.9) profile of the faeces. Metagenomic sequencing revealed that Coriobacteriaceae at the family level, and Collinsella at the genus level, were the most affected by PLE fermentation. These findings support the modulation of the gut microbiota exerted by phenolics from PLE and EVOO.

The effects of conventional extrusion (CV) and extrusion-cooking (EC) were investigated on 100% yellow lentils (YL). Both the extrusion processes led to pasta with good cooking quality (cooking loss: 7.0–7.1 g/100 g, firmness: 530–608 N), even in overcooking (cooking loss: 7.7–7.9 g/100 g, firmness: 418–513 N). Contrary to what is known for gluten-free cereals, CV is effective in producing pasta from native YL with no need for a pre-gelatinization step. However, pasta from EC showed a higher compression energy (2898 versus 2448 N*mm). In this sample, starch presented a higher degree of gelatinization (75.5 versus 57.6 g/100 g) and lower enthalpy (0.97 versus 1.07 J/g). At the same time, EC promoted a more compact structure that required higher temperature for melting (66.49 versus 63.16 °C) and showing pasting properties (79.1 versus 74.7 °C). Thus, by selecting suitable extrusion conditions it is possible to improve the cooking behavior of 100% pulse pasta.

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.), the so-called ‘miracle tree’, has emerged as an excellent source of nutrients and functional components also in food applications. In this regard, Moringa is worldwide cultivated for its nutritional properties and for a variety of end-uses. The different portions of this plant (leaves, pods, seeds) have been widely studied for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperglycemic activities. Most of the functional activities reported in the literature are strictly related to its high content of polyphenols, bioactive peptides, carotenoids, and glucosinolates. Besides, a great interest is emerging towards the exploitation of Moringa as a value-added ingredient for both bakery and meat products. On these bases, considering the more recent literature about M. oleifera plant, this short review aims to highlight the different biological and potential food applications of M. oleifera parts and/or extracts as a source of bioactive compounds able to provide health-promoting properties.

Gluten-free (GF) pasta samples containing rice flour replaced with 0, 5, 10, 15 g/100 g (w/w) of a resistant starch ingredient from annealed sorghum starch (annRS) were formulated. The highest total dietary fiber and RS contents (p < 0.05) were measured in uncooked pasta with 15 g/100 g of annRS addition (15-annRS). After cooking, the 15-annRS pasta was characterized by an RS content of 5.8 g/100 g dry matter, confirming the thermal resistance of annRS. The use of annRS positively influenced the optimal cooking time, the cooking loss, the firmness, and the stickiness of the cooked samples, with not remarkably change in color after cooking. The starch hydrolysis index values decreased as the level of annRS increased. Despite a significant decrease in the overall sensory with increasing levels of annRS, all samples were characterized by a value > 5, which is considered the limit of acceptability. The use of annRS in GF pasta up to 15 g/100 g can contribute to creating GF products with high total dietary fiber content, slowly digestible starch properties, and without drastically compromising the sensory attributes.

Frozen food sees a continuous increase in consumption thanks to the capability to preserve the organoleptic properties and, at the same time, to increase the shelf-life of the food itself. Therefore, a proper design of the freezing process is crucial and is strictly related to an accurate evaluation of freezing time because this establishes the minimum residence time of the product in a continuous freezer. For this reason, several mathematical models have been proposed and investigated for predicting the freezing time, starting from empirical models (lower accuracy and computational time) up to computational fluid dynamics simulation (higher accuracy and computational time). An excellent compromise between accuracy and computational effort seems to be a model that combines empirical laws for property evaluation and heat diffusion equation solved in one dimension. This model can numerically be solved using the method of lines in which spatial derivatives are discretized by the finite difference method and the resulting system of ordinary differential equations is integrated using an appropriate solver. This work aimed to fill some gaps to develop a comprehensive and more accurate model for freezing time prediction. Indeed, the key idea is to validate a model that could be used to optimize the refrigeration process for energy-saving and be the base for a design of experiment in case of lack of experimental data. The newly developed model includes the evaluation of freezing time for finite food shapes because, in some cases, it is not possible to assume a characteristic direction for heat flux. The property of unfrozen and frozen food (e.g. density, thermal conductivity, apparent specific heat, etc.) are evaluated basing on the principal constituent of food (e.g. water, fiber, protein, etc.), while heat transfer coefficient is evaluated using empirical equations, depending on adimensional numbers. In this way, it is possible to be flexible and not strictly related to t

Grape pomace powder (GPP), a by-product from the winemaking process, was used to substitute flour for wheat bread fortification within 0, 5, and 10 g/100 g. Rheological properties of control and fortified doughs, along with physicochemical and nutritional characteristics, antioxidant activity, and the sensory analysis of the obtained bread were considered. The GPP addition influenced the doughs’ rheological properties by generating more tenacious and less extensible products. Concerning bread, pH values and volume of fortified products decreased as the GPP inclusion level increased in the recipe. Total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity of bread samples, evaluated by FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) and ABTS (2,20-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) assays, increased with GPP addition. Moreover, the GPP inclusion level raised the total dietary fiber content of bread. Regarding sensory evaluation, GPP fortification had a major impact on the acidity, the global flavor, the astringency, and the wine smell of bread samples without affecting the overall bread acceptability. The current results suggest that GPP could be an attractive ingredient used to obtain fortified bread, as it is a source of fiber and polyphenols with potentially positive effects on human health.

The amount of amylose within a food may elicit lower glycemic and insulin postprandial responses and thus potentially modulate the satiating effect. In this context, the effect of biscuits formulated with high amylose starch (HAS) flour on satiety-related sensations and food intake was studied. Three types of biscuits were produced: control biscuit (CRT, 0% of HAS), Amy-25 (25% HAS), and Amy-50 (50% HAS). Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled to conduct two in vivo experiments. In experiment 1, volunteers consumed biscuits ad libitum and their sensations of satiety and food intake were evaluated. In experiment 2, volunteers received a quantity of biscuits equivalent to the 20% of the daily estimated energy requirements, and both satietyrelated sensations and food intake were checked at subsequent meal. The Amy-50 significantly reduced food intake at subsequent meal (p ˂ 0.05), compared to Amy-25 and CRT. The satietyrelated sensations were not significantly affected in both experiments, excepted for intra-meal hunger variation induced by Amy-25 which resulted significantly higher (p ˂ 0.05) than Amy-50 and CRT. These findings support the need to reformulate carbohydrate rich foods commonly consumed in a dietary context, to provide consumers healthier alternatives to prevent and tackle obesity and related chronic diseases.

Gluten-free (GF) biscuits were prepared by replacing part of a GF flour mix (GFM) with 0, 15, 30 and 45 g/100 g (total flour) with a novel resistant starch-rich ingredient obtained from annealed white sorghum starch (RSWS). The chemical composition, physical characteristics, in vitro starch digestion and sensory evaluation of biscuits, were considered. The chemical composition of samples was influenced by the addition of the RSWS. The highest total dietary fibre and RS contents (p < 0.05) were measured in 45-RSWS biscuits. The starch hydrolysis index values decreased when the level of RSWS increased in the composite. With regard to quality parameters, the use of RSWS influenced the hardness of the biscuits, and the highest value obtained for 45-RSWS. Some of the selected sensory attributes, along with the overall acceptability score, were negatively influenced by the RSWS addition, even if all remained above the limit of acceptability. The use of RSWS in GF biscuit formulation can contribute towards the creation of food products likely having slowly digestible starch properties, and this can be achieved without drastically compromising on the quality and sensory attributes.

Breads were prepared by substituting common wheat flour with 0 (GP0), 5 (GP5) and 10 (GP10) g/100 g (w/w) of grape pomace powder (GPP) and were analyzed for the phenolic profile bioaccessibility as well as the in vitro starch digestion during simulated digestion. The free and bound phenolic composition of native GPP and resulting breads were profiled using ultra-high-performance chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight (UHPLC-QTOF). The raw GPP was characterized by 190 polyphenols with the anthocyanins representing the most abundant class, ac-counting for 11.60 mg/g of cyanidin equivalents. Regarding the fortified bread, the greatest (p < 0.05) content in phenolic compounds was recorded for the GP10 sample (considering both bound and free fractions) being 127.76 mg/100 g dry matter (DM), followed by the GP5 (106.96 mg/100 g DM), and GP0 (63.76 mg/100 g DM). The use of GPP determined an increase of anthocyanins (considered the markers of the GPP inclusion), recording 20.98 mg/100 g DM in GP5 and 35.82 mg/100 g DM in GP10. The bioaccessibility of anthocyanins increased in both GP5 and GP10 breads when moving from the gastric to the small intestine in vitro digestion phase with an average value of 24%. Both the starch hydrolysis and the predicted glycemic index decreased with the progressive inclusion of GPP in bread. Present findings showed that GPP in bread could promote an antioxidant environment in the digestive tract and influence the in vitro starch digestion.

Dried powder from Moringa oleifera L. leaves (MOLP) could be considered a promising naturally gluten-free (GF) ingredient to be added in the formulation of GF food products aiming to improve the overall nutritional characteristics. In this work, GF biscuits were formulated by replacing a commercial GF flour mix with 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/100 g of MOLP. Chemical composition, physical and textural characteristics, starch pasting properties, and the in vitro starch digestibility were considered. Adding MOLP increased the amount of protein and total dietary fibre. Even at the lowest MOLP-substitution level, the biscuits had a total dietary fibre content > 6 g/100 g dry matter. Differences in the chemical composition might account for differences in starch properties in terms of pasting behaviour and in vitro digestibility. Using MOLP decreased the in vitro starch hydrolysis index of biscuits, the lowest value (69.3) obtained at the greatest MOLP inclusion level. In addition, an increase in the resistant starch content was reported, passing from 1.1 to 2.7 g/100 g dry matter for GF biscuits containing 0 to 15 g/100 g of MOLP. Colour, spread ratio, and hardness were affected by MOLP inclusion. Biscuits containing 15 g/100 g of MOLP were characterized by the highest hardness value (41.9 N). Substitution level of 10 g/100 g should be considered the threshold level for obtaining a product with similar spread ratio than the control.

In this study, the untargeted phytochemical profile of non-edible parts of pomegranate (i.e., flowers, leaves and peels) was depicted by using untargeted metabolomics. Each sample was in vitro digested and then fermented simulating a large intestinal process, then monitoring the changes of phenolic bioaccessibility. The most abundant compounds in pomegranate extracts were polyphenols, terpenoids, sterols, alkaloids and amino acids. The untargeted metabolomic approach revealed a transformation of flavonoids over 24 h of in vitro fermentation. In particular, an increase in the % bioaccessibility for phenolic acids and tyrosols in flowers (probably due to the insoluble dietary fibre content, i.e., 27.1 g 100 g−1) was observed. Accordingly, the highest % bioaccessibility was detected after 24 h of in vitro large intestine fermentation for flower (i.e., 53.8%). Results showed that non-edible parts of pomegranate could be used as ingredients for the development of potential value-added food and industrial products.

This study is aimed to comparatively investigate the phytochemical profiles, focusing on the nutritional and phytochemical properties of common garlic (Allium sativum L.; CG) and elephant garlic (EG) (Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense) collected from the Val di Chiana area (Tuscany, Italy). The results showed a lower amount of fibers, demonstrating a higher digestibility of the bulb, and sulfur-containing compounds in EG rather than in CG. Untargeted metabolomic profiling followed by supervised and unsupervised statistics allowed understanding the differences in phytochemical composition among the two bulbs, both as raw bulbs, processed following the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process. Typical sulfur-containing compounds, such as alliin and N-gamma-glutamyl-S-allyl cysteine, could notably be detected in lower amounts in EG. EG maintains a distinct phytochemical signature during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Our findings support the distinct sensorial attributes of the bulbs.

Polyphenols are reported to modulate starch digestibility via either direct inhibition of alpha-glycosidase digestive enzymes and/or the formation of inclusion and non-inclusion complexes with starch. In particular, the former process results from binding interactions between phenolics and the free enzymes. Concerning the latter process, recent evidences support specific non-covalent bonds between different polyphenols (mainly flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins) and carbohydrate polymers via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This role played by phenolics towards starch digestibility could represent a valid strategy to design functional foods and/or to manage type II diabetes. This short-review provides an updated and critical overview on the complex interactions occurring between phenolic compounds and amylolytic enzymes within the food-matrix and during food digestion, together with the postulated effects provided by polyphenols-starch interactions on starch digestibility. Noteworthy, considering that the most recent works on this topic are from in vitro studies, further in vivo research is deserved.

Polyphenols from five pigmented sorghum (PS) flours were in vitro evaluated as possible modulators of starch digestibility. White sorghum (WS) flour was used as control. Untargeted metabolomics depicted the phenolic composition of raw and cooked flours (obtained through heating at 100 °C for 30 min in water) highlighting differences in flavonoids and phenolic acids. Raw PS flours were characterized by greater tannin and kafirin contents when compared to WS, and, after cooking, PS flours had greater resistant starch (from 4.2 to 21.4 g /100 g dry matter), and lower starch hydrolysis index (HI) with respect to cooked WS. Multivariate statistics showed that flavonoids characterizing PS were the most discriminant compounds during the in vitro digestion. In addition, kafirin and total tannins content (on raw ingredients) along with the anthocyanin profiles (on cooked samples) were negative correlated with HI. Therefore, PS flours might be good candidates for the formulation of functional foods.

The valorisation and the reuse of agricultural residue and food waste are gaining more attention in the last years as are directly related to environmental sustainability. For this reason, the aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of autohydrolysis operating conditions for a high yield recovery of sugars, soluble fiber and antioxidants from grape skins. In this work, an experimental campaign using a lab-scale batch autohydrolysis reactor is scheduled based on statistical methods to assess the influence of some process variables (like water to skins solids ratio or working temperaure) on some selected key performance indicators (KPIs), like sugars, sugar degradation products, phenolic compounds, antioxidant compounds and fiber recovery. As a comparison, different agricultural residue, like wheat straw, are considered. Entering in the details, the volume of the recovered autohydrolysis liquid fraction is measured and analyzed to calculate the release yield of both total solids and specific components, including antioxidant activity according different in vitro assays tests such as and ABTS assay. Therefore, this work presents an innovate autohydrolysis process for the valorization of waste grape skins for the production of added-value compounds through a potentially green technology.

The aim of this study was to investigate the modulation of polyphenols profile of blackberry purees by soluble dietary fibres (inulin or pectin), during a simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and large intestine fermentation process. Untargeted profiling evidenced that the free phenolic fraction of blackberry puree was characterized mainly by flavonoids, followed by phenolic acids, lignans and other low molecular weight polyphenols, showing clear differences from the bound phenolic fraction detected. This trend could be related to the interactions of dietary fibre and polyphenols, showing synergistic and/or antagonist effect on the bioactivity of polyphenols. On the other hand, in vitro large intestine fermentation of blackberry purees following in vitro gastrointestinal digestion revealed that the highest inclusion level (10% w/w) of soluble dietary fibres was effective in modulating the bioaccessibility of some phenolic classes (mainly phenolic acids, lignans and flavones) characterizing the blackberry puree. In addition, multivariate statistics following metabolomics-based profiling showed that the interaction between fibres and blackberry purees determined a marked modification of both anthocyanins and flavonols during in vitro large intestine fermentation, thus leading to the formation of low-molecular-weight compounds (such as tyrosol, followed by gallic and benzoic acids).

Food science; Food technology; Resistant starch; In vitro fermentation; SCFA production; Dietary fibre; Butyrate

This study evaluated the predicted glycemic index (pGI) in former food products (FFPs), and in two pig compound feeds formulated with or without the inclusion of FFPs. Six samples of FFPs and two pig compound feeds were used. FFPs were based on bakery and confectionary ex-food, while the pig compound feed was formulated by substituting 30% of cereals with FFPs (Feed FFP30%). All samples were analysed using an in vitro Englyst assay that simulates gastric and small intestinal digestion, and which has been proposed to determine the hydrolysis index (HI) and predict the glycemic index (pGI) of cereal-based foods introduced into pig diets. Corn meal, heat processed wheat and a conventional pig compound feed (Feed CTR) were included as control feed ingredients. In the assay, white bread was used as reference material. The results differentiated between two main groups of samples, namely: low HI samples with an HI lower than 100 including corn meal, Feed CTR, Feed FFP30%, flaked wheat and FFP4; and high HI samples including all the other FFPs tested. The same classification can be adopted for pGI. Thus combining HI and pGI results suggests that most of the FFPs tested in the present study were characterised by a high glycemic index potential which seems to be linked to the starch/sugars HI. The inclusion of FFPs in a commercial compound feed, and its effect on HI and pGI, merit further investigations.Highlights Ex-Food are food waste biomasses upgraded to feed ingredients; they are characterised by quick carbohydrates digestion and high glycemic index.

The study was performed on forages (n = 8), nonforage fibrous feeds (n = 10), and crop residues (n = 2). Samples were characterized for in situ NDF degradability (NDFD) at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 240 h of ruminal incubation. Then, samples were characterized for enzymatic NDFD by adopting a multistep enzymatic method consisting of a preincubation (PreInc) phase followed by enzymatic incubation (EnzInc) steps. In the PreInc phase, samples were incubated in a NaOH solution for 0, 30, 60, or 90 min. Then, in the EnzInc phase, samples were first incubated in a buffered enzymatic solution containing hemicellulase, cellulase, and Viscozyme L enzymes. Then, samples were incubated in a xylanase-buffered enzymatic solution. These 2-step EnzInc lasted for a total of 16 (8 h for the first enzymatic step + 8 h for the second enzymatic step), 32 (16 + 16 h), or 48 h (24 + 24 h). The enzymatic NDFD coefficients were increased by increasing both PreInc and EnzInc incubation times, and no PreInc x EnzInc interaction was observed, except for ryegrass hay. On average, enzymatic NDFD increased (P < 0.05) by 0.35, 0.54, or 0.68, respectively, for 30-, 60-, or 90-min PreInc compared with 0-min PreInc. The enzymatic NDFD increased (P < 0.05), on average, by 0.11 in 32-h EnzInc or 0.16 in 48-h EnzInc with respect to 16-h EnzInc. Enzymatic NDFD were used to predict in situ NDFD coefficients by adopting single regression equations. High coefficients of regression (R-2 > 0.80, P < 0.05) and low errors of prediction were measured when specific enzymatic conditions were performed to predict in situ NDFD at intermediate (from 24 to 48 h) ruminal incubation. Generally, worse regression performances were obtained when enzymatic NDFD were used to predict in situ NDFD evaluated after shorter or longer incubation times. The direct prediction of the rate of NDF degradation was not possible using enzymatic NDFD coefficients. Even if the proposed multistep enzymatic method appeared p

The study was performed on forages (n = 8), nonforage fibrous feeds (n = 10), and crop residues (n = 2). Samples were characterized for in situ NDF degradability (NDFD) at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 240 h of ruminal incubation. Then, samples were characterized for enzymatic NDFD by adopting a multistep enzymatic method consisting of a preincubation (PreInc) phase followed by enzymatic incubation (EnzInc) steps. In the PreInc phase, samples were incubated in a NaOH solution for 0, 30, 60, or 90 min. Then, in the EnzInc phase, samples were first incubated in a buffered enzymatic solution containing hemicellulase, cellulase, and Viscozyme L enzymes. Then, samples were incubated in a xylanase-buffered enzymatic solution. These 2-step EnzInc lasted for a total of 16 (8 h for the first enzymatic step + 8 h for the second enzymatic step), 32 (16 + 16 h), or 48 h (24 + 24 h). The enzymatic NDFD coefficients were increased by increasing both PreInc and EnzInc incubation times, and no PreInc × EnzInc interaction was observed, except for ryegrass hay. On average, enzymatic NDFD increased (P < 0.05) by 0.35, 0.54, or 0.68, respectively, for 30-, 60-, or 90-min PreInc compared with 0-min PreInc. The enzymatic NDFD increased (P < 0.05), on average, by 0.11 in 32-h EnzInc or 0.16 in 48-h EnzInc with respect to 16-h EnzInc. Enzymatic NDFD were used to predict in situ NDFD coefficients by adopting single regression equations. High coefficients of regression (R2> 0.80, P < 0.05) and low errors of prediction were measured when specific enzymatic conditions were performed to predict in situ NDFD at intermediate (from 24 to 48 h) ruminal incubation. Generally, worse regression performances were obtained when enzymatic NDFD were used to predict in situ NDFD evaluated after shorter or longer incubation times. The direct prediction of the rate of NDF degradation was not possible using enzymatic NDFD coefficients. Even if the proposed multistep enzymatic metho