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Ferulic acid (Fer) is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which are possibly useful against neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the ability of Fer to permeate the brain, its fast elimination from the body does not allow its therapeutic use to be optimized. The present study proposes the preparation and characterization of tristearin- or stearic acid-based solid lipid microparticles (SLMs) as sustained delivery and targeting systems for Fer. The microparticles were produced by conventional hot emulsion techniques. The synthesis of the methyl ester of Fer (Fer-Me) allowed its encapsulation in the SLMs to increase. Fer-Me was hydrolyzed to Fer in rat whole blood and liver homogenate, evidencing its prodrug behavior. Furthermore, Fer-Me displayed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The amount of encapsulated Fer-Me was 0.719 ± 0.005% or 1.507 ± 0.014% in tristearin or stearic acid SLMs, respectively. The tristearin SLMs were able to control the prodrug release, while the stearic acid SLMs induced a significant increase of its dissolution rate in water. Jointly, the present results suggest that the tristearin SLMs loaded with Fer-Me could be a potential formulation against peripheral neuropathic pain; conversely, the stearic acid SLMs could be useful for Fer-Me uptake in the brain after nasal administration of the formulation.

Garlic, Allium sativum, has long been utilized for a number of medicinal purposes around the world, and its medical benefits have been well documented. The health benefits of garlic likely arise from a wide variety of components, possibly working synergistically. Garlic and garlic extracts, especially aged garlic extracts (AGEs), are rich in bioactive compounds, with potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective activities. In light of these effects, garlic and its components have been examined in experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia without therapy, and a growing health concern in aging societies. With the aim of offering an updated overview, this paper reviews the chemical composition, metabolism and bioavailability of garlic bioactive compounds. In addition, it provides an overview of signaling mechanisms triggered by garlic derivatives, with a focus on allicin and AGE, to improve learning and memory.

Electroporation is a simple but effective and sustainable food processing way of treating cell membranes with an electric field. It is employed in a variety of ways in the food industry, ranging from shelf-life extension to green extraction. Despite its wide range of applications, electroporators are out of reach for many labs due to their high development costs, and different electroporators have been tailored to specific applications. The designing sequence of an electroporator that takes the geometry of a treatment chamber and its electrical resistance into account for the design of a pulse generator has not been addressed in published literature. To meet this demand, this study presents a straightforward way to develop a simple, affordable, and portable electroporator for liquid food pasteurisation. The proposed electroporator comprises a coaxial treatment chamber with static mixers and a high-voltage Marx bank based on insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). The generator has a 4.5 kV output voltage and a peak current rating of 1 kA; however, the modular design allows for a wide range of voltage and current ratings. Treated orange juice using thermal pasteurisation (65 °C, 30 min) was also used for comparison. The performance of the electroporator was studied using chemical and microbial tests. A significant log reduction (5.4 CFU·mL−1) was observed in both the PEF-treated samples with sieves. Additionally, the treated juice visual and chemical color analysis showed that the PEF-treated sample extended the shelf-life after 9 days of storage at 4 °C. This research also examines the energy conversion in these two processing steps. This study assists in developing further electroporators for other food applications with different treatment chambers without compromising the product’s quality.

Cultivation of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L., Asp) for food and medicinal use has taken place since the early Roman Empire. Today, Asp represents a worldwide diffuse perennial crop. Lower portions of the spears represent a food industry waste product that can be used to extract bioactive molecules. In this study, aqueous extracts derived from the non-edible portion of the plant (hard stem) were prepared and characterized for chemical content. Furthermore, the biocompatibility and bioactivity of Asp aqueous extracts were assessed in vitro on normal fibroblasts and on breast cancer cell lines. Results showed no interference with fibroblast viability, while a remarkable cytostatic concentration-dependent activity, with significant G1/S cell cycle arrest, was specifically observed in breast cancer cells without apoptosis induction. Asp extracts were also shown to significantly inhibit cell migration. Further analyses showed that Asp extracts were characterized by specific pro-oxidant activity against tumoral cells, and, importantly, that their combination with menadione resulted in a significant enhancement of oxidants production with respect to menadione alone in breast cancer cells but not in normal cells. This selectivity of action on tumoral cells, together with the easiness of their preparation, makes the aqueous Asp extracts very attractive for further investigation in breast cancer research, particularly to investigate their role as possible co-adjuvant agents of clinical drug therapies.

Background In breast cancer, low oxygen availability is associated with a more aggressive phenotype and with malignant evolution of non-invasive cells. Natural compounds have long attracted attention in cancer treatment, and in recent years garlic (Allium sativum) organosulfur derivatives have been shown to negatively affect growth and invasion of tumor cells. Methods Homemade ethanol-based garlic extract (GE) was administered to MCF7 and MCF10DCIS breast tumor cell lines grown under moderate hypoxia. Cell cycle, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell markers were evaluated. Results We revealed that, in the non-invasive MCF10DCIS cells but not in the post-EMT MCF7 cells, low oxygen availability induced the decrease of E-cadherin and the increase of vimentin and motility, that were prevented by GE administration. In both cell lines, treatment with GE counteracted the up-modulation of CD133 positive cells induced by hypoxia. Conclusions Overall, our data firstly revealed anti-cancer properties of garlic in non-invasive breast cancer cells. In particular, they demonstrated a protective role of this natural product against the hypoxia-induced increase of molecules that play crucial roles in tumor evolution, suggesting that garlic derivatives can be considered in new approaches for preventing progression of breast tumors from non-invasive to infiltrating lesions.

Some mycotoxins such as beauvericin (BEA), ochratoxin A (OTA), and zearalenone (ZEA) can cross the blood brain barrier, which is why we tested the anti-inflammatory action of a pumpkin carotenoid extract (from the pulp) against these mycotoxins and their combinations (OTA+ZEA and OTA+ZEA+BEA) on a blood brain barrier model with co-cultured ECV304 and C6 cells using an untargeted metabolomic approach. The cells were added with mycotoxins at a concentration of 100 nmol/L per mycotoxin and pumpkin carotenoid extract at 500 nmol/L. For control we used only vehicle solvent (cell control) or vehicle solvent with pumpkin extract (extract control). After two hours of exposure, samples were analysed with HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS. Metabolites were identified against the Metlin database. The proinflammatory arachidonic acid metabolite eoxin (14,15-LTE4) showed lower abundance in ZEA and BEA+OTA+ZEA-treated cultures that also received the pumpkin extract than in cultures that were not treated with the extract. Another marker of inflammation, prostaglandin D2-glycerol ester, was only found in cultures treated with OTA+ZEA and BEA+OTA+ZEA but not in the ones that were also treated with the pumpkin extract. Furthermore, the concentration of the pumpkin extract metabolite dihydromorelloflavone significantly decreased in the presence of mycotoxins. In conclusion, the pumpkin extract showed protective activity against cellular inflammation triggered by mycotoxins thanks to the properties pertinent to flavonoids contained in the pulp.Pojedini mikotoksini poput bovericina (BEA), okratoksina A (OTA) i zearalenona (ZEA) prelaze krvno-moždanu barijeru, a to je i razlog zbog kojega smo istražili djelovanje ekstrakta karotenoida iz mesa bundeve protiv upalnih procesa izazvanih ovim mikotoksinima i njihovim kombinacijama (OTA+ZEA i OTA+ZEA+BEA) na modelu krvno-moždane barijere koji se sastojao od kultura stanica ECV304 i C6, oslanjajući se pritom na neciljani metabolomički pristup. Stanice su tretirane mikotoksinima u koncentraciji od 100 nmol/L po mikotoksinu odnosno ekstraktom karotenoida u koncentraciji od 500 nmol/L. Za kontrolu smo upotrijebili samo otapalo (stanična kontrola) odnosno otapalo s bundevinim ekstraktom (ekstraktna kontrola). Nakon dva sata tretmana uzorci su analizirani metodom tekućinske kromatografije / masene spektrometrije (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS), a dobiveni metaboliti identificirani su usporedbom s bazom podataka

Rice stands out as the most consumed cereal in the world because it is a source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, bioactive compounds, and unsaturated fatty acids. Based on this assumption, the objective of this work was to qualify and quantify fatty acids, in samples consisting of raw, integral, parboiled, and white rice marketed in southern Brazil (Vale do Itajaí) and the Vale do Pó region in northern Italy. The results of this work demonstrate that 95% of the total lipid content, in the respective rice typologies of both countries, is represented by palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acid. These results indicate that the technological processes influence the nutritional and functional quality of the rice grain in these countries. Regarding the content of total polyphenols, the maximum average value obtained was 477 g Eq g-1 for rice from both countries and the best results for antioxidant activity, using the Photoquem® method with methanolic extract, was 3.43 µM Eq Trolox g-1 for the Italian rice samples. These results indicate that the technological processes influence the nutritional and functional quality of rice grain from these countries.

Sustainable food supply has gained considerable consumer concern due to the high percentage of spoilage microorganisms. Food industries need to expand advanced technologies that can maintain the nutritive content of foods, enhance the bio-availability of bioactive compounds, provide environmental and economic sustainability, and fulfill consumers’ requirements of sensory characteristics. Heat treatment negatively affects food samples’ nutritional and sensory properties as bioactives are sensitive to high-temperature processing. The need arises for non-thermal processes to reduce food losses, and sustainable developments in preservation, nutritional security, and food safety are crucial parameters for the upcoming era. Non-thermal processes have been successfully approved because they increase food quality, reduce water utilization, decrease emissions, improve energy efficiency, assure clean labeling, and utilize by-products from waste food. These processes include pulsed electric field (PEF), sonication, high-pressure processing (HPP), cold plasma, and pulsed light. This review describes the use of HPP in various processes for sustainable food processing. The influence of this technique on microbial, physicochemical, and nutritional properties of foods for sustainable food supply is discussed. This approach also emphasizes the limitations of this emerging technique. HPP has been successfully analyzed to meet the global requirements. A limited global food source must have a balanced approach to the raw content, water, energy, and nutrient content. HPP showed positive results in reducing microbial spoilage and, at the same time, retains the nutritional value. HPP technology meets the essential requirements for sustainable and clean labeled food production. It requires limited resources to produce nutritionally suitable foods for consumers’ health.

Globalization of seafood product marketing caused the increase of request of an effective fish traceability that enhances the consumer confidence in food safety. In this study, an integrated multi analytical approach based on two different and independent analytical techniques (carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes and fatty acids analysis) was applied in order to identify different fish species and trace their geographical provenience. The investigation was focused on four species (Thunnus thynnus, Thunnus alalunga, Auxis rochei and Scomber scombrus) belonging to the Scombridae family. The DNA barcoding method confirmed genus and species for S. scombrus and A. rochei, but only genus for T. alalunga and T. thynnus. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes results evidenced different fish diets and trophic positions, whereas fatty acids analysis displayed that the unsaturated prevailed (∼60 %) over the saturated compounds with a variation among the species and the geographical area in particular for docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids percentage. The principal component analysis applied to stable isotopes and fatty acids evidenced a good discrimination among species and their geographical catching area. This multi-disciplinary analytical approach could represent a promising tool to identify the commercial fish and trace their origin in order to guarantee the health of consumers.

Humulus lupulus L., commonly named hop, is well-known for its sedative and estrogenic activity. While hop cones are widely characterized, only few works have been carried out on the young shoots of this plant. In the light of this, the aim of this study was to identify for the first time the flavonoids present in young hop shoots and to compare the composition of samples harvested from different locations in Northern Italy with their antioxidant activity. The samples were extracted by means of dynamic maceration with methanol. The HPLC-UV/DAD, HPLC-ESI-MS and MS2 analysis were carried out by using an Ascentis C18 column (250×4.6mm I.D., 5μm), with a mobile phase composed of 0.1M formic acid in both water and acetonitrile, under gradient elution. Quercetin and kaempferol glycosides were the main compounds identified and quantified in hop shoot extracts. Total flavonols ranged from 2698±185 to 517±48μg/g (fresh weight). The antioxidant activity was determined by means of the radical scavenging activity assay against diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and by using a photochemiluscence assay with a Photochem® apparatus. The results showed that hop shoots represent a new source of flavonols; therefore, they can be useful for a possible incorporation in the diet as a functional food or applied in the nutraceutical ambit.

Trans-resveratrol (trans-RSV) is a polyphenol with multiples biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, and antiplatelet. It occurs naturally in grapes and derivate, peanuts and berries. Beauvericin (BEA) is a mycotoxin present in cereals that produces cytotoxicity, intracellular reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. The general objective of this research was to evaluate whether trans-RSV could be used as a good polyphenol against damages produced by BEA. Because trans-RSV can be ingested through dietary supplements, to reach this goal, the following specific objectives were proposed: to determine a) the trans-RSV content in different polyphenol dietary supplements by capillary electrophoresis, b) the antioxidant capacity of the trans-RSV in polyphenol supplements, and c) the influence of BEA in the antioxidant capacity of trans-RSV when they are in combination by photochemioluminiscence assay. The results obtained in this study showed that all polyphenol dietary supplements present higher RSV content that the content of the label. The polyphenol supplements present antioxidant capacity. And the combination of trans-RSV and BEA did not affect the antioxidant capacity of trans-RSV. Thus, RSV could contribute to decrease oxidant effects produced by BEA.

Two varieties of red chicory from southern Po Delta area have been characterized in terms of polyphenols content by HPLC-MS/MS. Seven target compounds were selected for determining their bioaccessibility from vegetable matrix. Simulated digestion process was employed for this purpose by means of an in-vitro static model. Salivary, gastric and duodenal phases were realized by using solutions of different physiological enzymes miming the stages of digestion process. Results show well defined behaviors associated with specific structures of aglycone or phenolic acid and position of O-glycosyl moiety. Dicaffeoyltartaric acid together with apigenin-7-O-glucoside and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside have similar bioaccessibility trend that is characterized by a higher value for duodenal phase than for gastric one. Quercetin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside behaves in reverse way and gastric bioaccessibility turns higher than duodenal. Lastly, the difference between gastric and duodenal bioaccessibility is enhanced in the case of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and the isomers of caffeoylquinic acid.

Obesity and overweight are major contributors to the burden of chronic disease. Both are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation and by increased production of free radicals leading to oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether overweight and fat accumulation is associated with serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in men and women, irrespective of nutritional habits, nutrient intakes, physical activity, smoking, and other confounders, which may be responsible for modifying the association between serum TAC and overweight/obesity measures. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 normal weight and 60 overweight adults aged 25–49. All participants underwent standard anthromorphological measurements of body composition, blood pressure and biochemical measurements, aerobic capabilities assessment and dietary intake evaluation. TAC was measured by using the photochemioluminescence method. All data were analysed with SPSS software. Men had higher values of TAC than women and concentrations of TAC were significantly higher in overweight subjects compared to normal weight subjects. In the present study TAC tended to be increased by various metabolic risk factors, especially overweight/obesity parameters (body mass index, body fat), inflammation and increased serum levels of Cysteine, irrespective of nutritional habits, nutrient intakes, physical activity and smoking. Overweight and obesity at an early stage may stimulate TAC. Therefore, the elevation of TAC in overweight adults may be a compensatory response to oxidative stress, generated by reactive oxygen species.

C. maxima (var. Delica), a variety of pumpkin, is well known for its high concentration on carotenoids, possessing dietary benefits and antioxidant properties. Aflatoxins and enniatins are common mycotoxins present in food and feed with an extended toxicity profile in humans and animals. Both types of substances reach a wide range of tissues and organs and have the capability to penetrate the blood brain barrier. Since carotenoids and mycotoxins have been reported to modify diverse mitochondrial processes individually, transcriptional in vitro studies on human epithelial cells ECV 304 were conducted to analyze the relative expression of 13 mitochondria related genes. ECV 304 cells were differentiated for 9 days and treated for 2 h with: a) pumpkin (500 nM); b) aflatoxins (100 nM); c) enniatins (100 nM); d) aflatoxins (100 nM) and pumpkin (500 nM); e) enniatins (100 nM) and pumpkin (500 nM). Even at low concentrations, dietary carotenoids activity on mitochondrial genes expression reported a beneficial effect and, for most of the genes studied across the Electron Transport Chain (ETC), developed a protective effect when mixed with aflatoxins (AFs) or enniatins (ENs).

The aim of the present research was to obtain antioxidant compounds through the fermentation of fish byproducts by bacteria isolated from sea bass viscera. To that purpose, bacteria from sea bass stomach, intestine, and colon were isolated. With the selected bacteria, growing research was undertaken, fermenting different broths prepared with sea bass meat or byproducts. After the fermentation, the antioxidant activity, phenolic acids, and some proteins were evaluated. The main phenolic acids obtained were DL-3-phenyl-lactic acid and benzoic acid at a maximum concentration of 466 and 314 ppb, respectively. The best antioxidant activity was found in the extracts obtained after the fermentation of fish byproducts broth by bacteria isolated from the colon (6502 &mu, M TE) and stomach (4797 &mu, M TE). Moreover, a positive correlation was found between phenolic acids obtained after the fermentation process and the antioxidant activity of the samples. It was also concluded that the lactic acid bacteria isolated from sea bass had an important proteolytic capacity and were able to synthesize phenolic acids with antioxidant capacity. This work has shown the relevance of fermentation as a useful tool to valorize fish byproducts, giving them an added economic value and reducing their environmental impact.

Cytoprotection effects of Allium sativum L garlic extract from a local garlic ecotype from Ferrara (Italy) on hepatocarcinoma cells, HepG2 cells, is presented in this study. This garlic type is known as Voghiera garlic and has been characterized as PDO (Protected designation of Origin) product. Voghiera garlic extract (VGE) was evaluated against beauvericin (BEA) and two zearalenone (ZEA) metabolites (α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZEL))-induced cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells by the MTT (3–4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, over 24 h and 48 h. Direct treatment, simultaneous treatment and pre-treatment strategies at the dilution 1:16–1:00 for VGE and at the concentration range from 0.08 to 2.5 μM for BEA and from 1.6 to 50 μM for both α-ZEL and β-ZEL were tested. Individual IC50 values were detected at all times assayed for BEA (>0.75 μM) and VGE (dilution upper 1:8) while this was not observed for ZEA's metabolites. When simultaneous strategy of VGE + mycotoxin was tested, cytoprotection with increases of viability (upper 50%) were observed. Lastly, in pre-treatment strategy with VGE, viability of HepG2 cells was significantly protected when α-ZEL was tested. As a result, the greatest cytoprotective effect of VGE in HepG2 cells is obtained when simultaneous treatment strategy was performed.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and chemotype analyses were applied to characterise Tropea red onion (Allium cepa L.), a typical Italian variety that is cultivated in specific areas of Calabria. Seven Tropea red onion samples and three commercial cultivars of different coloured onions were evaluated. Amplification of genomic DNA using random primers highlighted a good clustering differentiating Tropea red onion cultivar from commercial reference samples used in this study. The total antioxidant activity and the content of quercetin-3,4′-O-diglucoside (3,4′Qdg) and quercetin-4′-O-monoglucoside (4′Qmg) were measured using photochemiluminescence method (Photochem®) and capillary electrophoresis, both very interesting because of their very short measuring times. The difference in antioxidant activity and quercetin contents between Tropea red onion and commercial sample and also the difference within Tropea cultivar suggested that the nutrient composition did not depend only on particular genetic characters but was probably connected to the intrinsic pedological soil and climate features.

In recent years, there has been a great development in the search for new natural pesticides for crop protection aiming a partial or total replacement of currently used chemical nematicides. Glucosinolate breakdown products are volatile and are therefore good candidates for nematodes fumigants. In this article, the methanol-aqueous extract (1:1, w/v) of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) fresh roots (MAH) was in vitro tested for nematicidal activity against second stage (J2) Meloidogyne incognita. The EC50 of MAH after 3 days of J2 immersion in test solutions was 251 ± 46 mg/L. The chemical composition analysis of the extract carried out by the GC-MS technique showed that allylisothicyanate was the most abundant compound. This pure compound induced J2 paralysis with an EC50 of 52.6 ± 45.6 and 6.6 ± 3.4 mg/L after 1 h and 3 days of incubation. The use of LC-MS/MS showed for the first time that horseradish root is rich in polyphenols. The study of isothiocyanate degradation in soil showed that allylisothiocyanate was the most quickly degradable compound (half-life

The antioxidant profile of liquid foods is complex and includes different lipid and water-soluble compounds. These should be considered when assessing total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of these beverages, since it may act synergistically rather than individually. This study describes and compares the use of spectrophotometric methods (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH), fluorometric (oxygen radical antioxidant capacity, ORAC), and photochemiluminescence (PCL) for the measurement of the TAC of different liquid foods (fruit juice mixed with milk and vegetables beverage). An evaluation was also made for the influence of certain compounds (ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, total carotenoids, and tocopherols) with antioxidant capacity that was present in the samples studied. The different methods studied allow the determination of the TAC of the analyzed foods in a precise and accurate way. The TAC values in the studied samples differ from the applied method. An overall antioxidant potency composite index was calculated by assigning each test's equal weight. When an index score was applied, ORAC method had the higher antioxidant capacity values in the analyzed liquid foods in comparison with the other methods. The correlations among the different methods used for the determination of the antioxidant capacity depend on food, that is, mainly due to compounds (lipid and water soluble) of the different food matrix. In addition, ascorbic acid was the main contributor to antioxidant capacity of fruit juice mixed with milk beverages measured with the different methods. However, in vegetables beverages, phenolic compounds were found to correlate more significantly with antioxidant capacity values.

A large number of fresh fruits and vegetables are primary sources of antioxidants; tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is accepted worldwide as a significant source of antioxidant functional compounds (vitamin C, lycopene, rutin). Many cultivars and hybrids of tomato, having different chemical and nutritional characteristics, are available on the market. Tomato cultivars for industrial processing are very different, not only in fruit characteristics (size, shape), but also in lycopene and antioxidant contents. The aim of this study was the chemotyping and genotyping of the tomato varieties Heinz 3402, Leader and Perfectpeel, (1) to evaluate the genetic traceability of these varieties, and (2) to determine whether their functional antioxidants compounds are useful markers of traceability. Principal component analysis (PCA) was first applied to the Random Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprints, confirming that this approach is a powerful identification method at intra-specific level. Heinz 3402 showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by Perfectpeel and Leader varieties. Perfectpeel showed the lower lycopene content, while Leader and Heinz 3402 showed significantly higher values (13.68 and 15.78 mg/100 g, fresh weight, respectively). The highest rutin content was observed in Heinz 3402 (12.46 ± 0.69, mg/100 g, fresh weight), followed by Leader (7.87 ± 0.72) and Perfectpeel (2.70 ± 0.68). Antioxidant capacity was significantly correlated with the lycopene and rutin content. Finally, PCA was applied to chemotype data-sets, confirming both mineral content and functional antioxidant compounds as useful markers to unambiguously identify these high-lycopene content varieties.

Among the compounds discussed for anti-microbial and anti-fungal use allicin (allylthiosulfinate, diallyl disulfide-S-monoxide), an active ingredient of garlic, has attracted considerable attention. The objective of this study is to determine the antifungal activity of a local garlic ecotype (Voghiera) extracts against different pathogens. Primary screening was carried out by the agar plates technique using ethanol garlic extract at four final concentrations against the following organisms: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus spp., Colletotrichum acutatum, Didymella bryoniae, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium avenaceum, Fusarium gramineareum, Gliocladium roseum 47, Pythium splendens, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, Stemphylium vesicarium, Trichoderma longibranchiatum, and Botrytis cinerea. Secondary screening was carried out using a lyophilized and a spray-dried preparation at different concentrations against the organisms selected for the high inhibition garlic effect in the primary screening and compared with the commercial fungicides mancozeb and iprodione. The best results were observed for the spray-dried garlic compound that showed a good fungicidal activity at the concentration of 1.5 g/10 mL while lyophilized garlic at the same concentration exhibited less inhibition activity against the four fungi analyzed in the second screening.

Flavonoid content and composition in 124 accessions of forage and grain legumes was assessed by means of HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI-MS analyses of seed extracts. Excluding soybean, only 7 out of 77 grain legume accessions exhibited a total flavonoid content higher than 0.1 mg/g fresh seed weight (mean content 0.33 +/- 0.31 mg/ g fresh seed weight); while in 38 out of 47 forage legume, the mean flavonoid content was 1.49 +/- 0.89 mg/g fresh seed weight. On the basis of their higher seed flavonoid content and agronomic relevance, two grain and five forage legume accessions were selected for further HPLC-ESI-MS analyses aimed to identify bioactive compounds. Chemical analysis of the selected accessions permitted the identification of several flavonoids with pharmaceutical properties such as vitexin in Vigna angularis and Trigonella foenum-graecum, quercetin in all Trifolium spp and Medicago sativa, taxifolin in Trifolium pratense and Trifolium alexandrinum, myricetin in Trifolium repens, kaempferol in Phaseolus vulgaris and T. repens and luteolin in M. sativa and T. alexandrinum. Since much of literature information is regarding flavonoid content and composition of the green part of legume species, the obtained results contributed to fill the gap in knowledge about flavonoid content at the seed level.

Neochloris oleoabundans (Chlorophyta) is widely considered one of the most promising microalgae for biotechnological applications. However, the large-scale production of microalgae requires large amounts of water. In this perspective, the possibility of using exhausted growth media for the re-cultivation of N. oleoabundans was investigated in order to simultaneously make the cultivation more economically feasible and environmentally sustainable. Experiments were performed by testing the following media: autotrophic exhausted medium (E+) and mixotrophic exhausted medium after cultivation with glucose (EG+) of N. oleoabundans cells grown in a 20-L photobioreactor (PBR). Both exhausted media were replenished with the same amounts of nitrate and phosphate as the control brackish medium (C). Growth kinetics, nitrate and phosphate consumption, photosynthetic pigments content, photosynthetic efficiency, cell morphology, and lipid production were evaluated. Moreover, the free fatty acid (FFA) composition of exhausted media and the polyamine (PA) concentrations of both algae and media were analyzed in order to test if some molecules, released into the medium, could influence algal growth and metabolism. Results showed that N. oleoabundans can efficiently grow in both exhausted media, if appropriately replenished with the main nutrients (E+ and EG+), especially in E+ and to the same extent as in C medium. Growth promotion of N. oleoabundans was attributed to PAs and alteration of the photosynthetic apparatus to FFAs. Taken together, results show that recycling growth medium is a suitable solution to obtain good N. oleoabundans biomass concentrations, while providing a more sustainable ecological impact on water resources.

This paper describes a method for achieving qualitative identification of four rice varieties from two different Italian regions. To estimate the presence of genetic diversity among the four rice varieties, we used polymerase chain reaction-randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD) markers, and to elucidate whether a relationship exists between the ground and the specific characteristics of the product, we studied proximate composition, fatty acid composition, mineral content, and total antioxidant capacity. Using principal component analysis on genomic and compositional data, we were able to classify rice samples according to their variety and their district of production. This work also examined the discrimination ability of different parameters. It was found that genomic data give the best discrimination based on varieties, indicating that RAPD assays could be useful in discriminating among closely related species, while compositional analyses do not depend on the genetic characters only but are related to the production area.

A preliminary investigation on 20 Aglianico del Vulture commercial wines from the Basilicata region proved the existence of a significant variability in total antioxidant capacity which can exert a potential impact on wine quality. Nineteen Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were tested in Aglianico del Vulture on pilot scale fermentation and the experimental wines obtained were evaluated for the antioxidant capacity, ethanol and total polyphenols. At the ninth day of fermentation the experimental wines had an antioxidant capacity, measured by photochemiluminescence, between 2.88 and 6.25 mM of ascorbic acid equivalent, ethanol concentration, measured by GC, between 5.49% and 10.99% and total polyphenols, determined by Folin Ciocalteau reagent, from 1153 to 1867 mg catechins/l. After 12 days the total antioxidant capacity was increased in most wines but decreased in some wines. These results, statistically analysed by principal component analysis, revealed a significant influence of S. cerevisiae strain on total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols content of wine.

Chemotype analyses and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) genomic analyses have been applied to the characterization of Allium sativum variety from Voghiera (Ferrara, Italy), a typical Italian product actually demanding the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The garlic from Voghiera is characterized by peculiar morphological and composition characteristics. The proximate composition and atomic absorbance spectrometry elemental pattern of this garlic suggested as the chemical composition did not depend on the intrinsic pedologic soil features only, but it was probably connected to some peculiar genetic characters. Amplification of genomic DNA using random primers highlighted a good clustering differentiating of Voghiera Allium sativum from five commercial reference samples used in this study (Piacentino, Serena, France, China, and Adriano varieties), confirming the existence of intervarietal genetic difference. The intravarietal polymorphisms of Voghiera samples were low.

Wheat quality criteria continually evolve in response to market pressure and consumer preference. Characterization of cereal cultivars for quality and agronomic properties, have widely shown the importance of the protein content to ensure good quality products. The aim of this work is a comparison of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and free zone capillary electrophoresis (FZCE) in the identification of Italian wheat cultivars and detection of durum wheat flour adulteration. Mainly alcohol soluble (gliadins) and water soluble (albumins) proteins were extracted from 14 common wheat cultivars and from 9 durum wheat cultivars. In RP-HPLC chromatograms, wheat albumins and gliadins eluted between 3 and 9 min and between 10 and 42 min, respectively. Even if the chosen chromatographic conditions (reversed phase) did not permit a complete resolution of hydrophilic proteins such as albumins, a good reproducibility was observed for both albumins and gliadins. In FZCE electropherograms, wheat albumins and gliadins migrated between 8 and 14 min and 16-25 min, respectively. A good reproducibility was found for wheat albumins, while the relatively poor reproducibility of gliadin fractions was a consequence of the selected separation conditions aimed to separate in the same run either hydrophilic (albumins) and alcohol-soluble (gliadins) proteins. The principal component analysis (PCA) of HPLC and FZCE data evidenced that both techniques allowed the univocal identification of the great proportion of investigated wheat cultivars. Three peaks were exclusively detected in RP-HPLC chromatograms of common wheat cultivars, while three unique peaks were found in FZCE electropherograms of common wheat cultivars. These peaks were investigated as a basis for detecting and estimating the adulteration of durum wheat flour with flour from common wheat. The direct relationship between the area of the peaks and adulteration level enabled standard curves to be constructed. The standard curves showed that adulteration may be quantified by either RP-HPLC or FZCE.

Balsamic vinegar of Modena (BVM) and traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena (TBVM) are highly appreciated typical Italian products. The quality control and authentication assurance of both these balsamic vinegars are very important topics. In the recent years, the interest to develop new and standardized analytical procedures, able to further enhance the quality and commercial value of these typical and unique products and to preserve them from possible sophistications and adulterations, is increased. In this work, 76 samples of both BVM and TBVM were analyzed by 1 H NMR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate data analysis. The spectral data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), general discriminant analysis (GDA) and classification tree analysis (CTA). The best and very promising model was obtained by a GDA which shows 98.6% of total variance explained by the first canonical function and a predictive capacity of 98.4% with a good separation between clusters. The signals of 5-HMF, α-glucopyranose, malic acid, succinic and acetic acids and the signal at 3.3 ppm were found to be the most statistically significant variables.

O arroz destaca-se como o cereal de maior consumo no mundo por ser fonte de vitaminas, minerais, fibras, compostos bioativos e acidos graxos insaturados. Partindo deste pressuposto o objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar e quantificar os acidos graxos, polifenois totais e a capacidade antioxidante total com os metodos DPPH · (extrato metanolico) e com fotoluminescencia (extrato metanolico e lipidico) de amostras de arroz bruto, integral, parboilizado e branco comercializado no sul do Brasil (Vale do Itajai) e na regiao do Vale do Po, no norte da Italia. Os resultados deste trabalho demonstraram que 95% do conteudo de lipidios totais, nas respectivas tipologias de arroz de ambos os paises, e representada pelo acido palmitico, oleico e linoleico. Em relacao ao conteudo de polifenois totais, o valor medio maximo obtido foi 477 m g Eq g -1 para o arroz de ambos os paises e os melhores resultados para atividade antioxidante utilizando o metodo Photoquem ® com extrato metanolico foi 3,43 µM Eq Trolox g -1 para as amostras de arroz italiano . Estes resultados indicam que os processos tecnologicos influenciam na qualidade nutricional e funcional do grao de arroz destes paises.

A rapid and efficient analytical method for the determination of glycerol in wines is described. This method utilizes high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) plates coupled with an automated multiple development system with an elution gradient based on acetonitrile–acetone–hexane on silica gel layers. The absence of clean-up procedures, sometimes only centrifugation, makes this method suitable also for the large-scale control of alcoholic beverages. In particular the capacity of different wine yeast species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Kloeckera apiculata and Saccharomycodes ludwigii) to produce glycerol was determined. Generally, the strains of S. cerevisiae produced elevated amounts of glycerol together with Z. bailii, whereas K. apiculata strains formed the lowest amounts of glycerol, exhibiting also a great strain variability.

Two wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, characterized by a different degree of copper resistance, were tested in grape must fermentation in the presence of different copper concentrations. The sensitive strain SN9 was strongly affected by copper concentration (32 ppm, (32 mg/l)), whereas the resistant strain SN41 exhibited a good growth activity in presence of 32 ppm of copper and only a reduced activity in presence of 320 ppm. The different strain fermentation performance in response to the copper addition corresponded to a different capability to accumulate copper inside the cells. Both strains exhibited the capacity to reduce the copper content in the final product, eventhough a significantly greater reducing activity was exerted by the resistant strain SN41, which was able to reduce by 90% the copper concentration in the final product and to accumulate the metal in great concentrations in the cells. As high concentrations of copper can be responsible for wine alterations, the selection of S. cerevisiae strains possessing high copper resistance and the ability to reduce the copper content of wine has a great technological interest, in particular for the fermentation of biological products. From the results obtained, the technique proposed is not only suitable for the assay of copper residues in must, wine and yeast cells, but it also offers the advantage of easy sample preparation and low detection limit in the ppb (μg/l) range.

Neochloris oleoabundans is considered one of the most promising oil-rich microalgae because of its ability to store lipids under nitrogen starvation. However, high biomass densities, required for applications on medium to large scale, are not reached in this condition of growth. As previous studies on other microalgae have shown that mixotrophy allows to obtain higher biomass in comparison to autotrophic cultures, we performed morphophysiological analyses in order to test the mixotrophic growth capability of N. oleoabundans. A carbon-rich manure derived from the apple vinegar production (AWP) was added to the medium. Cells were also cultivated under nutrient starvation (tap water), to observe the expected lipids accumulation, and combining AWP to water, to test the potential of this waste in a low-cost culture system. The results highlighted that AWP in the medium allowed to obtain the highest final cell density. Moreover, starch granules were stored inside chloroplast at the beginning of the experiment. The presence of AWP did not induce variations on light harvesting complex II (LHCII)–photosystem II (PSII) assembly, even if an interesting promotion of pigment synthesis in cells was observed. On the other hand, in starved cells, chloroplast degeneration, pigment content decrease, altered LHCII–PSII assembly and accumulation of high amount of lipid globules were observed, irrespective of the presence of AWP. The results suggest that mixotrophy promotes growth in N. oleoabundans and open up the possibility of using waste products from agri-food industries for this purpose. After growth, cells could be transferred under nutrient starvation to induce lipid accumulation.