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In this study, Caciocavallo, a typical cheese produced in Sicily Island (Italy), was obtained from the milk of dairy cows fed with and without enriched olive cake (ECO and CTR, respectively) in order to evaluate nutritional, microbiological, volatile, and sensory differences in cheeses. ECO cheese showed greater (p < 0.05) MUFA and PUFA and polyphenols content and lower SFA content than CTR cheese. Microbiological analyses revealed the absence of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and E. coli O157, and no significant differences in the viable counts of the remaining microbial groups analyzed, between samples. Thermophilic lactococci were more prevalent in ECO cheese. The implementation of a culture-independent method, such as PCR-DGGE analyses, revealed the presence of a more diverse microbial population in both cheeses. Regarding the volatile compounds profile, long-chain free fatty acids were more abundant in the ECO cheese, resulting in a healthier free fatty acid profile. This study also showed that, especially for their appearance and taste, consumers mostly appreciated the ECO cheese. The results show that using enriched olive cake could enhance the sustainability and the quality of Ragusano cheese, improving not only the health of its consumers but also positively influencing tastes and acceptability.

This study explored, for the first time, the chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of a caper leaf essential oil (EO) emulsion for possible food applications as a natural preservative. The EO was extracted by hydrodistillation from the leaves of Capparis spinosa growing wild in the Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily, Italy) and exhibited a pungent, sulphurous odour. The volatile fraction of the emulsion, analysed by SPME-GC-MS, consisted of over 100 compounds and was dominated by compounds with recognised antibacterial and antioxidant properties, namely dimethyl tetrasulfide (18.41%), dimethyl trisulfide (12.58%), methyl isothiocyanate (7.97%), and terpinen-4-ol (6.76%). The emulsion was effective against all bacterial strains tested (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis, Pseudomonas fluorescens), with L. monocytogenes exhibiting the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC = 0.02 mg/mL) while E. coli had the highest (MIC = 0.06 mg/mL). The emulsion had a good DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine) radical scavenging activity that was dose-dependent and equal to 42.98% at the 0.08 mg/mL level with an IC50 value of 0.099 mg/mL. Based on the results, the caper leaf EO emulsion has the potential to be proposed as a natural alternative to chemical preservatives in the food industry.

Context Brassica incana Ten. (Brassicaceae) is an edible plant with very limited available information. Previous studies have demonstrated the polyphenolic profile and the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of the leaf and flowering top hydroalcoholic extracts.Objective The volatile composition and the antidiabetic and anti-obesity potential of B. incana leaf and flowering top extracts have been investigated.Material and methods The volatile characterization of the extracts was attained by HS-SPME-GC/MS analysis. The antidiabetic and anti-obesity potential was investigated spectrophotometrically in vitro by the ability to modulate pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase at different concentrations using orlistat and acarbose as reference drugs. The inhibition of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) was measured with aminoguanidine as reference and the antioxidant activity with the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system and Trolox for comparative purposes.Results Several volatiles belonging to different chemical classes were identified, being sulphur compounds the most abundant in both leaf and flowering top extracts (56.33% and 64.40% of all volatiles). Although the leaf extract showed lower IC50 values in most of the assays (0.968 and 1.921 mg/mL for α-glucosidase; 0.192 and 0.262 mg/mL for AGEs; 0.022 and 0.038 mg/mL for superoxide scavenging), there were no statistically significant differences between both samples. These extracts showed a similar behaviour to Trolox in the xanthine oxidase assay (IC50 values of 0.022 mg/mL for leaf extract; 0.038 mg/mL for flowering top and 0.028 for Trolox).Conclusions Leaves and flowering tops from B. incana can be used as sources of functional compounds that could act as antidiabetic and anti-obesogenic agents.

In this study, Caciocavallo, a typical cheese produced in Sicily Island (Italy), was obtained from the milk of dairy cows fed with and without enriched olive cake (ECO and CTR, respectively) in order to evaluate nutritional, microbiological, volatile, and sensory differences in cheeses. ECO cheese showed greater (p < 0.05) MUFA and PUFA and polyphenols content and lower SFA content than CTR cheese. Microbiological analyses revealed the absence of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and E. coli O157, and no significant differences in the viable counts of the remaining microbial groups analyzed, between samples. Thermophilic lactococci were more prevalent in ECO cheese. The implementation of a culture-independent method, such as PCR-DGGE analyses, revealed the presence of a more diverse microbial population in both cheeses. Regarding the volatile compounds profile, long-chain free fatty acids were more abundant in the ECO cheese, resulting in a healthier free fatty acid profile. This study also showed that, especially for their appearance and taste, consumers mostly appreciated the ECO cheese. The results show that using enriched olive cake could enhance the sustainability and the quality of Ragusano cheese, improving not only the health of its consumers but also positively influencing tastes and acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The present study investigated the volatile and sensory profiles and antioxidant activity of 1,8‐cineole type Niaouli essential oil from Madagascar for which limited information is reported in literature. The volatile compounds were identified by Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and semi‐quantitative results were obtained by Gas chromatography with a flame‐ionisation detector; the odour descriptors were determined by a trained panel using a Quantitative Descriptive Analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined, too. Several volatiles, most of these here firstly, have been identified; 1,8‐cineole (eucalyptus‐like) prevailed, followed by viridiflorol and (E)‐nerolidol. 'Eucalyptus‐like, fresh‐mint, woody, sweet‐floral and spicy' odour descriptors have been defined. Volatiles resulted in agreement with the odour descriptors. The data allowed to characterise the Niaouli essential oil; considering its volatile composition, pleasant sensory notes and antioxidant activity the 1,8‐cineole type Niaouli essential oil from Madagascar could be considered a promising flavouring agent and natural preservative in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the drastic increase in worldwide pollution rates, considerable attention has been paid to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that might lead to serious health problems, e.g., cancer. As there appears to be a notable lack of research on the pollution (specifically, VOCs) of water bodies in Morocco, we aimed to assess the occurrence of VOCs in some uncontrolled springs in the north of Morocco that have not been previously investigated. We also discuss the estimation of health risks posed by ingestion and dermal contact as well as the different potential origins of these pollutants. For this purpose, water samples were collected from twenty-six sampling sites and were analyzed via headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Out of the 60 suspected VOCs, a total of 15 compounds belonging to five distinct groups were identified and quantified. Among them, fumigants, solvents, and gasoline hydrocarbons were the most abundant groups, with proportions of 40%, 26.7%, and 20%, respectively. A heatmap clustered the provinces based on their degree of pollution, while a dendrogram was used to classify the studied springs into six main groups. Regarding carcinogenic risk, all the samples were safe for consumption as well as for dermal contact, except for S17, S18, and S8, and S19, which might present a severe threat to inhabitants due to their contents of, respectively, naphthalene (2.1 × 10−3), chloroform (2.5 × 10−4), and cis and trans-dichlropropene (1.61 × 10−4 and 1.11 × 10−4). Our investigation revealed several anthropogenic sources of water contamination, which could aid authorities in limiting contamination spread in water bodies.

This research aimed to develop a new time, energy, and cost-saving production process for obtaining dried powder from Capparis spinosa floral buds. Four different trials, including dry salting with 40% NaCl (for 10 days and 40 days) and brine salting with 18% NaCl (at room temperature for 3 days and at 60 °C for 6 h), were carried out, and two different air-drying temperatures (40 and 50 °C) were used. The effects on chemical and sensory characteristics were investigated and compared with traditional undried caper samples. Spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques such as UV–VIS, GC-MS, and FTIR were used for chlorophylls, carotenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and volatile aroma compounds’ analyses. Moreover, a sensory descriptive analysis and acceptability were applied to individuate the product most appreciated by the consumers. Among the different trials, brine salting at 60 °C and drying at 50 °C constituted the fastest process that yielded an appreciated powder by consumers; the chemical analyses demonstrated that this process did not lead to the formation of extraneous aroma compounds that could influence the typical sensory properties of capers and maintained high levels of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Altogether, the results could be of great significance to industrial production and potentiate positive impacts on the economy of production areas.

Background: Work ability consists in the balance between employee’s capabilities and work demands. It can be measured by the Work Ability Index, a validated questionnaire that has been used in Europe since 1980s. This study is the first evaluating work ability among dock workers, a workforce which carries out complex activities requiring physical and mental engagement (night shifts, irregular shifts, constant demand for attention and concentration and significant physical effort). Objective: It was hypothized that the high strain level affecting this peculiar job may lead to a decrease in work ability. The aim of the study was to assess work ability and investigate if and how much not work-related factors, such as psycho-emotional state, lifestyle, health conditions and socio-demographic aspects, can interfere with it. Psycho-diagnostic protocol consisted of 6 questionnaires, chosen because of fast and effective data collection aiming to worker compliance and simple interpretation of results. Method: A total of 105 workers was engaged in different companies involved in port services. A protocol consisting of 6 questionnaires has been applied individually before the work shift: Work Ability Index (WAI), Effort-reward imbalance questionnaire (ERI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: Work ability resulted excellent in 60 subjects and good in 37. No significant correlation between individual characteristics and work ability was found. Our results indicated that work ability was negatively related with emotional states, particularly with anxiety. Univariate and multivariate linear regression model for work ability, have shown a statistically significant correlation with BDI, HAM-A and ERI questionnaires’ results. Conclusion: Our results showed that WAI is a useful tool for routine occupational health surveillance. The association of work ability with psychosocial factors suggests that actions at the workplace adopted by occupational physicians in order to prevent a reduction in working capacity, should have a multidimensional approach evaluating not only individual lifestyle, but also mood states.

This study explored, for the first time, the chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of a caper leaf essential oil (EO) emulsion for possible food applications as a natural preservative. The EO was extracted by hydrodistillation from the leaves of Capparis spinosa growing wild in the Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily, Italy) and exhibited a pungent, sulphurous odour. The volatile fraction of the emulsion, analysed by SPME-GC-MS, consisted of over 100 compounds and was dominated by compounds with recognised antibacterial and antioxidant properties, namely dimethyl tetrasulfide (18.41%), dimethyl trisulfide (12.58%), methyl isothiocyanate (7.97%), and terpinen-4-ol (6.76%). The emulsion was effective against all bacterial strains tested (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis, Pseudomonas fluorescens), with L. monocytogenes exhibiting the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC = 0.02 mg/mL) while E. coli had the highest (MIC = 0.06 mg/mL). The emulsion had a good DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine) radical scavenging activity that was dose-dependent and equal to 42.98% at the 0.08 mg/mL level with an IC50 value of 0.099 mg/mL. Based on the results, the caper leaf EO emulsion has the potential to be proposed as a natural alternative to chemical preservatives in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemp seed flour (HSF) is a by-product of the hemp oil production process and is a valuable source of protein, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. In line with sustainable food production and a circular economy, this research aimed to utilize HSF as fortifying ingredient in the production of gnocchi, a typical Italian potato-based fresh pasta, and to investigate the effects of the addition on the quality and consumers’ acceptability of the enriched products. Three formulations have been developed using 5–20% HSF in substitution of soft wheat flour. Nutritional value, cooking quality, color, texture and sensory profile, and the consumers’ acceptability of gnocchi samples were evaluated, as well as the functional properties of pure and composite flours and the HSF aroma compounds. HSF addition allowed to enhance the nutritional value of gnocchi, gaining the nutritional claim of “source of fiber” in case of formulations with ≥10% of HSF. Moreover, the fortified gnocchi had a high technological quality in terms of cooking loss, cooking resistance and textural properties, and average sensory quality; however, the vegetable and hemp odor and the bitter taste make them not well appreciated by consumers highlighting the need for improving the HSF sensory quality for consumers’ satisfaction.

In continuation of research conducted on species of the spontaneous flora of Sicily (Italy) belonging to the Brassicaceae family, Brassica fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa was selected. It is an edible species utilized in Sicilian traditional medicine. In this study, for the first time, the phenolic and the volatile compounds and the antioxidant properties of the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from the leaves of B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa were characterized. Through HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS analysis, a total of 22 polyphenolic compounds (20 flavonoids and 2 phenolic acids) were identified, with 3-hydroxiferuloylsophoroside-7-O-glucoside (1.30 mg/g ± 0.01) and kaempferol-3-O-feruloylsophoroside-7-O-glucoside (1.28 mg/g ± 0.01) as the most abundant compounds. Through SPME-GC/MS several volatiles belonging to different chemical classes were characterized, with nitriles and aldehydes accounting for more than 54% of the whole volatile fraction. The extract of B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa showed moderate activity in the DPPH assay (IC50 = 1.65 ± 0.08 mg/mL), weak reducing power (17.47 ± 0.65 ASE/mL), and good chelating properties (IC50 = 0.38 ± 0.02 mg/mL), reaching approximately 90% activity at the highest tested concentration. Lastly, the extract was non-toxic against Artemia salina, indicating its potential safety. According to the findings, it can be stated that B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa represents a new valuable source of bioactive compounds.

Raw meat of Freshly Slaughtered Cattle (FSC) is characterized by a very weak odor defined as slightly sweet, which could interfere in off-odor assessment during post-mortem inspection by an official veterinarian. Despite this, no information is reported in the literature on the volatiles which are emitted by FSC meat. Thus, this research aimed to study the volatile profile of raw cattle meat at different times within 24 h of slaughtering. Volatiles were analyzed and quantified using HS-SPME-GC-MS. γ-Butyrolactone, acetoin, and to a lesser extent, acid acetic were found to be the odor-active compounds of raw meat from freshly slaughtered cattle. Quantitative differences were observed up to 24 h; since the lowest levels of the odor-active compounds were reached between two and three hours from slaughtering, this period could be the most suitable for the post-mortem inspection process.

Vitis vinifera L. cv. Moscato includes different varieties mainly used to produce sweet wines, such as fortified wines. Moscato grapes are characterized by a large number of free and glycosylated monoterpenoids giving very aromatic wines. However, the literature data on the aroma profile of fortified Moscato wines are very limited. In light of this, the present research aimed to investigate the aroma compounds, mainly the varietal ones, of fortified wines from different Moscato varieties, namely Giallo (Yellow), Bianco (White), Bianco at Petit Grain (Blanc à Petits Grains), Ottonel and Rosa (Pink of Trentino), cultivated under the same pedoclimatic conditions. Using the HS-SPME-GC-MS (head space-solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) technique, numerous varietal and fermentative aroma compounds have been identified and quantified and significant differences were observed among varieties in the levels of mostly volatiles and in their ratios. Based on their composition, the studied wines can be divided in two groups depending on whether linalool or geraniol prevails among varietal aromas. These results are evidence that each Moscato variety has a typical varietal aroma composition, even if some similarities were found between the two white varieties, and between Moscato Giallo and Moscato Ottonel varieties. Moscato Rosa showed a peculiar aroma composition and the lowest ester/terpene ratio.

In the last decade, several preventive strategies were considered to mitigate the chemical hazard accumulation in food products. This work aimed to study the effect of different sugars on the development of the main chemical hazard in cookies. For this purpose, model biscuits prepared using sucrose, fructose, and glucose were baked at different temperatures (150, 170, and 190 °C) and for different times (from 5 to 45 min), and the levels of α-dicarbonyl compounds, such as 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and furanic aromatic compounds were monitored. The replacement of sucrose in the cookie recipes with monosaccharides had as a consequence the highest accumulation of 3-DG (200–600 times higher), MGO, HMF, and furanic volatile compounds, while the use of sucrose allowed for maintaining the 3-DG, MGO, and HMF levels at less than 10 mg/kg dry matter in cookies for the estimated optimal baking time. Moreover, cookies with sucrose were characterised in terms of volatile compounds, mainly in terms of lipid oxidation products, while cookies with fructose or glucose baked at the highest temperature were characterised almost exclusively by Maillard reaction products, confirming a faster development of this reaction during baking at the studied temperatures.

In a project designed to investigate the specific and infraspecific taxa of Matthiola endemic to Sicily (Italy) as new potential sources of bioactive compounds in this work, the infraspecific taxa of Matthiola fruticulosa were studied, namely, subsp. fruticulosa and subsp. coronopifolia. HPLC–PDA/ESI–MS and SPME–GC/MS analyses of hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the aerial parts of the two subspecies led to the detection of 51 phenolics and 61 volatile components, highlighting a quite different qualitative–quantitative profile. The antioxidant properties of the extracts were explored through in vitro methods: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activity assays. The results of the antioxidant tests showed that the extracts possess a different antioxidant ability: particularly, the extract of M. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa exhibited higher radical scavenging activity than that of subsp. coronopifolia (IC50 = 1.25 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 2.86 ± 0.05 mg/mL), which in turn displayed better chelating properties (IC50 = 1.49 ± 0.01 mg/mL and 0.63 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Lastly, Artemia salina lethality bioassay was performed for toxicity assessment. The results of the bioassay showed lack of toxicity against brine shrimp larvae for both extracts. The data presented indicate the infraspecific taxa of M. fruticulosa as new and safe sources of antioxidant compounds.

Blowflies play a substantial role as vectors of microorganisms, including human pathogens. The control of these insect pests is an important aspect of the prevention of foodborne diseases, which represent a significant public health threat worldwide. Among aromatic plants, spices essential oils (EOs) are the most suitable to protect food from insect pests. In this study, we determined the chemical composition of three oregano EOs and assessed their toxicity and deterrence to oviposition against the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria L. The chemical analyses showed that the EOs belonged to three chemotypes: one with a prevalence of carvacrol, the carvacrol chemotype (CC; carvacrol, 81.5%), and two with a prevalence of thymol, the thymol/p-cymene and thymol/γ-terpinene chemotypes (TCC and TTC; thymol, 43.8, and 36.7%, respectively). The bioassays showed that although all the three EOs chemotypes are able to exert a toxic activity against C. vomitoria adults (LD50 from 0.14 to 0.31 μL insect−1) and eggs (LC50 from 0.008 to 0.038 μL cm−2) as well as deter the oviposition (Oviposition Activity Index, OAI, from 0.40 ± 0.04 to 0.87 ± 0.02), the bioactivity of oregano EOs significantly varies among the chemotypes, with the thymol-rich EOs (TCC and TTC) overall demonstrating more effectiveness than the carvacrol-rich (CC) EO.

As part of a project aimed at investigating the specific and intraspecific taxa of Matthiola which grow spontaneously in Sicily (Italy), in this work our research has been focused on Matthiola tricuspidata and Matthiola sinuata. The phenolic and volatile compounds of the hydroalcoholic extracts from the aerial parts of the selected species have been characterized by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS and SPME-GC/MS analyses. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity in vitro (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH), reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activity assays) and the toxicity (Artemia salina lethality bioassay) of the extracts were investigated. The phytochemical analyses highlighted quite different phenolic and volatile profiles in the two species. Concerning the antioxidant properties, M. tricuspidata extract resulted the most active both in the DPPH and in the reducing power tests (IC50 = 1.20 ± 0.01 mg/mL and ASE/mL = 11.25 ± 0.97), whereas M. sinuata extract showed better secondary antioxidant properties (IC50 = 1.32 ± 0.02 mg/mL). The extracts resulted non-toxic in the Artemia salina lethality bioassay. Our findings indicate that both M. tricuspidata and M. sinuata represent new safe sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of traditional Maiorchino cheese (Italy) made from raw ewe’s milk or from a mixture with goat’s milk. Cheese samples from the same batch were analyzed after 20 days and 6, 8, 12, 17 and 24 months of ripening. A decrease in moisture level lead to progressive total solids concentration (fat, total nitrogen, total solids and chloride) during ripening. Aw values decreased from 0.97 (day 20) to 0.85 (month 24), while pH increased from 4.99 to 5.41 (6 months) followed a by reduction until 4.85 (month 24). In samples analysed 20 days after cheesemaking, aerobic mesophilic count was 1.8•107 CFU/g, Enterobacteriaceae were 2.7•106 CFU/g, Staphylococcus spp. were 1.8•104 CFU/g, and yeasts 4.5•105 CFU/g. Sulphite reducing bacteria were not found. Lactic bacteria count at 30°C (LAB30) and 42°C (LAB42) was about 108 CFU/g (day 20); LAB30 reduced until month 8; LAB 42 reduced until month 12; both were not detectable at months 17 and 24. Cheese-making process does not consider commercial starter cultures and LAB group is heterogeneous because of its natural microflora. Yeasts were considered as typical microflora of Maiorchino. Volatile compounds were examined at 6, 12 and 24 months of ripening; 54 components were identified. Statistical analysis showed that the seasoning period of 12 months was the best for Maiorchino flavour attributes. The characterisation of Maiorchino traditional cheese may be considered as significant for this old traditional product, with the aim of obtaining the PDO certification.

Summary: FTIR spectroscopy has been evaluated for the sensory shelf‐life (SSL) definition of packaged hamburger buns. The samples were analysed from the production up to 90 days of storage. Chemical, microbiological, qualitative descriptive sensory analysis (QDA) and consumer test were carried out and the results were compared with those obtained by FTIR analyses. Survival analysis in agreement with the QDA and cut‐off method defined a 'best before date' as not more than 20 days. The statistical elaboration of ATR–FTIR data gave results in agreement with those from hedonic and analytical sensory analyses. Hence, FTIR spectroscopy has been able to quickly draw a profile of the hamburger buns, detecting differences throughout the shelf‐life period in agreement with time‐consuming and/or expensive analyses. The study evidence that FTIR spectroscopy could be easily used in the bakery industry for SSL monitoring, reducing costs and time of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]