Gluten-Free Alternative Grains: Nutritional Evaluation and Bioactive Compounds
Interest in gluten-free grains is increasing, together with major incidences of celiac disease in the last years. Since to date, knowledge of the nutritional and bioactive compounds profile of alternative gluten-free grains is limited, we evaluated the content of water-soluble (thiamine and riboflavin) and liposoluble vitamins, such as carotenoids and tocols (tocopherols and tocotrienols), of gluten-free minor cereals and also of pseudocereals. The analysed samples showed a high content of bioactive compounds
Evaluation of carotenoids and furosine content in air dried carrots and parsnips pre-treated with pulsed electric field (PEF)
Carrot and parsnip slices were subjected to hot drying at 50, 60 and 70 °C with or without pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment at 0.9 kV/cm and 1000 and 10,000 pulses. The effect of drying on processed samples was assessed by analysis of carotenoids, the furosine value, total phenols and the Whiteness Index (WI). PEF pre-treatment is effective in reducing drying times, but the degree of cellular breakdown makes the compounds more susceptible to chemical and enzymatic reactions. In our condition PEF pre-treatment increased the carotenoid degradation and promoted the Maillard reaction above all at the highest temperature of 70 °C. The assessment of carotenoid stability, together with th…
EVOLUZIONE DEI CAROTENOIDI NEL CORSO DELLA MATURAZIONE DI UVE TINTILIA
I carotenoidi presenti nelle uve, principalmente luteina e -carotene, sono importanti precursori di aromi caratteristici, appartenenti alla classe dei C13-norisoprenoidi. Tali composti sono di grande interesse per la loro bassa soglia olfattiva e perché contribuiscono in modo significativo alla qualità e tipicità dei vini. Nella presente nota si è valutata l’evoluzione dei carotenoidi nel corso della maturazione di uve Tintilia, vitigno fortemente legato al territorio della regione Molise, in relazione alla forma di allevamento. La forma di allevamento a Guyot, rispetto al cordone speronato, ha favorito un maggior accumulo di sostanze polifenoliche, antocianiche e di carotenoidi nelle uve.…
Valutazione della riduzione di ocratossina A dai vini rossi mediante utilizzo di coadiuvanti tecnologici
Evolution of Carotenoids, Sensory Profiles and Volatile Compounds in Microwave-Dried Fruits of Three Different Loquat Cultivars (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)
The consumption of loquat fruits is highly appreciated for their carotenoid content and valuable sensory notes, but it is limited due to the low shelf-life. An on-line temperature controlled microwave system based on infrared thermography was used to dry three different loquat cultivar at 60 °C. The time to reach the target value of 23% moisture content was about 105 min in Claudia fruits and 162 min in Virticchiara and Peluche. Seven carotenoids were identified in loquat fruits, among these the major were all-trans-β-carotene in Virticchiara and Claudia. Virticchiara had the major total carotenoid content (206 μg/g dry basis), followed by Peluche (158 μg/g d.b.) and Claudia (41 μg/g d.b.).…
Extraction of wheat germ oil by supercritical CO2 : Oil and defatted cake characterization
In this paper the working conditions for the extraction of wheat germ oil in a supercritical CO2 pilot plant of 1-L extraction capacity were studied. The best conditions were: pressure, 38 MPa; temperature, 55degreesC; wheat germ particle size, about 0.35 mm; CO2 flow rate, 1.5 L min(-1). These conditions gave yields of about 92% of total oil after 3 h of processing. The obtained oils and the partially defatted cake were investigated with regard to their FA, tocol (tocopherol and tocotrienol), carotenoid, and sterol compositions and to their quality characteristics (FFA, PV, para-anisidine value, and color of the by-product). Moreover, the oil quality was evaluated in relation to the progre…
Bioactive Compounds in Wild Asteraceae Edible Plants Consumed in the Mediterranean Diet
Three wild edible plant species belonging to the Asteraceae family, Crepis vesicaria L. (s.l.), Sonchus asper (L.) Hill s.l., and Sonchus oleraceus L., usually consumed in the Mediterranean diet, were tested for their nutritional composition and content of carotenoids, tocols, thiamine and riboflavin. Low amounts of thiamine and riboflavin were found. All species were sources of xanthophylls (violaxanthin, neoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin) and carotenes (α-carotene, β-carotene, 9-cis-β-carotene and 13-cis-β-carotene). Lutein accounted for the highest content (about 4 mg/100 g). They had good tocol amounts, in particular α-tocopherol (about 2–3 mg/100 g). Taking into accoun…
Effect of a physical pre-treatment and drying on carotenoids of goji berries ( Lycium barbarum L.)
In order to evaluate the influence of an abrasive pre-treatment and drying at 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C of goji fruits (Lycium barbarum L.), changes in colour and carotenoids were studied. An extraction method was modified and adapted to assay the main carotenoid esters and saponified carotenoids of goji berries, before and after treatments. Goji berries were confirmed as a high source of zeaxanthin, with zeaxanthin-dipalmitate at about 2 g/kg dry weight. The reliability of the analytical method was confirmed by the high quantitative recoveries, about 100%, a higher repeatability than reference methods and a good reproducibility (lower than 5%). After drying, significant but small carotenoid loss…
Effect of pretreatments and drying processo on health-promoting components of goji berries
Drying is one of the most common preservation methods used to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by reducing water content so as to prevent the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and to inactivate many of the moisture-mediated alterative reactions. Goji berries are mainly consumed dried. Several methods can be used to dry goji berries, such as sun drying, hot air drying, vacuum drying, and freeze drying. In this chapter the most used pre-treatment and drying processes found in literature on goji berries are described, together with their effect on their health promoting components, such as carotenoids, tocols, vitamin C, flavonoids and phenols. Moreover the effect of diff…
Nutritional evaluation of fresh and dried goji berries cultivated in Italy
The nutritional profile of fresh and dried goji berries cultivated in Italy was investigated. The obtained data confirm goji berries as a source of nutritional and healthy components, such as vitamin E, minerals and fibre. Taking into account the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for minerals and vitamins established by the Commission of the European Communities, Goji berries provide significant amounts of dietary fibre and zeaxanthin and can be declared on the label as a potential source of vitamins E and C. Moreover, dried goji berries can be declared as a source of K, P, Cu, Fe Mn, Zn.
Production of functional probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic ice creams
In this work, 3 types of ice cream were produced: a probiotic ice cream produced by adding potentially probiotic microorganisms such as Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus; a prebiotic ice cream produced by adding inulin, a prebiotic substrate; and a synbiotic ice cream produced by adding probiotic microorganisms and inulin in combination. In addition to microbial counts, pH, acidity, and physical and functional properties of the ice creams were evaluated. The experimental ice creams preserved the probiotic bacteria and had counts of viable lactic acid bacteria, after frozen storage that met the minimum required to achieve probiotic effects. Moreover; most of the ice creams show…
Effect of pH on malolactic fermentation in southern Italian wines
This study investigated the influence of pH on malolactic fermentation (MLF) in white wines (adjusted to pH 3.2, 3.4 and 3.8, respectively) from Falanghina grapes and red wines (adjusted to pH 3.4 and 3.8, respectively) from Tintilia grapes. The wines were inoculated with Oenococcus oeni and Lactobacillus plantarum strains, and a mix of them (50:50), in red Tintilia only. The time required to complete MLF in wines from white Falanghina grapes at pH 3.4 and 3.8 was lower with O. oeni, while MLF did not occur at pH 3.2. In red Tintilia, MLF was always completed within 35 days; at high pH (3.8) a significant increase in histamine was detected, while the decrease in citric acid concentration ca…
Kinetics of carotenoids degradation and furosine formation in dried apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.)
Abstract The kinetics of carotenoid and color degradation, as well as furosine formation, were investigated in apricot fruits during convective heating at 50, 60 and 70 °C. Degradation of carotenoids and color, expressed as total color difference (TCD), followed a first and zero order kinetic, respectively. The activation energy (Ea) for carotenoids degradation ranged from 73.7 kJ/mol for 13- cis -β-carotene to 120.7 kJ/mol for lutein, being about 91 kJ/mol for all- trans -β-carotene. Violaxanthin and anteraxanthin were the most susceptible to thermal treatment. The furosine evolution was fitted at zero order kinetic model. The Ea for furosine formation was found to be 83.3 kJ/mol and the Q…
Effects of variety and olive ripeness on nutritional quality and oxidative stability of extra virgin olive oils
The composition and the stability to oxidative reactions of Italian extra virgin olive oils, in relation to olive varieties and ripeness, have been studied. Nutritional quality has been evaluated comparing nutrient contents with the recommended daily intake for the Italian population. Oxidative vulnerability has been studied following three different approaches: i) a predictive approach (calculation of the degree of antioxidant protection or DAP index); ii) a descriptive approach (loss of some natural antioxidants during storage); iii) a confirmatory approach (oven test method). This study demonstrated that the olive variety and ripeness degree are important determinants of the nutritional …
Oli extravergine d'oliva: un indice di predizione della stabilita' alla conservazione
Degradation of Carotenoids in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) During Drying Process
"Carotenoids are natural compounds whose nutritional importance comes from the provitamin A activity of some of them and their protection against several serious human disorders. The degradation of carotenoids was investigated during apricot drying by microwave and convective hot-air at 60 and 70 A degrees C. Seven carotenoids were identified: antheraxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, 13-cis-beta-carotene, all-trans-beta-carotene and 9-cis-beta-carotene; among these, all-trans-beta-carotene was found to be about 50 % of total carotenoids. First-order kinetic models were found to better describe all-trans-beta-carotene reduction during drying, with a degradation rate constant (…
Degradation of carotenoids in orange juice during microwave heating
Degradation of carotenoids in orange juice was monitored during microwave (MW) heating at different time/temperature conditions. Various carotenoids were identified and quantified by HPLC. Degradation rate of carotenoids was influenced by MW heating temperatures: at 60 degrees C and 70 degrees C for 10 min violaxanthin and antheraxanthin were the compounds most unstable, while lutein and provitamin A carotenoids were more stable. At 85 degrees C a decrease of about 50% was observed for almost all carotenoids after 1 min of MW heating. Temperature sensitivity (z value) for total carotenoids was 14.2 degrees C, for single compounds z values ranged between 10.9 degrees C for beta-carotene and …
Relationship between phenolic compounds in olives and oxidative stability of related oils
Utilizzo di microrganismi probiotici e di inulina per la produzione di gelato ad alta valenza funzionale
Effect of microwave pasteurization on orange juice color and carotenoid pigments
In this paper changes in carotenoid content and orange juice colour during microwave (MW) heating were studied. Trials were performed on 250 ml stirred orange juice heated at different temperatures (60-70-75-85°C), in a MW pilot plant, able to keep prescribed temperature levels of samples by using infrared thermography temperature readout. The pasteurization conditions of orange juice, generally based on inactivation of the heat sensitive fraction of pectin methyl-esterase (PME), in our trials were achieved after about 1 min at 70°C of MW heating (data not reported). Carotenoid content in fresh juice after MW heating at different levels of temperature decreased of about 13% (70,°C 1 min), 4…
Evolution of Carotenoid Content, Antioxidant Activity and Volatiles Compounds in Dried Mango Fruits (Mangifera Indica L.)
The aim of this research was to study the evolution of carotenoid compounds, antioxidant &beta