Search results for "Food quality."
showing 10 items of 107 documents
Extraction of bioactive compounds and essential oils from mediterranean herbs by conventional and green innovative techniques: A review
2018
International audience; Market interest in aromatic plants from the Mediterranean is continuously growing mainly due to their medicinal and bioactive compounds (BACs) with other valuable constituents from essential oils (EOs). From ancient times, these plants have been important condiments for traditional Mediterranean cuisine and remedies in folk medicine. Nowadays, they are considered as important factors for food quality and safety, due to prevention of various deteriorative factors like oxidations and microbial spoilage. EOs have different therapeutic benefits (e.g. antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal), while BACs mostly affect nutritive, chemical, microbiologi…
Effect of the mechanical harvest of drupes on the quality characteristics of green fermented table olives
2015
Background: Because of damage caused by mechanical harvesting, the drupes for table olive production are traditionally hand harvested. Until now, no data have been available on the microbiological and chemical features of mechanically harvested drupes during fermentation. Results: Drupes mechanically harvested and inoculated with Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 were characterized by the lowest concentrations of potential spoilage microorganisms. On the other hand, drupes mechanically harvested and subjected to spontaneous fermentation showed the highest concentration of Enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonads during transformation. The lowest decrease of pH (4.20) was registered for the trials inoc…
Untargeted metabolomics of fresh and heat treatment Tiger nut ( Cyperus esculentus L. ) milks reveals further insight into food quality and nutrition
2017
Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) is a crop traditionally grown in Valencia Region (Spain) and other temperate and tropical regions in the world, where its tubers are commonly consumed as tiger nut milk (horchata). Because of their nutritive potential and original taste, these products are beginning to spread internationally and, as consequence, analytical procedures to assess nutritional profiles, quality control issues are acquiring increasing relevance. The main objective of this study was to use an advance analytical method and chemometrics tools to determine if the ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment necessary to extend the shelf life of tiger nut milk would affect the profile of nu…
The influence of organic production on food quality - research findings, gaps and future challenges
2014
Although several meta-analysis studies have been published comparing the quality of food derived from organic and non-organic origin, it is still not clear if food from organic production per se can guarantee product-related added value to consumers. This paper aims to summarize the status quo in order to identify research gaps and suggest future research challenges. Organic food is described according to a quality model already published. The influence of organic production on food quality is structured in primary production and processing. Furthermore, organic food authentication is discussed. Organic food seems to contain fewer pesticide residues and statistically more selected health-re…
Effect of storage on quality parameters and phenolic content of Italian extra-virgin olive oils
2019
The quality of extra virgin olive oils is affected mainly by hydrolytic and oxidative reactions. The present paper investigated the changes of major and minor components and oxidation indices of three monovarietal extra virgin olive oils after 18 months of storage at room temperature and in dark glass bottles conditions. After storage, the basic quality parameters such as free acidity, peroxide values, extinction coefficients, fatty acids composition, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, did not exceed the upper limits set by European Community Regulations for extra-virgin olive oils. Given the importance of the phenolic fraction, UHPLC-HESI-MS metodology was used. A decrease in 3,4-DHPEA-ED…
Quality attributes of cactus pear fruit and their role in consumer choice
2015
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to detect what experience and credence quality attributes contribute to the consumer decision to consume cactus pear fruit. The authors therefore try to measure the effect of each quality attribute on consumer choice. Design/methodology/approach – As a theoretical basis, two principal quality attributes emphasised in the literature on consumer behaviour were analysed and adjusted to the specific fruit features. The empirical strategy was carried out by administering a telephone questionnaire survey of 270 interviewees who consume cactus pears in Italy. The questionnaire, consisting of 14 items expressed on a metric scale (five-point Likert scale), was…
Quality Perception and Consumer Choice of Cactus Pear: Results of Direct Survey in Italy
2015
Today, alongside the traditional search and experience quality attributes, credence attributes increasingly affect individual consumption. The aim of this paper is to identify and measure the principal attributes of quality in cactus pear and their effect on consumer choice. The hypothesis underlying the study is that credence attributes have a major influence on consumer choice compared to the other quality attributes. With this in mind a questionnaire was administered to 92 cactus pear consumers in Italy, and by means of an econometric model the relationship that single attributes have on the amount of cactus pear consumption was analysed. Results confirm that credence attributes are impo…
Encapsulation of aroma compounds in biopolymeric emulsion based edible films to control flavour release
2010
Abstract Flavour loss strongly affects food quality. In order to decrease flavour changes during food conservation, different strategies could be used. Aroma compound encapsulation allows the protection of food flavour from loss and degradative reactions, like oxidation. Edible films could be an encapsulation matrix: in the case of emulsified film, lipid globules incorporated can act as carriers of active molecules, such as aroma compounds. Edible films prepared from ι-carrageenans are interesting for good mechanical and gas barrier properties. The aim of this study was to encapsulate different aroma compounds in an ι-carrageenan emulsion based edible film. Release of ten aroma compounds wa…
Effect of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Table Olives on the ImmuneInflammatory Responses: Potential Clinical Applications
2017
Background and Objective: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the common element among the Mediterranean countries. It can be considered a nutraceutical and functional food, thanks to its bioactive compounds. It can act and modulate different processes linked to ageing and age-related diseases related to a common chronic low grade inflammation. Depending on the cultivar, the growth conditions, the period of harvesting, the productive process and time of product storage, EVOO could contain different amount of vegetal components. Of course, the same is for table olives. Methods: The aim of our review is to summarize the effects of EVOO and table olives on the immunemediated inflammatory respons…
Meat quality of commercial chickens reared in different production systems: industrial, range and organic
2020
Abstract Meat is an important part of the human diet since it provides several nutrients. However, the amount of these nutrients can differ according to several factors. With this in mind, the present research was designed with the main objective of evaluating the effect of production system of broiler chickens (industrial, range and organic) on meat quality. The physicochemical, chemical and nutritional characteristics were determined in breast and drumstick meat. The organic chickens presented the lowest amounts of fat and cholesterol and the highest amounts of protein. The colour was also influenced by the production system, where organic and range chickens had the highest values of redn…