Food industry produces significant amount of waste that represents a problem for the sector. However, by-products are also promising sources of compounds which may be reused for their nutritional properties. The aim of this work is to exploit winemaking by-products, obtaining an extract by ultrasound-assisted extraction only using water as solvent. The characteristics of spaghetti enriched with grape marc were assessed and compared to control samples. In particular, total phenolic and flavonoids contents, the antioxidant activity, the cooking quality, and the sensory acceptability were evaluated at various steps of pasta production. The enriched spaghetti showed higher total phenolic and flavonoids contents and higher antioxidant activity than the control pasta. In addition, low cooking losses were found. In terms of sensory properties fortified pasta is acceptable as the traditional product, thus demonstrating that it is possible to exploit food waste to better satisfy consumer demand for healthy food products in a more sustainable perspective.

La presente invenzione concerne l'impiego di composti naturali per migliorare la stabilità microbiologica di pasta fresca, in particolare di pasta fresca a base di farina di amaranto.

A method is described for producing a film of thermoplastic material, more particularly of LDPE, PLA or PCL, incorporating substances with antimicrobial activity, comprising the steps of mixing at a temperature lower than or equal to 160°C a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point lower than or equal to 160°C and at least one substance with antimicrobial activity selected from the group consisting of lysozime, thymol and lemon extract; subjecting the mixture obtained to compression at the same temperature as that indicated above; cooling under compression to a temperature lower than or equal to 40°C, obtaining strips, which are divided into short pieces; feeding these short pieces into an extruder provided with a die and with heating means to bring the temperature thereinside to a value lower than or equal to 160°C; extruding the film through the die.

A method for producing salamis and sausages, in particular with low animal fat content replaced by extra-virgin olive oil. A method for withholding oil in a meaty paste wherein pork fat is replaced by whey proteins or by sandwich loaves soaked with oil is herein presented. Examples of formulations of sausages made using said method are presented. Qualitative and quantitative characteristics do not show relevant differences with respect to traditional salamis, even from a sensory point of view.