Sensory analysis and determination of analytical indices to evaluate the oxidative degradation of the liquid medium were used to assess the overall quality of tuna canned in different types of oil. Moreover, the relationships between the quality of the liquid medium and the quality of raw material were studied. The results pointed out that quality of the raw material changed as related to the types of oil used. In particular, the tuna in extra virgin olive oil showed significant higher scores for the descriptors related to the quality of raw materials and lower values for the indices that evinced the degradation of liquid medium.

The need of accurate and reliable methods for DNA isolation and plant species identification in foodstuffs is of great importance, especially in the protection of high added value products. Fresh foods, which are not subjected to any modifications, are suitable for many kind of analysis; for processed products, such as musts, wines, olive oils, and pasta, the situation may be more complicated due to DNA fragmentation and, in the worst case, by its degradation. This work aimed to establish an exhaustive and reproducible analytical procedure for table grape DNA tracing in industrial musts. Three different DNA extraction methods were initially compared and DNA was tested in PCR for its suitability for the amplification reaction of microsatellite markers or simple sequence repeats (SSRs). An optimized DNA extraction method for microsatellite amplification was developed and adapted for industrial musts. Two SSR-based molecular methods, High Resolution Melting and capillary electrophoresis, were tested and the markers VrZAG62 and VrZAG79 were found to be the most informative. High Resolution Melting analysis, here applied for the first time on musts, proved to be the method of choice for a preliminary screening using four cultivars chosen as references and different DNA mixtures prepared in laboratory. Capillary electrophoresis, providing allele size, allowed a fine genotyping of musts in comparison with reference cultivars. The LOD6 of a single grape cultivar in mixture with other varieties was also determined at 2.5 ng. Merging the information of the two molecular analyses applied to real samples, we demonstrated that is possible to discover case of musts adulterated with table grapes, and we propose our procedure in controlling musts quality and origin certification.

Leucocarpa is an olive cultivar characterized by small fruits which assume a peculiar ivory-white color when ripe. The aim of this research was to characterize its oil by analyzing some chemical parameters as well as DNA microsatellites. Monovarietal Leucocarpa oils, produced under controlled conditions, were compared for two consecutive years to oils derived from Coratina, an olive cultivar very diffused in Italy. Both the cultivars were grown in the same field. The values of phenolic compounds observed in Leucocarpa oils were quite low and corresponded to those usually found in sweet tasting oils. Also levels of pigments appeared to be low compared to Coratina monovarietal oils. Microsatellite analysis were carried out by using 11 primer pairs and Leucocarpa oils were compared to six monovarietal oils from cultivars diffused in Southern Italy. The primer pairs lead to 213 amplified fragments, with a mean of 7 different alleles per primer, and a power of discrimination ranging from 0.49 to 0.91. A single microsatellite, GAPU103A, was sufficient to distinguish Leucocarpa oil from the other samples. An identification key based on the amplification profile of this microsatellite was set up to distinguish the oils from different cultivars. The assessed DNA microsatellite profile, independent from environmental conditions, could be helpful to verify the authenticity of Leucocarpa oil samples.

In oil-mills, olive-pomace recentrifugation is a common way to reduce pomace moisture and, at the same time, to recover the oil therein. According to current rules, the obtained oil is defined as “crude olive-pomace oil.” The aim of this work is to verify the effect of recentrifugation on specific chemical and molecular parameters of the crude olive-pomace oil, by comparing it with the corresponding virgin olive oil obtained from the same olive lots. In particular, the following were considered: (i) the polar compounds of the oils that include compounds originated from oxidative and hydrolytic degradation, analyzed by highperformance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), and (ii) the profile of DNA microsatellite molecular markers that was analyzed by using theHigh ResolutionMelting (HRM) technique.Theobtained results evidenced the significantly higher hydrolytic degradation of crude olive-pomace oil, compared with the corresponding virgin olive oil, but at an extent unlikely able to allow the detection of fraudulent admixtures with virgin olive oils. In addition, the findings demonstrated the feasibility of the application of the HRM analysis of DNA microsatellites to crude olive-pomace oil, able to reveal the alteration of the declared varietal profile of a virgin olive oil sample by simply checking the HRM curve profiles.

Goat milk has been described as having a better digestibility and lower allergenic properties than cow milk. The increasing demand for food safety induces consumers to prefer organic foodstuffs, which are perceived to be healthier than conventional products. The aim of this paper was to compare organic and conventional goat yoghurts marketed in Italy. The results evidenced that conventional samples showed significantly higher mean values of total solids, proteins, total lactic acid and apparent viscosity, and significantly lower mean values of pH than organic yoghurts. Moreover, the latter received significantly higher mean scores for the descriptors yoghurt flavor, while the conventional samples received significantly higher mean scores for the descriptors floury, mouth thickness and spoon thickness. The organic yoghurts differed from conventional ones for their composition and aromatic profile. The present work pointed out that conventional yoghurts are often submitted to fortification, probably with the aim of making them similar to cow yoghurts.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity is a major cause of undesirable brown color of semolina. In tetraploid wheat, the Ppo-A1 gene is significantly involved in the phenotypic expression of PPO activity. The main goal of this study was to develop and validate a more efficient marker for Ppo-A1 to facilitate marker-assisted selection for low PPO activity in tetraploid wheat breeding programs. A large tetraploid wheat collection, including durum cultivars, domesticated and wild accessions, was used to evaluate the PPO activity. The heritability values indicated that the phenotypic expression of PPO activity was mainly due to genotypic effect. PPO18, and a new marker named MG18, were used to study the Ppo-A1 allelic variation in a tetraploid wheat collection. PPO18 analysis detected four alleles (Ppo-A1b, Ppo-A1e, Ppo-A1f and Ppo-A1g). The high frequency of Ppo-A1g (no PCR product) detected in the tetraploid wheat collection, led to the development of a new genome-specific Ppo-A1 marker (MG18). MG18 analysis identified the same alleles as PPO18 which were associated with low or high PPO activity. The new MG18 marker was more efficient than PPO18 in detecting the four different alleles of Ppo-A1 in the tetraploid wheat collection. Indeed, the accessions assigned to the Ppo-A1g group, according to PPO18, when tested with MG18, were better classified in the four alleles of the Ppo-A1 gene. The MG18 analysis proved that the PPO18 marker overestimated the number of accessions with Ppo-A1g. Therefore, MG18 can be applied to large-scale marker-assisted selection for PPO activity in durum breeding programs.

An investigation was carried out on the effect of adding increasing amounts of monoacylglycerols (MAG) - obtained from a purified soybean oil (PSO) - on the oxidation of the same PSO. PSO and the MAG/PSO solutions were subjected, during accelerated oxidation at 60 degrees C, to routine analyses and High-Performance Size-Exclusion Chromatography of polar compounds. The addition of low amounts of MAG ( 5-10 g kg(-1)) caused an increase of oxidation. Adding higher amounts of MAG, the pro-oxidant effect progressively decreased. The solution containing 30 mg kg(-1) showed the lowest oxidative levels. Therefore, the effect of MAG in PSO oxidation is not univocal, being dose-dependent.

Altamura bread is an Italian baking product that obtained the European mark of protected designation of origin (PDO). The varietal requirements of the official production protocol of this bread require it to be prepared from the durum wheat cultivars Appulo, Duilio, Arcangelo and Simeto (single or in combination, accounting for minimum 80%), and eventually other cultivars diffused in the production area. The aim of this work was to set up a microsatellite-based method for verifying the presence of the four required durum wheat cultivars in PDO Altamura bread, also in the presence of other cultivars up to 20%. Ten microsatellites were tested and the combination of the amplification profiles of four of them, characterised by high polymorphism and simple electrophoretic patterns, enabled to distinguish and identify breads from all the possible combinations of the cultivars required for PDO mark. The obtained amplicons were all in the range of molecular weight between 115 and 272 bp, and were analysed by capillary electrophoresis. The contribution of the single cultivars was detectable in the amplification profiles, enabling to verify their presence. The analysis was also effective in the case of additional cultivars.

The beneficial effects of whole meal wheat products are mainly attributed to dietary fibre and secondary metabolites related to it, such as phenolic compounds. To date, no studies have investigated the effect of fertilization with sewage sludge on the levels of wheat phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to point out the effects of increasing doses of composted sewage sludge, also in combination with mineral fertilization, on phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of durum wheat. Moreover, the effects on productivity and technological quality were verified. A randomized block experimental system with six replicates was adopted and seven treatments were compared: unfertilized control (absence of any fertilization or composted sewage sludge application); four doses of composted sewage sludge (3, 6, 9, and 12 Mg ha-1); mineral fertilization (MF) consisting of 120, 100 and 100 kg ha-1 of N, P2O5 and K2O, respectively; combined fertilization with 6 Mg ha-1 of composted sewage sludge and 60 kg ha-1 of N. There was a significantly positive effect of sewage sludge application on productivity as well as on phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and technological quality of durum wheat whole meal. Regarding the productivity, the use of 12 Mg ha-1 of composted sewage sludge can effectively substitute mineral fertilization. Regarding phenolics and antioxidant activity, a further increase can be achieved by employing a combination of composted sewage sludge (at the level of 6 Mg ha-1) and mineral fertilization. The phenolic compounds of whole meal raised from 1.31 mg ferulic acid equivalents (FAE) g-1 (unfertilized control) to 1.93 mg FAE g-1 (combined application of 6 Mg ha-1 of sewage sludge and 60 kg ha-1 N). The antioxidant activity range was 1.89-2.02 μmol 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) g-1 d.m., corresponding to a level of scavenging capacity of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical ranging from 56.26% (unfertilized control) to 62.29% (6 Mg ha-1 of sewage sludge plus 60 kg ha-1 N).

Phenolic compounds have antioxidant properties and activate endogenous detoxification defense systems able to scavenge the reactive species of oxygen. The external layers of wheat caryopsis, largely constituting by-products of the milling industry such as bran and various middlings, contain relevant amounts of phenolic compounds. The aim of the research has been to evaluate the effect of supplementation with wheat bran aqueous extracts, obtained by ultrasoundassisted technologies, on the sensory properties and antioxidant activity of dry pasta. The HPLC-DAD characterization of the extract evidenced the presence of ferulic and p-coumaric acids. The supplemented pasta showed significantly higher antioxidant activity and phenolic content than the control, coupled to good overall sensory judgment. In addition, two different pasta drying diagrams were adopted, and the comparison of the corresponding end-products allowed it to be pointed out that the processing technology has to be carefully set up to prevent possible detrimental effects on the antioxidant activity. The proposed utilization of bran might add value to a milling by-product that, otherwise, is mostly employed in animal feeding.

The growing sensibility toward those foods that are characterized by natural and healthy features has raised the interest toward alternative wheat cereals. This research was carried out to compare the technological characteristics and the bread-making quality of Khorasan wheat, type Kamut and spelt (cv. Forenza), to those of common (cv. Rio) and durum wheat (cv. Norba). The results obtained show that both Forenza and Kamut gave an acceptable bread-making performance. A certain variability affected flour characteristics (protein content, carotenoid pigments and alveograph indices) over the 2 years of experimentation, due to environmental effects. This reflected on the corresponding breads but the statistical analysis indicated that, on the whole, Kamut bread was characterized by a high content of carotenoid pigments. Regarding sensory properties (profiled by means of 11 descriptors of visual appearance, texture, odor and flavor) and loaf volumes, breads from Forenza and Kamut appeared different from each other but similar to those obtained from Rio and Norba grown in the same environment, respectively.

Few studies have investigated the effects of frozen storage on processed vegetables. This paper evaluates its effects on the quality characteristics of non-thermally stabilized tomato-based pâtés, in comparison with thermally stabilized pâtés stored at room temperature. Two different kinds of tomato-based pâtés were analyzed in terms of bio-active compounds, colorimetric parameters and oxidative degradation just after processing and for 4, 8, and 12 months' storage.

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the evolution of the volatile compounds of ripened sausages as a function of both storage time (time) and composition of packaging atmosphere (MAP). Ripened sausages, prepared at an industrial plant, were packed applying three different atmosphere compositions and were stored for three months. The obtained data evinced that the evolution of the volatile compounds was significantly related to the variable time more than to the variable MAP. The main volatile compounds were those derived from spices. Among them, Delta(3)-carene was the most abundant and a significant decrease was observed during storage (p<0.05). The volatile compounds derived from lipid autoxidation showed generally a significant increase during storage, suggesting the raise of lipid oxidation also at low oxygen concentration. Moreover, octanal and nonanal were significantly influenced by the atmosphere composition, with the highest values in samples packed at the lowest CO(2) concentration.

An experimental investigation was carried out to assess the fatty acid composition and the degradation level of the covering oil present in canned fish. The most commonly marketed canned fish types were considered (tuna, sardines, anchovies, mackerels), as well as different kinds of covering oil: extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, refined seed oil. A total of 68 samples were analyzed. Two-way analysis of variance, followed by Fisher's Least Significant Difference test for multiple comparisons, and principal component analysis were carried out to compare the effect of both type of oil used and kind of fish on oil quality. The obtained results showed the lowest extent of both hydrolytic and oxidative degradation in samples containing extra virgin olive oil. In particular, the contents of triacylglycerol oligopolymers, imputable to secondary oxidative degradation, were equal to 0.17%, 0.50% and 0.74% for extra virgin olive oil, olive oil and refined seed oil, respectively. Olive oil showed significantly higher hydrolytic degradation, with diacylglycerols equal to 3.37%, but lower oxidative degradation and trans isomers content than refined seed oil. Finally, the type of fish did not seem to influence the extent of oxidative and hydrolytic degradation, with the only exception of sardines' covering oil. This oil, characterized by the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid content, showed the highest values of oxidized triacylglycerols (1.32%) and specific absorption at 232 (K(232), 4.030), indices of primary oxidative degradation.

Recently, the quantification of fatty acids alkyl esters (FAAE) has become mandatory for the extra virgin olive oil classification. However, the behaviour of such metabolites, during olives processing, is not yet well understood. Thus, the present paper aims to point out the influence of the use of calcium carbonate on the fatty acids alkyl esters content of the oils. The results showed that the content of FAAE was significantly influenced by the technological coadjuvant. The use of calcium carbonate led to a general reduction of FAAE compared to the untreated samples. Methyl esters of fatty acids were more susceptible to the use of processing aid than the ethyl esters.

After a description of the production of flatbreads, with a particular focus on the baking methods, this article reviews the food technology studies on flatbreads over the last ten years. Due to its widespread geographical distribution and high frequency of consumption, flatbread has been considered a suitable carrier for increasing the dietary intake of several microelements and vitamins. Furthermore, the addition of several functional ingredients to flatbread formulation has been widely experimented, mostly of vegetable origin (legume flours and protein isolates, fruit by-products, fenugreek seeds, white mulberry extract, tomato pomace), but also of animal origin, such as whey-based ingredients. Other important research topics regarding flatbreads include quality improvement and shelf life extension, as well as gluten-free formulations.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of cassava flour in bread making, and the sensory acceptability of the final product. Different baking trials were carried out by using egg white and extra-virgin olive oil, in consideration of their high nutritional value with respect to other food additives (i.e., hydrocolloids). Significant (p &lt; 0.05) improvements of loaf specific volume (from 2.24 to 3.93 mL/g) and crumb firmness (from 9.14 to 4.67 N) were achieved by contemporarily including egg white and extra-virgin olive oil in the formulation. Cassava breads containing both these ingredients obtained the best scores from panelists for all the test breads examined and resulted attractive as the wheat bread prepared as reference.

Un’indagine sperimentale è stata effettuata su taralli preparati con olio di oliva allo scopo di caratterizzarne il profilo aromatico durante la conservazione sia attraverso la tecnica analitica della microestrazione in fase solida (Solid-Phase MicroExtraction), sia attraverso la valutazione sensoriale eseguita da un panel addestrato. I risultati complessivamente ottenuti hanno evidenziato che l’analisi SPME/GCMS dei composti volatili risultava utile a valutare le caratteristiche sensoriali dei taralli nel corso della conservazione. In particolare, l’ossidazione della frazione lipidica causava un peggioramento complessivo della qualità dell’alimento e ne pregiudicava la conservazione.

Nowadays, olive oil extraction is basically made by means of two-phase decanters, which allow to reduce water consumption and leaching of phenolic compounds. Despite this, most of the working settings derive from studies carried out on three-phase decanters. Hence, aim of the present study has been assessing the influence of two-phase decanter feed pipe position (FP) on the extraction efficiency and chemical-sensory characteristics of virgin olive oil. Three different positions have been considered, at 825 mm (FP1), 610 mm (FP2), and 520 mm (FP3) from the outlet of the oily phase.

The effect of drying temperatures on the profile of volatile compounds of pasta was studied. The solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry allowed to identify 72 volatile compounds in the samples of not-dried, low-temperature-dried (LT-dried), high-temperature-dried (HT-dried), and wrongly very-high-temperature-dried (WVHT-dried) pastas. The samples of not-dried pasta contained alcohols, aldehydes, short-chain ketones, esters, furans, and some sulfur compounds. In the LT-dried pasta, the volatile aldehydes derived from lipid oxidation were more abundant than in HT-dried pasta. HT-dried pasta showed higher levels of furan and furan derivatives (especially 2-furanmethanol), derived from the Maillard reaction, than LT-dried pasta (p < 0.05). Pyrazines arose from WVHT treatment. Significant differences were observed also for the color indices when comparing pasta subjected to LT and HT drying (p < 0.001). Several volatile Maillard reaction products were significantly correlated (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) to a* and 100 − L*. The ratio aldehydes/furans allowed distinguishing in a significant way the treatments, independently from the lot characteristics.

The conformity to the main quality standards must be periodically checked through audits during which several types of anomalies can emerge. The aim of this work was to analyze the anomalies detected during 26 audits carried out in different food companies (producing wine, dairy products, olive oil, wheat-base products, canned food, as well as catering companies). The Standards of reference were UNI EN ISO 9001:2008, UNI EN ISO 22000:2005, UNIEN ISO 22005:2008, British Retail Consortium (BRC) and International Food Standard (IIS). A total of 227 anomalies were detected. The most frequent anomalies were related to documentation, with the exception of the catering sector, where the most frequent anomalies were related to the practical activities of the production process. This was probably due to the high complexity of this type of company, which has a considerably higher offer in respect to the other food companies audited.

Many studies have demonstrated the role of polyphenol oxidase (PPO; E.C. 1.14.18.1) in darkening of wheat products. Even slight browning of pasta is a major hindrance to consumer acceptance. The aim of this research was to evaluate the variability of PPO activity, browning level, and protein content in a collection of more than 100 genotypes of tetraploid wheat, including cultivars and landraces. A molecular approach was followed to evaluate the efficiency of marker PPO18, discovered and used in common wheat, in detecting tetraploid wheat genotypes with low browning level. The data showed a significant genotype influence on the activity of the PPO enzyme, which was correlated with brown index of whole meal and dough, and with protein content. On the whole, the cultivars showed lower PPO activity, brown index, and protein content than landraces, but wide variability was present. Marker PPO18 detected four different alleles for Ppo-A1. The allele Ppo-A1f identified genotypes with high PPO activity and brown index, while the Ppo-A1b and null alleles were associated with the opposite characteristics. Hence, this marker can be used to select new tetraploid wheat cultivars with low browning level.

The aim of this research was the chemical, microbiological, and sensory characterization of new ingredient formulations of olive-based pâtés, since few studies are present in the literature regarding table olive-based processed products. Three ingredient formulations were selected by consumer test on the basis of the scores of odour and taste descriptors, higher than 6. The chemical and sensory analyses allowed to clearly differentiate all ingredient formulations on the basis of both composition and volatile profile. Microbiological data were in the normal ranges for similar products and excluded the presence of pathogens. Finally, no off-flavour was perceveid in the tested formulations.

The aim of thiswork was to characterize the physico-chemical, sensory and volatile profile of functional biscuits enriched with grape marc extract. Control biscuits, without the addition of extract, were produced for comparisons. The enriched biscuits showed higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than control.Moreover, they had higher sensory scores for color (confirmed by greater values of a* and 100-L*), fruity odor, and sour taste, coupled with lower friability. The volatile analysis pointed out higher amounts of compounds derived from Maillard reaction (with the exception of pyrazines) and from lipid oxidation. The latter, imputable to the presence of grape seeds in rawmaterials, were far fromprovoking off-flavors. The principal components analysis, carried out on the volatile compounds and color data, discriminated biscuit types on the basis of the presence of grape marc extract. PC1 explained 68% of data variability.

In a future scenario where the world population will have doubled by 2050, legumes will be playing an important role in human nutrition since they are an inexpensive, protein-rich food source. In order to increase legume consumption, innovative solutions are needed to meet the needs of modern consumers. In this context, the aim of this study has been to set up pre-cooked legume-based burgers that couple high nutritional value and good sensory features and to evaluate their chemical, nutritional and textural profile, as well as the consumers acceptance based on the type of cereal used. The proposed legume-based burgers were characterized by fatty-acid and amino acid profile fulfilling the dietary guidelines. Mono-unsaturated fatty acids accounted for about 61% of the total fatty acids, so that more than 20% of the total energy values of the burgers were provided by MUFA. Moreover, fiber content was comprised between 5.58% and 7.88% of fresh matter, so as to meet the requirements for ‘high fiber’ and/or for ‘source of fiber’ nutritional claims. Through a careful choice of the ingredient ratios we achieved a good level of consumer's appreciation, with scores higher than 6.5 for all the parameters considered, indicating good possibilities for industrial upscaling.

BACKGROUND: Various studies have shown the ability of volatile compounds to influence the quality of charcuterie products because of their effect on sensorial properties. To the best of our knowledge, there are no data in the scientific literature concerning the evolution of volatile compounds of vacuum-packed ripened sausages over time. The aim of this work was to evaluate the evolution of volatile compounds in vacuum-packed ripened sausages over time, considering that this kind of packaging is the most commonly used to prolong the shelf-life of these products. RESULTS: Sixty-nine volatile compounds were identified. Those derived from spices represented the prevailing compounds at the beginning of storage and significantly decreased (P < 0.001) during 5 months of storage, as a result of the well-known antioxidant activity. Conversely, compounds derived from the autoxidation of lipids, which are among those chiefly responsible of sensorial properties of meat products, significantly increased (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The research demonstrated that vacuum packaging influenced the evolution of volatile compounds during storage of ripened sausages. In particular, the increase of volatile compounds derived from autoxidation of the lipid fraction indicated that oxidative processes involved the fatty fraction of ripened sausages also in the scarcity of oxygen.

An experimental investigation was carried out with the aim to understand the oxidative and hydrolytic phenomena involving the lipid fraction of vacuum-packed sausages during long-term storage (5 months) and to verify their influence on the sensory characteristics. The data obtained pointed out that the oxidation was more pronounced in the initial stages of storage than in the further period, while the hydrolysis of lipid fraction significantly advanced during the whole storage time, supported by the high moisture level of the product. Both these phenomena resulted to be correlated with the sensory decay of the product. In particular, in the first stage of vacuum storage overall acceptability was found to be negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with rancid taste, acid value, and oxidized triacylglycerols. In the further stage the oxidative processes slowed down and affected in a lesser extent the sensory properties, which were more distinctly characterized by the onset of pungent perception attributed to compounds arising from multiple origins such as carbohydrate fermentation. This investigation confirmed the unreliability of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances test and the usefulness of high performance size exclusion chromatography analysis of the polar compounds of the lipid fraction to correctly determine the levels of the oxidative and hydrolytic degradation of the lipid fraction of vacuum-packed ripened sausages during long-term storage.