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.

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.

Although several studies have been carried out on the nutritional composition of buffalo milk, information about other products, except Mozzarella, are still scarce. The aim of this paper was the evaluation of chemical-physical parameters and the nutritional composition of buffalo yoghurt marketed in Italy. The investigation pointed out that buffalo yoghurt marketed in Italy is characterized by a homogeneous composition, with the exception of fat and apparent viscosity, which values were characterized by a high variability. This is probably attributable to the variability of the milk used in the production process, due to both breed and lactation period of buffalo as well as to variations in yoghurt manufacturing. The little differences noticed among the samples for the other parameters are probably due to the use of different strains of streptococci and lactobacilli in each manufacturing company. The sensory analysis evinced a good appreciation of the examined products. The analysis of volatile compounds allowed to distinguish 4 main groups of molecules: aldehydes, ketones, alcohols and acids. The volatiles present in higher quantity were 3-hydroxy-2-butanone and acetaldehyde, which are mainly responsible for the typical flavour of yoghurts.

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.

BACKGROUND: Almonds are healthy nutraceuticals, which vary across different cultivars. We compared the composition, agreeability and gastrointestinal effects of two almond cultivars from different areas. METHODS: Californian Carmel (CAcv) and local Apulian Filippo Cea (FCcv) cultivars were compared for the chemical composition and sensory evaluation according to visual analogue and semiquantitative scales in 60 volunteers. Gallbladder/gastric motility (ultrasonography) and orocecal transit time (H2-breath test) were studied in another 24 subjects by comparing the effects of a standard liquid test meal with isovolumetric almond test meals (24 g of CAcv or FCcv almonds). RESULTS: Proteins prevailed in CAcv, while FCcv contained more lipids and 10-times more total phenol content than CAcv. For agreeability, CAcv scored higher than FCcv for smell, texture and appearance, although different perceptions existed in lean (scores for smell, taste, texture, appearance higher for CAcv than FCcv), obese (CAcv better than FCcv only for appearance) and elderly subjects (CAcv better than FCcv only for texture). Gallbladder emptying was stronger with FCcv than CAcv. Antral dilatation after ingestion of both cultivars was greater than the dilatation observed after the test meal. Gastric emptying, however, was similar after FCcv, CAcv and the test meal. The orocecal transit time in response to both cultivars was shorter than after the test meal. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in composition and effects of FCcv and CAcv cultivars support their potential use as valuable nutraceutical tools, to be confirmed in further clinical studies.

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.

Baking process leads to a huge quantity of newly formed volatile compounds, which play a major role in developing the flavor of the final product. The aim of this work was to investigate on the evolution of the volatile profile of taralli as a function of both the kind of oil used in the dough and the storage time. The volatile compounds from the taralli were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction and analyzed by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Forty-four volatile compounds were identified in taralli, most of which produced by thermically induced reactions occurring during baking process, such as volatiles deriving from Maillard reaction and/or sugar degradation and lipid oxidation. The results obtained demonstrated the essential role played by the type of oil on the formation and on the release of volatile compounds. The volatile compounds significantly increased during storage and their individual levels were in most cases significantly lower in taralli made with extra virgin olive oil than in those made with refined oils. Finally, the taralli made with extra virgin olive oil, compared with those prepared with other vegetable oils, showed to be more resistant to oxidation, probably due to the presence of natural antioxidants.

Several studies have investigated the interaction of free fatty acids with the oxidative phenomena involving oils during processing and storage. Nevertheless, the available information is insufficient and, in some cases, contradictory. The aim of this work was to throw light upon this matter, by evaluating - by means of different analytical approaches - the effect of adding increasing amounts of free fatty acids (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 3%) on the oxidative processes occurring in purified olive oil during oxidation at 60 degrees C. The results obtained showed that oxidized forms of triglycerides and polar oligopolymers of triglycerides increased during oxidation. Low amounts of added FFA caused a further increase of the levels of oxidized triglycerides and triglyceride oligopolymers - pointing out a pro-oxidant activity - while higher doses of added free fatty acids lead to lower amounts of oxidized forms of triglycerides respect to the purified oil. This could be due to an increase in peroxide decomposition exerted by free fatty acids when present in higher amounts.

BACKGROUND: The study of pro-and anti-oxidant compounds is important for their influence on the shelf-life and nutritional value of food. The aim of this research was to evaluate the activity of monoacylglycerols(MAG), obtained by partial saponification of a purified olive oil, added in increasing amounts to the same oil and submitted to the Rancimat test and oven test at 60 degrees C. Besides routine analyses, high-performance size exclusion chromatography analysis of polar compounds was performed. RESULTS: The addition of MAG led in all cases to a significant slowdown of the oxidative processes. These trends were more evident as the oxidation went on. The purified oil added with 30 g kg(-1) of MAG after 9 days of oven test at 60 degrees C presented a level of oxidative degradation significantly lower than the control after only 4 days. CONCLUSION: The data showed a marked antioxidant effect of MAG in purified olive oil, contrary to what has been observed by other authors, who noticed either a pro-oxidant or a non-antioxidant activity of these compounds in soybean oil. A different behaviour of MAG during oxidation could depend on the different fatty acid composition of the oil matter they are added to.

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.

The aim of this paper is to offer a comprehensive overview of the evolution of the national and European legislative framework regarding the commercial classes of olive oils. The earliest rule in Italy dates back to 1890, while the current commercial classes have been set by the EEC Regulation 2568/91 and its further several amendments. Finally, future trends for European Regulations have been proposed.

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.

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.

An investigation was carried out to evaluate the use of High Performance Size-Exclusion Chromatography (HPSEC) of polar compounds of refined, mild deodorized, extra virgin olive oils as well as of their blends, in attempting to reveal significant differences in the amounts of the substance classes constituting polar compounds among these oils. Two sets of blends were prepared by mixing an extra virgin olive oil with both refined and mild deodorized olive oils in increasing amounts. The obtained data highlighted that the triacylglycerol oligopolymers were absent or present in traces in the extra virgin olive oil, while their mean amount was equal to 0.04 g/100 g and 0.72 g/100 g in mild deodorized and refined olive oils, respectively. Oxidized triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols were more abundant in mild deodorized oil and refined oil than in extra virgin olive oil. The Factorial Discriminant Analysis of the data showed that the HPSEC analysis could reveal the presence of refined/mild deodorized oils in extra virgin olive oils. In particular, the classification functions obtained allowed designation of mixtures containing at least 30 g/100 g of mild deodorized oil and all those containing refined olive oil as deodorized oil, therefore as oils subjected to at least a mild refining treatment.

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.

Among the compounds deriving from lipid degradation considerable importance should be given to the products of triacylglycerols hydrolysis, as well as those arising from oxidation. It was shown, in fact, that some of these compounds could have pro-oxidant activity, and therefore affect the shelf-life of foods and their nutritional value, with obvious implications to the consumers' health. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the role of partial acylglycerols and free fatty acids on the evolution of oxidation in vegetable oils. At the purpose, purified diacylglyerols, monoacylglycerols and free fatty acids were added in percent amounts between 0.25% and 3% to vegetable purified oils prepared in laboratory; the mixtures obtained were subjected to Rancimat test. The results showed a different behavior towards the oxidative stability of oils of the different partial acylglycerols considered.

An experimental investigation was carried out to evaluate the quality of taralli as a function of the type of oil used in their dough formulation. To this end, 4 types of oil (extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, olive-pomace oil, and refined palm oil) were utilized to prepare taralli to investigate on the lipid fraction degradation and evaluate the taralli acceptability by consumers. The data obtained pointed out that taralli manufactured with extra virgin olive oil were significantly more appreciated than those made with refined oils due to their visual appearance and odor. Moreover, with respect to the other kinds of oil, the use of extra virgin olive oil led to significantly lower values (P &lt; 0.05) of specific absorption at 232 and 270 nm (K(232) and K(270), respectively) and of triacylglycerol oligopolymers. It also proved to present a much lower content in oxidized triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols than olive-pomace oil and refined palm oil, respectively. Furthermore, trans fatty acid isomers were absent in taralli made with extra virgin olive oil but were constantly present in those produced with refined oils.

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 AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP A LABORATORY SCALE REFINING PLANT TO SIMULAT E THE INDUSTRIAL PRO C E S S I NG CO N D I T I O N S IN ORDER TO BETTER INVESTIGATE THE INFLUENCE OF THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS ON THE OIL DEGRADATION. THE COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT POSSIBLE PROCESSING CONDITIONS ALLOWED THE OPTIMAL PARAMETERS TO BE SET UP IN ORDER TO OBTAIN LABORATORY REFINED OILS HAVING SIMILAR ANALYTICAL PROPERTIES TO THOSE OF INDUSTRIALLY REFINED OILS.

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.

Taralli, agro-traditional food of Apulia, while not considered by consumers as fatty foods, give large amounts of dietary lipids, because they are also widely consumed. The spreading of diseases such as obesity, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes and digestive problems has led to greater attention to food quality also to the type of fat introduced in the diet. The purpose of this study was to try to replace refined oils commonly used for the taralli-making with extra virgin olive oil, preserving the organoleptic characteristics and texture of the product. The results proved the good sensory quality of taralli produced with extra virgin olive oil and the lack of oxidation of lipid fraction, as evidenced by the absence or presence in very low quantities of volatile compounds arising from the oxidation of of fat.

An experimental investigation was carried out with the aim to evaluate the pro-oxidant activity of oxidized triacylglycerols and compare it with that observed for polar triacylglycerol oligopolymers. The research on these classes of substances, that form during processing and storage of fats and oils, has a great concern with the study of the effect of heat in technologic processes, such as vegetable oils refining, frying and cooking. Oxidized triacylglycerols and polar triacylglycerol oligopolymers, obtained in purity by preparative gel permeation chromatography, were added in amounts of 0.25e1 g/100 g both to a purified and an unpurified olive oil. Regarding the oxidized triacylglycerols, the accelerated oxidation tests showed that the induction times of both oils significantly decreased at increasing concentrations of these compounds, demonstrating their pro-oxidant effect. Moreover, the data showed that the prooxidant activity of oxidized triacylglycerols was greater than that of polar triacylglycerol oligopolymers.

The purpose of this research was to assess the influence of the degradation level of crude oil on the appearance of new-formed products during refining, with particular regard to the triacylglycerol oligopolymers content. The aim was to standardize the quality of the olive oil commercial class. The data obtained showed that the content of triacylglycerol oligopolymers in the refined olive oil was positively related to the oxidation level of crude oil. Since these substances adversely affect the human health, a limit in the triacylglycerol oligopoliymers content would be desirable. This could represent an attempt to standardize the quality of olive oil to consumers' advantage.

Baking process leads to a huge quantity of newly formed volatile compounds, which play a major role in developing the flavor of the final product. The aim of this work was to investigate on the evolution of the volatile profile of taralli as a function of both the kind of oil used in the dough and the storage time. The volatile compounds from the taralli were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction and analyzed by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Forty-four volatile compounds were identified in taralli, most of which produced by thermically induced reactions occurring during baking process, such as volatiles deriving from Maillard reaction and/or sugar degradation and lipid oxidation. The results obtained demonstrated the essential role played by the type of oil on the formation and on the release of volatile compounds. The volatile compounds significantly increased during storage and their individual levels were in most cases significantly lower in taralli made with extra virgin olive oil than in those made with refined oils. Finally, the taralli made with extra virgin olive oil, compared with those prepared with other vegetable oils, showed to be more resistant to oxidation, probably due to the presence of natural antioxidants.

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.

In previous investigations natural antioxidants were proven to be effective in slowing down oxidative processes in breakfast cereals and limiting, as a consequence, the onset of off-flavours during storage. The list of the ingredients, on the other hand, is one of the aspects that can be taken in consideration in order to preserve the product properties during its shelf-life: the choice of a suitable packaging, in fact, should be considered with the same attention, since the extreme market segmentation lead to many different packaging solutions. The present work was aimed to investigate on the behaviour of natural antioxidants in breakfast cereals stored for 180 days in different commercial packages: a double-layer coextruded polypropylene bag and a high density polyethylene bag combined with a cardboard box. Qualitative descriptive sensory analysis was performed on these products. The results obtained showed interesting interactions between antioxidant and packaging: the polyethylene packaging sensibly improved the sensory properties of the product, acting in synergy with the employed antioxidants.

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.