The phenolic characterisation of unknown or not traditionally-used plants are of great interest, due to the potential use as novel sources of bio-functional compounds. Anthocyanins are at the centre of the interest concerning the numerous bioactive effects, observed both in vitro and in vivo: inhibition of growth of human colon cancer cells (1); high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity (2,3); protection of neuronal cells from oxidative stress (4); regulation of adipocyte function, preventing thus the risks related to metabolic syndrome (5). Anthocyanins are important also because every days significantly quantity of them are ingested from vegetable sources (6). As described for other foods like dark chocolate, also the proanthocyanidin fraction is correlated to the total antioxidant capacity. P. mahaleb L. ('Mahaleb' or 'St. Lucy' cherry) is a woody species used as rootstock for sweet and sour cherry, only in well-drained soils, as the Apulia (Italy) soils. It produces highly pigmented small stone fruits, that have no importance for crop production, due to their astringent and sour taste. The astringent taste should be probably correlated with a high content on proanthocyanidins. These fruits had never been characterized for their chemical composition, except for the constituents of kernels (7), used finely ground for sweet breads and confectionery. A preliminary phenolic characterization of Prunus mahaleb fruits was done (8). Aim of this study was the chemical characterization of both anthocyanins and proantocyanidins, particularly concerning their qualitative characterization as well as the evaluation of the total antioxidant capacity.

The aim of this work was to verify the antimicrobial activity of propolis and green tea extracts against foodborne Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Viability of the strains, assayed in broth against eight concentration of glycerol extracts ranging from 0 to 25%, was clearly affected only at concentration higher than 6%. Then, the 24h microbial growth kinetic for both pathogens was drawn for both extracts only at 25 and 12.5%. The values of inhibition index turbidity ratio [1] were found always higher for green tea than for propolis; in addition, the inhibition index turbidity ratio produced by green tea extract was found always higher than 90% for S. aureus strains whereas it was close to 70% for the E. coli strains. Then, both extracts were incorporated into inert absorbent polysaccharide hydrogels at 10 and 70% and assayed, following the ASTM 2180, only against the most resistant E. coli O157:H7 strain. After 24 hours of contact, the concentration of viable cells showed a slight reduction for both extracts without any statistical (P<0.05) significant difference. In conclusion, antimicrobial compounds occurring in natural extracts showed a loss of antimicrobial activity when included into hydrogels. The causes of this phenomenon, still under examination, could be ascribed to a reduction in the specific antimicrobial activity, or in the mobility, of different natural compounds. AcknowledgementThis work was carried out by MAIN spa and OR.MA. srl (Pisticci, Mt, Italy) within a research project funded by Italian Ministry of Economic Development within the project (DM 04/09/2013).References1. Baruzzi F, Pinto L, Quintieri L, Carito A, Calabrese N, Caputo L (2015) Efficacy of lactoferricin B in controlling ready-to-eat vegetable spoilage caused by Pseudomonas spp. International Journal of Food Microbiology 215: 179-186.

Echinoderms represent one interesting marine renewable resource and produce bioactive compounds related to their innate immune system.These invertebrates indeed are able to differentiate self from non-self through the production of soluble molecules and coelomocytes response playing animportant role in the resistance to disease.Therefore, they appear as a promising alternative valuable source of new compounds for drug development. In particular, the application of new marine antioxidants in foods, food supplements,nutraceuticals and medicine is recently considered from the perspective of benefits to human health. Inthis study, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activityof several echinoderm species was investigated.We focused our attention on the two sea urchinsSphaerechinus granularis and Arbacia lixula and onthe sea star Echinaster sepositus. Coelomic fluidand coelomocyte lysate of each species wereutilized for antimicrobial activity assay using theKirby Bauer method (1966). The antioxidant activityof the samples was measured by two in vitroassays: the TEAC (Trolox Equivalent AntioxidantCapacity) assay based on a single electron transfer(SET) reaction, using ABTS [2-2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenz-thazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] as chromogenand the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbancecapacity) based on a hydrogen transfer mechanism(HAT). Both the antioxidant assays showed a higherantioxidant activity in the coelomocyte lysatecompared to coelomic fluid for all the Echinodermspecies studied. Moreover A. lixula cell lysate hadthe highest antioxidand activity both with TEAC andORAC assay. These antioxidant values arecomparable with those reported in the literature forvarious high antioxidant fruit and spice extracts.Among the investigated species, the coelomocytelysate of A. lixula showed a bacteriostatic activityagainst two emerging pathogenic bacteriaPseudomonas aerugionsa and Staphylococcusaureus and against the yeast Candida famata.These results are noteworthy considering theresistance against antibiotics developed by bacteriaand the need to control human infections. Theantioxidant activity was also of interest since it is thefirst record for the investigated species andrepresents a potential for applicative purposes.

Prunus mahaleb L. is a rootstock used for sweet cherry crop in Apulia (Italy), an important cherry producing and exporting Italian Region. The hydro-alcoholic extract of P. mahaleb fruits has been analyzed for anthocyanin content and antimutagenic activity. HPLC/DAD/MS analysis indicated that 'Mahaleb' cherry fruit is extremely rich in anthocyanins (1751 mg/100 g D.W, more than 500 mg /100g F.W.), more than sweet and sour cherries. Moreover the protective effect of P. mahaleb was investigated by using D7 strain of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Results showed that treatments with P. mahaleb fruit extract decreased significantly the mutagenesis induced by hydrogen peroxide in S.cerevisiae.

Prunus mahaleb L. is a marginal fruit crop producing cherry-like dark purple drupes with avery bitter taste, rich in polyphenolic compounds.A mahaleb fruit concentrated extract (mfce)has been assayed for its biological activities. In this work, we report results on the in vitroeffects of mfce including: i) anti-proliferative, gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC)modulation and pro-apoptotic properties in a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), ii) antiinflammatoryproperties in human vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC), iii) anti-mutageniceffect on yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain D7. Mfce exerted a dose-dependent antiproliferativeeffect on MCF-7 cells together with a significant time-dependent increase inGJIC and a pro-apoptotic effect. Furthermore, mfce significantly reduced levels of endothelialinflammatory antigens in a concentration-dependent manner. Finally, mfce protectedS. cerevisiae cells against H2O2 cytotoxicity by direct radical scavenging activity. This studydemonstrated multiple healthful biological effects of mfce, highlighting it as a potentialnutraceutical product.

Numerose evidenze scientifiche incoraggiano il consumo di frutta e verdura per prevenire malattie cardiovascolari e tumori. Tuttavia il loro consumo rimane sotto il limite consigliato dall'Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità. Per questo motivo i consumatori e le aziende alimentari sono alla ricerca di bevande salutistiche "ready-to-drink".I frutti di P. mahaleb, ricchi di composti salutistici (antocianine, flavonoli e cumarine) non sono commestibili a causa del loro sapore amaro, ma l'impiego biotecnologico della fermentazione controllata, utilizzata per migliorare le qualità organolettiche, salutistiche e di serbevolezza di frutta e verdura, potrebbe consentirne l'utilizzo come nuova fonte di probiotici e phytochemicals.

Betacyanin (betanin), total phenolics, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity (by Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC and oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC assays) were investigated in two differently coloured cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) genotypes, one with purple fruit and the other with orange fruit, from the Salento area, in Apulia (South Italy). In order to quantitate betanin in cactus pear fruit extracts (which is difficult by HPLC because of the presence of two isomers, betanin and isobetanin, and the lack of commercial standard with high purity), betanin was purified from Amaranthus retroflexus inflorescence, characterized by the presence of a single isomer. The purple variety showed very high betanin content, with higher levels of phenolics, vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity (TEAC) than the orange variety. These findings confirm the potential for exploiting the autochthonous biodiversity of cactus pear fruits. In particular, the purple variety could be an interesting source of coloured bioactive compounds which not only have colouring potential, but are also an excellent source of dietary antioxidant components which may have beneficial effects on consumers' health.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetable in the worldand it is a large source of bioactive compounds, including lycopene and othercarotenoids, flavanols (quercetin) and flavanones (naringenin). However, theconcentration of flavonoids in tomato is considered sub-optimal, particularly becauseanthocyanins are not generally present. Therefore this species has been the object of anintense metabolic engineering in order to obtain anthocyanin-enriched tomatoes byusing either breeding or transgenic strategies.Some tomato-related wild species, such as S. chilense, S. cheesmaniae, S.lycopersicoides and S. habrochaites, biosynthesize anthocyanins in the sub-epidermaltissue, and some allneles from those genotypes have been introgressed into cultivatedgenetics backgrounds, resultig in a 'purple' skin color. The breeding activity pursued atTuscia University (Viterbo, Italy), aimed at combining different alleles leading toanthocyanin production, have been lead to "Sun BlackTM , a trade mark-protectedtomato line with deep purple pigmentation, due to the biosynthesis of anthocyanins inthe peel. "Sun Black" is therefore a breeding product, not a GMO product. This aspect isconsidered an added-value for the market. In fact "Sun Black" tomato has been availablein July 2015 on the Italian market, thanks to an exclusive agreement between the ownerof the trademark and Unicoop Firenze.We report here the chemical characterization and structure elucidation of the uniqueanthocyanins found in the epiderm of "Sun Black" tomato, as well as other bioactivecompounds (carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C) of the whole fruit.The results show the unique features of this tomato genotipe as a 'novel food' withfunctional properties.Keyword: tomato, anthocyanins, functional food

Bioactive compounds, mainly polyphenols, present in berries, are thought to be responsible for the health benefits of these fruit. Therefore, it isworthwhile to define the optimal environmental conditions to maximise their polyphenol content.OBJECTIVE: With the aim to define the optimal conditions for berry cultivation in an innovative environment, red raspberry,wild strawberry and blackberry plants were grown in a traditional greenhouse in comparison with two photovoltaicgreenhouses with different shading area.METHODS: Hydroalcoholic extracts of ripe berries were evaluated by HPLC analysis, for their anthocyanins, organic acids and sugar contents. Moreover, phenolic content (by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay) and antioxidant activity (by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity-TEAC assay) were assayed on the same berry extracts.RESULTS: Total anthocyanins, phenols content and antioxidant capacity tended to increase in berries grown under shading.The sugars content was, mostly, not negatively influenced by the shading. Conversely, the organic acids content, in some instances, increased along with the shading percentage.CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that it is possible to combine the greenhouse production of high-quality berries (with a particular focus on polyphenols, bioactive compounds valuable for human health) with the production of renewable energy, in the context of sustainable agriculture

Introduction: Wine grape pomace (WGP), the byproduct of wine making, is a good source of polyphenols, dietary fiber, metals, and may be incorporated into various food products as a functional ingredient. This study investigated the effects of different drying methods and storage up to 6 months on the retention of polyphenols and essential metals in two types of red WGP skin. The biological properties of WGP polyphenol extracts were also analysed in inflamed human cultured endothelial cells.Material & Methods: Antioxidant activity, total phenols content, polyphenol and anthocyanin analyses were carried out (Gerardi et al., 2015; D'Introno et al. 2009). Metal concentrations were measured using the ICP-AES technique (Scortichini et al., 2018). Biological activity of WGP polyphenol extracts were evaluated through the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and E-Selectin) by EIA (Calabriso et al., 2016).Results: The different drying methods tested showed similar polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity of two WGP skin. The WGP polyphenol extracts significantly reduced the endothelial adhesion molecules expression in endothelial cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide.Conclusion: Our findings appreciate the grape skins pomace as rich source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and suggest their exploitation as functional ingredients.

The human health benefits of fruits and vegetables are ascribed to theirphytochemical content, such as carotenoids and polyphenolics. In the search forantioxidative chemicals from native fruits of the Puglia region of Italy, Prunus cerasusL., an acidic cherry widely used for culinary purposes, and Prunus mahaleb L., a treespecies commonly used as rootstock in cherry crop, were studied. The P. mahalebfruits have a high content of organic acids, fructose and vitamin C, but are notconsumed fresh because of a bitter and sour taste. In this work we obtained the 1HNMR spectra of the two species and from the comparison of these spectra, we foundthat P. mahaleb fruits have an higher concentration of phenolic compounds, such asflavonoids, and organic acids, in comparison to P. cerasus fruits. The same resultswere obtained when we focused on anthocyanins. In this study we identified thesignals of anthocyanin protons in 1H NMR spectra of a mixture of compounds inaqueous extracts of both P. cerasus and P. mahaleb fruits but the latter species showeda higher concentration and a larger number of these compounds. This metabolomicanalysis gave us the data to scientifically revalue traditionally-used plants like P.mahaleb and to identify the potential as source of biofunctional compounds to be usedin food and/or pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, in this study, NMR spectroscopycoupled with multivariate data analysis was applied to Prunus metabolomics in orderto investigate the botanical origins of Prunus cerasus and to identify the compoundsresponsible for differentiation of these two species of Prunus (cerasus and mahaleb)and of two cultivars of Prunus cerasus ('Montmorency' and 'Marasca di Zara').

European hazelnut is an important nut crop in Italy, where about 121,750 tons of in-shell nuts are produced every year. Roasting is the most important practice for hazelnut preservation and commonly is carried out in commercial electrical ovens at 120-160°C for 10-20 min. This needful practice is time and energy expensive, so the development of new processing methods is required to reduce processing costs and to obtain top quality roasted nuts. The aim of this study was to develop a simple microwave treatment for hazelnuts peeling and roasting.With this aim, some physical (colour, temperature, moisture) and chemical (taste, lipoxygenase activity, fatty acids, vitamins, sensory attributes) features of inshell nuts and kernels of three Italian hazelnut varieties (Tonda di Giffoni, Tonda Romana and Nocchione) after conventional oven or microwave roasting were evaluated.Results showed that microwave roasting of kernels for 450 s gave a higher peeling score than the conventional oven treatment. This paralleled with better colour and taste scores for microwaved roasted kernels. Furthermore, a 360-450 s microwave roasting was able to inactivate almost completely lipoxygenases, avoiding adverse effects on fatty acids hydroperoxides and PUFA content. A shorter microwave treatment (360 s) was enough to obtain good peeling and sensory scores of inshell hazelnuts.Taken together our results indicated that microwave technology can be successfully applied to both kernels and inshell hazelnuts to obtain suitable peeling and high quality roasted nuts.

Given the significant increase in consumer interest in organic food products, there is a need to determine to what extent there is a scientific basis for claims made for organic products. Apart from the sensory quality and food safety, there is a need to assess the nutritional value of organic vs. conventional (or integrated) food. Measurement of antioxidant activity using biologically relevant assays isimportant in the screening of fruits for potential health benefits. ORAC assay has been used in the assessment of antioxidant activity of strawberry extracts, from organically and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strawberry plants, grown in the highly suited area of Basilicata (south Italy). Results on two genotypes ('Candonga' and 'Ventana') indicated that strawberries organically cultivated had statistically significant higher antioxidant activity than the IPM strawberries. Particularly, in the methanolic extract of organic 'Candonga', at red stage of ripening, the ORAC value was 31.5% higher than the IPM one. Further investigations on bioactive compound composition (namely anthocyanins and other flavonoids) are needed to identify the specific contribution to antioxidant capacity of organic strawberries.

The carrot (Daucus carota L.) is an important vegetable source of bioactive compounds in the human diet. In the Apulia region (Southern Italy), local farmers have domesticated colored landraces of carrots over the years, strictly related to local cults and traditions. Amongst these, an important landrace is the carrot of Saint Ippazio or the Tiggiano carrot. In the present study, we evaluated the content of carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, sugars, organic acids, and antioxidant activity in Tiggiano carrots. Our results indicated that yellow-purple carrots have the highest levels of bioactive compounds, together with the highest antioxidant capacity compared to the yellow and cultivated orange varieties. These data point out the nutritional value of purple Tiggiano carrots and may contribute to the valorization of this typical landrace.

The identification of novel plant-based functional foods or nutraceutical ingredients that possess bioactive properties with antioxidant function has recently become important to the food, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. This study evaluates the polyphenolic composition, identifies bioactive compounds and assays the total antioxidant capacity of Prunus mahaleb L. fruits collected from different populations and sampling years in the countryside around Bari (Apulia Region, Italy).RESULTS: We identified nine polyphenolic compounds including major anthocyanins, coumaric acid derivatives and flavonols from P. mahaleb fruits. The anthocyanin content (in some populations > 500 mg/100 g fresh weight; FW) in the fruit was comparable to that reported for so-called superfruits such as bilberries, chokeberries and blackcurrants. Coumaric acid derivatives comprised a large portion of the total polyphenolic content in the P. mahaleb fruits. Antioxidant activities, assessed using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays, measured up to 15 and 4.5 mmol/100 g FW, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that mahaleb fruit (currently not consumed fresh or used in other ways) could serve as a source of bioactive compounds and therefore find interest from the functional food and nutraceutical industries, as a natural food colorant and antioxidant ingredient in the formulation of functional foods.

There is an increasing consumer and retailer demand for new natural colorants. Anthocyanins are a class of molecules already used as water-soluble natural color- ant and for their health effects. Prunus mahaleb L. is a tree native to the Mediterranean area, producing highly pig- mented small-stone fruits currently not used for fresh con- sumption due to their astringent and sour taste. In the pre- sent study, we set up a protocol to obtain a "mahaleb fruit concentrated extract" (mfce) and characterized it chemi- cally by high-performance liquid chromatography/diode array detection. Anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, cou- marin, sugars, ascorbic acid and organic acids were identi- fied and quantified. After characterization, the antioxidant capacity of the mfce was assayed in vitro by three different methods: Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and Folin-Ciocalteu assays. The concentrated extract produced and characterized in this study showed a high content of anthocyanins, flavonols and coumarin and a strong antioxidant capacity. Therefore, mfce may be of interest as a natural food colorant and as an ingredient in the formulation of functional foods.

PRUNUS MAHALEB, L. FERMENTED FRUITS: A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PROBIOTIC MICRORGANISMSGerardi Carmela1, Tristezza Mariana1, Giordano Luca1, Maiorano Gabriele1, Blando Federica1, de Candia Silvia2, Grieco Francesco11 Institute of Sciences of Food Production, CNR, Territorial Unit of Lecce, Italy2 Institute of Sciences of Food Production, CNR, Territorial Unit of Bari, ItalyFermentation is a process traditionally adopted to preserve food which results in novel fermented products, provided with specific organoleptic properties. Prunus mahaleb L. is an autochthonous tree of the Mediterranean area. Its highly pigmented small-stone fruits are characterized for astringent and sour taste and therefore not used for fresh consumption. Recently, Prunus mahaleb L. fruits were found endowed with high bioactive compound content, especially anthocyanins, and strong antioxidant capacity [1]. With the aim to reduce their sourness, P. mahaleb fruits were dipped in water and fermented for 20 days at 25°C with four starter cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum strains alone or in mixture with a single strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. During this period, viable cell count of L. plantarum strains was never found lower than 107CFU/ml that is the lower concentration request to probiotic microorganisms to promote beneficial effects on human health. S. cerevisiae in all trials reached a maximum population three days after inoculation and then, cells counts slightly decreased in a range from 107 to 103 CFU/mL depending on the co-inoculated bacteria strain. Among L. plantarum strains, only the FG68 survived after an in vitro digestion protocol specifically set up for the selection of potentially probioitic lactic acid bacteria [2]. As concerns the antioxidant activity, the fermentation medium always showed higher values when L. plantarum strains were co-coltured with S. cerevisiae. Conversely, no differences were found in fermented fruits even though their antioxidant capacity values were higher than the large part of fruits included in the human diet.References1.Gerardi C, Tommasi N, Albano C, Blando F, Rescio L, Pinthus E, Mita G (2015) Prunus mahaleb L., fruit extracts: a novel source from natural food pigments. European Food Research & Technology 241: 683-695.2.Baruzzi F, Poltronieri P, Quero GM, Morea M. (2011) An in vitro protocol for direct isolation of potential probiotic lactobacilli from raw bovine milk and traditional fermented milks. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 90: 331-342.

Using four different chromatographic steps, b-galactosidase was purified from the ripe fruit of sweetcherry to apparent electrophoretic homogeneity with approximately 131-fold purification. The Prunusavium b-galactosidase showed an apparent molecular mass of about 100 kDa and consisted of fourdifferent active polypeptides with pIs of about 7.9, 7.4, 6.9 and 6.4 as estimated by native IEF and bgalactosidase-activity staining. The active polypeptides were individually excised from the gel andsubjected to SDS-PAGE. Each of the four native enzymes showing b-galactosidase activity was composedof two polypeptides with an estimated mass of 54 and 33 kDa. Both of these polypeptides were subjectedto N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. The 54 kDa polypeptide of sweet cherry b-galactosidaseshowed a 43% identity with the 44 kDa subunit of persimmon and apple b-galactosidases and the 48 kDasubunit of carambola galactosidase I. The sweet cherry b-galactosidase exhibited a strict specificitytowards p-nitrophenyl b-D-galactopyranoside, a pH optimum of 4.0 and Km and Vmax values of 0.42 mMand 4.12 mmol min
1 mg
1 of protein respectively with this substrate. The enzyme was also activetowards complex glycans. Taken together the results of this study prompted a role for this class ofenzymes on sweet cherry fruit ripening and softening.

Anthocyanins, the naturally occurring pigments responsible for most red to blue colours of flowers, fruits and vegetables, have also attracted interest because of their potential health effects. With the aim of contributing to major insights into their structure-activity relationship (SAR), we have evaluated the radical scavenging and biological activities of selected purified anthocyanin samples (PASs) from various anthocyanin-rich plant materials: two fruits (mahaleb cherry and blackcurrant) and two vegetables (black carrot and "Sun Black" tomato), differing in anthocyanin content (ranging from 4.9 to 38.5 mg/g DW) and molecular structure of the predominant anthocyanins. PASs from the abovementioned plant materials have been evaluated for their antioxidant capacity using Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assays. In human endothelial cells, we analysed the anti-inflammatory activity of different PASs by measuring their effects on the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. We demonstrated that all the different PASs showed biological activity. They exhibited antioxidant capacity of different magnitude, higher for samples containing non-acylated anthocyanins (typical for fruits) compared to samples containing more complex anthocyanins acylated with cinnamic acid derivatives (typical for vegetables), even though this order was slightly reversed when ORAC assay values were expressed on a molar basis. Concordantly, PASs containing non-acylated anthocyanins reduced the expression of endothelial inflammatory antigens more than samples with aromatic acylated anthocyanins, suggesting the potential beneficial effect of structurally diverse anthocyanins in cardiovascular protection.

Echinoderms are a renewable resource with an economic value due to their increasing demand as food and/or source of bioactive molecules exerting antitumor, antiviral, anticoagulant, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. In this framework, the present study is aimed at investigating the antibacterial, antioxidant, and hemolytic activities in the three Echinoderm species Echinaster sepositus, Arbacia lixula, and Sphaerechinus granularis. The sea star E. sepositus showed lysozyme-like activity (mean diameter of lysis of 13.4 +/- 0.2 mm), an antimicrobial activity against the human emerging pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida famata, and a strong lytic activity (100 +/- 0.05%) towards the human red blood cells. Furthermore A. lixula and E. sepositus had the highest antioxidant activity (1792.75 +/- 233.7 and 1765.65 +/- 484.58 nmolTE/mL, resp.). From toxicological assays, it was shown that E. sepositus was not toxic towards HeLa cells and Vibrio fischeri, encouraging the exploitation of this species in the pharmaceutical field. Therefore, our findings have implications due to the ongoing explosion of antibiotic-resistant infections because of the new opportunistic pathogens and the need to discover antibacterial agents with new modes of action. Also the recorded antioxidant activity taking into account the need to find natural antioxidants useful for human health is intriguing.

Solar photovoltaic greenhouses have become more popular, especially in the countries of southern Europe, due to specific government remuneration policies. However, many agronomic questions need to be addressed. This research was carried out in three types of commercial greenhouses covered with different materials (polycarbonate modules [PCM], traditional [TPM] and innovative semi-transparent [IPM] photovoltaic modules) with the aim to verify the compatibility of solar energy production with the production of high-quality wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.). IPM may satisfy the entire electricity demand of a commercial greenhouse. Yield for rocket grown in TPM was lower than for IPM and PCM. Antioxidant properties and dry weight decreased as a consequence of decreasing cumulative photosynthetic photon flux density. Nitrate content in TPM was higher (about 10,000 mg o kg-1 FW) than the maximum limits allowed by EC Regulation No. 1258/2011, whereas it was lower in IPM and PCM (1,805 and 668 mg o kg-1 FW, respectively).The results suggest that it is possible to combine solar energy production with high-quality wild rocket production, using innovative semi-transparent PV modules.

This study investigates the effects of tomato puree fortification (ftp) with several anthocyanin-rich food colorants on bioactive compound content (phenolics, isoprenoids), antioxidant capacity, in vitro biological activities and consumer acceptance. Tomato puree (tp) was added with different anthocyanin extracts from Daucus carota L. var. atrorubens (Anthocarrot), Vitis vinifera L. fruit skins (Enocolor), Sambucus nigra L. (Elderberry) or Prunus mahaleb L. (Mahaleb) fruits. The consumer acceptance (colour, flavor, taste, visual appearance) was at high level, except for Mahaleb-added extracts. Compared to the control (tp), the addition of colouring extracts increased significantly the total phenolic content, before pasteurization, in addition to the expected anthocyanin content. However, after pasteurization, only Anthocarrot-ftp preserved increased phenolic (+53%) content, as well as higher antioxidant capacity (50%). Consistently, against tp, Anthocarrot-ftp exhibited an increased anti-inflammatory capacity as showed by the reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 in human cultured endothelial cells, under inflammatory conditions.

Seaweeds represent one of the most important marine renewable resources and produce structurally novel secondary metabolites with antibacterial, antialgal, antifungal, antitumoral and antioxidant properties. Therefore, natural products from marine algae appear as a promising alternative valuable source of new compounds for drug development. In particular the application of seaweeds antioxidants in foods, food supplements, nutraceuticals and medicine is recently considered from the perspective of benefits to human health. Moreover seaweeds often produce salt-stable antimicrobial compounds useful in the control of fish or shellfish pathogens in aquaculture where the high-salt conditions might reduce antibiotic efficacy. In this investigation the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Cystoseira barbata lipidic extract was assayed The seaweed was collected in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea, Italy), washed, dried and powdered. The powdered material was subjected to Soxhlet extraction using choloroform/methanol (2:1 at 55-60 °C for 24 h). Five milligrams of extract were dissolved in ethanol and assayed for antimicrobial activity using the Kirby Bauer method (1966). The antioxidant activity of the extract was measured using two in vitro assays: the TEAC (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity) assay based on a single electron transfer (SET) reaction, using ABTS [2-2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenz-thazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] as chromogen and the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) based on a hydrogen transfer mechanism (HAT). The antioxidant activity of the extract measured by TEAC and ORAC assays were respectively equivalent to 225,19±10,99 and 800,67±180,24 ?mol Trolox Equivalent/g extract. These antioxidant values are comparable with those reported in the literature for various high antioxidant fruit and spice extracts. C. barbata lipidic extract showed a bacteriostatic activity against Pseudomonas aerugionsa as well as all the Vibrio species utilized (Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio cholerae non O-1,). These results are noteworthy considering the resistance against antibiotics developed by bacteria and the need to control fish and shellfish diseases due to vibriosis. The antioxidant activity was also of interest taking into account the potential for protective effects of seaweed against lipid oxidation in food and oxidative stress in target tissue and LDL in vivo.

Recently, there is a growing interest towards the development of strategies for invasive seaweed control and exploitation as source of secondary metabolites. Here, we investigated the potential of exploitation in biotechnology and recycling options in eradication programs of the lipidic extract of the Mediterranean invasive seaweed Caulerpa cylindracea (Chlorophyta). The chemical characterization was carried out by means of multinuclear and multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. The fatty acid profile of C. cylindracea assessed the presence of several types of molecules known for antioxidant activity such as carotenoids, chlorophylls, pheophytins, and sterols. The NMR spectroscopy showed also the characteristic signals of saturated, unsaturated, and free fatty acids as well as other metabolites including the biopolymer polyhydroxybutyrate. The lipidic extract exerted an antioxidant activity corresponding to 552.14 ± 69.13 mmol Trolox equivalent/g (ORAC) and to 70.3 ± 2.67 mmol Trolox equivalent/g (TEAC). The extract showed an antibacterial activity against several Vibrio species, suggesting its potential use in the control of diseases in mariculture. Our results show that C. cylindracea, representing a critical hazard in coastal areas, could be transformed into a gain supporting specific management actions to reduce the effects of human pressures.

IntroduzionePrunus mahaleb L. è un arbusto deciduo che cresce in boschi radi anche su terreni marginali e in climi aridi. L'albero è nativo dei paesi del mediterraneo e dell'Asia centrale e produce dei piccoli frutti simili a ciliegie di un colore quasi nero, non commestibili a causa del loro sapore amaro. Studi precedenti hanno dimostrato un elevato contenuto in antocianine in questi frutti, che suggerisce il loro utilizzo come fonte di coloranti alimentari dotati di proprietà salutistiche.ObiettiviCaratterizzazione chimica di un estratto concentrato di frutti di P. mahaleb e studio in vitro dei suoi effetti anticancerogeni, antiinfiammatori e antimutagenici.MetodologiaI frutti di mahaleb sono stati estratti con solventi consentiti per uso alimentare (etanolo + 1% acido citrico 1M) e l'estratto, concentrato sino a 60 °Brix, analizzato utilizzando metodiche HPLC. Sono stati effettuati saggi in vitro per studiare la capacità dell'estratto di inibire la proliferazione di linee cellulari tumorali umane (MCF-7), le sue proprietà antinfiammatorie su cellule endoteliali vascolari umane e infine i suoi effetti antimutagenici su linee di lievito Saccharomyces cerevisiaeD7.Risultati e DiscussioneL'estratto concentrato ha mostrato un elevato contenuto in antocianine, flavonoli e cumarina ed una elevata attività antiossidante simile o superiore a quella di altri noti estratti concentrati di frutti rossi. Lo studio delle attività biologiche dell'estratto ha mostrato: i) un significativo effetto antiproliferativo e capacità di modulare le GJIC in cellule MCF-7; ii) una inibizione dell'espressione di markers infiammatori tipici dell'attivazione endoteliale (ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectine) in cellule endoteliali ottenute da vena ombelicale umana in coltura; iii) una riduzione di circa tre volte dell'effetto mutageno di H2O2 su cellule di S. cerevisiae. Questi risultati suggeriscono l'utilizzo dei frutti di P. mahaleb processati, come fonte di coloranti alimentari naturali e di composti bioattivi con proprietà salutistiche.

Valorization of the neglected Prunus mahaleb L., fruits as a source of functional moleculesGerardi C.1, Frassinetti S.3, Leone A.1, Calabriso N.2, Carluccio M.A.2, F. Blando1 and Mita G. 11 Institute of Sciences of Food Production, CNR, Lecce, Italy2 Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Lecce, Italy3 Institute of Biology and Agricultural Biotechnology, CNR, Pisa, ItalyAbstract: Prunus mahaleb L. is a tree producing dark-red small stone fruits, not used for fresh consumption due to their astringent and sour taste. In this communication will be described a "mahaleb fruit concentrated extract" (mfce) and its chemical characterization. The extract showed high anthocyanin, flavonol and coumarin content. Moreover, the results of the in vitro assays for mfce biological activities will be reported. Mfce showed strong antioxidant capacity and anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic effects. This study demonstrated several healthful effects of mfce that may be of interest as natural food colorant and as source of molecules for the formulation of functional foods.

La Lattoria è una azienda zootecnica del Salento per la produzione di latte bovino, che ha investito in impianti automatizzati per il veicolamento alla mungitura delle bovine e la raccolta robotizzata del latte. In questo modo, il latte è di alta qualità, paucimicrobico, e, grazie ad una alimentazione varia e controllata, ben equilibrato in sostanza grassa.L'azienda produce uno yogurt cremoso, non sgrassato, disponibile al pubblico tramite un distributore automatico refrigerato, da cui i clienti si riforniscono nelle 24 h, oltre che allo spaccio aziendale e in alcuni punti vendita a Lecce. Il benessere degli animali e un buon livello di pulizia forniscono una materia prima di elevato gusto, per la produzione di yogurt. La collaborazione con ISPA-CNR è in corso per evidenziare punti di forza e criticità e ampliare i segmenti di mercato (ceppi starter, tipi di frutta, alimenti funzionali).