Blanched skins and blanching water, by-products of almond processing, were evaluated as potential ingredients of bakery products. The research included three phases: i) optimization of skin drying; ii) optimization of quali-quantitative determination of phenolic compounds, by comparing three extracting protocols; iii) assessment of the impact of by-products on the rheology of composite doughs with wheat flour. The least time-consuming drying mode (at 60 °C for 30 min) retained better odor notes, higher content of phenolics (814 µg/g d.m. by HPLC, with the most effective extracting method) and greater antioxidant activity than sun-drying. Blanching water showed 917 µg/mL phenolics. Dried almond skins altered alveograph and farinograph indices of dough at doses higher than 30 and 50 g/kg, respectively, whereas blanching water did not cause significant changes. Therefore, almond skins could be used in products tolerating weak gluten network, such as cookies, whereas blanching water could be added to any bakery good.

In questo lavoro è stata condotta la caratterizzazione genetico-molecolare di circa 100 accessioni di olivo campionate in diverse località del Salento. L'obiettivo è stato la caratterizzazione, mediante marcatori molecolari (microsatelliti), di varietà autoctone del Salento a rischio di erosione genetica, e di altre varietà di olivo che, seppure di diversa origine geografica, risultano coltivate nel territorio salentino.

Whole wheat foods are significant source of compounds exhibiting health-promoting properties. One of the most abundant class of phytochemicals in the wheat grain is represented by phenolic acids that are typically localized in the bran and germ portions. The objective of this study was to estimate the extent of variation for phenolic acids in durum wheat (T. turgidum L. ssp. durum). In addition, this study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids contained in whole-meal flour extracts. Phenolic acids were recovered from the whole meal flours of 65 durum cultivars and subsequently identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD analysis. Then, the anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids extracts was evaluated on LPS-stimulated HT-29 human colon cells by measuring the levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) and transforming growth factor ?1 (TGF- ?1). A large variation for the content of phenolic acids was observed among genotypes and, on average, it accounted for 830 ?g/g dry weight. Whole meal flour extract significantly inhibited the secretion of the pro-inflammatory IL-8 mediator at 66 µg/mL of phenolic acids. Conversely, the secretion of the anti-inflammatory mediator TGF-?1 was not modified by addition of phenolic acids to HT-29 cells. Results showed that durum cultivars have different contents of phenolic acids, suggesting that a number of elite varieties could be used for breeding purposes. Moreover, results provide further insight into the health-related benefits of durum wheat foods as depending on the anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids.

Thermal properties of eighteen monovarietal extra virgin olive oils from Apulia region in Italy were evaluated by means of a modulated adiabatic scanning calorimeter (MASC) and related to their chemical composition (free acidity, UV absorbance, fatty acid composition, polyphenol and o-diphenol content, oxidation status). MASC was used to study oil sample phase transitions in a temperature scanning mode by using a tailor-made time-temperature protocol. Crystallization kinetics and transition enthalpies were found to be significantly correlated to single free fatty acids (palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids) and to unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio. The overall crystallization curves were significantly delayed and occurred over longer time ranges as a function of higher peroxide index and linoleic acid content. Significant correlations were observed between melting profiles and single fatty acids, unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and oleic/linoleic acid ratio. No significant correlations were observed between thermal properties and free acidity, linolenic acid, polyphenol and o-diphenol content.Compared with classical differential scanning calorimetry, MASC was simpler to use. The applied time-temperature protocol allowed to characterize extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) of different provenience with rapid measurements and friendly outcome data. MASC, with its compact and portable equipment, may promote practical applications of calorimetric test along the olive oil supply chain.

The increased consumption of whole wheat grains and whole wheat products has been associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer. These beneficial effects have been ascribed to the presence in whole wheat kernels of bioactive compounds which may vary for total content and composition among different wheat species and wheat varieties. In this work we present the profile of hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactive compounds of whole wheat semolina from five durum wheat elite cultivars. Whole semolina samples were analyzed to evaluate the total content and composition of phenolic acids (hydrophilic extract) and the total content and composition of carotenoids, tocopherols and tocotrienols (lipophilic extract). The total phenolic acid content was variable among the cultivars and ranged from 488 ?g/g to 1490 ?g/g whole flour. Among the detected compounds, ferulic acid was the most abundant, followed by sinapic acid and p-coumaric acid. Total carotenoid content varied from 2.64 µg/g whole flour and 4.75 µg/g whole flour and were mostly represented by lutein and zeaxanthin, while ?- e ?-carotene were present in trace amounts. Three different homologues of tocotrienols were detected (?, ? and ?), varying in a range between 18.3 and 28.6 µg/g whole flour, while tocopherols were detected in trace amounts. Duilio and Svevo cultivars, exhibited the highest content of hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactive compounds, respectively, and were selected to test the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts on human intestinal HT-29 cells. Preliminary experiments were carried out in order to assess the highest not cytotoxic concentration of lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts by using MTT test. Both extracts will be used to assess the anti-inflammatory activity on HT-29 cells stimulated by LPS mitogen, by quantification of IL-8. This research shows that whole wheat semolina flours of these five cultivars varied significantly in their contents of bioactive compounds and differences in their anti-inflammatory potential might suggest the possibility that durum wheat varieties could be selected based on potential health benefits.

We evaluated the bread making ability of meals composed of re-milled semolina and either 100 g/kg or 200 g/kg of i) residuals of the second and third debranning steps of durum wheat (DB), ii) the micronized and air-classified thin fraction obtained from the same residuals (MB), or iii) coarse bran obtained from conventional roller milling of non-debranned durum wheat (B). Dietary fibers, proteins, total soluble phenolic compounds, ferulic acid, and antioxidant activity were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in MB and DB than B. The addition of by products to re-milled semolina lowered the alveograph W and increased the P/L ratio, with stronger effects at higher doses. Particularly negative were the effects of B on P/L and farinograph dough-development time. Bread containing 100 g/kg of MB did not show significant differences (P < 0.05) in specific volume, crumbhardness, resilience, and chewiness with pure re-milled semolina bread but had higher dietary fiber, phenolics and antioxidant activity.

In questo lavoro ci siamo occupati del recupero del germoplasma olivicolo salentino ancora presente in provincia di Lecce, ma a forte rischio di erosione genetica. In particolare, abbiamo studiato il profilo molecolare di varietà antiche, quali: Colozzese, Barone di Monteprofico, Ornella, Usciana, Cornola, Uliva grossa, e di diversi cloni delle cultivar autoctone più diffuse sul territorio, ovvero Cellina di Nardò e Ogliarola di Lecce. Tutte le varietà analizzate in questo studio sono conservate in un campo collezione allestito negli anni '90 in agro di Carpignano salentino.

Bor? is a traditional Romanian beverage obtained by naturally fermenting an aqueous suspension of wheat branand corn flour, used as flavoring enhancer in local gastronomy since ancient times, and more recently consumedas refreshing drink. To investigate the changes in sensory, physico-chemical, phenolic and aroma compositionresulted after two successive fermentations, bor? samples were subjected to standard, sensory, HPLC and GC/MSanalysis. Total phenolic compounds and ferulic acid, the most abundant phenolic compound, were positivelyinfluenced by natural starter addition, increase of fermentation temperature, and thermal treatment, whereas theeffect on less abundant phenolic acids was not univocal. The variables had the same effect on antioxidant activityand brown index. Volatiles (alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters), pungent-sour and goat milk-cheese odor notesincreased at higher fermentation temperature, whereas bran and yogurt odor notes decreased. The addition of anatural starter at 4 °C allowed balancing odor intensity and antioxidant activity.

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 ultrasound-assisted 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.

Epidemiological studies associate whole-grain consumption with several health benefits and increasing evidence suggests whole-grain wheat polyphenols as healthy agents with anti-inflammatory properties (1). However, many studies demonstrated the impact, usually negative, of wheat bran, rich in polyphenols, on bread quality. We have previously evaluated the bread making ability of meals composed of re-milled semolina biofortified with selected durum wheat milling by-products (200 g/kg) that were: i) residuals of the second and third debranning steps of durum wheat (DB), ii) the micronized and air-classified thin fraction obtained from the same residuals (MB), or iii) coarse bran obtained from conventional roller milling of non-debranned durum wheat (B) (2). We showed that total soluble phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were significantly higher in MB and DB than in B (2), with acceptable bread quality in particular for MB. However, their biological anti-inflammatory potential was unknown. The aim of this study was to analyse the vascular anti-inflammatory properties of the phenolic extracts obtained from different biofortified bread by evaluating endothelium-monocyte adhesion and endothelial and monocytic inflammatory gene expression. Cultured human endothelial and monocytic cells were incubated with increasing concentrations (1, 5 or 10 ?g/mL) of phenolic acids extracts from biofortified bread (B, DB, MB) before stimulation with inflammatory challenge lipopolysaccharide (LPS 1 ?g/mL). All phenolic acids extracts inhibited, in a concentration-dependent manner, the stimulated endothelial leukocyte adhesion, and the protein expression of endothelial adhesion molecules. By real time PCR, we found that B, DB and MB phenolic extracts down-regulated the mRNA levels of adhesion molecules as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemoattractants in stimulated endothelial cells and monocytes. Our findings appreciate the bread biofortified with selected durum wheat milling by-products as a source of phenolic acids with multiple anti-inflammatory properties.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of encapsulation on the storage stability of oil extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide from a micronized durum wheat bran fraction. Wheat bran oil was encapsulated in 2% (w/v) sodium alginate beads. Encapsulated and unencapsulated oil samples were stored at 4°C or 25°C, daylight or darkness, over 90 days and, at defined time points, subjected to stability evaluation based on fatty acid hydroperoxide production, and tocopherol (?, ? and ? forms), tocotrienol (?, ? and ? forms) and carotenoid (lutein, zeaxanthin and ?-carotene) degradation. The encapsulation of the oil into alginate beads significantly increased stability, optimally when stored at 4°C, maintaining high levels of isoprenoids and low content of fatty acid hydroperoxides over 30 days of storage.

Wheat species contain a variety of polyphenols including phenolic acids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, condensed tannins, catechins and lignans. Phenolic acids represent the most common phenolic compounds found in whole wheat grains and can be found as soluble free, soluble conjugated bound to low molecular mass components (e.g. saccharides or organic acids); and insoluble bound forms, linked to polymers of the plant cell wall. Despite their high value for human health, only few studies have been carried out on the genetics and genomics of these bioactive compounds in durum wheat. The objectives of the present work were i) the estimation of genetic variability for phenolic acids composition and concentration in a set of 111 tetraploid wheat genotypes (Triticum turgidum L.), comprising durum cultivars, landraces and wild accessions; and ii) the detection of regions attributable to individual phenolic acids and total phenolic acids concentration by the means of a genome wide association study (GWAS). Phenolic acids were extracted from whole-meal flour and identified by DAD-HPLC analysis. A total of six major phenolic acids were quantified across the durum wheat genotypes, namely: ferulic, sinapic, p-coumaric, vanillic, syringic and p-hydroxibenzoic acids. The amount of total bound phenolic acids, ranged from 341 to 1700 ?g g-1 of whole-meal flour, with a mean value of 800 ?g g-1. The soluble free fraction (measured spectrophotometrically after Folin Ciocalteu reaction) ranged from 1280 to 3150 ?g g-1 as ferulic acid equivalents. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed the effects of genotype, year and year x genotype that were significant for all phenolic acids. The ratio of genotypic variance to total variance was moderately high suggesting that phenolic acids concentration can be further improved by breeding approaches in durum wheat.The GWAS was based on the detection of correlations between genotype and phenotype in the durum germplasm collection by using a high-density wheat SNP iSelect array including approximately 90,000 gene associated SNPs. Results showed several significant marker-trait associations (MTA), identifying eight quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with phenolic acids concentration. The highest number of MTAs was identified on chromosome 7A, where one QTL region was associated with phenolic acids content. The lowest number of MTAs was detected on chromosomes 3A and 5B, where only one MTA identified a single locus. Conservation of synteny between SNPs and the annotated genes and proteins in Brachypodium distachyon, Oryza sativa and Sorghum bicolor allowed the identification of two QTLs coincident with two different candidate genes.

Whole wheat foods are significant source of compounds exhibiting health-promoting properties. One of the most abundant class of phytochemicals in the wheat grain is represented by phenolic acids that are typically localized in the bran and germ portions. The objective of this study was to estimate the extent of genetic variation for phenolic acids in durum wheat (T. turgidum L. ssp. durum). In addition, this study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids contained in whole-meal flour extracts. Phenolic acids were recovered from the whole meal flours of 65 durum cultivars and subsequently identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD analysis. Then, the anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids extracts was evaluated on LPS-stimulated HT-29 human colon cells by measuring the levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) and transforming growth factor ?1 (TGF- ?1). A large variation for the content of phenolic acids was observed among genotypes and, on average, it accounted for 830 ?g/g dry weight. Whole meal flour extract significantly inhibited the secretion of the pro-inflammatory IL-8 mediator at 66 µg/mL of phenolic acids. Conversely, the secretion of the anti-inflammatory mediator TGF-?1 was not modified by addition of phenolic acids to HT-29 cells. Results showed that durum cultivars have different contents of phenolic acids, suggesting that a number of elite varieties could be used for breeding purposes. Moreover, results provide further insight into the health-related benefits of durum wheat foods as depending on the anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids.

Phenolic acid intake through the consumption of whole-wheat foods provides important health benefits associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer. The genetic variation for phenolic acids was extensively studied in common wheat, but a comprehensive survey in tetraploid wheat is lacking. In this study we evaluated the genetic variability for individual and total phenolic acids concentration existing in a large collection of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.). A two-year evaluation was undertaken on the whole-meal flour of 111 genotypes belonging to seven T. turgidum subspecies including cultivars, landraces and wild accessions. Durum cultivars [T. turgidum subsp. durum (Desf.) MacKey], had the highest average concentration of total phenolic acids (828.7 ug g-1 dm in 2012; 834.5 ug g-1 dm in 2013) with values varying from 550.9 ug g-1 dm to 1,701.2 ug g-1 dm, indicating a variation of >3 fold. The lowest concentration of phenolic acids was found in T. turgidum subsp. dicoccum (Schrank ex Schübler) Thell. Rivet wheat (T. turgidum L. subsp. turgidum) had phenolic acid concentrations similar to those in durum, but less variation was noted among the accessions. On the other hand, the accessions of the four remaining subspecies showed lower phenolic acid concentrations and variation among the accessions as compared to durum. A total of six phenolic acids were identified across the wheat genotypes. The effects of genotype, year and year x genotype were estimated by ANOVA and resulted significant for all phenolic acids. The ratio of genotypic variance to total variance suggested the possibility of improving phenolic acid content in elite wheat germplasm through appropriate breeding programs. Moreover, significant correlations between phenolic acids and other quality characteristics of the grain were detected.

Phenolic acids are major components of cell walls in wheat and have important implications on human health as antioxidants with anti-tumor activity. Our objectives were to identify phenolic acid genes in wheat by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected within the coding sequences of candidate genes, and to identify chromosomal regions associated with single phenolic acids and total soluble phenolic compounds. A set of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were identified by comparative genomics. SNPs found in the coding sequences of six genes (PAL1, PAL2, C4H, C3H, COMT1 and COMT2) were used to determine their chromosomal location and accurate map position on two reference consensus linkage maps. The genome-wide association study (GWAS), based on genotyping a tetraploid wheat collection with 81,587 gene-associated SNPs, detected 22 quantitative trait loci (QTL) distributed on almost all durum wheat chromosomes. Two QTL for p-coumaric acid were coincident with the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL2) and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) genes on chromosome arms 2AL and 1AL, respectively. The availability of candidate gene-based markers can allow elucidating the mechanism of phenolic acids accumulation in wheat kernels and exploiting the genetic variability of phenolic acids content for the nutritional improvementof wheat end-products.

Phenolic acids are major components of cell walls in wheat and have important implicationson human health as antioxidants with anti-tumor activity. Understanding the genetic basis ofphenolic acids content and composition of wheat grain, and identifying associated markers providethe basis for improving wheat quality by molecular breeding. The objective of this study was: a) toidentify phenolic acids genes in wheat by exploiting genomic resources and SNPs detected withinthe coding sequences of candidate genes; and b) to identify chromosomal regions associated tosingle phenolic acids and total soluble phenolic compounds by genome-wide association study(GWAS) and candidate gene approaches using a tetraploid wheat collection coupled with the 90KiSelect SNP genotyping array. A set of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis ofhydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and sinapic acid) and in the totalsoluble phenolics have been identified in wheat by comparative genomics. Single nucleotidepolymorphisms (SNPs) found in the coding sequences of six candidate genes (PAL1, PAL2, C4H,C3H, COMT1 and COMT2) allowed to determine their chromosomal location and accurate mapposition on two reference consensus linkage maps. The genome-wide association study based ongenotyping a tetraploid wheat collection with 81,587 gene-associated SNPs revealed severalsignificant marker-trait associations, identifying 22 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated withindividual phenolic acids and total soluble phenol compounds distributed on almost all durumwheat chromosomes. A QTL for p-coumaric acid was found to be coincident with the candidategene phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL2) on chromosome arm 2AL. The availability of perfect,candidate gene-based markers can allow elucidating the mechanism of phenol acids accumulation inthe wheat kernels and exploiting the genetic variability of phenol acids content for the nutritionalimprovement of wheat end-products.

Phenolic acids are major components of plant cell walls in wheat and have important implications on human health as antioxidants with anti-tumor activity. They occur in wheat grains as: i) soluble free phenolic acids; ii) soluble conjugated phenolics bound to low molecular mass components such as saccharides or organic acids; iii) insoluble bound forms of phenolics, linked to polymers of the plant cell wall (Li et al., 2008). Despite their high value for human health, few studies have been carried out on the genetics of phenolic acids in durum wheat. The genetic variability of phenolic acids composition and concentration was investigated, over two years, in a set of 111 tetraploid wheat genotypes, belonging to seven Triticum turgidum L. subspecies, including cultivars, landraces and wild accessions. Regions attributable to individual phenolic acids and total phenolic acids concentration were identified through a genome wide association study (GWAS). A total of six phenolic acids were identified by DAD-HPLC analysis across the 111 wheat genotypes, namely: ferulic, sinapic, p-coumaric, vanillic, syringic and p-hydroxibenzoic acids. The amount of total bound phenolic acids, ranged from 341 to 1700 ?g g-1 of whole-meal flour, with a mean value of 800 ?g g-1 (Laddomada et al, 2016). The soluble free fraction (measured spectrophotometrically after Folin Ciocalteu reaction) ranged from 1280 to 3150 ?g g-1 as ferulic acid equivalents. The effects of genotype, year and year x genotype were estimated by ANOVA and resulted significant for all phenolic acids. The ratio of genotypic variance to total variance was moderately high suggesting that a breeding approach could be considered to increase phenolic acids concentration in durum wheat.The GWAS revealed a total of 29 significant marker-trait associations (MTA), identifying eight quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with phenolic acids content. The highest number of MTAs was identified on chromosome 7A, where one QTL region was associated with phenolic acids content, while the lowest number of MTAs was detected on chromosomes 3A and 5B, where only one MTA identified a single locus. Conservation of synteny between SNP marker sequences and the annotated genes and proteins in Brachypodium distachyon, Oryza sativa and Sorghum bicolor allowed the identification of two QTLs coincident with two different candidate genes.

Wheat is a staple cereal and an important source of minerals in human diets. Mineral content in the wheat grain has a genetic basis, but the trait is also influenced by environmental factors [1]. Many efforts have been devoted to increase the content of some elements such as Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu, which have a physiological function in the organism. In particular, mapping populations and genetic linkage maps have been suggested as a useful tool in breeding programs [2]. The present work was undertaken to evaluate by ICPOES the variation in macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K), micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn) and toxic trace elements (Cd, Pb) in the whole grains of 29 wheat accessions and cultivars, representative of old and modern wheat germplasm. The wheat genotypes were grown in the experimental field of the University of Bari at Valenzano (Bari, Italy) in 2013/14 (site A) and at Policoro (Matera) in 2014/15 (site B), in a randomized complete block design with three replications and plots [3]. Multivariate Analysis (MVA) of data applied on the whole data (Figure1) showed interesting differences in the mineral content for the considered sites and harvesting seasons. Lower content of Mn and Cd and higher content of Zn, K and Cu were found in sites A and B, respectively.

A novel strategy to induce parthenocarpy in tomato fruits by the induction of resveratrol biosynthesis inflower tissues was exploited. Two transgenic tomato lines were considered: a higher resveratrolproducing(35SS) line, constitutively expressing a grape stilbene synthase cDNA, and a lower resveratrolproducing(LoxS) line, expressing stilbene synthase under a fruit-specific promoter. The expression of thestilbene synthase gene affected flavonoid metabolism in a different manner in the transgenic lines, and inone of these, the 35SS line, resulted in complete male sterility. Resveratrol was synthesised either in 35SSor LoxS tomato flowers, at an even higher extent (about 8e10 times) in the former line. We furtherinvestigated whether stilbene synthase expression may have resulted in impaired naringenin accumulationduring flower development. In the 35SS flowers, naringenin was significantly impaired by about50%, probably due to metabolic competition. Conversely, the amount of glycosylated flavonols increasedin transgenic flowers, thereby excluding the diminished production of flavonols as a reason forparthenocarpy in tomato. We further investigated whether resveratrol synthesis may have resultedchanges to pollen structure. Microscopic observations revealed the presence of few and abnormal flakelikepollen grains in 35SS flowers with no germination capability. Finally, the analysis of coumaric andferulic acids, the precursors of lignin and sporopollenin biosynthesis, revealed significant depletion ofthese compounds, therefore suggesting an impairment in structural compounds as a reason for pollenablation. These overall outcomes, to the best of our knowledge, reveal for the first time the major roledisplayed by resveratrol synthesis on parthenocarpy in tomato fruits.

The high content of bioactive molecules in bran and germ portions of the kernel makes whole wheat grain a functional food to prevent several degenerative and chronic diseases. In particular, whole wheat caryopsides contain high amounts of phenolic acids having favourable effects on human health due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Genetic variation for phenolic acid content and composition has been documented among different cereal grains with particular regard to soft, medium and hard wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Less attention has been devoted to tetraploid wheats (Triticum turgidum L.). The objective of this study was to evaluate the variability for phenolic acid content and composition in a core collection of 112 genotypes of tetraploid wheat, including cultivars, landraces and wild accessions. In particular, the core collection comprised 65 durum cultivars (T. turgidum L. ssp. durum), 12 accessions of ssp. turgidum, 8 of ssp. turanicum, 8 of ssp. polonicum, 3 of ssp. carthlicum, 9 of ssp. dicoccum and 7 of ssp. dicoccoides.Phenolic acids extracted from the whole semolina flour were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD analysis. The results showed a significant genotype influence on the content of phenolic acids. The ssp. durum cultivars showed a higher content of phenolic acids compared to landraces and wild accessions. On average, total phenolic acid content ranged from about 830 ?g/g dry weight (ssp. durum) to 570 ?g/g dry weight (ssp. dicoccum and ssp. turgidum). Large and significant variation for total phenolic acid content was observed among the durum wheat cultivars, with cv. Ambral, Pedroso, Primadur, Mida and Tito largely exceeding 1000 ?g/g dry weight of total phenolic acids. Ferulic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid in all genotypes, particularly in the ssp. durum (on average 654 ?g/g dry weight), whereas the ssp. dicoccum, turgidum and diccoides showed the least content (less than 450 ?g/g dry weight). Sinapic acid was the second phenolic acid for abundance and it varied from ~54 ?g/g dry weight (ssp. carthlicum) to ~140 ?g/g dry weight (ssp. durum). Other phenolic acids identified in this work were p-coumaric acid (19 ÷ 26 ?g/g dry weight), vanillic acid (5 ÷ 9 ?g/g dry weight), syringic acid (2 ÷ 7 ?g/g dry weight) and 2,4- dihydroxybenzoic acid (1 ÷ 3 ?g/g dry weight). In conclusion, the results showed that the content of phenolic acids in the studied tetraploid wheat collection varied significantly, suggesting that a number of durum wheat elite varieties could be used for breeding purposes. Also, the use of cultivars with high phenolic acid content could allow the production of whole durum wheat food products with enhanced health-related benefits.

Phenolic acids are a specific class of phenolic compounds present in all cereals. The antioxidant properties of phenolic acids have been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that these components may play an important role in preventing human diseases related to aging. The genetic variation for phenolic acid concentration was extensively studied in bread and durum wheat collections in Europe and in some areas of the Mediterranean Region, but a comprehensive survey in Mexican wheat materials is lacking. The aim of the present research has been to evaluate the variability present for individual and total phenolic acids present in the wholemeal flour of a large collection of Mexican durum wheat landraces and varieties developed by CIMMYT. Environmental effects, including full and reduced irrigation, mild and severe heat stress were considered to estimate potential association between phenolic acid content and different level of water-deficit and heat stress conditions. Seven phenolic acids were identified in all tested samples, of which ferulic acid resulted the most abundant, followed by sinapic, p-coumaric, vanillic, syringic, p-hydroxybenzoic and caffeic acids. Considering the whole wheat collection, the mean value for total phenolic acid content was about 600 ?g/g d.m., and a large variation was observed among the genotypes. In particular, the landraces showed a threefold range of variation, from a minimum of 300 ?g/g d.m. to a maximum of 840 ?g/g d.m., which was larger as compared to that of varieties. About the effect of the environment, PCA analysis of the data showed that drought and heat stress significantly increased phenolic acid concentration. These results could be useful for breeders to develop varieties with relevant levels of phenolic acids, which in turn could show high antioxidant activity and enhance the health promoting value of durum wheat based products.

Phenolic acids are the major phenolic components reported in wheat. Based on their chemistry, they areclassifi ed as hydroxy derivati ves of either cinnamic or benzoic acid. The biogenesis of phenolic acids occursalong the general phenylpropanoid pathway, which is ubiquitously present in plant cell walls, leading tothe synthesis of secondary metabolites that are involved in plant defence and structural support. As a result,diff erent environmental factors, such as light, bioti c or abioti c stresses, can aff ect the content of phenolicacids in mature wheat grains. Besides being important for plant survival, phenolic acids also exhibitvarious biological acti viti es that are benefi cial for human health. Among these, the most acknowledged isthe anti oxidant acti vity, which can be associated to reduced risks of heart disease and colon cancer.Due to their signifi cance, phenolic acids have been investi gated as a potenti al target of breeding programs.The present contributi on reviews the progress in the comprehension of the geneti c and molecularbasis of phenolic acids biosynthesis in wheat. Also, the state of the art concerning the geneti c variati on ofindividual phenolic acids and total phenolic acids content in several wheat collecti ons is presented. Theupcoming literature on the inheritance of phenolic acids in bread and durum wheat, grown in diff erentenvironments, or under the eff ect of diverse bioti c stress (i.e. drought, heat stress) is presented and discussed.Finally, updates are given on the on-going genomic studies to identi fying QTL and genes that areinvolved in phenolic acids biosynthesis and accumulati on in mature wheat grains.

In this study, the quali-quantitative composition of hydrophilic (phenolic acids)and lipophilic (isoprenoids) extracts from whole-meal flour of five elite Italian durum wheatcultivars was determined. Significant differences in the content of bioactive compoundswere observed among the wheat extracts, in particular concerning the content of boundphenolic acids, lutein and ?-tocotrienols. The cultivars Duilio and Svevo showed the highestamount of phenolic acids and isoprenoids, respectively. Extracts were evaluated for theiranti-inflammatory activity on HT-29 human colon cells by measuring the levels ofinterleukin 8 (IL-8) and transforming growth factor ?1 (TGF-?1). Durum wheat extractssignificantly inhibited the secretion of the pro-inflammatory IL-8 mediator at 66 ?g/mLof phenolic acids and at 0.2 ?g/mL of isoprenoids. Conversely, the secretion of theanti-inflammatory mediator TGF-?1 was not modified by neither hydrophilic nor lipophilicextracts. These results provide further insight into the potential of durum wheat on humanhealth suggesting the significance of varieties with elevated contents of bioactive components.

Almonds (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb or Amygdalus communis L.) are used in the preparation of bakery and confectionery products including almond cookies, marzipan and almond milk. The first productive step consists of blanching and peeling the almonds, so as to remove the skin. Skins account for 6-8% of the seed and are mainly destined to cattle feeding. Blanching water represents a waste, involving a disposal expense for the producers.Therefore, in this work we evaluated the potential of by-products of almond processing, namely blanched skins and blanching water, as ingredients of functional bakery products, due to the presence of phenolic compounds and, in the skin, also fiber. We started by optimizing skin drying; then we quali-quantitative determined the phenolic compounds; finally we assessed the impact of by-products on the rheology of composite dough with wheat flour.Oven-drying at 60 °C for 30 min was less-time consuming than other time-temperature combinations tested and retained good odor notes. Moreover, this drying condition allowed to maintain higher content of phenolics (814 µg/g d.m. by HPLC) and higher antioxidant activity than sun-drying. Blanching water, on the other hand, had a content of phenolic compounds accounting for 917 µg/mL.The alveograph and farinograph indices of composite dough was altered by adding dried almond skins at doses higher than 30 and 50 g/kg, respectively. Blanching water did not changed significantly these indices.In conclusion, almond skins could be used at percentages lower than 30% or in bakery products tolerating a weak gluten network, such as cookies. Blanching water, instead, could be added to any kind of bakery good with no rheological negative effect.

In recent years, the interest towards functional properties of foods has increased progressively and a relevant role has been played by antioxidant compounds, such as anthocyanins, carotenoids and phenolic acids, able to scavenge free radicals. Purple wheat contains higher levels of anthocyanins than conventional wheat cultivars. Durum wheat is also characterized by relevant levels of carotenoids, compared to soft wheat. The aim of this work has been to breed durum wheat lines characterized by high anthocyanin and high carotenoid levels. This strategy enhances the antioxidant activity of the derived whole meal and processed products (Pasqualone et al., 2015). Purple wheat line CItr 14629 (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.) Husnot), derived from an Ethiopic landrace kindly provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Italian durum wheat cv. Grecale, characterized by high carotenoid content, have been crossed and the segregant generations grown and evaluated according to the pedigree method. Twenty-five F6 lines has been selected on the basis of pericarp color, plant height, 1000-seed weight, protein content, and yellow index of whole meal flour (known to be related to carotenoid pigments). The total anthocyanins content of these 25 lines, all characterized by maximum score for visual inspection of pericarp color (score = 5, range 1-5 from yellow to dark purple), ranged from 0.94 to 43.06 mg/kg cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy-3-Glu) on dry matter, whereas the purple parent showed a mean value of 37.13 mg/kg Cy-3-Glu (d.m.). The variability of this range evidenced that the visual evaluation of pericarp color, usually considered for selecting purple wheats (Knievel et al., 2009), is not sufficiently precise compared to spectrophotometric measure of total anthocyanins in the extracts obtained from whole meal. The lines showing the highest anthocyanin content will be characterized for the single anthocyanins and for the major phenolic acids by means of HPLC analysis. No correlation was found between total anthocyanin content and the a* colorimetric index of whole meal. Protein content of the selected lines was comprised between 13.3% and 17.9% d.m., whereas 1000-seed weight ranged from 33.3 g to 56.3 g. Yellow index was in the range 12.9-14.6. Plant height of the selected lines was lowered to 80-90 cm in comparison to 130 cm of the Ethiopian parental line. The selected lines are currently under agronomic evaluation in different field trials and different nutritional traits will be particularly considered to assess the grain and flour quality.

The sparkling wine market has expanded in recent years, boosted by the increasing demand of the global market. As for other fermented beverages, technological yeasts and bacteria selected to design commercial starter cultures represent key levers to maximize product quality and safety. The increasing economic interest in the sector of sparkling wine has also implied a renewed interest in microbial resource management. In this review, after a brief introduction, we report an overview of the main characterization criteria in order to select Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains suitable for use as starter cultures for the production of base wines and to drive re-fermentation of base wines to obtain sparkling wines. Particular attention has been reserved to the technological characterization aspects of re-fermenting phenotypes. We also analysed the possible uses of selected non-Saccharomyces and malolactic strains in order to differentiate specific productions. Finally, we highlighted the main safety aspects related to microbes of enological interest and underlined some microbial-based biotechnological applications helpful to pursue product and process innovations. Overall, the sparkling wine industry may find a relevant benefit from the exploitation of the wide resources associated with vineyard/wine microbial diversity

Crop production and natural resource use, especially in developing countries, representsone of the most important food sources for humans. In particular, two wheat species (tetraploid, whichis mostly used for pasta and hexaploid, which is primarily used for bread) account for about 20%of the whole calories consumed worldwide. In order to assess the mineral accumulation capabilityof some popular tetraploid wheat genotypes, a metabolomic (metallomic) approach was used inthis study. The metallomic profile related to micro- (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni and Cr), macro- (Ca, Mgand K) and toxic trace elements (Cd and Pb) was obtained by ICP-AES analysis in a large set oftetraploid wheat genotypes (Triticum turgidum L.) that were grown in two different experimental fields.Correlations and multivariate statistical analyses were performed, grouping the samples under twowheat sets, comprising cultivated durum cultivars (T. turgidum subsp. durum) and wild accessions(T. turgidum subsp. dicoccum and subsp. dicoccoides). The site dependence ranking for the selectedgenotypes with the highest nutrient accumulation was obtained. The significantly higher content ofMg (among the macronutrients) and the highest levels of Mn, Fe and Zn (among the micronutrients)were found for wild accessions with respect to durum cultivars. Moreover, the former genotypeswere also the ones with the lowest level of accumulation of the trace toxic elements, in particularCd. According to the performed statistical analyses, the wild accessions appeared also to be lessinfluenced by the different environmental conditions. This is in accord with literature data, indicatingthe superiority of "old" with respect to modern wheat cultivars for mineral content. Although furtherstudies are required on a wider range of genotypes to confirm these findings, the obtained resultscould be used to better select the less demanding and better performing cultivars in specific targetwheat growing environments.

Wheat is a staple cereal and an important source of minerals in human diets. Mineral content in the wheat grain has a genetic basis, but the trait is also influenced by environmental factors [1]. Many efforts have been devoted to increase the content of some elements such as Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu, which have a physiological function in the organism. In particular, mapping populations and genetic linkage maps have been suggested as a useful tool in breeding programs [2]. The present work was undertaken to evaluate by ICPOES the variation in macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K), micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn) and toxic trace elements (Cd, Pb) in the whole grains of 29 wheat accessions and cultivars, representative of old and modern wheat germplasm. All 29 lines were the parentals of existing mapping populations [3] and were grown in two different sites in Italy, in 2013/14 and in 2014/15 seasons. Multivariate Analysis (MVA) of data showed interesting differences in the mineral content for the considered sites, harvesting seasons and grain cultivars.[1] Gomez-Becerra HF, Yazici A, Ozturk L, Budak H, Peleg Z, Morgounov A, Fahima T, Saranga Y, Cakmak I. Genetic variation and environmental stability of grain mineral nutrient concentrations in Triticum dicoccoides under five environments. Euphytica 2010, 171:39-52. [2] Srinivasa J, Arun B, Mishra VK, Singh GP, Velu G, Babu R, Vasistha NK, Joshi AK. Zinc and iron concentration QTL mapped in a Triticum spelta × T. aestivum cross. Theor Appl Genet 2014, 127:1643-1651 [3] Pasqualone A, Piarulli L, Mangini G, Gadaleta A, Blanco A, Simeone R. Quality characteristics of parental lines of wheat mapping populations. Agric Food Sci 2015, 24: 118-127.

Phenolic compounds are a widespread group of substances in the plant kingdom, but their dietary intake greatly varies depending on the type and quantity of vegetable foods consumed. Interest in plant polyphenols has focused on their favourable effects on human health, arising from their antioxidant activity and capacity to protect critical macromolecules (such as chromosomal DNA, structural proteins and enzymes, low-density lipoproteins, and membrane lipids) from damages induced by active species of oxygen. Phenolic substances are present also in wheat, with ferulic acid present in the highest amount. Various studies analysed the polyphenol content of soft, medium and hard wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Marginal attention has been devoted to durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. spp. turgidum var. durum), the essential raw material to produce high quality pasta, one of the basic foods in the Italian diet. The aim of this work has been to evaluate the variability of total phenolic content (TPC) in Italian durum wheat, in view of selecting the best materials to produce phenolic extracts for functional pasta enrichment. A set of 20 cultivars was considered, chosen among the most cultivated ones. The determination of TPC of the free phenolic fraction, spectrophotometrically assessed after Folin-Ciocalteau reaction, showed levels ranging from 1.28 to 1.94 mg ferulic acid equivalent (FAE)/g wholemeal. The TPC was significantly correlated to the polyphenol oxidase activity of the examined cultivars.A subset of 5 cultivars was subjected to detailed survey of phenolic acids in whole flour. Three separate extractions were carried out to determine the composition and amount of soluble free, soluble conjugated, and bound phenolic acids. Two different mesh size (60 mesh or 0.251 mm; and 10 mesh or 2 mm) were used for milling whole grain samples to evaluate the extraction efficiency of phenolic acids depending on the particle size of whole flour samples. The evaluation of free, conjugated and bound extracts by the means of HPLC-DAD analysis lead to the characterisation of each fraction in terms of composition and amount of major phenolic acids. Sinapic acid resulted the most abundant compound present in the bound fraction, ranging from 335 and 438 ug/g dm, while o-coumaric acid resulted the major component of the conjugated fraction, ranging from 72 and 80 ug/g dm. Other phenolic acids were detected both in the bound and conjugated fractions, like ferulic, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic, syringic and vanillic acids. The free fraction showed the smallest contribution to the total phenolic acid content (<0.5%), sinapic acid being the most abundant, followed by syring, ferulic and o-coumaric acid respectively.

Volatile metabolites from mold contamination have been proposed for the early identification of toxigenic fungi to prevent toxicological risks, but there are no such data available for Fusarium poae. F. poae is one of the species complexes involved in Fusarium head blight, a cereal disease that results in significant yield losses and quality reductions. The identification of volatile organic compounds associated with F. poae metabolism could provide good markers to indicate early fungal contamination. To this aim, we evaluated the volatile profile of healthy and F. poae-infected durum wheat kernels by SPME-GC/MS analysis. The production of volatile metabolites was monitored for seven days, and the time course analysis of key volatiles was determined. A total of 29 volatile markers were selected among the detected compounds, and multivariate analysis was applied to establish the relationship between potential volatile markers and fungal contamination. A range of volatile compounds, including alcohols, ketones, esters, furans and aromatics, were identified, both in contaminated and in healthy kernels. However, the overall volatile profile of infected samples and controls differed, indicating that the whole volatile profile, rather than individual volatile compounds, could be used to identify F. poae contamination of durum wheat grains.

Wheat bran is generally considered a byproduct of the flour milling industry, but it is a great source of fibers, minerals, and antioxidants that are important for human health. Phenolic acids are a specific class of wheat bran components that may act as antioxidants to prevent heart disease and to lower the incidence of colon cancer. Moreover, phenolic acids have anti-inflammatory properties that are potentially significant for the promotion of gastrointestinal health. Evidence on the beneficial effects of phenolic acids as well as of other wheat bran components is encouraging the use of wheat bran as an ingredient of functional foods. After an overview of the chemistry, function, and bioavailability of wheat phenolic acids, the discussion will focus on how technologies can allow the formulation of new, functional whole wheat products with enhanced health-promoting value and safety without renouncing the good-tasting standards that are required by consumers. Finally, this review summarizes the latest studies about the stability of phenolic acids in wheat foods fortified by the addition of wheat bran, pearled fractions, or wheat bran extracts.