The quality of leafy vegetables has to be guaranteed for consumers over the whole postharvest period, usually limited to 5-7 days. The analyses to evaluate the quality of vegetables are very time- and resource consuming, so the use of qualitative markers can be much useful. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of thermoluminescence (TL) parameters as qualitative markers of fresh-cut leafy vegetables during the shelf life. TL is a technique consisting of a cooling, followed by the progressivewarming, of a preilluminated sample to reveal the different types of charge pairs as successive emissionbands, which are resolved better than the corresponding decay phases recorded at constant temperature. Experiments were performed on rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) stored at 2 C for 7 days. During storage, several changes in TL glow curves were found. The position of the peaks showed a shift to higher temperature. The area of the peaks, relating to the photosystem II (20-65 C), grew up lightly;whereas in the temperature range that detects lipidic peroxidation (65-140 C), the TL emission became more than twice. These changes demonstrated that, during the shelf life, a progressive destabilization of PSII centres occurred and that lipid peroxidation products were accumulated in membranes. TL could be used to estimate the damages immediately after as well as during the storage period. Thisis the first time that TL was used to evaluate the quality of fresh-cut vegetables products during the shelf life.

The use of plant extracts could be a useful alternative to synthetic fungicides in the management of rot fungi during postharvest handling of fruit and vegetables. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro and in vivo activity of extracts obtained from nine wild edible herbaceous species (Borago officinalis, Orobanche crenata, Plantago coronopus, P. lanceolata, Sanguisorba minor, Silene vulgaris, Sonchus asper, Sonchus oleraceus, and Taraxacum officinale) against some important postharvest pathogens, i.e. Botrytis cinerea, Monilinia laxa, Penicillium digitatum, P. expansum, P. italicum, Aspergillus carbonarius, and A. niger. Phenolic composition of all extracts was evaluated by HPLC. Several derivatives of caffeic acid, of the flavones apigenin and luteolin, and of the flavonols kaempferol and quercetin, were identified. Extracts from S. minor and O. crenata showed the highest efficacy in all the trials. In particular, S. minor completely inhibited in vitro the conidial germination of M. laxa, P. digitatum, P. italicum, and A. niger and strongly reduced those of B. cinerea; O. crenata extract showed a lower but still significant reduction of conidial germination on all the tested fungi. Moreover, the extracts from both species were effective in reducing the germ tube elongation also when a slight inhibition of conidial germination was observed. In many cases, a dose effect was observed, with an increase of antifungal activity as the phenolic concentration increased. In trials performed on wounded fruit, S. minor extract completely inhibited brown rot on apricots and nectarines; O. crenata extract strongly reduced grey mould, brown rot, and green mould on table grapes, apricots and nectarines, and oranges, respectively. The inhibition efficacy of extracts was ascribed to the presence of some caffeic acid derivatives and/or flavonoids. HPLC phenolic analyses provided useful information to identify the possible active compounds. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

The chemical characterization of phenolic ex- tracts of salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor Scop. s.l.) and broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) was performed. Active fractions were separated and characterized and, in the case of O. crenata, two phenolic compounds, verbascoside and is- overbascoside, were quantitatively extracted, purified and characterized. These compounds proved to be effective in reducing the growth of some important fungi responsible for the decay of fresh fruit and vegetables in postharvest. Ver- bascoside showed significant activity against Penicillium italicum, fairly inhibited Monilinia laxa, P. expansum, and Aspergillus carbonarius, and showed little activity against Botrytis cine- rea, M. fructicola and P. digitatum. Isoverbasco- side completely inhibited B. cinerea, P. digitatum, P. italicum, and P. expansum; it fairly inhibited M. laxa and A. carbonarius; while it showed to be less effective against M. fructicola. The obtained results support the possible use of some wild edible plants as a source of phenolic substances for the postharvest biological control of fresh fruit and vegetable rots.

Many epidemiological studies suggest that diet particulary rich in fruit and vegetables have cancer preventive properties. The beneficial effects of these diets are attributable, at least in part, to polyphenols that have emerged as very promising anticancer bioactive compounds. We report that polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichoke show a potential chemopreventive and anticancer properties on several cancer cell lines. High dose of extracts of artichoke (AEs) reduced cell viability and inhibited cell growth in a dose dependent-manner. In particular AEs triggered apoptosis and modulated other tumour related features such as migration and invasion in highly metastatic breast cancer cells. In addition, we provide evidences that low dose of AEs-treatment inhibits breast cancer cell growth via the induction of premature senescence through epigenetic and ROS-mediated mechanisms. These findings demonstrated that high dose-AEs activate apoptotic machinery whereas low level treatment induce senescence in cancer cells. Since apoptosis and cellular pro-senescence are considered relevant anticancer therapeutic mechanisms, artichoke polyphenols extracts from the edible part, could be a promising dietary tool either in cancer chemoprevention or/and in cancer treatment as a non-conventional, adjuvant therapy.

The human breast cancer cell line, estrogen receptor negative, MDA-MB231, was used to evaluate the antitumor effect of polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichokes (AEs). Treatment of cancer cells reduced cell viability and inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, AEs did not have any effect on normal breast epithelial cell line, MCF10A. Chlorogenic acid (ChA), the most representative component of the polyphenolic fraction of artichoke, had no prominent effects on the cell death rate of MDA-MB231 cells. The addition of AEs to the cells, rather than ChA, triggered apoptosis via a mitochondrial and a death-receptor pathway, as shown by the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-8, respectively. Furthermore, an increase of the Bax:Bcl2 ratio and up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21WAF1, crucial apoptotic players, were documented. According to our data on activation of caspase-9, a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Cm) was shown. Cell motility and invasion capabilities were remarkably inhibited by AEs-treatment in highly invasive MDA-MB231 cells. In addition, a significant decrease of proteolytic activity of metalloproteinase-2 protein (MMP-2), involved in degrading components of the extracellular matrix, was detected. Our findings indicate that AEs reduced cell viability, inhibited cell growth, triggered apoptotic mechanisms, and showed inhibitory properties against the invasive behavior of MDA-MB231 cancer cell line. Altogether, these data indicate the potential chemopreventive activity of artichoke polyphenolic extracts.

A very large amount of phenol-polluted waters is formed from the productionof olive oil (olive mill waste water, OMWW) and their disposal represents a seriousproblem. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of peroxidase (POD) fromartichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek) leaves to removephenols present in OMWW. The POD catalyzes the polymerization andprecipitation of aqueous phenols. This application could be useful, because in theMediterranean region a large amount of OMWW as well as a lot of artichoke scrapsresulting from artichoke processing industry, are produced. So, it is possible toconsider this biomass (leaves and external bud bracts) as a useful and cheap sourceof peroxidase. The enzyme extraction was performed by homogenization andseparation of pigments using an aqueous two phase polymer system (polyethyleneglycol/(NH4)2SO4), that allowed the accumulation of POD in the salt phase. Theoptimal reaction conditions were evaluated. The phenolic concentration was assayedby Folin-Ciocalteu method. Preliminary results showed that the optimal conditionsfor enzyme activity were in a broad range of both pH (from 4 to 7) and temperature(from 5 to 50°C). In optimal enzymatic conditions, a reduction of more than 60% ofinitial phenolic concentration was observed.

Artichoke hybrids propagated by seed have been recently introduced on markets and often represent a valid alternative to traditional vegetatively propagated cultivars. This paper deals with the biochemical evaluation of five artichoke hybrids propagated by seed ('Opera', 'Opal', 'Symphony', 'Madrigal', and 'Romolo') compared to the rooted offshoot propagated 'Violetto di Provenza'. On the edible part of buds, picked in the first decade of March in each year, HPLC polyphenolic patterns, phenol and inulin content, and antioxidant activity were evaluated. 'Opera' and 'Opal' showed the highest total phenol content (about 700-800 mg 100 g-1 f.w.) and antioxidant activity values; whereas, 'Romolo' showed the lowest content (about 350 mg 100 g-1 fw), even compared to 'Violetto di Provenza' (about 380 mg 100 g-1 fw). 'Opera' and 'Opal' showed an inulin content (2.5 and 2.4 g 100 g-1 fw, respectively) significantly higher than other cultivars. Variations in the range ±10% were recorded for each cultivar between the two years. The obtained results could give useful indication on the suitability of the evaluated cultivars for different commercial uses, i.e., fresh consumption and/or processing.

The aim was to evaluate morpho-biochemical traits in four asparagus cultivars ('Early California', 'Grande', 'Purple Passion', and 'Vegalim'), and qualitative changes in 'Grande' and 'Purple Passion' during storage in air or passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 15% O2 - 5% CO2), at 4 °C for 28 days. 'Early California' showed the highest total phenolic (TPh) and quercetin-3-rutinoside (rutin) content, and the highest total antioxidant activity (TAA). 'Purple Passion' was the richest in glucose and total sugars, while 'Early California' the least rich in sucrose. The nitrate content was lower than 100 mg kg-1 FM and potassium on average 280 mg 100 g-1 FM. The MAP reduced weight loss, ensuring product turgidity and mitigating the cold storage stress. In the first 7 days in storage, 'Purple Passion' showed higher values of TPh, rutin and TAA. Afterwards, TPh content increased in both cultivars in MAP. During storage, sugars gradually decreased, except sucrose in 'Purple Passion', increased by almost 40% after 14 days. 'Grande' and 'Purple Passion' spears showed optimal overall quality up to 14 days-storage, but they could not be stored for more than 21 days. Moreover, MAP allowed to preserve or enhance antioxidant properties of asparagus during the whole storage.

In Puglia, lungo i muretti a secco delimitanti i campi coltivati e nelle aree boschive a macchia mediterranea, è molto diffuso l'asparago selvatico apprezzato per le sue caratteristiche organolettiche e nutrizionali. Osservando attentamente un mazzetto di asparagi selvatici, si può notare una elevata variabilità delle caratteristiche cromatiche e del grado di 'tenerezza' dei turioni; ciò è determinato prevalentemente dal microambiente in cui ciascun turione si è accresciuto e, in modo particolare, dalla prevalenza della radiazione solare diretta o diffusa. In pratica, i turioni raccolti nelle zone più assolate sono di colore dal verde scuro al violaceo e si presentano coriacei, mentre quelli raccolti nel sottobosco sono di colore verde chiaro e più teneri.L'elevata richiesta di mercato dell'asparago e la carenza di aree naturali in cui raccogliere quello selvatico, ha dato una forte spinta alla coltivazione di quest'orticola che attualmente vede la Puglia tra le prime tre regioni produttrici a livello nazionale. In considerazione dell'idea comune che i prodotti selvatici presentano una migliore qualità rispetto a quelli coltivati, è stato realizzato uno studio comparativo di valutazione di alcune caratteristiche qualitative di quattro ibridi ('Early California', 'Grande', 'Vegalim' e 'Purple passion') di asparago coltivato (Asparagus officinalis L.) e dell'asparago selvatico (A. acutifolius L.) raccolto nel sottobosco e in aree assolate di una querceta della Puglia meridionale. In particolare, sono stati valutati: la percentuale di sostanza secca (DM), il contenuto di clorofilla (Chl), carotenoidi (Ca), fenoli totali (TF) e l'attività antiossidante (TAA).Per l'asparago selvatico, tutti i caratteri esaminati si sono differenziati in relazione al luogo di raccolta. I turioni raccolti nelle zone assolate presentavano valori di DM, Chl, Ca, TF e TAA, riferiti al peso fresco (FM), più elevati rispettivamente del 16, 30, 53, 64 e 62%, rispetto a quelli raccolti nel sottobosco. Tra le cultivar di asparago coltivato, non sono state osservate variazioni di DM, Chl e Ca (in media 7,4 g 100 g-1, 5,4 mg 100 g-1 FM e 1,3 mg 100 g-1 FM, rispettivamente), mentre TF e TAA sono variati rispettivamente da 123,2 mg CAE 100 g-1 FM ('Early California') a 89 mg CAE 100 g-1 FM ('Purple passion') e da 69,1 mg Trolox 100 g-1 FM ('Early California') a 52,4 mg Trolox 100 g-1 FM ('Grande' e 'Vegalim'). L'asparago coltivato, rispetto all'asparago selvatico, ha presentato in media valori di DM, Chl, Ca, TF e TAA, riferiti a FM, più bassi di circa il 40, 5, 17, 43 e 53%, rispettivamente.In conclusione possiamo affermare che l'asparago selvatico, soprattutto se raccolto nelle zone con maggiore insolazione, presenta, limitatamente ai parametri considerati, caratteristiche qualitative più elevate rispetto all'asparago coltivato.

Considering the Cynara cardunculus germplasm there is a miss of information: most populations have not been characterised and many of them, taking their name from the cultivation area, are synonymous. In the frame of the European project CYNARES, sponsored by the AGRGENRES programme, European C. cardunculus accessions have been characterized at the morphological, biochemical and molecular level. Moreover, disease resistance, post-harvest behaviour and industrial-food processes are studied with regard to quality and safety objectives. Morphological characterisation was carried out in different fields/countries since C. cardunculus germplasm, belonging to different typologies, has different environmental requirements. The descriptors developed by IPGRI and UPOV were used with a view to identifying and validating the most useful field descriptors.The most promising material is also being tested for fresh handling and minimal processing. The ready-to-eat artichoke products, with high organoleptic quality of raw material, must be accompanied by a long-enough postharvest shelf-life of the fresh and ready-to-eat commodity. In the core collection, biochemical characterization of the different artichoke/cardoon genotypes is being undertaken by evaluating the flowerhead content of polyphenols (mono-and di-caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids), sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) and fructans (inulin).Molecular characterization was conducted on a European core collection constituted by 556 genotypes, utilizing markers of different typologies (AFLP, ISSR, SSR). Molecular data fingerprinting of single lines have made it easier to register/patent socio-economically important varieties.This characterization is fundamental for rationalizing the European germplasm. Further cluster analysis obtained with different characterization data will be utilized to define an European core collection for artichoke.

The antioxidant and anticancer properties of polyphenols present in plants and several beverages (i.e red wine, green tea) have been largely explored in the literature. Within the framework of RiSaNA (Local Products with Healthy Properties to Obtain New Functional Foods) project, financed by the Italian National Research Council, we performed an in vitro analysis of polyphenolic extracts prepared from two Mediterranean cultivars: artichoke (Violetto di Provenza variety) and apple (Annurca variety) on human hepatoma cell line (HepG2). Polyphenolic content and antioxidant power of extracts were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and FRAP assays. Using crystal violet staining, we showed that apple extract reduced cell viability up to 40% at a concentration of 500 µg/ml. In the case of artichoke extract, the strong reduction in cell viability (up to 60%) registered at the highest concentration tested (> 850 µg/ml) was partially attributable to the production of hydrogen peroxide in cell culture medium. In addition, we reported a slight reduction of intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) in HepG2 cells treated with apple extracts, suggesting their ability to interfere with ROS homeostasis in regulating cell death. In particular, following exposure of 250 ?g/ml of apple polyphenolic extract we observed morphological characteristic of type II cell death (autophagy), while lower concentrations (25-50 ?g/ml) were able to reduce clonogenic survival in HepG2 cells.

The modulation of the immune system is recognized as one of the main mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria exert health-promoting effects. To compare the immunomodulatory properties of L. paracasei strains, we studied their interaction with dendritic cells (DCs) which are important in the earliest bacterial recognition and in determination of the subsequent T-cell responses, playing a pivotal role in both innate and adaptive immunity. The results indicated that all the strains stimulated phenotypic maturation of DCs but they induced different cytokine secretion by DCs and, in particular, a different ratio IL-10/IL-12, which is considered indicative and predictive of in vivo pro- or anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, probiotic strains IMPC 2.1 and LMG P-17806 were characterized by a similar and intermediate ability to induce cytokine secretion, inducing a low pro-inflammatory response, while strain IMPC 4.1 was characterized by very interesting and peculiar anti-inflammatory properties. In contrast, the potentially unsafe strain LMG 23554 showed a very low ability to induce cytokine secretion. Further studies were carried out to ascertain if the immunomodulatory activity of L. paracasei strains on DCs was caused by bacterial metabolites released in the culture medium. Therefore, bacterial culture filtrates were obtained after the growth of the strains in two media generally used for the culture of DCs and their effects on the maturation of DCs and cytokine production were evaluated. An artichoke phenolic extract (APE) was also added to the media before the bacterial growth to reveal its potential activity on immunomodulation of DCs. The results revealed diverse immunomodulatory properties of the culture filtrates depending on the growth medium, on the strain and on the addition of APE; an interesting anti-inflammatory activity of a culture filtrate obtained after the growth of strain IMPC 2.1 in one of the media supplemented with APE was highlighted.

Ready-to-eat asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a tasty food with excellent nutraceutical properties. In order to realize a new ready-to-eat product, in this study asparagus's spears were cooked by blanching or microwave, and then dehydrated until they reached a weight loss of 25%,and packaged in air or in modified atmosphere (30% CO2 + 70% N2). Sensorial, physico-chemical,biochemical, and microbiological parameters were evaluated during a 30 days storage period at 4°C. The microwave cooking proved to be the most effective method to preserve green colour,improving the overall acceptability of the product. Moreover, the storage in the absence of O2 andin the presence of high CO2 percentage was the most effective method to preserve phytochemicalcomposition, total antioxidant capacity, and hygienic quality. In conclusion, asparagus spearscooked by microwave, semi-dried, packaged in modified atmosphere and stored at 4 °C for 30 daysretained their quality and sensorial properties.

The most recent trend in research on probiotic bacteria aims at the exploitation of bioactive bacterial compounds that are responsible for health-promoting effects and suitable for medical applications. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to ascertain if the immunomodulatory effects of L. paracasei strains on dendritic cells (DCs) were caused by bacterial metabolites released in the culture medium. For that reason, bacterial strains were grown in two media generally used for the culture of DCs, and the effects of culture filtrates on the maturation of DCs and cytokine production were evaluated. Moreover, to reveal potential synergistic effects on the immunomodulation of DCs, an artichoke phenolic extract (APE) was added to the media before bacterial growth. The experiments pointed out an interesting anti-inflammatory activity of a culture filtrate obtained after growing a probiotic L. paracasei strain in one of the media supplemented with APE. Therefore, this culture filtrate--which combines the anti-inflammatory activity and the other well-known health-promoting properties of artichoke phenolic compounds--could represent the basis for future particular exploitations.

High water activity (aw) can affect maintenance and quality of semi-dry products during storage. In the present work, the evolution of physico-chemical, biochemical, and microbiological parameters of semi-dry tomato in different conditions of packaging and storage is reported. Tomato fruits, cv. Ikram, were washed with sodium hypochlorite 0.01% and cut into quarters; slices were sprinkled with a solution of 2% (w/v) ascorbic acid and 4% (w/v) sodium chloride. The semi-dry product was obtained using a heat pump dehydration system, up to 75% weight loss and 21.0±0.5% dry matter. Semi-dried tomato slices were packed in air or in modified atmosphere (MA, 30% CO2 + 70% N2), packed in PP trays with a OPA+PP/EVOH/PP cover film, and stored at 4 °C or 12 °C for 30 days. Every 10 days during storage, dry matter, aw, pH, colour, texture, content in sugars (glucose, fructose) and lycopene, polygalacturonase activity, and total microbial load were evaluated. As this latter, it was assessed to be much below the limit established for spoilage microorganisms in food products (5 log CFU/g FM). The semi-dry product stored in MA at 4 °C maintained the best quality characteristics and good microbiological stability. In particular, after 20 days of storage, a slight increase in the fungal component (i.e. Botrytis cinerea, Mucor spp., and Cladosporium spp.) compared to the starting level (from 3 to 4 log CFU/g FM) was observed. Moreover, the bacterial component remained on the initial levels (3 log CFU/g FM) during the whole storage period. The results showed that the used MA conditions are able to preserve quality and hygienic properties of the product for 20 days at 4 °C.

Tomato for processing is a very widespread crop in the Mediterranean area whereoften there are problems of high salinity of irrigation water. It's well known that thehigh salinity creates physiological problems with considerable negative effects onproduction.Pyraclostrobin belongs to a class of fungicide (strobilurins) having a broad spectrumof applications, with preventive, curative, translaminar and locosystemic properties.In the literature it is reported that strobilurins can affect the plant metabolismresulting in the increase of yield, dry matter, content of both chlorophyll and proteinand delay senescence. In addition, it was observed plant water balance modificationby reducing root water uptake, resulting in the postponement of soil dehydration,so it may contribute to yield enhancement. Because many effects of salt stress arecomparable to water stress, we may speculate that Pyraclostrobin could alleviatedetrimental effects of salinity on plants.This study focused on the interactive effect of salinity and Pyraclostrobin applicationon tomato grown in pots under plastic tunnel. The objective was to investigatethe complementary properties of Pyraclostrobin in the improvement of tomatophysiological (SPAD, gas exchange, activity of antioxidative enzymes as SOD, CAT,POD, APX), yield and fruit quality responses under salinity.A two-year research (2010 and 2011) was carried out in Basilicata region, southernItaly, on cv Coronel to compare two soil salinity levels - 1.0 (S0) and 5.4 dS m-1 (S1)- and two fungicide treatments - application of fungicides without strobilurins (F0);application of a strobilurin based fungicide (Cabrio® Duo) (F1). The treatments werearranged in a split plot design with seven replicates.On overall, when plants are treated with Pyraclostrobin, a considerable increase inPOD, APX and CAT activity occurred, whereas no significant changes were observedin SOD. Different extent of changes in enzyme activity was observed in the two partsof the plant: POD increased only in roots, APX in roots as well as in leaves, and CATonly in leaves. In some sampling date, the increase in antioxidant enzyme activitieswas higher in saline stressed plants.The amount of chlorophyll, measured in SPAD units, did not differed between salinitylevels, instead, F1 showed the increase of about 6%. Gas exchanges were influencedby salinity level and fungicide treatments. In particular, S1 has shown values of net assimilation (A), transpiration (T) and stomatal conductance (gs) respectively of about 17, 26 and 22% lower than S0, while the water use efficiency (WUE) was not influenced. Pyraclostrobin reduced A and T by about 8%, and gs by about 17%.Salinity reduced fruit mean weight by 19%, total and marketable yield by 25 and 21%, respectively, and increased fruit blossom-end rot (BER) by 57%. Among the qualitative parameters, salinity caused the increase of total soluble solids (TSS) and dry mat

Efficient utilization of saline land for food cultivation can increase agricultural productivity and rural income. To obtain information on the salt tolerance/susceptibility of wild chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), the influence of salinity (0-260 mM NaCl) on chicory seed germination and that of two salinity levels of irrigation water (100 and 200 mM NaCl) on plant growth, antioxidative enzyme activity, and accumulation of proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) were investigated. The trials were performed outdoors, in pots placed under a protective glass covering, for two consecutive years. Seeds showed a high capacity to germinate in saline conditions. The use of 100 mM NaCl solution resulted in 81 % germination, whereas seed germinability decreased below 40 % using salt concentrations above 200 mM NaCl. Wild chicory showed tolerance to medium salinity (100 mM NaCl), whereas a drastic reduction in biomass was observed when 200 mM NaCl solution was used for irrigation. MDA, present in higher amounts in leaves than in roots, decreased in both tissues under increasing salinity. Proline content increased remarkably with the level of salt stress, more so in roots than in leaves. In salt stress conditions, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (APX, CAT, POD, SOD) was enhanced. The electrophoretic patterns of the studied enzymes showed that the salinity of irrigation water affected only the intensity of bands, but did not activate new isoforms. Our results suggest that wild chicory is able to grow in soil with moderate salinity by activating antioxidative responses both in roots and leaves.

The use of natural compounds with antimicrobial activity may be a viable alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides to control pathogens attacking fresh fruit and vegetables during postharvest storage. This paper reports results on the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of total and fractionated phenolic extracts obtained from wild edible herbs (Borago officinalis, Orobanche crenata, Plantago coronopus, P. lanceolata, Sanguisorba minor, Silene vulgaris, Sonchus asper, S. oleraceus, and Taraxacum officinale) against some of the most important postharvest diseases: gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), brown rot (Monilinia laxa), blue mold (Penicillium italicum, P. expansum), green mold (P. digitatum), and black mold (Aspergillus carbonarius, A. niger). The extracts obtained from S. minor and O. crenata completely inhibited conidial germination of M. laxa, P. digitatum, P. italicum, and A. niger and greatly reduced that of B. cinerea and P. expansum. The same extracts were tested in vivo on stone fruits (apricots, nectarines, and sweet cherries), oranges, and grapes with good results. Some phenolic compounds present in the extracts were identified as potential active components.

In Italy, the cultivation of wild rocket is still rising due to the increase of the market of minimally processedvegetables that requires innovative and high quality products. The present study focused on the interactive effectof irrigation regimes (IR) and nitrogen (N) supply on yield, water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency(NUE), morphological and quality parameters of wild rocket. The research was carried out on four crop cyclesduring autumn-spring season in Basilicata region, Southern Italy, on wild rocket grown in a plastic greenhouse.Four IR (corresponding to 75, 100, 125 and 150% of crop evapotranspiration, and labelled respectively as I75,I100, I125 and I150) and two N levels (60 and 120 kg ha-1), were compared. The irrigation and N levels affectedproduction traits of wild rocket. The highest yield was obtained by I100, while 8% and 6% decrease in yield wasobserved with I75 and I150, respectively. The greater yield was obtained with the higher N rate, to which contributedfirstly the leaf number and secondly the leaf size. However, the higher N dose provided higher leafnitrate content. Moreover, in conditions of greater water stress occurring in the last two crop cycles of I75, higherN rate adversely affected yield. Lower water and N supply improved phenols, carotenoids and antioxidant activityin rocket leaves. Both yield and biomass WUE increased in water shortage conditions (I75) at 1st crop cycle.Thereafter, both parameters tended to decrease because of the increase of water shortage, indicating that biomassand marketable yield losses were proportionally greater than the amount of water used by crops. Higher Nrate improved WUE, but reduced NUE. The latter parameter was higher in water shortage conditions. Thus,adequate water and N supply are critical factors to ensure economically sustainable production levels and highquality features of wild rocket.

Polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) have been shown to be potential chemopreventive and anticancer dietary compounds. High doses of polyphenolic extracts (AEs) induce apoptosis and decrease the invasive potential of the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB231. However, the molecular mechanism underlying AEs antiproliferative effects is not completely understood. We demonstrate that chronic and low doses of AEs treatment at sublethal concentrations suppress human breast cancer cell growth via a caspases-independent mechanism. Furthermore, AEs exposure induces a significant increase of senescence-associated ?-galactosidase (SA-?-gal) staining and upregulation of tumour suppressor genes, p16INK4a and p21Cip1/Waf1 in MDA-MB231 cells. AEs treatment leads to epigenetic alterations in cancer cells, modulating DNA hypomethylation and lysine acetylation levels in total proteins. Cell growth arrest correlates with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in AEs treated breast cancer cells. Inhibition of ROS generation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) attenuates the antiproliferative effect. These findings demonstrate that chronic AEs treatment inhibits breast cancer cell growth via the induction of premature senescence through epigenetic and ROS-mediated mechanisms. Our results suggest that artichoke polyphenols could be a promising dietary tool either in cancer chemoprevention or/and in cancer treatment as a nonconventional, adjuvant therapy.

The ability of packaging conditions to preserve the quality of intermediate moisture artichoke (IMA) during storage at different conditions was evaluated. In this aim, artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek, cv. Locale di Brindisi) heads were deprived of external bracts, cut in quarters, dipped in acid solution (0.5% citric acid and 0.05% ascorbic acid in water) for 30 minutes and blanched at 95 °C for 8 minutes in a 1% citric acid and 1% wine vinegar water solution. After this pretreatment, artichoke pieces were dried with heat pump technology equipment at 55 °C up to 40% weight loss and 22.4 ± 0.5% dry matter and then packed in polypropylene trays sealed with a composite covering plastic in air and active modified atmosphere (MA = 30% CO2 + 70% N2). In order to evaluate postharvest performance, differently packed IMAs were stored at 4 and 20 °C up to 28 days. After 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days in storage, visual and sensorial scores, water activity, sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and total microbial load were evaluated. The results showed that IMA storage in MA packaging conditions at 4 °C was the most effective to preserve physical, sensorial, biochemical and hygienic properties. This innovative "ready to use" product could be of great interest from a commercial point of view due to its excellent nutritional quality, good shelf-life and convenience.

Consumer interest in quick yet healthy food is increasing and the "ready-to-use" artichoke is a tasty, easy,food to prepare with excellent nutraceutical qualities. This study evaluated the postharvest performanceof semi-dried artichoke (SDA) hearts. The product was packaged in air, in modified atmosphere (MA), andin vacuum and stored at 4
C for 40 days. Sensorial, physical, biochemical, and microbiological parameterswere evaluated during that period. The results show that storage in the absence of O2 and in thepresence of a high CO2 percentage (30%) was the most effective method for preserving phytochemicalcontent, antioxidant capacity, and hygienic traits and that SDA packaged in MA could be stored for morethan 30 days. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the postharvest performance of SDA has beenstudied. The results indicate that this innovative product could have great market value due to thepossibility of preserving its qualitative and sensorial proprieties in refrigerated conditions for long periodsof time.

Postharvest treatments with extracts from two wild edible plants (Orobanche crenata and Sanguisorbaminor), water solutions of two inorganic salts (calcium chloride, CaCl2, and sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3),and their combination (i.e., extracts with added CaCl2 or NaHCO3), were assayed to control sweet cherrypostharvest diseases. Three extract concentrations for each plant were assayed, corresponding to 0.170,0.340, and 0.510 g dry matter/mL and to 0.125, 0.250, and 0.500 g dry matter/mL for S. minor and O.crenata, respectively. At the lowest and the highest concentrations tested, S. minor extract was able toinhibit rot development in stored fruit by 79 and 89%, respectively, with an efficacy comparable to that ofCaCl2 and NaHCO3; for O. crenata extract such inhibition ranged between 64 and 76%, respectively. A doseeffect was observed only for O. crenata. Moreover, the level of control was not improved by the combinedapplication of plant extracts and salts. HPLC analysis of O. crenata extract showed verbascoside as themain phenolic compound, being about 95% of total phenolics; S. minor phenolic pattern appeared to bemore complex, due to the presence of caffeic acid derivatives, quercetin-3-glucoside, kaempferol-3-glucoside and other quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin derivatives, as well as many other unidentifiedcompounds. Residues of phenolics resulting from plant extracts in treated sweet cherries after storagewere below the analytical limit of detection. The study demonstrated that S. minor and O. crenata extractsmight represent an alternative organic mean for controlling sweet cherry postharvest decay.

Fresh-cut Big Top' nectarines were dipped in 2% (w/v) ascorbic acid-1% (w/v) calcium lactate and stored at 4 degrees C for up to 12days in 10kPa O-2- and 10kPa CO2-modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The used microperforated plastic film allowed O-2 and CO2 concentrations to reach steady values from the fifth day in storage onwards. Samples stored in MAP after chemical dipping showed the highest visual quality score, slight browning symptoms, increment in firmness and very low ethanol and acetaldehyde content. The chemical dipping also increased antioxidant capacity, probably due to the effect of ascorbic acid. The results suggested that the control of yeasts was mainly exerted by MAP, whereas only a slight effect was achieved by the chemical dipping. Therefore, MAP plus ascorbic acid/calcium lactate dipping was the best combination to preserve phytochemical content, antioxidant capacity and microbiological safety of fresh-cut nectarines during storage.

The postharvest performance of two intermediate moisture fruits, peach(Prunus persica (L.) Batsch 'Giallone') and prune (Prunus domestica L. 'Stanley'),was evaluated. Fruit were washed, cut (peach into slices, prune into halves), stoned,dipped in 2% (w/v in water) acid solutions (ascorbic acid for peach, citric acid forprune), and sonicated in ultrasonic bath with a 45%(w/v in water) fructose solution.After this pretreatment, fruit pieces were dried with heat pump technologyequipment. Semi-dried fruit pieces were packed in polypropylene trays sealed with acomposite covering plastic film with a partial vacuum (P=450 mm Hg) airatmosphere. In order to test postharvest performance in both refrigerated andunrefrigerated conditions, products were stored at 4±1 or 18±1°C for 60 days. After0, 20, 40, and 60 days in storage, visual and sensorial scores, colour, texture, aw,sugars, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, polygalacturonase activity, andmicrobial growth were evaluated. Peach and prune pieces stored in unrefrigeratedconditions showed serious decay symptoms already after 20 days in storage;whereas, semi-dried fruit pieces stored at 4°C preserved their physical, sensorial,biochemical, and microbiological properties until 40 days in storage. After 60 daysin storage, only peaches still maintained minimally acceptable quality; on thecontrary, prunes were unmarketable.

Fresh-cut products (FCP) are subjected to the cutting mechanical stress that principally promotes: a) increase in respiratory activity, with rapid breakdown of sugars, organic acids, vitamins; b) increase in ethylene biosynthesis, that accelerates ripening and senescence, with loss of consistency; c) increase in phenolic metabolism, that gives rise to browning phenomena and increase in product fibrousness. Storage at low temperatures and packaging in modified atmosphere are used to slow down respiration and ethylene production. Treatments with antioxidants are used to prevent or minimize browning phenomena, whereas inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis have been proved effective in reducing softening.Nutraceutical characteristics of FCP can be increased by the use of controlled abiotic stresses. The stress deriving from cutting can promote the biosynthetic pathway of phenolic compounds, whose beneficial antioxidant properties are known; also the biosynthesis of carotenoids can be enhanced by other controlled physical treatments. This strategy could be a means to increase the nutraceutical as well as commercial value of FCP.

A cationic soluble peroxidase isoenzyme (CysPrx) has been purified and characterized from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus (L.) Hegi) leaves by combination of aqueous two phase extraction, ion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The purification fold was 149 and the activity recovery 5.5%. CysPrx was stable from 5 to 45 °C with a pH optimum around 5.5; the pI was 8.3 and the MW of 37.7 ± 1.5 kDa. MALDI-TOF MS analysis provided partial peptide sequences and resolved CysPrx isoenzyme into two putative isoforms. The presence of these isoforms was confirmed by the isolation of full-length cDNA encoding CysPrx that generate two slightly different sequences coding for two putative CysPrx: CysPrx1 and CysPrx2. The obtained MS peptides showed a 35% coverage with 100% identity with the two CysPrx deduced protein sequences. A molecular modeling analysis was carried out to predict in silico the protein structure and compare it with other plant Prx structures. Considering that CysPrx is quite stable, the study carried out in this paper will offer new insights for the production of the recombinant protein for utilization of CysPrx as an alternative Prx for food technology, biomedical analysis and bioremediation.

The yeast population dynamics in olive wastewaters (OMW), sampled in five mills from Salento (Apulia, Southern Italy), were investigated. Three hundred yeasts were isolated in five industrial mills and identified by molecular analysis. Strains belonging to Geotrichum, Saccharomyces, Pichia, Rhodotorula and Candida were detected. Five G. candidum strains were able to grow in OMW as the sole carbon source and to reduce phenolics, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and antimicrobial compounds. One G. candidum isolate was selected for whole cell immobilization in calcium alginate gel. The COD and phenolic reduction obtained with immobilized cells showed a 2.2- and 2-fold increase compared to the removal obtained with free cells, respectively. The immobilization system enhanced yeast oxidative activity by avoiding the presence of microbial protease in treated OMW. To our knowledge, this is the first report on G. candidum whole-cell immobilization for OMW bioremediation.

Grey mould diseases caused by Botrytis cinerea are one of the main factorsreducing table grapes postharvest quality. The effect of high CO2 concentrations onsome fruit biochemical parameters in the presence of a high disease pressure wasevaluated. Bunches of 'Italia' table grapes were artificially infected by spraying witha conidial suspension of B. cinerea, packed in polyamide/polyethylene bags in threedifferent initial modified atmosphere (MA) conditions and stored at 3°C for 18 days.Changes in phenolic compounds in both skin and flesh, glucose and fructose content,polygalacturonase (PG) activity, and the incidence of grey mould rots wereevaluated every 6 days during storage. The results showed that high CO2concentrations did not significantly affect PG activity which, on the contrary, wasfound higher in Botrytis-infected samples than in corresponding non-inoculatedsamples. Moreover, in artificially infected samples, a positive correlation betweenhigh CO2 levels associated to the lowest disease incidence and the high concentrationof caftaric acid (the most representative phenolic compound) in the skin, was found.Therefore, it can be assumed that high CO2 concentrations could contribute tomaintain high levels of phenolic compounds in the table grapes' skin, which, in turn,might be involved in counteracting the disease development.

The use of peroxidase (POD) from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek) leaves to remove phenols present in olive mill waste water (OMWW) was studied. The enzyme extraction was performed using an aqueous two phase polymer system. The phenol concentration was assayed using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The optimal reaction conditions were evaluated. The highest phenol removal was obtained using 4 mM H(2)O(2) and an incubation of 24 hours. The enzyme showed a good activity in a broad range of pH (from 4 to 7) and temperature (from 5 to 50 degrees C). In optimal enzymatic conditions, a reduction of more than 60% of initial phenol concentration was observed. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of OMWW untreated and treated with POD extracts revealed that enzyme treatment brought about changes in the original OMWW polyphenolic profile. In particular the removal of verbascoside, hydroxytyrosol, and two caffeic acid derivatives was noticed. The results showed that the soluble POD from artichoke leaves could have a promising perspective in OMWW phenol removal, due to its broad pH and temperature working range and its cheap source.