A Multimethodological Approach for the Valorization of "Senatore Cappelli" Wheat Milling By-Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds and Nutraceutical Activity.

Wheat is the third most cultivated cereal in the world and represents the major contributor to human nutrition. Milling wheat by-products such as husks (17-20% of the total processing output weight), even if still containing high-value-added bioactive compounds, are often left untreated or unused, thus resulting in environmental and human health burdens. In these regards, the present study is aimed at evaluating in a multimethodological approach the nutraceutical properties of durum wheat husks belonging to the ancient cultivar "Senatore Cappelli", thus assessing their potential as bioactive compound sources in terms of phytochemical, cytotoxic, and nutraceutical properties. By means of HPLC-FD analyses, wheat husk samples analyzed revealed a higher content of serotonin, amounting to 35% of the total BAs, and were confirmed to occur at biogenic amines quality index (BAQI) values <10 mg/100 g. In addition, spectrophotometric assays showed a significant variable content in the phenolic (189.71-351.14 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant compounds (31.23-37.84 mg TE/100 g) within the wheat husk samples analyzed, according to the different cultivar areas of origin. Considering wheat husk extracts' anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, in vitro analyses were performed on BV-2 murine microglia cells cultured in the presence or absence of LPS, thus evaluating their ability to promote microglia polarization towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Cytotoxicity assays showed that wheat extracts do not affect microglia viability. Wheat husks activity on microglial polarization was assessed by analyzing the expression of M1 and M2 markers' mRNA by RT-PCR. Wheat husk antioxidant activity was assessed by analysis of NRF2 and SOD1 mRNA expression. Moreover, the sustainability assessment for the recovery of bioactive components from wheat by-products was carried out by applying the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology using SimaPro v9.2.2. software.

Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Inflorescences as Novel Food: The Effect of Different Agronomical Practices on Chemical Profile.

In this study, the effect of several agronomical practices on the chemical composition of hemp inflorescences, a potential novel food that needs to be further studied, was observed. Here, the case study of inflorescences from Ferimon cultivars is discussed and submitted to different agronomical practices (irrigation and fertilizers) in different years, and the inflorescences harvested in different periods were analyzed by a multimethodological approach. Targeted and untargeted methodologies allowed cannabinoids, total phenolic content, metabolite profile and antioxidant activity to be determined. The biomass and inflorescence yields were also reported. The whole data set was submitted to ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis. The statistic results allowed us to observe that irrigation was responsible for the (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) increment. THC, cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerol (CBG), succinate, and fructose resulted as higher in full female flowering than in the period of seed maturity. On the other hand, nitrogen supplementation led to an increase of iso-leucine, valine, and threonine. The obtained results underlined both the potential food application of hemp inflorescences, due to the rich chemical profile, and the strong effect of agronomical practices, mainly irrigation and harvesting, on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of its metabolite profile.

A Comparison of the Mediterranean Diet and Current Food Patterns in Italy: A Life Cycle Thinking Approach for a Sustainable Consumption.

The transition toward more sustainable food systems, which already represents a central element of the European Farm to Fork and Green Deal strategies, could be an effective measure to contribute to global decarbonization and greenhouse gas (GHGs) reduction goals; concurrently, it could improve the health status and nutrition of the global population. In this context, the Mediterranean diet (MD) could play a considerable role, as it is generally recognized as a more balanced, healthy, and sustainable eating pattern than Western consumption patterns, which are characterized by excess food and high energy content, thus causing undesirable effects on both human health and the environment. Although traditionally linked to MD, Italy sees relatively moderate adherence by its citizens, as they consume about +75% of the daily caloric intake recommended by MD. Therefore, this study aims to quantitatively assess the potential environmental, economic, and health impacts of this lower adherence to MD by Italians. Current Italian Food Patterns (CIFP) in 2019 were analyzed and compared to the MD recommended amounts through a Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) approach (LCA) and carbon footprint (CF) analysis. The results show that CIFP, compared to MD, has +133% greater impacts on the environmental macro-area, +100% greater impacts on the human health macro-area, and +59% greater impacts on the economic macro-area (with annual fossil and mineral resource savings of $53.35 per person, $3.2 billion per year). The analysis also shows that CIFP has a CF of 6.54 × 101 kg CO2 eq, +142% over MD (2.7 × 101 kg CO2 eq), resulting in a lower environmental impact of the Mediterranean diet.

Natural Contaminants in Wines: Determination of Biogenic Amines by Chromatographic Techniques.

Biogenic amines (BAs) are natural contaminants of wine that originate from decarboxylase microorganisms involved in fermentation processes. The primary relevance of biogenic amines in food could have both toxic effects on consumers' health (i.e., allergic reactions, nausea, tremors, etc.), if present at high concentrations, and concurrently it can be considered as a remarkable indicator of quality and/or freshness. Therefore, the presence of nine biogenic amines [Tryptamine (TRP), ß-phenylethylamine (ß-PEA), putrescine (PUT), cadaverine (CAD), histamine (HIS), serotonin (SER), tyramine (TYR), spermidine (SPD), and spermine (SPM)] was investigated in red and white wine samples, which differed in the winemaking processes. The qualitative-quantitative determination of BAs was carried out by chromatographic methods (HPLC-UV/Vis and LC-ESI-MS). The analysis showed that both winemaking processes had all the nine BAs considered in the study at different amounts. Data showed that red wines had a higher concentration of PUT (10.52 mg L-1), TYR (7.57 mg L-1), and HIS (6.5 mg L-1), the BAs most involved in food poisoning, compared to white wines, probably related to the different type of fermentation (alcoholic and malolactic).

Commercial Bio-Packaging to Preserve the Quality and Extend the Shelf-Life of Vegetables: The Case-Study of Pumpkin Samples Studied by a Multimethodological Approach.

A multidisciplinary protocol is proposed to monitor the preservation of fresh pumpkin samples (FP) using three commercial polymeric films: A made of biodegradable cellophane from regenerated cellulose pulp; B from corn starch, cassava and eucalyptus, C made of polylactic acid from corn starch, and a polyethylene film used as reference (REF). Chemical, mechanical and microbiological analyses were applied on packaging and fresh and packaged samples at different times. After an 11-day period, NMR spectroscopy results showed a sucrose increase and a malic acid decrease in all the biofilms with respect to FP; fructose, glucose, galactose levels remained quite constant in biofilms B and C; the most abundant amino acids remained quite constant in biofilm A and decreased significantly in biofilm B. From microbiological analyses total microbial count was below the threshold value up to 7 days for samples in all the films, and 11 days for biofilm C. The lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts and molds counts were below the acceptability limit during the 11 days for all packages. In the case of biofilm C, the most promising packaging for microbiological point of view, aroma analysis was also carried out. In this paper, you can find all the analysis performed and all the values found.

A Multimethodological Characterization of Cannabis sativa L. Inflorescences from Seven Dioecious Cultivars Grown in Italy: The Effect of Different Harvesting Stages.

The chemical profile of the female inflorescence extracts from seven Cannabis sativa L. dioecious cultivars (Carmagnola, Fibranova, Eletta Campana, Antal, Tiborszallasi, Kompolti, and Tisza) was monitored at three harvesting stages (4, 14, and 30 September), reaching from the beginning of flowering to end of flowering/beginning of seed formation, using untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and targeted (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and spectrophotometry) analyses. The tetrahydrocannabinol content was always below the legal limits (<0.6%) in all the analyzed samples. The NMR metabolite profile (sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and minor compounds) subjected to principal components analysis (PCA) showed a strong variability according to the harvesting stages: samples harvested in stage I were characterized by a high content of sucrose and myo-inositol, whereas the ones harvested in stage II showed high levels of succinic acid, alanine, valine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and threonine. Samples harvested in stage III were characterized by high levels of glucose, fructose, choline, trigonelline, malic acid, formic acid, and some amino acids. The ratio between chlorophylls and carotenoids content indicated that all plants grew up exposed to the sun, the Eletta Campana cultivar having the highest pigment amount. Tiborszallasi cultivar showed the highest polyphenol content. The highest antioxidant activity was generally observed in stage II. All these results suggested that the Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences of each analyzed dioecious hemp cultivar presented a peculiar chemical profile affected by the harvesting stage. This information could be useful for producers and industries to harvest inflorescences in the appropriate stage to obtain samples with a peculiar chemical profile suitable for proper applications.

Bioactive compounds in cherry tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum var. Cerasiforme): Cultivation techniques classification by multivariate analysis.

This study aimed to assess bioactive compounds contents in cherry tomatoes and classify samples according to cultivation techniques. Simple and cost-effective analyses were conducted on 128 samples cultivated using hydroponic, organic, and conventional practices. An HPLC-FD method was validated in-house for eight biogenic amines while antioxidants were evaluated using total phenolic content and anti-radical activity assays (DPPH• and ABTS•+ assays). Chemometric evaluation was applied to extrapolate significant information from data-sets. Variable selection using correlation matrix and the Fisher test was performed. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were used to construct a mathematical model to classify samples. Correct classifications were achieved in training (95.2%), validation (98.5%), and testing (100%). The results showed that cherry tomatoes cultivated using different techniques could be discriminated based on bioactive profiles using chemometric approaches.

Chemico-Biological Characterization of Torpedino Di Fondi® Tomato Fruits: A Comparison with San Marzano Cultivar at Two Ripeness Stages.

Torpedino di Fondi (TF) is a hybrid tomato landrace developed in Sicily and recently introduced in the south Lazio area along with the classical San Marzano (SM) cultivar. The present study aimed at characterizing TF tomatoes at both pink and red ripening stages, and at comparing them with traditional SM tomatoes. A multidisciplinary approach consisting of morphological, chemical (FT-ICR MS, NMR, HPLC, and spectrophotometric methods), and biological (antioxidant and antifungal in vitro activity) analyses was applied. Morphological analysis confirmed the mini-San Marzano nature and the peculiar crunchy and solid consistency of TF fruits. Pink TF tomatoes displayed the highest content of hydrophilic antioxidants, like total polyphenols (0.192 mg/g), tannins (0.013 mg/g), flavonoids (0.204 mg/g), and chlorophylls a (0.344 mg/g) and b (0.161 mg/g), whereas red TF fruits were characterized by the highest levels of fructose (3000 mg/100 g), glucose (2000 mg/100 g), tryptophan (2.7 mg/100 g), phenylalanine (13 mg/100 g), alanine (25 mg/100 g), and total tri-unsaturated fatty acids (13% mol). Red SM fruits revealed the greatest content of lipophilic antioxidants, with 1234 mg/g of total carotenoids. In agreement with phenolics content, TF cultivar showed the greatest antioxidant activity. Lastly, red TF inhibited Candida species (albicans, glabrata and krusei) growth.

Cannabis sativa L. Inflorescences from Monoecious Cultivars Grown in Central Italy: An Untargeted Chemical Characterization from Early Flowering to Ripening.

The chemical composition of the inflorescences from four Cannabis sativa L. monoecious cultivars (Ferimon, Uso-31, Felina 32 and Fedora 17), recently introduced in the Lazio Region, was monitored over the season from June to September giving indications on their sensorial, pharmaceutical/nutraceutical proprieties. Both untargeted (NMR) and targeted (GC/MS, UHPLC, HPLC-PDA/FD and spectrophotometry) analyses were carried out to identify and quantify compounds of different classes (sugars, organic acids, amino acids, cannabinoids, terpenoids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids and biogenic amines). All cultivars in each harvesting period showed a THC content below the Italian legal limit, although in general THC content increased over the season. Citric acid, malic acid and glucose showed the highest content in the late flowering period, whereas the content of proline drastically decreased after June in all cultivars. Neophytadiene, nerolidol and chlorogenic acid were quantified only in Felina 32 cultivar, characterized also by a very high content of flavonoids, whereas alloaromadendrene and trans-cinnamic acid were detected only in Uso-31 cultivar. Naringenin and naringin were present only in Fedora 17 and Ferimon cultivars, respectively. Moreover, Ferimon had the highest concentration of biogenic amines, especially in July and August. Cadaverine was present in all cultivars but only in September. These results suggest that the chemical composition of Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences depends on the cultivar and on the harvesting period. Producers can use this information as a guide to obtain inflorescences with peculiar chemical characteristics according to the specific use.

Phytochemical and biological characterization of Italian "sedano bianco di Sperlonga" Protected Geographical Indication celery ecotype: A multimethodological approach.

Celery is a widely used vegetable known for its peculiar sensorial and nutritional properties. Here, the white celery (Apium graveolens L.) "sedano bianco di Sperlonga" PGI ecotype was investigated to obtain the metabolic profile of its edible parts (blade leaves and petioles) also related to quality, freshness and biological properties. A multi-methodological approach, including NMR, MS, HPLC-PDA, GC-MS and spectrophotometric analyses, was proposed to analyse celery extracts. Sugars, polyalcohols, amino acids, organic acids, phenols, sterols, fatty acids, phthalides, chlorophylls, tannins and flavonoids were detected in different concentrations in blade leaf and petiole extracts, indicating celery parts as nutraceutical sources. The presence of some phenols in celery extracts was here reported for the first time. Low contents of biogenic amines and mycotoxins confirmed celery quality and freshness. Regarding the biological properties, ethanolic celery extracts inhibited the oxidative-mediated DNA damage induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide and scavenged DPPH and ABTS radicals.

Noble Metal Nanoparticles Applications: Recent Trends in Food Control.

Scientific research in the nanomaterials field is constantly evolving, making it possible to develop new materials and above all to find new applications. Therefore, nanoparticles (NPs) are suitable for different applications: nanomedicine, drug delivery, sensors, optoelectronics and food control. This review explores the recent trend in food control of using noble metallic nanoparticles as determination tools. Two major uses of NPs in food control have been found: the determination of contaminants and bioactive compounds. Applications were found for the determination of mycotoxins, pesticides, drug residues, allergens, probable carcinogenic compounds, bacteria, amino acids, gluten and antioxidants. The new developed methods are competitive for their use in food control, demonstrated by their validation and application to real samples.

A multi-methodological approach in the study of Italian PDO "Cornetto di Pontecorvo" red sweet pepper.

A multi-methodological approach was applied to study red sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) ecotype "Cornetto di Pontecorvo" grown in a greenhouse or in open field. This approach includes morphological analysis, chemical composition determination, and biological activity evaluation of different extracts from pepper fruits. Untargeted analyses, namely NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, allowed the comprehensive pepper metabolite profile of pepper pulp, peel and seeds hydroalcoholic and organic extracts to be determined, showing the presence of sugars, organic acids, amino acids and other secondary metabolites. Targeted analyses, such as HPLC-PDA, HPLC-TLC and spectrophotometric analyses allowed polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids and pigments content to be determined. Samples quality and freshness were verified by the low content of biogenic amines and mycotoxins, as determined using HPLC-FLD and HPLC-MS, respectively. Preliminary biological results demonstrated the ability of the organic extracts to inhibit α-amylase, a key enzyme in the control of glucose metabolism.

Fast determination of biogenic amines in beverages by a core-shell particle column.

A fast and reliable HPLC method for the determination of 11 biogenic amines in beverages has been performed. After pre-column derivatization with dansyl-chloride a Kinetex C18 core-shell particle column (100 mm × 4.6 mm, 2.6 µm particle size) has been employed and the biogenic amines were identified and quantified in a total run time of 13 min with ultraviolet (UV) or fluorescence detection (FLD). Chromatographic conditions such as column temperature (kept at 50 °C), gradient elution and flow rate have been optimized and the method has been tested on red wine and fruit nectar. The proposed method is enhanced in terms of reduced analysis time and eluent consumption with respect of classical HPLC method as to be comparable to UHPLC methods. Green and cost-effective, this method can be used as a quality-control tool for routine quantitative analysis of biogenic amines in beverages for the average laboratory.

Rapid and direct determination of fructose in food: a new osmium-polymer mediated biosensor.

This paper describes the development and performance of a new rapid amperometric biosensor for fructose monitoring in food analysis. The biosensor is based on the activity of fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) immobilised into a carbon nanotube paste electrode according to two different procedures. The direct wiring of the FDH in a highly original osmium-polymer hydrogel was found to offer a better enzyme entrapment compared to the immobilisation of the enzyme in an albumin hydrogel. The optimised biosensor required only 5U of FDH and kept the 80% of its initial sensitivity after 4months. During this time, the biosensor showed a detection limit for fructose of 1µM, a large linear range between 0.1 and 5mM, a high sensitivity (1.95µAcm(-2)mM), good reproducibility (RSD=2.1%) and a fast response time (4s). Finally, the biosensor was applied for specific determination of fructose in honey, fruit juices, soft and energy drinks. The results indicated a very good agreement with those obtained with a commercial reference kit. No significant interference was observed with the proposed biosensor.

Rapid determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rainwater by liquid-liquid microextraction and LC with core-shell particles column and fluorescence detection.

Liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to LC with fluorescence detection for the determination of Environmental Protection Agency's 16 priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rainwater has been developed. The optimization of the extraction method has involved several parameters, including the comparison between an ultrasonic bath and a magnetic stirrer as extractant apparatus, the choice of the extractant solvent, and the optimization of the extraction time. Liquid-liquid microextraction gave good results in terms of recoveries (from 73.6 to 102.8% in rainwater) and repeatability, with a very simple procedure and low solvent consumption. The reported chromatographic method uses a Core-Shell technology column, with particle size <3 µm instead of classical 5-µm particles column. The resulting backpressure was below 300 bar, allowing the use of a conventional HPLC system rather than the more expensive ultrahigh performance LC (UHPLC). An average decrease of 59% in run time and 75% in eluent consumption has been obtained, compared to classical HPLC methods, keeping good separation, sensitivity, and repeatability. The proposed conditions were successfully applied to the determinations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in genuine rainwater samples.

Authenticity and quality of animal origin food investigated by stable-isotope ratio analysis.

Authentication of a food product is the procedure by which it is verified that the product matches the statements on the label, and that it conforms to what is established by regulations. This testing process includes analysis of the ingredients, determination of the geographical origin, and examination of the production methods. In particular, the use of rapid, effective and reliable analytical methods, when correctly applied to verify the authenticity and the traceability of the product, represents a valuable and irreplaceable tool for the authorities to carry out control functions. Tools and methodologies from scientific innovation and technological evolution can help to quickly locate particularly sophisticated frauds and adulterations. The feeding regime of livestock is a fundamental issue for the properties and safety of animal origin food, but this regime is often hidden from the consumer, making the zootechnical sector more prone to fraudulent practices. This review reports the results recently obtained in authentication of animal origin food by the application of stable-isotope ratio analysis, the most promising analytical technique in this field.