Effect of Edible Coating Enriched with Natural Antioxidant Extract and Bergamot Essential Oil on the Shelf Life of Strawberries.

In this study, the effects of the application of edible coatings on the shelf life of the strawberry were evaluated, with the aim of extending the fruit's availability and shelf life while preserving its qualitative characteristics. In particular, the application of edible coatings enriched with a natural antioxidant to strawberries was evaluated for their physicochemical, microbial, and structural properties, during a storage period (up to 14 days) at refrigerated temperature. The experimental plan provided the formulation for edible coatings enriched with different concentrations of a natural antioxidant extract obtained from bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) pomace (1, 2.5, and 5%), bergamot essential oil (0.1% v/v and 0.2% v/v), and a synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT, 100 ppm). Moreover, a control test with untreated strawberries was considered. The enriched gum Arabic coatings provided good results related to the preservation of the qualitative parameters of the strawberries. The samples coated with the antioxidant extract (2.5%, sample D) and bergamot essential oil (0.1%, sample F) showed the best maintenance of the qualitative parameters after 14 days, showing lower decay rates (36% D and 27% F), good acceptability by consumers (between 5 and 6), and good retention of ascorbic acid (>30 mg 100 g-1).

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Antioxidant Extract from Lemon By-Products on Preservation of Quality Attributes of Minimally Processed Radish (Raphanus sativus L.).

The aim of this work was to enhance the use of a food-grade antioxidant extract obtained from lemon processing byproducts (peel, pulp and seeds) to extend the shelf life of minimally processed radishes. The extract (LPE) was previously characterized in terms of total phenolic (6.75 ± 0.34 mg GAE g-1 d.w.) and flavonoid content (2.04 ± 0.09 mg CE g-1 d.w.) and antioxidant activity, and eriocitrin and hesperidin were identified as the most prevalent phenolic compounds by a UHPLC system. The effects of different dipping aqueous solutions (UCR, DRa, DRb) and alginate-based edible coating formulations (CRc, CRd) with and without the antioxidant extract were studied on the quality parameters of minimally processed radishes, characterized regarding their microbiological and physicochemical characteristics for up to 14 days at 3 °C. The coating formulated with LPE delayed the radish respiration process, as well as resulting in less color variation (ΔE < 3) and reduced mesophilic aerobic count values (4.49 ± 1.43 log CFU g-1), proving the effectiveness of LPE as a value-added ingredient in developing post-harvest strategies to prolong the shelf life of minimally processed vegetables. Indeed, coated samples without the extract showed a clear development of rotting, which led to the end of their shelf life on their 7th day of storage.

Green-sustainable extraction techniques for the recovery of antioxidant compounds from "citrus Limon" by-products.

In this work, optimized techniques of conventional, ultrasound and microwave-assisted extraction were applied for the recovery of antioxidant compounds from lemon by-products (Citrus limon L). Specifically, the effect of solvent, temperature, microwave power, time and their interaction on the extraction was investigated. Among the tested solvents, the hydroalcoholic mixture (ethanol:water, 50:50) was the optimal one for all extraction techniques: in particular assisted by ultrasounds at 70 °C for 30 minutes (total phenolic content: 6.93 mg GAE g-1, total flavonoids: 2.07 mg CE g-1, ABTS assay: 18.36 µM TE g-1). Also, the other techniques allowed to obtain valuable extracts, although with relative lower amounts. The analyses of individual phenols revealed hesperidin and eriocitrin as the main compounds (respectively about 1650 and 1150 mg kg-1) after ultrasound assisted and conventional extraction. Results of this work can be useful to valorize an industrial by-product by sustainable techniques for the high-added value substances recovery.

Effect of Oil Type Used in Neapolitan Pizza TSG Topping on Its Physical, Chemical, and Sensory Properties.

BACKGROUND: According to the regulations of the Neapolitan Pizza TSG, extra virgin olive oil must be exclusively used as topping ingredient, together with tomato for pizza marinara-type production. As, often deliberately, other oils are replaced by pizza makers for economical and organoleptic purposes, the present study was conducted to analyze the quality of pizza depending on the oil typology used. METHODS: Chemical and sensory analyses were performed on olive oils and on pizza topping mix samples after cooking to detect changes due to the applied cooking processing. RESULTS: The results revealed the best quality of a monovarietal olive oil (Ottobratica cv.) for their peculiar phenolic content related to the best oxidation stability after pizza's cooking, expressed as bioactive amounts and lower presence of undesired volatile compounds. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an extra virgin monovarietal olive oil, such as Ottobratica cv., in the topping of pizza is preferable to other oils, also EVOO, because of its higher quality, which is reflected in greater health and pleasant characteristics from a sensorial point of view.

Drug-Drug Interactions in Vestibular Diseases, Clinical Problems, and Medico-Legal Implications.

Peripheral vestibular disease can be treated with several approaches (e.g., maneuvers, surgery, or medical approach). Comorbidity is common in elderly patients, so polytherapy is used, but it can generate the development of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) that play a role in both adverse drug reactions and reduced adherence. For this reason, they need a complex kind of approach, considering all their individual characteristics. Physicians must be able to prescribe and deprescribe drugs based on a solid knowledge of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical indications. Moreover, full information is required to reach a real therapeutic alliance, to improve the safety of care and reduce possible malpractice claims related to drug-drug interactions. In this review, using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library, we searched articles published until 30 August 2021, and described both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic DDIs in patients with vestibular disorders, focusing the interest on their clinical implications and on risk management strategies.

Nutraceuticals for Peripheral Vestibular Pathology: Properties, Usefulness, Future Perspectives and Medico-Legal Aspects.

Vestibular disorders may generate complex signs and symptoms, which may alter patients' balance and the quality of life. Dizziness and vertigo can strongly affect daily activities and relations. Despite the presence of conventional drugs, maneuvers, and surgery, another interesting therapeutic opportunity is offered by nutraceuticals. These molecules are often used in the treatment of dizziness and vertigo, but the rationale of their application is not always solidly demonstrated by the scientific evidence. Several substances have shown a variable level of efficacy/usefulness in this field, but there is lack of important evidence for most of them. From a medico-legal point of view, specific information must be provided to the patient regarding the efficacy and possibilities that the use of these preparations can allow. Administering the right nutraceutical to the proper patient is a fundamental clinical skill. Integrating conventional drug treatment with nutraceutical administration seems to be easy, but it may be difficult considering the (in part unexplored) pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of nutraceuticals. The aim of the scientific community should be to elevate nutraceuticals to the same law and technical dignity of conventional drugs.

Environmental Impact of Food Preparations Enriched with Phenolic Extracts from Olive Oil Mill Waste.

Reducing food waste as well as converting waste products into second-life products are global challenges to promote the circular economy business model. In this context, the aim of this study is to quantify the environmental impact of lab-scale food preparations enriched with phenolic extracts from olive oil mill waste, i.e., wastewater and olive leaves. Technological (oxidation induction time) and nutritional (total phenols content) parameters were considered to assess the environmental performance based on benefits deriving by adding the extracts in vegan mayonnaise, salad dressing, biscuits, and gluten-free breadsticks. Phenolic extraction, encapsulation, and addiction to the four food preparations were analyzed, and the input and output processes were identified in order to apply the life cycle assessment to quantify the potential environmental impact of the system analyzed. Extraction and encapsulation processes characterized by low production yields, energy-intensive and complex operations, and the partial use of chemical reagents have a non-negligible environmental impact contribution on the food preparation, ranging from 0.71% to 73.51%. Considering technological and nutritional aspects, the extraction/encapsulation process contributions tend to cancel out. Impacts could be reduced approaching to a scale-up process.

Antioxidant Properties of Olive Mill Wastewater Polyphenolic Extracts on Human Endothelial and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

This work aims to analyze the chemical and biological evaluation of two extracts obtained by olive mill wastewater (OMW), an olive oil processing byproduct. The exploitation of OMW is becoming an important aspect of development of the sustainable olive oil industry. Here we chemically and biologically evaluated one liquid (L) and one solid (S) extract obtained by liquid-liquid extraction followed by acidic hydrolysis (LLAC). Chemical characterization of the two extracts indicated that S has higher phenol content than L. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol were the more abundant phenols in both OMW extracts, with hydroxytyrosol significantly higher in S as compared to L. Both extracts failed to induce cell death when challenged with endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells in cell viability experiments. On the contrary, the higher extract dosages employed significantly affected cell metabolic activity, as indicated by the MTT tests. Their ability to counteract H2O2-induced oxidative stress and cell death was assessed to investigate potential antioxidant activities of the extracts. Fluorescence measurements obtained with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) probe H2DCF-DA indicated strong antioxidant activity of the two OMW extracts in both cell models, as indicated by the inhibition of H2O2-induced ROS generation and the counteraction of the oxidative-induced cell death. Our results indicate LLAC-obtained OMW extracts as a safe and useful source of valuable compounds harboring antioxidant activity.

Characterization of Olive Oils Obtained from Minor Accessions in Calabria (Southern Italy).

The valorization of minor accessions of olive is potentially a good way to improve the qualitative production of a specific territory. Olive oils of four minor accessions (Ciciarello, Tonda di Filogaso, and Ottobratica Calipa and Ottobratica Cannavà clones) produced in the same area of the Calabria region were characterized for the principal qualitative analyses at two drupe harvesting periods (October and November). Good quality in terms of free acidity, peroxides, spectrophotometric indexes, and fatty acid composition was observed in olive oils produced at both drupe harvesting times, with the exception of those of Tonda di Filogaso, which showed a free acidity level over the legal limit for extra virgin olive oil in the second harvesting time. All of the olive oils possessed at both production periods averagely abundant total polyphenols (460-778 mg/kg) and tocopherols (224-595 mg/kg), and the amounts changed in the experimental years for expected different environmental variations. Ottobratica Cannavà and Ottobratica Calipa clones showed some peculiar qualitative characteristics (free acidity, peroxides, fatty acid composition, and total polyphenols), distancing themselves from the principal variety of reference, Ottobratica.

Antioxidant quantification in different portions obtained during olive oil extraction process in an olive oil press mill.

BACKGROUND: Different antioxidant compounds are generally transferred from olives to olive oil during the production process. This work characterized the principal total bioactive compounds (tocopherols and phenols) in olives, olive oil and by-products of four cultivars grown in Calabrian areas (southern Italy), considering the effect of harvesting period. Antioxidant capacity, total and individual phenolic compounds were also analysed. RESULTS: Drupes, olive paste, pomace and olive wastewater showed similar phenolic compounds, while olive oil possessed a different composition, suggesting that phenols are not only transferred from drupe to oil, but also they change during oil production. Tocopherols varied among cultivars and harvesting period: generally, they were more abundant in samples produced in the first harvesting period. Qualitative and quantitative differences in phenolic composition and antioxidant activity were significantly found among cultivars in all the matrices. CONCLUSION: The highest amount of total phenolic antioxidants ended up in olive wastewater with variability due to the olive cultivar, while only a small part of them finished in the oil. This work shows evidence that the availability of bioactive compounds in different portions from the olive oil extraction belong to different varietal origins. In particular, new information was acquired on Ottobratica Calipa, a new olive clone, that produced an olive oil with an interesting antioxidant amount. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of Stability of Enriched Oil with Phenolic Extract from Olive Mill Wastewaters.

The disposal of olive mill wastewaters is a considerable subject for the development of a sustainable olive oil industry considering their high content of pollutants. Nevertheless, the selective extraction of phenolic compounds from olive mill wastewaters represents a promising approach to obtain phenolics suitable for food enrichment. This work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of phenolic extract addition (50 mg L-1), used as natural antioxidant, in sunflower oil against oxidative deterioration; to this aim, XAD-7-HP resin was tested in the recovery of phenolic compounds from olive mill wastewaters. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography was used to evaluate the single phenols contained in the extract; the most consistent amount was detected for hydroxytyrosol (834 mg 100 ml-1). The change in the oxidation state of fortified sunflower oil was studied by measuring physicochemical (refractive index, peroxide value and oxidative resistance to degradation) and antioxidant parameters (DPPH, ABTS and ORAC assays) during 90 days of storage. Results showed an enhancement of oxidative stability of 50% in the fortified oil compared to control.

No Autopsies on COVID-19 Deaths: A Missed Opportunity and the Lockdown of Science.

BACKGROUND: The current outbreak of COVID-19 infection, which started in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019, is an ongoing challenge and a significant threat to public health requiring surveillance, prompt diagnosis, and research efforts to understand a new, emergent, and unknown pathogen and to develop effective therapies. Despite the increasing number of published studies on COVID-19, in all the examined studies the lack of a well-defined pathophysiology of death among patients who died following COVID-19 infection is evident. Autopsy should be considered mandatory to define the exact cause of death, thus providing useful clinical and epidemiologic information as well as pathophysiological insights to further provide therapeutic tools. METHODS: A literature review was performed on PubMed database, using the key terms: "COVID-19", "nCov 19", and "Sars Cov 2". 9709 articles were retrieved; by excluding all duplicated articles, additional criteria were then applied: articles or abstracts in English and articles containing one of the following words: "death", "died", "comorbidity", "cause of death", "biopsy", "autopsy", or "pathological". RESULTS: A total of 50 articles met the inclusion criteria. However, only 7 of these studies reported autopsy-based data. DISCUSSION: The analysis of the main data from the selected studies concerns the complete analysis of 12,954 patients, of whom 2269 died (with a mortality rate of 17.52%). Laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection was obtained in all cases and comorbidities were fully reported in 46 studies. The most common comorbidities were: cardiovascular diseases (hypertension and coronary artery disease), metabolic disorders (diabetes, overweight, or obesity), respiratory disorders (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and cancer. The most common reported complications were: acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney injury, cardiac injury, liver insufficiency, and septic shock. Only 7 papers reported histological investigations. Nevertheless, only two complete autopsies are described and the cause of death was listed as COVID-19 in only one of them. The lack of postmortem investigation did not allow a definition of the exact cause of death to determine the pathways of this infection. Based on the few histopathological findings reported in the analyzed studies, it seems to be a clear alteration of the coagulation system: frequently prothrombotic activity with consequent thromboembolism was described in COVID-19 patients. As a scientific community, we are called on to face this global threat, and to defeat it with all the available tools necessary. Despite the improvement and reinforcement of any method of study in every field of medicine and science, encouraging the autopsy practice as a tool of investigation could also therefore, help physicians to define an effective treatment to reduce mortality.

Antioxidant activity shown by olive pomace extracts.

In this study, the effects of experimental variables such as type of solvent, sample/solvent ratio, and time of extraction have been evaluated to individuate the best results in phenolic recovery by Olive Pomaces (OP) belonging to Carolea and Ottobratica cultivars. Folin-Ciocaulteu procedure and DPPH and ABTS assays were used, respectively, for total phenol quantification and total antioxidant activity of pomace extracts. The ethanol/water mixture was resulted the most efficient extraction solvent for both olive cultivars. The highest amount of phenolic compounds (171 ± 4 mg of gallic acid 100 g-1 of dry pomace) was obtained after extraction at 120 min with 2:1 solvent/OP (v/w) of Ottobratica Olive Pomace. The recovery of phenol compounds from olive wastes increases the sustainability of sector, allowing obtaining an extract that could be a suitable alternative in the food industry to the use of synthetic antioxidants in order to improve the quality of foods.