Models for the rapid assessment of water and oil content in olive pomace by near-infrared spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: The measurement of the water and oil content in olive pomace is crucial for controlling the olive-oil extraction process. The use of near-infrared (NIR) spectra could allow the measurement of the oil and water content in olive pomace. RESULTS: Partial least squares for pomace oil content on a dry basis reached an error of 2.5% (±0.5). Principal component regression for pomace oil content on a wet basis reached an error of 3.7% (±0.5). Both were suitable for quantitative analysis. Principal component regression for pomace water content reached an error of 6.0% (±2.3), suitable for process control. The relationship between 'ratio of standard deviation of calibration data to standard error of prediction data' and 'range of confident prediction error percentage' was investigated, it results of hyperbolic type, the constant of the hyperbolic equation depends on the product under analysis: for the olive pomace this constant is equal to 45.60 (±1.78). CONCLUSION: Near-infrared analysis confirmed the possibility of determining the oil and water content in the olive pomace, which is important in the olive oil extraction process control. A new algorithm was used, together with standard statistical algorithms, to identify and remove the less useful wavelengths from the model, improving the overall prediction performance. A new parameter (the 'range of confident prediction error percentage') has been proposed for estimating the model's prediction error in an objective way. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

A comparison among innovative plants for high quality extra-virgin olive oil production.

BACKGROUND: The cleaning operation of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), subsequent to its extraction, is generally performed by means of a vertical disc stack centrifuge separator causing qualitative damage due to increased oxidative alterations. However, previous works have demonstrated the great opportunity that settling represents in order to improve the EVOO quality performing the separation operation with minimal qualitative damage. RESULTS: A new patented prototype device (ROTASED, RS) has been used in the cleaning operation of extra-virgin olive comparing physical and chemical characterization of EVOO after 48 h from extraction and after 180 days of shelf-life. In addition, the results have been compared with those obtained using an assisted sedimentation (AS) plant and an enhanced sedimentation plant by hydrocyclone (H) from previous authors' works, in order to assess the improvement of EVOO quality that could be attained with respect to the use of the vertical disc stack centrifuge separator. CONCLUSION: The results show that after 48 h of storage the tested patented prototype device seems to be preferable, however, after 180 days of storage, the difference between H and RS device results similar in terms of improvement of the final olive oil quality. In addition, the method of principal component analysis can be used to evaluate the suitability of an olive cv. in terms of quality of extracted oil. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Models to improve the non-destructive analysis of persimmon fruit properties by VIS/NIR spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Visible-near-infrared spectrometry is a technique suitable for assessing chemical and physiological properties of fruit. Some models of calibration/prediction have been tested in order to assess the feasibility of a visible-near-infrared sensor in order to monitor persimmon fruit colour, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity and soluble tannins. RESULTS: Five regression models were investigated: principal component, partial least squares, stepwise, support vector machines and ensembles of trees. These models were assessed by a 10-fold cross-validation with a new strategy for both outlier removal and wavelength reduction; furthermore, their statistical significance was evaluated by 100 Monte Carlo simulation runs. Principal component regression allowed us to build excellent and/or very good fit/prediction models. The results (in terms of RPD as standard deviation to performance standard error ratio) are: 9.23 (±0.26) for colour index, 10.18 (±0.37) for firmness, 7.15 (±0.28) for soluble solids content, 7.87 (±0.31) for titratable acidity and 8.91 (±0.33) for soluble tannins content. CONCLUSION: The proposed strategy, for outlier removal and wavelength reduction, allowed the achievement of useful results. Principal component regression fit/prediction capability produced excellent results. Conversely, partial least squares regression showed fair/poor results and the remaining tested models performed badly on real data. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of adjuncts on microbiological and chemical properties of Scamorza cheese.

Scamorza is a semi-hard, pasta filata cheese resembling low-moisture Mozzarella cheese, with a short ripening time (<30d). Scamorza has a bland flavor and, to provide diversification from similar cheeses, it was manufactured using 2 types of milk in the current study: 100% Italian Friesian milk (F) or 90% F and 10% Jersey cow milk (mixed, M), and 2 types of starter: Streptococcus thermophilus or S. thermophilus with peptidolytic Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus helveticus, and Lactobacillus paracasei strains as adjuncts). The cheeses were ripened for 30d. The adjunct did not significantly affect acid production or growth of the primary starter; 2 of the species used in the adjunct (Lb. paracasei and Lb. helveticus) rapidly colonized the cheese and persisted until the end of ripening, whereas the counts of nonstarter lactic acid bacteria in the control cheese were low until the end of ripening. The use of adjuncts affected pH, microbial composition (as assessed by both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods), total free amino acid content, and volatile profile (measured using an electronic nose), whereas milk type had only a minor effect. Although differences in primary proteolysis were found, they were probably indirect and related to the effects on pH and moisture. We conclude that, even with a short ripening time (30d), use of a peptidolytic adjunct may significantly affect important features of Scamorza and may be used to create a product that is measurably different from competing products.

Comparison between immediate and delayed laser-treated implants surface with switching platform: a clinical retrospective study.

The aim of the present study was to compare immediate (Im) versus delayed (De) placement of laser-treated implants surface with switching platform to confirm the predictability and performance of this type of implant. The implants were placed in pos exodontia and healed sites at the incisor, canine, premolar, and molar regions of the maxilla or the mandible. A protocol was prepared in which patient age, sex, implant length, diameter, and use of bone graft were recorded. The study included 44 GEASS Srl (Udine, Italy) implants with laser surface and morse taper connection, placed in 27 patients (mean age: 56 years; range: 25-80 years).The survival rates were 100% in the Im group and in the De group. The patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months. Implants with laser surface and morse connection presented when placed in fresh sockets showed similar results to implants placed in mature bone after 12 months of follow-up.

A multivariate approach to explore the volatolomic and sensory profiles of craft Italian Grape Ale beers produced with novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

This study investigated the influence of three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, selected from different matrices - CHE-3 (cherry), P4 (sourdough) and TA4-10 (grape must) - on characteristics of Italian Grape Ale (IGA) beers obtained at microbrewery scale. A multidisciplinary approach, combining results from analysis of chemical, volatile and organoleptic profiles of the beers, was adopted to underline the relationships between yeast starter and the quality of final products. Detection volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by Gas-Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) after extraction carried out by head-space micro-extraction (HS-SPME) revealed that the beer obtained by P4 strain differed from the others for its higher concentrations of esters, alcohols, and terpenes as confirmed by PCA (principal component analysis) and Cluster heatmap. Furthermore, sensorial analysis and consumer test showed that this sample differed from others by more pronounced notes of "fruity smell and floral" and "olfactory finesse," and it was the most appreciated beer for smell, taste, and overall quality. Conversely, CHE-3 was the sample with the lowest concentrations of the identified volatiles and, together TA4-10, showed the highest scores for smoked, yeast, malt, and hop notes. As far as we know, these are the first results on the application of indigenous S. cerevisiae strains in the production of craft IGA beers analyzed through a complex multivariate approach.

Microbiological Stability and Overall Quality of Ready-To-Heat Meals Based on Traditional Recipes of the Basilicata Region.

The quality of ready meals is affected by several factors that may impair stability and nutritional value. In this work, we evaluated the overall quality of four traditional meals (Basilicata region) prepared according to the cook&chill method, packaged in air or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 70% N2 and 30% CO2), and stored at 4 °C for seven days. The shelf-life was determined by Listeria monocytogenes challenge testing and inactivation by microwave (MW) heating was assessed. The counts at the production day were excellent in three meals out of four, whereas one had high levels of spoilage and pathogens both as soon as the preparation and after seven days. MAP was partially effective only against the growth of the aerobic mesophilic species, whereas sensory analysis revealed that MAP may preserve many of sensory attributes. The average shelf-life of the meals ranged from 11 to 13 days, however, the potential shelf-life was undetectable in one out four meals, as L. monocytogenes growth was inhibited two days after the inoculum. In the inoculated meals, MW heating provided a partial inactivation (25%) of the pathogen. The overall quality of type the meals was partially satisfactory; post-cooking contaminations may affect the microbial load and reduce the palatability over the storage period and, above all, may involve biological hazards which consumers' habits may not be able to eliminate.

Preparation and characterization of microencapsulated phytosterols for the formulation of functional foods: Scale up from laboratory to semi-technical production.

Phytosterols were microencapsulated by spray drying in a shell represented by WPI, inulin and chitosan at four different combinations through the formulation of aqueous suspensions. Moreover, two concentrations of Tween 80 (1.25% and 2.50% w/w) and two inlet temperatures (125 °C and 155 °C) were tested. The effect of the different experimental conditions on the process yield and on the microcapsules properties was evaluated. A significant effect of all variables on the microcapsule properties was found. Accordingly, the best performance, with the maximum loading capacity of 25%, was obtained by using only WPI as shell material, Tween 80 at 1.25% and inlet temperature of 155 °C. The process was successfully scaled-up from laboratory equipment to a semi-technical scale keeping the optimal shell formulation and process conditions.

Investigation of Factors Affecting Aerobic and Respiratory Growth in the Oxygen-Tolerant Strain Lactobacillus casei N87.

Aerobic and respiratory cultivations provide benefits for some lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Growth, metabolites, enzymatic activities (lactate dehydrogenase; pyruvate and NADH oxidases, NADH peroxidase; catalase), antioxidant capability and stress tolerance of Lactobacillus casei N87 were evaluated in anaerobic, aerobic and respiratory (aerobiosis with heme and menaquinone supplementation) batch cultivations with different dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations. The expression of pox (pyruvate oxidase) and cydABCD operon (cytochrome bd oxidase complex) was quantified by quantitative Real Time polymerase chain reaction. Respiration increased biomass production compared to anaerobiosis and unsupplemented aerobiosis, and altered the central metabolism rerouting pyruvate away from lactate accumulation. All enzymatic activities, except lactate dehydrogenase, were higher in respiratory cultures, while unsupplemented aerobiosis with 60% of DO promoted H2O2 and free radical accumulation. Respiration improved the survival to oxidative and freeze-drying stresses, while significant numbers of dead, damaged and viable but not cultivable cells were found in unsupplemented aerobic cultures (60% DO). Analysis of gene expression suggested that the activation of aerobic and respiratory pathways occurred during the exponential growth phase, and that O2 and hemin induced, respectively, the transcription of pox and cydABCD genes. Respiratory cultivation might be a natural strategy to improve functional and technological properties of L. casei.

Maxillary central incisor with two roots: a case report.

Management of a dual-rooted maxillary central incisor with a normal clinical crown is reported. The postoperative radiograph shows two distinct roots and canals.

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma developing within a rectal tubular adenoma with low-grade dysplasia: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal lymphomas represent only 5% to 10% of gastrointestinal lymphomas, after the stomach and small intestine. Primary lymphoma of the colon and rectum is an unusual observation, constituting only 0.2% to 0.5% of all malignant tumors arising from the colorectal region. Very little is known about the correlation between adenoma and lymphoma in the colorectal tract. We report here a rare case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma developing within a solitary tubular adenoma with low-grade dysplasia of the rectum. CASE PRESENTATION: An 83-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our hospital intermittent anal bleeding and irregular bowel. Colonoscopy revealed a 1cm solitary rectal polyp, which was completely removed by endoscopic resection. Histologic studies revealed low-grade intraepithelial dysplasia; the stroma of adenoma showed focal localization by highly proliferative lymphoid cells. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that lymphoid cells were positive for CD20 and bcl2, whereas they were negative for CD3, CD5, CD10, CD23, CD30, CD138 and cyclin D1. Approximately 90% of the neoplastic cells reacted positively when stained with an antibody to Ki-67. Molecular studies showed the presence of a monoclonal immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement.To determine primary or secondary lymphoma localization, Dawson's criteria were applied to the case. A diagnosis of primary diffuse large B- lymphoma Ann Arbor stage 1A was established. Subsequently, the patient was referred to oncology to establish the stage and to select appropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma developing within a tubular adenoma, as reported here, is considered a rare event. Little about the prognosis of primary colorectal lymphomas is available and therapeutic treatment protocol is unclear. This case report provides more information on the history and macroscopic appearance of lymphomas presenting in an unusual location. To report additional cases in the future would be helpful in redefining the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approach.

Primary follicular lymphoma of the epididymis positive for t(14;18)(q32;q21)/IGH-BCL2 and negative for BCL2 protein expression: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) can involve the paratesticular organs as the primary disease, as primary testicular lymphoma that secondarily involves the paratesticular structures, as the initial site of presentation of occult nodal disease or as the result of disease dissemination. Primary follicular lymphoma of the epididymis in an adult is extremely rare. Little is known about primary adult paratesticular/epididimal lymphomas. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a rare case of primary follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the epididymis in a 90-year-old Caucasian man who presented with a left scrotal mass. Bone marrow biopsy was negative and computed tomography of the total body revealed no evidence of extratesticular involvement. Macroscopically, the epididymis was replaced completely by a uniform mass. Histologic studies revealed a dense lymphoid infiltrate predominantly composed of centrocytes with admixed centroblasts. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that neoplastic cells strongly expressed CD45RB, CD20, CD79a, bcl-6 and CD10; bcl-2 immunostaining was negative. Molecular studies showed the presence of the monoclonal IgH gene rearrangement and the IgH/BCL2 rearrangement. The lymphoma was classified as follicular lymphoma, low grade, grade 1-2. The patient subsequently underwent radical orchiectomy, did not receive chemotherapy and post-operative follow-up showed absence of disease recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The case of primary follicular lymphoma of epididymis, reported here, is considered a very rare event. It is characterized by clinically indolent localized disease, a good clinical outcome, lack of expression of BCL2 protein and the presence of the t(14;18)(q32;q21)/IGH-BCL2. Even if it is a single case, the primary follicular lymphoma epididymis with t(14;18) could represent either a variant of the previously reported t(14;18)-negative primary paratesticular follicular lymphoma or a distinct biological entity. To report additional cases in the future would be helpful in resolving this question.