Yeast Starter Culture Identification to Produce of Red Wines with Enhanced Antioxidant Content.

Grape variety, quality, geographic origins and phytopathology can influence the amount of polyphenols that accumulate in grape tissues. Polyphenols in wine not only shape their organoleptic characteristics but also significantly contribute to the positive impact that this beverage has on human health. However, during the winemaking process, the total polyphenol content is substantially reduced due to the adsorption onto yeast wall polymers and subsequent lees separation. Despite this, limited information is available regarding the influence of the yeast starter strain on the polyphenolic profile of wine. To address this issue, a population consisting of 136 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains was analyzed to identify those with a diminished ability to adsorb polyphenols. Firstly, the reduction in concentration of polyphenolic compounds associated to each strain was studied by assaying Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) in the wines produced by micro-scale must fermentation. A total of 29 strains exhibiting a TPC and TEAC reduction ≤ 50%, when compared to that detected in the utilized grape must were identified and the nine most-promising strains were further validated by larger-scale vinification. Physico-chemical analyses of the resulting wines led to the identification of four strains, namely ITEM6920, ITEM9500, ITEM9507 and ITEM9508 which showed, compared to the control wine, a TPC and TEAC reduction ≤ 20 in the produced wines. They were denoted by a significant (p < 0.05) increased amount of anthocyanin, quercetin and trans-coutaric acid, minimal volatile acidity (<0.2 g/L), absence of undesirable metabolites and a well-balanced volatile profile. As far as we know, this investigation represents the first clonal selection of yeast strains aimed at the identifying "functional" fermentation starters, thereby enabling the production of regional wines with enriched polyphenolic content.

The ability of supercritical CO2 carrot and pumpkin extracts to counteract inflammation and oxidative stress in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with LPS or MDA-MB-231 cell-conditioned media.

Supercritical fluid extraction with CO2 (SFE) is an alternative technology to conventional solvent extraction (CSE), to obtain food-grade bioactives from plants. Here, SFE and CSE extracts from carrot and pumpkin matrices, impregnated with hempseed or flaxseed oil as co-solvents, were characterized by HPLC and GC-MS, and their ability to counteract the inflammatory and oxidative phenomena underlying the onset of several pathologies was assessed in vitro. All extracts showed dose-dependent anti-inflammatory potential and demonstrated an ability to interfere with the pro-inflammatory effects of breast cancer cell-conditioned media, and to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and nitrite production (NP) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is involved in these response mechanisms, as highlighted by the increased mRNA levels of its target genes revealed by quantitative real-time PCR analyses. NP and ROS concentrations negatively correlated with α-tocopherol and most carotenoids, but positively with the total tocopherol/total carotenoid ratio, suggesting an idiosyncratic effect of these bioactives on cell responses and emphasizing the need to focus on extract constituents' interactions.

Functional Quality and Radical Scavenging Activity of Selected Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansfeld) Genotypes as Affected by Early and Full Cropping Seasons.

Growing conditions and seasonal fluctuations are critical factors affecting fruit and vegetable nutritional quality. The effects of two partially overlapping cropping seasons, early (ECS; January-May) and full (FCS; March-July), on the main carpometric traits and bioactive components of different watermelon fruits were investigated in the open field. Four watermelon genotypes, comprising of three commercial cultivars 'Crimson Sweet', 'Dumara', 'Giza', and the novel hybrid 'P503 F1', were compared. The carpometric traits varied significantly between genotypes. Soluble solids and yield were higher under FCS than ECS. The variation affecting colour indexes between the two growing seasons exhibited a genotype-dependent trend. The antioxidant components and radical scavenging activity of watermelon fruits were also significantly affected by differences in received solar energy and temperature fluctuations during the trial period. The average citrulline, total phenolics and flavonoid contents were 93%, 71% and 40% higher in FCS than in ECS. A genotype-dependent variation trend was also observed for lycopene and total vitamin C between cropping seasons. The hydrophilic and lipophilic radical scavenging activities of the pulp of ripe watermelon fruits of the different genotypes investigated varied between 243.16 and 425.31 µmol Trolox Equivalent (TE) of 100 g-1 of fresh weight (fw) and from 232.71 to 341.67 µmol TE of 100 g-1 fw in FCS and ECS, respectively. Our results, although preliminary, show that the functional quality of watermelon fruits is drastically altered depending on the environmental conditions that characterize the ECS and LCS.

Expression of Exogenous GFP-CesA6 in Tobacco Enhances Cell Wall Biosynthesis and Biomass Production.

Improved cellulose biosynthesis and plant biomass represent important economic targets for several biotechnological applications including bioenergy and biofuel production. The attempts to increase the biosynthesis of cellulose by overexpressing CesAs proteins, components of the cellulose synthase complex, has not always produced consistent results. Analyses of morphological and molecular data and of the chemical composition of cell walls showed that tobacco plants (F31 line), stably expressing the Arabidopsis CesA6 fused to GFP, exhibits a "giant" phenotype with no apparent other morphological aberrations. In the F31 line, all evaluated growth parameters, such as stem and root length, leaf size, and lignified secondary xylem, were significantly higher than in wt. Furthermore, F31 line exhibited increased flower and seed number, and an advance of about 20 days in the anthesis. In the leaves of F31 seedlings, the expression of primary CesAs (NtCesA1, NtCesA3, and NtCesA6) was enhanced, as well as of proteins involved in the biosynthesis of non-cellulosic polysaccharides (xyloglucans and galacturonans, NtXyl4, NtGal10), cell wall remodeling (NtExp11 and XTHs), and cell expansion (NtPIP1.1 and NtPIP2.7). While in leaves the expression level of all secondary cell wall CesAs (NtCesA4, NtCesA7, and NtCesA8) did not change significantly, both primary and secondary CesAs were differentially expressed in the stem. The amount of cellulose and matrix polysaccharides significantly increased in the F31 seedlings with no differences in pectin and hemicellulose glycosyl composition. Our results highlight the potentiality to overexpress primary CesAs in tobacco plants to enhance cellulose synthesis and biomass production.

Coordinated transcriptional regulation of the carotenoid biosynthesis contributes to fruit lycopene content in high-lycopene tomato genotypes.

Lycopene content in tomato fruit is largely under genetic control and varies greatly among genotypes. Continued improvement of lycopene content in elite varieties with conventional breeding has become challenging, in part because little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms in high-lycopene tomatoes (HLYs). We collected 42 HLYs with different genetic backgrounds worldwide. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed lycopene contents differed among the positive control wild tomato Solanum pimpinellifolium, HLYs, the normal lycopene cultivar "Moneymaker", and the non-lycopene cultivar NC 1Y at the pink and red ripe stages. Real-time RT-PCR analysis of expression of the 25 carotenoid biosynthesis pathway genes of each genotype showed a significantly higher expression in nine upstream genes (GGPPS1, GGPPS2, GGPPS3, TPT1, SSU II, PSY2, ZDS, CrtISO and CrtISO-L1 but not the well-studied PSY1, PDS and Z-ISO) at the breaker and/or red ripe stages in HLYs compared to Moneymaker, indicating a higher metabolic flux flow into carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in HLYs. Further conversion of lycopene to carotenes may be prevented via the two downstream genes (ß-LCY2 and ε-LCY), which had low-abundance transcripts at either or both stages. Additionally, the significantly higher expression of four downstream genes (BCH1, ZEP, VDE, and CYP97C11) at either or both ripeness stages leads to significantly lower fruit lycopene content in HLYs than in the wild tomato. This is the first systematic investigation of the role of the complete pathway genes in regulating fruit lycopene biosynthesis across many HLYs, and enables tomato breeding and gene editing for increased fruit lycopene content.

The Protective Anticancer Effect of Natural Lycopene Supercritical CO2 Watermelon Extracts in Adenocarcinoma Lung Cancer Cells.

Carotenoids may have different effects on cancer and its progression. The safety of carotenoid supplements was evaluated in vitro on human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adenocarcinoma A549 cells by the administration of three different oleoresins containing lycopene and other lipophilic phytochemicals, such as tocochromanols. The oleoresins, obtained by the supercritical CO2 green extraction technology from watermelon (Lyc W), gac(Lyc G) and tomato (Lyc T) and chlatrated in α-cyclodextrins, were tested in comparison to synthetic lycopene (Lyc S), by cell cycle, Annexin V-FITC/PI, clonogenic test, Mytosox, intracellular ROS, Western Blot for NF-kB and RT-PCR and ELISA for IL-8. The extracts administered at the same lycopene concentration (10 µM) showed conflicting behaviors: Lyc W, with the highest lycopene/tocochromanols ratio, significantly increased cell apoptosis, mitochondrial stress, intracellular ROS, NF-kB and IL-8 expression and significantly decreased cell proliferation, whereas Lyc G and Lyc T significantly increased only cell proliferation. Lyc S treatment was ineffective. The highest amount of lycopene in Lyc W was able to counteract and revert the cell survival effect of tocochromanols supporting the importance of evaluating the lycopene bio-availability and the real effect of antioxidant tocochromanols' supplementation which may not only have no anticancer benefits but may even increase cancer aggressivity.

Effect of Individual and Selected Combined Treatments With Saline Solutions and Spent Engine Oil on the Processing Attributes and Functional Quality of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) Fruit: In Memory of Professor Leila Ben Jaballah Radhouane (1958-2021).

The results showed that soil electrical conductivity, (EC2: 7 dS/m) increased soluble solids, lycopene content, total phenolic content, hydrophilic and lipophilic radical scavenging activities (HRSA and LRSA) by 14.2, 149, 20, 46.4, and 19.0%, respectively, compared with control. Under 0.5% spent engine oil (SEO), flavonoid content decreased by 21.7% compared with the control. HRSA and LRSA of fruits subjected to EC2/SEO1 treatment were, respectively, 45.9 and 35.5% lower than control. The a*/b* ratio was positively and significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with ß-carotene (R = 0.78), lycopene (R = 0.68), total vitamin C (R = 0.71), α-tocopherol (R = 0.83), γ-tocopherol (R = 0.66), HRSA (R = 0.93), LRSA (R = 0.80), and soluble solids (R = 0.84) suggesting that it may be a promising indicator of fruit quality in areas affected by such constraints. The research revealed that combined stresses induce responses markedly different from those of individual treatments, which strain the need to focus on how the interaction between stresses may affect the functional quality of tomato fruits.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activities in Different Fractions of Mango Fruits (Mangifera indica L., Cultivar Tommy Atkins and Keitt).

This study aims to describe and compare the distribution of bioactive compounds, the fatty acids profiles, and the TEAC hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities in different fruit fractions (pulp, peel, and kernel) of two mango cultivars (Tommy Atkins and Keitt). All fractions are sources of health-promoting bioactive compounds. Regardless of cultivars, pulp had the highest content of phytosterols (~150 mg/100 g dw), peels ranked first for pentaciclic triterpenes (from 14.2 to 17.7 mg/100 g dw), tocopherols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls, and kernels for phenolic compounds (from 421.6 to 1464.8 mg/100 g dw), flavonoids, condensed tannins, as well as hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities. Differences between the two cultivars were evidenced for ascorbic acid, which showed the highest levels in the peels and kernels of Keitt and Tommy Atkins fruits, respectively. Similarly, the concentration of dehydroascorbic acid was higher in the pulp of Tommy Atkins than Keitt. The highest percentage of saturated fatty acids was observed in pulp (~42%) and kernels (~50%), monounsaturated fatty acids in kernels (up to 41%), and polyunsaturated fatty acids in peels (up to 52%). Our results add information to the current knowledge on nutraceuticals' distribution in different fractions of mango fruit, supporting its consumption as a healthy fruit and suggesting the great potential value of peels and kernels as sources of novel ingredients. Indeed, mango by-products generated during agronomic-to-industrial processing not only causes a significant environmental impact, but economic losses too. In this scenario, boosting research on conventional recovery methods offers eco-friendly solutions. However, green, novel biorefinery technologies may offer eco-friendly and profitable solutions, allowing the recovery of several more profitable by-products, sustaining their continuous growth since many bioactive compounds can be recovered from mango by-products that are potentially useful in the design of innovative nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and pharmaceutical formulations.

Analysis of the Phytochemical Composition of Pomegranate Fruit Juices, Peels and Kernels: A Comparative Study on Four Cultivars Grown in Southern Italy.

The increasing popularity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), driven by the awareness of its nutraceutical properties and excellent environmental adaptability, is promoting a global expansion of its production area. This investigation reports the variability in the weight, moisture, pH, total soluble solids, carbohydrates, organic acids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, antioxidant activities, and element composition of different fruit parts (juices, peels, and kernels) from four (Ako, Emek, Kamel, and Wonderful One) of the most widely cultivated Israeli pomegranate varieties in Salento (South Italy). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic characterization of different fruit parts from pomegranate cultivars grown simultaneously in the same orchard and subjected to identical agronomic and environmental conditions. Significant genotype-dependent variability was observed for many of the investigated parameters, though without any correlation among fruit parts. The levels of phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids of all samples were higher than the literature-reported data, as was the antioxidant activity. This is likely due to positive interactions among genotypes, the environment, and good agricultural practices. This study also confirms that pomegranate kernels and peels are, respectively, rich sources of punicic acid and phenols together, with several other bioactive molecules. However, the variability in their levels emphasizes the need for further research to better exploit their agro-industrial potential and thereby increase juice-production chain sustainability. This study will help to assist breeders and growers to respond to consumer and industrial preferences and encourage the development of biorefinery strategies for the utilization of pomegranate by-products as nutraceuticals or value-added ingredients for custom-tailored supplemented foods.

Differential Glycosylation Levels in Saliva from Patients with Lung or Breast Cancer: A Preliminary Assessment for Early Diagnostic Purposes.

Glycans play a fundamental role in several biological processes, such as cell-cell adhesion, signaling, and recognition. Similarly, abnormal glycosylation is involved in many pathological processes, among which include tumor growth and progression. Several highly glycosylated proteins found in blood are currently used in clinical practice as cancer biomarkers (e.g., CA125, PSA, and CA19-9). The development of novel non-invasive diagnostic procedures would greatly simplify the screening and discovery of pathologies at an early stage, thus also allowing for simpler treatment and a higher success rate. In this observational study carried out on 68 subjects diagnosed with either breast or lung cancer and 34 healthy volunteers, we hydrolyzed the glycoproteins in saliva and quantified the obtained free sugars (fucose, mannose, galactose, glucosamine, and galactosamine) by using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed-amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD). The glycosidic profiles were compared by using multivariate statistical analysis, showing differential glycosylation patterns among the three categories. Furthermore, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis allowed obtaining a reliable and minimally invasive protocol able to discriminate between healthy and pathological subjects.

In Vitro Selection of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Antioxidants to Develop an Innovative Synbiotic (NatuREN G) and Testing Its Effect in Reducing Uremic Toxins in Fecal Batches from CKD Patients.

We aimed to develop an innovative synbiotic formulation for use in reducing dysbiosis, uremic toxins (e.g., p-cresol and indoxyl sulfate), and, consequently, the pathognomonic features of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Twenty-five probiotic strains, belonging to lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium, were tested for their ability to grow in co-culture with different vegetable (pomegranate, tomato, and grapes) sources of antioxidants and prebiotics (inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides, and ß-glucans). Probiotics were selected based on the acidification rates and viable cell counts. Inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides reported the best prebiotic activity, while a pomegranate seed extract was initially chosen as antioxidant source. The investigation was also conducted in fecal batches from healthy and CKD subjects, on which metabolomic analyses (profiling volatile organic compounds and total free amino acids) were conducted. Two out of twenty-five probiotics were finally selected. After the stability tests, the selective innovative synbiotic formulation (named NatuREN G) comprised Bifidobacterium animalis BLC1, Lacticaseibacillus casei LC4P1, fructo-oligosaccharides, inulin, quercetin, resveratrol, and proanthocyanidins. Finally, NatuREN G was evaluated on fecal batches collected from CKD in which modified the viable cell densities of some cultivable bacterial patterns, increased the concentration of acetic acid and decane, while reduced the concentration of nonanoic acid, dimethyl trisulfide, and indoxyl sulfate.

Ride to cell wall: Arabidopsis XTH11, XTH29 and XTH33 exhibit different secretion pathways and responses to heat and drought stress.

The xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases (XTHs) are enzymes involved in cell wall assembly and growth regulation, cleaving and re-joining hemicellulose chains in the xyloglucan-cellulose network. Here, in a homologous system, we compare the secretion patterns of XTH11, XTH33 and XTH29, three members of the Arabidopsis thaliana XTH family, selected for the presence (XTH11 and XTH33) or absence (XTH29) of a signal peptide, and the presence of a transmembrane domain (XTH33). We show that XTH11 and XTH33 reached, respectively, the cell wall and plasma membrane through a conventional protein secretion (CPS) pathway, whereas XTH29 moves towards the apoplast following an unconventional protein secretion (UPS) mediated by exocyst-positive organelles (EXPOs). All XTHs share a common C-terminal functional domain (XET-C) that, for XTH29 and a restricted number of other XTHs (27, 28 and 30), continues with an extraterminal region (ETR) of 45 amino acids. We suggest that this region is necessary for the correct cell wall targeting of XTH29, as the ETR-truncated protein never reaches its final destination and is not recruited by EXPOs. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses performed on 4-week-old Arabidopsis seedlings exposed to drought and heat stress suggest a different involvement of the three XTHs in cell wall remodeling under abiotic stress, evidencing stress-, organ- and time-dependent variations in the expression levels. Significantly, XTH29, codifying the only XTH that follows a UPS pathway, is highly upregulated with respect to XTH11 and XTH33, which code for CPS-secreted proteins.

Tomato Oil Encapsulation by α-, ß-, and γ-Cyclodextrins: A Comparative Study on the Formation of Supramolecular Structures, Antioxidant Activity, and Carotenoid Stability.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are oligosaccharides, comprising 6 (α), 7 (ß), or 8 (γ) glucose residues, used to prepare oil-in-water emulsions and improve oil stability towards degradation. In this research, the aptitude of α-, ß-, and γ-CDs to form complexes with a supercritical CO2 extracted lycopene-rich tomato oil (TO) was comparatively assessed. TO/CD emulsions and the resulting freeze-dried powders were characterized by microscopy, Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), as well as for their antioxidant activity. Furthermore, carotenoid stability was monitored for 90 days at 25 and 4 °C. Confocal and SEM microscopy revealed morphological differences among samples. α- and ß-CDs spontaneously associated into microcrystals assembling in thin spherical shells (cyclodextrinosomes, Ø ≈ 27 µm) at the oil/water interface. Much smaller (Ø ≈ 9 µm) aggregates were occasionally observed with γ-CDs, but most TO droplets appeared "naked". FTIR and DSC spectra indicated that most CDs did not participate in TO complex formation, nevertheless structurally different interfacial complexes were formed. The trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) activity of emulsions and powders highlighted better performances of α- and ß-CDs as hydrophobic antioxidants-dispersing agents across aqueous media. Regardless of CDs type, low temperature slowed down carotenoid degradation in all samples, except all-[E]-lycopene, which does not appear efficiently protected by any CD type in the long storage period.

Pre- and Post-harvest Factors Affecting Glucosinolate Content in Broccoli.

Owing to several presumed health-promoting biological activities, increased attention is being given to natural plant chemicals, especially those frequently entering the human diet. Glucosinolates (GLs) are the main bioactive compounds found in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck). Their regular dietary assumption has been correlated with reduced risk of various types of neoplasms (lung, colon, pancreatic, breast, bladder, and prostate cancers), some degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, and decreased incidence of cardiovascular pathologies. GL's synthesis pathway and regulation mechanism have been elucidated mainly in Arabidopsis. However, nearly 56 putative genes have been identified as involved in the B. oleracea GL pathway. It is widely recognized that there are several pre-harvest (genotype, growing environment, cultural practices, ripening stage, etc.) and post-harvest (harvesting, post-harvest treatments, packaging, storage, etc.) factors that affect GL synthesis, profiles, and levels in broccoli. Understanding how these factors act and interact in driving GL accumulation in the edible parts is essential for developing new broccoli cultivars with improved health-promoting bioactivity. In this regard, any systematic and comprehensive review outlining the effects of pre- and post-harvest factors on the accumulation of GLs in broccoli is not yet available. Thus, the goal of this paper is to fill this gap by giving a synoptic overview of the most relevant and recent literature. The existence of substantial cultivar-to-cultivar variation in GL content in response to pre-harvest factors and post-harvest manipulations has been highlighted and discussed. The paper also stresses the need for adapting particular pre- and post-harvest procedures for each particular genotype in order to maintain nutritious, fresh-like quality throughout the broccoli value chain.

Inside and Beyond Color: Comparative Overview of Functional Quality of Tomato and Watermelon Fruits.

The quali-quantitative evaluation and the improvement of the levels of plant bioactive secondary metabolites are increasingly gaining consideration by growers, breeders and processors, particularly in those fruits and vegetables that, due to their supposed health promoting properties, are considered "functional." Worldwide, tomato and watermelon are among the main grown and consumed crops and represent important sources not only of dietary lycopene but also of other health beneficial bioactives. Tomato and watermelon synthesize and store lycopene as their major ripe fruit carotenoid responsible of their typical red color at full maturity. It is also the precursor of some characteristic aroma volatiles in both fruits playing, thus, an important visual and olfactory impact in consumer choice. While sharing the same main pigment, tomato and watermelon fruits show substantial biochemical and physiological differences during ripening. Tomato is climacteric while watermelon is non-climacteric; unripe tomato fruit is green, mainly contributed by chlorophylls and xanthophylls, while young watermelon fruit mesocarp is white and contains only traces of carotenoids. Various studies comparatively evaluated in vivo pigment development in ripening tomato and watermelon fruits. However, in most cases, other classes of compounds have not been considered. We believe this knowledge is fundamental for targeted breeding aimed at improving the functional quality of elite cultivars. Hence, in this paper, we critically review the recent understanding underlying the biosynthesis, accumulation and regulation of different bioactive compounds (carotenoids, phenolics, aroma volatiles, and vitamin C) during tomato and watermelon fruit ripening. We also highlight some concerns about possible harmful effects of excessive uptake of bioactive compound on human health. We found that a complex interweaving of anabolic, catabolic and recycling reactions, finely regulated at multiple levels and with temporal and spatial precision, ensures a certain homeostasis in the concentrations of carotenoids, phenolics, aroma volatiles and Vitamin C within the fruit tissues. Nevertheless, several exogenous factors including light and temperature conditions, pathogen attack, as well as pre- and post-harvest manipulations can drive their amounts far away from homeostasis. These adaptive responses allow crops to better cope with abiotic and biotic stresses but may severely affect the supposed functional quality of fruits.

Bioactive composition and sensory evaluation of innovative spaghetti supplemented with free or α-cyclodextrin chlatrated pumpkin oil extracted by supercritical CO2.

The feasibility of producing durum wheat pasta enriched with a lipophilic phytocomplex, extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2), from ripe pumpkin, as free oil or as ready-to-mix oil/α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) powder, was explored. Four types of pasta were prepared: (i) control spaghetti (S-CTRL); (ii) spaghetti supplemented with α-CDs (S-α-CD); (iii) spaghetti supplemented with pumpkin oil (S-Oil) and (iv) spaghetti supplemented with the pumpkin oil/α-CD powder (S-Oil/α-CD). The chemical, antioxidant, textural and sensory attributes of the different pasta were evaluated and compared. S-Oil and S-Oil/α-CD spaghetti were significantly enriched with phytosterols, squalene, carotenoids, tocochromanols and unsaturated fatty acids. Spaghetti containing α-CDs were slightly improved in terms of fiber content. Oil chlatration increased the stability of some bioactives during pasta production and ameliorated poor textural and sensory characteristics of the cooked spaghetti compared with S-Oil sample. S-Oil/α-CD spaghetti might be accepted by customers, if the potential health benefits were also explained.

Population genomics reveals evolution and variation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the human and insects gut.

The quest to discover the variety of ecological niches inhabited by Saccharomyces cerevisiae has led to research in areas as diverse as wineries, oak trees and insect guts. The discovery of fungal communities in the human gastrointestinal tract suggested the host's gut as a potential reservoir for yeast adaptation. Here, we report the existence of yeast populations associated with the human gut (HG) that differ from those isolated from other human body sites. Phylogenetic analysis on 12 microsatellite loci and 1715 combined CDSs from whole-genome sequencing revealed three subclusters of HG strains with further evidence of clonal colonization within the host's gut. The presence of such subclusters was supported by other genomic features, such as copy number variation, absence/introgressions of CDSs and relative polymorphism frequency. Functional analysis of CDSs specific of the different subclusters suggested possible alterations in cell wall composition and sporulation features. The phenotypic analysis combined with immunological profiling of these strains further showed that sporulation was related with strain-specific genomic characteristics in the immune recognition pattern. We conclude that both genetic and environmental factors involved in cell wall remodelling and sporulation are the main drivers of adaptation in S. cerevisiae populations in the human gut.

Evaluation of bioactive compounds in black table olives fermented with selected microbial starters.

BACKGROUND: Table olives have been a component of the Mediterranean diet for centuries, with the trend for their consumption currently increasing worldwide. They are rich in bioactive molecules with nutritional, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or hormone-like properties. In the present study, the concentrations of phenolics, triterpenic acids, carotenoids and vitamins, as well as fatty acid profiles and antioxidant activity, were analyzed in the edible portion of black table olives (Olea europea L.) from Italian (Cellina di Nardò and Leccino) and Greek (Kalamàta and Conservolea) cultivars fermented with selected autochthonous starters and in the corresponding monovarietal olive oils. RESULTS: On a fresh weight basis, Cellina di Nardò and Leccino table olives showed the highest total phenolic content. No significant differences were found with respect to the levels of total triterpenic (maslinic and oleanolic) acids and vitamin E among cultivars. All table olives were characterized by high amounts of oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids. Oils were richer in lipophilic antioxidants (carotenoids and tocochromanols) than table olives, which, instead, showed a higher content of polyphenols and triterpenic acids than oils. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that fermented table olives are an excellent natural source of unsaturated fatty acids, as well as being nutritionally important health-promoting bioactive compounds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dynamic Changes in Health-Promoting Properties and Eating Quality During Off-Vine Ripening of Tomatoes.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) fruit is rich in various nutrients, vitamins and health-promoting molecules. Fresh tomatoes are an important part of the Mediterranean gastronomy, and their consumption is thought to contribute substantially to the reduced incidence of some chronic diseases in the Mediterranean populations in comparison with those of other world areas. Unfortunately, tomato fruit is highly perishable, resulting in important economic losses and posing a challenge to storage, logistic and supply management. This review summarizes the current knowledge on some important health-promoting and eating quality traits of tomato fruits after harvest and highlights the existence of substantial cultivar-to-cultivar variation in the postharvest evolution of the considered traits according to maturity stage at harvest and in response to postharvest manipulations. It also suggests the need for adapting postharvest procedures to the characteristics of each particular genotype to preserve the optimal quality of the fresh product.

Cadmium Concentration in Grains of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum).

Heavy metal excess in soil represents a critical problem for crop productivity. Among these pollutants, cadmium (Cd) is one of the most dangerous in terms of food-chain contamination. Two durum wheat near-isogenic lines (NILs) and 12 commercial varieties (cultivars Arcangelo, Aureo, Aziziah, Cappelli, Cirillo, Creso, Iride, Maestrale, Parsifal, Russello, Strongfield, and Svevo) of durum wheat were exposed to a nontoxic level of Cd to evaluate its concentration in grains, roots, and shoots, as well as effects on biomass production. Cultivar Iride showed the most interesting behavior because it stored large amounts of Cd in the roots, preventing its translocation to grains. On the contrary, Cirillo and Svevo genotypes were characterized by a high Cd concentration in the grains. Furthermore, a molecular characterization employing the ScOPC20 marker associated with the Cd uptake locus has shown the absence of the expected fragment in the Iride variety and in other varieties characterized by low Cd concentration, as well as the presence of it in high Cd-accumulating cultivars.