[CME: Hypertriglyceridemia]. / CME: Hypertriglyzeridämie.

CME: Hypertriglyceridemia Abstract: The European Society of Cardiology defines hypertriglyceridaemia as fasting triglycerides >1,7mmol/l. Most patients are asymptomatic. Hypertriglyceridaemia is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases and acute pancreatitis. Therapy consists mainly of lifestyle modifications, drug therapy plays a minor role.

Imaging, histopathological degree of degeneration and clinical findings - Do these correlate in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders.

The gold standard for temporomandibular joint imaging is magnetic resonance imaging, although there are still pathological findings that cannot be seen in MRI but in surgery and the subsequent histological analysis only. The main goal of this investigation was to validate the MRI score used by histopathological findings as well as clinical findings. In this retrospective study 39 patients were included; 38 of which underwent unilateral and 1 underwent bilateral discectomy. MRI findings were graded according to the score by Wurm. Histopathological analysis was performed in hematoxylin-eosin staining and graded in accordance with the scores by Krenn and by Leonardi. For valuation of preoperative pain values of the temporomandibular joint operated on the numeric rating scale was utilized. Correlations were verified by Spearman-Rho. The MRI scores on average showed significantly lower scores for the discs of the operated temporomandibular joint than for the discs of the non-operated side(p<.01). No significant correlations between MRI findings, histopathological findings and pain intensities could be observed. Thus unsuspicious morphology of the TMJ and the articular disc in MRI is no guarantee for the absence of cartilage-degeneration. Further investigations utilizing T2 cartilage mapping could possibly show better correlations between the temporomandibular joint's degree of degeneration and imaging results.

Heat treatment improves the sensory properties of the ultrafiltration by-product of honeybush (Cyclopia genistoides) extract.

BACKGROUND: Ultrafiltration of green honeybush (Cyclopia genistoides) extract results in a by-product (retentate). Application of further separation processes for recovery of polyphenols would entail creation of additional waste. Repurposing the retentate as a food flavour ingredient provides an alternative valorization approach. RESULTS: The retentate, suspended in water (270 g L-1 ), was heat-treated at 80 °C for 2, 4, 8 and 16 h, and at 90 °C for 2, 4, 6 and 8 h to change its sensory profile. The heat-treated retentate, diluted to beverage strength (2.15 g L-1 ), had prominent 'grape/Muscat-like' and 'marmalade/citrus' aroma and flavour notes. Overall, heating for ≤ 4 h increased the intensities of positive flavour and aroma notes, while reducing those of 'green/grass', 'hay' and bitterness, whereafter further heating only had a slight effect on the aroma profile at 80 °C (P < 0.05), but not at 90 °C (P ≥ 0.05). The heat treatments, 80 °C/4 h and 90 °C/4 h, were subsequently applied to different batches of retentate (n = 10) to accommodate the effect of natural product variation. Heating at 90 °C produced higher intensities of positive aroma attributes (P < 0.05), but was more detrimental to the phenolic stability, compared to 80 °C. CONCLUSION: After heat treatment, the phenolic content of C. genistoides retentate, reconstituted to beverage strength, still fell within the range of a typical 'fermented' (oxidized) honeybush leaf tea infusion. The change in phenolic composition will not diminish the benefit of an improved sensory profile for the retentate by-product through heating. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Carcass Yields and Physical-Chemical Meat Quality Characteristics of Namibian Red Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) as Influenced by Sex and Muscle.

This study determined the carcass yields of red hartebeest from Namibia and compared the physical-chemical meat quality characteristics of six different muscles (biceps femoris, infraspinatus, longissimus thoracis et lumborum, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and supraspinatus) for both males and females. Red hartebeest males were heavier (133.92 kg) than females (114.20 kg) but the average dressing percentage did not differ between the two sexes. Muscles from females had a lower mean shear force value of 3.59 kg/1.27 cm ø, compared to males (4.23 kg/1.27 cm ø). The most tender muscle was the infraspinatus of the female treatment group, while the semimembranosus of the male treatment group was the least tender muscle. Drip loss, cooking loss and L* (lightness) values were not affected by sex. The largest hue angle was observed in the semitendinosus muscle of the female treatment group (28.94°), and it was thus the lightest red muscle. The highest chroma values (17.3) were observed in the semimembranosus muscle. Muscle protein content averaged 20.5% over all treatment combinations, and the mean intra-muscular fat content for both male and female muscles was low (2.4%). The shoulder muscles, infraspinatus and supraspinatus, of the females had the highest fat content (2.7%). The results indicate that red hartebeest meat should be market according to specific muscles and that sex of the animals need not be considered during marketing.

Shelf-Life Stability of Ready-to-Use Green Rooibos Iced Tea Powder-Assessment of Physical, Chemical, and Sensory Properties.

Green rooibos extract (GRE), shown to improve hyperglycemia and HDL/LDL blood cholesterol, has potential as a nutraceutical beverage ingredient. The main bioactive compound of the extract is aspalathin, a C-glucosyl dihydrochalcone. The study aimed to determine the effect of common iced tea ingredients (citric acid, ascorbic acid, and xylitol) on the stability of GRE, microencapsulated with inulin for production of a powdered beverage. The stability of the powder mixtures stored in semi-permeable (5 months) and impermeable (12 months) single-serve packaging at 30 °C and 40 °C/65% relative humidity was assessed. More pronounced clumping and darkening of the powders, in combination with higher first order reaction rate constants for dihydrochalcone degradation, indicated the negative effect of higher storage temperature and an increase in moisture content when stored in the semi-permeable packaging. These changes were further increased by the addition of crystalline ingredients, especially citric acid monohydrate. The sensory profile of the powders (reconstituted to beverage strength iced tea solutions) changed with storage from a predominant green-vegetal aroma to a fruity-sweet aroma, especially when stored at 40 °C/65% RH in the semi-permeable packaging. The change in the sensory profile of the powder mixtures could be attributed to a decrease in volatile compounds such as 2-hexenal, (Z)-2-heptenal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal and (E)-2-decenal associated with "green-like" aromas, rather than an increase in fruity and sweet aroma-impact compounds. Green rooibos extract powders would require storage at temperatures ≤ 30 °C and protection against moisture uptake to be chemically and physically shelf-stable and maintain their sensory profiles.

Transfer of Ethanol and Aroma Compounds by Varying Specific Process Parameters in the Thermal Dealcoholisation of Beer.

Dealcoholisation of beer has gained prominence over the last decade. A well-known procedure involves the combination of a rectification column for thermal dealcoholisation and a downstream column for aroma recovery. However, the recovery of valuable fermentation by-products is rarely performed due to limited data about the enrichment and depletion of ethanol and aromatic compounds. The influence of operating conditions on the transfer of ethanol and aroma compounds to the recovery fluid, henceforth, 'aromawater', has not yet been fully explored. Therefore, this study involved examining how ethanol concentration and aroma compounds in the aromawater are affected by the condenser temperature and reflux rate during thermal dealcoholisation. The aim was to obtain an aromawater having a maximum level of valuable aroma substances and a minimum level of ethanol for re-blending with non-alcoholic beer, hypothetically causing aroma intensification. An industrial system was used for sample production. Ethanol as well as higher alcohols and ester concentrations were analysed in the different material flows, and mass balances were thus compiled. Sensory analysis was performed to evaluate the beer aroma's intensification as a sustainable industrial application. The obtained results indicate that increased condenser temperature was associated with increased aroma concentrations in the aromawater. If the temperature of the condenser's coolant exceeded 15 °C, dealcoholisation < 0.05% abv could not be guaranteed. A higher reflux rate led to higher concentrations of fermentation by-products in the aromawater. Finally, the aroma profile of three non-alcoholic beers (0.0% abv, 0.5% abv after blending with original beer, and 0.5% abv after blending with aromawater) were evaluated. By blending, the attributes 'estery' and 'flowery' were assessed as dominant. The effect was more pronounced with aromawater than with the original beer.

Replacement of Sodium Tripolyphosphate with Iota Carrageenan in the Formulation of Restructured Ostrich Ham.

The influence of iota carrageenan (iota-CGN) as a partial replacement of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) was investigated on the physical (pH, yield, instrumental color, texture profile analysis), chemical (moisture, protein, total fat, ash, phosphate) and sensory (descriptive analysis, acceptance testing) quality of restructured ostrich ham (95% lean meat plus fat). Treatments consisted of five decreasing levels of STPP (0.70%, 0.53%, 0.35%, 0.18% and 0%) that were simultaneously substituted with five increasing levels of iota-CGN (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4%). Cooked yield, hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess of restructured ostrich ham increased (p ≤ 0.05) with decreasing levels of STPP (and increased levels of iota-CGN). No significant trend in instrumental color measurements or springiness were observed between treatments. Ostrich ham with 0.35% STPP and lower had increased ostrich meat aroma and flavor, while spicy aroma and flavor, mealiness and consumer acceptance decreased. Iota carrageenan can be substituted for STPP (up to 0.35% STPP and 0.2% iota-CGN) to produce reduced STPP ham.

Association of in-hospital multimorbidity with healthcare outcomes in Swiss medical inpatients.

IMPORTANCE: Multimorbidity poses a worldwide health- and socio-economic challenge, exacerbated by changing demographics. The association of multimorbidity with healthcare outcomes in hospitalised medical inpatients remains incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and burden of in-hospital multimorbidity over a 6-year time period and its association with in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit admission, length of hospital stay and readmission rates. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study analysed Swiss hospital discharge records from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2017. SETTING: The study used population-based, administrative data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office to investigate all adult medical cases in Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: 2,220,000 population-based medical discharge records from 1,463,781 anonymised patients were included in the analysis. Multimorbidity was defined according to the World Health Organization as the presence of at least two chronic conditions. We applied the “Chronic Condition Indicator for the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10-CM)”, which divides all ICD-10 codes into chronic and acute conditions, to define the number of chronic conditions. MAIN MEASURES: Time- and age-stratified prevalence of multimorbidity and its association with in-hospital mortality, ICU admission rate, length of stay, 30-day and 1-year all-cause readmission rates. RESULTS: Of the 2,220,000 cases, 51.3% were male with a mean age of 68.0 years (standard deviation 17.4). A total of 1,769,530 (79.7%) were multimorbid with a median of 4 (interquartile range 2–6) chronic conditions. The prevalence of multimorbidity increased by about 1.0% per year over the 6-year study period from 76.1% (2012) to 82.2% (2017). Multimorbidity was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28 to 1.34), ICU admission rate (OR 3.29, 95% CI 3.23 to 3.34), length of stay (+2.7 days, 95% CI 2.6 to 2.7), 30-day- (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.89 to 1.94) and 1-year all-cause readmission rates (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.68 to 1.71). The associations with in-hospital mortality and readmission were strongest in younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbidity is highly prevalent in medical inpatients and has a relevant association with poor healthcare outcomes. Further investigation is needed to specify risk factors as well as to optimise the management of multimorbid patients to improve outcomes.

Carcass yields and physiochemical meat quality characteristics of Namibian gemsbok (Oryx gazella) as influenced by muscle, gender and age.

The carcass yields and physiochemical meat quality characteristics of six different muscles (biceps femoris, infraspinatus, longissimus thoracis et lumborum, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, supraspinatus) for different sex and age groups of gemsbok antelope were determined. No live weight nor dressing percentage differences were observed for the different sex groups. While muscles, age and sex had an influence on the physiochemical parameters investigated, these differences were minor. The CIE Lab colour values for all muscles, age and sexes were in line with those deemed acceptable for game meat, while mean crude protein (20.7%) and fat (1.6%) levels were typical of game species. Discriminant analysis revealed no differentiation among the muscle groups for the variables measured. Thus, at similar live weights, male and female (sub-adult) gemsbok can be considered of equivalent meat quality and marketed accordingly.

Potential of benzophenones and flavanones to modulate the bitter intensity of Cyclopia genistoides herbal tea.

Variation in the bitter taste of Cyclopia genistoides (honeybush) herbal tea and reported modulation between its major xanthones, mangiferin and isomangiferin, prompted further investigation into the potential modulatory effects of honeybush phenolics. Combinations of crude benzophenone (BF)-, xanthone (XF)-, and flavanone (FF)-rich fractions and their major individual phenolic compounds were analysed by descriptive sensory analysis. The fractions were prepared from a bitter, hot water extract of green C. genistoides. Fraction BF, which is below the bitter threshold (intensity 10 on 100-point scale), enhanced the bitter intensity of XF and FF slightly (p < 0.05), although none of the major individual benzophenones retained this bitter enhancing effect. On the contrary, 3-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-4-ß-d-glucopyranosyloxyiriflophenone, the major benzophenone in BF, significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the bitter taste of XF, at a low concentration, whereas FF suppressed the bitter intensity of XF and mangiferin, the major xanthone present in XF. Hesperidin, however, had no effect on the bitter intensity of XF. In contrast, (2S)-5-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-d-glucopyranosyloxy]-naringenin, the major compound of FF, significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the bitter taste of XF when added at concentrations comparable to that of 'fermented' honeybush tea infusions. The concentration-dependence of these bitter taste interactions may be responsible for the variable bitter intensity of C. genistoides herbal tea.

Characterization of the macromolecular and sensory profile of non-alcoholic beers produced with various methods.

Due to changing consumer habits, non-alcoholic beer is the fastest-growing market within the beverage industry. Different processing technologies for limiting the alcohol content of beer yield in completely different matrix compositions and sensory profiles. Especially the specific sensory attributes of palate fullness, mouthfeel, and the perception of harmony (ratio harmony between sweetness and sourness) of non-alcoholic beers are often described as atypical and unbalanced by the consumer. In addition to technological aspects, the matrix components represent a significant factor. Cereal-based beverages contain a complex mixture of various polymers that includes proteins, polyphenols, and polysaccharides. These polymers affect the sensory perception of beverages in terms of mouthfeel depending on their substance properties. This article reports the analytical characterization of the macromolecular profile of non-alcoholic beers to predict sensory differences in palate fullness and mouthfeel that arise because of variations in polymer profile and processing method. Therefore, asymmetric flow-field-flow-fractionation (FFF/AF4), multi-angle light-scattering (MALS), and refractive index measurements were used to characterize polymers in non-alcoholic beers. We observed significant differences in the ratio of low- to high-molar-mass polymers. These differences included a shift of the molar mass distribution towards higher molar masses for beers subjected to higher thermal loads during dealcoholization in a rectification column. Limited fermentation beers tended to be composed of more low-molar-mass polymers. Highly discriminating sensorial assessment schemes demonstrate the correlations between differences in macromolecular profile and specific sensory impressions like sweetness (basic taste), palate fullness and harmony. This trend is verified in the present study with spiking experiments using substances that are known to influence mouthfeel and palate fullness, such as beta-glucans, dextrins, isomaltulose, and other low-molar-mass sugars, may be controlled during the production process. These results confirm that the particular sensory attributes can be influenced by different classes of cereal-based substances, especially by varying their molar mass fractions and concentrations. Maltodextrins and ß-glucan are shown to enhance palate fullness. Spiking with maltodextrin caused a lasting, smooth, and pleasant perception of mouthfeel; spiking with ß-glucan resulted in a more viscous, thick perceived mouthfeel. However, spiking with isomaltulose led solely to a sweet taste (basic taste). These tests show more generally that AF4-MALS is a suitable analytical tool for understanding how the macromolecular fractions in cereal-based beverages are linked to sensory impressions. This type of assessment can be used to target the composition of polymer profiles, which can be a technological possibility to produce sensorily appealing high-quality non-alcoholic beers.

Rooibos agro-processing waste as herbal tea products: optimisation of soluble solids extraction from dust and application to improve sensory profile, colour and flavonoid content of stem infusions.

BACKGROUND: Rooibos represents 10% of the global herbal tea market. Shrinking production areas as a result of climate change necessitate the maximum conversion of plant biomass to product. The present study aimed to determine the potential of rooibos tea processing waste (i.e. fine dust and coarse stems) as potential flavour and herbal tea ingredients, respectively. RESULTS: Hot water extraction of soluble solids (SS) from rooibos dust was optimised and extracts from different production batches (n = 20) were prepared. Their sensory profiles were similar, although less intense than that of infusions of commercial rooibos (n = 20) when diluted to the same SS content. The turbidity and flavonoid content of the diluted extracts was mostly lower (P < 0.05) than that of commercial rooibos. An atypical and negative aroma attribute, 'planky/pencil shavings', was predominant in the stem infusions (n = 20), which contained less SS (P < 0.05) than commercial rooibos. Blends of stem infusion and extract could not effectively mask this negative aroma note (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rooibos dust could be used to produce a rooibos flavour extract, whereas the prominent atypical, negative 'planky/pencil shavings' aroma note of the stems would limit their inclusion in commercial rooibos blends. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of steam treatment on shelf-life stability of a xanthone-rich green herbal tea (Cyclopia maculata Andrews Kies) - identifying quality changes during storage.

BACKGROUND: Steam treatment of shredded, fresh C. maculata (honeybush) plant material improves the aroma of this green herbal tea with a slight impact on color and phenolic content, but the effect on storage stability is not known. RESULTS: Steam-treated (60 s before drying) and untreated (control) dried plant material was stored under normal storage conditions in semi-permeable sachets at 25 °C and 60% relative humidity. Reference samples of treated (steamed) and untreated (control) material were stored at 0 °C in impermeable pouches for maximum retention of quality. The stability of the herbal tea was assessed in terms of sensory profile, phenolic composition and color over a storage period of 6 months. Normal storage conditions resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in green color, especially in steamed samples. Intensities of fruity and sweet-associated aroma attributes increased progressively during storage, while the opposite was observed for vegetal and cereal-like attributes. These changes in the aroma profile were more pronounced in untreated (control) samples. Individual phenolic content remained stable during storage. CONCLUSIONS: Storage of 3 to 6 months may result in a more appealing aroma profile and enhanced product quality, despite loss of green color. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bitter profiling of phenolic fractions of green Cyclopia genistoides herbal tea.

The bitter taste of Cyclopia genistoides infusions is unacceptable to consumers, who are used to the slightly sweet taste of the herbal teas produced from other Cyclopia species. Bitter taste intensities of crude phenolic fractions of a bitter hot water extract of C. genistoides were determined by a trained panel to identify the fraction contributing most to the bitter taste. Fractions, enriched in benzophenones (B), xanthones (X) and flavanones (F), and each tested at their infusion equivalent concentration (IEC) scored 5, 31 and 13 (on a 100-point scale), respectively. Fraction B, containing mostly iriflophenone glucosides, was perceived as not bitter. The major xanthone in fraction X, mangiferin, was significantly (p < 0.05) more bitter than its regio-isomer, isomangiferin, at equal concentration. A mixture of isomangiferin and mangiferin at their IECs was significantly (p < 0.05) less bitter than the mangiferin solution alone, indicating bitter suppression by isomangiferin.

Detailed qualitative analysis of honeybush tea (Cyclopia spp.) volatiles by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry and relation with sensory data.

The volatile composition of honeybush (Cyclopia) species was studied by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS). Headspace-solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) was used to extract the volatile compounds from tea infusions prepared from the three species C. genistoides, C. maculata and C. subternata. A total of 287 compounds were identified, 101 of which were confirmed using reference standards, while the remainder were tentatively identified using mass spectral and retention index (RI) data. The identification power of TOF-MS enabled the tentative identification of 147 compounds for the first time in honeybush tea. The majority of the compounds identified were common to all three Cyclopia species, although there were differences in their relative abundances, and some compounds were unique to each of the species. In C. genistoides, C. maculata and C. subternata 265, 257 and 238 compounds were identified, respectively. Noteworthy was the tentative identification of cinnamaldehyde in particular C. maculata samples, which points to the likely contribution of this compound to their distinct sensory profiles. This study emphasises the complexity of honeybush tea volatile composition and confirms the power of GC×GC combined with TOF-MS for the analysis of such complex samples.

The truth is in the isotopes: Authenticating regionally unique South African lamb.

Stable isotope ratios (13C/12C and 15N/14N) of South African lambs from different regions were measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Homogenised and defatted meat of the Longissimus lumborum muscle was assessed. The Rûens and Hantam Karoo regions had the lowest (P≤0.05) δ13C values related to the presence of C3 plants (lucerne and Karoo bushes, respectively). The Northern Karoo, Namibia and Bushmanland had the highest δ13C values likely due to a high proportion of dietary C4 grass species. The δ15N values were highest for Central Karoo, Semi-extensive, Namibia and Hantam Karoo, while Rûens and Feedlot had the lowest nitrogen isotope values (P≤0.05). Classification of origin (Karoo vs. Non-Karoo) using discriminant analysis allowed 95% and 90% correct classification of the samples for the estimation model and validation models, respectively. The results confirm that IRMS provides sufficient discriminative power to classify lamb meat of varying origin.

Sensory quality and fatty acid content of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) meat: influence of farm location and sex.

BACKGROUND: Springbok are harvested for meat production irrespective of farm location or sex from which the meat is derived. The present study investigated the influence of farm location (three farms containing different vegetation types) and sex on the sensory quality of springbok longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle. The sensory profile (aroma, flavour and texture) was determined by descriptive sensory analysis, in addition to determination of the physical meat quality, proximate and fatty acid composition. RESULTS: Farm location had a significant influence on the sensory quality (gamey and liver-like aroma; beef, liver-like, lamb-like and herbaceous flavour; sweet taste; tenderness; residue; mealiness; Warner-Bratzler shear force; moisture, protein and intramuscular lipid content) and fatty acid content (oleic acid; α-linolenic acid; total saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids; polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio; total omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid; and omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio) of springbok meat. Sex influenced the chemical composition of springbok meat; however, the influence on the sensory profile was minor (sweet taste; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Farm location could influence the sensory quality and composition of springbok meat and should be considered when harvesting for meat production. Sex does not have to be considered for the marketing of springbok meat. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Validation of projective mapping as potential sensory screening tool for application by the honeybush herbal tea industry.

Honeybush herbal tea is produced from the endemic South African Cyclopia species. Plant material subjected to a high-temperature oxidation step ("fermentation") forms the bulk of production. Production lags behind demand forcing tea merchants to use blends of available material to supply local and international markets. The distinct differences in the sensory profiles of the herbal tea produced from the different Cyclopia species require that special care is given to blending to ensure a consistent, high quality product. Although conventional descriptive sensory analysis (DSA) is highly effective in providing a detailed sensory profile of herbal tea infusions, industry requires a method that is more time- and cost-effective. Recent advances in sensory science have led to the development of rapid profiling methodologies. The question is whether projective mapping can successfully be used for the sensory characterisation of herbal tea infusions. Trained assessors performed global and partial projective mapping to determine the validity of this technique for the sensory characterisation of infusions of five Cyclopia species. Similar product configurations were obtained when comparing results of DSA and global and partial projective mapping. Comparison of replicate sessions showed RV coefficients >0.8. A similarity index, based on multifactor analysis, was calculated to determine assessor repeatability. Global projective mapping, demonstrated to be a valid method for providing a broad sensory characterisation of Cyclopia species, is thus suitable as a rapid quality control method of honeybush infusions. Its application by the honeybush industry could improve the consistency of the sensory profile of blended products.

Proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) for the authentication of regionally unique South African lamb.

The volatile fingerprints of South African lamb meat and fat were measured by proton-transfer mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) to evaluate it as an authentication tool. Meat and fat of the Longissimus lumborum (LL) of lambs from six different regions were assessed. Analysis showed that the volatile fingerprints were affected by the origin of the meat. The classification of the origin of the lamb was achieved by examining the calculated and recorded fingerprints in combination with chemometrics. Four different partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were fitted to the data to classify lamb meat and fat samples into "region of origin" (six different regions) and "origin" (Karoo vs. Non-Karoo). The estimation models classified samples 100% correctly. Validation of the first two models gave 42% (fat) and 58% (meat) correct classification of region, while the second two models performed better with 92% (fat) and 83% (meat) correct classification of origin.

Analysis of honeybush tea (Cyclopia spp.) volatiles by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using a single-stage thermal modulator.

The applicability of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) using a single-stage thermal modulator was explored for the analysis of honeybush tea (Cyclopia spp.) volatile compounds. Headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) was used in combination with GC×GC separation on a non-polar × polar column set with flame ionisation (FID) detection for the analysis of fermented Cyclopia maculata, Cyclopia subternata and Cyclopia genistoides tea infusions of a single harvest season. Method optimisation entailed evaluation of the effects of several experimental parameters on the performance of the modulator, the choice of columns in both dimensions, as well as the HS-SPME extraction fibre. Eighty-four volatile compounds were identified by co-injection of reference standards. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed clear differentiation between the species based on their volatile profiles. Due to the highly reproducible separations obtained using the single-stage thermal modulator, multivariate data analysis was simplified. The results demonstrate both the complexity of honeybush volatile profiles and the potential of GC×GC separation in combination with suitable data analysis techniques for the investigation of the relationship between sensory properties and volatile composition of these products. The developed method therefore offers a fast and inexpensive methodology for the profiling of honeybush tea volatiles. Graphical abstract Surface plot obtained for the GC×GC-FID analysis of honeybush tea volatiles.