Exploring the synergistic potential of wild nettle and olive oil: bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial properties.

This study delved into the incorporation of wild nettle (Urtica dioica L.) leaves powder with virgin olive oil, exploring its potential to enhance nutritional value and health benefits. The antioxidant, antibacterial, and mineral-enrichment attributes of the resultant nettle-infused olive oil were investigated. Phenolic composition analysis revealed that an optimal maceration time of 30-40 minutes leads to maximal phenolic and flavonoid contents (57.66 mg GAE/100 g and 67.18 mg QE/100 g, respectively). The infused oil demonstrated superior radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS assays) compared to virgin olive oil. Notably, nettle infusion significantly elevates zinc (10.12 mg/kg) and iron (13.85 mg/kg) contents. Antibacterial assays exhibited enhanced inhibition diameters and lower MIC and MBC values for nettle-infused oil against various bacterial strains. The study's findings underscore the potential of nettle infusion to enhance the nutritional and functional attributes of olive oil, holding promise for novel culinary and health applications.

Enhancing antioxidant and antibacterial properties of olive oil through garlic enrichment: a comprehensive study.

The amalgamation of garlic's antibacterial potency with olive oil's nutritional benefits provides a natural, effective way to boost health and counters microbial threats. This study explored the antioxidant and antibacterial traits of garlic-enriched virgin olive oil (VOO) samples, focusing on various garlic forms (fresh, oven-dried, freeze-dried). Comparative analysis revealed fresh garlic's highest total phenolic content, flavonoid content, and strongest DPPH scavenging activity. GC/MS analysis unveiled distinct volatile profiles. Fresh garlic oil contained elevated allyl-methy-sulfide, diallyl-trisulfide, methyl-propyl-disulfide levels. Antibacterial evaluation displayed substantial inhibition zones, especially fresh garlic oil against E. coli, and oven-dried/freeze-dried garlic oils against P. aeruginosa. Lower Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values for fresh garlic oil and freeze-dried garlic oil against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria signify potent antibacterial activity of garlic-enriched VOO. These findings underscore garlic-enriched VOO's potential as natural antibacterial agents, fortified with antioxidant traits, while emphasizing drying methods' role in shaping volatile compounds.

Chemometric analysis of Tunisian durum wheat metabolites using UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS.

Bioactive compounds in wheat have received a great interest in the last few years due to their nutritional and health benefits. Various analytical procedures were used to identify these compounds in wheat kernels. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) was used for the screening of bioactive compounds in seven Tunisian durum wheat extracts. The aim of this study was to realize a screening of several classes of bioactive compounds in the same analysis and to identify specific metabolite markers for discriminating the durum wheat varieties. The UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS allows the detection of 81 metabolites, belonging to different chemical families such as sugars, organic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds represented by benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives, phenolic alcohols, flavones, lignans, and condensed tannins. Chemical profiles identified varied greatly between different wheat genotypes. As far as the authors know, this is the first time that different chemical classes were detected at the same time in durum wheat kernels using UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. This study gives the most complete map of metabolites in Tunisian durum wheat and proves that UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS coupled with chemometric analysis is a great tool for discrimination between durum wheat cultivars.

Improvement of the Sterol and Triacylglycerol Compositions of Chemlali Virgin Olive Oils through Controlled Crossing with Mediterranean Cultivars.

The chemical composition of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from six new progenies, obtained through controlled crossings between the main Tunisian variety Chemlali and autochthonous (Chemcheli) and foreign cultivars (Sigoise, Coratina, Koroneiki, and Arbequina) used as pollen acceptor or pollinator, were compared with the EVOO of Chemlali cultivar known to be the main one cultivated in Tunisia as it is the most adapted to the arid climate. Several analytical determinations of major and minor components of EVOO were employed, especially triacylglycerol and sterol fractions. All the studied hybrid EVOOs showed an improvement in their chemical composition and stability by comparison with Chemlali EVOO. The main triacylglycerols were 1,2,3-trioleylglycerol (OOO), 2,3-dioleyl-1-palmitoylglycerol (POO), 2,3-dioleyl-1-linoleylglycerol (LOO) and 2,3-dioleyl-1-stearoylglycerol (SOO). ß-sitosterol, Δ5-avenasterol and campesterol were the principal sterols in all samples. Cholesterol, stigmasterol, clerosterol and Δ7-stigmastenol were also found in all samples. Oil samples examined showed inter-variability between the studied cultivars. Results of discriminant and principal component analyses appear to prove that genetic origin of the raw materials has a great influence on the final composition of the oil; especially triacylglycerol and sterol compositions.