Comparative Analysis of Qualitative and Bioactive Compounds of Whole and Refined Flours in Durum Wheat Grains with Different Year of Release and Yield Potential.

Durum wheat varieties are important sources of nutrients and provide remarkable amounts of phytochemicals. Especially, phenolics, which are mostly located in external layers of grains, have recently gained increased interest due to their high antioxidant power. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the quality traits and phenolic compounds' concentration (e.g., phenolic acids) of different durum wheat genotypes, namely four Italian durum wheat cultivars and a USA elite variety, in relation to their yield potential and year of release. Phenolic acids were extracted both from wholemeal flour and semolina and analysed through HPLC-DAD analysis. Ferulic acid was the most represented phenolic acid, both in the wholemeal flour (438.3 µg g-1 dry matter) and in semolina (57.6 µg g-1 dry matter) across all cultivars, followed by p-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, vanillin, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Among the cultivars, Cappelli showed the highest phenolic acid content, whilst Kronos had the lowest one. Negative correlations occurred between some phenolic acids and morphological and yield-related traits, especially for Nadif and Sfinge varieties. On the contrary, durum wheat genotypes with low yield potential such as Cappelli accumulated higher concentrations of phenolic acids under the same growing conditions, thereby significantly contributing to the health-promoting purposes.

Beneficial Effects of Eruca sativa Defatted Seed Meal on Visceral Pain and Intestinal Damage Resulting from Colitis in Rats.

Most therapies used in patients affected by inflammatory bowel diseases are ineffective in preventing the development of chronic visceral hypersensitivity, mainly due to inflammation-induced enteric neuroplasticity. Glucosinolates, secondary metabolites mainly of Brassicaceae with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, are effective in treating both neuropathic and arthritis pain through H2S release and Kv7 potassium channel activation. The aim of this work was to investigate the protective and anti-hyperalgesic efficacy of a defatted seed meal from Eruca sativa Mill. (Brassicaceae), rich in glucosinolates, in a rat model of colitis induced by 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS). The mechanisms of action were also investigated. Visceral pain was assessed by measuring the abdominal response to colorectal distension. Fifteen days after colitis induction, the acute administration of E. sativa defatted seed meal (0.1-1 g kg-1 p.o.) dose-dependently relieved pain. This effect was hampered by co-administering an H2S scavenger or a selective Kv7 blocker. Administering E. sativa (1 g kg-1) for 14 days, starting after DNBS injection, contributed to counteracting visceral pain persistence in the post-inflammatory phase of colitis by promoting colon healing from the damage and reducing enteric gliosis. E. sativa defatted seed meal might be employed as a nutraceutical tool for supporting abdominal pain relief in patients.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization and Expression Pattern Analysis of the γ-Gliadin Gene Family in the Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) Cultivar Svevo.

Very recently, the genome of the modern durum wheat cv. Svevo was fully sequenced, and its assembly is publicly available. So, we exploited the opportunity to carry out an in-depth study for the systematic characterization of the γ-gliadin gene family in the cv. Svevo by combining a bioinformatic approach with transcript and protein analysis. We found that the γ-gliadin family consists of nine genes that include seven functional genes and two pseudogenes. Three genes, Gli-γ1a, Gli-γ3a and Gli-γ4a, and the pseudogene Gli-γ2a* mapped on the A genome, whereas the remaining four genes, Gli-γ1b, Gli-γ2b, Gli-γ3b and Gli-γ5b, and the pseudogene Gli-γ4b* mapped on the B genome. The functional γ-gliadins presented all six domains and eight-cysteine residues typical of γ-gliadins. The Gli-γ1b also presented an additional cysteine that could possibly have a role in the formation of the gluten network through binding to HMW glutenins. The γ-gliadins from the A and B genome differed in their celiac disease (CD) epitope content and composition, with the γ-gliadins from the B genome showing the highest frequency of CD epitopes. In all the cases, almost all the CD epitopes clustered in the central region of the γ-gliadin proteins. Transcript analysis during seed development revealed that all the functional γ-gliadin genes were expressed with a similar pattern, although significant differences in the transcript levels were observed among individual genes that were sometimes more than 60-fold. A progressive accumulation of the γ-gliadin fraction was observed in the ripening seeds that reached 34% of the total gliadin fraction at harvest maturity. We believe that the insights generated in the present study could aid further studies on gliadin protein functions and future breeding programs aimed at the selection of new healthier durum wheat genotypes.

Phenolic acids variability and grain quality of organically and conventionally fertilised old wheats under a warm climate.

BACKGROUND: We investigated three old wheats (Triticum dicoccum, Triticum durum, Triticum spelta) for effects of organic and conventional cultivation under equivalent nitrogen fertilisation (100 kg ha-1 ) on antioxidant content and composition, and on quality traits. RESULTS: Compared to conventional cultivation, organic cultivation had positive effects on test weight, while grain quality traits of protein content, gluten content and sodium dodecyl sulphate microsedimentation volume were 19.2%, 9.3% and 22.7% lower, respectively. Despite lower protein content with organic cultivation, this was still high (147 g kg-1 ); thus with adequate organic nitrogen fertilisation, the quality traits related to the technological properties of flour were maintained. Total phenolic content (TPC) was significantly higher for organic versus conventional cultivation, although free and bound phenolic acids were not significantly different. With discriminant analysis, only durum wheat differentiated the qualitative and compositional traits according to cultivation system. Separation of organic versus conventional cultivation in durum wheat and emmer was strongly affected by antioxidants (antioxidant capacity, TPC, yellow pigment content), dietary fibre, protein content and test weight. CONCLUSIONS: With adequate organic nitrogen fertilisation, protein and gluten contents remain high enough for good quality pasta. However, except for TPC, organic cultivation did not affect phenolic acids profile and antioxidant activity. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phenolic acids profile, nutritional and phytochemical compounds, antioxidant properties in colored barley grown in southern Italy.

Free, soluble conjugated, and insoluble bound phenolic acids and some of the main antioxidant phytochemicals (i.e., total polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, carotenoids) were investigated in 20 genotypes of colored barley. These included 16F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) obtained from crosses of four parental lines: '2005 FG', 'K4-31, 'L94', and 'Priora'. The aim of this work was these to promote the introduction of new barley genotypes with high contents of such natural antioxidants, and of dietary fiber. These new genotypes will enlarge the market of novel functional foods. Large variations were seen in the contents of phytochemicals and ß-glucans across these barley genotypes. The highest protein (14.4%) and ß-glucan (4.6%) contents were in the blue naked parental genotype '2005 FG'. Overall, insoluble bound phenolic acids represented 88.3% of the total phenolic acids, and ferulic acid was the main conjugated phenolic acid. Salicylic and gallic acids were the most represented among the free phenolic acids, with no p-coumaric and cinnamic acids detected. Total polyphenols and proanthocyanidins were highest in the RILs '3009' (2917 µg g-1) and '1997' (1630 µg g-1). The barley line with high total polyphenols (RIL '3009') also showed the highest antioxidant capacities (by both DPPH and ABTS methods: 13.4 µmol g-1 and 15.6 µmol g-1, respectively). Among the RILs examined, '3004', '3008', and '3009' showed 30% higher antioxidant capacities than their parentals, thus providing potential health-promoting benefits.