Impact of a probiotic diet on well-being of healthy senior: THE PROBIOSENIOR PROJECT.

AIMS: The aim of this work was to assess the effects of a probiotic diet on well-being of healthy seniors living in boarding and private homes in Marche Region, Italy. In particular, we focused on the modulation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), intestinal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety-seven healthy seniors took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled feeding study (59 fed probiotics, 38 fed placebo) for 6 months. Each volunteer ingested daily one food product or a dietary supplement enriched with Synbio® blend (Synbiotec Srl, Camerino, Italy) or the placebo (control group). Blood and faecal samples were collected before and at the end of the intervention period to perform biochemical and microbiological analyses. The serum HsCRP difference value after 6 months of treatment was significantly higher in the probiotic group than placebo (p < 0.05). After the intervention, a significant increase in faecal lactobacilli and a bifidobacteria increase in more participants were observed in the probiotic group. The 16S NGS analysis on the probiotic group showed a decreasing trend of Proteobacteria at the end of the treatment and conversely, an increasing trend of Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia phyla, to which the increase of Akkermansiaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae contributes at the family level. Finally, total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and butyric acid were significantly higher in the probiotic group at the end of the treatment respect to the beginning. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study emphasizes the beneficial anti-inflammageing effect of a prolonged diet based on functional foods enriched with Synbio® through the modulation of the intestinal microbiota and the consequent increase in the SCFA production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Synbio® integration in elderly daily diet may be a preventive strategy to support healthy ageing.

Green extraction of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) using microwave method for recovery of three valuable fractions (essential oil, phenolic compounds and cannabinoids): a central composite design optimization study.

BACKGROUND: Solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) is a green extraction method capable of boosting the yield and quality profile of hemp essential oil when compared with other conventional extraction techniques. During this process, two by-products are produced, namely the aqueous residue containing bioactive phenolics and the residual deterpenated biomass, which can be used for further extraction and purification of phytocannabinoids. To date, the hemp industry has not utilized these products, although they can be valuable for the food, cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical market. RESULTS: This study assessed and optimized the variables affecting MAE efficiency, namely microwave irradiation power, extraction time and added water, which were studied using a central composite design approach, and results were used to optimize the extraction process for recovering three valuable fractions: essential oil, polyphenols and phytocannabinoids. The products obtained using the optimized conditions were characterized in terms of yield, chemical profile and antioxidant potential. Moreover, the by-products obtained during the optimized run were further analyzed in terms of their biological activity using both enzymatic and non-enzymatic assays. The aqueous residue demonstrated a powerful α-glucosidase inhibition, a good activity in terms of superoxide radical scavenging activity, a modest efficacy in terms of inhibition of advanced glycation end products formation and no activity in terms of lipase inhibition. The residual deterpenated biomass did not possess significant biological activity. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrated valorization of industrial hemp essential oil and its by-products, obtained by a sustainable and eco-friendly extraction method, through an almost waste-free approach. Cannabinoids as well as other valuable bioactive compounds such as glycosidic flavones may be recovered from the residues of the essential oil extraction, representing interesting substances in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical fields. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

A shelf-life study for the evaluation of a new biopackaging to preserve the quality of organic chicken meat.

Widespread use of traditional packaging constitutes a serious ecological problem leading to a shift to biodegradable and compostable materials. The aim of this work is to study the ability of a new biopackaging (BP), based on biodegradable and compostable material, to preserve the quality of organic chicken meat for 14 days in comparison with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material. Results showed that the indices of Biogenic Amines (BAs) and the 18 monitored Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have a similar trend in both packaged meats. For example, the total BAs concentration in meat increased from 390 to 961 mg Kg-1 in BP and from 393 to 800 mg Kg-1 in PET, as well as the microbiological counts. The new biopackaging (BP) showed similar properties of non-biodegradable material (PET) to preserve the shelf life of organic chicken meat and it could be used instead of plastic materials to promote a circular economy.

Polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene overcoated fiber and its application to extract and analyse wine volatile compounds by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry: direct immersion, headspace or both?

In this study, a comparison of the efficiency of the commercially available polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) overcoated (OC) fiber used in direct immersion (DI) or in headspace (HS), has been performed by extracting volatiles through solid-phase microextraction (SPME) from a red wine and from a wine model to confirm the results. It was also investigated if a combination of DI followed by HS in a single assay (DI-HS) can provide improvements as compared to the use in DI or in HS only. Furthermore, the use of OC fiber in HS mode was compared with the use of the triphasic phase (TP, in PDMS/CAR/DVB), known to provide good results in this application. To have information also on fiber specificity, the detected analytes were subdivided into three classes depending on their boiling point. Results show that: OC fiber gives slightly better performance as compared to TP fiber, demonstrating a high efficiency of the OC fiber also in HS mode. Then, comparing the use of the commercial OC fiber in HS, DI and in the combined DI-HS mode, explored for the first time in this study to extract volatiles from wine, the combination DI-HS resulted to provide a more balanced efficiency for all the three groups of analytes, thus being a good compromise when the analytes have a broad range of volatility. Principal component analysis (PCA) and the design of experiment (DoE) were exploited to plan experiments and to help interpreting the results, highlighting that the combined DI-HS approach can be successfully applied to the characterization of wines and of other matrices, where analytes of interest have a wide range of volatility.

A Design of Experiment (DoE) Approach to Model the Yield and Chemical Composition of Ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi L.) Essential Oil Obtained by Microwave-Assisted Extraction.

Ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi L.) is a spice traditionally used in Middle Eastern medicine and contains a valuable essential oil (EO) exploited in different fields, such as pharmaceutics, agrochemicals and food additives. This EO is mostly characterized by the thymol to which most of its biological properties are related. Given the economic value of ajowan and its increasing demand across the globe, the extraction method used for its EO is of paramount importance in terms of quality and quantity of the final product. In the present study, we used the design of experiment (DoE) approach to study and optimize the extraction of the ajowan EO using the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), a novel extraction technique with high efficiency, low energy consumption, short process length and low environmental impact. A two-step DoE (screening followed by surface response methodology) was used to reduce the number of experiments and to improve the cost/benefit ratio. Reliable mathematical models, relating the more relevant EO features with the extraction conditions, were obtained and used to identify the best experimental conditions able to maximize the yield and thymol concentration. The optimized MAE procedure assures an EO with a higher yield and thymol amount compared with the standard hydrodistillation procedure.

Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Activity of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extracts Obtained from Quercetano Cultivar Trees Grown in Different Areas of the Tuscany Region (Italy).

Neurodegenerative diseases are driven by several mechanisms such as inflammation, abnormal protein aggregation, excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. So far, no therapeutic strategies are available for neurodegenerative diseases and in recent years the research is focusing on bioactive molecules present in food. In particular, extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenols have been associated to neuroprotection. In this study, we investigated the potential antioxidant and neuroprotective activity of two different EVOO extracts obtained from Quercetano cultivar trees grown in two different areas (plain and hill) of the Tuscany region (Italy). The different geographical origin of the orchards influenced phenol composition. Plain extract presented a higher content of phenyl ethyl alcohols, cinnammic acids, oleacein, oleocanthal and flavones; meanwhile, hill extract was richer in lignans. Hill extract was more effective in protecting differentiated SH-SY5Y cells from peroxide stress thanks to a marked upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes heme oxygenase 1, NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1, thioredoxin Reductase 1 and glutathione reductase. Proteomic analysis revealed that hill extract plays a role in the regulation of proteins involved in neuronal plasticity and activation of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that EVOOs can have important neuroprotective activities, but these effects are strictly related to their specific phenol composition.

Characterization of Odor-Active Compounds, Polyphenols, and Fatty Acids in Coffee Silverskin.

For the first time the volatile fraction of coffee silverskin has been studied focusing on odor-active compounds detected by gas chromatography-olfactometry/flame ionization detector (GC-O/FID) system. Two approaches, namely headspace (HS) analysis by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) and odor-active compounds analysis by gas chromatography-olfactometry/flame ionization detector (GC-O/FID), have been employed to fully characterize the aroma profile of this by-product. This work also provided an entire characterization of the bioactive compounds present in coffee silverskin, including alkaloids, chlorogenic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and secoiridoids, by using different extraction procedures and high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) system. Coffee silverskin was shown to be a good source of caffeine and chlorogenic acids but also of phenolic acids and flavonoids. In addition, the fatty acid composition of the coffee silverskin was established by GC-FID system. The results from this research could contribute to the development of innovative applications and reuses of coffee silverskin, an interesting resource with a high potential to be tapped by the food and nutraceutical sector, and possibly also in the cosmetics and perfumery.

Eleven Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Olives Grown and Processed under the Same Conditions: Effect of the Cultivar on the Chemical Composition and Sensory Traits.

Eleven Italian monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (MEVOOs) (Carboncella, Coratina, Frantoio, Leccino, Marzio, Maurino, Moraiolo, Piantone di Falerone, Pendolino, Rosciola, Sargano di Fermo) from olives grown in the same experimental olive orchard, under the same conditions (fertilization, irrigation), and processed with the same technology (three-way continuous plant) were investigated. As a result, the impact of the olive cultivar on fatty acid and triacylglycerols composition, oxidative stability, polar phenolic profile and sensory properties (panel test) of the oil was assessed. Pendolino, Maurino and Marzio oils presented the highest levels (p < 0.01) of palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids % and the lowest oleic:linoleic ratio. Within triacylglycerols, triolein (OOO) strongly varied among the oils, with Coratina and Leccino having the highest content. Frantoio showed the lowest 1-Stearoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-oleylglycerol and 1,3-Distearoyl-2-oleylglycerol amounts. Rosciola showed the highest level (p < 0.01) for two of the most abundant secoiridoid derivatives (the dialdehydic forms of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol). A good correlation was found between total phenolic content and oxidative stability, indicating Marzio and Leccino respectively as the richest and poorest genotypes. Sensory variability among varieties was mainly linked to perceived bitterness, pungency and fruitiness, while no effects were found on secondary flavors.

Development and application of a solid-phase microextraction gas cromatography mass spectrometry method for analysing volatile organic compounds produced during cooking.

In the last decades, there is more awareness on the impact on human health of pollutants emitted during cooking processes, both from commercial and from domestic activities. In this study, a new method exploiting solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) was developed to analyse the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during cooking. The air above the cooking plate was sampled using a polyethylene terephthalate olfactometric bag that allows to transport the sample to the instrument location and to perform the SPME extraction of the sampled air. The efficiency of different extraction systems and different extraction times (1, 8, 16, and 24 h) was evaluated in order to obtain sufficient sensitivity. Thus, the proposed system, combining the use of olfactometric bags and SPME-GC-MS, was applied for the first time to study VOCs emitted during cooking allowing to perform the analysis, even on samples produced in sites far from the instrument location, in an easy way and with instrumentations available in most of laboratories. Then, the method was applied to assess the efficiency of odour filters used in common kitchen hoods, using deep frying of potatoes in sunflower oil as cooking model system. VOCs were analysed in the air before and after passage through the filter, calculating then percentages of dejection for the different classes of VOCs that resulted to be in the range 31-77%.

Development and validation of a GC-FID method for the analysis of short chain fatty acids in rat and human faeces and in fermentation fluids.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are gut microbiota metabolites recognized for their beneficial effects on the host organism. In this study, a simple and rapid sample preparation method combined to SCFAs analysis by direct injection and gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID), for the determination and quantification of eight SCFAs (acetic, propionic, i-butyric, butyric, i-valeric, valeric, i-caproic and caproic acids) in rat, mice and human faeces and in fermentation fluids samples, has been developed and validated. The method consists of extraction of the SCFAs by ethyl ether after acidification of the samples. The effect of the number of extractions has been assessed in order to optimize the procedure and to obtain a satisfactory yield for all the analyzed SCFAs. The increase of the extracted analytes quantity was significant passing from 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3 extractions (P < 0.05), while no significant differences were found performing 3, 4 or 5 extractions (P > 0.05). The SCFAs extracted are directly analyzed by GC-FID without derivatization and separated on a polyethylene glycol nitroterephthalic acid modified coated capillary column, with a chromatographic run time of 13 min. The proposed method showed good sensitivity, with limits of quantifications in the range 0.14-0.48 µM for SCFAs from propionic to caproic acids and 2.12 µM for acetic acid; recovery was between 80.8 and 108.8% and intraday and interday repeatability in the range 0.6-5.0% of precision (RSD, %) The optimized method is suitable for the quantitative analysis of SCFAs in real samples of rat, mouse and human faeces and in fermentation fluids, and it can be applied also to very small amount of faecal sample (20 mg).