Exploring the capability of yeasts isolated from colombian fermented cocoa beans to form and degrade biogenic amines in a lab-scale model system for cocoa fermentation

Yeast starters for cocoa fermentation are usually tested according to their enzymatic activities in terms of mucilage degradation and flavor improvement, disregarding their influence on the production or elimination of toxic compounds as biogenic amines (BAs), important for human health. In this work, we tested 145 strains belonging to 12 different yeast species and isolated from the Colombian fermented cocoa beans (CB) for their capability of producing BAs in vitro. Sixtyfive strains were able to decarboxylate at least one of the amino acids tested. Pichia kudriavzevii ECA33 (Pk) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae 4 (Sc) were selected to evaluate their potential to modulate BAs, organic acids, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) accumulation during a simulated cocoa fermentation. The growth of Sc or Pk in the presence of CB caused a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of 2-phenylethylamine (84% and 37%) and cadaverine (58% and 51%), and a significant increase of tryptamine and putrescine with a strong influence of temperature in BA formation and degradation. In addition, our findings pointed out that Pk induced a major production of fatty acidand amino acid-derived VOCs, while Sc induced more VOCs derived from fatty acids metabolism. Our results suggest the importance of considering BA production in the choice of yeast starters for cocoa fermentation

Ideabrill packaging capability in the preservation of raw and cooked ham. a comparative study

ABSTRACT: IDEABRILL PACKAGING CAPABILITY IN PRESERVATION ON RAW AND COOKED HAM. A COMPARATIVE STUDY. Food packaging contributes to the preservation and shelf-life of food. In literature, several studies demonstrate that active packaging, enriched of bioactive compounds like the essential oil of Rosmarinus Officinalis [1], and modified atmosphere packaging, can positively affect the preservation of food. The study of new types of packaging is continuously increasing, especially in terms of environmental impact and food preservation. In this study, three types of packaging provided by Esseoquattro company were tested, in order to assess their capability in the preservation of food. Ideabrill® packaging, a three layers pack of polyethylene high density layer, metallic layer and cellulose with long fiber layer, combined with Ideabrill® sacchetto salvafreschezza was compared to paper coupled with wings alone and combined with Ideabrill® sacchetto salvafreschezza. The study was conducted on raw and cooked ham preserved in the packaging described above through the quantification of biogenic amines (BAs) at day 0, 3, 5 and 7. BAs can be considered markers to evaluate the freshness and the quality of food. In particular, a higher concentration of BAs is related to a higher deterioration degree of food. BAs were extracted, derivatized with dansyl chloride, purified with a SPE C-18 and then analyzed with an HPLC-DAD method. This study, in combination with microbiological study, shows that Ideabrill® packaging combined with Ideabrill® sacchetto salvafreschezza displayed the best conservation capability for raw and cooked ham when compared with others. Moreover, from an eco-friendly point of view, Ideabrill® packaging layers can be easily separated in order to encourage recycling. [1] Sirocchi, V., Caprioli, G., Cecchini, C., Coman, M. M., Cresci, A., Maggi, F., ... & Sagratini, G. (2013). Biogenic amines as freshness index of meat wrapped in a new active packaging system formulated with essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 64(8), 921-928

Antitrypanosomal activity of anthriscus nemorosa essential oils and combinations of their main constituents

This study aimed to investigate the susceptibility of Trypanosoma brucei to the Anthriscus nemorosa essential oils (EOs), isolated compounds from these oils, and artificial mixtures of the isolated compounds in their conventional and nanoencapsulated forms. The chemical composition of the essential oils from the aerial parts and roots of Anthriscus nemorosa, obtained from a wild population growing in central Italy, were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In both cases, the predominant class of compounds was monoterpene hydrocarbons, which were more abundant in the EOs from the roots (81.5%) than the aerial parts (74.0%). The overall results of this work have shed light on the biological properties of A. nemorosa EO from aerial parts (EC50 = 1.17 µg/mL), farnesene (EC50 = 0.84 µg/mL), and artificial mixtures (Mix 3–5, EC50 in the range of 1.27 to 1.58 µg/mL) as relevant sources of antiprotozoal substances. Furthermore, the pool measurements of ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and NTPs (nucleoside triphosphates) in the cultivated bloodstream form of trypanosomes exposed to different concentrations of EOs showed a disturbed energy metabolism, as indicated by increased pools of ADP in comparison to ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and other NTPs. Ultimately, this study highlights the significant efficacy of A. nemorosa EO to develop long-lasting and effective antiprotozoal formulations, including nanoemulsions

Effects of Nuts, Dried Fruits, Dried Seeds and Black Olives as Enrichment Ingredients on Acrylamide Concentrations in Sweet and Savoury Biscuits

This study investigated the effect of adding 10% almonds, pistachios, apricots, plums, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and black olives to sweet and savoury biscuits on acrylamide (AA) concentration. These ingredients, which are increasingly used to enrich bakery products, can increase the final AA content, because they contain its precursors and sometimes AA itself, due to the processing treatments they undergo. The AA and some quality characteristics of all ingredients and biscuit samples were analysed. The results showed that sweet biscuits with almonds, pistachios and apricots had AA concentrations exceeding the European benchmark level (350 µg/kg), while those with plums had a lower value (190.7 µg/kg). The enriched savoury biscuits had significantly higher AA concentrations than the control (198.9 µg/kg), up to + 163%. A 10% addition of enrichment ingredients to biscuits can lead to high AA concentrations, highlighting the need for further studies aimed at its mitigation in bakery products

A new HPLC-MS-MS method for the simultaneous determination of 36 polyphenols in blueberry, strawberry and their commercial products and determination of antioxidant activity

Berry fruits consumption has increased in recent years because they are rich sources of polyphenols with reported health benefits. The aim of the present work was to develop a new comprehensive and fast HPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 36 phenolic compounds (7 anthocyanins, 9 flavonols, 4 flavan-3-ols, 2 dihydrochalcones, 2 flavanones and 12 phenolic acids) present in blueberry, strawberry, and their fruit jam. Blueberry fruits showed higher contents of anthocyanins, flavonols and phenolic acids, while strawberry fruits exhibited higher contents of flavan-3-ols, dihydrochalcones and flavanones. Anthocyanins were the main phenolic constituents in both berries. Furthermore, the higher total phenolic content in the blueberry fruit and jam justified their greater antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH free radical assay, compared to strawberry. In conclusion, this new HPLC-MS/MS method is useful and reliable for quality control and authentication analyses of blueberry and strawberry fruits and their commercial food products, such as jams

Effect of Roasting, Boiling and Frying Processing on 29 Polyphenolics and Antioxidant Activity in Seeds and Shells of Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)

Sweet chestnuts (Castanea sativa Mill.) are highly prized nuts, and the consumption of fresh chestnuts is usually preceded by roasting, boiling, and frying. The aim of this work was to simultaneously analyze 29 polyphenolic compounds for the first time in raw, boiled, roasted, and fried chestnut seeds and shells using HPLC-MS/MS. Principal component analysis depending on the HPLC-MS/MS results showed that roasting, boiling, and frying affected the contents of 25 detected phenolic compounds in a unique way, of which the most notable phenolics were gallic acid, ellagic acid, and (+)-catechin. Additionally, total polyphenolic content (TPC) was measured via the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and TPC in seeds and inner and outer shells was increased in all treatments except for microwave-roasted seeds. Furthermore, the higher TPC in the inner and outer shells when compared to seeds supported their higher antioxidant activity (AOA) determined via the DPPH experiment. AOA of seeds was increased in all treatments, while the AOA of shells was higher in roasting and lower in boiling and frying treatments. The assessment of these changes is necessary so that chestnut seed consumption and the recycling of their shells as a natural source of antioxidants can be maximized