Cereal foods fortified with by-products from the olive oil industry

Abstract The oil industry produces large volume of waste, olive mill waste water (OMWW) and olive paste (OP), which represents a disposal and a potential environmental pollution problem. They are also promising sources of valuable compounds that can be recovered and used. The effects of OMWW and OP addition to bread and pasta, separately and combined, were studied. Both sensory and chemical properties as related to phenols content and antioxidant activity of raw materials, and fortified bread and pasta were evaluated. Results suggested that the enrichment of bread and pasta with OMWW slightly improved the chemical quality without compromising the sensory properties. While, foods enrichment with OP had considerably improved chemical quality, the sensory acceptability was worse due to the bitter and spicy taste of OP. To choose the best cereal food between bread and pasta to be enriched, a mathematical model, the whole quality index (WQI), was used. Bread was better than pasta for re-using olive oil by-products. Between OMWW and OP, the latter was more suitable for food fortification, despite the sensory problems of the enriched product. Also, when the two by-products were combined, the best product continued to be the bread

X-ray phase contrast microscopy at 300 nm resolution with laboratory sources.

We report the performance of an X-ray phase contrast microscope for laboratory sources with 300 nm spatial resolution. The microscope is based on a commercial X-ray microfocus source equipped with a planar X-ray waveguide able to produce a sub-micrometer x-ray beam in one dimension. Phase contrast images of representative samples are reported. The achieved contrast and resolution is discussed for different configurations. The proposed approach could represent a simple, inexpensive, solution for sub-micrometer resolution imaging with small laboratory setups

a case study on the selection of promising functional starter strains from grape yeasts a report by student of food science and technology degree university of foggia southern italy

The main aim of this research, performed by some students in Food Science and Technology of Foggia University, is to show how perform the selection of a functional starter through a step-by-step procedure. Fifteen yeast strains were studied in order to assess their biotechnological traits, e.g. catalase, urease, B-glucosidase, pectolytic and xylanolytic activities, production of H2S, resistance to copper, SO2 and acetic acid, growth at different temperatures, alkaline pH, in presence of different amounts of ethanol and glucose, and some probiotic properties. After studying these abilities, yeasts were identified through the miniaturized system API 20 C AUX and two kinds of multivariate analyses (Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis) were performed to highlight the best strains.</p

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Olive chain by-products for the functionalization of foods

L'industria dell'olio d'oliva genera un numero importante di sottoprodotti, come le acque di scarico delle olive, la sansa di oliva e le foglie di ulivo. È stato dimostrato che questi scarti vegetali sono ricchi degli stessi composti fenolici presenti anche nell'olio d'oliva. Tuttavia, i sottoprodotti di olio d'oliva non sono ancora stati sfruttati su scala industriale, ad esempio come fonti di composti bioattivi. A tal fine, è necessario studiare a fondo in che modo le condizioni di lavorazione (pretrattamento della materia prima, estrazione, ecc.) influenzano il potenziale di bioattività, nonché esplorare nuove applicazioni nell'industria alimentare. Pertanto, l'obiettivo principale di questa tesi era legato alla possibilità di utilizzare i sottoprodotti oleari ricchi di composti polifenolici per la formulazione di nuovi alimenti funzionali. Per realizzare nuovi alimenti è necessario considerare che la potenziale incorporazione di sottoprodotti nella formulazione alimentare potrebbe alterare le proprietà sensoriali, suggerendo quindi che un'attenta selezione del tipo e la quantità di questi ingredienti e le opportune opzioni tecnologiche, dovrebbero essere adottate. In particolare, in questa attività di ricerca sono stati studiati gli effetti dei metodi di essiccazione applicati agli estratti dai sottoprodotti dell'olio di oliva sul contenuto di polifenoli e sulla capacità antiossidante. Estrazione di liquidi supercritici, estrazione liquida pressurizzata e estrazione assistita ad ultrasuoni sono stati adottati per scegliere le migliori condizioni di estrazione da applicare ai sottoprodotti. La sansa d'oliva fresca e le foglie di olivo sono state essiccate all'aria a basse temperature per preservare i composti bioattivi e poi utilizzate per alimentare la fortuna. Le acque reflue dei mulini sono state pretrattate dalla tecnologia a membrana, con il duplice scopo di ridurre l'acqua di scarico del carico organico e recuperare i polifenoli. Questa tecnologia, attraverso l'uso di quattro membrane in cascata di microfiltrazione, ultrafiltrazione, nanofiltrazione e osmosi inversa è in grado di estrarre composti polifenolici. Innovativi prodotti a base di cerali e di pesce sono stati realizzati utilizzando questi sottoprodotti ricchi di molecole bioattive. I prodotti alimentari arricchiti sono stati caratterizzati per il contenuto di composti bioattivi, per le proprietà sensoriali e quindi sottoposti a digestione in vitro allo scopo di valutare la bioaccessibilità dei polifenoli totali. I risultati sperimentali sono molto interessanti e sottolineano che i sottoprodotti dell'olio d'oliva potrebbero essere valorizzati come ingredienti promettenti per realizzare nuovi prodotti ricchi di composti fenolici, affrontando anche il problema dell'inquinamento ambientale.The olive oil industry generates an important number of by-products, such as olive mill waste water, olive pomace and olive leaves. It has been demonstrated that these vegetable wastes are rich in almost all the phenolic compounds which are present in olive oil. Nevertheless, olive oil by-products have not yet been exploited at industrial scale, for example as sources of bioactive compounds. For this purpose, it is necessary to study how the processing conditions (raw material pre-treatment, extraction, etc.) affect their properties, as well as explore new applications in the food industry. Therefore, the main goal of this thesis was related to the possibility of using olive oil by-products for the formulation of new fortified foods. To this aim, it was necessary to consider that the potential incorporation of by-products into food formulation could alter the sensory properties, thus suggesting that careful selection of the type and the amount of these ingredients and proper technological options, should be adopted. Specifically, in this research activity the effects of drying methods applied to the extracts from olive oil by-products on the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity were investigated. Supercritical fluid extraction, pressurized liquid extraction and ultrasonic assisted extraction were adopted to choose the best extraction conditions to be applied to by-products. Fresh olive pomace and olive leaves were air dried at low temperatures to preserve bioactive compounds and then used to fortity food. Olive mill waste water was pretreated by membrane technology, with the dual aims of reducing the organic load waste water and recovering polyphenols. This technology, through the use of four membranes in cascade of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis is able to extract polyphenolic compounds. Innovative ceral-based and fish-based products were realized using these by-products rich in bioactive molecules. The enriched food products were characterized for the content of bioactive compounds, for sensory properties and then subjected to in vitro digestion with to purpose of evaluating the bioaccessibility of total polyphenols. The experimental results are very interesting and highlight that olive oil byproducts could be valorized as promising ingredients to realize new products rich in phenolic compounds, also facing the problem of the environmental pollution

Fish burger enriched by olive oil industrial by‐product

Oil industry produces large volume of waste, which represents a disposal and a potential environmental pollution problem. Nevertheless, they are also promising sources of compounds that can be recovered and used as valuable substances. The aim of this work is to exploit solid olive by‐products, in particular dry olive paste flour (DOPF) coming from Coratina cultivar, to enrich fish burger and enhance the quality characteristics. In particular, the addition of olive by‐products leads to an increase of the phenolic content and the antioxidant activity; however, it also provokes a deterioration of sensory quality. Therefore, to balance quality and sensory characteristics of fish burgers, three subsequent phases have been carried out: first, the quality of DOPF in terms of phenolic compounds content and antioxidant activity has been assessed; afterward, DOPF has been properly added to fish burgers and, finally, the formulation of the enriched fish burgers has been optimized in order to improve the sensory quality. Results suggested that the enriched burgers with 10% DOPF showed considerable amounts of polyphenols and antioxidant activity, even though they are not very acceptable from the sensory point of view. Pre‐treating DOPF by hydration/extraction with milk, significantly improved the burger sensory quality by reducing the concentration of bitter components

A Case-study on the Selection of Promising Functional Starter Strains from Grape Yeasts: A Report by Student of Food Science and Technology Degree, University of Foggia (Southern Italy)

The main aim of this research, performed by some students in Food Science and Technology of Foggia University, is to show how perform the selection of a functional starter through a step-by-step procedure. Fifteen yeast strains were studied in order to assess their biotechnological traits, e.g. catalase, urease, B-glucosidase, pectolytic and xylanolytic activities, production of H2S, resistance to copper, SO2 and acetic acid, growth at different temperatures, alkaline pH, in presence of different amounts of ethanol and glucose, and some probiotic properties. After studying these abilities, yeasts were identified through the miniaturized system API 20 C AUX and two kinds of multivariate analyses (Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis) were performed to highlight the best strains.</p