Determination of Sesquiterpenes in Wines by HS-SPME Coupled with GC-MS

The sesquiterpene compounds present in red wines were characterized and quantified by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction in combination with Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Sixteen sesquiterpenes were identified, mainly hydrocarbons but also derived oxygenated compounds. Sesquiterpenes were acyclic, monocyclic, byciclic and tryciclic. Sesquiterpenes were detected in SIM (selected ion monitoring) mode using their characteristics ions. All the sesquiterpenes were identified by mass spectral data, linear retention indices (LRI), literature data and injection of standards where available. Quantitative results were obtained using the method of standard additions. The method showed an average LOD = 0.05 µg L−1 and LOQ = 0.15 µg L−1. The monocyclic sesquiterpene with the germacrene skeleton, Germacrene D and the bicyclic sesquiterpene with the muurolane skeleton, α-muurolene were present in all the wine samples analysed. Syrah wines were the samples richest in sesquiterpenes in agreement with their typical spicy and woody notes. The results evidenced the possibility to use sesquiterpenes for wine authenticity and traceability

Stability of powdered infant formula during secondary shelf-life and domestic practices

peer-reviewedPowdered infant formula (PIF) and lactose-free PIF during secondary shelf-life (SSL) and under domestic practices was investigated to verify their stability up to the expiration date and under the label instructions for milk reconstitution. Particular attention was given to variations in Maillard reaction and lipid peroxidation products identified and quantified by HS-SPME-GC-MS. Two types of PIF: Type A based on bovine milk and Type B a lactose-free product based on glucose syrup were analysed. The PIF were analysed at regular time intervals beyond the labelled expiration date after opening, and reconstituted using water at 70 °C, 80 °C and 90 °C. A large number of volatile compounds were identified and significant statistically differences resulted during SSL and water temperature used for reconstitution that were correlated to the PIF composition. The study showed that water temperature for reconstitution of samples and the SSL has to be adapted to PIF composition.Italian Ministry for Education, University and Researc

Maiorca wheat malt: A comprehensive analysis of physicochemical properties, volatile compounds, and sensory evaluation in brewing process and final product quality

This study explores the potential of Maiorca wheat malt as an alternative ingredient in beer production, investigating its impact on the brewing process and beer quality at different recipe contents (50 %, 75 %, 100 %). The study encompasses a comprehensive analysis of key malt parameters, revealing Maiorca malt's positive influence on maltose, glucose, filterability, extract, free amino nitrogen, and fermentability. Notably, the malt exhibited heightened levels of α-amylase and β-amylase enzymes compared to conventional commercial malt. Furthermore, the analysis of aroma compounds and subsequent sensory evaluations unveiled a significant correlation between the proportion of Maiorca malt in the formulation and intensified estery, fruity, malty, honey, complemented by a reduction in attributes such as aromatic compounds, phenolic, yeasty, sulfury, oxidized, and solvent-like odors. This research underscores the favorable contribution of Maiorca wheat malt to enhancing both the brewing process and final beer quality, highlighting its potential as an innovative ingredient in brewing practices

Comparison of lactose free and traditional mozzarella cheese during shelf-life by aroma compounds and sensory analysis

peer-reviewedAroma compounds and sensory features of lactose free (LFM) and traditional (TM) Mozzarella cheese have been investigated during their labeled shelf-life. Acetoin and 2-heptanone characterized both types of cheese at the production time. During the shelf-life, a statistically significant increase in the amount of the volatiles coming from amino acid and fatty acid metabolism occurred in the LFM samples after 8 days of storage and, to a lesser extent, in TM cheese after 13 days of storage. As regard sensory analysis, milk odor and milk flavor descriptors characterized TM and LFM in the early stage of their shelf-life; bitter and acid taste and yoghurt odor descriptors characterized LFM after 8 days and TM after 13 days. The differences between the two cheese types can be attributed to the proteolytic activity of the lactase enzyme. As a result, the volatile aroma profile and the sensory quality should be taken into account for a proper shelf-life definition of Mozzarella cheese and a shorter shelf-life should be suggested for LFM than TM cheese

Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of the Aerial Part Extracts from Matthiola incana subsp. rupestris and subsp. pulchella (Brassicaceae) Endemic to Sicily

As part of a project aimed at investigating the Matthiola taxa endemic to Sicily (Italy), this study focused on Matthiola incana, an edible species used in the traditional medicine of various countries. Herein, the characterization of phenolic and volatile compounds, the antioxidant capacity in vitro (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH), reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activity assays) and the toxicity test (Artemia salina lethality bioassay) of the hydroalcoholic extracts from the aerial parts of M. incana subsp. rupestris from Mt. Pellegrino (Palermo) and Mt. Erice (Trapani), and of M. incana subsp. pulchella are reported. The results are compared with those previously shown for M. incana subsp. incana, to achieve a comprehensive overview of the three subspecies. The HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS and SPME-GC/MS analyses led to the identification of 13 phenolics and 54 volatile compounds. Differences in the qualitative-quantitative profile of these phytochemicals have been highlighted between the M. incana subspecies. The antioxidant tests showed different activity for the extracts, which were found to possess better chelating properties. At last, none of the tested extracts displayed toxicity against brine shrimp larvae. These findings enrich the knowledge on the Matthiola taxa growing wild in Sicily, both from the strictly systematic point of view and for the possible applications as sources bioactive compounds that can be used in the nutraceutical field

Determination of Sesquiterpenes in Wines by HS-SPME Coupled with GC-MS

The sesquiterpene compounds present in red wines were characterized and quantified by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction in combination with Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Sixteen sesquiterpenes were identified, mainly hydrocarbons but also derived oxygenated compounds. Sesquiterpenes were acyclic, monocyclic, byciclic and tryciclic. Sesquiterpenes were detected in SIM (selected ion monitoring) mode using their characteristics ions. All the sesquiterpenes were identified by mass spectral data, linear retention indices (LRI), literature data and injection of standards where available. Quantitative results were obtained using the method of standard additions. The method showed an average LOD = 0.05 µg L−1 and LOQ = 0.15 µg L−1. The monocyclic sesquiterpene with the germacrene skeleton, Germacrene D and the bicyclic sesquiterpene with the muurolane skeleton, α-muurolene were present in all the wine samples analysed. Syrah wines were the samples richest in sesquiterpenes in agreement with their typical spicy and woody notes. The results evidenced the possibility to use sesquiterpenes for wine authenticity and traceability

Innovative Process for Dried Caper (<i>Capparis spinosa</i> L.) Powder Production

This research aimed to develop a new time, energy, and cost-saving production process for obtaining dried powder from Capparis spinosa floral buds. Four different trials, including dry salting with 40% NaCl (for 10 days and 40 days) and brine salting with 18% NaCl (at room temperature for 3 days and at 60 °C for 6 h), were carried out, and two different air-drying temperatures (40 and 50 °C) were used. The effects on chemical and sensory characteristics were investigated and compared with traditional undried caper samples. Spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques such as UV–VIS, GC-MS, and FTIR were used for chlorophylls, carotenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and volatile aroma compounds’ analyses. Moreover, a sensory descriptive analysis and acceptability were applied to individuate the product most appreciated by the consumers. Among the different trials, brine salting at 60 °C and drying at 50 °C constituted the fastest process that yielded an appreciated powder by consumers; the chemical analyses demonstrated that this process did not lead to the formation of extraneous aroma compounds that could influence the typical sensory properties of capers and maintained high levels of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Altogether, the results could be of great significance to industrial production and potentiate positive impacts on the economy of production areas

LCA analysis through a Visual Programming tool: workflow on a BIM model case study

Gli strumenti BIM permettono anche anche di condurre numerose analisi di impatto e, riguardo alla crescente attenzione alle tematiche ambientali, rappresentano un mezzo valevole per analizzare le conseguenze del processo edilizio e guidare i progettisti verso scelte migliori e pi\uf9 consapevoli. La capacit\ue0 delle applicazioni BIM a valutare le questioni ambientali sarebbe migliorata se integrata con gli strumenti del Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), considerato tra i metodi pi\uf9 adatti per la valutazione di tali impatti. Tuttavia, un tipico ostacolo nell\u2019utilizzo del LCA nelle fasi iniziali del progetto, vale a dire il momento che influenza maggiormente gli esiti del progetto, \ue8 la mancanza di informazioni sul progetto. Di solito questo implica che il LCA sia adottato dopo la fase di progettazione, quando tutte le decisioni significative sono gi\ue0 state prese. L\u2019applicazione di LCA negli stadi iniziali del processo progettuale, possibilmente con un metodo automatizzato, pu\uf2 migliorare il controllo delle variabili ambientali e quindi l\u2019integrazione di BIM e LCA sembra essere una possibilit\ue0 idonea. L\u2019approccio parametrico consente ai software BIM-based di raccogliere i dati e connetterli con gli elementi del modello. Al fine di evitare la compilazione manuale di documenti complessi, gli strumenti di Visual Programming possono cooperare con il software BIM autore e interrelare il modello con fonti esterne come i database di impatto ambientale dei materiali. Inoltre, possono essere configurati per eseguire complessi calcoli LCA e automaticamente aggiornare i risultati quando qualcosa nel modello cambia. L\u2019obiettivo di questo paper \ue8 di proporre un campione di flusso di lavoro applicato al caso studio, al fine di fornire agli stakeholder di AEC un metodo semplificato BIM-based per rilevare facilmente la conseguenza potenziale di intraprendere certe scelte di progettazione nelle fasi iniziali del progetto o, almeno, in quelle fasi in cui avviene la selezione definitiva di materiali e prodotti.BIM tools also allow to conduct various impact analysis and, with regard to the growing concern about environmental issues, they embody a valuable mean to analyse buildings process consequences thus guiding designers towards better and more aware choices. The capacity of BIM applications to evaluate environmental issues would be enhanced if integrated with Life- Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools considered among the most suitable methods for evaluating such impacts. However, a typical barrier in performing LCA during the early design stages, i.e. the moment that influence the most the project outputs, is the lack of project information. Usually, this implies LCA to be performed after the design phase, when all the significant decisions are already taken. The implementation of LCA within the early stages of the design process, possibly through an automated method, can enhance the control of environmental variables hence, the integration of BIM and LCA, appears to be a suitable opportunity. The parametric approach allows BIM-based software to collect data and connect them with model elements. In order to avoid manual compilation of complex records, Visual Programming tools can cooperate with the authoring BIM software and interrelate the model with external sources such as materials environmental impact databases. Moreover, they can be configured to perform complex LCA calculation and automatically update the outcomes when something in the model changes. The goal of this paper is to propose a sample workflow applied to a case study, in order to provide AEC stakeholders with a simplified BIM-based method for easily detecting the potential consequence of undertaking certain design choices at initial project stages or, at least, at those phases when definitive materials and products selection occur

Odor Emissions from Raw Meat of Freshly Slaughtered Cattle during Inspection

Raw meat of Freshly Slaughtered Cattle (FSC) is characterized by a very weak odor defined as slightly sweet, which could interfere in off-odor assessment during post-mortem inspection by an official veterinarian. Despite this, no information is reported in the literature on the volatiles which are emitted by FSC meat. Thus, this research aimed to study the volatile profile of raw cattle meat at different times within 24 h of slaughtering. Volatiles were analyzed and quantified using HS-SPME-GC-MS. γ-Butyrolactone, acetoin, and to a lesser extent, acid acetic were found to be the odor-active compounds of raw meat from freshly slaughtered cattle. Quantitative differences were observed up to 24 h; since the lowest levels of the odor-active compounds were reached between two and three hours from slaughtering, this period could be the most suitable for the post-mortem inspection process

Analisi LCA attraverso un Visual Programming Tool: flusso di lavoro su un caso studio BIM

BIM tools also allow to conduct various impact analysis and, with regard to the growing concern about environmental issues, they embody a valuable mean to analyse buildings process consequences thus guiding designers towards better and more aware choices.The capacity of BIM applications to evaluate environmental issues would be enhanced if integrated with Life- Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools considered among the most suitable methods for evaluating such impacts. However, a typical barrier in performing LCA during the early design stages, i.e. the moment that influence the most the project outputs, is the lack of project information. Usually, this implies LCA to be performed after the design phase, when all the significant decisions are already taken.The implementation of LCA within the early stages of the design process, possibly through an automated method, can enhance the control of environmental variables hence, the integration of BIM and LCA, appears to be a suitable opportunity.The parametric approach allows BIM-based software to collect data and connect them with model elements. In order to avoid manual compilation of complex records, Visual Programming tools can cooperate with the authoring BIM software and interrelate the model with external sources such as materials environmental impact databases. Moreover, they can be configured to perform complex LCA calculation and automatically update the outcomes when something in the model changes. The goal of this paper is to propose a sample workflow applied to a case study, in order to provide AEC stakeholders with a simplified BIM-based method for easily detecting the potential consequence of undertaking certain design choices at initial project stages or, at least, at those phases when definitive materials and products selection occurs.Gli strumenti BIM permettono anche anche di condurre numerose analisi di impatto e, riguardo alla crescente attenzione alle tematiche ambientali, rappresentano un mezzo valevole per analizzare le conseguenze del processo edilizio e guidare i progettisti verso scelte migliori e più consapevoli. La capacità delle applicazioni BIM a valutare le questioni ambientali sarebbe migliorata se integrata con gli strumenti del Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), considerato tra i metodi più adatti per la valutazione di tali impatti. Tuttavia, un tipico ostacolo nell’utilizzo del LCA nelle fasi iniziali del progetto, vale a dire il momento che influenza maggiormente gli esiti del progetto, è la mancanza di informazioni sul progetto. Di solito questo implica che il LCA sia adottato dopo la fase di progettazione, quando tutte le decisioni significative sono già state prese. L’applicazione di LCA negli stadi iniziali del processo progettuale, possibilmente con un metodo automatizzato, può migliorare il controllo delle variabili ambientali e quindi l’integrazione di BIM e LCA sembra essere una possibilità idonea. L’approccio parametrico consente ai software BIM-based di raccogliere i dati e connetterli con gli elementi del modello. Al fine di evitare la compilazione manuale di documenti complessi, gli strumenti di Visual Programming possono cooperare con il software BIM autore e interrelare il modello con fonti esterne come i database di impatto ambientale dei materiali. Inoltre, possono essere configurati per eseguire complessi calcoli LCA e automaticamente aggiornare i risultati quando qualcosa nel modello cambia.L’obiettivo di questo paper è di proporre un campione di flusso di lavoro applicato al caso studio, al fine di fornire agli stakeholder di AEC un metodo semplificato BIM-based per rilevare facilmente la conseguenza potenziale di intraprendere certe scelte di progettazione nelle fasi iniziali del progetto o, almeno, in quelle fasi in cui avviene la selezione definitiva di materiali e prodotti