Cooking of Artemide Black Rice: Impact on Proximate Composition and Phenolic Compounds

The consumption of black rice has grown in recent years due to its particular organoleptic properties and high content of antioxidant polyphenols, which make it a sort of natural functional food. However, heat treatment applied during cooking can influence the content and the composition of antioxidant components, particularly anthocyanins, the main compounds of black rice, responsible for its color. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of different cooking techniques (boiling, microwaves oven, under pressure pot and risotto preparation) on the chemical and nutritional composition of the Italian Artemide black rice. Different cooking methods had significant and different impact on rice composition. Proximate composition was not affected by cooking, except for moisture, which increased, and fiber content, which decreased. Total polyphenols, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant capacity were reduced; moreover, anthocyanins and phenolic acids determined by HPLC-DAD generally decreased, with the only exception of protocatechuic acid. The risotto preparation was the most useful cooking technique to preserve anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. Our results demonstrated the importance to study cooking methods and to evaluate their impact on rice characteristics, in order to preserve its nutritional and beneficial properties

Rice as natural functional food for a healthy nutrition: characterization, technological aspects and bioaccessibility

The black rice varieties can be considered a sort of natural functional food due to their significant content of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, and their antioxidant properties. Polyphenols are a huge heterogeneous group of molecules belonging to different chemical classes able to exert a beneficial action on the human organism, which depends not only on their quantity present in the diet, but also on their bioavailability and bioaccessibility. The impact of technological processing, but particularly the impact of cooking mode and digestive process could modify these healthy properties, modulating the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of bioactive compounds. The impact of traditional (boiling, microwaves oven, under pressure pot and risotto preparation) and alternative (pilaf and sous vide) cooking methods on the chemical and nutritional composition of Italian "Artemide" black rice was evaluated, as reported and discussed in Chapters 3 and 4 of this Thesis. In Chapter 5 the impact of the digestive process on the polyphenolic fraction of "Artemide" black rice, subjected to the risotto preparation, is discussed. In general, our results allowed to highlight the main changes in the polyphenolic composition of "Artemide" black rice after cooking and simulated in vitro digestion. The impact on the postprandial glycaemic trend in type 1 diabetic children and adolescents of two different types of rice ("Gigante Vercelli" white rice, and "Artemide" black rice), cooked in different modes (risotto vs boiled), was compared, as reported and discussed in Chapter 6. Finally, as reported in Chapter 7, a faecal in vitro batch fermentation of cooked and digested black and white rice varieties was conducted, in order to evaluate the rice impact on a healthy microbiota, through the quantification via GC-FID of SCFAs (Short Chain Fatty Acids) as desired indicators of the microbiota metabolism. The conclusions and some perspectives of the study were proposed in Chapter 8

The portal venous system in cirrhotic patients: value of the computed tomography

Today an important diagnostic role must be recognized to the contrast-enhanced computed tomography

Splenomegaly in hematological malignancies and portal hypertension

Splenomegaly in hematological malignancies and portal hypertension

For a better morpho-dynamic evaluation of the portal system in cirrhosis

We would like to highlight the importance of other cross-sectional imaging tool

Left-sided portal hypertension revisited

Background: Splenic vein obstruction can lead to left-sided portal hypertension, which is a rare segmental portal hypertension condition, often caused by inflammatory or neoplastic disease of the pancreas. Today, adequate study by cross-sectional imaging, e.g., ultrasound and computed tomography, allows the identification of particular features of the venous collateral pathways that favor the development of gastroesophageal varices. Methods: A retrospective study of 15 cases of left-sided portal hypertension secondary to complete thrombosis of the splenic vein was performed, with special attention to the morphodynamic conditions predicting the development of gastroesophageal varices. Results: In patients with left-sided portal hypertension, gastroesophageal varices were greatly favored by two conditions: collateral pathways directed to the gastric fundus and hypertension in the left gastric vein. This last condition typically occurs when the left gastric vein inflows into an already obstructed splenic trunk, or in the case of concomitant portal hypertension. On the contrary, patients with left-sided portal hypertension and collaterals connected with the left renal or adrenal veins have minor risk of gastroesophageal varices. Conclusions: In every case of left-sided portal hypertension, upper digestive endoscopy and close follow-up are recommended. Besides, computed tomography can demonstrate particular conditions directly favoring gastroesophageal varices, and aid in selection of the appropriate therapeutic decisions. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2016; 5(4.000): 211-215

Computed tomography in the preoperative study of portal hypertension

A careful morphodynamic evaluation of the portal venous system must accompany the clinicometabolic scoring of liver cirrhosis

Haematological splenomegaly does not directly relate to portal hypertension: From a clinical study to surgical choice

Background: Splenomegaly induces an increased inflow into the portal venous system; however, in the absence of pathology of the liver and of a portal vein system, secondary portal hypertension is unusual. We analyzed this problem through a clinical observational method. Methods: We selected 20 patients with splenomegaly secondary to B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; their imaging tests and clinical pathways were re-examined. Results: In the absence of diseases of the liver or of the portal venous system, an increased portal blood flow, secondary to the splenomegaly, could not be considered the sole cause of portal hypertension. Conclusions: The normal liver has a high venous capacity, and in the absence of other factors, the sole increase in portal venous flow cannot directly justify portal hypertension. This conclusion is still well founded, even if multiple humoral mediators, some of which are also released from the spleen in a number of pathological conditions, can differentially modulate the haemodynamics of hepatic sinusoids. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2017; 6(2.000): 86-90

The Impact of Different Types of Rice and Cooking on Postprandial Glycemic Trends in Children with Type 1 Diabetes with or without Celiac Disease

The aims of this study were to evaluate: (i) the chemical and nutritional composition of rice before and after cooking and (ii) postprandial glycemic impacts in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) after eating two different types of rice (“Gigante Vercelli” white rice and “Artemide” black rice) or white rice cooked “risotto” style or boiled using an advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) system (Tandem Control-IQTM). General composition and spectrophotometric analyses of raw and cooked rice were performed. Eight T1D subjects (four males and four females, aged 11 ± 1.4 years), two with celiac disease (CD), using an AHCL system were enrolled. “Gigante Vercelli” white rice cooked as risotto or boiled and boiled “Artemide” rice were prepared by the same cook on two evenings. Continuous glucose monitoring metrics were evaluated for 12 h after meal consumption. Total dietary fiber was higher for both rice types after cooking compared with raw rice. Cooking as risotto increased polyphenols and antioxidants (p p p < 0.05), while the mean glycemic peak remained <180 mg/dL in individuals eating boiled Artemide rice. There were no significant differences in automatic basal or auto-bolus insulin deliveries by the AHCL according to different types of rice or cooking method. Our findings suggest that glycemic trends are impacted by the different chemical and nutritional profiles of rice but are nevertheless well controlled by AHCL systems