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

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Hemp Seed Cake Flour: Impact on Technological Properties

This study explored improving the technological properties of hemp seed cake flour through enzymatic hydrolysis. Before hydrolysis, the biomass underwent a delignification pre-treatment using a deep eutectic solvent made of glycerol and choline chloride to remove lignin and enhance treatment yield. Hydrolysis significantly increased the polyphenol content from 1821 mgGAE/kgdw for untreated flour up to 4387 mgGAE/kgdw due to enzymatic action and lignin removal, which made phenolic compounds more accessible within the matrix. The hydrolyzed flour exhibited higher oil adsorption and water-holding capacities, attributed to the increased availability of hydrophobic and polar ionizable groups. Moreover, the process transformed insoluble fibers into a more amorphous form, enhancing water interaction and improving the swelling and water adsorption indices. Regarding foaming properties, enzymatic treatment increased foam capacity up to 8.1 v/v but reduced its stability, leading to its complete disappearance within 45 minutes. Finally, the hydrolyzed flour demonstrated reduced emulsifying capacity but improved emulsion stability

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

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