Biodiversity and Selection of “European” Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Types

Within the genus Ocimum, characterised by ample morphological and biochemical variation, sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) has the highest economic importance, for its aromatic leaves and essential oil. This work reports the main outcomes of a five year research on the so called “European” sweet basil, that includes the two types traditionally used in Italy: “Genovese” and “Foglia di Lattuga”. Preliminarily, sixty strains belonging to the two types were evaluated for essential oil content and composition. A robust discrimination of their main distinctive traits was obtained: “Genovese” showed higher essential oil and linalool content, with almost total absence of methyl chavicol, very abundant in “Foglia di Lattuga”. In the following four years, about 200 progenies, derived from crossings of “Genovese” with “Foglia di Lattuga” and “Compatto”, were chemically characterised. This research was carried out in support of the breeding program of a local seed company, aimed at obtaining new basil lines, combining the typical “Genovese” aroma, with increased leaf size and agronomic quality. Essential oil content varied between less than 3, in 2001, to more than 20 g kg-1 d.m., in 2004. The most relevant components were linalool (16-62%), eugenol (4-40%), 1.8-cineol (1- 17%) and methyl chavicol (0-37%). The mint note given by the latter is not appreciated in Italy; so its absence in the progenies was successfully pursued

Salvia officinalis L. essential oil and carnosic acid analysis by means of NIR spectroscopy

This paper reports the results of a research aimed at investigating the applicability of the NIRS technique to the quantitative determination of sage quality traits, such as the content of carnosic acid, essential oil content and composition. 143 samples were analysed by means of two NIR spectrometers (a FOSS dispersive spectrometer and a mobile ZEISS spectrometer equipped with a photo diode detector), in comparison with a reference method, based on solvent extraction followed by gas-chromatography (essential oil), or liquid chromatography (carnosic acid). Reference essential oil content ranged form 8.6 to 31.3 ml kg-1 d.m., with α- and β-thujone, camphor and 1,8-cineole as main components, while carnosic acid content was 8.6-39.9 g kg-1 d.m. After spectra correction and wavelength selection, the application of modified partial least square regression (MPLS) allowed good NIR calibration for the analysis of carnosic acid and essential oil content and composition

South European Kales: a Cross Country, Cross Cultural Research

BaSeFood (Sustainable exploitation of bioactive components from the Black Sea Area traditional foods) is a EU funded program in which local crops are being considered and investigated, comparing their uses, composition and related traditional foods, in a cross-country perspective. Within the BaSeFood partner countries, kales are present along the Black sea coast of Turkey, in the northern Apennines of Italy and in the north of Portugal. The available literature on the kale populations of these areas indicates glucobrassicin as a characteristic component of their glucosinolate profile. A research was planned to comparatively investigate several aspects of kale distribution, present and potential uses, traditional foods and bioactive composition. In the three countries considered, kales are extensively used and locally valued, but are lesser known as major vegetables. Although differences in the present knowledge of kale traditional uses do exist, common patterns, due to the peculiar ecological character¬istic of kales, in combination with the social conditions of some growing areas, are clearly identifiable. Local recipes are being collected, and examined also in the perspective of scaling-up production. Winter soups are the main form of utilisation, corresponding to the need of combining vegetables with carbohydrate supplying ingredients. Seed samples were collected from representative populations and are being used to plant a comparative field trial, aimed at investigating glucosinolate and phenolic profiles in a common environment. Finally, some targeted experiments about the retention of bioactive components during the preparation of a common dish in the three countries (kale soup) are being planned.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 227118, project BaSeFood

Selected traditional foods from Bulgaria in the frame of BaSeFood project

Poster publicado em: BaSeFood Newsletter - Special Issue n.º7, October 2012 - Traditional Food International 2012, p. 17. ISBN: 978-88-902152-6-1Introduction. Bulgaria is located in Southeast Europe, in the northeast part of the Balkan Peninsula. Its location on the transition line between two climate zones influences the climate, soils, vegetation and animal species. Bulgarian cuisine is exceptionally diverse and delicious, consisting of various salads, breadstuffs, stews, and other local foods. Many of the dishes are prepared according to traditional recipes and have been passed from generation to generation over the centuries. This study was carried out within BaSeFood project (Sustainable Exploitation of Bioactive Components Black Sea Area traditional foods) and the aim was to determine the nutritional composition of six traditional foods from Bulgaria. Material and methods. Six traditional foods: baked layers of pastry stuffed with pumpkin, rodopian dried bean, rose jam, halva, mursal tea and millet ale were selected and the nutritional composition was determined. The following components: moisture, ash, total nitrogen (for protein), total fat, individual fatty acids, starch, total sugars and dietary fibre were quantified for each food. Results. Our results show that mursal tea, millet ale and rodopian dried beans were the analysed traditional foods with the lowest energy content due to the high water content (>81%). Total protein content varied between 0.344 0.01 g/100 g and 11.0 0.10 g/100 g for rose jam and halva, respectively. Halva was the selected traditional food with the highest amount of total fat (30.1 ± 0.74 g/100 g), from which the major fatty acids were unsaturated, since it is made with sunflower seeds. All results are given per 100 g of edible portion. Conclusions. New data on nutritional composition of Bulgarian traditional foods will enhance the knowledge base on traditional foods which is necessary for the development of exploitation plans and will be useful for their promotion.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 22711

Bioactive phytosterols and fatty acids profile of traditional foods from black sea area countries

Phytosterols (PS) are abundant in foods of plant origin and vegetable oils. These compounds have received particular attention due to their capability to lower serum cholesterol levels, resulting in significant reduction of the risk of heart disease. Also, the consumption of fatty acids (FA) is important because it can be associated with both negative and beneficial health effects, depending on the FA. This work was performed within the collaborative research program Sustainable exploitation of bioactive components from the Black Sea Area traditional foods (BaSeFood), funded by the European Commission. Traditional foods from Black sea region are presently being studied for their potential positive effects on human health, especially focusing on its bioactives compounds. The aim of this study was to analyse the bioactive PS, total fat and FA profile of 33 traditional foods from six Black Sea Area countries. Total fat analysis was performed by means of an acid hydrolysis with Soxhlet extraction (AOAC 948.15, 2000, accredited method according to ISO 17025). Preparation of FA methyl esters was carried out by a combined method of methylation and transesterification. For PS content, preliminary assays were done in order to establish the optimal extraction conditions. Chromatographic analysis was performed with a gas chromatograph equipped with a mass spectrophotometer detector. A HP-88, fused silica capillary column (100 m x 0.25 mm i.d., 0.25 mm) was used for FA determination and DB-5 MS (30 m x 0.25 mm i.d., 0.25 µm) was used for PS analysis. Samples were analyzed in triplicate. The GC-MS method allows separation and identification of more than fifty FA, including some trans-FA and ω3 or ω6 FA. Great variability was found in the total fat content of samples. For instance, rose jam total fat content was 0.02 g, while for roasted sunflower seeds was 58.2 g. Results are given per 100 g of edible portion. A wide range of fatty acids profile was also found.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 227118

Traditional foods of Black Sea Countries

INTRODUCTION: Traditional dietary patterns, generally beneficial to health as judged over time, should be promoted beyond the native country’s borders. Scientific data is a prerequisite for the successful promotion of a sustainable diet. The Mediterranean diet is a distinguished example of such a dietary pattern. Accumulating scientific evidence has established it globally as a model diet. OBJECTIVES: A framework for the investigation of traditional foods, aiming primarily at the elucidation of their role on health, was recently expanded to the Black Sea Area Countries (BSAC) through BaSeFood. A principal objective of BaSeFood is to deliver information on bioactive substances and potential related health claims of BSAC traditional foods in order to give opportunities to stakeholders to develop sustainable diets. METHOD/DESIGN: Thirty-three BSAC traditional foods have been selected for in-depth investigation. The study includes: • Nutrient and bioactive composition data. • Information on microbiological aspects • Recording of the traditional production methods. • Technological study on their potential industrial or semi-industrial production. • Integrated records related to their traditional character • Historical and folkloric review, which documents their traditional identity. • Food indexing using Langual RESULTS: Anticipated outcomes of the study on the BSAC traditional foods include: • Insight on their impact on health • Enrichment of the BSAC food composition tables with validated nutrient data • Potential proprietary or health claims • Promotion into new markets • Preservation of the traditional culture • Development of sustainable agriculture CONCLUSIONS: Several Mediterranean traditional foods are likely to contribute to better health. It remains to be substantiated if the same also applies to BSAC traditional foods. BaSeFood has contributed to an initial registration of BSAC traditional foods and has provided essential tools for their promotion within and beyond the region.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 227118

Selected traditional foods from Russian Federation in the frame of BaSeFood project

Poster publicado em: BaSeFood Newsletter - Special Issue n.º7, October 2012 - Traditional Food International 2012, p. 33. ISBN: 978-88-902152-6-1Introduction. Russian Federation traditional foods are part of the cultural heritage. Some of them, unfortunately, are almost forgotten, and their recipes are preserved only in old cookbooks. Others are prepared only in some regions of Russia. However, some traditional foods are still part of the usual dietary patterns of most Russians. The latter include buckwheat porridge and, to a lesser extent, kvass and okroshka, for which consumption increases significantly in the summer. This work aims to determine the nutritional composition of five traditional foods from Russian Federation that have been prioritised in the frame of the BaSeFood project (Sustainable Exploitation of Bioactive Components Black Sea Area traditional foods). Material and methods. Five traditional foods: buckwheat porridge crumby, vegetable okroshka, watermelon juice, mustard oil and kvass southern were selected and the nutritional composition was determined. The following components: moisture, ash, total nitrogen (for protein), total fat, individual fatty acids, starch, total sugars and dietary fibre were quantified for each food. Results. The energy value for the analysed traditional foods varied between 18 kJ/4 kcal and 3760 kJ/900 kcal, for kvass southern and mustard oil, respectively. From the five selected Russian traditional foods, 3 contain mainly water (92.2 0.02 g/100 g for watermelon juice, 92.4 0.03 g/100 g for vegetable okroshka and 98.7 0.03 g/100 g for kvass southern. The food with the highest monounsaturated fatty acids content was mustard oil (55.1 ± 0.68 g/100 g), and it also has a high polyunsaturated fatty acids content (38.0 ± 0.56 g/100 g). Buckwheat porridge crumby has a significant amount of available carbohydrates (about 24%) and about 5% of total dietary fibre because it is prepared with buckwheat. For watermelon juice the available carbohydrates are mainly sugars (6.43 0.14 g/100 g). All results are given per 100 g of edible portion. Conclusions. New data on nutritional composition of Russian traditional foods will enhance the knowledge base on traditional foods which is necessary for the development of exploitation plans and will be useful for their promotion.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 22711

Selected traditional foods from western Ukraine in the frame of BaSeFood project

Poster publicado em: BaSeFood Newsletter - Special Issue n.º7, October 2012 - Traditional Food International 2012, p. 20. ISBN: 978-88-902152-6-1Introduction. The Ukrainian traditional foods are characterized by the use of a large diversity of recipes for the same dish. The best example is the traditional Ukrainian food – borsch – known at least in dozens of varieties containing up to twenty ingredients. This work aims to determine the nutritional composition of three traditional foods from western Ukraine that have been prioritised in the frame of the BaSeFood project (Sustainable Exploitation of Bioactive Components Black Sea Area traditional foods). Material and methods. Three traditional foods: Transcarpathian green borsch, roasted sunflower seeds and cottage cheese with dill and garlic were selected and the nutritional composition was determined. The following components: moisture, ash, total nitrogen (for protein), total fat, individual fatty acids, starch, total sugars and dietary fibre were quantified for each food. Results. The energy value for the analysed traditional foods was 181 kJ/43 kcal for Transcarpathian green borsch, 687 kJ/164 kcal for cottage cheese with dill and garlic, and 2675 kJ/640 kcal for roasted sunflower seeds. From the three selected traditional foods for western Ukraine, roasted sunflower seeds have the highest total fat content (58.2 2.16 g/100 g), of which 49.4 g/100 g are unsaturated fatty acids. They also contain a high protein content (20.8 0.40 g/100 g) and a considerable total dietary fibre content (11.3 1.09 g/100 g). Regarding the available carbohydrates content, the amount per 100 g was 2.49 ± 1.33 g for roasted sunflower seeds, 5.52 ± 1.75 g for Transcarpathian green borsch and 8.20 ± 0.25 g for cottage cheese with dill and garlic. In the case of roasted sunflower seeds, most of the carbohydrates were sugars (2.36 ± 0.13 g/100 g). Results are given per 100 g of edible portion. Conclusions. This study will contribute to characterize the dietary pattern of western Ukraine as a part of the cultural inheritance of this country. Moreover, these results can be useful to preserve and promote these traditional foods.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n.º 22711