Extra virgin olive oil bitterness evaluation by sensory and chemical analysis

An experimental investigation was performed on blend extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) from different cultivars and EVOO from different olive monovarieties (Coratina, Leccino, Maiatica, Ogliarola) with the aim to evaluate the possibility of estimating the perceived bitterness intensity by using chemical indexes, such as the total phenol content and the compounds responsible of oil bitterness measured spectrophotometrically at 225 nm (K225 value) as bitterness predictors in different EVOO. Therefore, a bitterness predictive model, based on the relationship between the perceived bitterness intensity of the selected stimuli and the chosen chemicals parameters has been built and validated. The results indicated that the oil bitterness intensity could be satisfactorily predicted by using the K225 values of oil samples

Quality Traits of Some Cauliflower Cultivars Grown in the “Valle dell’Ofanto” Area (Italy) as Affected by Post-Harvest Storage

Some quality characteristics of the “Valle dell’Ofanto” cauliflower, that has been recently appointed the certification of collective brand, were investigated at Gaudiano (41°03’N; 15°42’E, Southern Italy, Basilicata Region). Six white head cauli-flower cultivars, characterized by a different length of the crop cycle (2 early, 2 medium and 2 late), were studied. The above cultivars were transplanted in open field at the middle of August 2004 and harvested from the middle of October 2004 to the end of March 2005. At harvest time, yield traits and head sizes of cauliflowers were measured. Among the qualitative traits, color, weight loss, total soluble solids, nitrate and vitamin C content were assessed on the fresh florets and after a storage period lasting 15 days at 0°C and 95% R.H. The “Valle dell’Ofanto” cauliflower was charac¬terized by a high content in sugars and vitamin C, even if significant differences in some qualitative parameters (e.g., vitamin C and nitrate content) were affected by cultivars and crop cycle length. On the other hand, the storage at controlled tempera¬ture and R.H. did not substantially change the qualitative characteristics of the heads, but caused only a slight increase of dry matter and soluble solids levels, especially in those cultivars more susceptible to weight loss

Influence of Indigenous Starter Cultures on the Free Fatty Acids Content During Ripening in Artisan Sausages Produced in the Basilicata Region

The influence of indigenous starter cultures on the free fatty acids content during ripening of »salsiccia«, a typical dry fermented sausage produced in the Basilicata region, was studied. Three batches of »salsiccia« were produced using different starter mixtures (Lactobacillus sakei G20 and Staphylococcus xylosus S81; L. sakei G20 and S. xylosus S142; L. sakei G20 and S. xylosus S206), while the control batch was produced without a starter. The amounts of free fatty acids present in the samples at the end of the ripening period were not significantly different, suggesting that the lipolytic enzymes naturally occurring in meat could play a predominant role in the free fatty acids release. Oleic and linoleic acids were present in the highest concentrations, while only small quantities of short chain fatty acids were detected, with acetic acid being the most representative one

Improvement of Analytical Methods for the Determination of Polyphenolic Bioactive Compounds in Berry Fruits

Berry fruits contain high levels of different phytochemicals, most of which are phenolic molecules. Fruits of the same cultivar from different locations and different harvest years have different chemical compositions, particularly related to polyphenols. The difference may be due to specific climatic conditions, the type of soil in which the plants grow, and the stresses to which the plants were subjected because these phytochemicals are produced as a defense mechanism through a secondary metabolic process. For this reason, it is important to establish simple and reliable procedure to determine polyphenolic compounds in berry fruits considering the increasing attention on these compounds for different potential uses. In order to choose and to improve the most adequate analytical procedure for the determination of the polyphenolic substances in berry fruits, different methods were applied and compared on samples of elderberry and blackberry

Conventional and organic foods: A comparison focused on animal products

AbstractThe term "organic" denotes a product of a food production system that is socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable. The organic food market is growing in response to an ever increasing demand for organic products. They are often considered more nutritious, healthier, and free from pesticides than conventional foods. However, the results of scientific studies do not show that organic products are more nutritious and safer than conventional foods. In this work a comparison between conventional and organic foods is made, the focus is on animal products. The data available in the existing literature is often conflicting, even if the differences are often associated with breeds suited to organic vs. conventional production systems. In order to have a clear understanding of the role that "organic effect" plays on animal foods, further research is necessary

A survey of yeasts in traditional sausages of southern Italy

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Application of ozone in fresh-cut iceberg lettuce refrigeration

Recently, technological innovations have been geared to supporting environmental sustainability, also in the fruit and vegetable industry. The application of ozone in the cold storage of fruits and vegetables is a sustainable technology used to improve product quality and its antimicrobial effect, simple use, and characteristic of not leaving any residue, makes this treatment suitable for many applications in this field. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of refrigeration at 4°C, associated with ozonization treatment at a concentration of 0.2 ppm on the shelf life of fresh-cut lettuce, compared to a lettuce control stored only at 4°C. Lettuce quality throughout the storage period (7 days) was determined by means of color and microbiological indexes, such as total bacterial count, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonadaceae, yeasts and molds. The lettuce used in the experiment was found to have a low microbiological load. Microbiological results obtained at different storage times have shown that the use of ozone is effective in containing microbial growth during chilling storage of the raw material compared to the refrigerated control. In particular, the positive effects of ozonation were appreciable after the third day of storage. Furthermore, the ozone treatment did not affect the color of the product

HPLC determination of agmatine and other amines in wine.

An optimised HPLC analysis is described for the determination by dansylation of the following 11 biogenic amines in wine: agmatine, cadaverine, ethanolamine, histamine, methylamine, 2-phenylethylamine, spermine, spermidine, putrescine, tryptamine and tyramine. Seven amines were found in red and white wines produced in Southern Italy, being present at levels ranging from not detectable to 10.97 mg/L. The most abundant amine resulted ethanolamine, while the polyamine present at the highest concentration was agmatine with maximum levels of 9.92 mg/L. Total biogenic amines content was higher in the red wines

Heating Performances of Tomato-based Dressing Sauces Undergoing Moderate Electric Fields

Moderate electric fields (MEF) heating belongs to electro-assisted heating technologies. MEF involves the use of electrical alternate current, which is forced to pass through a food material, applying an electrical potential gradient up to 1000 V/cm with frequency going from 1 Hz to 1e4 Hz. In MEF assisted heating, the electrical current dissipates heat inside the food product, thus overcoming the heat transfer resistances due to convection or conduction. Tomato based dressing sauces represent a worldwide appreciated food product. Industrially heat transfer operations related to the production of such dressing sauces are based on the use of hot water or steam as heat carriers. Exploring new heating technologies able to shorten production times, can contribute the shift of food industry towards more efficient and less environmentally impacting processes. In order to assess the applicability of MEF heating to tomato-based dressing sauces, three different products were analysed. Namely, tomato sauce, tomato sauce with eggplant, tomato sauce with minced meat were considered. Tests were performed in a custom MEF system imposing an electrical potential difference from 50 V to 80 V. Given the fair even temperature distribution, a macroscopic transient energy balance was used to estimate the electrical conductivity of the considered products and, furthermore, the model of the electrical conductivity as a function of the temperature. Results showed that the investigated products are characterized by electrical conductivity in the range of 1 to 5 S/m, making these sauces keen to MEF heating treatment and opening new opportunity to exploit such heating technology in the preparation and processing of tomato-based dressing sauces

electrolysed water in the food industry as supporting of environmental sustainability

Food safety is a priority for the food industry and to achieve this result a correct plant sanitation programme is of the utmost importance. Among various disinfection techniques, an emerging one is represented by the use of electrolysed water (EW) as the disinfecting agent. The use of EW is compliant with the desire to find alternatives to chlorination and heat treatments, representing a green cleaning alternative to toxic disinfectants. EW is an activated liquid, obtained by passing a diluted saline solution (NaCl, KCl or MgCl2) through an electrolytic cell, thus causing the production from the anode side of electrolysed oxidising water, containing high dissolved oxygen, free chlorine and characterised by a low pH (2.3–2.7) and a high oxidation–reduction potential (ORP > 1,000 mV). At the same time from the cathode side electrolysed reduced water is produced, with high pH (10.0–11.5), high dissolved hydrogen and low ORP (−800 to −900 mV). Unlike other chemical disinfectants, EW is not harmful for skin and mucous membranes and is quite easy to handle. Furthermore, the use of EW is relatively inexpensive and, above all, is a sustainable technique. Currently used sanitisers (e.g. glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, etc.) are effective, but their adverse effects on the environment are well known. Differently from these chemicals, the use of EW has a reduced impact on the environment and because of its properties, it may find several applications in the food industry. In this work, the characteristics and some EW applications as sustainable sanitation technique applied in the food industry are reported and discussed