Profiling of phenol content and microbial community dynamics during pâté olive cake fermentation

In this study, different microbial strains, as single and mixed-cultures, were used to ferment the pâté olive cake (POC), a by-product of olive oil processing. In particular, strains belonging to Candida boidinii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum were used. The fermentation was carried out on diluted (3:2) POC without and with glucose (2% w/v) addition. Furthermore, phenolic compounds were monitored during fermentation in POC added with glucose differetly inoculated and the microbial community, at the end of fermentation, was evaluated by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques. Data highlighted that inoculated samples showed an hydroxytyrosol content higher than the un-inoculated controls. In particular, during fermentation the sample inoculated with C. boidinii, both in single and in mixed culture together with L. plantarum, increased the hydroxytyrosol content by 275 and 261 mg/L, respectively, after 8 days, to reach the highest content at the end of fermentation. Metagenomic analysis revealed a low abundance of 16S ribosomal RNA genes and fungal ITS in all samples at any sampling times. Furthermore, at the end of fermentation, all samples exhibited a different bacterial community with a decrease in acetic acid bacteria and an increase in Lactobacillaceae biodiversity. Finally, no effect was detected in any samples on fungal metagenomic profile, where Dipodascus geotrichum was found dominant both at initial and final fermentation. In conclusion, the present study confirmed that selected cultures can drive the fermentation and have an impact on the phenolic profile.This study was conducted within a Ph.D. research programme in Biotecnologie (XXXV cycle) by Paola Foti who received a grant ‘Dottorato innovativo con caratterizzazione industriale, PON RI 2014–2020’, titled ‘Olive oil by-products as a new functional food and source of nutritional food ingredients’ from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Scientific Tutors: C.C. Cinzia Caggia; Flora V. Romeo and Cinzia L. Randazzo). Authors thank the Azienda Olearia Consoli Pasquale & F.lli s.n.c (Adrano, CT), partner of the doctoral programme, to kindly supply the POC. The present study was partially supported by a regional funding Progetto di investimento 144511020025. P.O. FESR SICILIA 2014/2020, 2019–2021, Azione 1.1.3 - Sostegno alla valorizzazione economica dell’innovazione attraverso la sperimentazione e l’adozione di soluzioni innovative nei processi, nei prodotti e nelle formule organizzative, nonch ́e attraverso il finanziamento dell’industrializzazione dei risultati della ricerca: VERIFICO, Project number: 07TP1039000074info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of drying temperature on polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity of apricots

This study was carried out in order to check for the influence of drying parameters on the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity on two apricot cultivars (Pelese and Cafona) using two sets of air drying temperatures: (1) air temperature at 55 °C; (2) air temperature at 75 °C. Whole fresh and dried fruits were assessed for: phenolics, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity and redox potential (all parameters were calculated on a dry matter basis). Analysis of data shows that the decrease in chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acid in Cafona cultivar is higher at the lower drying temperature. Catechin showed the same behaviour of hydroxycinnamic acids in both cultivars, while the decrease in the other compounds was significantly more marked in the sample dried at 75 °C. The antioxidant activity increased significantly in Cafona fruits and this increase was confirmed by a diminution of the redox potential

Use of microbial pools for the enhancement of olive pâté by products

La valorizzazione dei sottoprodotti agroalimentari richiede la rispondenza a criteri di economicità ed innovazione che possono includere la progettazione di nuovi prodotti a medio e ad elevato valore aggiunto. In particolare, i sottoprodotti oleari rappresentano una fonte di molecole bioattive, la cui azione benefica è stata riconosciuta dall’EFSA. Recentemente, crescente interesse è rivolto al pâté, sottoprodotto ottenuto dall’estrazione olearia attraverso l’utilizzo del decanter multifase (DMF). Il pâté, caratterizzato da un’elevata umidità, dall’assenza di parti legnose e dalla presenza di composti bioattivi, rappresenta una matrice ideale per la formulazione di nuovi alimenti funzionali. Il presente studio ha avuto lo scopo di valorizzare e stabilizzare il pâté attraverso l’impiego di pool microbici. Fermentazioni guidate sono state allestite ed è stato determinato l’effetto di differenti inoculi microbici sulla cinetica di deamarizzazione. Ceppi appartenenti alle specie Candida boidinii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus e Lactiplantibacillus plantarum sono stati inoculati nel pâté ad una densità finale pari a 107 e 108 UFC/g per i lieviti e per L. plantarum, rispettivamente. Sono state disposte diverse tesi: tre inoculate con le singole culture, due inoculate con i ceppi combinati e una inoculata con la miscela dei tre ceppi. La fermentazione è stata monitorata a differenti tempi, attraverso analisi chimiche e microbiologiche. Inoltre, la cinetica di deamarizzazione della componente fenolica è stata monitorata in HPLC e, a fine fermentazione, la comunità microbica è stata caratterizzata attraverso analisi NGS. La fermentazione si è arrestata dopo 14 giorni, quando il pH ha raggiunto valori di 4.33 e 4.36, nei campioni inoculati con i due lieviti in monocoltura. Le analisi microbiologiche hanno evidenziato una densità cellulare costante dei lieviti, una riduzione della carica mesofila aerobia totale e dei lattobacilli in tutti campioni inoculati. La concentrazione di idrossitirosolo ha presentato una riduzione significativa nei campioni inoculati dopo 2 e 4 giorni, seguita da un incremento dopo 8 e 14 giorni. In particolare, un incremento significativo si è osservato, dopo 8 giorni, nei campioni inculati con C. boidinii in coltura singola, nei campioni inoculati con C. boidinii in associazione con L. plantarum, e nel campione inoculato con W. anomalus in coltura singola, raggiungendo concentrazioni di 275, 261 e 231 mg/L, rispettivamente, confermando una correlazione tra microbiota e processo di deamarizzazione. Le analisi NGS hanno rilevato una diminuzione delle Acetobacteraceae e la dominanza di Saccharomycetes in tutti i campioni. I risultati ottenuti confermano che la valorizzazione microbiologica del pâté può rappresentare una strategia per l'ottenimento di un prodotto funzionale ad alto valore aggiunto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of a Pomegranate Peel Extract as an Alternative Means to Control Olive Anthracnose

Olive anthracnose is caused by different species of Colletotrichum spp. and may be regarded as the most damaging disease of olive fruit worldwide, greatly affecting quality and quantity of the productions. A pomegranate peel extract (PGE) proved very effective in controlling the disease. The extract had a strong in vitro fungicidal activity against Colletotrichum acutatum sensu stricto, was very effective in both preventive and curative trials with artificially inoculated fruit, and induced resistance in treated olive tissues. In field trials, PGE was significantly more effective than copper, which is traditionally used to control the disease. The highest level of protection was achieved by applying the extract in the early ascending phase of the disease outbreaks because natural rots were completely inhibited with PGE at 12 g/liter and were reduced by 98.6 and by 93.0% on plants treated with PGE at 6 and 3 g/liter, respectively. Two treatments carried out 30 and 15 days before the expected epidemic outbreak reduced the incidence of the disease by 77.6, 57.0, and 51.8%, depending on the PGE concentration. The analysis of epiphytic populations showed a strong antimicrobial activity of PGE, which sharply reduced both fungal and bacterial populations. Because PGE was obtained from a natural matrix using safe chemicals and did not have any apparent phytotoxic effect on treated olive fruit, it may be regarded as a safe and effective natural antifungal preparation to control olive anthracnose and improve olive productions

Effect of Sequential Inoculum of Beta-Glucosidase Positive and Probiotic Strains on Brine Fermentation to Obtain Low Salt Sicilian Table Olives

In the present study, the \u3b2-glucosidase positive strain Lactobacillus plantarum F3. 3 was used as starter during the fermentation of Sicilian table olives (Nocellara Etnea cultivar) at two different salt concentrations (5 and 8%), in order to accelerate the debittering process. The latter was monitored through the increase of hydroxytyrosol compound. In addition, the potential probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei N24 strain was added after 60 days of fermentation. Un-inoculated brine samples at 5 and 8% of salt were used as control. The fermentation was monitored till 120 days through physico-chemical and microbiological analyses. In addition, volatile organic compounds and sensorial analyses were performed during the process and at the end of the fermentation, respectively. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were, in depth, studied by molecular methods and the occurrence of the potential probiotic N24 strain in the final products was determined. Results highlighted that inoculated brines exhibited a higher acidification and debittering rate than control ones. In addition, inoculated brines at 5% of salt exhibited higher polyphenols (hydoxytyrosol, tyrosol, and verbascoside) content compared to samples at 8% of NaCl, suggesting a stronger oleuropeinolytic activity of the starter at low salt concentration. Lactobacilli and yeasts dominated during the fermentation process, with the highest occurrence of L. plantarum and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, respectively. Moreover, the potential probiotic L. paracasei N24 strain was able to survive in the final product. Hence, the sequential inoculum of beta-glucosidase positive and potential probiotic strains could be proposed as a suitable technology to produce low salt Sicilian table olives

Effect of Sequential Inoculum of Beta-Glucosidase Positive and Probiotic Strains on Brine Fermentation to Obtain Low Salt Sicilian Table Olives

In the present study, the b-glucosidase positive strain Lactobacillus plantarum F3. 3 was used as starter during the fermentation of Sicilian table olives (Nocellara Etnea cultivar) at two different salt concentrations (5 and 8%), in order to accelerate the debittering process. The latter was monitored through the increase of hydroxytyrosol compound. In addition, the potential probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei N24 strain was added after 60 days of fermentation. Un-inoculated brine samples at 5 and 8% of salt were used as control. The fermentation was monitored till 120 days through physico-chemical and microbiological analyses. In addition, volatile organic compounds and sensorial analyses were performed during the process and at the end of the fermentation, respectively. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were, in depth, studied by molecular methods and the occurrence of the potential probiotic N24 strain in the final products was determined. Results highlighted that inoculated brines exhibited a higher acidification and debittering rate than control ones. In addition, inoculated brines at 5% of salt exhibited higher polyphenols (hydoxytyrosol, tyrosol, and verbascoside) content compared to samples at 8% of NaCl, suggesting a stronger oleuropeinolytic activity of the starter at low salt concentration. Lactobacilli and yeasts dominated during the fermentation process, with the highest occurrence of L. plantarum and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, respectively. Moreover, the potential probiotic L. paracasei N24 strain was able to survive in the final product. Hence, the sequential inoculum of beta-glucosidase positive and potential probiotic strains could be proposed as a suitable technology to produce low salt Sicilian table olives

Quality-of-life assessment in dementia: the use of DEMQOL and DEMQOL-Proxy total scores

Purpose There is a need to determine whether health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) assessments in dementia capture what is important, to form a coherent basis for guiding research and clinical and policy decisions. This study investigated structural validity of HRQL assessments made using the DEMQOL system, with particular interest in studying domains that might be central to HRQL, and the external validity of these HRQL measurements. Methods HRQL of people with dementia was evaluated by 868 self-reports (DEMQOL) and 909 proxy reports (DEMQOL-Proxy) at a community memory service. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were conducted using bifactor models to investigate domains that might be central to general HRQL. Reliability of the general and specific factors measured by the bifactor models was examined using omega (?) and omega hierarchical (? h) coefficients. Multiple-indicators multiple-causes models were used to explore the external validity of these HRQL measurements in terms of their associations with other clinical assessments. Results Bifactor models showed adequate goodness of fit, supporting HRQL in dementia as a general construct that underlies a diverse range of health indicators. At the same time, additional factors were necessary to explain residual covariation of items within specific health domains identified from the literature. Based on these models, DEMQOL and DEMQOL-Proxy overall total scores showed excellent reliability (? h > 0.8). After accounting for common variance due to a general factor, subscale scores were less reliable (? h < 0.7) for informing on individual differences in specific HRQL domains. Depression was more strongly associated with general HRQL based on DEMQOL than on DEMQOL-Proxy (?0.55 vs ?0.22). Cognitive impairment had no reliable association with general HRQL based on DEMQOL or DEMQOL-Proxy. Conclusions The tenability of a bifactor model of HRQL in dementia suggests that it is possible to retain theoretical focus on the assessment of a general phenomenon, while exploring variation in specific HRQL domains for insights on what may lie at the ‘heart’ of HRQL for people with dementia. These data suggest that DEMQOL and DEMQOL-Proxy total scores are likely to be accurate measures of individual differences in HRQL, but that subscale scores should not be used. No specific domain was solely responsible for general HRQL at dementia diagnosis. Better HRQL was moderately associated with less depressive symptoms, but this was less apparent based on informant reports. HRQL was not associated with severity of cognitive impairment

Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis of 2181 population-based studies with 65 million participants

Summary Background Comparable global data on health and nutrition of school-aged children and adolescents are scarce. We aimed to estimate age trajectories and time trends in mean height and mean body-mass index (BMI), which measures weight gain beyond what is expected from height gain, for school-aged children and adolescents. Methods For this pooled analysis, we used a database of cardiometabolic risk factors collated by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1985 to 2019 in mean height and mean BMI in 1-year age groups for ages 5–19 years. The model allowed for non-linear changes over time in mean height and mean BMI and for non-linear changes with age of children and adolescents, including periods of rapid growth during adolescence. Findings We pooled data from 2181 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in 65 million participants in 200 countries and territories. In 2019, we estimated a difference of 20 cm or higher in mean height of 19-year-old adolescents between countries with the tallest populations (the Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina for boys; and the Netherlands, Montenegro, Denmark, and Iceland for girls) and those with the shortest populations (Timor-Leste, Laos, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea for boys; and Guatemala, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Timor-Leste for girls). In the same year, the difference between the highest mean BMI (in Pacific island countries, Kuwait, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Chile, the USA, and New Zealand for both boys and girls and in South Africa for girls) and lowest mean BMI (in India, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, Ethiopia, and Chad for boys and girls; and in Japan and Romania for girls) was approximately 9–10 kg/m2. In some countries, children aged 5 years started with healthier height or BMI than the global median and, in some cases, as healthy as the best performing countries, but they became progressively less healthy compared with their comparators as they grew older by not growing as tall (eg, boys in Austria and Barbados, and girls in Belgium and Puerto Rico) or gaining too much weight for their height (eg, girls and boys in Kuwait, Bahrain, Fiji, Jamaica, and Mexico; and girls in South Africa and New Zealand). In other countries, growing children overtook the height of their comparators (eg, Latvia, Czech Republic, Morocco, and Iran) or curbed their weight gain (eg, Italy, France, and Croatia) in late childhood and adolescence. When changes in both height and BMI were considered, girls in South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and some central Asian countries (eg, Armenia and Azerbaijan), and boys in central and western Europe (eg, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, and Montenegro) had the healthiest changes in anthropometric status over the past 3·5 decades because, compared with children and adolescents in other countries, they had a much larger gain in height than they did in BMI. The unhealthiest changes—gaining too little height, too much weight for their height compared with children in other countries, or both—occurred in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand, and the USA for boys and girls; in Malaysia and some Pacific island nations for boys; and in Mexico for girls. Interpretation The height and BMI trajectories over age and time of school-aged children and adolescents are highly variable across countries, which indicates heterogeneous nutritional quality and lifelong health advantages and risks

Global variations in diabetes mellitus based on fasting glucose and haemogloblin A1c

Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but may identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening had elevated FPG, HbA1c, or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardised proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed, and detected in survey screening, ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the agestandardised proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29-39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c more common than isolated elevated FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global gap in diabetes diagnosis and surveillance.peer-reviewe

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions