Quality Characteristics of Wholemeal Flour and Bread from Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L subsp. durum Desf.) after Field Treatment with Plant Water Extracts

The use of selected plant water extracts to control pests and weeds is gaining growing attention in organic and sustainable agriculture, but the effects that such extracts may exert on the quality aspects of durum wheat are still unexplored. In 2014, 5 plant water extracts (Artemisia arborescens, Euphorbia characias, Rhus coriaria, Thymus vulgaris, Lantana camara) were prepared and distributed on durum wheat cv Valbelice to evaluate their potential herbicidal effects. After crop harvesting, the major physicochemical and technological parameters of wholemeal flours obtained from each treatment were measured and compared with those from chemical weeding and untreated controls. A baking test was also performed to evaluate the breadmaking quality. In wholemeal flours obtained after the treatment with plant extracts protein and dry gluten content were higher than in control and chemical weeding. Wholemeal flours obtained after chemical weeding reached the highest Mixograph parameters, and that from durum wheat treated with R. coriaria extract demonstrated a very high α-amylase activity. We concluded that the treatments with plant water extracts may influence many quality traits of durum wheat. This occurrence must be taken into account in overall decisions concerning the use of plant extracts in pest and weed management practice

Integrated Strategies to Improve the Quality of Wheat End-Products: Optimization of Processes and Development of Functional Food

Strategie integrate per il miglioramento qualitativo di prodotti da forno a base di grano: ottimizzazione dei processi produttivi e sviluppo di alimenti funzionali. Sono state sviluppate tecnologie applicate ai prodotti da forno per il miglioramento dei processi produttivi e lo studio di alimenti funzionali. In particolare è stato condotto uno studio su trattamenti sanitizzanti al fine di ridurre le contaminazioni microbiche (soprattutto lieviti) sul prodotto finito. E’ stata proposta una soluzione a base di perossido e argento colloidale in confronto con soluzioni fenoliche OPP. Il monitoraggio, biennale, è stato svolto nelle celle di lievitazione e raffreddamento del prodotto finito (pane di grano duro) ed è stata rilevata l’incidenza microbica percentuale. I ceppi sono stati isolati e sequenziati per l’identificazione specie/specifica. Per la riduzione degli scarti di natura plastica nel settore alimentare sono state eseguite prove sullo spessore del packaging alimentare applicato ai prodotti da forno. In particolare sono stati comparati campioni di pane confezionato con due tipologie di macchine confezionatrici e le differenze (chimico-fisiche, sensoriali e strutturali) sono state monitorate fino a 100gg di shelf-life. Sempre nella tematica miglioramento dei processi produttivi, sono stati caratterizzati gli scarti industriali della mandorlicoltura (cuticole e acque di pelatura) per sviluppare semilavorati per produrre alimenti funzionali, in particolare biscotti. Inoltre sono state svolte prove industriali per la messa a punto di alimenti funzionali. E’ stato sviluppato un pane iposodico con livelli di sale secondo la normativa in vigore (REG 1924/2006) che è stato caratterizzato dal punto di vista morfologico, chimico e sensoriale. E’ stata messa a punto una miscela enzimatica a base di amilasi e lipasi per la riduzione dello staling e il miglioramento della shelf life del pane industriale di grano duro. Valutazioni chimico-fisiche, della texture e della microstruttura sono state condotte per monitorare gli effetti degli enzimi sul prodotto finito. Infine è’ stata eseguita la caratterizzazione chimico fisica e sensoriale della Pagnotta del Dittaino DOP e della semola utilizzata per produrla. Sono stati esaminati campioni di tipo artigianale e industriale. Le attività di ricerca del presente programma di dottorato sono state svolte presso industria alimentare di prodotti da forno sita in provincia di Enna e presso industria lavorazione mandorle sita in provincia di SiracusaIntegrated strategies to improve the quality of wheat end-products: optimization of processes and development of functional food. Innovative technologies applied to baked goods for the improvement of processes and the development of functional foods were performed. In particolar, a study was conducted on sanitizing treatments in order to reduce the microbial contamination (spoilage yeasts) on the finished product. The aim was to evaluate the effects of solution of peroxide and colloidal silver treatment, in comparison with the conventional fumigating treatment, on the incidence of chalk defects of the market baked goods. The strains have been isolated and sequenced for species/specification identification. To the reduction of the plastic waste in food industries, another line of research was carried out on the thickness of the food packaging applied to the baked good. In particular, samples of bread are compared with two types of packaging machines and the differences (chemical-physical, sensory and textural attributes) have been monitored up to 100gg of shelf-life. Same topic of process optimization, including almond byproducts, trials were made by blanced water and almond skins dried at different thermal conditions. Industrial byproducts have been characterized to develop semi-finished products for functional food (cookies). In addition, industrial tests were performed for the development of functional foods. A low-salt bread with salt content according to the fixed limits of REG (EU) 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims was characterized. It was developed an amylase and lipase formulation for staling reduction and the improvement of the shelf life. Chemical-physical, rheological parameters and the microstructure evaluations were carried out to monitor the effects of the enzymes on the finished product. The physico-chemical properties and sensory profile of durum wheat Dittaino PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) bread and quality of re-milled semolina used for its production were studied. The research activities of this PhD program were performed to the food industry of bakery products located in Assoro (EN, Italy) and at the almond processing industry located in Floridia (SR, Italy)

Production of Functional Crackers Enriched with Olive (Olea europaea L.) Leaf Extract

In recent years, considerable interest has been shown in the functional properties of foods, and a relevant role has been played by phenolic compounds, able to scavenge free radicals. A more sustainable agriculture has to emerge to guarantee food supply over the next years. Wheat, corn, and rice are the most common cereals cultivated, but also other cereal species, such as barley can be appreciated for their peculiarities. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a C3 winter cereal that shows high resistance at drought and salt stresses. There are growing interests in barley as ingredient for the production of functional foods due to its high content of phenolic compounds and Beta-glucans. In this respect, the possibility of separating specific functional fractions from food industry by-products looks very promising. Olive leaves represent a quantitatively significant byproduct of olive grove farming, and are an interesting source of phenolic compounds. In particular, oleuropein, which provide important nutritional benefits, is the main phenolic compound in olive leaves and ranges from 17% to 23% depending upon the cultivar and growing season period. Together with oleuropein and its derivatives (e.g. dimethyloleuropein, oleuropein diglucoside), olive leaves further contain tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and a series of secondary metabolities structurally related to them: verbascoside, ligstroside, hydroxytyrosol glucoside, tyrosol glucoside, oleuroside, oleoside-11-methyl ester, and nuzhenide. Several flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic acids have also described in olive leaves. The aim of this work was the production of functional food with higher content of polyphenols and the evaluation of their shelf life. Organic durum wheat and barley grains contain higher levels of phenolic compounds were used for the production of crackers. Olive leaf extract (OLE) was obtained from cv. ‘Biancolilla’ by aqueous extraction method. Two baked goods trials were performed with both organic durum wheat and barley flours, adding olive leaf extract. Control crackers, made as comparison, were produced with the same formulation replacing OLE with water. Total phenolic compound, moisture content, activity water, and textural properties at different time of storage were determined to evaluate the shelf-life of the products. Our the preliminary results showed that the enriched crackers showed higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than control. Alternative uses of olive leaf extracts for crackers production could represent a good candidate for the addition of functional ingredients because bakery items are daily consumed, and have long shelf-life