Hydroponic and Aquaponic Floating Raft Systems Elicit Differential Growth and Quality Responses to Consecutive Cuts of Basil Crop

Basil crops are appreciated for their distinct flavour and appeal to various cuisines globally. Basil production is mainly implemented in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems. Soil-less cultivation (e.g., hydroponic) is optimal for producing basil, while aquaponics is another technique suitable for leafy crops such as basil. Shortening the production chain through efficient cultivation techniques reduces basil production’s carbon footprint. While the organoleptic quality of basil demonstrably benefits from successive cuts, no studies have compared the impact of this practice under hydroponic and aquaponic CEA conditions. Hence, the present study evaluated the eco-physiological, nutritional, and productive performance of Genovese basil cv. Sanremo grown in hydroponic and aquaponic systems (combined with tilapia) and harvested consecutively. The two systems showed similar eco-physiological behaviour and photosynthetic capacity, which were on average 2.99 µmol of CO2 m−2 s−1, equal numbers of leaves, and fresh yields of on average 41.69 and 38.38 g, respectively. Aquaponics yielded greater dry biomass (+58%) and dry matter content (+37%), while the nutrient profiles varied between the systems. The number of cuts did not influence yield; however, it improved dry matter partitioning and elicited a differential nutrient uptake. Our results bear practical and scientific relevance by providing useful eco-physiological and productive feedback on basil CEA cultivation. Aquaponics is a promising technique that reduces chemical fertiliser input and increases the overall sustainability of basil production

Functional ingredients from microalgae

A wide variety of natural sources are under investigation to evaluate their possible use for new functional ingredient formulation. Some records attested the traditional and ancient use of wild harvested microalgae as human food but their cultivation for different purposes started about 40 years ago. The most popular species are Arthrospira (traditional name, Spirulina), Chlorella spp., Dunaliella spp. and Haematococcus spp. Microalgae provide a bewildering array of opportunities to develop healthier food products using innovative approaches and a number of different strategies. Compared to other natural sources of bioactive ingredients, microalgae have many advantages such as their huge biodiversity, the possibility to grow in arid land and with limited fresh water consumption and the flexibility of their metabolism, which could be adapted to produce specific molecules. All these factors led to very sustainable production making microalgae eligible as one of the most promising foods for the future, particularly as source of proteins, lipids and phytochemicals. In this work, a revision of the knowledge about the use of microalgae as food and as a source of functional ingredients has been performed. The most interesting results in the field are presented and commented upon, focusing on the different species of microalgae and the activity of the nutritionally relevant compounds. A summary of the health effects obtained together with pros and cons in the adoption of this natural source as functional food ingredients is also proposed. © the Partner Organisations 2014

Volatile compounds, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Colatura di Alici, a traditional Italian fish sauce

BACKGROUND: The present study reports for the first time the physical, chemical and sensory characterization of a traditional fish sauce from Italy, called ‘Colatura di Alici’, which is considered to be the direct descendant of the ancient roman sauce ‘Garum’. RESULTS: Among the volatile compounds, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, sulphuric compounds and pyrazines were identified. The most abundant compounds identified were 3-methyl-butanoic acid, nonanal and 3-methyl-butanal. The sample A had the highest amount of volatile fatty acids (>250 μg kg−1) and sample B had the highest concentration of aldehydes (>80 μg kg−1). These volatile compounds arise from the long fermentation activity and oxidation of fatty acids of the fish flesh and are responsible for the strong cheesy and fishy aroma. The protein content ranged from 90 to 130 g kg−1, and the soluble solids ranged from 30 to 38 °Brix, as a result of the high amount of NaCl used during processing. The sensory analysis showed a great intensity for the cheesy, fishy and umami attributes, and a medium intensity for the roasted and meaty attributes. CONCLUSION: For the first time, the volatile compounds and sensory characteristics of this traditional fish sauce are reported. The samples differ in terms of sensory and aromatic profiles. These differences are probably linked to the poorly standardized methods used in the production process. Overall, the results of the present study could be used by local fish sauce producers to monitor the quality of the product and to improve the production process. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

The sperm motility in marine teleosts as a tool to evaluate the toxic effects of xenobiotics

The possibility of using the sperm of teleosts as a model system for ecotoxicological assessments has been explored by evaluating sperm motility parameters: (1) time to reach the maximum motility value (activation time), (2) maximum motility value, (3) duration of maximum motility value, and (4) total time of motility (until class 0). Sperm of Dicentrarchus labrax, Sparus aurata, Diplodus puntazzo and Pagellus erythrinus were analysed and compared. The effects of dimethylsulfoxide, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol and methanol on sperm motility in these marine species were investigated. Among the systems tested, sperms of S. aurata and D. labrax were the most sensitive to the tested xenobiotics and S. aurata spermatozoa were shown to be easier to manage for ecotoxicological assays

Production of omega-3 oil by aurantiochytrium mangrovei using spent osmotic solution from candied fruit industry as sole organic carbon source

Osmotic dehydration is an important phase in the production of dried products, including most fruits and vegetables, in the food industry. The drying process for candied fruit produces a liquid waste called “spent osmotic solution”, which is characterized by a high content of organic compounds, mostly dissolved sugars. The sugar content of this food by-product could be valorized through the growth of biomass with a high added value. In this study, the spent osmotic solution from the candied fruit industry was used as an organic carbon source for the growth and production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cultivation of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei RCC893. The carbon content of the standard media was completely replaced by the sugars present in this food by-product. After that, the growth condition of this strain was optimized through response surface methodologies using a central composite design (CCD), and the optimal combination of the spent osmotic solution and nitrogen was established. Moreover, a scale-up trial was performed using the optimal conditions obtained after CCD to evaluate the scalability of the process

Production of Omega-3 Oil by Aurantiochytrium mangrovei Using Spent Osmotic Solution from Candied Fruit Industry as Sole Organic Carbon Source

Osmotic dehydration is an important phase in the production of dried products, including most fruits and vegetables, in the food industry. The drying process for candied fruit produces a liquid waste called “spent osmotic solution”, which is characterized by a high content of organic compounds, mostly dissolved sugars. The sugar content of this food by-product could be valorized through the growth of biomass with a high added value. In this study, the spent osmotic solution from the candied fruit industry was used as an organic carbon source for the growth and production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cultivation of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei RCC893. The carbon content of the standard media was completely replaced by the sugars present in this food by-product. After that, the growth condition of this strain was optimized through response surface methodologies using a central composite design (CCD), and the optimal combination of the spent osmotic solution and nitrogen was established. Moreover, a scale-up trial was performed using the optimal conditions obtained after CCD to evaluate the scalability of the process