Biogenic amines in alcohol-free beverages

Biogenic amines are ubiquitous bioactive compounds that are synthesized by living organisms and perform essential functions for their metabolism. In the human diet, their excessive intake can cause food poisoning. In food, especially in alcohol-free beverages, biogenic amines can be synthesized by enzymes, naturally present in raw materials, or by microorganisms, which may be naturally present in the matrix or be added during beverage transformation processes. For this reason, in alcohol-free beverages, biogenic amine amount can be considered, above a certain level, as undesired microorganism activity. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the biogenic amine profile of non-alcoholic beverages in order to monitor food quality and safety. Moreover, biogenic amines can be taken into account by industries in order to monitor production processes and products. This review article provides an overview on the biogenic amine profile of alcohol-free beverages (plant milk, nervine drinks, soft drinks, and fruit juices). Furthermore, the clinical and toxicological effects, the biogenic amines legislation, and biogenic amine synthesis have been evaluated in non-alcoholic beverages

Bioactive compounds in different coffee beverages for quality and sustainability assessment

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, mainly due to its organoleptic, and psychoactive properties. Coffee brewing techniques involve the use of different extraction/infusion conditions (i.e., time, temperature, pressure, water/powder ratio, etc.), which can influence the quality of the final product. The study aimed to analyze the effect of four brewing coffee techniques (industrial espresso machine, Moka machine, pod machine, and capsule machine), which are the most used coffee brewing methods in Italy, on the quality and safety of the coffee brews, taking into account the profile of biogenic amines (BAs), total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and anti-radical activity (DPPH and ABTS assay). Eight coffee powders and brewed beverages from two different brands belonging to the 100% Arabica variety (country of origin Brazil) were analysed. The brewing techniques all resulted in a reduction of both BA content (27–30%), TPC (55–60%), TFC (50–55%), and anti-radical assays (45–50%) in coffee beverages compared to ground coffee samples. The study also showed that Moka is the method that yields the highest TPC (2.71–3.52 mg GAE/g coffee powder) and TFC (8.50–8.60 mg RUT/g coffee powder) content and highest anti-radical capacity in coffee beverages. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed a difference between coffee powder and infusions and coffee infusions obtained by different extraction techniques. Moreover, an analysis of the environmental impacts related to the different coffee preparation methods examined was conducted. This was performed by applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology through SimaPro v.9.2.2. software

Simple and reliable eco-extraction of bioactive compounds from dark chocolate by Deep Eutectic Solvents. A sustainable study

The green solvents and eco-extraction methods are gaining increasing interest in chemical analysis for bioactive compounds in food matrices. Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) developed as a greener and more sustainable alternative to organic solvents, owing to their non-toxic, highly stable, and biodegradation-friendly nature. DES application for polyphenols and antioxidant compounds extraction in dark chocolate samples has been evaluated in an integrated study for sustainability assessment, based on multivariate analysis and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. A green extraction method based on DES was proposed testing different HBA:HBD pairs (ChCl:Fru, ChCl:Teg, Bet:Fru, and Bet:Teg). DES Bet:Fru resulted in the highest extraction yield in terms of both total polyphenols (0.34–3.37 g GAE/100 g) and flavonoids (1.13–8.32 g RUT/100 g), P < 0.05. Furthermore, the environmental performances of green and conventional solvents (MeOH:H2O, H2O, and MeOH) were evaluated by applying a comparative LCA (c-LCA). The c-LCA study highlighted that conventional extraction for polyphenols in dark chocolate was 60% more impactful than DES. DES pairs analysed quantitatively lowest impacted than conventional methods, considering the macro-categories Human Health (9.99 × 10–8 ÷ 1.54 × 10–7 DALYs), Ecosystem (2.29 × 10–10 ÷ 3.57 × 10–10 species.yr), and Resources (6.57 × 10–3 ÷ 8.96 × 10–3 USD2013)

Association of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin with cardiovascular disease and retinopathy in type 2 diabetes

Background: Novel biomarkers of vascular disease in diabetes could help identify new mechanistic pathways. Osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin are key molecules involved in bone and vascular calcification processes, both of which are compromised in diabetes. We aimed to evaluate possible associations of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods: Osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin concentrations were measured at enrolment in 848 participants with T2D from the Sapienza University Mortality and Morbidity Event Rate (SUMMER) Study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02311244). Logistic regression models and propensity score matching were used to assess possible associations of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin with a history of CVD and with evidence of any grade of DR adjusting for confounders. Results: Previous CVD was reported in 139 (16.4%) participants, while 144 (17.0%) had DR. After adjusting for possible confounders, osteocalcin but not osteoprotegerin or osteopontin concentrations were associated with a history of CVD (Odds Ratio [OR] and 95% CI for one standard deviation (SD) increase in osteocalcin concentrations (natural log): 1.35 (1.06-1.72), p = 0.014). Associations with prevalent DR were seen for osteoprotegerin (OR for one SD increase in osteoprotegerin concentrations (natural log): 1.25 (1.01-1.55), p = 0.047) and osteopontin (OR for one SD increase in osteopontin concentrations (natural log): 1.25 (1.02-1.53), p = 0.022), but not osteocalcin. Conclusions: In T2D, higher serum osteocalcin concentrations are associated with macrovascular complications and higher osteoprotegerin and osteopontin concentrations with microvascular complications, suggesting that these osteokines might be involved in pathways directly related to vascular disease

Economic consequences of investing in anti-HCV antiviral treatment from the Italian NHS perspective : a real-world-based analysis of PITER data

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the cost consequence of Italian National Health System (NHS) investment in direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy according to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment access policies in Italy. METHODS: A multistate, 20-year time horizon Markov model of HCV liver disease progression was developed. Fibrosis stage, age and genotype distributions were derived from the Italian Platform for the Study of Viral Hepatitis Therapies (PITER) cohort. The treatment efficacy, disease progression probabilities and direct costs in each health state were obtained from the literature. The break-even point in time (BPT) was defined as the period of time required for the cumulative costs saved to recover the Italian NHS investment in DAA treatment. Three different PITER enrolment periods, which covered the full DAA access evolution in Italy, were considered. RESULTS: The disease stages of 2657 patients who consecutively underwent DAA therapy from January 2015 to December 2017 at 30 PITER clinical centres were standardized for 1000 patients. The investment in DAAs was considered to equal €25 million, €15 million, and €9 million in 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. For patients treated in 2015, the BPT was not achieved, because of the disease severity of the treated patients and high DAA prices. For 2016 and 2017, the estimated BPTs were 6.6 and 6.2 years, respectively. The total cost savings after 20 years were €50.13 and €55.50 million for 1000 patients treated in 2016 and 2017, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study may be a useful tool for public decision makers to understand how HCV clinical and epidemiological profiles influence the economic burden of HCV

Alimenti e bevande nervine: valorizzazione della filiera fair trade mediante un approccio integrato

Il commercio equo e solidale (CEeS) è una forma di commercio, nata per contrastare il commercio convenzionale, volta alla promozione e alla salvaguardia del benessere dei lavoratori e dell’ambiente. Il CEeS inizialmente nacque per la vendita di prodotti dell’artigianato dei Paesi in Via di Sviluppo (PVS) e successivamente aprì le porte anche alla commercializzazione dei prodotti agro-alimentari di questi Paesi. Tra i prodotti alimentari che sono maggiormente venduti dal CEeS troviamo principalmente gli alimenti e le bevande nervine (cioccolato, tè e caffè), caratterizzate tutte non solo dalla medesima zona pedoclimatica di coltivazione, ma anche da un profilo chimico-nutrizionale simile. Pertanto, nel presente studio è stata effettuata l’analisi dei composti bioattivi (ammine biogene, acidi grassi liberi essenziali e polifenoli), ossia molecole presenti generalmente in piccole concentrazioni negli alimenti che hanno effetti benefici per la salute del consumatore, in campioni di cioccolato fondente, tè verde e nero e caffè macinato e infuso a marchio Fairtrade e non. Questi composti sono stati presi in considerazione per valutare sia la qualità degli alimenti e delle bevande nervine, ma anche per valutare l’influenza delle tecniche di trasformazione e conservazione dell’alimento. Nello studio sono state prese in considerazione otto ammine biogene (serotonina, β-feniletilammina, cadaverina, putrescina, tiramina, istamina, spermina e spermidina) e sei acidi grassi (a. linolenico, a. miristico, a. linoleico, a. palmitico, a. oleico e a. stearico) analizzati mediante cromatografia liquida ad alte prestazioni (HPLC) con rivelatore UV-Vis e Fluorimetrico. Inoltre, è stato valutato il contenuto di polifenoli totali (TPC), il contenuto di flavonoidi totali (TFC) e l’attività antiradicalica (saggi ABTS e DPPH), mediante saggi spettrofotometrici in tutte le matrici alimentari considerate. Inoltre, sui campioni di cioccolato è stata valutata la possibilità di utilizzare, al posto dei solventi organici convenzionali (metanolo, acqua e soluzioni di metanolo/acqua) adoperati nell’estrazione dei polifenoli, solventi green di nuova generazione: i Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES). Questi solventi sono costituiti da una coppia di molecole donatori di legami idrogeno (Hydrogen Bond Donar; HBD) e accettori di legame idrogeno (Hydrogen Bond Acceptor; HBA). Nello studio sono state prese in considerazione differenti HBD (Betaina e Clorin Clorina) e HBA (Fruttosio e Trietilenglicole) a diversi rapporti molari e percentuali di idratazione (10, 20 e 30 %). Per valutare la resa di estrazione dei differenti solventi convenzionali e DES sono stati effettuati sugli estratti i saggi spettrofotometrici per la valutazione del contenuto totale di polifenoli e flavonoidi e l’attività antiradicalica (saggi ABTS e DPPH). Inoltre, per valutare l’effettiva sostenibilità delle metodiche green prese in esame, rispetto ai solventi organici convenzionali per l’estrazione dei polifenoli da campioni di cioccolato, è stata applicata la metodologia del Life Cycle Assessment. L’applicazione di strumenti chemiometrici come l’analisi delle componenti principali (Principal Component Analysis, PCA) e la Cluster Analysis (CA) sul profilo di ammine biogene, di acidi grassi liberei e sui risultati dei saggi spettrofotometrici (TPC, TFC, ABTS e DPPH) ha consentito di evidenziare raggruppamenti all’interno dei campioni esaminati secondo la tipologia di campione e secondo la presenza o meno del marchio Fairtrade. Pertanto, questo studio rappresenta un punto di partenza per valutare la qualità degli alimenti e delle bevande nervine mediante l’analisi dei composti bioattivi in esso presenti. Inoltre, lo studio ha consentito di sviluppare e ottimizzare nuove procedure di estrazione dei composti fenolici da alimenti e bevande nervine mediante metodiche green, che possono essere applicate in sostituzione dei solventi organici convenzionali che sono meno sostenibili a livello ambientale ed economico.Fair trade (FT) is a form of trade, created to counter conventional trade, aimed at promoting and safeguarding the welfare of workers and the environment. FT initially originated for the sale of handicraft products from Developing Countries (DCs) and later opened its doors to the marketing of agri-food products from these Countries as well. Among the food products that are mostly sold by FT are mainly psychoactive foods and beverages (chocolate, tea and coffee), all of which are characterized not only by the same soil and climate zone of cultivation, but also by a similar chemical-nutritional profile. Therefore, in the present study, the analysis of bioactive compounds (biogenic amines, essential free fatty acids, and polyphenols), i.e., molecules generally present in small concentrations in foods that have beneficial effects on consumer health, in Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade samples of dark chocolate, green and black tea, and ground and infused coffee was conducted. These compounds were considered to assess both the quality of psychoactive food and beverages, but also to evaluate the influence of food processing and conservation techniques. Eight biogenic amines (serotonin, β-phenylethylamine, cadaverine, putrescine, tyramine, histamine, spermine, and spermidine) and six fatty acids (a. linolenic, a. myristic, a. linoleic, a. palmitic, a. oleic, and a. stearic) analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV-Vis and Fluorimetric detector were considered in the study. In addition, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antiradical activity (ABTS and DPPH assays) were evaluated by spectrophotometric assays in all food matrices considered. In addition, the possibility of using, instead of conventional organic solvents (methanol, water, and methanol/water solutions) used in polyphenol extraction, new generation green solvents: the Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) was evaluated on the chocolate samples. These solvents consist of a pair of hydrogen bond donor (Hydrogen Bond Donar; HBD) and hydrogen bond acceptor (Hydrogen Bond Acceptor; HBA) molecules. Different HBDs (Betaine and Chlorin Chlorine) and HBAs (Fructose and Triethylene Glycol) at different molar ratios and hydration rates (10, 20 and 30 percent) were considered in the study. Spectrophotometric assays for evaluation of total polyphenol and flavonoid content and antiradical activity (ABTS and DPPH assays) were performed on the extracts to evaluate the extraction yield of different conventional solvents and DES. In addition, the Life Cycle Assessment methodology was applied to assess the real sustainability of the green methods examined, compared to conventional organic solvents for the extraction of polyphenols from chocolate samples. The application of chemometric tools such as Principal component analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) on the profile of biogenic amines, free fatty acids, and the results of spectrophotometric assays (TPC, TFC, ABTS and DPPH) allowed us to highlight groupings within the examined samples according to the type of sample and to the presence or absence of the Fairtrade label. Therefore, this study provides a starting point for assessing the quality of nerve foods and beverages by analysing the bioactive compounds in it. In addition, the study made it possible to develop and optimize new procedures for the extraction of phenolic compounds from psycoactive foods and beverages using green methods, which can be applied to replace conventional organic solvents that are less environmentally and economically sustainable

SUSTAINABILITY EVALUATION:INNOVATIVE TOOLS

Each product or service have an impact on the environment. This impact is determined by each phase of their life cycle, from the production to the consumption and the waste treatment. Moreover, the impacts can be evaluated in terms of consumed resources and damages on environment and human health. To improve the environmental performance of a product or a process, the Plan for Production and Sustainable Consumption (PSC) promotes the use of the Life Cycle Thinking approach. This approach covers all the phases: from the extraction of raw materials, to the design, manufacture, assembly, marketing, distribution, use, sale, up to the final disposal. Furthermore, due to the large number of subjects involved, cannot exist a single methodology or a single approach to evaluate the impacts of a product. Rather than there is a whole variety of tools, both voluntary and mandatory, which can be used to achieve the goal of improving the environmental performance of a product. These tools include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the Ecologic Footprint, the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), the Carbon FootPrint (CFP) and the Water FootPrint (WFP)

Cereali e Pseudocereali: valore economico vs valore nutrizionale

La popolazione mondiale dovrebbe superare i 9 miliardi di persone entro il 2050 e per sostenere il fabbisogno energetico, la produzione alimentare attuale dovrà quasi raddoppiare. Per affrontare le sfi de alimentari e nutrizionali future sarà necessario: ridurre gli sprechi alimentari; trovare nuove fonti proteico-energetiche; ricercare fonti alimentari sostenibili. A tal proposito, gli pseudocereali possono rappresentare una buona alternativa alimentare sostenibile. L’obiettivo dello studio è quello di confrontare due gruppi alimentari, cereali (grano, riso, mais, sorgo, miglio, orzo, avena e segale) e pseudocereali (amaranto, grano saraceno, quinoa e chia) in rapporto al valore economico e nutrizionale. Dallo studio si evidenzia il maggiore valore nutrizionale degli pseudocereali correlato, attualmente ad un maggiore costo.The world population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050 and to support energy needs, current food production will almost have to double. To address future food and nutritional challenges it will be necessary to: i) reduce food waste ii) find new sources of protein and energy, iii) search for sustainable food sources. In this regard, pseudocereals can represent a good sustainable food alternative. The objective of the study is to compare two food groups, cereals (Wheat, Rice, Corn, Sorghum, Millet, Barley, Oats and Rye) and pseudocereals (Amaranth, Buckwheat, Quinoa and Chia) in relation to their economic and nutritional value. The study highlights the higher nutritional value of pseudocereals correlated to a higher cost currently

Applicazione del Life Cycle Assessment nella produzione risicola

Riso è il cereale più impiegato per l’alimentazione umana, con il 50% della popolazione mondiale circa che, per la propria nutrizione dipende da questo alimento e 755 milioni di tonnellate prodotte nel 2019, che lo rendono il secondo cereale più utilizzato a livello globale. In Europa, il primo Paese per produzione è l’Italia (3.5 milioni di tonnellate), dove gran parte della quantità di Riso viene prodotto in Piemonte. Poiché le risaie sono tra le principali fonti di emissioni di Metano (CH4), e alla luce del ruolo positivo svolto dal Riso, sia a livello economico che sociale, è importante sviluppare strategie che permettano di mitigare gli impatti legati alla sua produzione. Pertanto, in questo studio, è stato applicato un approccio LCA ad una produzione risicola nel Nord Italia. In particolar modo, come caso studio, è stata scelta un’azienda situata a Vercelli, e l’analisi ha mostrato come la produzione di Riso esaminata abbia impatti significativi specialmente durante la fase di irrigazione, a causa delle emissioni di CH4 legate alla quantità di acqua utilizzata e alla produzione di energia elettrica utilizzata per il pompaggio. Tuttavia, la coltivazione «Piemontese» è meno impattante rispetto alla coltivazione Indiana, in virtù soprattutto di tecniche agronomiche migliori, nonché migliori conoscenze riguardo la produzione stessa. Ma è più impattante rispetto a quella Cinese, poiché quest’ultima può beneficiare di condizioni climatiche più favorevoli per la coltivazione del Riso, legate soprattutto alla stagione delle piogge, rispetto alle condizioni climatiche italiane, le quali portano necessariamente ad una coltivazione tradizionale irrigua

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the chocolate supply chain. A literature overview

Chocolate is a product with a long and complex supply chain, involving several raw materials and Countries, such as cocoa beans, which are grown in equatorial Countries as Ghana, Ivory Coast, Indonesia, Ecuador, etc. to be then exported to Europe and US, where it is transformed into chocolate and consumed. Therefore, it is a product in which are involved impacts related to long journeys for transport, as well as to the agricultural phase and the various stages of processing, for which it becomes important to assess its sustainability, and in this context the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a valid tool to carry out studies of environmental compatibility. Therefore, the aim of this work was to carry out a literature overview about the applications of LCA in the chocolate supply chain. The results show that chocolate and cocoa are two commodities whose environmental impacts are little studied and analyzed, although they are two products widely consumed and favorable to health. Among the various types of chocolate, dark one is the most studied, while milk and white chocolate lack studies, despite the supply chain of these two types includes products such as milk and sugar, for which it would be desirable to investigate the environmental effects, especially because of the impacts caused by intensive farming (milk) and deforestation (sugar). The results also show how there is concordance between functional units (1 kg), discordance between calculation methodologies, as well as a lack of studies investigating the social impacts of cocoa and chocolate production (Social Life Cycle Assessment)