Development of innovative technologies for fruit products processing

This PhD thesis project dealt with the development of innovative technologies for processing of different type of plant-based products in order to maintain and/or increase their quality and stability. In particular, the technologies studied during PhD project were: pulsed electric field (PEF), ohmic heating (OH), high pressure of homogenization (HPH) and innovative edible coating (EC). Different experimental procedures were set up by performing the following independent case of studies: i) PEF pre-treatment on osmo-dehydrated strawberries; ii) PEF pre-treatment (with or without osmotic dehydration - OD) on kiwifruit slices before air-drying; iii) PEF and OH treatments on carrot and apple mash; iv) HPH application on mandarin and organic kiwifruit juice; v) application of innovative EC on blueberry fruits. Based on the obtained results, the application of PEF treatment at low field strength and the use of trehalose for the osmo-dehydration process seems to be an optimal combination for obtaining a semi-dried strawberry product with quality characteristics similar to the fresh one. Thermal treatment followed by PEF or conducted by OH improve the cell disintegration and juice yield; a controlled application of high temperature may contribute to the inactivation of enzymes, reflected by improved colour and the release of polyphenols. The application of HPH on fruit juice production contributes to guarantee the protecting effect of trehalose on mandarin juice structure during storage and allows obtaining stable kiwifruit juice for more than 40 days under refrigerated storage. For what concern the innovative packaging solutions, the use of different EC showed positive effects on firmness, colour retention and contributed to the increase of antioxidant activity of blueberry fruits. The results of this PhD research work can greatly contribute to obtain high quality fruit/vegetable processed products in an efficient and environmentally sustainable way, thus determining an added value for food companies

Sviluppo di una metodologia per la gestione dei processi multiscansione in applicazioni di reverse engeneering

E’ stato affrontato il problema della registrazione di scansioni multiple di oggetti solidi in 3 dimensioni. I moderni sistemi ottici sono in grado di acquisire in poco tempo dense ed accurate nuvole di punti, rappresentanti la superficie dell’oggetto, senza necessità contatto col sistema di misura. La registrazione è una delle operazioni necessarie durante il post-processing delle procedure di scansione multiple per avere una rispondenza del modello il più vicina possibile all’oggetto reale. Il primo approccio è stato l’impiego di una tavola rotante, per la quale è stata sviluppata una procedura di calibrazione. Successivamente si sono implementati due algoritmi, uno per la registrazione a coppie di nuvole e l’altro per registrazione multipla. Nella registrazione a coppie di nuvole, sono stati sviluppati tramite codici i due metodi principali (metodo punto-punto e metodo punto-piano). Nella registrazione multipla, è stato implementato un ulteriore codice che, utilizzando anche i due precedenti, stabilisce una strategia per le priorità di registrazione delle nuvole

Chestnut: from coppice to structural timber. The case study of "Uso Fiume" beams sampled in Liguria

<p>Recently Agriculture Department of Liguria Region had supported studies and researches on the timber quality of living trees in local coppice chestnut forests, with the prospect to produce also timber for structural use. Under some ad-hoc funds a 30 years old coppice forest in the high Bormida Valley, never thinned after the last utilization, has been chosen for sampling. 18 selected trunks were felled and the assortment called “Uso Fiume” (UF) was chosen, getting 49 beams (cross-section from 12¥12 to 24¥24 cm), by way of saw-mill operations The UF-beam is a structural element, derived from Italian tradition. Such elements are used in Italian buildings over the time, in substitution to structural sawn timber, principally for roofing. The UF-beam is a square edged log with wane; more precisely it is a full log, edged on four sides, maintaining boxed heart and an approximately central pith. Today the features of such a beam is established according to the specific Italian standard UNI 11035-3 for spruce and fir and to the CUAP (Common Understanding of Assessment Procedure) n. 03.24/22 for chestnut and conifers. The beams were visually graded according to the Visual Strength Grading procedure and the physical and mechanical properties (density, modulus of elasticity-MOE and modulus of rupture- MOR) were determined according to the standard requirements (EN 408, EN 384, ISO 3131), disregarding the moisture content: the mechanical tests were performed with wood in green state (moisture content M.C.&gt;30%) because it is the actual condition of use in building, due to the very low permeability of the chestnut heartwood which entails long seasoning time of large cross section beams. The study showed very high yields considering the stems-to-beams volume ratio, close to 70%. Characteristics values of the sample resulted: char. density kg/m³, char. modulus of elasticity E0,mean 10,3 GPa and char. bending strength fm,k 28,5 MPa. These results can be considered very promising because the data match the Strength Class D24 (EN 338), the same Class as full cross-section chestnut beams (at M.C.=12%).</p

Sustainable Approach for Development Dried Snack Based on Actinidia deliciosa Kiwifruit

Featured Application The drying process enables the obtainment of snacks that can be stored at room temperature. Freeze drying better preserves bioactive compounds compared to hot air drying; however, its high porosity requires a specific storage method-without access to the air. The freeze-dried samples were more appreciated by consumers than the air-dried ones, as well as those containing a small amount of additional sweetener. The valorization of waste products can help to improve the health and well-being of consumers through the development of new products enriched with valuable bioactive compounds. Thus, guaranteeing improved environmental sustainability as well as attractive food products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the method of producing shelf-stable snacks based on kiwifruit with the objective of obtaining an appealing snack with good taste, color, and nutritional value. Less valuable kiwifruits for size and shape were utilized in order to reduce kiwifruit production waste. To obtain the snacks, two drying methods were used: freeze-drying and hot air drying. Physical and chemical analyses were conducted. Furthermore, a sensory evaluation was undertaken. The results showed that both hot-air and freeze-drying methods are suitable for obtaining a good quality snack, which was attractive to consumers. However, the freeze-dried snack was better assessed than hot-air dried. Moreover, consumers preferred snacks with additional sucrose or trehalose to those without it. It was observed that products produced using the freeze-drying process had lower water content, and lower water activity, were brighter, had a more saturated color, and had similar or higher antioxidant activity, especially for samples made from kiwi, fennel, and spinach. The drying process allows for obtaining a snack that can be stored at room temperature. Freeze drying better preserved bioactive compounds compared to air drying. The freeze-dried samples were more appreciated by consumers than the air-dried and those containing sweetener

Gli ingranaggi dell’orologio penalistico: brevi note sul tempo nel diritto penale

Il tempo incontra la dimensione del diritto in molteplici modalità. Il diritto vive nel tempo e dal tempo è condizionato. La vigenza delle leggi si proietta nel tempo, la misura delle sanzioni custodiali calcola il tempo della privazione di libertà, gli istituti premiali richiedono il frazionamento del tempo e il ricalcolo della pena, la prescrizione sigla il trionfo del tempo. Il saggio offre una paradigmatica degli istituti penalistici condizionati dal fattore “tempo” e delle deviazioni dal tempo lineare nella gestione della penalità determinate dalla legge penale. Time meets the dimension of law in multiple ways. Law lives in time and is conditioned by time, the force of laws is projected in time, the measure of custodial penalties calculates the time of deprivation of liberty, rewarding institutions require the fractioning of time and the recalculation of punishment, the statute of limitations seals the triumph of time. This essay offers a paradigm of penal institutions conditioned by the time factor and the variations from linear time determined by criminal law. Parole chiave / Keywords: Tempo, Kronos, Kairos, retroattività, irretroattività, prescrizione, giustizia riparativa, sospensione condizionale, vittima, querela, misura di sicurezza, esecuzione della pena / Time, Kronos, Kairos, retroactivity, non-retroactivity, prescription, restorative justice, probation, victim, suspension of punishment, security measure, enforcement of sentence

Lock-down. Vissuti e memorie della pandemia da COVID-19

Il volume raccoglie le memorie della pandemia di studenti e docenti del Corsi di Giustizia riparativa e mediazione penale dell'Universit\ue0 degli Studi dell'Insubria

Il “ruolo” della paura nel diritto penale e nelle scelte di politica criminale

Una riflessione sul ruolo della paura nelle scienze giuridico-penalistiche implica mettere a tema un’emozione primaria a spiccata componente antropolo- gica. L’emozione, infatti, è una condizione complessa – che sorge in risposta a un determinato stimolo esterno o a esperienze affettivamente connotate – ed è generata da fattori che entrano in rapporto sinergico: la componente soggettivo-esperienziale, la componente fisiologica, a sua volta legata alle caratteristiche psicofisiche dell’organismo, e la componente spiccatamente espressiva. Ekman classifica, per la prima volta nella psicologia occidentale, un numero circoscritto di emozioni riconosciute come “primarie” o “di base”: felicità, paura, rabbia, sorpresa, tristezza e disgusto. Per Plutchik, invece, il novero delle emozioni di base sarebbe più ampio: alla tassonomia elaborata da Ekman aggiunge l’attesa e l’accettazione. Al di là dell’adesione a una specifica struttura classificatoria, è importante rilevare come le emozioni primarie siano considerate tali perché innate, ancestrali, riscontrabili in qualsiasi popolazione e perciò, in definitiva, comuni a tutte le epoche e le culture

La messa alla prova per adulti: riscontri applicativi. Un’indagine empirica sulla prassi della messa alla prova nel Tribunale di Como

Il saggio propone uno studio empirico sulla prassi dell'istituto della messa alla prova nel Tribunale di Como. Introdotta nel segno della lotta al sovraffollamento carcerario, la sospensione del procedimento con messa alla prova per gli adulti ha veicolato nel sistema penale un ampio spettro di istanze politico-criminali, tra le quali spiccano, oltre alla deflazione carceraria, la promozione di dinamiche di risocializzazione del soggetto sottoposto alla prova e di riparazione nei confronti della vittima. Attraverso l’incrocio delle coordinate normative dell’istituto e dei dati empirici relativi alle sentenze di proscioglimento per esito positivo della messa alla prova emesse dalla Sezione Dibattimento Penale del Tribunale di Como negli anni 2016, 2017 e 2018, lo scritto si propone di verificare – nei limiti dei dati disponibili – il grado di effettività dell'istituto, ossia di rispondenza dello stesso agli obiettivi politico-criminali che ne hanno sollecitato l’adozione

Influence of pulsed electric field and ohmic heating pretreatments on enzyme and antioxidant activity of fruit and vegetable juices

The objective of this work was to optimize pulsed electric field (PEF) or ohmic heating (OH) application for carrot and apple mashes treatment at different preheating temperatures (40, 60 or 80 \ub0C). The effect of tissue disintegration on the properties of recovered juices was quantified, taking into account the colour change, the antioxidant activity and the enzyme activity of peroxidase (POD) in both carrot and apple juice and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in apple juice. Lower \u394E and an increase of the antioxidant activity were obtained for juice samples treated with temperature at 80 \ub0C with or without PEF and OH pretreatment compared with those of untreated samples. The inactivation by 90% for POD and PPO was achieved when a temperature of 80 \ub0C was applied for both carrot and apple mash. A better retention of plant secondary metabolites from carrot and apple mashes could be achieved by additional PEF or OH application. Obtained results are the basis for the development of targeted processing concepts considering the release, inactivation and retention of ingredients

Effect of plasma-activated water (PAW) soaking on the lipid oxidation of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) fillets

The efficacy of plasma-activated water (PAW) as a chemical-free and environmentally friendly preservative has been documented for a variety of foods, but the onset of lipid oxidation induced by plasma-reactive species has been less extensively studied. In this work, global indices (peroxide value, UV specific absorbance) and direct analytical determinations of volatile and non-volatile oxidation products were performed on sardine lipids extracted from fish fillets immersed in PAW (treatments) and distilled water (controls) for 10-30 min. Evidence of PAW-induced lipid oxidation was provided by higher UV specific absorbances and higher levels of C5-C9 secondary volatile oxidation products in the treated samples. However, the degree of fatty acid oxidation was not sufficient to cause a significant reduction in nutritionally valuable eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Twelve cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) were identified in the sardine lipids, but no significant differences in total COPs content were found between PAW processed and control samples