Fresh Versus Dry Pasta: What is the Difference in Their Environmental Impact?

In this work, the cradle-to-grave environmental profile of a not-stuffed, egg-free fresh pasta was assessed and compared to that of a conventional durum wheat semolina dry pasta by using a well-known life-cycle assessment software in compliance with the Product Environmental Footprint standard method. Both products made use of national common bread or durum wheat grains, were manufactured in Italian small- and medium-sized pasta factories and were packed in 0.5-kg plastic bags. Whereas dry pasta production was characterized by a cradle-to-grave carbon footprint (CFB2C) of 1.88 kg CO2e/kg and an overall weighted eco-indicator (EI) of 141 µPt/kg, fresh pasta manufacture was distinguished by a CFB2C of 2.59 kg CO2e/kg and an EI of 236 µPt/kg. Their different environmental impact mainly derives from the refrigerated transport of fresh pasta, its moisture content (24% w/w) being quite the double of that of dry pasta (12.5% w/w), and chilled preservation till final consumption. Even if the use of new smart energy-saving home appliances might mitigate the overall environmental impact of both products, the consumption of dry pasta instead of fresh pasta is more eco-sustainable, mainly because it is shelf-stable and needs no refrigerated supply chain. KEYWORDS: Carbon footprint, fresh and dry pasta, LCA, Product Environmental Footprint, sensitivity analysis

Screening, isolation, and characterization of glycosyl-hydrolase-producing fungi from desert halophyte plants

Fungal strains naturally occurring on the wood and leaves of the salt-excreting desert tree Tamarix were isolated and characterized for their ability to produce cellulose- and starch- degrading enzymes. Of the 100 isolates, six fungal species were identified by ITS1 sequence analysis. No significant differences were observed among taxa isolated from wood samples of different Tamarix species, while highly salt-tolerant forms related to the genus Scopulariopsis (an anamorphic ascomycete) occurred only on the phylloplane of T. aphylla. All strains had cellulase and amylase activities, but the production of these enzymes was highest in strain D, a Schizophyllum-commune- related form. This strain, when grown on pretreated Tamarix biomass, produced an enzymatic complex containing levels of filter paperase (414 ± 16 IU/ml) that were higher than those of other S. commune strains. The enzyme complex was used to hydrolyze different lignocellulosic substrates, resulting in a saccharification rate of pretreated milk thistle (73.5 ± 1.2 %) that was only 10 % lower than that obtained with commercial cellulases. Our results support the use of Tamarix biomass as a useful source of cellulolytic and amylolytic fungi and as a good feedstock for the economical production of commercially relevant cellulases and amylases. [Int Microbiol 2014; 17(1):41-48]Keywords: Schizophyllum commune · Tamarix ssp. · cellulase activity · amylase activit

Decorticated Lentil Malt Flour: Production Process and Use

In this work, the malting process of lentil seeds (Lens culinaris) was set-up to minimize their anti-nutrient content. The first (water steeping) and second (germination) process steps were studied in a 1.2-kg bench-top plant at 25 °C. After 2-h steeping about 98.8% of seeds sprouted. As the germination process was prolonged for 72 h, the flatulence-inducing raffinose or phytic acid content was reduced by 94% or 63%, respectively. The third process step (kilning), carried out under fluent dry air at 50 °C for 48 h and at 75 °C for 3 h, gave rise to a gold metallic yellow-lentil malt, the cotyledons of which were cyclonically recovered and finally milled. The resulting decorticated yellow-lentil malt flour was used to prepare a fresh egg pasta high in raw protein (28±2 g/100 g), low in phytate (0.46±0.03 g/100 g) and in vitro glycemic index (38%), and approximately zero oligosaccharides. KEYWORDS: Dehulled lentil malt flour, lentil malting, gluten-free fresh egg pasta, antinutrient removal, glycemic index

Cooking and Nutritional Characteristics of Malted Chickpeas

The consumption of chickpeas is disadvantaged by their long cooking times and thus great cooking energy needs, as well as undesirable tastes and smells and the presence of some anti-nutritional factors. This work was aimed at measuring the cooking and nutritional characteristics of a typical chickpea variety (the straight furrow chickpea, SDC) cultivated in the Latium Region of Italy, as such, decorticated or after malting. A three-stage (steeping, germination and kilning) process allowed their original contents of a-galactosides and phytate to be reduced by about 57% and 31%, respectively. Once decorticated, malted SDCs were directly cooked in boiling water for about 45 min, while the 16-h presoaked raw counterpart needed a 30-min longer cooking process. Dehulled malted SDCs can thus assist the general consumer with shorter preparation times and more healthy and sustainable eating habits

Relative roles of TGF-β1 and Wnt in the systemic regulation and aging of satellite cell responses

Muscle stem (satellite) cells are relatively resistant to cell-autonomous aging. Instead, their endogenous signaling profile and regenerative capacity is strongly influenced by the aged P-Smad3, differentiated niche, and by the aged circulation. With respect to muscle fibers, we previously established that a shift from active Notch to excessive transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) induces CDK inhibitors in satellite cells, thereby interfering with productive myogenic responses. In contrast, the systemic inhibitor of muscle repair, elevated in old sera, was suggested to be Wnt. Here, we examined the age-dependent myogenic activity of sera TGF-β1, and its potential cross-talk with systemic Wnt. We found that sera TGF-β1 becomes elevated within aged humans and mice, while systemic Wnt remained undetectable in these species. Wnt also failed to inhibit satellite cell myogenicity, while TGF-β1 suppressed regenerative potential in a biphasic fashion. Intriguingly, young levels of TGF-β1 were inhibitory and young sera suppressed myogenesis if TGF-β1 was activated. Our data suggest that platelet-derived sera TGF-β1 levels, or endocrine TGF-β1 levels, do not explain the age-dependent inhibition of muscle regeneration by this cytokine. In vivo, TGF-β neutralizing antibody, or a soluble decoy, failed to reduce systemic TGF-β1 and rescue myogenesis in old mice. However, muscle regeneration was improved by the systemic delivery of a TGF-β receptor kinase inhibitor, which attenuated TGF-β signaling in skeletal muscle. Summarily, these findings argue against the endocrine path of a TGF-β1-dependent block on muscle regeneration, identify physiological modalities of age-imposed changes in TGF-β1, and introduce new therapeutic strategies for the broad restoration of aged organ repair

Design and methodology of the screening for CKD among older patients across Europe (SCOPE) study: A multicenter cohort observational study

Background: Decline of renal function is common in older persons and the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rising with ageing. CKD affects different outcomes relevant to older persons, additionally to morbidity and mortality which makes CKD a relevant health burden in this population. Still, accurate laboratory measurement of kidney function is under debate, since current creatinine-based equations have a certain degree of inaccuracy when used in the older population. The aims of the study are as follows: to assess kidney function in a cohort of 75+ older persons using existing methodologies for CKD screening; to investigate existing and innovative biomarkers of CKD in this cohort, and to align