Effect of dairy, season, and sampling position on physical properties of Trentingrana cheese: application of an LMM-ASCA model

7openInternationalItalian coauthor/editorTrentingrana hard cheese is a geographic specification of the PDO Grana Padano. It is produced according to an internal regulation by many cooperative dairy factories in the Trentino region (northern Italy), using a semi-artisanal process (the only allowed ingredients are milk, salt, and rennet). Within the PSR project TRENTINGRANA, colorimetric and textural measurements have been collected from 317 cheese wheels, which were sampled bi-monthly from all the consortium dairies (n = 15) within the timeframe of two years, to estimate the effect on physical properties related to the season of the year and the dairy factory implant. To estimate the effect of the dairy and the time of the year, considering the internal variability of each cheese wheel, a linear mixed-effect model combined with a simultaneous component analysis (LMM-ASCA) is proposed. Results show that all the factors have a significant effect on the colorimetric and textural properties of the cheese. There are five clusters of dairies producing cheese with similar properties, three different couples of months of the year when the cheese produced is significantly different from all the others, and the effect of the geometry of the cheese wheel is reported as well.openRicci, Michele; Gasperi, Flavia; Endrizzi, Isabella; Menghi, Leonardo; Cliceri, Danny; Franceschi, Pietro; Aprea, EugenioRicci, M.; Gasperi, F.; Endrizzi, I.; Menghi, L.; Cliceri, D.; Franceschi, P.; Aprea, E

Multivariate data analysis strategy to monitor Trentingrana cheese real-scale production through volatile organic compounds profiling

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cheese, as result of the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of the raw milk, are related to its sensory properties and consumer's acceptability. Measurement of VOCs can be related to the quality of the production process, highlighting changes in the raw materials or the process conditions. In the present study, we tested the suitability of ANOVA-Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA) to extract useful information from volatile organic compound data measured over two years of production of Trentingrana cheese in a real production context where several confounding factors are present. A total of 317 cheese wheels were collected from the 15 cooperative dairy factories every two months. The ASCA analysis indicates that the milk collection affects the VOC profiles. To deeper investigate this factor, an Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) model was developed to estimate the associations between VOCs and process characteristics of the dairy factory. Results showed that the milk collection procedure affects the content of organic acids, esters, and ketones of the cheese

Effect of CO2 preservation treatments on the sensory quality of pomegranate juice

8openInternationalBothDue to the interest in identifying cost-effective techniques that can guarantee the microbiological, nutritional, and sensorial aspects of food products, this study investigates the effect of CO2 preservation treatment on the sensory quality of pomegranate juice at t0 and after a conservation period of four weeks at 4 °C (t28). The same initial batch of freshly squeezed non-treated (NT) juice was subjected to non-thermal preservation treatments with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2), and with a combination of supercritical carbon dioxide and ultrasound (CO2-US). As control samples, two other juices were produced from the same NT batch: A juice stabilized with high pressure treatment (HPP) and a juice pasteurized at high temperature (HT), which represent an already established non-thermal preservation technique and the conventional thermal treatment. Projective mapping and check-all-that-apply methodologies were performed to determine the sensory qualitative differences between the juices. The volatile profile of the juices was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that juices treated with supercritical CO2 could be differentiated from NT, mainly by the perceived odor and volatile compound concentration, with a depletion of alcohols, esters, ketones, and terpenes and an increase in aldehydes. For example, in relation to the NT juice, limonene decreased by 95% and 90%, 1-hexanol decreased by 9% and 17%, and camphene decreased by 94% and 85% in the CO2 and CO2-US treated juices, respectively. Regarding perceived flavor, the CO2-treated juice was not clearly differentiated from NT. Changes in the volatile profile induced by storage at 4 °C led to perceivable differences in the odor quality of all juices, especially the juice treated with CO2-US, which underwent a significant depletion of all major volatile compounds during storage. The results suggest that the supercritical CO2 process conditions need to be optimized to minimize impacts on sensory quality and the volatile profile.openMosca, A.C.; Menghi, L.; Aprea, E.; Mazzucotelli, M.; Benedito, J.; Zambon, A.; Spilimbergo, S.; Gasperi, F.Mosca, A.C.; Menghi, L.; Aprea, E.; Mazzucotelli, M.; Benedito, J.; Zambon, A.; Spilimbergo, S.; Gasperi, F

Correction: Endrizzi et al. Relationships between Intensity and Liking for Chemosensory Stimuli in Food Models: A Large-Scale Consumer Segmentation (Foods 2022, 11, 5)

This study, which was conducted as part of the Italian Taste project, was aimed at exploring the relationship between actual liking and sensory perception in four food models. Each food model was spiked with four levels of prototypical tastant (i.e., citric acid, sucrose, sodium chloride, capsaicin) to elicit a target sensation (TS) at an increasing perceived intensity. Participants (N = 2258; 59% women, aged 18–60) provided demographic information, a stated liking for 40 different foods/beverages, and their responsiveness to tastants in water. A food-specific Pearson’s coefficient was calculated individually to estimate the relationship between actual liking and TS responsiveness. Considering the relationship magnitude, consumers were grouped into four food-specific clusters, depending on whether they showed a strong negative (SNC), a weak negative (WNC), a weak positive (WPC), or a strong positive correlation (SPC). Overall, the degree of liking raised in parallel with sweetness responsiveness, fell as sourness and pungency perception increased, and showed an inverted U-shape relationship with saltiness. The SNC clusters generally perceived TSs at higher intensities, except for sourness. Clusters were validated by associating the level of stated liking towards food/beverages; however, some unexpected indications emerged: adding sugar to coffee or preferring spicy foods differentiated those presenting positive correlations from those showing negative correlations. Our findings constitute a step towards a more comprehensive understanding of food preference

Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index in the Italian population

Purpose: Loss of smell decreases the quality of life and contributes to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in daily life, it is important to recognize an undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown due to a lack of epidemiological studies. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in a sample of Italian adults. Methods: Six hundred and thirty-three participants (347 woman and 286 men; mean age 44.9 years, SD 17.3, age range 18-86) were recruited from 10 distinct Italian regions. Participants were recruited using a convenience sapling and were divided into six different age groups: 18-29 years (N = 157), 30-39 years (N = 129), 40-49 years (N = 99), 50-59 years (N = 106), > 60 years (N = 142). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve, and depression were assessed, respectively, with: Sniffin' Sticks 16-item Odor Identification Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, socio-demographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information were collected. Results: About 27% of participants showed an odor identification score < 12 indicating hyposmia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that OI was significantly correlated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve index, and young women with high cognitive reserve index showing the highest olfactory scores. Conclusion: This study provides data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in different Italian regions

Understanding the role of human microbiota on sensory perception

While consumer awareness of benefits of adequate nutrition has noticeably surged in recent years, developing countermeasures against improper eating habits still represents a public health priority in view of the growing prevalence of diet-related diseases. Eating behaviours are complex phenomena driven by a spectrum of biological and environmental factors, wherein (chemo)sensory perception is reckoned amongst the most influential. Analogously, chemosensation is affected by a myriad of determinants, and this warrants the commonly observed large variation in how tastes and smells are perceived among individuals. Given how such variability intimately relates to dietary habits, deciphering its underlying mechanisms is paramount to promoting healthier food choices. In this vein, emerging evidence suggests that human eating behaviours can also be affected by interactions between the gastrointestinal microbiota and the chemosensory systems. Despite growing interest, the sensory-oriented microbiome field suffers from obvious limitations due to its recent emergence. As a result, little efforts has been devoted to elucidating: a) the associations between the oral microbiota and olfaction or known psychological mediators of sensory perception; b) the links between the distal gut microbiota and taste functioning; c) the consequences of interactions between chemosensation and the gastrointestinal microbiota on dietary intakes. Against this backdrop, this thesis aimed at expanding the current knowledge on the interplays between domains of sensory perception and the gastrointestinal microbiota and how these might mirror variations in habitual food habits. In detail, four studies probing the associations a) between a psychosocial correlate of sensory perception (food neophobia), olfaction (Chapter 2) and the oral microbiota (Chapter 3); and b) between distal gut (Chapter 4) or oral (Chapter 5) microbiota, taste functioning and dietary intakes are here presented. In Chapter 2 and 3, a healthy cohort of 83 individuals (57.8 % women; aged 22-68 yo) remotely filled out the common Food Neophobia Scale and the trait anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory prior to providing a salivary sample for subsequent metataxonomic analysis (16S rRNA gene sequencing). Next, volunteers were tested for orthonasal olfactory functioning via the Sniffin’ Sticks battery, and monitored for retronasal aroma release while consuming a strawberry jelly candy by nose-space analysis (Selected-Ion Flow-Tube Mass Spectrometry). In Chapter 4 and 5, instead, 100 young adult volunteers (52 % women; aged 18-30 yo) attended a 7-day lasting remote protocol where responsiveness to genetically-mediated bitterness of 6-n-propylithiuracil (PROP), hedonics and intensity of oral sensations elicited by ten commercially-available food products, a battery of foodrelated psychological traits, a 4-day food record, and one salivary and one stool sample (sequenced by targeting the 16s rRNA gene) were collected. Overall, results substantially strengthen past evidence suggesting: a) that pronounced neophobic tendencies translate into higher levels of (negative) emotional activation or arousal towards foods; b) the existence of homogenous groups of individuals with generalized hypergeusia towards oral stimulations; c) that hyperresponsiveness to a peculiar taste quality is a barrier to the intake of foods evoking such sensation; d) that habitual consumption of dietary fibers and simple carbohydrates can shape both the gut and oral microbial ecology, respectively. Intriguingly, food neophobia and poor olfaction were positively associated with oral microbial markers of dysbiosis (e.g., Porphyromonas gingivalis), whilst a Clostridia-enriched salivary microbiota co-occurred with low responsiveness to alarming oral sensations (astringency, bitter, sour) elicited by real foods. Similarly, an ample panel of commensal gut bacterial genera mainly allocated to the families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae was found to be enriched in individuals exhibiting lower acuity to both tastes (bitter, salty, sour, sweet) and trigeminal sensations (astringent, pungent). Besides taxonomically annotating a range of microbial taxa tied to sensory perception, putative metabolic pathways used by salivary and gut microbial communities to modulate taste perception were inferred and discussed. To conclude, this thesis supports the notion that the gastrointestinal microbiota is an additional candidate to explain interindividual variations in taste and smell perception, and provides novel important insights into the aetiology of eating behaviours. More importantly, this work also offers methodological cues to robustly assess the associations between chemosensation and host-related non genetic factors, and paves the way for future interventional studies targeting the efficacy of sensoryrelated microbial taxa as potential modulators of dietary habits

El impacto del pastoreo en pastizales higro-halófilos (Argentina central) creció con diferencias entre humedales asociadas a factores locales y del paisaje

El impacto del pastoreo en el pastizal nativo remanente en el SE de Córdoba (Argentina central) tendría relación con factores físicos propios y externos al humedal y con la intensificación del uso en el paisaje. Entre 2008 y 2009 se analizó la composición florística y fisonomía de la comunidad en relación al relieve de 20 humedales y épocas del año a partir de un muestreo sistemático al azar (N = 600 parcelas de 0,25 m2 ), y el patrón espacial de su área de cobertura en el paisaje en un área de 4500 km2 (Im. Landsat). Mediante análisis descriptivos y multivariados se detectaron tendencias principales de variación y la correspondencia entre escalas de análisis. Con un 65% de consenso emerge el dominio de áreas con pastos perennes estivales de baja calidad, con abundancia de Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene y suelo expuesto. El área de pastizales con especies invernales preferidas como Poa ligularis Nees. y Hordeum stenostachys Godr., y/o con diversidad de comunidades, es menor. Ese patrón se relacionó (P < 0,05) con factores físicos del humedal y del paisaje en interacción compleja con el uso. El pastoreo emerge como un factor modelador secundario que al mismo tiempo sería clave para la sustentabilidad de estos pastizales. Con respecto a referencias previas creció su impacto negativo, y aparece acentuado en el pastizal de humedales aislados incluidos en zonas elevadas de la pampa con suelo más apto para agricultura para cosecha. El pastizal de humedales conectados por cursos permanentes incluidos en la pampa anegadiza está relativamente mejor conservado.The livestock grazing impact on native grasslands at SE Córdoba (central Argentina) would be related to both intrinsic and extrinsic wetland factors as well as to recent land-use intensification in the landscape. Floristic and physiognomy variables were recorded through a systematic random sampling related to relief and the year seasons (2008 - 2009) (20 wetlands, N = 600 plots of 0, 25 m2 ). At the same time, the spatial pattern on a landscape scale (4500 km2 ) was described based on satellite imagery. Descriptive and multivariate analysis to detect the main variation trends and the correspondence between both the local and landscape patterns were performed. With 65% of consensus both analysis showed predominance of perennial grasslands mainly made of summer species of poor forage quality like Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene. On the contrary, winter and favorite native species, like Poa ligularis Nees. and Hordeum stenostachys Godr., as well as grassland areas with communities variety, both appeared reduced. These trends have shown significant relationship (P < 0, 05) with physical and land-use factors sugesting complex interaction. Grazing arises as a secondary modeling factor and at the same time a key one to preserve these grasslands. The grazing impact would have increased with respect to previous references in the area accentuated at isolated wetlands included in the elevated plain with fertile soil. Comparatively, the grasslands at connected wetlands included in the flooding plain would have been less disturbed.Fil: Menghi, Mirta Melva Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Molina, Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Aimar, Leonardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentin

Food Neophobia and scarce olfactory performances are linked to oral microbiota

People suffering from Food Neophobia (FN) tend to follow an unbalanced dietary pattern and show worse olfactory performances. However, scarce data are available on the possible relationships between FN, olfactory performances and the oral microbiota. The purpose of this work was to understand whether FN and its consequences on orthonasal and retronasal olfaction are related to specific signatures in the oral microbiota. We carried out 16S rRNA gene sequencing of salivary specimens from 83 subjects, whose olfactory performances and Food Neophobia were previously estimated. Our results show that the oral microbiota of people showing high neophobic traits and scarce olfactory performances is enriched in several taxa, such as the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. We hypothesize that these traits are likely attributable to unbalanced dietary patterns, which would need confirmation from dietary records of recruited neophobic subjects

Relación entre la limnología de lagunas pampeanas (SE Córdoba) y la cobertura y uso del suelo

La intensificación del uso agropecuario en la zona tiene impactos en los humedales debidos a mayor flujo de sedimentos y agroquímicos desde las zonas altas que los circundan, y a concentración de animales, introducción de exóticas y regulación hídrica en el bajo. El efecto de esos disturbios podría variar entre humedales con el tipo de cultivo predominante en el entorno (anual, perenne), con la alteración de la cobertura vegetal y materia orgánica debida a la presión de pastoreo en el humedal, y según factores intrínsecos de la laguna como su forma, área, profundidad. En este trabajo se explora la relación entre la limnología de las lagunas y su morfometría, y con la cobertura del suelo y atributos del paisaje en el área circundante. En cada estación del lapso anual 2008-2009, en 15 lagunas se midió la profundidad (Zmax), pH, T°, conductividad, transparencia del agua (disco de Secchi) (Zds) y el espesor del lodo (Zl). En 7 casos se determinaron, además, nutrientes (fracciones de fósforo) y sólidos en suspensión. En 15 cuadrados distribuidos al azar en el sector topográfico intermedio mas accesible al ganado, se estimó el porcentaje (%) de cobertura vegetal en pie, de mantillo, de suelo expuesto y de afloramiento salino; se calculó la riqueza de especies vegetales (R) y el número/m2 de fecas bovinas. En imágenes Landsat TM 30x se calculó el área y perímetro de cada laguna en cada estación; sólo para el verano 2009 se midió además, el área de bajo excluyendo el espejo de agua. En zonas altas se midió la superficie con cultivo anual y pastura perennes dentro un área con 120m (b120), 300m (b300) y 600m (b600) de radio desde borde de la laguna. La transparencia del agua (Zds) fue baja en el 88% de las lagunas y mejoró (p<0,05) con el % de mantillo (r=0,86) y riqueza de especies (0,69) en el área peri-lacunar. La conductividad del agua mostró relación directa con especies halófitas obligadas (r= 0,71). En todos los casos se encontró alto nivel de eutrofización. Estos primeros resultados aportan evidencias sobre la interacción de factores naturales intrínsecos de las lagunas y del uso en el entorno inmediato (% mantillo) como determinantes de la calidad del agua. Este análisis no mostró relación significativa con el tipo de cultivo considerado en las zonas altas.Fil: Aimar, Leonardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables; ArgentinaFil: Bustamante, Maria Alejandra. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Gerencia de Programas y Proyectos.; ArgentinaFil: Giovanola, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables; ArgentinaFil: Molina, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables; ArgentinaFil: Menghi, Mirta Melva Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables; Argentin

Salivary microbial profiles associate with responsiveness to warning oral sensations and dietary intakes

Oral microbiota-host interactions are gaining recognition as potential factors contributing to interindividual variations in taste perception. However, whether such possible links imply specific bacterial co-occurrence networks remains unknown. To address this issue, we used 16&nbsp;s rRNA gene sequencing to profile the salivary microbiota of 100 healthy individuals (52 % women; 18-30 y/o), who provided hedonic and psychophysical responses to 5 liquid and 5 solid commercially-available foods, each chosen to elicit a target sensation (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent). The same cohort also completed several psychometric measures and a 4-day food diary. Unsupervised data-driven clustering of genus-level Aitchison distances supported the existence of two salivary microbial profiles (CL-1, CL-2). While CL-1 (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;57; 49.1 % women) exhibited higher α-diversity metrics and was enriched in microbial genera assigned to the class Clostridia (e.g., Lachnospiraceae_[G-3]), CL-2 (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;43; 55.8 % women) harbored greater amounts of taxa with potential cariogenic effects (e.g., genus Lactobacillus) and significantly lower abundances of inferred MetaCyc pathways related to the metabolic fate of acetate. Intriguingly, CL-2 showed enhanced responsiveness to warning oral sensations (bitter, sour, astringent) and a higher propensity to crave sweet foods or engage in prosocial behaviors. Further, the same cluster reported habitually consuming more simple carbohydrates and fewer beneficial nutrients (vegetable proteins, monounsaturated fatty acids). In summary, while the mediating role of participants' baseline diet on findings can not be definitively excluded, this work provides evidence suggesting that microbe-microbe and microbe-taste interactions may exert an influence on dietary habits and motivates further research to uncover a potential "core" taste-related salivary microbiota