Volatile fractions and sensory attributes of San Daniele ham

AbstractSan Daniele ham is a typical and appreciated dry-cured Italian product with an high consumer acceptance owing to its sensory attributes. There are numerous studies concerning European hams, but only a limited number for Italian products. The aim of the study was to identify the backbone of volatile constituents of San Daniele ham and to evaluate correlations with sensorial characteristics in relation to sex and breed of animals.Sixteen contemporary piglets (4 females and 4 castrated males for each breed) belonging to 2 different commercial breeds (SCAAPAG and JSR) were selected and their growth was monitored until the slaughtering time. After, thighs were trimmed and cured for 12 months, according to the San Daniele Consortium protocol. The head space sampling technique coupled with GC-MS was used to assess the volatile compounds (Barcarolo, 1992). Hams underwent sensory analysis by a panelist of expert assessors, who were members of a certified organization (ACAU Associazione Culturale Assaggiato..

Mycochemical study of polysaccharides from the edible mushroom Cortinarius caperatus (Gypsy mushroom)

Among basidiomycete molecules, cell wall polysaccharides have been recognized as a major class of bioactive constituents. [1] They are safe molecules and they have a wide spectrum of biological activities, such as immunostimulatory and antioxidant, therefore they possess a prominent role in health benefits coming from mushroom consumption. These properties make mushroom polysaccharides potential candidates for nutraceutical applications and bioactive ingredients production. [2] Fractionation of the hot aqueous extract of Cortinarius caperatus led to isolation of two fractions characterized by spectroscopic analyses (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DEPT, 1H-1H COSY, DQCOSY, TOCSY, HSQC, HMBC and HMQC), mass spectrometry (EI-MS, ESI-MS), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), chemical reactions of hydrolysis and derivatization followed by GC and HPLC analyses. [3] This mycochemical study revealed a water-soluble fraction characterized as a \u3b2-(1\uf0e06)-D-glucan, whose presence inside C. caperatus has never, to the best of our knowledge, been reported before. Moreover, a water insoluble fraction purified has been characterized as a branched \uf061, (1\u21926) glucan which structure is assumed to be: [\u21926)-\u3b2-D-Glcp(1\u21926)]4-\u3b1-D-Glcp(1\u21924)-\u3b2-D-Glcp(1\u2192 6 \u2191 1 \u3b1-D-Glcp The antioxidant activity of the soluble polysaccharide fraction has been evaluated as radical-scavenging activity with the DPPH test, the \u3b2-(1\uf0e06)-D-glucan showed significative antioxidant activity

Determination of volatile fractions in raw milk and ripened cheese by means of GC-MS. Results of a survey performed in the marginal area between Italy and Slovenia

The volatile fractions of milk and their evolution in ripened cheese were studied using purge and trap extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). Eighteen samples of raw milk and cheese ripened for 70 days were collected in 2 consecutive years from dairy farms located in the border area between Italy and Slovenia. Twenty one volatile compounds not detected in the fresh milk used for cheese manufacturing, belonging mainly to the class of esters and alcohols, were found, while 8 compounds detected in milk were not found in cheese after 70 days of ripening. In cheese the majority of compounds increased significantly, even though the variations differed between the classes of volatile compounds. Concentration of alcohols, in particular ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-pentanol, increased considerably, while the content of ketones and terpenes was characterized by a significant, although small, rise that was largely related to a quantitative variation of only few compounds. Also esters, despite the high number of volatile compounds of new formation, showed a lower increase of concentration than that observed for the alcohols. Concentration of aldehydes, hydrocarbons and sulphur compounds remained unchanged, despite relevant variations involving the individual chemical compounds. Significant differences were also observed between the dairy product of the two countries, mainly for the concentration of volatile compounds belonging to the classes of alcohols, ketones and esters

CHOLANE AND LANOSTANE DERIVATIVES: ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION

Steroids are natural compounds with several important applications in many fields of research, such as medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology.In particular, bile acids such as lithocholic acid (LCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) have been considered quite useful as starting points for a rich and different set of medicinal chemistry activities. Besides, the discovery of bioactive ingredients from plants and fungi is always the main target in medicinal chemistry. The lanostane-type triterpenoid 3b-hydroxylanosta-8,24-diene-21-oic acid (Trametenolic acid, TMA) was the main bioactive component of Gloeophyllum odoratum, which was reported to possess widely bioactivities, including tumor cell anti-proliferation effects (for example, human HL-60 leukemia, human KB epidermoid carcinoma, murine L1210 leukemia cells, Caski, HT-3, T-24, etc.), inhibition of enzyme activity (human thrombin, bovine trypsin and so on).Nevertheless, trametenolic acid was scarcely investigated as antimicrobial agent. Structurally, bile acids (LCA and UDCA) and trametenolic acid are similar since they may be regarded as consisting of two components, a rigid steroid nucleus and an aliphatic side chain possessing a carboxyl group. On the basis of these considerations, six new compounds bearing a guanidine moiety in their side chain were synthesized using LCA, UDCA and TMA as starting materials. The parent bile acids, TMA and their resulting derivatives were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, B. subtilis and M. smegmatis. The derivative 3a-hydroxy-23-guanidino-5b-cholane showed the best activity, with MIC values of 12.5 \u3bcM against S. aureus, 5 \u3bcM against B. subtilis and 50 \u3bcM against M. smegmatis. The cytotoxic activity of bile acids, trametenolic acid and derivatives was also evaluated against HT-29 cell lin

Early and Sustained Elevation in Serum Pancreatic Amylase Activity: A Novel Predictor of Morbidity After Pancreatic Surgery

Objective:To characterize early postoperative serum pancreatic amylase (spAMY) trends after pancreatic resections. Summary Background Data:A postoperative spAMY elevation is a common finding but uncertainties remain about its meaning and prognostic implications. Methods:Analysis of patients who consecutively underwent pancreatectomy from 2016 to 2019. spAMY activity was assessed from postoperative day (POD) 0 to 3. Different patterns of spAMY have been identified based on the spAMY standard range (10-52 U/l). Results:Three patterns were identified: (#1) spAMY values always < the lower limit of normal/within the reference range /a single increase in spAMY > upper limit of normal at any POD; (#2) Sustained increase in spAMY activity on POD 0 + 1; (#3) Sustained increase in spAMY activity including POD 1 + 2. Shifting through spAMY patterns was associated with increase morbidity (21% in #1 to 68% in #3 at POD 7; log rank < 0.001). Almost all severe complications (at least Clavien-Dindo >= 3) occurred in patients with pattern #3 (15% vs 3% vs 5% in #1 and #2 at POD 7, P = 0.006), without difference considering >3-times or >the spAMY normal limit (P = 0.85). POPF (9% in #1 vs 48% in #3, P < 0.001) progressively increased across patterns. Pre-operative diabetes (OR 0.19), neoadjuvant therapy (OR 0.22), pancreatic texture (OR 8.8), duct size (OR 0.78), and final histology (OR 2.2) were independent predictors of pattern #3. Conclusions:A sustained increase in spAMY activity including POD 1 + 2 (#3) represents an early postoperative predictor of overall and severe early morbidity. An early and dynamic evaluation of spAMY could crucially impact the subsequent clinical course with relevant prognostic implications

Improvement of Chemical and Physical Properties and Antioxidant Evaluation of Eugenol \u2013 PEG adduct

Eugenol (EU) \u2013 PEG adduct was synthesized to improve the chemical and physical properties of eugenol. The phenolic group was covalently bound to the carboxyl group of PEG and the release kinetics were studied in vitro in buffer solution at pH 7.4, in simulated gastric fluid and in mouse plasma. Studies in vitro on the release of the parent drug from the prodrug in various media indicate that the adduct may be sufficiently stable to pass intact into the gastrointestinal tract and release EU into the circulation. The antioxidant activity of PEG-EU adduct was also evaluated. Scavenging activity was absent in the original PEG-EU adduct but gradually increased on the basis of drug delivery

Synthesis and controlled drug delivery studies of a novel Ubiquinol-Polyethylene glycol-Vitamin E adduct

CoQ10 and Vitamin E are used in medicinal applications, but they are both lipophilic molecules and the poor solubility in aqueous media results in an inefficient administration, poor bioavailability and potential toxicity. A mixed conjugate Ubiquinol-Polyethylene glycol-Vitamin E was synthesized and characterized to improve the bioavailability of CoQ10 and Vitamin E. The synthesized mixed PEG conjugate was characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and MALDI spectrometry. The in vitro release of the conjugate was measured at various pH conditions and in human plasma and the evaluation of free CoQ10 and Vitamin E were also conducted. The obtained results demonstrated that more CoQ10 and Vitamin E were released from PEG conjugate at pH 7.4 and in plasma within the 24 h. The antioxidant activity evaluation was carried out by DPPH assay. Our results indicated that the chemical modification after esterification with PEG of the two drugs Ubiquinol and Vitamin E doesn\u2019t significantly affected their antioxidant potential

Polysaccharides from Pleurotus eryngii var. elaeoselini, a New Potential Culinary-Medicinal Oyster Mushroom from Italy

In 2000, a new variety of P. eryngii associated with the root residues of Elaeoselinum asclepium (L.) Bertol. subsp. asclepium (Apiaceae) was described. P. eryngii var. elaeoselini Venturella, Zervakis & La Rocca is an entirely white edible mushroom distributed along the Italian territory where it grows, in autumn and spring ,from 0 to 1200 m a.s.l.. The variety was also found in Spain, on different host plants, i.e. Thapsia villosa L. and Elaeoselinum gummiferum (Desf.). Tutin. Further investigation highlighted the presence of the variety also in France, Switzerland, Malta, Slovenia, Ukraine and Romania on Laserpitium latifolium L. Preliminary investigation carried out on basidiomata of P. eryngii var. elaeoselini collected in Sicily (southern Italy) highlighted a low caloric content and interesting amount of vitamins and mineral salts. In more recent times, extracts of P. eryngii var. elaeoselini, were tested for their in vitro growth inhibitory activity against a group of bacterial reference strains of medical relevance: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, S. epidermidis RP62A, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, and Escherichia coli ATCC10536. The extracts of P. eryngii var. elaeoselini inhibited the tested microorganisms in varying degrees. In this study the structural characterization of the aqueous extract obtained from P. eryngii var. elaeoselini is investigated. Different water-soluble glucans were obtained from the fruiting bodies by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, dialysis, DEAE cellulose ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. On the basis of total hydrolysis, methylation analysis and NMR experiments (1H, 13C, DQF-COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, HSQC and HMBC) different polysaccharide fractions were characterized and the structures of the repeating units of the glucan were determined. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed that the water soluble polysaccharide fraction mainly consisted of glucose (96.3%), with a small amount of mannose (3.7%). The sequence of glycosyl residues in the polysaccharide fractions was confirmed from HMBC experiments. Long-range 13C-1H correlations were obtained from the HMBC spectrum and the cross peaks of both anomeric protons and carbons of each of the sugar moieties were examined and both inter- and intraresidual connectivities were observed. The dry fruiting bodies of P. eryngii var. elaeoselini have shown a significative antioxidant activity with the DPPH test, while the purified polysaccharides have confirmed this activity with the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity test