Romanian Wines Quality and Authenticity Using FT-MIR Spectroscopy Coupled with Multivariate Data Analysis

Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIR) combined with multivariate data analysis have been applied for the discrimination of 15 different Romanian wines (white, rosé and red wines), obtained from different origin-denominated cultivars. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using different regions of FT-MIR spectra for all wines. The general fingerprint of wines was splitted in four characteristic regions, corresponding to phenolic derivatives, carbohydrates, amino acids and organic acids, which confer the wines quality and authenticity. By qualitative and quantitative evaluation of each component category, it was possible to discriminate each wine category, from red, to rosé and white colours, to dry, half-dry and half-sweet flavours. The multivariate data analysis based on absorption peaks from FT-MIR spectra demonstrated a very good, significant clustering of samples, based on the four main components: phenolics, carbohydrates, amino acids and organic acids. Therefore, the ATR-FT-MIR analysis proved to be a very fast, cheap and efficient tool to evaluate the quality and authenticity of wines, and to discriminate each wine category, based on their colour and sweetness, as consequence of their biological (cultivar) specificity

Phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of red, rosé and white wines originating from Romanian grape cultivars

The objective of this work was to study the phenolic profile and composition in relation to antioxidant activity of fifteen samples of commercial red, rosé and white wines originating from six native grape varieties and produced in important wine regions from Romania. The profile and quantification of major phenolic compounds were performed by direct injection of wines in the LC-MS system, using DAD and ESI (+) MS techniques, in parallel with the total phenolic content (TPC) measured by spectrometry and the free radical scavenging activity, against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). There were identified 38 polyphenols in wines, including 3 flavan-3-ols, 17 flavonols, 12 anthocyanins and 6 stilbenes. The red wines had significant higher phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, followed by rosé and white wines. The richest phenolic content and antioxidant activity was obtained for ‘Feteasca Neagra’ (Tohani) among red wines and for ‘Feteasca Regala’ (Jidvei) among white wines. TPC values were positively correlated with the antioxidant capacity in all white wines and only for the red ‘Feteasca Neagra’ assortment, while for the ‘Babeasca Neagra’ assortment negative correlations were obtained. From the 38 variables, flavan-3-ols have exerted the greatest influence on wine differentiation, based on their colour (red, rosé and white). The study also revealed significant differences between cultivars, both qualitative and quantitative, in terms of their polyphenolic composition, that could be important in the cultivar authentication of wines from these varieties

Cardiac rehabilitation protocols outcome in frail patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation

The degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent valvular disease in the elderly (over 75 years), and its severe form is found in 12.4% associated with a low survival rate at 5 years (15-50%). These patients are categorised as frail and the only possible choice of treatment is transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). When cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) were introduced after TAVI, they had a positive impact on clinical outcome, increasing the quality of life and decreasing morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly with high frailty score. This review underlines the utility of objective and functional frailty assessment in elderly patients with severe AS, before and after TAVI. Inclusion of these patients in complex and individually designed CRP could improve both QoL and short and long term outcome. Apart from exercise recommendation, a complete and ideal CRP should include nutrition counselling, occupational therapy, and psychological counselling to ensure psychosocial health, as well as social worker counselling. CRP could prevent and reduce severity of frailty by improving/increasing mobility, muscle mass and cognitive function. Further studies should aim at appraising long-term effects and prognostic relevance of CRP in frail patients undergoing TAVI

The Impact of Ellagitannins and Their Metabolites through Gut Microbiome on the Gut Health and Brain Wellness within the Gut–Brain Axis

Ellagitannins (ETs) are a large group of bioactive compounds found in plant-source foods, such as pomegranates, berries, and nuts. The consumption of ETs has often been associated with positive effects on many pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative syndromes, and cancer. Although multiple biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive) have been discussed for ETs, their limited bioavailability prevents reaching significant concentrations in systemic circulation. Instead, urolithins, ET gut microbiota-derived metabolites, are better absorbed and could be the bioactive molecules responsible for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities or anti-tumor cell progression. In this review, we examined the dietary sources, metabolism, and bioavailability of ETs, and analyzed the last recent findings on ETs, ellagic acid, and urolithins, their intestinal and brain activities, the potential mechanisms of action, and the connection between the ET microbiota metabolism and the consequences detected on the gut–brain axis. The current in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies indicate that ET-rich foods, individual gut microbiomes, or urolithin types could modulate signaling pathways and promote beneficial health effects. A better understanding of the role of these metabolites in disease pathogenesis may assist in the prevention or treatment of pathologies targeting the gut–brain axis

A Review of the Metabolic Origins of Milk Fatty Acids

Milk fat and its fatty acid profile are important determinants of the technological, sensorial, and nutritional properties of milk and dairy products. The two major processes contributing to the presence of fatty acids in ruminant milk are the mammary lipogenesis and the lipid metabolism in the rumen. Among fatty acids, 4:0 to 12:0, almost all 14:0 and about a half of 16:0 in milk fat derive from de novo synthesis within the mammary gland. De novo synthesis utilizes as precursors acetate and butyrate produced through carbohydrates ruminal fermentation and involves acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase as key enzymes. The rest of 16:0 and all of the long-chain fatty acids derive from mammary uptake of circulating lipoproteins and nonesterified fatty acids that originate from digestive absorption of lipids and body fat mobilization. Further, long-chain fatty acids as well as medium-chain fatty acids entering the mammary gland can be desaturated via Δ-9 desaturase, an enzyme that acts by adding a cis-9-double bond on the fatty acid chain. Moreover, ruminal biohydrogenation of dietary unsaturated fatty acids results in the formation of numerous fatty acids available for incorporation into milk fat. Ruminal biohydrogenation is performed by rumen microbial population as a means of protection against the toxic effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Within the rumen microorganisms, bacteria are principally responsible for ruminal biohydrogenation when compared to protozoa and anaerobic fungi

Factors Influencing the Concentration of Certain Liposoluble Components in Cow and Goat Milk: A Review

Milk fat contains a large number of fatty acids (FA) and other liposoluble components that exhibit various effects on human health. The present article reviews some of the factors affecting FA, vitamin A and cholesterol concentrations in milk from dairy cow and goat. Milk fat composition is linked to many factors, both intrinsic (animal species, breed, lactation stage) and extrinsic (environmental). The effect of animal species on milk fat composition is important, as reflected by higher concentrations of short- and medium-chain FA, vitamin A and cholesterol in goat than in cow milk. In a given ruminant species, the effects linked to breed are significant but limited and they can only be achieved over long periods of time. The lactation stage has an important effect on milk FA composition, mainly linked to body fat mobilisation in early lactation, but it only lasts a few weeks each year. Furthermore, changes in feeding have a marked influence on milk fat composition. Changing the forages in the diet of ruminants, pasture in particular, or supplementing lipids to the diet, represent an efficient mean to modify milk fat composition by decreasing saturated FA and cholesterol, and increasing cis-9,trans-11-CLA and vitamin A. Nutrition therefore constitutes a natural strategy to rapidly modulate milk FA, vitamin A and cholesterol composition, with the overall aim of improving the long-term health of consumers

Benefits of Wine Polyphenols on Human Health: A Review

This paper presents  an overview of the health benefits of wine polyphenols, induced by a moderate consumption. Several studies have shown that moderate wine intake may have many beneficial effects on human health and these effects are mainly attributed to the phenolic derivatives, especially flavonoids. Beside flavonoid compounds, phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids) and stilbenes are important non-flavonoid compounds present in grapes and wine. In the present review, the biological role of these classes of polyphenols in wine is briefly introduced, together with the knowledge on their bioavailability. The health-protective properties of wines are mainly due to antioxidant activities and capability to eliminate free radicals of the phenolic compounds. Additionally, these compounds (e.g. catechin and their oligomers and proanthocyanidins, quercetin, resveratrol) have been reported to have multiple biological activities, including cardioprotective, anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Epidemiological and clinical studies have pointed out that regular and moderate red wine consumption (one to two glasses a day) is associated with decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain types of cancer, including lung, esophagus, stomach, colon, endometrium, ovarian and prostate cancer. The bioavailability of phenolic compounds differs largely among different polyphenol molecules, thus the most abundant polyphenols in wines are not necessarily those leading to the highest levels of active metabolites in target tissues. Therefore, since wine is a complex mixture, it is likely that a multitude of chemical constituents, as well as their metabolites, act synergistically on human health.</p

Factors Influencing the Concentration of Certain Liposoluble Components in Cow and Goat Milk: A Review

Milk fat contains a large number of fatty acids (FA) and other liposoluble components that exhibit various effects on human health. The present article reviews some of the factors affecting FA, vitamin A and cholesterol concentrations in milk from dairy cow and goat. Milk fat composition is linked to many factors, both intrinsic (animal species, breed, lactation stage) and extrinsic (environmental). The effect of animal species on milk fat composition is important, as reflected by higher concentrations of short- and medium-chain FA, vitamin A and cholesterol in goat than in cow milk. In a given ruminant species, the effects linked to breed are significant but limited and they can only be achieved over long periods of time. The lactation stage has an important effect on milk FA composition, mainly linked to body fat mobilisation in early lactation, but it only lasts a few weeks each year. Furthermore, changes in feeding have a marked influence on milk fat composition. Changing the forages in the diet of ruminants, pasture in particular, or supplementing lipids to the diet, represent an efficient mean to modify milk fat composition by decreasing saturated FA and cholesterol, and increasing cis-9,trans-11-CLA and vitamin A. Nutrition therefore constitutes a natural strategy to rapidly modulate milk FA, vitamin A and cholesterol composition, with the overall aim of improving the long-term health of consumers