Prodotti dolciari freschi e da forno tipici: valutazione delle alterazioni microbiologiche, chimico fisiche e di texture e sviluppo di interventi tecnologici a basso impatto sulla tipicità per l'estensione della shelf life

The aim of this work was to optimize the processing and packaging technologies of two typical sweets of the traditional Sardinian confectionery, the "Formaggelle" (baked) and the "Seadas" (fresh). The main cause of alteration, for these sweets, is mainly microbiological, due to the high values of aw, that may promote the development of alterative micro-organisms, and, particularly in the seadas, the development of pathogens. Seadas testing: The pasteurised seadas have been packed in ordinary atmosphere (AO) and in modified atmosphere (AM) (50%CO2/50%N2) and stored at 4°C. At regular intervals of 0, 7, 14, 28, 35 and 42 days the seadas were analysed. Microbiological, chemical-physical, sensory and gas analyses were carried out. Groups of moulds were noticed on the seadas at the tenth day of storage in AO, while the shelf life of seadas stored in AM was extended up to 42 days. Formaggelle testing: The just baked formaggelle were packed in four different ways: ordinary atmosphere (AO), modified atmosphere (AM) with different concentrations of N2/CO2 (70%/30% and 20%/80%) and active packaging (AP) with the use of oxygen absorber sachets. Formaggelle were stored at 20°C and sampled for analysis at 0, 7, 14, 27, 35 and 48 days. Determinations included microbiological analyses, chemical-physical parameters, gas changes inside MAP and AP trays, texture evolution and sensory analysis. AP allowed a shelf life of 48 days, MAP shelf lives were of 14 and 34 days for 70%/30% and 20%/80%, respectively, while AO spoiled after only 7 days

Apricot melanoidins prevent oxidative endothelial cell death by counteracting mitochondrial oxidation and membrane depolarization

The cardiovascular benefits associated with diets rich in fruit and vegetables are thought to be due to phytochemicals contained in fresh plant material. However, whether processed plant foods provide the same benefits as unprocessed ones is an open question. Melanoidins from heat-processed apricots were isolated and their presence confirmed by colorimetric analysis and browning index. Oxidative injury of endothelial cells (ECs) is the key step for the onset and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), therefore the potential protective effect of apricot melanoidins on hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative mitochondrial damage and cell death was explored in human ECs. The redox state of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial compartments was detected by using the redox-sensitive, fluorescent protein (roGFP), while the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed with the fluorescent dye, JC-1. ECs exposure to hydrogen peroxide, dose-dependently induced mitochondrial and cytoplasmic oxidation. Additionally detected hydrogen peroxide-induced phenomena were MMP dissipation and ECs death. Pretreatment of ECs with apricot melanoidins, significantly counteracted and ultimately abolished hydrogen peroxide-induced intracellular oxidation, mitochondrial depolarization and cell death. In this regard, our current results clearly indicate that melanoidins derived from heat-processed apricots, protect human ECs against oxidative stress

Texture and sensory changes of a fresh ewe's cheese packed under different modified atmospheres

Shelf-life extension of fresh ewe's milk cheese packaged with three different MAP conditions was studied. Fresh cheeses were stored in barrier trays, hermetically sealed with a barrier to gas and water film. The gas mixtures used were: 20%CO2/80%N2, 30%CO2/70%N2 and 50%CO2/50%N2. Trays were stored at 4°C and inspected at 0,7, 14 and 21 days. Physical-chernical and rnicrobiological analyses (pH, colour, dry matter, aw, mesophilic micro-organisms, psychrotrops, total coliforrns, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphilococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes), gas composition inside the packaging (CO2, O2 and N2), texture analysis (puncture test and Texture Pro file Analysis-TPA) and sensory evaluation (acceptability test by scoring for colour, flavour, taste and texture) were carried out. Samples packaged with 30%CO2/70% N2 and 50%CO2/50% N2 had a shelf life of 21 days. Pathogens were not found during all the storage. Cheese stored with 30%CO2/70%N2 reached the best acceptability score to the sensory evaluation

Influenza della temperatura di essiccamento sui polifenoli e sulla capacità antiossidante delle susine Stanley

Changes in phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and ascorbic acid in prunes dried at 85°C and 60°C, were studied. Results obtained showed a significant decrease for ascorbic acid. It has to be highlighted that drying at 85°C resulted in keeping the polyphenolic pool and sharply raising the antioxidant activity, while the opposite happened for plums dried at 60°C. Lo studio ha riguardato l'evoluzione dei composti fenolici e dell'attività antiossidante di susine della varietà Stanley in seguito all’essiccamento a due temperature. Sui frutti freschi ed essiccati sono stati analizzati i composti fenolici, l’acido ascorbico e la capacità antiossidante. I risultati ottenuti hanno evidenziato un decremento significativo dell’acido ascorbico nei campioni essiccati. Si evidenzia che l’uso di un’alta temperatura porta ad un mantenimento della componente polifenolica ed a un aumento di oltre 9 volte dell’attività antiossidante in vitro, rispetto ai frutti freschi, mentre nelle susine essiccate a 60°C si ha una diminuzione di entrambi i parametri

Effect of drying temperature on polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity of apricots

This study was carried out in order to check for the influence of drying parameters on the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity on two apricot cultivars (Pelese and Cafona) using two sets of air drying temperatures: (1) air temperature at 55 °C; (2) air temperature at 75 °C. Whole fresh and dried fruits were assessed for: phenolics, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity and redox potential (all parameters were calculated on a dry matter basis). Analysis of data shows that the decrease in chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acid in Cafona cultivar is higher at the lower drying temperature. Catechin showed the same behaviour of hydroxycinnamic acids in both cultivars, while the decrease in the other compounds was significantly more marked in the sample dried at 75 °C. The antioxidant activity increased significantly in Cafona fruits and this increase was confirmed by a diminution of the redox potential

Effetto dell’estrazione a basso impatto ossidativo sulla capacità antiossidante <i>in vitro</i> e sulla qualità di oli extra-vergini di oliva della Sardegna

Milling technology has a great effect on the quality of olive oils. This paper was aimed to compare the differences in quality between two Sardinian extra virgin monovarietal oils obtained with a traditional and with a low oxidative stress technology. Peroxide value and acidity were lower in oils extracted with a low oxidative stress, which resulted in up to 114% higher total phenol content, with respect to oils obtained with the traditional technology. The low oxidative stress technology, moreover, permitted them to have significantly higher values of antioxidant activity, which is to be ascribed to the higher phenol content

Cooperating to improve healthcare in Arab countries

This brief note presents a few examples of successful health collaboration to improve healthcare in Arab countries. Considerable growth has been noticed in the past years in the health sector of the Middle East and North Africa region countries due to the need to address health service capacity gaps and improve the quality of health infrastructure. The rising population coupled with the aging demographic is expected to drive healthcare demand in the Arab region, augmenting its demand. In order to meet this demand, a lot of progress within the public sector has been made and several initiatives have taken place to create awareness of the most common diseases affecting the region. Among the steps undertaken in order to face the shortage of experience of medical personnel and the rising cost of the delivery of health services, the most noticeable ones relate to major investments within the realm of healthcare provision. However, country-specific drivers of disease burden should inform financial and research investments, prevention efforts, health policies, and health system improvement initiatives for all countries along the development continuum. Moreover, health gains will need to be sustained by supporting interventions on income, education, and fertility as drivers of health improvement

Exaggerated QT prolongation after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation

AbstractOBJECTIVESThe purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the extent of drug-induced QT prolongation by dofetilide is greater in sinus rhythm (SR) after cardioversion compared with during atrial fibrillation (AF).BACKGROUNDAnecdotes suggest that when action potential–prolonging antiarrhythmic drugs are used for AF, excessive QT prolongation and torsades de pointes (TdP) often occur shortly after sinus rhythm is restored.METHODSQT was measured in nine patients with AF who received two identical infusions of dofetilide: 1) before elective direct current cardioversion and 2) within 24 h of restoration of SR.RESULTSDuring AF, dofetilide did not prolong QT (baseline: 368 ± 48 ms vs. drug: 391 ± 60, p = NS) whereas during SR, QT was prolonged from 405 ± 55 to 470 ± 67 ms (p < 0.01). In four patients (group I), the SR dofetilide infusion was terminated early because QT prolonged to >500 ms, and one patient developed asymptomatic nonsustained TdP. The remaining five patients (group II) received the entire dose during SR. Although ΔQT was greater in group I during SR (91 ± 22 vs. 45 ± 25 ms, p < 0.05), plasma dofetilide concentrations during SR were similar in the two groups (2.72 ± 0.96 vs. 2.77 ± 0.25 ng/ml), and in AF (2.76 ± 1.22 ng/ml). ΔQT in SR correlated inversely with baseline SR heart rate (r = −0.69, p < 0.05), and QT dispersion developing during the infusion (r = 0.79, p < 0.01).CONCLUSIONSShortly after restoration of SR, there was increased sensitivity to QT prolongation by this IKr-specific blocker. Slower heart rates after cardioversion and QT dispersion during treatment appear to be important predictors of this response

Effectiveness of active and modified atmosphere packaging on the shelf-life extension of a cheese tart

The shelflife extension by MAP and AP of a typical cheese tart was studied. Baked tarts were packaged inside barrier to gas trays and wrapped with a barrier to gas and water film. Four batches were prepared: 1) Control; 2) MAP with different N2/CO2 ratios (70/30 and 20/80); 3) Trays with an iron oxide-based oxygen absorber. Tarts were stored at 20°C and sampled for analysis at 0,7, 14,27,35 and 48 days. Determinations inc1uded microbioIogical analyses (total bacterial count, moulds, yeast and staphylococci), chemical-physical parameters (pH, water activity and dry matter), gas changes (CO2, O2 and N2) inside MAP and AP trays, texture evolution and sensory analysis at our laboratories. AP allowed a shelf life of 48 days, MAP shelf lives were of 14 and 34 days for 70/30 and (20/80), respectiveIy, while controI tarts spoiled after only 7 days