Changes in durum wheat kernel and pasta proteins induced by toasting and drying processes

Durum wheat kernels were subjected to a toasting process and the proteins characterised by size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) and sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. With this physical process, albumins and globulins, as well as glutenins and gliadins, polymerised as seen by a shift of the SE-HPLC profile to lower elution times. The polymerisation seemed to happen mainly through disulphide bonds, even though the participation of ω-gliadins to the aggregation suggested the involvement of other kinds of interactions. It led to the revelation of a new peak originated by thermal aggregation of small polymeric proteins. The changes in the chromatographic profile were accompanied by increasing amounts of total unextractable polymeric proteins. The replacement of semolina with toasted durum wheat flour (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 30%) for the production of pasta in the shape of spaghetti significantly (p < 0.001) affected the molecular size distribution of the polymeric proteins, even though the replacement of semolina with 5% and 10% of toasted durum wheat flour (TDWF) did not significantly (p > 0.05) change the unextractable polymeric proteins (UPP) when compared with spaghetti made with 100% durum semolina. On the other hand, the replacements of semolina with 15–30% TDWF showed significant (p < 0.001) increase in UPP when compared with 100% durum semolina spaghetti.     

Effects of genotype, location and baking on the phenolic content and some antioxidant properties of cereal species

In order to assess the effect of genotype, location and their interaction on total phenolic content (TPC) of chemical extracts, the whole grains of durum and soft wheat, oat, barley and triticale were evaluated. Data showed differences in phenolic content of chemical extracts among cereal species and the analysis of variance confirmed the key role of location. Besides TPC and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values assessed by chemical extraction were compared with those obtained with an in vitro digestive enzymatic extraction. Differences were found between methanolic and enzymatic extracts, and data confirmed that enzymatic technique enhanced extraction of antioxidants but pointed out lesser differences among cereal types. The breads obtained by flours enriched with different levels of bran were also evaluated. Chemical extracts highlighted the increasing levels of antioxidants according to bran enrichments, without pointing out changes caused by baking. The enzymatic extraction instead did not show differences regarding to bran enrichments, but documented a loss in antioxidant properties of breads in respect to corresponding flours. On the other hand the scarce differences between flours and corresponding breads did not allow asserting that baking modified the TPC and TEAC, independently of the extraction methods used. Indeed, during baking process, also the observed phenolic acids profile variations did not vary the antioxidant properties of breads.     

Effects of different vinification technologies on physical and chemical characteristics of Sauvignon blanc wines

In order to investigate the effects of cryomaceration and reductive vinification on chemical and physical indices and on antioxidant compounds of Sauvignon blanc wines, four wine-making procedures were applied: traditional white vinification, skin cryomaceration, vinification in a reductive environment, and a combination of the last two procedures. Significant differences were highlighted by both conventional analyses and NMR spectroscopy. The strongest changes were for organic acid concentrations (tartaric, in particular) and phenolic content. Cryomaceration caused a strong precipitation of tartaric acid, which may be desired if grapes have high acidity values. Cryomaceration protected those flavans reactive with vanillin from the action of oxidative enzymes. Vinification in a reductive environment, alone or combined with a cryomaceration step, gave wines with the highest solids content and caused a greater extraction of phenolic compounds from skins compared to traditional winemaking or cryomaceration alone, due to SO₂ solubilisation. Grape oenological expression can be strongly affected by the application of the investigated wine-making procedures.     

Changes in Quality Indices,Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Flavored Olive Oils during Storage

The chemical characteristics, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of olive oils flavored with garlic, lemon, oregano, hot pepper, and rosemary were evaluated during 9 months of storage. At the end of the storage period, the unflavored and the garlic-flavored oils maintained their chemical parameters within the limits fixed for extra-virgin olive oils. After 9 months of storage, a noticeable decrease in phenolic content was observed in all the oils. The highest (35.0 ± 3.9 mg/kg oil) and the lowest (6.3 ± 0.4 mg/kg) phenolic contents were detected in the unflavored and garlic-flavored oils, respectively. Compounds such as 3,4-DHPEA-EDA (3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl 4-formyl-3-formylmethyl-4-hexenoate, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol) and p-HPEA-EDA (dialdehydic form of the decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to tyrosol) were the most abundant in both unflavored and lemon-flavored oils up till 6 months of storage. At the end of the storage period, increases in 3,4-DHPEA (hydroxytyrosol) and p-HPEA (tyrosol) were measured in almost all the oils. During storage, the antioxidant activity coefficients of the phenolic extracts, calculated according to the β-carotene bleaching assay, significantly decreased and, after 9 months, were in a decreasing order: rosemary (51.3 ± 4.2), hot pepper, lemon, oregano, unflavored, and garlic (8.5 ± 0.7).     

Use of nisin, lysozyme and EDTA for inhibiting microbial growth in chilled buffalo meat

The effect of nisin, lysozyme and lysozyme combined with disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate salt (EDTA) for inhibiting the growth of spoilage micro‐organisms in buffalo meat was investigated. Prior to packaging, the samples were alternatively dipped in solutions containing different concentrations of nisin, lysozyme and combinations of a pre‐fixed amount of lysozyme and different concentrations of EDTA. The packed meat samples were stored at 4 °C, and the microbial changes were monitored for a period of 8 days. The best results, in terms of microbial shelf‐life extension, were obtained by dipping the meat steaks in a solution containing a combination of 0.5% of lysozyme and 2% of EDTA. This treatment was able to reduce the growth of all the investigated bacteria and showed a bactericidal effect on Brochotrix thermosphacta during the entire period of storage.