NIR and MIR spectroscopy as rapid methods to monitor red wine fermentation

Fifteen micro-fermentation trials were conducted during the 2008 vintage harvest in the Valtellina (Northern Italy) viticultural area. During fermentation, the spectra were achieved in the near and mid-infrared region by a FT-NIR spectrometer and a FT-IR spectrometer, respectively. Samples were also analysed by using chemical methods to evaluate sugars (glucose and fructose), alcohols (ethanol and glycerol) and phenolic compounds (total phenolics, total anthocyanins and total flavonoids). The pretreated spectral data were processed using principal component analysis. After feature selection by the algorithm SELECT, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was applied to spectral data as a classification technique, to predict the fermentation stage from initial to final phase. Moreover, partial least square regression was used to predict sugar content, ethanol, glycerol and phenolic compounds simultaneously. LDA results, characterised by a high percentage of correct classification (87% and 100% as average value in prediction for NIR and MIR spectroscopy, respectively), showed that samples belonging to a particular fermentation step could be correctly classified. Good calibration models for the prediction of the main compositional changes during alcoholic fermentation were obtained with both FT-NIR and FT-IR, suggesting that either instruments could be used to evaluate online and simultaneously these compounds in red wine.     

Validation of the performance of a GMO multiplex screening assay based on microarray detection

A new screening method for the detection and identification of GMO, based on the use of multiplex PCR followed by microarray, has been developed and is presented. The technology is based on the identification of quite ubiquitous GMO genetic target elements first amplified by PCR, followed by direct hybridisation of the amplicons on a predefined microarray (DualChip^® GMO, Eppendorf, Germany). The validation was performed within the framework of a European project (Co-Extra, contract no 007158) and in collaboration with 12 laboratories specialised in GMO detection. The present study reports the strategy and the results of an ISO complying validation of the method carried out through an inter-laboratory study. Sets of blind samples were provided consisting of DNA reference materials covering all the elements detectable by specific probes present on the array. The GMO concentrations varied from 1% down to 0.045%. In addition, a mixture of two GMO events (0.1% RRS diluted in 100% TOPAS19/2) was incorporated in the study to test the robustness of the assay in extreme conditions. Data were processed according to ISO 5725 standard. The method was evaluated with predefined performance criteria with respect to the EC CRL method acceptance criteria. The overall method performance met the acceptance criteria; in particular, the results showed that the method is suitable for the detection of the different target elements at 0.1% concentration of GMO with a 95% accuracy rate. This collaborative trial showed that the method can be considered as fit for the purpose of screening with respect to its intra- and inter-laboratory accuracy. The results demonstrated the validity of combining multiplex PCR with array detection as provided by the DualChip^® GMO (Eppendorf, Germany) for the screening of GMO. The results showed that the technology is robust, practical and suitable as a screening tool.     

Discovery and Pharmacophore Mapping of a Low-Nanomolar Inhibitor of P. falciparum Growth

The treatment of malaria, the most common parasitic disease worldwide and the third deadliest infection after HIV and tuberculosis, is currently compromised by the dramatic increase and diffusion of drug resistance among the various species of Plasmodium, especially P. falciparum (Pf). In this view, the development of new antiplasmodial agents that are able to act via innovative mechanisms of action, is crucial to ensure efficacious antimalarial treatments. In one of our previous communications, we described a novel class of compounds endowed with high antiplasmodial activity, characterized by a pharmacophore never described before as antiplasmodial and identified by their 4,4’-oxybisbenzoyl amide cores. Here, through a detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) study, we thoroughly investigated the chemical features of the reported scaffolds and successfully built a novel antiplasmodial agent active on both chloroquine (CQ)-sensitive and CQ-resistant Pf strains in the low nanomolar range, without displaying cross-resistance. Moreover, we conducted an in silico pharmacophore mapping.     

An integrated look at the effect of structure on nutrient bioavailability in plant foods

The true bioavailability of a nutrient being intrinsically coupled to the specific food matrix in which it occurs remains poorly considered in nutrition science. During digestion, the food matrix and, in particular, the structure of food modulate the extent and kinetics to which nutrients and bioactive compounds make themselves available for absorption. In this perspective, we describe an integrated look at the effect of structure on nutrient bioavailability in plant foods. Based on this integrated look, cell wall integrity and the particle size of the plant material during its transit in the small intestine determine the bioavailability of plant nutrients; in turn, cell wall integrity and particle size are determined by the level of oral processing and, accordingly, what subsequently escapes digestion in the upper intestine and is utilized by colon microbiota. Ultimately, the effect on nutrient digestion is linked to food structure through each step of digestion. A consideration of the structure rather than just the composition of foods opens up possibilities for the design of healthier foods. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Twenty-five years of total antioxidant capacity measurement of foods and biological fluids: merits and limitations

This review summarises 25 years of investigations on antioxidants research in foods and biological fluids and critically analyses the merits and limitations of using the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) measurement in the metabolomic era. An enormous bulk of knowledge was produced regarding the antioxidant capacity of foods and large TAC databases were developed. A direct link between a food TAC value and any health benefit is erroneous and has led to several cases of consumer deception. However, the striking epidemiological evidence associating a high dietary TAC with some disease prevention and the availability of well-constructed TAC databases deserve attention and must be taken into account to establish the usefulness of measuring TAC in both foods and biological samples. The in vivo TAC measurement, usually performed in plasma, is influenced by many external factors, such as dietary habits, as well as environmental and behavioural factors, which are integrated towards homeostatic control by fine physiological mechanisms with high inter-individual variability. Therefore, plasma TAC cannot be considered as a unique biomarker of individual antioxidant status. However, the combined evaluation of plasma TAC with known markers of disease, individual metabolism, inflammation and genetics, as well as with markers of gut microbiota composition and activity, may lead to the identification of populations that are more responsive to food/diet TAC. In this framework, the appropriate use of TAC measurement both in food and in vivo can still provide support for the interpretation of complex phenomena and be a tool for sample screening when making a quick decision toward in-depth research investigations. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nutritional aspects of gluten‐free products

In recent years, gluten‐free (GF) goods have become popular, fuelling a growing market, as they not only cater to individuals with medical needs but also to consumers who seek a GF diet. In their development, it is pivotal to pay attention to nutritional quality. This review aims to provide some insights on the nutritional quality of GF products, focusing on major concerns and the strategies to overcome them. In order to mimic the viscoelastic properties of gluten, a large number of flours and starches and other ingredients have been used. Therefore the different mixtures of these ingredients bring a wide difference in the nutritional composition of GF foods with respect to gluten‐containing counterparts. Several GF foodstuffs contain more fat, including saturated, and salt but fewer minerals and vitamins than their equivalents with gluten. The increased fibre content and improved technological processes have positively affected the glycaemic responses from these goods. However, in order to improve their nutritional quality, wholemeal GF cereals and pseudocereals with high nutritive value should replace the low‐nutritional GF flours and consequently the technological processes would be optimized. The improvement of the nutritional quality of GF products, and in turn that of the GF diet, should also be aimed at lowering the risk of later chronic degenerative disorders, especially for infants and young children. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

In‐channel wood‐related hazards at bridges: A review

In‐channel wood is a key component in fluvial ecosystems; however, transport of in‐channel wood during floods can create hazards in urbanized areas. Among the main problems is wood accumulation at bridges, which reduces flow openings, causes blockage and inundation of nearby areas and, eventually, results in structures collapsing. Increasing awareness of the importance of the ecological role of wood in rivers calls for a compromise between the preservation of river ecosystems and management strategies for the prevention of wood‐related hazards. In recent years, knowledge related to in‐channel wood dynamics and hazards has notably increased, and a significant body of valuable information can be found in an extensive number of studies. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the most relevant advances regarding in‐channel wood‐bridge interactions. We review the factors controlling wood accumulation formation and summarize the different approaches used to analyse this process, namely, physical and numerical modelling. Finally, we conclude by highlighting the most important knowledge gaps, addressing particularly underresearched fields and stressing the remaining challenges.     

Mass spectrometry in the biosynthetic and structural investigation of lignins

Lignin, a resistant cell-wall constituent of all vascular plants that consists of ether and carbon-linked methoxyphenols, is still far from being structurally described in detail. The main problem in its structural elucidation is the difficulty of isolating lignin from other wood components without damaging lignin itself. Furthermore, the high number and variegated forms of linkages that occur between the monomeric units and the chemical resistance of certain ether bonds limit the extent to which analytical and degradation procedures can be used to elucidate the lignin structure. Most of our present knowledge about the molecular structure of lignin is based on the analysis of monomers, dimers or, at the most, tetramers of degraded isolated lignins. Mass spectrometry (MS), which offers advantages in terms of speed, specificity, and sensitivity, has revealed to be a very powerful technique in the structural elucidation of lignins, in combination with the great number of chemical and thermal degradation methods available in the study of lignin. Moreover, the recent development of new ionization techniques in MS-electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MS-has provided new possibilities to also analyze the undegraded lignin macromolecule.