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Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst R.E. Fries) has recently attracted a renewed interest by the bio-based industry due to its high seed oil content (up to 57%), particularly erucic acid (up to 65% of total fatty acids), short growing cycle, and high drought tolerance. A field trial was conducted during four consecutive growing seasons (2016−19) in Greece, Poland, and Italy. The commercial crambe variety (Galactica) was sown in early, intermediate, and late sowing dates in spring at two seeding rates (LD: 100 seeds m−2, and HD: 200 seeds m−2) in a factorial design at each test location. Mean crambe seed yields exceeded 1.5 Mg DM ha-1 across all years and locations. Italy and Greece were the most productive sites, with average seed yields of 2.11 Mg DM ha-1 and 1.97 Mg DM ha-1, respectively. Oil yield, which was only determined in Italy and Poland, was about 30% greater in the southern environment (Italy). Nevertheless, 1000-seed weight was greater in Poland (6.49 g) than Italy (6.12 g), revealing that lower temperatures during seed filling resulted in heavier seeds. In conclusion, sowing date played a key role in crambe productivity, with the earliest sowing resulting in highest yields across all locations.

Einkorn wheat bulgur is a traditional food deeply rooted in some areas of Turkey, since ages. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of simulated traditional bulgur preparation on einkorn wheat bioactive compound content. A local einkorn wheat grain sample from Turkey was boiled for 2, 3 and 4 h, then dried in a thermo-ventilated oven. Tocols, carotenoids, phytosterols and phenolics, determined as free (FPC) and bound (BPC) phenolic compounds, were analysed in hulled (spikelets) and dehulled (kernels) bulgur samples, to highlight also glumes’ contribute to their content and evolution. Kernel carotenoid and tocol content significantly decreased following bulgur preparation, to an extent of 42–58% and 15–30%, respectively. Phytosterols slightly decreased in cooked (12–19%), with respect to raw kernels. Phenolics showed different patterns, highlighting glumes’ contribute: kernel FPC increased (+87%) after 4 h of boiling, whereas no significant variations were observed for BPC. A drastic decrease of total and BPC (20.5–28.0%), was observed in spikelets following bulgur preparation. Ferulic and p-coumaric acid resulted the most abundant phenolic acids, respectively, in kernels and spikelets. Decreases in tocol, carotenoids and phytosterol contents were observed whereas an increase of kernel FPC content was calculated after cooking.

Garlic-based extracts have been surveyed as healthy promoting supplements in relation to their content of organosulfur compounds. The present study investigated the effect of high pressure extraction and maceration, and four extraction solvents (three hydroalcoholic mixtures and sunflower oil) on the total and relative amounts of the main organosulfur compounds of clove and stem extracts of the Italian ecotype "Aglio Rosso di Sulmona" (Sulmona Red Garlic). Organosulfur compounds were more abundant in cloves than in stem extracts. High pressure extraction led to higher recoveries of hydrophilic compounds than maceration whereas the highest amounts of lipophilic compounds were detected in macerates. A higher alliin-to-allicin conversion ratio was detected in clove, in comparison to stem extracts. Sunflower oil fostered allicin decay to compounds such as ajoenes, vinyldithiins and sulfides. The use of specific extraction methods may lead to standardised grade extracts, both from native raw materials and by-products.

Glume removal is the preliminary operation to make hulled wheats suitable to human consumption. Traditionally glumes are separated from kernels by means of stone mills, simultaneously causing kernel crushing, a loss of kernel parts and associated phytochemicals. The aim of this study was to compare bioactive compound retention of hulled wheat products obtained by traditional processing still used in Turkey and Armenia, with a more update plant located in Italy. On-plant samplings were carried out in two einkorn wheat bulgur processing plants in Turkey, and one emmer wheat processing plant, in Armenia and Italy. Whole and crushed kernels sampled at different processing stages were analysed for their phytochemical compound content. For the Italian plant, also the pearling process was considered. Whole kernels showed higher contents of lipid and phytochemical compounds than the correspondent processed fractions, with special respect for tocopherols and phytosterols. Carotenoid content was mainly affected by genotype. Pearling had a lower effect on the content of phytochemicals; however the correspondent waste fraction showed very high amounts of lipids and other compounds. All the plants showed similar retention of phytochemicals upon processing, with higher losses occurring in smaller kernel crushed fractions, mainly because of the loss of the germ.

none 3 no In the present study, curly endive (Cichorium endivia L. var. crispum) and escarole (Cichorium endivia L. var. latifolium) accessions were investigated for their sensory characters (bitterness, astringency and herbaceous flavour) and acceptance in relation to sesquiterpene lactone and phenolic content. Different facets of the perception of these sensory traits in relation to lactones and phenolics were brought out. Lactucopicrin and kaempferol malonyl glucoside were consistently related to bitterness, astringency and herbaceous flavour perceptions. Overall acceptance was significantly and inversely related mainly to bitterness. The generic statement that sesquiterpene lactones and phenolic compounds are determinants of bitterness and other related sensory characters does not seem to be fully consistent with our data, that indicated how the balance of different compounds affects these traits individually, in a rather complex manner, with a prevailing negative impact of phenolics. Bitter, astringent, and herbaceous perceptions were significantly affected by variety, with curly endive showing on average higher scores in comparison to escarole, with particular respect to bitterness. D'Antuono, L. Filippo; Ferioli, Federico; Manco, Manuela Agata D'Antuono, L. Filippo; Ferioli, Federico; Manco, Manuela Agata

Onions (Allium cepa L.) are the most important Allium vegetables whose increasing popu- larity is related to their pungent taste and richness in non-nutrient bioactive compounds. Many diverse local types are present and valued in several areas, although still poorly characterized. In the present study, fresh edible parts from Italian and Ukrainian bulb onion, potato onion, and shallot populations were analyzed for their phenolic and cysteine sulfoxide content and antioxidant capacity. Fifteen phenolic compounds, belonging to flavonols and anthocyanins, and two cysteine sulfoxides, methiin and isoalliin, were quan- tified. Total phenolics and cysteine sulfoxides were in the range 2595–9840 and 6777–18,916 mg kg-1 d.m., respectively. On average, potato onion phenolic con- tent was 55 and 59 % higher than in bulb onion and shallot accessions, respectively. Bulb and potato onions showed a similar cysteine sulfoxide content, whereas in shallots sulfoxide level was about 17 % lower. Flavonols were related to antioxidant capacity in both low and high anthocyanin types; however anthocyanins gave a prominent contribution to total antioxidant capacity in red onions. Quantitative vari- ations of some components allowed a clear discrimi- nation among the three groups of onions, highlighting the possibility of selection for both low or high content of specific components.

BACKGROUNDKales are primitive leafy Brassica oleracea L. forms, widespread in local farming systems of several European countries and employed in the preparation of traditional recipes. Kales are also potential sources of healthy bioactive phytochemical components. The present study compared the bioactive compound content of kale populations from Italy, Portugal, and Turkey, either from local sources or grown in an experimental field. RESULTSTotal phenolics, glucosinolates (GLS), carotenoids, and chlorophylls were in the ranges 8310-38 110, 755-8580, 135-2354, and 1740-16 924 mg kg(-1) dry matter, respectively. On average, locally harvested samples showed a total GLS content about twice as high as populations from the experiment. Conversely, pigments were significantly more abundant in experimental than in local kales, owing to the higher soil fertility. Portuguese samples showed higher phenolic and GLS amounts than Italian and Turkish kales, whereas some of the Italian samples were the richest in carotenoids. CONCLUSIONThis paper represented the first cross-country comparison of local kale accessions with respect to bioactive compound amounts. Both geographic origin and growing environment appeared to be remarkable and discriminating factors in determining bioactive levels in leafy kales, with possible effects on their health-promoting and sensorial attributes

Royal jelly (RJ) is a beehive product that has gained a significant scientific and commercial interest due to its healthy properties. In the present study, lipid content, fatty acid profile and phytosterol amount were determined in eight local and four commercial pure RJ samples. A mixture of diethyl ether/isopropanol 50/1 (v/v) was chosen to extract fat matter from RJ. Lipid amounts ranged from 2.3 and 7.2 % and from 2.0 to 3.2 % of the fresh product in local and commercial RJ, respectively. Fourteen fatty acids and three phytosterols were identified. About 70 % of the total fatty acids consisted of (E)-10-hydroxy-2-decenoic and 10-hydroxydecanoic acid. No significant difference was observed between local and commercial samples in regards to the relative amount of individual fatty acids. Sterols were in the range 179-701 and 329-1,097 mg kg-1 of fat in local and commercial RJ, respectively. A significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) was observed within RJ types in regards to the 24-methylenecholesterol fraction, amounting to 77 and 67 % of identified sterols in local and commercial products, respectively. © 2014 AOCS.

Besides being cholesterol-lowering agents, phytosterols (PS) can inhibit the growth and development of tumours. The anti-neoplastic activity is accounted for by PS incorporation into cell membranes, resulting in the interference of membrane functionality. The similarity between the PS cholesterol-lowering and anti-neoplastic effective doses deserves attention on the possible adverse effects even in non-neoplastic cells. To date, few studies have addressed the clarification of this important issue. In the present study, we supplemented primary, non-neoplastic neonatal rat cardiomyocytes with two different PS concentrations (3 or 6 μg/ml), both within the range of human plasma concentration. Cardiac cells were chosen as an experimental model since the heart has been reported as the target organ for subchronic toxicity of PS. Following supplementation, a dose-dependent incorporation of PS and a decrease in cholesterol content were clearly evidenced. PS did not induce apoptosis but caused a reduction in metabolic activity (measured as 3-(4,5-dimethyldiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) conversion) and a slowing down of cell growth. The lower MTT conversion and the similar lactate dehydrogenase release could suggest that PS more efficiently target mitochondria than plasma membrane integrity. The replacement of cholesterol by PS could also have caused the observed slowing down of cell growth and the reduction in metabolic activity, which could rely on the PS increase, cholesterol decrease, or both. The present study is the first report on the effect of PS in cardiac cells, and although it is difficult to translate the obtained results to the health of heart tissue, it raises concerns about the safety of long-term exposure to physiologically relevant PS concentrations.

The effect of dietary lipid sources (animal fat, AF vs. vegetable oil, VO) was investigated on the phospholipid (PL) fraction of raw chicken meat and pre-cooked chicken patties. PL classes were determined on extracted lipids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) connected with an evaporative light-scattering detector (ELSD). The HPLC-ELSD method showed good intraday repeatability (less than 5% for different PL) and limits of detection ranging from 0.006 mg/mL (phosphatidylethanolamine) to 0.045 mg/mL (sphingomyelin). Diet did not consistently influence PL in chicken breast. A significant difference was assessed in meat batter where total PL were at levels of 349.0 and 388.2 mg/100 g of product in batter from broilers fed AF and VO diet, respectively. Cooking oil absorption caused an important decrease in PL (lower than 300 mg/100 g of product in pre-fried patties). Diet was an effective means to control the PL fatty acid profile in chicken, particularly the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). In minced breast and thigh and meat batter from birds fed a VO-supplemented diet, the relative amount of PUFA was 46, 81 and 28% higher than that determined in the corresponding samples obtained from broilers fed an AF-based diet.

The effect of the type of packaging film (transparent vs. light-protecting red film) was evaluated on the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in refrigerated horse meat slices stored in retail conditions under light exposure for eight hours. In meat wrapped with a transparent film, COPs increased from 233 (control) to 317 μg/g of fat, whereas the red film delayed cholesterol oxidation and offered protection against COPs formation, since COPs decreased from 173 (control) to 139 μg/g of fat after 8 h of light exposure. In addition, light opened the epoxy ring and led to the formation of triol, which was actually absent at T0. A proper packaging film may represent a useful strategy to retard oxidative degradation in a light-sensitive, high pigment- and fat-containing food, such as horse meat.

This study investigated lipid oxidation in spaghetti enriched in long chain n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n−3 PUFA) by the addition to semolina of an integrator containing eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Two oxidative parameters were evaluated: peroxide value (PV), to assess primary oxidation and oxidised fatty acids to quantify secondary oxidation products. Functional spaghetti had a shelf life comparable to control pasta. LC n−3 PUFA were not significantly implicated in the onset of oxidation in spaghetti stored under daylight and accelerated oxidation in a laboratory heater. Storage decidedly affected shelf life: PV in functional spaghetti increased from 7.1 to 43.4 meq O2/kg of fat under light exposure over 12 months, and from 7.1 to 16.2 meq O2/kg under accelerated ageing at 55 °C for 27 days, reproducing about 18 months at room temperature. Oxidised fatty acids increased in fortified spaghetti from 4.8 to 13.8 g/100 g of fat under light exposure over 12 months and from 4.8 to 7.8 g/100 g of fat at 55 °C in 27 days. The high sensitivity of spectrophotometric and chromatographic analytical methods permitted the evaluation of primary and secondary oxidative derivatives in small amounts of fat.

Fatty acids (free and esterified), diglycerides, peroxides and total sterols were determined in a vegetable cream. Cream samples were analyzed when fresh and after storage for 3 and 6 months at 4, 15, 30C and room temperature (10–25C). The product showed a higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids (≈50% of total fatty acids) with respect to milk fat and a low level of cholesterol (

Enantiopure N,N′-bidentate ligands (N,N′)*, containing substituted aziridine and aza-aromatic rings, were prepared from imines derived from (S)-valinol or (R)-phenylglycinol and heteroaromatic aldehydes (2-pyridine-, 6-benzyl-2-pyridine-, 2- and 8-quinolinecarbaldehyde) by the addition of iPrMgCl and subsequent cyclisation of the 1,2-amino alcohol moiety to aziridine. Crystalline [(N,N′)*(η3-allyl)Pd][SbF6] complexes were prepared from these ligands and used as catalysts in the alkylation of sodium dimethyl malonate with 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate and carbonate. By comparing the performances of two complexes bearing similar pyridine-aziridine ligands but with a different C2-aziridine substituent (Ph vs. iPr), a better enantioselectivity was provided by the Ph-substituted ligand (90 % vs. 41 % ee), whereas the presence of a C6-pyridine benzyl substituent caused inversion of the enantioselectivity. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)

BACKGROUND: In recent years there has been a considerable interest in the consumption of ancient wheats, often referred to as having superior health-promoting properties than modern cultivars. The BaSeFood project allowed us to explore the use of primitive wheats in the Black Sea area region and in Italy, with special regard to emmer (Triticum dicoccum) and einkorn (T. monococcum), and to collect seed samples to be grown and compared for their bioactive content, together with some other primitive wheat genotypes (T. timopheevi, T. palaeo-colchicum, T. macha). RESULTS: The data show that genotype was an important factor controlling phytochemical content. Variability ranges were as follows: lipids (18.0-28.5gkg-1), tocols (26.6-72.8mgkg-1), carotenoids (1.6-8.4mgkg-1), sterols (441-929mgkg-1) and phenolic compounds (819-1465mgkg-1) content (dry matter basis). The fraction of individual components, within each class, was also variable; however, the species were well discriminated by their overall composition. CONCLUSIONS: The present research represents a further contribution to the available literature about the analytical composition of primitive wheats, including the complete range of relevant bioactives and lesser investigated species. The data do not support an overall superiority of primitive forms, but evidenced interesting, potentially exploitable, between- and within-species variability. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.