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The European Extreme Events Climate Index (E3CI) is an innovative climate service (operational since January 2021) to assess the frequency and severity of weather-induced hazards over Europe. This service has been funded by Foundation Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Human Development (IFAB) and developed through the collaboration between Fondazione CMCC Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) and Leithà Unipol Group. Specifically, E3CI proposes to define a synthetic index aimed at providing information about the areas affected by different types of weather-induced hazards and the significance of such events. At this stage, E3CI permits equipping Europe, SADC (Southern African Development Community) and North America with an index similar to Actuaries Climate Index, (NA-ACI; actuariesclimateindex.org) developed over North America and already fully operational. From a methodological point of view, using ERA5 reanalysis data (Hersbach et al., 2020), E3CI permits evaluating seven main dynamics: cold and heat stresses, droughts, extreme precipitation, winds, the predisposing conditions leading to hail events and forest fire. Furthermore, five E3CI components are tested using a subset of regional climate projections from the EURO-CORDEX (Jacob et al., 2014, 2020; Giorgi and Gutowski, 2015) program at the highest available resolution (about 11 km) considering three different future periods (2011-2040; 2041-2070; 2017-2100) and three different concentration scenarios. The data are aggregated at different Administrative unit levels and combined into a single index providing an overall view for the domain and period of interest. A key aspect of E3CI is the standardization of the different components over a reference thirty-year period (1981-2010). It is a key aspect of the process because it makes comparable the outputs returned according to different approaches and for different issues; it can limit, in a way, also the influence of potential weaknesses affecting the original datasets used for computation. E3CI applications range in a wide area comprising both scientific and technical use cases. Such information can be useful to adjust rate adequacy levels, improve budgeting capabilities and risk management, designing index-linked financial instruments and new insurance and reinsurance products. In addition, E3CI can be adopted to pursue education and sustainability targets, such as to increase awareness about climate change impacts, to support public decision-making processes for sustainable development, to provide a scientifically-sounding measure to monitor climate trends. Finally, this service can change the way financial and insurance markets operate by providing indices that allow to more accurately measure risks related to extreme weather conditions.

Several models in the applied sciences are characterized by instantaneous changes in the solutions or discontinuities in the vector field. Knowledge of the geometry of interaction of the flow with the discontinuities can give new insights on the behaviour of such systems. Here, we focus on the class of the piecewise smooth systems of Filippov type. We describe some numerical techniques to locate crossing and sliding regions on the discontinuity surface, to compute the sets of attraction of these regions together with the mathematical form of the separatrices of such sets. Some numerical tests will illustrate our approach.

Several studies investigated the impact of different cooking techniques on the quality of vegetables. However, the use of the combined air-steam cooking is still scarcely debated, despite the advantages informally referred by professional catering workers. In this study, its optimisation was studied on Brussels sprouts and pumpkin cubes to obtain the best physical (texture, colour) and antioxidant (FRAP, total phenols) response, in comparison to a conventional steaming treatment.; Results: Increasing the strength of the air-steam treatment, Brussels sprouts resulted to be softer, less green (higher a* value), richer in phenols and exhibited lower FRAP values than the steamed ones. The air-steamed pumpkin cubes exhibited an equivalent softening degree to that of steamed ones and, under the strongest cooking conditions, a higher antioxidant quality and a yellow darkening (lower b* value). Varying the cooking time and/or temperature, a linear change of force/compression hardness and a* (negative a*: greenness) for Brussels sprouts, b* (yellowness) and total phenol content for pumpkin cubes was observed. A predictive model for these variables was obtained by response surface methodology. The best process conditions to achieve the optimal desirability were also identified.; Conclusion: The application of air-steam cooking under suitable time/temperature conditions could be proposed as an alternative method to a traditional steam cooking on Brussels sprouts and pumpkin cubes, being able to preserve or improve their quality. The best air-steam cooking conditions were 25 min at 90 °C for Brussels sprouts and 10 min at 110 °C for pumpkin. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chestnut and related products are attracting great interest from the food sector, thanks to their gluten-free nature and good content of starch, minerals, vitamins, fibers, and antioxidant compounds. The use of chestnut flour in bread-making proved to be a good way to enhance both the technological and nutritional quality of common products. The enrichment of breads with chestnut flour was acceptable up to a certain level, but excessive content of chestnut flour was to the detriment of the product and a substitution level of about 20%–30% was the most suitable level. The addition of chestnut flour creates a darker and often harder product but, especially for gluten-free breads, it has improved both the dough machinability, consistency, color, and aroma, with even better performance during the shelf life, with promising results. This chapter deals with several scientific explorations of the effects of chestnut enrichment of breads, in both gluten and gluten-free applications.

The comprehension of the thermal phenomena of milk powders is still object of investigation, being the result of complex interactions among their components as affected by composition, storage conditions and manufacturing. For a better understanding of the above-mentioned phenomena, the effect of the single milk component (proteins, casein, whey proteins and lactose) on the thermal behavior of whole and skim milk powders was investigated by means of DSC during heating. Whole milk powders exhibited two endothermic transitions related to the fat crystal melting at temperatures between 276 and 325 K. Glass transitions of lactose (309 K) and caseins (347–358 K) with their enthalpy relaxation phenomena were observed in the milk derivatives, being instead highly influenced from a w and composition in the dried milk. At higher temperature (353–473 K), different exothermic events, such as lactose crystallization, Maillard reaction and/or decomposition of carbohydrates and proteins, were recognized in the curves of milk and protein derivatives powders. A good explanation of the thermal properties of the milk powders was obtained from the comparison with the heating curves of the single components. Lactose resulted the key component of many thermal events, being the molecule more influenced by the environmental conditions. These results can lead to a better comprehension of the physical properties of the milk powders, fundamental for their functional and commercial quality.

Recently, much attention has been directed to the micronutrient content of processed foods. In the present study total phenols, flavonoids, capsaicinoids and antioxidant activity were determined on fresh, boiled and frozen chili peppers cultivars belonging to four Capsicum species (Capsicum annuum, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum chacoense and C. chinense). The obtained data showed that fresh peppers exhibited the highest phenols, flavonoids and capsaicinoids content. Boiling and freezing process negatively influenced the content of these phytochemicals. Generally, C. annuum cultivars have the greater antioxidant activity relatable to the higher phenols and capsaicinoids content. Considering the attention of consumers in respect of the nutritional properties of the food, it seems necessary to address more carefully the effects of food home processing on the healthy compounds.

Edible flowers are receiving renewed interest as rich sources of bioactive compounds. Ethanol extracts of eight edible flowers were phytochemically characterized and investigated for their bioactivity. Rutin, quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and myricetin were selected as standards and quantified by HPLC. The fatty acid profile was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Antioxidant properties were evaluated by using different in vitro tests. The hypoglycemic effects were investigated via the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Sambucus nigra exhibited the highest radical-scavenging activity (IC50 of 1.4 μg/mL), followed by Hedysarum coronarium (IC50 of 1.6 μg/mL). Both species contained high quercetin and rutin contents. S. nigra extract exerted the highest activity in preventing lipid oxidation. Malva sylvestris extract inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 7.8 and 11.3 μg/mL, respectively. These findings support the consumption of edible flowers as functional foods and their use as sources of natural antioxidants by the food industry.

It is well known that the nontrivial solutions of the equation u ⁗ ( r ) + κ u ″ ( r ) + f ( u ( r ) ) = 0 blow up in finite time under suitable hypotheses on the initial data, κ and f . These solutions blow up with large oscillations. Knowledge of the blow-up profile of these solutions is of great importance, for instance, in studying the dynamics of suspension bridges. The equation is also commonly referred to as extended Fisher–Kolmogorov equation or Swift–Hohenberg equation. In this paper we provide details of the blow-up profile. The key idea is to relate this blow-up profile to the existence of periodic solutions for an auxiliary equation.

Spices are appreciated for their medicinal properties besides their use as food adjuncts to enhance the sensory quality of food. In this study, Crocus cancellatus subsp. damascenus was investigated for its antioxidant activities employing different in vitro systems. Stigma extract demonstrated a radical scavenging activity against both 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals with IC50 values of 34.6 and 21.6 µg/mL and a good ferric reducing ability (53.9 µM Fe(II)/g). In order to clarify the potential functional properties of this spice, the carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes and pancreatic lipase inhibitory properties were investigated. Crocus cancellatus subsp. damascenus extract inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 57.1 and 68.6 µg/mL, respectively. The bioactivity was discussed in terms of phytochemicals content. The obtained results may be of interest from a functional point of view or as food additive and to promote the revalorization of this species.

Extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) containing more than 5 mg/20 g tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and their secoiridoids can be recognized by health claims related to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. Therefore, a reliable, accurate, and standardized analytical procedure is needed to determine these markers of EVOO quality. In order to overcome the limitations of current methods, a detailed investigation of sample preparation and chromatographic conditions was performed by UHPLC-UV-HRMS. The use of a C18 fused-core column and nonacidified gradient elution provided single, sharp peaks for oleocanthal and oleacein, allowing their reliable quantitation in UV profiles. Positive- and negative-UHPLC-HRMS/MS characterization of methanolic extracts revealed the presence of dimethyl acetal, methyl hemiacetal, and monohydrate derivatives of all secoiridoids. These artifacts were formed in aqueous methanol, which is usually employed to extract and analyze EVOO phenols, making the HPLC profiles more complex and the measurements less accurate and reproducible. Acetonitrile proved to be a suitable solvent to avoid the formation of secoiridoid dimethyl acetals and methyl hemiacetals and to efficiently extract EVOO bioactive phenols. Finally, the phenolic contents of Italian EVOO samples were determined by UHPLC-UV analysis of acetonitrile extracts before (direct method) and after acid hydrolysis (indirect method). The results indicated that the use of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol as reference standards allowed more accurate quantitative data to be obtained. Direct and indirect methods provided comparable levels of EVOO phenols, highlighting the usefulness of acid hydrolysis in routine analyses. The improved procedure defines the most reliable conditions to provide an analytical method with suitable accuracy and repeatability in the analysis of healthy and functional EVOO phenols.

The lack of updated knowledge about the physical properties of milk powders aimed us to evaluate selected physical properties (water activity, particle size, density, flowability, solubility and colour) of eleven skim and whole milk powders produced in Europe. These physical properties are crucial both for the management of milk powder during the final steps of the drying process, and for their use as food ingredients. In general, except for the values of water activity, the physical properties of skim and whole milk powders are very different. Particle sizes of the spray-dried skim milk powders, measured as volume and surface mean diameter were significantly lower than that of the whole milk powders, while the roller dried sample showed the largest particle size. For all the samples the size distribution was quite narrow, with a span value less than 2. The loose density of skim milk powders was significantly higher than whole milk powders (541.36 vs 449.75 kg/m3). Flowability, measured by Hausner ratio and Carr’s index indicators, ranged from passable to poor when evaluated according to pharmaceutical criteria. The insolubility index of the spray-dried skim and whole milk powders, measured as weight of the sediment (from 0.5 to 34.8 mg), allowed a good discrimination of the samples. Colour analysis underlined the relevant contribution of fat content and particle size, resulted in higher lightness (L*) for skim milk powder than whole milk powder, which, on the other hand, showed higher yellowness (b*) and lower greenness (−a*). In conclusion a detailed knowledge of functional properties of milk powders may allow the dairy to tailor the products to the user and help the food processor to perform a targeted choice according to the intended use.

Several studies investigated the impact of different cooking techniques on the quality of vegetables. However, the use of the combined air-steam cooking is still scarcely debated, despite the advantages informally referred by professional catering workers. In this study, its optimisation was studied on Brussels sprouts and pumpkin cubes to obtain the best physical (texture, colour) and antioxidant (FRAP, total phenols) response, in comparison to a conventional steaming treatment.Increasing the strength of the air-steam treatment, Brussels sprouts resulted to be softer, less green (higher a* value), richer in phenols and exhibited lower FRAP values than the steamed ones. The air-steamed pumpkin cubes exhibited an equivalent softening degree to that of steamed ones and, under the strongest cooking conditions, a higher antioxidant quality and a yellow darkening (lower b* value). Varying the cooking time and/or temperature, a linear change of force/compression hardness and a* (negative a*: greenness) for Brussels sprouts, b* (yellowness) and total phenol content for pumpkin cubes was observed. A predictive model for these variables was obtained by response surface methodology. The best process conditions to achieve the optimal desirability were also identified.The application of air-steam cooking under suitable time/temperature conditions could be proposed as an alternative method to a traditional steam cooking on Brussels sprouts and pumpkin cubes, being able to preserve or improve their quality. The best air-steam cooking conditions were 25 min at 90 °C for Brussels sprouts and 10 min at 110 °C for pumpkin. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The chemical composition of eight Tunisian Rosmarinus officinalis L. populations (A-H) from different bioclimatic areas has been examined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry. The essential oils are characterised by high amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes (58.2-71.7%) followed by monoterpene hydrocabons (15.1-26.7%). 1,8-Cineole, camphor, α-pinene and borneol are the main representative components. The antioxidant activity was investigated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), ferric reducing ability power assay and β-carotene bleaching test. Samples showed antiradical activity by inhibiting DPPH radical with IC50 values ranging from 375.3 to 592.8 μg mL(- 1) for samples F and A, respectively. Sample A also showed the most promising activity in β-carotene bleaching test (IC50 of 31.9 μg mL(- 1)). The essential oils were also screened for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity. Sample G showed the highest activity against AChE (IC50 of 64.7 μg mL(- 1)) while sample D (IC50 of 29.5 μg mL(- 1)) exhibited the most potent activity against BChE.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to evaluate, for the first time, the chemical profile, antioxidant properties and cholinesterase inhibitory activity of dried fruits and honey of Ficus carica (fig) cultivars Dottato, Citrullara, and San Francesco. RESULTS Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of fig extracts identified terpenes, sterols and fatty acids as major constituents. The aroma profile of honey obtained from a mixture of the three cultivars was investigated by solid-phase micro-extraction/GC-MS. 5-(Hydroxymethyl)-2-furancarboxaldehyde, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one and 1,3-dihydroxy-2-propanone were the main compounds. Total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin content are also reported. The San Francesco cultivar is characterised by the highest phenol and flavonoid content, while Dottato showed the major anthocyanin content. The Dottato cultivar exhibited the best radical scavenging activity against both 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (IC50 values of 5.4 and 22.6 µg mL−1, respectively). This cultivar also showed the highest inhibitory activity against both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, with IC50 values of 26.9 and 31.8 µg mL−1, respectively. CONCLUSION Dried figs are a convenient source of bioactive compounds that demonstrated potential neuroprotection and antioxidant effects. Therefore, the addition of figs to the human diet should be recommended by dieticians and nutritionists. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

The content and bioaccessibility of carotenoids from different chili peppers were analysed and the effects of typical domestic processing were investigated. Peppers were analysed before and after cooking by conventional boiling (10 min in 100 °C water) and also following a freezing period of four months in a domestic freezer (−20 °C). The content and bioaccessibility of the eight carotenoids quantified varied, depending on cultivar, species, colour and processing. Provitamin A carotenoids (β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin) and capsanthin were present at highest concentrations in the samples before and after processing. In general, yellow and orange peppers were the best sources of lutein, zeaxanthin and neoxanthin. Xanthophyll carotenoids were more efficiently transferred to the micelles and, therefore, were also more bioavailable. Processing decreased the carotenoid content in certain samples; however, the micellar content was generally not lower for processed peppers; therefore the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from processed peppers is enhanced relative to unprocessed peppers.

Cardiospermum halicacabum is widely used in traditional medicine. Previous studies have focused on the aerial parts, while the seeds have been poorly investigated. This work aimed to analyse the chemical composition of extracts from aerial parts and seeds obtained using Naviglio and Soxhlet (PN, PS, and SN, SS, respectively), the inhibitory properties against tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and the antioxidant effects. PN total extract showed significant anti-tyrosinase activity (IC50 value of 10.8 µg/mL). After partitioning with n-hexane, an HPLC method for analysing chemical constituents was established. Apigenin, luteolin, and apigenin-7-O-glucoside are the predominant constituents. SN n-hexane fraction was the most active inhibitor of BChE (IC50 of 57.9 µg/mL). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed fatty acids, including eicosanoic acid, methyl 11-eicosenoate and oleic acid, as the major constituents. These findings suggest the potentiality of both seeds and aerial parts of C. halicacabum in the treatment of neurological disorders.

A traditional sweet dessert wine from Saracena (Italy), made with nonmacerated local white grapes (Guarnaccia, Malvasia and Moscato), was analyzed for phenolics and aroma profile and antioxidant activities. The most abundant classes of phenols identified by high-performance liquid chromatography were hydroxybenzoic acids and flavan-3-ols, where gallic acid showed the highest content (376.5 mg/L). The analysis by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the presence of superior alcohols (from iso-butanol and iso-amyl alcohol up to 2-phenylethanol) and their ethyl esters, terpenes (such as linalool), furfuryl compounds, and free fatty acids (up to palmitic acid) as the key odorants of this wine. The antioxidant activity, evaluated by different in vitro assays 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), and β-carotene bleaching test), showed that passito wine had a radical scavenging activity (IC50 value of 0.03 v/v against DPPH·) and inhibited linoleic acid oxidation with an IC50 value of 0.4 v/v after 30 min of incubation.

We consider Hermitian matrix valued functions depending on three parameters that vary in a bounded surface of R 3 . We study how to detect when such functions have coalescing eigenvalues inside this surface. Our criterion to locate these singularities is based on a construction suggested by Stone [20] . For generic coalescings, any such singularity is related to a particular accumulation of a certain phase, or lack thereof, as we cover the surface.

In this study, novel non-meat sausage formulations (egg white, carrageenan, and modified cornstarch) was developed and evaluated for their sensory quality. Based on a full factorial design, optimal levels of ingredients and the effect of the addition of natural coloring agents such as lycopene, paprika oleoresin, and red yeast rice powder were investigated. The formulations were assessed based on models consisting of sensory attributes including cutting ability, flavor, texture, odor, and overall acceptability. According to results of overall acceptability, the optimal levels of carrageenan, modified corn starch, and egg white for the formulation found to be 0.5, 3, and 3% (w/w), respectively. The non-meat sausages containing 3, 0.1, and 0.3 g/kg of paprika oleoresin, red yeast rice, and lycopene, respectively, provided superior sensory acceptance. The developed non-meat sausages contained higher amounts of essential amino acids and lower contents of saturated fats when compared to conventional 40% meat sausages.

The metal chelating activity, antioxidant properties and the effect on carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibition of Muscari comosum extracts have been investigated. M. comosum bulbs contain a total amount of the phenols with a value of 56.6 mg chlorogenic acid equivalent per gram of extract and a flavonoid content of 23.4 mg quercetin equivalent per gram of extract. In order to evaluate the non-polar constituents, n-hexane extract was obtained. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of fatty acids and ethyl esters as major constituents, with different aldehydes and alkanes as minor components. Ethanolic extract had the highest ferric-reducing ability power (66.7 μM Fe(II)/g) and DPPH scavenging activity with a concentration giving 50% inhibition (IC₅₀) value of 40.9 μg/ml. Moreover, this extract exhibited a good hypoglycaemic activity with IC₅₀ values of 81.3 and 112.8 μg/ml for α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. In conclusion, M. comosum bulbs show promising antioxidant and hypoglycaemic activity via the inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzymes. These activities may be of interest from a functional point of view and for the revalorization of this ancient non-cultivated vegetable of Mediterranean traditional gastronomy.

The effect of boiling, steaming and microwaving on microstructure, texture and colour of raw and industrially frozen carrots was investigated. The raw carrots, after cooking, showed dehydrated and separated cells with swollen walls. The carrots subjected to blanching, freezing and followed by frozen storage exhibited marked tissue damages indicating deep oriented fissures. Cooking caused cellular dehydration and separation in the tissue, with the same intensity between raw and frozen carrots and independently from the cooking treatment applied. Among different cooking methods, microwaving showed better retention of the initial texture and colour quality for both raw and frozen carrots. On the other hand, the steamed carrots revealed the highest degree of softening and colour differences from the control for both raw and frozen carrots, despite the worst tissue conditions were observed for the boiled carrots.

In this paper, we introduce a constructive rigorous numerical method to compute smooth manifolds implicitly defined by infinite-dimensional nonlinear operators. We compute a simplicial triangulation of the manifold using a multi-parameter continuation method on a finite-dimensional projection. The triangulation is then used to construct local charts and an atlas of the manifold in the infinite-dimensional domain of the operator. The idea behind the construction of the smooth charts is to use the radii polynomial approach to verify the hypotheses of the uniform contraction principle over a simplex. The construction of the manifold is globalized by proving smoothness along the edge of adjacent simplices. We apply the method to compute portions of a two-dimensional manifold of equilibria of the Cahn---Hilliard equation.

Citrus × limon cv. Femminello Comune (Rutaceae) from Rocca Imperiale (Italy), one of the six Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Italian lemon crops, has been recently received renewed interest. In this work, fresh and dried peels and leaves were extracted by hydrodistillation, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and Soxhlet apparatus. Chemical profile was assessed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Except for leaves extracts obtained by Soxhlet apparatus, the monoterpene hydrocarbons fraction dominated. Limonene, γ-terpinene, and β-pinene were the main identified compounds. The antioxidant activity was investigated using different in vitro assays namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ABTS, ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching test. In DPPH test, the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of fresh peel exhibited the highest activity (IC50 of 1.17 mg/ml). Leaves extracted by SFE showed a good activity in both DPPH and β-carotene bleaching test with IC50 values of 2.20 and 6.66 mg/ml, respectively. Monoterpene hydrocarbons fraction exhibited a positive Pearson's correlation coefficient with all antioxidant assays. Leaves, often considered waste material, should be considered from a different point because they represent a matrix of indisputable interest. © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.