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Publications (96)
Foods and beverages are nutrient-rich systems prone to a rapid development of microorganisms that hamper their long-period storage. Particularly, yeasts are strong fermenters of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables; hence, they are often accountable for their spoilage and production of off-flavor. This work provides a quick and easy tool to re...
Nowadays, the sustainability of food processing is a major concern coupled with the reduction of waste generation. Fruit and vegetable processing require modernization to valorize wastes and by-products highly generated, particularly because they are still rich in natural compounds that demanded human health. Melon (Cucumis melo L.) processing gene...
Rationale
Global warming has the potential to impact on the olfactory features of bergamot essential oil, which is a key component of perfumes, ointments and juices.
Objectives
The present study aimed at evaluating the hypothesis of a possible correlation between the chemical compositional characteristics of bergamot essential oil and climatic con...
The biochemical changes that occur during the growth and ripening of fruit and vegetable tissues, especially for color and firmness, are the most important factors affecting the quality of fresh products. Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo, L.) is one of the main economically important fruits in the world and its quality parameters, e.g., sweetness, nutritio...
Aromatic plants have been used since antiquity as great potential source of therapeutics in folk medicine, and as preservatives in foods, because they contain many biologically active compounds. Among all, the essential oils (EOs) are an important group of secondary metabolites that, even if not essential for plant survival, are significant for the...
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) belongs to Asteraceae family and is a widely grown and a popularly consumed vegetable worldwide cause leafy vegetables are common items in a well-balanced diet. Lettuce is low in calories, fat and sodium. It is a good source of fiber, iron, folate, vitamin C and various bioactive compounds. Lettuce is consumed in salad m...
Citrus x myrtifolia (Rafinesque) fruits are commonly used to produce the popular Italian beverage 'Chinotto'. The C. myrtifolia plant comes from Asia, as most of Citrus spp., but nowadays is spread in Mediterranean countries and in Italy, mostly Liguria and Sicily. The fresh juice obtained by squeezing ripe fruits of Chinotto has been investigated...
Essential oils (EOs) obtained from aromatic plants are widely used worldwide, especially in cosmetic and food products due to their aroma and biological properties and health benefits. Some EOs have significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, and thus could effectively increase the shelf lives of foodstuff and beverages. In this study, fo...
BACKGROUND
The so called “Neapolitan limmo" or "lemoncetta Locrese" is an old and now rare Mediterranean sweet lime similar to lemon but smaller. It is a fruit distinguished from orange, lemon, mandarin and lime for its sweeter, watery and non‐acidic taste with a pH between 5.6 and 5.9. No compositional studies are currently available for this citr...
European chestnut (Castanea sativa) forms agroecosystems of extreme importance for safeguarding territory of Campania Region, where about half of Italian chestnuts are produced. In spite of this, damages principally inflicted by the chestnut gall wasp have endangered the biodiversity of local varieties. Growers propagate chestnuts by grafting and t...
Il castagno (Castanea sativa Mill.) è una coltura tipica delle foreste italiane, con oltre la metà della produzione dalla Campania, regione particolarmente ricca di biodiversità castanicola attraverso numerose varietà locali. Fin dall'antichità gli estratti del castagno (frutti, ricci, foglie ecc.) sono stati usati nella medicina tradizionale. Più...
Introduzione In Italia, dopo oltre 10 anni dalla sua prima segna-lazione, il Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (1951), cinipide galligeno del castagno, risulta ormai insedia-to in tutto l'areale del castagno, isole comprese. Per seguire la diffusione del cinipide e per pianificare gli interventi di profilassi fitosanitaria è stata messa in atto un'in...
Chestnut is a very promising forest species that may be used as biomass to recover high value-added biomolecules. Four cultivars coming from the Italian Park “Roccamonfina-Foce Garigliano” were characterized at biochemical level by phenolic chromatographic profiling and by means of antioxidant activity. The phenolic compounds were extracted from le...
Chestnut is a very promising forest species that may be used as biomass to recover high value-added biomolecules. Four cultivars coming from the Italian Park “Roccamonfina-Foce Garigliano” were characterized at biochemical level by phenolic chromatographic profiling and by means of antioxidant activity. The phenolic compounds were extracted from le...
Experimental and epidemiological studies show a positive relation between consumption of citrus juices and reduction of risk for some chronic disorders, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In particular, the bergamot juice is characterized by noticeable amounts of phytochemicals such as flavanone glycosides, limonoids, and quaternary ammo...
Fourteen commercial essential oils were screened for their different chemical profiles by GC-MS analysis. The successive multivariate analysis, PCA, generated six groups showing distinct chemotype.
‘Bouche de Bétizac’ is a Euro-Japanese chestnut hybrid (Castanea sativa × C. crenata) and, even if it is pollen sterile, it is consistently a high yield cultivar producing big nuts. It is well-adapted to growth in Europe, North America and Asia where it was demonstrated to survive in cold season conditions. Many extracts from different chestnut tis...
Biochemical profiling of local chestnuts from Campania Region
Introduzione In Italia, dopo oltre 10 anni dalla sua prima segna-lazione, il Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (1951), cinipide galligeno del castagno, risulta ormai insedia-to in tutto l'areale del castagno, isole comprese. Per seguire la diffusione del cinipide e per pianificare gli interventi di profilassi fitosanitaria è stata messa in atto un'in...
Il processo di globalizzazione ha causato l'effetto collaterale dell'invasione di numerosi organismi esotici; tra questi il Dryocosmus kuriphilus, noto come cinipide galligeno del castagno, è stato introdotto accidentalmente nel nostro paese e ha causato seri danni alla settore castanicolo italiano, di cui la Regione Campania risulta essere il magg...
The Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), which includes several crops of great economic importance worldwide, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, and it is well recognized for culinary and medicinal purposes. The high fruit consumption produces a large quantity of waste materials, such as peels and seeds that are still rich in molecules like polyphenols,...
Thermal processing is usually used by the fruit juice industry for enzyme and microbial inactivation, thus limiting organoleptic changes that affect shelf life and quality of products. Mainly the inactivation of enzymes is necessary to avoid quality changes related to cloud loss, using mild temperature that allows minor alterations in product’s sen...
Fennel crop has been traditionally used as spice in cooking and fragrances, and in folk medicine for its spectrum of useful properties. Mediterranean is the elective natural cultivation area for this plant with Italy being a leader producer. A limit of this production is due to the high amount of wastes derived still rich of phytochemicals, which a...
The underutilised forest and industrial biomass of Castanea sativa (Mill.) is generally discarded during post-harvest and food processing, with high impact on environmental quality. The searching on alternative sources of natural antioxidants from low-cost supplies, by methods involving environment-friendly techniques, has become a major goal of nu...
This study provided a reliable way to identify and estimate the ergosterol in farm environments, since it is renowned that is a specific indicator for the occurrence of molds and yeasts. The quickly valuation of exposure to airborne microorganisms is essential to assess the risk to which the health of employees are subjected in working places chara...
Common fig (Ficus carica L.), widespread in many regions of Southern Italy, occurs with a high number of local cultivars, many of them not well catalogued due to unresolved synonymy and homonymy issues. In particular, fig 'Moscione di San Mango' is a traditional agro-food product of Irpinia (Avellino province, Italy) for which the DOP certification...
Cantaloupe melon (Cucumis melo L.) belongs to Cucurbitaceae, a family that includes several cultivated species of great economic importance. This fruit is one of the most consumed crops worldwide due to its sweetness, juicy taste, pleasing flavor, and it is known for nutritive and medicinal properties of pulp. During fruit consumption and industria...
Appropriate traceability of agro-food products is essential to successfully certificate food quality and effectively safeguard the consumer by frauds. Nowadays, the relatively recent progresses of molecular profiling techniques allow discrimination of apparently similar plant varieties and/or their derived products. However, these molecular analyse...
Biochemical characterization of leaves, burs and shells of Bouche de Betizac chestnut cultivar
The effect of untreated olive mill wastewater (OMW) spreading on chemical and biological soil properties of two different fields located in Campania (Italy) was investigated. Fields were irrigated since 2003 with quantities of about 30 m3 ha−1 year−1, a volume lower than the maximum limit of 80 m3 ha−1 year−1 established by Italian law. Results sho...
Fig (Ficus carica L.) is a typical and strategic crop of many marginal rural areas in the Mediterranean basin, where it has originated. This species, widespread in many regions of Southern Italy, occurs with a high number of local varieties many of them are not well catalogued, due to unresolved synonymy and homonymy issues. In particular, “Moscion...
Valorization of chestnut manufacture process residues
The biological and molecular knowledge of the marine life is of enormous importance in discovering new classes of natural products and in improving management and sustainable utilization of these useful genetic resources. Nonetheless, in this frame, genomic and organelle DNA isolation has been reported to be a limiting step, since downstream applic...
Recovery of bioactive compounds for valorization of chestnut (Castanea sativa) components
The European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is of considerable agroforestry and economic interest for Campania region. The invasive species Dryocosmus kuriphilus Y., the chestnut gall wasp, was accidentally introduced in Campania in 2005 causing extensive damages to chestnut forest. It has long been observed that environmental factors and the spe...
The genus Capsicum is nowadays widely spread. Fruits are not only used for food (spice), but also for therapeutic and wellness purposes (pain relief, rheumatic illnesses, breast and prostate cancer, obesity, heart diseases, hair loss treatments, and so on). These bioactivities are due to the abundant presence of alkaloids, capsaicinoids, which are...
Opisthobranchs belong to a subclass of highly evolved and specialised marine gastropods that rely on the use of secondary metabolites for their survival. Here we report the full elucidation of the biosynthesis of aromatic metabolites, lignarenones, in one of these gastropods, the cephalaspidean Scaphander lignarius. Feeding experiments with ²H- and...
Increased consumption of fruit and vegetables can represent an easy strategy to significantly reduce the incidence of cancer. We recently demonstrated that the flavonoid quercetin, naturally present in the diet and belonging to the class of phytochemicals, is able to sensitize several leukemia cell lines and B cells isolated from patients affected...
BACKGROUND: The elemental content of Sicilian red orange juices and the bioaccessibility of many elements of particular nutritional interest was evaluated.
RESULTS: The elemental content of fresh juices from Sicilian blood oranges was analysed by ICP–OES, GF AAS, HG–AAS and CV AAS. Among the macroelements (Na, Ca, K, Mg and P), potassium occurred i...
Three forms of pectin methylesterase (PME) were purified, from bergamot fruit (Citrus bergamia R.), to homogeneity by ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. The isoforms, named PME I, PME II and PME III, according their elution order on a heparin-sepharose column, were characterized for their relative molecular mass, activity kinetic parameters...
The chemical composition of 30 samples of juices obtained from bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso and Poit.) fruits is reported and compared to the genuineness parameters adopted by Association of the Industry of Juice and Nectars (AIJN) for lemon juice. It was found that the compositional differences between the two juices are distinguishable, althou...
A study on morphology, productive yield, main quality parameters and genetic variability of eight landraces of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum ssp.) from Southern Italy has been performed. Morphological characters of berries and productivity values were evaluated by agronomic analyses. Chemical and genetic investigations were performed by HPLC and rand...
Investigation of PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs, Al, As, Pb, Ba, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ag, Sn, Zn, and Hg contents in 60 samples of cold-pressed essential oils produced in Calabria and Sicily in 2003-2005 was carried out. PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs were analyzed by HRGC-HRMS techniques using U.S. EPA 1613/94 and U.S. EPA 1668/A (1999) analytical methods. Mineral...
In the present work, agro-morphological characteristics, essential oil composition and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were studied to estimate the relationships among 12 basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) genotypes, belonging to nine known cultivars grown in Italy. The basil cultivars were distinguished on the basis of agro-morphologica...
Distribution of aglyconic and glycosidic limonoids in seeds, albedo (the
inner part of the fruit), flavedo (the external part of the fruit), pulp and
juice bergamot was eavaluated. Extracted limonoids were characterized
by TLC and HPLC analyses. In bergamot seeds a sufficient quantity of
aglyconic limonoids was found. In bergamot juice the extent o...
The genetic diversity among 15 fig accessions (Ficus carica L), belonging to 9 renowned cultivars of the Calabrian fig collection, and 24 unidentified genotypes of figs also located in the Calabrian region of Southern Italy, was investigated by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The genetic similarity values were calculated for the 3...
The study of biological diversity of the bergamot cultivars (Citrus bergamia Risso et Poit.) “Castagnaro”, “Fantastico”, “Femminello” and “Variegato” represents the aim that should be achieved to value this typical citrus widespread in the Reggio Calabria province. Bergamot biodiversity was been investigated by chemical and agro-morphological marke...
By simple procedures six limonoids, commercially not available, belonging to the biosynthetic pathways of the limonin and of the 7a-acetate were synthetized. In particular limonol and limonyl acetate were prepared from limonin and obacunone, 7a-obacunol, 7a-obacunyl acetate and deacetylnomilin were generated from nomilin we have prepared. The produ...
The presence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 17 essential oil samples produced in Calabria and Sicily in 2003-2004 has been investigated. The analytical method used follows the European Directive 2002/69/EC guidelines. The extraction and clean up method r...
In recent times, several crops have been bioengineered to express genes which impart new characteristics as insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. Thus, the intentional release, commercialisation and labelling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been regulated by European Commission (EC) guidelines and directives. An indispensable pre...
La salvaguardia dei paesaggi silvestri regionali, degli ecosistemi e degli aspetti culturali ad essi connessi, oggi viene estesa a nuovi concetti che si inseriscono nei piani e nelle politiche di protezione territoriale. Le nuove necessità di tutela ambientale di vaste aree, comportano sostanziali mutamenti tra i quali, si auspica, vengano
compresi...
The biological diversity study of the most important cv of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau) “Castagnaro”, “Fantastico” and “Femminello”, represents the aim that should achieved to value this typical citrus fruit widespread in the province of Reggio Calabria. For this reason, it was necessary to apply a genetic-molecular technique, named...
The genetic-molecular characterization of some Calabrian ecotypes of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum ssp.) has been effected through the methodic of the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) based on the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique (PCR). Initially, the evaluation of the extraction method of the genomic DNA from pepper leaves on a total of ei...
Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based molecular marker very useful for DNA fingerprinting plant varieties, so we used it to assess the genetic similarity of fig (Ficus carica L.) accessions cultivated in the Calabrian fig germplasm reference collection. RAPD analysis was performed using 7 arbitrary prime...
The agronomic and morphological characteristics of the basil cv “Red Ruffle” and “Red Dark Opal” were valued on the basis of the productivity, the height of the plants, the number and the distance of the internodes, the colour, the size and the shape of the leaves, the presence of bubbles on the leaves, the calibre of the stem, the colour of the fl...
The reliability of different methods for DNA isolation from several food matrices containing maize (Zea mays L.) was tested by a genetically modified organism (GMO) detection kit. Different maize-derived samples, representing three important food matrices, were analysed. In the present study, the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter (CaMV p-35S),...
In Southern Italy, a widespread edible fig (Ficus carica L.) cultivar is “Dottato”. Province of Cosenza (Calabria region) is a significant area for “Dottato” fig growing, this cultivar is particularly suitable for syrups, fresh and dry figs production.
With the aim of characterizing the local fig population, RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA)...
A rapid and reliable DNA based method was optimised to identify chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) cultivars of Calabria region. RAPD (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA) analysis was the DNA fingerprinting technique used to assess genomic polymorphism. Six accessions of chestnut belonging to 4 cultivars were considered in this preliminary study. RAP...
A rapid and reliable DNA based method was optimised to identify chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) cultivars of Calabrian region. RAPD (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA) analysis was the DNA fingerprinting technique used to assess genomic polymorphism. Six accessions of chestnut belonging to 4 cultivars were considered in this preliminary study. RA...
Pigments, such as carotenes, xanthophylls and chlorophylls, were extracted from both vegetables and their industrial products by using a 2:1 (v/v) dichloromethane/methanol solution. To separate and quantify the components in the extraction mixture, a HPLC analysis on reversed phase C30 column and binary gradient, made of methanol/water solution and...
A new extraction and chromatographic procedure to quantify free and esterified ergosterol in tomato products was devised. The extraction solution was composed of a dichloromethane/methanol mixture in a 2:1 (v/v) ratio. This extraction solvent allowed for higher ergosterol recovery from tomato products (an average of 25% more) compared to hexane, wh...
Industrial fruit products were investigated for their content of pectin methylesterase (PME) residual activity by a new procedure that allows selective concentration by affinity chromatography of the active form of the enzyme, when present. The technique utilizes a protein inhibitor, purified from kiwifruit, covalently bound to a Sepharose resin. T...
The enzyme pectin methylesterase (PME) is believed to be involved in the destabilization and cloud loss of vegetable juices through the de-esterification of pectin followed by the successive coprecipitation of the pectate with insoluble materials present in the juices. Cloud destabilization is often observed even when the vegetable products have be...
A continuous process to improve the consistency of diced tomatoes based on product immersion in calcifying solutions was developed. The process efficacy was evaluated by a pilot plant built for this purpose. The diced tomatoes were immersed in a saline solution containing tomato serum, sodium, and calcium chloride. The pH of the calcifying solution...
A method for the determination of a low level of pectin methylesterase activity from vegetable products is described. The method is based on an affinity chromatography technique that employs a resin-bound pectin methylesterase inhibitor, purified from kiwi fruit, which selectively binds the pectin methylesterase. The resin has the capacity to conce...
Compositional characteristics of 11 lines of San Marzano tomatoes have been determined. The results come from a 3 year study (1989–1991), during which the following parameters were evaluated: total solids, soluble solids, organic acids (citric, malic, succinic and ascorbic), sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose), cations (Na, K, Mg and Ca), anions...
The thermal stability of three forms of pectin methylesterase purified from tomato was evaluated at pH 4.5. The time-dependent heat-inactivation curves for the three forms exhibit exponential behaviour in the temperature range between 70 °C and 90 °C. The determination of DT and Z parameters displays a different heat-inactivation kinetic among the...
The thermal behaviour of pectin methylesterase (PME, EC. 3.1.1.11) in five new tomato cultivars used for juices and tomato products was analysed. Enzyme inactivation induced by heat was followed by measuring the activity as a function of temperature. The thermal behaviour of PME activity in five tomato varieties was described by sigmoidal thermal d...
The behaviour of pectin methylesterase (PME, EC.3.1.1.11) was analysed in five new tomato cultivars for juices and tomato products. The thermal inactivation of this enzyme was evaluated in the range 73–88 °C and was found to be exponential. For each cultivar examined the logarithmic values of decimal reduction times plotted against temperature had...
Procedimento per la preparazione di prodotti vegetali per conserve, triturati, polpa, cubettati, fettine, filetti e simili aventi elevata consistenza, compattezza e resistenti a sollecitazioni meccaniche in genere comprendente una fase che consiste nel trattare il prodotto vegetale in lavorazione con una composizione "calcificante" comprendente pec...
An evaluation was made as to the effect of pectin methylesterase (PME) addition to calcifying solutions on the calcification process of diced tomatoes. The PME activity added to the calcifying solutions ranged from 0 to 30 U/mL and the contact time from 0 to 30 min. The addition of moderate PME amounts allowed high consistency diced tomatoes to be...
An experimental procedure was developed to improve the consistency of vegetable products in pieces. The product was immersed in pH 7.5 saline solutions containing up to 800 mg/L of calcium, with and without the addition of the enzyme pectin methylesterase (PME), for times up to 30 minutes. The results were compared with those obtained by direct add...
An evaluation was made as to the effect of pectin methylesterase (PME) addition to calcifying solution on the calcification process of diced tomatoes. The PME activity added to the calcifying solutions ranged from 0 to 30 U/mL and the contact time from 0 to 30 min. The addition of moderate PME amounts allowed high-consistency diced tomatoes to be o...
I risultati di determinazione del diacetile svolte su concentrato e polpa di pomodoro, succhi di arancia e di ananas e nettari di albicocca, mela e pesca, ottenuti con il metodo spettrofotometrico di Hill e Wenzel sono stati confrontati con quelli ottenuti, sugli stessi campioni, con il metodo per HPLC di Verhagen, da noi modificato.
E' stata risco...
Sono stati esaminati gli effetti della temperatura e del tempo di magazzinaggio su tripli concentrati di pomodoro confezionati in fusti da 220 litri in condizioni non asettiche.
Sono state determinate le variazioni degli zuccheri, degli acidi, del colore e dei metaboliti (etanolo, acido acetico, diacetile, acidi D- e L-lattico) nel corso del magazz...
This study deals with nonsterile canning of double concentrate tomatoes (30° Brix) stored for 210 days at three different temperatures (4, 10 and 25C) in 200 kg drums. the evolving analytical composition (soluble solids, total solids, glucose, fructose, pH, total acidity, volatile acidity, citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, hydroxymethylfurfur...