Cinzia Benincasa

The use of multi element profiling to differentiate between cowand buffalo milk

The multi element profile of milk from 12 cows and 6 water buffaloes was investigated, to establish whether dairy products derived from the two species could be distinguished. Multi-element data were obtained using ICP-MS. Following assessment against the teams QA/QC criteria, or where the levels were below the LOD for the procedure, 16 elements (P, S, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cs and Ba) were submitted for statistical analysis. Using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) it was possible to differentiate between milk from the two species, produced under identical environmental and animal husbandry conditions, on one farm. The sources of food and water available for consumption by the animals were also analysed and the results showed that there was no correlation between the elemental composition of the dietary components and the profiles observed in the milk.

Phenolic trend and hygienic quality of green table olives fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum starter culture.

In this paper, four different olive cultivars from Southern Italy, Carolea, Cassanese, Nocellara del Belice, Nocellara Messinese table olives, produced according to traditional fermentation processes, were evaluated with the aim of assessing the effect of selected starter cultures on growth of bacterial population and on olive phenols during fermentation. Only Cassanese and Nocellara del Belice inoculated samples reached a safe pH value under 4.6 after 90 days while maintaining it until the end of storage. The most representative phenols in brine samples analysed by HPLC-MS/MS were hydroxytyrosol and verbascoside. Among the analysed phenols, only hydroxytyrosol, caffeic acid and ferulic acid always increased during fermentation, while the others increased up to 90-120 days and then decreased. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) performed on pH and phenol values highlighted three clusters of olive cultivars. Throughout the brining period, lactic acid bacteria were always present while staphylococci and coliform bacteria disappeared after 30 and 90 days, respectively.

Chemical and Sensory Analysis of Some Egyptian Virgin Olive Oils

In the paper here presented, virgin olive oils produced in the year crop 2010/2011 in two different areas of Egypt, Siwa oasis and Giza, were characterised by their chemical-physical parameters. Also, the analysis of volatile compounds by SPME/GC/MS was carried out and the results compared with those provided by the panel test for the same samples. SPME/GC/MS analysis revealed that most of the volatile compounds determined in the virgin olive oil samples under investigation, contribute to characterise the sensory notes related to the rancid perceptions, oily and fatty persistency justifying and hence the negative attributes noticed by the sensory evaluation. Sensory and SPME/GC/MS analysis of olive oils samples here investigated reveal that most of the volatile compounds are characterised by sensory notes related to the rancid perceptions.

Olive Oil Traceability

The market for imported, premium priced foods has increased dramatically over recent years, as consumers become ever more aware of products originating from around the world. There are many food products that are of superior quality (taste, texture, fragrance etc.) because of the locale in which they are cultivated. Environmental conditions, such as local climate and soil characteristics, combine to yield crops that exhibit specific traits. Clearly, higher quality products demands higher market prices, therefore unscrupulous traders may attempt to increase profits by deliberately mislabelling foods, or by increasing the volume of a good quality batch through adulteration with sub-standard produce.

Quality and Trace Element Profile of Tunisian Olive Oils Obtained from Plants Irrigated with Treated Wastewater

In the present work the use of treated wastewater (TWW) to irrigate olive plants was monitored. This type of water is characterized by high salinity and retains a substantial amount of trace elements, organic and metallic compounds that can be transferred into the soil and into the plants and fruits. In order to evaluate the impact of TWW on the overall quality of the oils, the time of contact of the olives with the soil has been taken into account. Multi-element data were obtained using ICP-MS. Nineteen elements (Li, B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Mo, Ba and La) were submitted for statistical analysis. Using analysis of variance, linear discriminant analysis and principal component analysis it was possible to differentiate between oils produced from different batches of olives whose plants received different types of water. Also, the results showed that there was correlation between the elemental and mineral composition of the water used to irrigate the olive plots and the elemental and mineral composition of the oils.

Characterization of Phenolic Profiles of Italian Single Cultivar Olive Leaves (Olea europaea L.) by Mass Spectrometry

The crude methanol extracts of ten of the most common variety of Calabrian single cultivar olive leaves (Olea europaea L.), Carolea, Cassanese, Ciciariello, Dolce di Rossano, Grossa di Gerace, Ottobratica, Pennulara, Tondina, Sinopolese and Tonda di Strongoli were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS in order to study their phenolic profiles. The data obtained showed a different distribution of these compounds and, among the cultivars, these differences were mainly quantitative. Samples collected during the hottest months have been shown to have the richest phenolic profiles.

Characterization of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Obtained from Whole and DestonedFruits and Optimization of Oil Extraction with a Physical Coadjuvant (Talc)Using Surface Methodology

The separation of the two components pulp-stone has allowed the development of a more scented product that respects the environment. According to a preliminary study, it was noticed that the destoning process produced a paste containing 67% moisture without resorting to the addition of water. The destoning process presents an ecologically sensitive system as the amount of waste watergenerated was reduced to 0.46 m3/ton of olives. Experimental studies indicate that stone removal before crushing affects to a greater extent the quality of the oil. Indeed the use of stoned olives decreases the acidity by 20%. The specific results of extinctions K232 and K270 confirm that using stoned olives improves the stability of oil since less oxidized compounds (K232 and K270 values 1.69 and 0.11 respectively) were detected. This study also shows that stoned olive oil had a better sensory note than the conventional one and consequently a higher commercial value in the market. Enhanced extraction yield of oil from stoned olives was attained using response surface methodology. Different olive oil extractions were investigated considering three variables: temperature of malaxation, time of malaxation and dose of adjuvant using Central Composite Design. Highest extraction yields were obtained when the temperature and the time of malaxation were respectively 37°C and 35 min. For the proportion of coadjuvant, the optimum dose was found at 1.5%.

Nutraceuticals from Olives Plain Water Extraction, Identification and Assayby LC-ESI-MS/MS

Ancient olive trees are widespread in many countries of the Mediterranean area, including the Calabria region located in southern Italy. They have adapted to environments, climates and soil conditions and represent an ecosystem heritage. The use of their drupes for manufacturing both table olive and oil is not often economically and/or commercially attractive. The future to preserve the environment and to develop new jobs in this area is the evaluation of alternative strategies to foster the establishment of small medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in the production of high value added products which might be obtained from these now endemic trees, in an environmental safe way. High-value active principles can be recovered from wastes of agri-food farms. Olive manufacturers are spread throughout the Mediterranean area, where incomes from this particular food industry represent an important fraction of the gross domestic product (GDP). A typical business of existing SMEs is represented by the commercialization of table olives; the necessary debittering process, traditionally performed by plain water is usually carried in alkaline conditions. The bitterness of freshly harvested olives is due to the presence of antioxidants and anti inflammatory active principles, which belong to the family of the most popular nutraceuticals. The development of a production line whereby olive wastewaters could be used to produce end products suitable for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries might induce the establishment of new SMEs. Accordingly, waste products of plain water processing of table olives were monitored by Liquid Chromatography (LC)-Electro Spray Ionization (ESI)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) over a 10-day period to assess the content of the expected phenolic compounds responsible for bitterness and generally recognized for their healthy properties.

Volatile and Non-Volatile Compounds of Single Cultivar Virgin Olive Oils Produced in Italy and Tunisia with Regard to Different Extraction Systems and Storage Conditions

The oils under investigation were produced by different extraction systems and characterised for their volatile and non-volatile compounds (Benincasa et al., 2003; Cerretani et al., 2005; Garcia et al., 1996). It is well known that volatile and non-volatile components of products of plant origin are dependent on genetic, agronomic and environmental factors. There are few reports (Angerosa et al., 1996, 1998a, 1998b, 1999; Morales et al., 1995; Solinas et al., 1998) on the evaluation of the relationships between the aroma components of virgin olive oil with the metabolic pathways and varietal factors. Olive ripening process and, to some extent, the fruit growing environment, affect also the composition of the volatile compounds of the oil (Aparicio & Morales, 1998; De Nino et al., 2000; Guth & Grosh, 1993; Montedoro & Garofalo, 1984; Morales et al., 1996). Volatile and non-volatile compounds are retained by virgin olive oils during their mechanical extraction process from olive fruits (Olea europaea L.). Non-volatile compounds such as phenolic compounds stimulate the tasting receptors such as the bitterness perception, the pungency, astringency and metallic attributes. Instead volatile compounds, stimulating the olfactive receptors, are responsible for the whole aroma of the virgin olive oil. The chromatograms of volatile compounds of olive oils were obtained by solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) (Hatanaka, 1993; Kataoka et al., 2000; Steffen & Pawliszyn, 1996). The method is based on the assay of the terminal species of the “lipoxygenase pathway” which are present in the volatile fraction of the sampled compounds (Hatanaka, 1993).