Diego Planeta

Dynamics of pistachio oils by proton nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation dispersion.

A number of pistachio oils were selected in order to test the efficacy of nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation dispersion (NMRD) technique in the evaluation of differences among oils (1) obtained from seeds subjected to different thermal desiccation processes, (2) retrieved from seeds belonging to the same cultivar grown in different geographical areas and (3) produced by using seed cultivars sampled in the same geographical region. NMRD measures relaxation rate values which are related to the dynamics of the chemical components of complex food systems. Results not only allowed to relate kinematic viscosity to relaxometry parameters but also were successful in the differentiation among the aforementioned oils. In fact, from the one hand, the larger the kinematic viscosity, the faster the rotational motions appeared as compared to the translational ones. On the other hand, relaxation rate curves (NMRD) varied according to the oxidative stresses and chemical composition of each sample. The present study showed for the first time that NMRD is a very promising technique for quick evaluations of pistachio oil quality without the need for time-consuming chemical manipulations.

A method to discriminate between the Candida stellata and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in mixed fermentation on WLD and lysine agar media.

This paper presents a simple method to distinguish between Candida stellata and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts during microbiological analyses. The method is based on differential yeast growth on a medium containing cycloheximide and a medium containing lysine as only nitrogen source (lysine agar). The cycloheximide resistance of 45 yeast strains belonging to Candida stellata, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Kluyveromyces thermotolerans and Zygoascus hellenicus, and 14 strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus on WL nutrient agar, was assayed. Cycloheximide resistance is characteristic of the species H. uvarum, H. guilliermondii and Z. hellenicus, while for the other yeasts it depends on the strain and the concentration of cycloheximide used. Two mg/L of cycloheximide allows selective counting of a strain of C. stellata (Cs3) compared to one of the sensitive S. cerevisiae strain (NDA21). Similar results can be obtained on lysine agar, but counts are reliable only with the additional spreading of a monolayer of Saccharomyces cells. The different cycloheximide resistance of C. stellata and S. cerevisiae can be used in the microbiological analysis of mixed cultures to monitor the individual growth of the two yeast species. This method can be applied to the study of mixed fermentations with other non-Saccharomyces species. The modified use of lysine agar is useful to a certain extent in the distinction of multistarter yeasts from the indigenous yeasts.

Life cycle energy and CO2 emissions analysis of food packaging: an insight into the methodology from an Italian perspective

Abstract Packaging is strictly connected to environmental issues as it is a product characterised by high material consumption rate; it is often transported over long distances and has a short life. Providing environmental analysis is, therefore, urgent to identify energy and resources efficient solutions. The paper, taking advantage of a real case study, presents a life cycle-based comparative analysis among three different food packaging systems. The paper compares the life cycle of tin steel, polypropylene and glass-based packaging of an Italian preserves producer. The analysis leads to the conclusion that, for the baseline scenario, polypropylene packaging represents the greenest solution, whereas glass packaging is the worst choice. The paper presents a scenario analysis varying both the method used for accounting for recycling as well as the recycling rates of the packaging materials. Changes in overall results with parameters analysis changing are calculated and highlighted throughout the paper. The impact of a reuse policy of the glass-based solution is also analysed; a model for disposable glass packaging is proposed and the obtained results are compared with the single use polypropylene and tin steel-based packaging. In order to analyse the impact of different End of Life scenarios on the present case study, collecting as well as recycling rates of some European countries have been used. The results revealed a significant fluctuation both in energy consumption and in CO2 emission as the nation changes. Summing up, a methodology for packaging environmental impact analysis is applied to a real case study, some crucial aspects of the methodology have been analysed in depth in order to give a contribution in packaging environmental impact analysis.