Giovanna Dima

Influence of Soil Salinity on Sensory Characteristics and Volatile Aroma Compounds of Nero d'Avola Wine

The influence of soil salinity on the chemical composition, volatile aromatic compounds, and sensory characteristics of Nero d’Avola wine was examined. Data on vineyard productivity, such as grape yield, are also reported. Physicochemical parameters were determined on the samples analyzed. Solid-phase microextraction was used for the extraction of aromatic volatile compounds, followed by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sensory analyses were performed by visual inspection, smelling, and tasting. Statistical analysis showed that most of the physicochemical parameters and volatile constituents, both primary and fermentation aromas, were influenced by the soil salinity. The composition differences observed among the samples had little influence on the sensory characteristics; the increase in soil salinity enhanced color intensity, purple reflexes, salty, citrus, and fruit in the aroma. Results indicate that Nero d’Avola vine may be well suited to increased soil salinity, even given reduced plant productivity.

Migration of mineral oil from party plates of recycled paperboard into foods: 1. Is recycled paperboard fit for the purpose? 2. Adequate testing procedure

Party plates made of recycled paperboard with a polyolefin film on the food contact surface (more often polypropylene than polyethylene) were tested for migration of mineral oil into various foods applying reasonable worst case conditions. The worst case was identified as a slice of fried meat placed onto the plate while hot and allowed to cool for 1 h. As it caused the acceptable daily intake (ADI) specified by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) to be exceeded, it is concluded that recycled paperboard is generally acceptable for party plates only when separated from the food by a functional barrier. Migration data obtained with oil as simulant at 70°C was compared to the migration into foods. A contact time of 30 min was found to reasonably cover the worst case determined in food.

Free fatty acids and other volatile compounds for the characterisation of “Vastedda della valle del Belìce” cheese Acidos grasos libres y otros constituyentes volátiles para la caracterización de queso “Vastedda della vella del Belìce”

The analysis of the volatile constituents of “Vastedda della valle del Belìce”, a typical Sicilian pasta filata cheese, was performed using solid phase microextraction and high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The research aimed to verify if the volatile fraction, determinant for cheese flavor, differs among producers and/or production seasons. The samples were provided by four producers from the area of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) production, during two different seasons of production. A total of 42 volatile components were identified: the main components were found to be butanoic, hexanoic, octanoic, and decanoic acid. Free fatty acids were quantified using the standard addition method, their concentrations were in the range 1273.7–1918.0 mg/kg. The analysis of variance and a multivariate approach showed that producer and season factors significantly influenced the content of almost all the identified volatile components; the artisanal cheese-making, the utilization of raw milk, and the environmental differences that characterized the various farmers are strong causes of cheeses variability. El análisis de los constituyentes volátiles de ‘Vastedda della valle del Belìce’, un queso de pasta hilada (pasta filata) típica siciliana, fue llevado a cabo usando Microextracción en Fase Sólida y Cromatografía de Gases/Espectrometría de Masa de Alta Resolución. El objetivo de la investigación fue verificar si la fracción volátil, determinante para el sabor del queso, difiere entre productores y/o temporadas de producción. Las muestras fueron proporcionadas por cuatro productores del área de la Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) durante dos temporadas de producción diferentes. Se identificaron un total de cuarenta y dos componentes volátiles: los principales componentes encontrados fueron ácido butanoico, hexanoico, octanoico y decanoico. Los ácidos grasos libres fueron cuantificados usando el método de adición estándar, su concentración se encontró en el intervalo de 1273, 7–1918,0 mg/kg. El análisis de varianza y un a aproximación multivariada mostraron que productor y temporada influyeron significativamente en el contenido de casi todos los componentes volátiles identificados; la elaboración artesanal de queso, la utilización de leche cruda y las diferencias ambientales que caracterizaban a los diferentes productores son la causa de la variabilidad de los quesos.

Volatile composition of Italian Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. et Link leaves

The composition of the volatile oil from the leaves of Italian Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. et Link was investigated in detail by a solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. Sixty-two compounds were identified; the major aroma constituents were carvacrol (72.8%), γ-terpinene (6.4%), p-cymene (2.3%), β-caryophyllene (3.1%) and β-linalool (2.1%). The method developed for the volatile constituent analysis allowed the identification of a large number of sesquiterpenes not reported previously in Thymus oil, including α-guryunene, β- and γ-elemene, α-bergamotene, α- and β- himachalene, β-farnesene, α-muurolene, valencene, calamenene, humulene oxide I and II, and α-bisabolol.

Volatile constituents of mini-watermelon fruits

Aroma is one of the essential factors for evaluating fruit quality, and the volatile constituents in mini-watermelon fruits were here determined by a headspace-solid-phase micro-extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method (HS-SPME-GC–MS). The plants, Citrullus lanatus [Thumb.] Matsum. and Nakai cv. Minirossa (Cucurbitaceae), were cultivated in Pachino, Sicily (Italy) under greenhouse conditions. The fruits were collected in two different production years. Sixty-eight volatile compounds have been identified and quantified; among these, the impact aroma compounds are also included. The volatile compounds have been identified by linear retention index, mass spectra, standard injection and reference data; the quantification has been carried out by the standard addition technique. The main compounds were (Z)-3-nonen-1-ol, (E)-2-nonenal and (Z,Z)-3,6-nonadien-1-ol, which are characteristic volatiles in the Cucurbitaceae family.

Brassica fruticulosa Cyr. and Brassica incana Ten. (Brassicaceae) as Mediterranean traditional wild vegetables: a valuable source of bioactive compounds

Two species of Brassicaceae (Crucifer) family, used and appreciated as traditional wild vegetables, including Brassica fruticulosa Cyr. and Brassica incana Ten., were examined as potential source of bioactive volatile compounds. The volatile constituents released by the chopped leaves and roots were extracted and analyzed by solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS). A large number of volatile constituents were identified: alcohols, aldehydes, esters, acids, ketones, terpenes, C13-norisoprenoides and sulfur compounds. Volatiles included isothiocyanates with a well known anticancer activity – the largest amount resulted in the roots, with 3-butenyl isothiocyanate the most represented in both species; of great interest also the good amount revealed in the leaves of Brassica fruticulosa Cyr. The revaluation of these plants, a vegetable source of high antioxidant power, will be interesting for consumer health by the production of new commercial herbal products and/or dietary supplements of high quality and low cost.

Volatile Constituents in Dried Roots of Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae)

Abstract The root volatile constituents of Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae) have been studied by GC-FID, and solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS). Thirty components were fully characterized by mass spectra, linear retention indices, and injection of standards; the average composition (ppm) as single components and classes of substances is reported. The root volatiles in I. tinctoria were characterized by a high amount of 3-butenyl isothiocyanate, which accounted for about 82% of the total volatile fraction.

Sensory analysis and head-space aroma volatiles for the characterization of capers from different geographic origin

Abstract Characterization of capers (Capparis spinosa L. Capparaceae) was achieved by measurement of aroma compounds and sensory descriptors. Different capper samples (the floral buds of the plants) coming from Pantelleria and Salina Islands (Italy) were analyzed. Head-space aroma volatiles were extracted and analyzed by SPME-GC-MS. In all, more than one-hundred volatile compounds were identified and the quantitative results have been expressed as percentage of total peak area. Aliphatic acids and aldehydes were the most abundant chemical classes in all the samples whereas aromatic alcohols distinguish the samples from different origin. Among sulfur compounds, methyl-isothiocyanate was the major one, followed by benzyl-isothiocyanate. The sensory profile of capers was defined by a trained panel, measuring the intensity of nineteen descriptors. All the data were statistically correlated. Multivariate analysis applied to the volatile and sensory data allowed distinguishing the samples in relation to the area of origin.