Julianna Matias Vagula

Rapid methodology via mass spectrometry to quantify addition of soybean oil in extra virgin olive oil: A comparison with traditional methods adopted by food industry to identify fraud

Fast and innovative methodology to monitors the addition of soybean oil in extra virgin olive oil was developed employing ESI-MS with ionization operating in positive mode. A certified extra virgin olive oil and refined soybean oil samples were analyzed by direct infusion, the identification of a natural lipid marker present only in soybean oil (m/z 886.68 [TAG+NH4]+) was possible. The certified extra virgin olive oil was purposely adulterated with soybean oil in different levels (1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 70, 90%) being possible to observe that the new methodology is able to detect even small fraud concentration, such as 1% (v/v). Additionally, commercial samples were analyzed and were observed the addition of soybean oil as a common fraud in this segment. This powerful analytical method proposed could be applied as routine analysis by control organization, as well as food industries, considering its pronounced advantages; simplicity, rapidity, elevated detectability and minor amounts of sample and solvent consumed.

Determination of trans-resveratrol in Solanum americanum Mill. by HPLC

Abstract Solanum americanum Mill. is a plant that belongs to the Solanaceae family, its respective ripe fruit is dark purple. Ripe S. americanum Mill. fruits were submitted to physicochemical characterisation, and their trans-resveratrol contents were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Such determination was executed with fruits at different stages of ripeness and freeze-stored fruits as well. In natura ripe fruit pulp and peel presented average trans-resveratrol amounts of 1.07 and 0.7960 μg per gram of sample, respectively. These amounts are significantly higher when compared to freeze-stored fruit (0.1353 μg of trans-resveratrol per gram of sample) and to other berries. All ripe fruits showed significant amounts of total anthocyanins and total antioxidants. Thus, for the first time, trans-resveratrol has been identified and quantified in S. americanum Mill. fruit samples.

Analysis of Solanum Americanum Mill. by Ultrafast Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array and Time-Of-flight Mass Spectrometry Detection with Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Properties in Rodent Models

ABSTRACT Solanum americanum Mill. has been traditionally used for the treatment of fever, stomachache, skin diseases, gynecological disorders, and different kinds of inflammation. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory response of different extracts obtained from ripe fruits of S. americanum Mill., in experimental models and evaluated them qualitatively using ultrafast liquid chromatography with diode array and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-DAD/TOF-MS). The inflammatory response of four extracts of ripe fruits was evaluated for the systemic and topical anti-inflammatory activities. The compounds in each extract were identified using UFLC-DAD-TOF/MS. A total of 34 compounds was identified in the four extracts. The best results were obtained in compounds from the aqueous and chloroform extracts. This study demonstrated a significant anti-inflammatory activity for the compounds present in fruit of S. americanum Mill.

Simple and Fast Method for Identification and Quantification of Anthocyanidins in Berries by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The objective was identifying three different anthocyanidins and to quantify them in six different berries. Results from the conventional method (using extraction with hydrochloric acid) were compared with data from the proposed method (without acid extraction). The following figures of merit were used: linearity, accuracy, linear range, limits of detection and quantification, using an ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source. The separation of anthocyanidins can be achieved in a much smaller period of time (1.30 min) and the cyanidin from Morus nigra L., Rubus idaeus L. and Vaccinium myrtillus L. was found in higher amounts in extracts obtained from the proposed method. Proposed mechanisms of mass spectrometry (MS/MS) collisional induced dissociation for pelargonidin, cyanidin and delphinidin were obtained and this is the first time that concentrations of anthocyanidins present in fruits of Solanum americanum Mill. were reported.

Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Capacity, and Fatty Acids in Different Parts of Four Unexplored Fruits

Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), total anthocyanins (TA), and antioxidant capacity of different parts of four unexplored fruits from Brazil (Syzygium cumini Lam, Solanum nigrum Linn, Inga edulis Mart, and Hovenia dulcis Thunb) were determined; the bioactive compounds and fatty acids were quantified and identified by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography, respectively. S. cumini peels contained the most TA (63.31 mg/100 g), whilst H. dulcis pulp and peels had the highest TPC (518.18 mg GAE/100 g) and TF (76.54 mg EQ/g). Phenolic compounds responsible for antioxidant capacity of fruits were gallic acid, ellagic acid, kaempferol, and epicatechin. H. dulcis seed showed the highest level of the essential fatty acid omega-3 (3985.95 mg/100 g). PCA showed that PC1 and PC2 explained 90.43% of the total variability of the antioxidant data. Most of the seeds showed omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids at significant concentrations, with two PCs explaining 93.80% of the total variance of the fatty acid contents.

Chapter 11 – Incorporation and Bioconversion of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Obtention of Enriched Fish

Farm-raised fish present low concentrations of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids ( n −3 PUFA). As the series of omega-6 ( n −6) and omega-3 ( n −3) fatty acids share the same enzymes, elongases, and desaturases, during bioconversion of the precursors alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n −3) and linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 n −6), the incorporation of ALA from diet favors the biosynthesis of eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5 n −3) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA, 22:6 n −3) in muscle tissue of freshwater fish and leads to an ideal n −6/ n −3 ratio. The understanding of this metabolism has been essential to science, because while n −3 series possesses antiinflammatory functions, the excess of n −6 fatty acids affects proinflammatory processes. In this way, the incorporation of different vegetable sources of n −3 fatty acids in the diet of farm-raised fish, targeting the biosynthesis of long-chain n −3 fatty acids ( n −3 LC-PUFA), becomes a viable alternative to exploit the technological and functional benefits of enriched fish meat for human consumption.

Easy Method for Removal of Cyanogens from Cassava Leaves with Retention of Vitamins and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Currently there is a crescent interest regarding the use of vegetable by-products for food fortification, in order to improve its nutritional quality. Cassava leaves are suitable as nutritional additives, however their cyanide content must be reduced to below 10 mg kg-1 of dry product. Thus, it was developed a method in drying laboratory oven which is able to reduce 99.85% of cyanide present in manioc leaves (from 35 mg kg-1 to 0.05 mg kg-1) while being 509% faster than the traditional method, and without substantial loss of omega-3 fatty acids and β-carotene.