Pamela Vignolini

PTR-TOF-MS and HPLC analysis in the characterization of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) from Italy and Iran

Saffron samples from Italy and Iran were analyzed for their content in aroma and bioactive compounds with different analytical techniques. HPLC was used for the identification and quantification of crocins, picrocrocin, safranal and flavonoids content, while the novel proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer was employed for the aroma compounds analysis. Italian saffron turned out to be richer in total crocins and safranal contents. Sample characterization was performed with an unsupervised statistical approach; tests involving different numbers of parameters deriving from the two analytical techniques were performed. The results achieved showed that the best samples classification was obtained by joining the information acquired from both techniques; following such an approach, a sharper separation between Iranian and Italian samples was achieved. Finally, among the variables that most contribute to the description of variability, isophorone, safranal and picrocrocin were identified to be the most significant.

Conventional, organic and biodynamic farming: differences in polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of Batavia lettuce

BACKGROUND Lactuca sativa L. ssp. acephala L., cv. Batavia red Mohican plants were cultivated under intensive conventional, organic and biodynamic farming and were analyzed for their polyphenol content and antiradical activity in order to demonstrate the influence of farming on yield, polyphenol content and antiradical activity. RESULTS The yield of plants from conventional farming was the highest (2.89 kg m⁻²), while polyphenol content, measured by spectrophotometry, of these plants was lower at P < 0.05 (1.36 mg g⁻¹) than the content of plants from organic and biodynamic farming (1.74 and 1.85 mg g⁻¹, respectively). The antiradical activity, measured by DPPH · assay, was positively correlated to flavonoid and hydroxycinnamic acid contents. CONCLUSION Flavonoid, hydroxycinnamic acid and anthocyan patterns were not affected by the type of cultivation, while quantitative differences were demonstrated and some differences were found between conventional farming and organic or biodynamic farming. The yield of conventionally grown salads was the highest.

Food supplements ofTribulus terrestris L.: An HPLC-ESI-MS method for an estimation of the saponin content

SummaryAn HPLC-ESI-MS method in a positive mode is proposed to qualitatively analyse the saponin fractions from dietary supplements ofTribulus terrestris L. This method allows for theseparation of structural isomers, as highlighted for some terrestrosines. The MS fragmentation pattern resulted diagnostic to collect structural information and the characteristic loss of water from some furostanolic saponins was highlighted for the first time. Due to the wide number of glycosidic furostanolic and spirostanolic saponins extracted from tribulus, a complete reference “molecular weight map” was created. Finally, a seml-quantitative evaluation of the total saponin content was carried cut by HPLC-MS using protodioscin as external standard.

Polyphenol Content of Modern and Old Varieties of Triticum aestivum L. and T. durum Desf. Grains in Two Years of Production

Antiradical activity and total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of modern and old varieties of durum (9 varieties) and soft (17 varieties) wheat grains, sampled over two years (summer 2007 and 2008) in the same site, were determined in order to point out differences among varieties and between old and modern varieties. Nine compounds were identified by means of HPLC/MS, and their amount was determined. No correlation was found between antiradical activity and polyphenol or flavonoid contents. The temperature conditions in the 30 days before harvesting were the principal factor which differentiated the quantitative profile of polyphenols and the antiradical activity of the seeds (p < 0.001): high temperatures cause a drop in polyphenol content.

Polyphenols and aromatic volatile compounds in biodynamic and conventional ‘Golden Delicious’ apples ( Malus domestica Bork.)

Biodynamic and conventional apples of the cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’ were characterized based on the investigation of polyphenol content and volatile composition. Polyphenols were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection and mass spectrometry HPLC/DAD/MS analysis; volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected with a proton transfer-time of flight-mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) approach. Colour and physiochemical fruit parameters were also acquired to compare fruit ripeness. By the analysis of the entire data set, it emerges that polyphenols can separate samples both on geographic and agricultural management basis, according to PCA analysis. On the contrary, PCA on volatile compounds is unable to separate the samples. Results suggest that, in apple fruits, polyphenols content is highly influenced by external factors, while volatile profile is under a stronger genetic control, thus more stable across different environments.