Food Technology Research Unit

The present research aimed to design innovative wheat cultivation systems that are less resource-intensive, promote biodiversity, and show greater resilience to both biotic and abiotic stress. It was focused on the cultivation and characterization of two evolutionary populations (EPs) of common wheat, namely EP_Floriddia and EP_Li Rosi, grown in Italy, over two growing seasons. The EPs were cultivated in organic management under legume or wheat precessions. Physico-chemical analyses included thousand kernel weight (TKW), test weight (TW), and ash content. Location and genotype mostly influenced TKW; TW, instead, was affected only by year. Wholemeal flour from each sample was assessed for protein content (PC), total starch (TS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total dietary fiber (TDF). Protein content was higher on leguminous precessions than on wheat; the opposite behavior was observed for TS. The growing season predominantly impacted on TAC and TDF values. Technological and rheological parameters such as alveograph W and P/L value, SDS sedimentation test, farinograph quality, gluten index, and falling number revealed EP_Li Rosi as the best for baking aptitude, although both EPs were characterized by weak gluten. These findings support the use of EPs under legume precession as an agroecological approach to pursue agrifood biodiversity, quality, and sustainability.

Fusarium bulb rot, caused by Fusarium proliferatum, is a worldwide disease of garlic, both in the open field and during storage. Early diagnosis of the disease during storage is difficult due to the morphology of the bulbs and cloves. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are secondary metabolites produced by several microorganisms, including phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. In recent years, the development of several techniques for the detection and characterization of VOCs has prompted their use, among others, as a diagnostic tool for the early and non-destructive analysis of many diseases of species of agricultural interest. In this paper, proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) and solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) were successfully utilized to characterize the volatolome of commercial garlic cloves, artificially and naturally infected with F. proliferatum, for the early discrimination between diseased and healthy ones. A partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) and a principal component analysis (PCA) allowed for the separation of infected and healthy cloves and the identification of specific VOCs produced by the fungus during the infection. The results obtained in this work could be utilized for the development of simpler, more economical, and more portable devices for the early detection of infected garlic bulbs during storage.

Mediterranean diet is changing to keep up with the increasingly multiethnic Italian society. With food being considered as a means of integration, innovative foods capable of mixing different raw materials could be of interest. In this work, some of the most consumed African foods such as sorghum, cassava, and durum wheat were used to produce wholegrain spaghetti to valorize their nutritional and sensorial aspects and to combine Italian and foreign tastes. Different pasta formulations (cassava, semolina, cassava:semolina, cassava:sorghum, cassava:durum wheat whole meal, sorghum:semolina) were developed and compared for their content of proteins, total starch, resistant starch, amylose, fiber, total antioxidant capacity, ash, cooking quality and sensorial characteristics. The enrichment of cassava flour with durum wheat and sorghum wholegrain enhanced the total antioxidant capacity, protein, and fiber content with respect to 100% cassava pasta. The presence of cassava or sorghum resulted in a high diameter variability of pasta samples, lower water absorption, and shorter optimal cooking time with respect to semolina pasta. Sensory evaluation of cooked pasta revealed better scores in blends containing semolina. Although the obtained pasta samples were interesting for their nutritional aspects, further adjustments are required in the pasta-making process to improve pasta quality.

A bread wheat line (N11) and a disomic 2D(2R) substitution triticale line have been crossed and backrossed four times. At each step electrophoretic selection for the seeds that possessed, simultaneously, the complete set of high molecular weight glutenin subunits of N11 and the two high molecular weight secalins of rye, present in the 2D(2R) line, was carried out. Molecular cytogenetic analyses of the BC4F5 generation have revealed that the selection carried out had produced a disomic addition line (2n=44). The pair of additional chromosomes consisted of the long arm of chromosome 1R (1RL) from rye fused with the satellite body of the wheat chromosome 6B. Rheological analyses revealed that the dough obtained by the new addition line had higher quality characteristics when compared with the two parents. The role of the two additional high molecular weight secalins, present in the disomic addition line, in influencing improved dough characteristics is discussed.

Abstract Bulk optical properties, in terms of absorption (μa) and reduced scattering coefficients (μ′s), can be used for the non-destructive monitoring of fruit quality during ripening. In this study, the performance of time-resolved (TRS) and spatially-resolved (SRS) spectroscopy were compared by analyzing ‘Braeburn’ apples over a 21 d period of ripening. Nine batches of 20 apples each were measured on the blush side by TRS (540−1064 nm) and SRS (550−1000 nm). Every fruit was analyzed for skin color, texture characteristics, relative internal space volume (RISV), total solid soluble and titratable acidity contents. TRS absorption spectra showed two maxima, the highest at 980 nm (water) and the second at 670 nm (chlorophyll), while in SRS spectra the main peak was measured at 550 nm (anthocyanins) followed by that at 670 nm. The values of μa580SRS and of μa670SRS were much higher than those measured at the same wavelengths by TRS suggesting that TRS and SRS actually explore the apple tissue (skin and/or flesh) in a different way. The values of μa980TRS were higher than those of μa980SRS, probably due to the fact that water content was lower in the skin (mostly probed by SRS) than in the flesh (mostly probed by TRS). No significant correlations were found between μa580SRS and μa580TRS and between μa980SRS and μa980TRS but a low positive relationship was observed between μa670TRS and μa670SRS. On the contrary, high correlations were found between μa670SRS and the spectral index IAD (index of absorbance difference) related to chlorophyll in the skin and between μa580SRS and the spectral index ARI (anthocyanin reflectance index), related to anthocyanin content in the peel, suggesting that μa580SRS is linked to the development of the red color in the peel. Both μa670TRS and μa670SRS decreased during fruit ripening, indicating a decline in chlorophyll in the flesh and skin, respectively. During the shelf life period, apples became soft and mealy, as mechanical and acoustic parameters decreased and RISV increased. Fruit softening was accompanied by increasing values of both μ′sTRS and μ′sSRS. The μ′sTRS and μ′sSRS were positively related to each other, were positively correlated to RISV and negatively related to mechanical and acoustic parameters. Both the TRS and SRS technique were able to follow ripening processes in ‘Braeburn’ apples during the shelf life period, as absorption phenomena were related to changes in pigments present in the fruit flesh and skin, while scattering events mirrored changes in the flesh texture.

Pomegranate fruit contains high content of phytochemical constituents which have many health benefits. Peel and rind are wastes of pomegranate fruit processing, represent up to 50% of its weight. This study aimed to evaluate the ethanolic extract of pomegranate fruit parts: arils, rind and peel as sources of bioactive compounds as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities for their application as an active edible film. Results clearly demonstrated that peel extract (PE) had the highest content of total phenolics and flavonoids (342 mg GAE /g and 82.33mg catechol /g, respectively ) followed by rind extract (RE) containing 213.00 mg GAE/g and 70.50 mg catechol /g, respectively, and finally arils extract (AE) ( 108.22 mg GAE /g and 55.58 mg catechol/g), respectively. Results indicated that total anthocyanins content was concentrated in PE (15.24mg Cynidian-3-glycoside/g) and AE (11.04 mg Cynidian-3-glycoside/g), while RE (6.51 mg Cynidian-3-glycoside/g) had the lowest value. Peel extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity followed by RE and were significantly higher than that of AE. These results were confirmed with the DPPH and ABTS⁺ assays. Consequently, PE followed by RE had higher antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic strains than AE and can be used as natural preservative for food. Peel extract and RE were incorporated into pectin film at concentration of 15 mg/ml to develop an active edible film. Pectin film without the tested fruit parts extract was used as the control film. The obtained results revealed that the film prepared from pectin with PE and RE was successfully developed and considers as an active edible film with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

A network of 21 experiments was established across nine countries on four continents and spanning both hemispheres, to evaluate the relative performance of early generation perennial cereal material derived from wheat, rye, and barley and to inform future breeding strategies. The experimental lines were grown in replicated single rows, and first year production and phenology characteristics as well as yield and persistence for up to three years were monitored. The study showed that the existing experimental material is all relatively short-lived (≤3 years), with environments that are milder in summer and winter generally conferring greater longevity. No pedigree was superior across this diverse network of sites although better performing lines at the higher latitude sites were generally derived from Thinopyrum intermedium. By contrast, at lower latitudes the superior lines were generally derived from Th. ponticum and Th. elongatum parentage. The study observed a poor relationship between year 1 performance and productivity in later years, highlighting the need for perennial cereal material with greater longevity to underpin future experimental evaluation, and the importance for breeding programs to emphasize post-year 1 performance in their selections. Hybrid lines derived from the tetraploid durum wheat generally showed greater longevity than derivatives of hexaploid wheat, highlighting potential for greater use of Triticum turgidum in perennial wheat breeding. We advocate a model in future breeding initiatives that develops perennial cereal genotypes for specific target environments rather than a generic product for one global market. These products may include a diversity of cultivars derived from locally adapted annual and perennial parents. In this scenario the breeding program may have access to only a limited range of adapted perennial grass parents. In other situations, such as at very high latitude environments, perennial crops derived from barley or rye may have a better chance of success than those derived from wheat. In either case, development and selection of the perennial parent for adaptation to local environments would seem fundamental to success.