A chitosan-based edible biofilm enriched with pomegranate peel extract and essential oils was developed as a sustainable active packaging material that exploits agro-industrial by-products, in agreement with circular economy principles. Targeted HPLC–MS/MS analysis quantified twelve polyphenols, with total polyphenol content ranging from 88.20 to 137.38 μg/g dry weight. Ellagic acid was the predominant compound (90.78 μg/g dry weight), followed by gallic acid (28.80 μg/g dry weight). Untargeted HPLC–HRMS analysis revealed additional flavonoid and ellagitannin-related derivatives, confirming the chemical complexity of the incorporated phenolic fraction. ICP-OES analysis showed heavy metal concentrations below the analytical quantification limits, supporting compliance with food-contact safety requirements. During 45 days of refrigerated storage, coated Pecorino Romano PDO cheese exhibited lower yeast and mold counts than uncoated controls, with a maximum reduction of approximately 0.87 log10 CFU/g. Enterobacteriaceae remained below the detection limit in coated samples throughout storage, whereas they were detected in untreated cheese at the end of storage. These findings demonstrate the potential of the developed edible biofilm as a safe and sustainable active packaging material for refrigerated dairy products while promoting the valorization of pomegranate processing by-products.

Olive oil, the primary fat source in the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), especially oleic acid, which constitutes 70–80% of its composition. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), produced by mechanically pressing olives, is the highest quality olive oil, with an intense flavor and acidity <1%. In contrast, refined olive oil (ROO), a blend of virgin and refined oils, contains fewer antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. EVOO’s health benefits stem largely from its MUFA content, which is linked to reduced risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurodegenerative conditions, and certain cancers. Additionally, EVOO contains minor, but bioactive, components such as polyphenols, tocopherols, and phytosterols, contributing to its oxidative stability, sensory qualities, and health-promoting properties. These include polyphenols, like oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and anticancer effects. Epidemiological studies suggest an inverse relationship between olive oil intake and CVD, with EVOO-enriched MedDiet interventions showing improved lipid profiles, reduced blood pressure, and lower cardiovascular event risk. The PREDIMED study highlights the significant role of EVOO in reducing cardiometabolic risk. This review explores the impact of EVOO’s chemical components within the MedDiet framework on metabolic variables influencing cardiometabolic health.

BACKGROUND:Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) and globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) are vegetables with a high waste index mainly related to stems and leaves. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysates obtained from these wastes were proposed to be used as plant biostimulants. Life cycle assessment methodology was also applied to evaluate environmental performances related to cauliflower and artichoke byproducts. RESULTS:Hydrolysates (HYs) were chemically and biologically characterized. Amino acids, organic acids, amines, polyols, mineral elements, phenols, tannins, flavonoids and sulfur compounds were identified and quantified by means of NMR, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and UV-visible analyses. Cauliflower leaf and flower HYs showed the highest concentration of free amino acids, whereas stems showed the highest concentration of Ca. Regarding artichoke, asparagine, glutamine and aspartic acid were exclusively detected in stems, whereas artichoke leaves showed the highest Mg and Mn levels together with the highest antioxidant activity. The HYs diluted in water were tested as biostimulants. The impacts of five concentrations of HYs (0.00, 0.28, 0.84, 2.52 and 7.56 g L-1) on seed germination and early seedling growth of crimson clover, alfalfa, durum wheat and corn were investigated. CONCLUSIONS:The application of artichoke biostimulant (0.28 g L-1) positively influenced the coefficient of velocity of germination in alfalfa, crimson clover and durum wheat, whereas cauliflower biostimulant significantly improved corn germination speed. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

This is the first study in which the impact of a new bio-packaging on histamine formation in mackerel was investigated. To monitor the preservation of fresh fish samples a treatment with innovative polymeric film and a soaking procedure in liquid new biomaterial was adopted. Ultra HPLC diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD) analyses for histamine monitoring were performed on fresh, packaged, and soaked mackerel samples at different time. The histamine content threshold value was up to 7 days, and after this period the results showed that histamine levels were affected by application of biomaterial. Significant increase was detected in sample that was not treated with biofilm. The new biofilm extended the shelf-life and reveals a promising packaging system to prevent histamine biosynthesis.

Neurodegenerative diseases are among the major challenges in modern medicine, due to the progressive aging of the world population. Among these, Parkinson's disease (PD) affects 10 million people worldwide and is associated with the aggregation of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (α-syn). Here we use two different PD models, yeast cells and neuroblastoma cells overexpressing α-syn, to investigate the protective effect of an extract from the cocoa shell, which is a by-product of the roasting process of cocoa beans. The LC-ESI-qTOF-MS and NMR analyses allow the identification of amino acids (including the essential ones), organic acids, lactate and glycerol, confirming also the presence of the two methylxanthines, namely caffeine and theobromine. The present study demonstrates that the supplementation with the cocoa bean shell extract (CBSE) strongly improves the longevity of yeast cells expressing α-syn, reducing the level of reactive oxygen species, activating autophagy and reducing the intracellular protein aggresomes. These anti-aggregation properties are confirmed also in neuroblastoma cells, where CBSE treatment leads to activation of AMPK kinase and to a significant reduction of toxic α-syn oligomers. Results obtained by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay highlights that CBSE binds α-syn protein in a concentration-dependent manner, supporting its inhibitory role on the amyloid aggregation of α-syn. These findings suggest that the supplementation with CBSE in the form of nutraceuticals may represent a promising way to prevent neurodegenerative diseases associated with α-syn aggregation.

Table salts with their specialty flake size, textures, flavors, and colors can be considered a gastronomy niche food already increasing in demand worldwide. Being unrefined, they can contain trace elements potentially both healthy and toxic. In this study, 12 mineral elements (Al, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in 10 different salts commercially available in southern Italy namely, Atlantic grey, Baule volante, Guerande, Hawaiian pink, Hawaiian black, Himalayan pink, Maldon, Mozia, Persian blue, and smoked salts were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and thermal decomposition amalgamation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry (TDA-AAS). The concentration of mineral elements was variable according to the type of salt and its geographical origin. Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Se levels were tolerable and Al, Ca, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn ranged significantly among the samples. Persian Blue and Atlantic Grey salts showed elevated levels of Fe and Zn; their intake can be helpful in some specific conditions. Nevertheless, Ni levels were high in Persian Blue and Smoked salts. Pb exceeded the maximum level in all samples. Additional monitoring analyses of mineral contents in table salts are recommended for human health.

The meat of snails can be considered a high-quality food for the human diet and demand is already increasing across Europe. Due to the bioaccumulation of trace elements in their tissues, land snails can be a significant tool also for environmental pollution evaluation. In this study, 28 mineral elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Na, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sr, Ti, Tl, V, Zn) in both the edible part and the shell of edible land snails commercially available in Southern Italy belonging to Cernuella virgata, Helix aperta, Theba pisana species were investigated by ICP-MS and direct mercury analyser. The concentration of trace elements was variable among the samples. The variability demonstrates the close connection among the type of snail, the geographical origin, and the habitat in which the species grows. The edible part of the snails analysed in this study was found to be a good source of macro-nutrients. Toxic elements were detected in some samples, especially in shells; nevertheless, the values fell within the safety limits. Further investigations and monitoring of mineral contents in edible land snails are suggested both for human health and environmental pollution evaluation.

Topic: 27. Thalassemias Background: Patients (PTs) with β-thalassemia (β-T) are at high risk of thrombosis due several factors including iron overload, splenectomy and chronic hemolysis. The increased thrombotic risk requires often the administration of antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant agents as treatment or prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Despite this, there is scarce specific evidence guiding the choice of anticoagulant treatment in the management of PTs with BT and there is limited experience regarding the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) which may deteriorate liver function, often already impaired in BT for secondary hemosiderosis. Aims: The main of the study was to evaluate the employment of DOACs in clinical practice. Methods: We herein have performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of patients with β-T experiencing VTE or NVAF, enrolled in the Extension-Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassemia (E-MIOT) Network study and actively treated with DOACs. Results are reported as median (Interquartile Range) for continuous variables and as frequencies n° (%) for categorical variables. Results: Fifty-five PTs were evaluated (Table 1). Thirty-two out of 55 PTs started DOACs as frontline anticoagulant treatment and 23 PTs were shifted from vitamin k antagonist (VKA) therapy. Apixaban and rivaroxabann were the most frequently adopted DOACs. The median time of treatment was 52.5 months (IQR,31.5-72), during follow-up 3 PTs developed superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and 1 intestinal ischemia, major bleeding was not reported also in those subjects under concomitant antiplatelet drugs (Table 1). VTE recurrences under DOACs were treated low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) for a mean of four weeks, DOACs resulted well tolerated and they were not discontinued or dose-reduced in any subject Summary/Conclusion: We here report the first available comprehensive evaluation of DOACs in BT. However, in our experience there were no adverse events reported and no need of dose modification. Anticoagulant therapy with DOACs in PTs with βT is well tolerated, apparently safe, without recurrences of major thrombotic events and significant bleeding complicationsKeywords: Thalassemia

Biogenic amines (BAs) are nitrogen compounds commonly found in wine and some of them are commonly associated with poor sanitary conditions of the grapes. The main BAs of the wine are histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, spermine and spermidine. They can be associated with toxic effects in humans and many secondary BAs are believed to be cancerogenic compounds. To assure high levels of food quality and safety, this study aims to investigate the effects of different vineyard management practices on the BAs' concentrations in experimental Italian red wines produced in the same region from different grape varieties and under identical vinification procedures. The impact of two different horticultural cropping methods and three breeding techniques was considered. The determination and quantification of eight BAs in experimental red wines was carried out by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a photodiode array (PDA) detector on dansylated amines. The results of the multivariate analysis evidenced that a correlation does exist between the BAs content in wine and the relative vine management.

The present study describes and analyzes the concepts of Medieval History that the future History teachers have in the Teacher Training Centre called CeRP del Este. First, it identifies and describes the students' conceptions of medieval history. Having this objective in mind, it carries out a questionnaire in order to identify, describe and interpret the collected data. The work with the students is based on the study of two generational cohorts (2018 and 2019). By integrating the comparison between the two, it offers a greater possibility of reflection that completely enriches it. Some possible conclusions emerge from the results of this study. To begin with, the persistence of some visions about the Middle Ages is revealed, but not in an absolute way. In fact, this work has a very high concern for the differences. The Middle Age is an almost eventless time, in which the great powers (kings, feudal lords, Church) direct the lives of people. In parallel, recommendations regarding time, concepts and events, weaknesses and problems are revealed, from the perspective of the students in their initial training as future history teachers. Secondly, at the end of the courses, it establishes another tool to reveal the possible changes in some of the previous conceptions of the students in relation to those established at the beginning. A long-term study is conducted to capture some changes from the prevailing ideas at the beginning that may be linked to teaching practices. The final reflections do not seek generalization, but rather the understanding of some issues that emerge, in a paradoxical and contradictory way, about the medieval world and about some issues that go beyond that world. Throughout the work, several questions emerge; some are expected while many others are not, so that the final conclusions can become a new beginning.

Inflammasomes are key intracellular multimeric proteins able to initiate the cellular inflammatory signaling pathway. NLRP3 inflammasome represents one of the main protein complexes involved in the development of inflammatory events, and its activity has been largely demonstrated to be connected with inflammatory or autoinflammatory disorders, including diabetes, gouty arthritis, liver fibrosis, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory syndromes, atherosclerosis, and cancer initiation. In recent years, it has been demonstrated how dietary intake and nutritional status represent important environmental elements that can modulate metabolic inflammation, since food matrices are an important source of several bioactive compounds. In this review, an updated status of knowledge regarding food bioactive compounds as NLRP3 inflammasome modulators is discussed. Several chemical classes, namely polyphenols, organosulfurs, terpenes, fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, saponins, sterols, polysaccharides, carotenoids, vitamins, and probiotics, have been shown to possess NLRP3 inflammasome-modulating activity through in vitro and in vivo assays, mainly demonstrating an anti-NLRP3 inflammasome activity. Plant foods are particularly rich in important bioactive compounds, each of them can have different effects on the pathway of inflammatory response, confirming the importance of the nutritional pattern (food model) as a whole rather than any single nutrient or functional compound.

A fast HPLC method with fluorescence detector (FD) was developed for the determination of three tocopherols (TOCs) in milk samples from Modicana cattle breed. The ultrasound-assisted procedure was optimized for the extraction of TOCs prior to HPLC/FD analysis, reducing sample preparation time and allowing a fast quantification of α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol and γ tocopherol. The optimized ultrasonic extraction combines an efficient and simple saponification at room temperature and a rapid HPLC quantification of TOCs in milk. The precision of the full analytical procedure was satisfactory and the recoveries at three spiked levels were between 95.3% and 87.8%. The linear correlations were evaluated (R2 > 0.99) and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values for intra-day and inter-day tests at three spiked levels were below 1% for the retention time and below 5.20% for the area at low level spiking. The proposed procedure, reducing the experimental complexity, allowed accurate extraction and detection of three TOCs in milk samples from Modicana cattle breed.

Wilson's disease (WD) is a genetic autosomal recessive disease, due to a mutation of the ATP7B gene, characterized by copper accumulation in the liver, eyes, and nerves. Renal involvement has been reported very rarely, affecting only 5 % of WD cases. We present a case of WD associated with IgA nephropathy (IgAN).

The aim of this study is to prompt the recovery of industrial by-products through the production of new functional foods; it takes advantage from new throughput technologies with low environmental impact and high economic sustainability. In the field of fish processing, in order to recover the worthy protein-rich fish waste, residues from the production of Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) have been converted into hydrolysate through enzymatic treatment. The obtained hydrolysate product showed a promising biological and nutritional content made by differently sized peptides and free amino acids endowed with assessed benefic effects. The study showed the possibility to produce a dry powder with an activity water (aw) of 0.3-0.5 and an essential amino acids (EAA) fraction of 42.0% over the total amino acids (TAAs). These results pave the way to the smart recovery of commercial products featured by high nutritional value, either as stand-alone items or as components of functional foods.

We investigated the cause of skeletal deformities found in brown trout from the Aspromonte mountain area in Reggio Calabria, Italy. Toxicological, histopathological and parasitological analyses were carried out on 14 fish with evident macro-morphological alterations from 2 different locations in the same river, and 4 control fish without morphological alterations from a different river (far from the first river but still within the area under study). Histopathological and radiological observations confirmed severe skeletal deformities in the specimens investigated. Parasitological examinations highlighted the presence of the nematode Cystidicoloides ephemeridarum , found only within the gastrointestinal tract of specimens showing deformities. Moreover, a direct correlation between parasite number and fish size was found. Given the low heavy metal levels and the presence of a massive parasitosis in teleosts showing deformities, we postulate a correlation between skeletal deformities and nematode infestation: the parasites caused a serious vitamin and mineral deficiency in the fish, which led to a dysplastic vertebral column. The low calcium levels found in malformed specimens compared with negative controls effectively confirm this hypothesis.

Giacomo Di Matteo1,§, Mattia Spano1,§, Michela Grosso2, Andrea Salvo1, Cinzia Ingallina1, Mariateresa Russo3, Valeria Antonietta Pietropaolo4, Carla Prezioso5, Luisa Mannina1# *, Alberto Ritieni4 1Department of Chemistry and Technologies of Drugs, Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome; giacomo.dimatteo@uniroma1.it (G.D.M.); mattia.spano@uniroma1.it (M.S.); andrea.salvo@ uniroma1.it (A.S.); cinzia.ingallina@uniroma1.it (C.I.), luisa.mannina@uniroma1.it (L.M.) 2Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples; michela.grosso@unina.it (M.G.) 3Department of Agriculture, Food Chemistry Safety and Sensoromic Laboratory (FoCuSS Lab), University of Reggio Calabria. Vice-President of Italian Society of Food Chemistry; mariateresa.russo@unirc.it (M.R.) 4 Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome; valeria.pietropaolo@ uniroma1.it (V.A.P) ; carla.prezioso@uniroma1.it (C.P.) 5Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Staff of Unesco Chair for Health Education and Sustainable Development

A multidisciplinary protocol is proposed to monitor the preservation of fresh pumpkin samples (FP) using three commercial polymeric films: A made of biodegradable cellophane from regenerated cellulose pulp; B from corn starch, cassava and eucalyptus, C made of polylactic acid from corn starch, and a polyethylene film used as reference (REF). Chemical, mechanical and microbiological analyses were applied on packaging and fresh and packaged samples at different times. After an 11-day period, NMR spectroscopy results showed a sucrose increase and a malic acid decrease in all the biofilms with respect to FP; fructose, glucose, galactose levels remained quite constant in biofilms B and C; the most abundant amino acids remained quite constant in biofilm A and decreased significantly in biofilm B. From microbiological analyses total microbial count was below the threshold value up to 7 days for samples in all the films, and 11 days for biofilm C. The lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts and molds counts were below the acceptability limit during the 11 days for all packages. In the case of biofilm C, the most promising packaging for microbiological point of view, aroma analysis was also carried out. In this paper, you can find all the analysis performed and all the values found.

Lipophilic antioxidants such as carotenoids and tocopherols are appreciated components in food because of their potential health benefits. The aim of this study was to describe the composition of these microconstituents in “Ragusano”, a typical Sicilian historical pasta filata cheese, and to compare them during two different production seasons. Specifically, the tocopherols’ composition was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD); whereas the contents of three main carotenoids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS). The scope included studying the influence of dietary supplementation on the potential enrichment of “Ragusano” in antioxidants. The main results regarding the composition of lipophilic vitamins of 56 “Ragusano” cheeses, collected in winter and spring, revealed that α-tocopherol was the predominant component amongst tocopherols and carotenoids, while β-carotene prevailed among the carotenoids. The cheeses obtained in spring turned out to contain larger amounts of antioxidants, both tocopherols and carotenoids, while the dietary supplementation with minerals-vitamins led to a barely detectable increase of antioxidants compared to a measured control group.

Fish is a nutrient-rich food but, at the same time, consumption of fish is a possible source of exposure to heavy metals. Since many coastal Mediterranean areas suffer from great anthropomorphic pressure, the aim of this study was to assess the level of potentially toxic inorganic elements in different fish samples from the coastal zone of Southern Italy (Gela) where there is a high mortality rate linked to cancer disease and congenital malformations. The presence of mercury, cadmium, lead, nickel, arsenic, vanadium, and chromium was measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The risk assessment was evaluated in terms of estimated daily intake by calculating the amount of potentially toxic elements that an average individual adult weighing 60 kg would ingest. Moreover the non-carcinogenic risk was estimated by target hazard quotient (THQ). The study evidenced significant contamination by inorganic elements, especially cadmium, which can be linked to industrial pollution. The THQ indexes, as indicators of human health, suggest that the consumption of fish from the study area is not free of risk.