Identification of plant sterols in hexaploid and tetraploid wheats using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry

Lipid Process Markers of Durum Wheat Debranning Fractions

At present, whole grains are usually obtained by adding bran and middlings to refined flours, and this recombination leads to certain variations in the ratio of endosperm, bran and germ, resulting in flours with very different compositional characteristics and rheological properties. Therefore, this study focuses on the identification of specific lipid markers in different debranning fractions of Italian and Canadian durum wheat blends. The by-products obtained from five different debranning levels (3, 6, 9, 12 and 15%) had a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and a higher concentration of tocopherols and sterols than the corresponding debranned grains. The Italian and Canadian durum wheat samples did not show significant differences in the content of these bioactive lipid compounds. In particular, palmitic acid, oleic acid, tocopherol isomers and total sterols could be useful biomarkers for evaluating the grain-to-tissue ratio in recombined flours.

Co-milling process of olives and oleaginous matrices with high nutritional value: a preliminary characterisation of the obtained oils

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), grape seeds (GS) and pomegranate seeds (PS) are very popular for human consumption because of their nutraceutical properties. A co-milling of olives with GS or PS was carried out with the aim of a preliminary study of the lipidic and phenolic characteristics of the obtained vegetable oils, also during their shelf life. Results show that the use of GS and PS in the olive co-milling enriches the oil in healthy compounds, such as punicic acid and γ-tocopherol. However, the co-milling process must be re-evaluated, since the compositional profile of the co-milled oils is just slightly different from EVOO. The oxidative state of the oils obtained suggests the use of a protective packaging combined with small containers in order to ensure a rapid consumption. With an appropriate formulation the co-milled oils could bring health-positive compounds and, simultaneously, raw materials could be valorised.

Lipidomics-Assisted GWAS (lGWAS) Approach for Improving High-Temperature Stress Tolerance of Crops

High-temperature stress (HT) over crop productivity is an important environmental factor demanding more attention as recent global warming trends are alarming and pose a potential threat to crop production. According to the Sixth IPCC report, future years will have longer warm seasons and frequent heat waves. Thus, the need arises to develop HT-tolerant genotypes that can be used to breed high-yielding crops. Several physiological, biochemical, and molecular alterations are orchestrated in providing HT tolerance to a genotype. One mechanism to counter HT is overcoming high-temperature-induced membrane superfluidity and structural disorganizations. Several HT lipidomic studies on different genotypes have indicated the potential involvement of membrane lipid remodelling in providing HT tolerance. Advances in high-throughput analytical techniques such as tandem mass spectrometry have paved the way for large-scale identification and quantification of the enormously diverse lipid molecules in a single run. Physiological trait-based breeding has been employed so far to identify and select HT tolerant genotypes but has several disadvantages, such as the genotype-phenotype gap affecting the efficiency of identifying the underlying genetic association. Tolerant genotypes maintain a high photosynthetic rate, stable membranes, and membrane-associated mechanisms. In this context, studying the HT-induced membrane lipid remodelling, resultant of several up-/down-regulations of genes and post-translational modifications, will aid in identifying potential lipid biomarkers for HT tolerance/susceptibility. The identified lipid biomarkers (LIPIDOTYPE) can thus be considered an intermediate phenotype, bridging the gap between genotype–phenotype (genotype–LIPIDOTYPE–phenotype). Recent works integrating metabolomics with quantitative genetic studies such as GWAS (mGWAS) have provided close associations between genotype, metabolites, and stress-tolerant phenotypes. This review has been sculpted to provide a potential workflow that combines MS-based lipidomics and the robust GWAS (lipidomics assisted GWAS-lGWAS) to identify membrane lipid remodelling related genes and associations which can be used to develop HS tolerant genotypes with enhanced membrane thermostability (MTS) and heat stable photosynthesis (HP).

Molecular insights into symbiosis-mapping sterols in a marine flatworm-algae-system using high spatial resolution MALDI-2-MS imaging with ion mobility separation

Waminoa sp. acoel flatworms hosting Symbiodiniaceae and the related Amphidinium dinoflagellate algae are an interesting model system for symbiosis in marine environments. While the host provides a microhabitat and safety, the algae power the system by photosynthesis and supply the worm with nutrients. Among these nutrients are sterols, including cholesterol and numerous phytosterols. While it is widely accepted that these compounds are produced by the symbiotic dinoflagellates, their transfer to and fate within the sterol-auxotrophic Waminoa worm host as well as their role in its metabolism are unknown. Here we used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging combined with laser-induced post-ionization and trapped ion mobility spectrometry (MALDI-2-TIMS-MSI) to map the spatial distribution of over 30 different sterol species in sections of the symbiotic system. The use of laser post-ionization crucially increased ion yields and allowed the recording of images with a pixel size of 5 μm. Trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) helped with the tentative assignment of over 30 sterol species. Correlation with anatomical features of the worm, revealed by host-derived phospholipid signals, and the location of the dinoflagellates, revealed by chlorophyll a signal, disclosed peculiar differences in the distribution of different sterol species (e.g. of cholesterol versus stigmasterol) within the receiving host. These findings point to sterol species-specific roles in the metabolism of Waminoa beyond a mere source of energy. They also underline the value of the MALDI-2-TIMS-MSI method to future research in the spatially resolved analysis of sterols.

Lipids Composition in Plant Membranes

The paper focuses on the selected plant lipid issues. Classification, nomenclature, and abundance of fatty acids was discussed. Then, classification, composition, role, and organization of lipids were displayed. The involvement of lipids in xantophyll cycle and glycerolipids synthesis (as the most abundant of all lipid classes) were also discussed. Moreover, in order to better understand the biomembranes remodeling, the model (artificial) membranes, mimicking the naturally occurring membranes are employed and the survey on their composition and application in different kind of research was performed. High level of lipids remodeling in the plant membranes under different environmental conditions, e.g., nutrient deficiency, temperature stress, salinity or drought was proved. The key advantage of lipid research was the conclusion that lipids could serve as the markers of plant physiological condition and the detailed knowledge on lipids chemistry will allow to modify their composition for industrial needs.

Comparison of Two Stationary Phases for the Determination of Phytosterols and Tocopherols in Mango and Its By-Products by GC-QTOF-MS

Two different gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-QTOF-MS) methodologies were carried out for the analysis of phytosterols and tocopherols in the flesh of three mango cultivars and their by-products (pulp, peel, and seed). To that end, a non-polar column ((5%-phenyl)-methylpolysiloxane (HP-5ms)) and a mid-polar column (crossbond trifluoropropylmethyl polysiloxane (RTX-200MS)) were used. The analysis time for RTX-200MS was much lower than the one obtained with HP-5ms. Furthermore, the optimized method for the RTX-200MS column had a higher sensibility and precision of peak area than the HP-5ms methodology. However, RTX-200MS produced an overlapping between β-sitosterol and Δ⁵-avenasterol. Four phytosterols and two tocopherols were identified in mango samples. As far as we are concerned, this is the first time that phytosterols have been studied in mango peel and that Δ⁵-avenasterol has been reported in mango pulp. α- and γ-tocopherol were determined in peel, and α-tocopherol was the major tocopherol in this fraction (up to 81.2%); however, only α-tocopherol was determined in the pulp and seed. The peel was the fraction with the highest total concentration of phytosterols followed by seed and pulp, and "Sensación" was the cultivar with the highest concentration of total phytosterols in most cases. There were no significant differences between quantification of tocopherols with both columns. However, in most cases, quantification of phytosterols was higher with RTX-200MS than with HP-5ms column.

Phytochemicals in whole grain wheat and their health-promoting effects

Accumulated evidence in epidemiological studies has consistently shown that consumption of whole grains (WGs) is inversely associated with risk of major chronic diseases such as certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Dietary fiber (DF) has been reported to be responsible for the health effects of WG consumption. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies is emerging that, in addition to DF and minerals, the unique phytochemicals in WGs may in part contribute to these health-promoting effects. WGs are rich sources of various phytochemicals. However, phytochemical contents and profiles in WG wheat are not systematically summarized yet, and the rapid rate of discovery of wheat phytochemicals necessitates an update on the current state of this field. Furthermore, the biological roles of phytochemicals in protective effects of WGs are also relatively underestimated compared to DFs. This manuscript summarized current research literature regarding phytochemicals that have been identified and characterized from wheat grains and wheat bran, and their corresponding contributions to the major health benefits of WG wheat consumption.

New criteria for the characterization of traditional East Asian papers

We report a pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) method capable of analyzing traditional East Asian papers. The method proposed is based on rapid and easy single step Py-GC/MS analysis that can be carried out with a minimum amount of matter, in the few microgram range. Three reference papers manufactured from kozo (Broussonetia kazinoki Siebold & Zucc.), mitsumata (Edgeworthia chrysantha Lindl.), and gampi (Wikstroemia sikokiana Franch. & Sav.) with the traditional hand paper making processes were examined. The method allows discrimination between terpenic and steroid compounds, which were revealed as chemical markers of origin of the plant fibers. Each paper investigated was found to have characteristic pyrolysis fingerprints that were unique to the traditional handmade paper, demonstrating the potential for differentiation of these biochemical components of fiber plants on East Asian papers towards identification and conservation of cultural heritage. The investigation on Py-GC/MS was extended to liquid extraction followed by GC/MS analysis to characterize the biochemical components of fiber plants. The main contribution of this study is to provide molecular criteria for discriminating plant species used for traditional East Asian hand papermaking. Py-GC/MS complements efficiently microscope identification especially for adverse cases. A case study of archaeological Chinese paper painting artefacts was thereafter successfully investigated to address informative potential and efficiency of the criteria of identification on ancient and degraded East Asian paperworks.

Determination of lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive compounds in raw and parboiled rice bran

Rice bran is one of the most important rice by-products and represents a source of bioactive compounds.

Chemical constituents and toxicological studies of leaves from Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth., a Brazilian honey plant

Background:

Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. (Leguminosae) is widely found in the Brazilian Northeast region and markedly contributes to production of pollen and honey, being considered an important honey plant in this region.

Objective:

To investigate the chemical composition of the ethanol extract of leaves from M. caesalpiniifolia by GC-MS after derivatization (silylation), as well as to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo toxicological effects and androgenic activity in rats.

Materials and Methods:

The ethanol extract of leaves from Mimosa caesalpiniifolia was submitted to derivatization by silylation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identification of chemical constituents. In vitro toxicological evaluation was performed by MTT assay in murine macrophages and by Artemia salina lethality assay, and the in vivo acute oral toxicity and androgenic evaluation in rats.

Results:

Totally, 32 components were detected: Phytol-TMS (11.66%), lactic acid-2TMS (9.16%), α-tocopherol-TMS (7.34%) and β-sitosterol-TMS (6.80%) were the major constituents. At the concentrations analyzed, the ethanol extract showed low cytotoxicity against brine shrimp (Artemia salina) and murine macrophages. In addition, the extract did not exhibit any toxicological effect or androgenic activity in rats.

Conclusions:

The derivatization by silylation allowed a rapid identification of chemical compounds from the M. caesalpiniifolia leaves extract. Besides, this species presents a good safety profile as observed in toxicological studies, and possess a great potential in the production of herbal medicines or as for food consumption.

Determination of lipid and phenolic fraction in two hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars grown in Poland

The fatty acid, tocopherol, sterol, phospholipid and phenolic compositions of Polish hazelnuts (Kataloński and Webba Cenny) were examined. Particularly, free+esterified and bound tocopherol, sterol and phenolic compounds were determined. The major fatty acids found in hazelnuts were oleic and linoleic acids. α-Tocopherol was the most abundant tocopherol accounting for 90-92% of the total content. Bound tocopherols represented 45.5% and 21.7% of total tocopherols in Kataloński and Webba Cenny cultivar, respectively. Total free+esterified sterols were between 62.0% and 75.7% of total sterols and β-sitosterol was the first sterol in the two samples. Phosphatidylcholine was the most common phospholipid, accounting for 72.2% for Kataloński and 67.5% Webba Cenny, respectively. The most abundant fatty acids in the phospholipid fraction were oleic equally with palmitic acids. Twelve free and six bound phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in hazelnut kernel, instead nine free and six bound phenolic compounds were determined in hard shell.

Direct analysis of sterols by derivatization matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Free sterols are neutral molecules that are difficult to analyze by MALDI or ESI and their molecular ions easily fragment. In order to increase their ionization efficiency and selectivity, sterols were derivatized by different reagents.

METHODS

Selected sterols were converted into their corresponding picolinyl esters, N-methylpyridyl ethers and sulphated esters. The derivatives were optimized for MALDI-TOFMS analysis through proper selection of the matrix. MALDI-TOF/TOF experiments were carried out to study the fragmentation pathways of the derivatives and their use in structural elucidation. Lipid extracts from mussels were used as test samples for MALDI analysis of sterols in biological samples also analyzed by GC/MS for comparison.

RESULTS

Sterol picolinyl esters were identified as sodiated adducts [M+Na](+) and the signal significantly enhanced after addition of sodium acetate (20 mM). Sterol N-methylpyridyl ethers were easily detected as [M](+) while sulphated sterols were best detected as [M-H](-). The ester bonds of picolinyl and sulphated esters easily cleaved in MS/MS resulting in diagnostic derivative fragments at m/z 146.03 and 96.89, respectively. Cleavage of the ether bond of N-methylpyridyl ethers gave a diagnostic fragment ion at m/z 110.04. Sterol profiles in mussels obtained by MALDI-TOFMS were in close agreement with those obtained by GC/MS. Two sterols (cholesterol and β-sitosterol) were selected for quantification as their sulphated and picolinyl esters. Calibration curves gave excellent correlation coefficients.

CONCLUSIONS

Suitable matrices for picolinyl esters are DHB and THAP, for N-methylpyridyl ethers THAP, and for sulphated esters p-nitroaniline and dithranol. Using cholesterol, the limits of detection (LODs) for sulphated esters were 0.2 µg/mL and for picolinyl esters, 1.5 µg/mL. N-Methylpyridyl ethers were found unsuitable for sterol quantitation.

Online LC-GC-based analysis of minor lipids in various tree nuts and peanuts

As information on free sterols/stanols and steryl/stanyl esters in nuts is lacking, the compositions and contents of these lipid constituents in ten different nut types were analyzed. The applied approach was based on online liquid chromatography-gas chromatography and enabled the simultaneous analysis of free sterols/stanols and individual steryl/stanyl fatty acid esters, and additionally of tocopherols and squalene. Total contents of free sterols/stanols ranged from 0.62 mg/g nut in hazelnuts to 1.61 mg/g nut in pistachios, with sitosterol as the predominant compound. Total contents of steryl/stanyl fatty acid esters were in the range of 0.11-1.26 mg/g nut, being lowest in Brazil nuts and highest in pistachios. There were considerable differences between the various nut types not only regarding the contents, but also the compositions of both classes. The levels of tocopherols were highest in pine nuts (0.33 mg/g nut); those of squalene were remarkably high in Brazil nuts (1.11 mg/g nut).

Online LC-GC analysis of free sterols/stanols and intact steryl/stanyl esters in cereals

The suitability of online liquid chromatography-gas chromatography for the analysis of free sterols/stanols, steryl/stanyl fatty acid esters, and trans-steryl/stanyl ferulic acid esters in cereals is demonstrated. The silylated lipid extracts were fractionated via liquid chromatography on a normal phase, and the fractions containing the sterol classes were transferred online to the gas chromatograph for the analysis of their individual compositions. The study provides for the first time data on free sterols/stanols and intact steryl/stanyl esters in sweet corn, popcorn, and proso millet. Sweet corn revealed the highest contents of free sterols/stanols and steryl/stanyl fatty acid esters, and popcorn, in turn, the highest amounts of trans-steryl/stanyl ferulic acid esters. The distribution patterns of the proso millet samples revealed pronounced differences from those of sweet corn and popcorn as they particularly exhibited high proportions of free cholesterol and cholesteryl fatty acid esters. Furthermore, no trans-steryl/stanyl ferulic acid esters could be detected.

A comparative study of bioactive compounds in primitive wheat populations from Italy, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria and Armenia

BACKGROUND

In recent years there has been a considerable interest in the consumption of ancient wheats, often referred to as having superior health-promoting properties than modern cultivars. The BaSeFood project allowed us to explore the use of primitive wheats in the Black Sea area region and in Italy, with special regard to emmer (Triticum dicoccum) and einkorn (T. monococcum), and to collect seed samples to be grown and compared for their bioactive content, together with some other primitive wheat genotypes (T. timopheevi, T. palaeo-colchicum, T. macha).

RESULTS

The data show that genotype was an important factor controlling phytochemical content. Variability ranges were as follows: lipids (18.0-28.5 g kg(-1)), tocols (26.6-72.8 mg kg(-1)), carotenoids (1.6-8.4 mg kg(-1)), sterols (441-929 mg kg(-1)) and phenolic compounds (819-1465 mg kg(-1)) content (dry matter basis). The fraction of individual components, within each class, was also variable; however, the species were well discriminated by their overall composition.

CONCLUSIONS

The present research represents a further contribution to the available literature about the analytical composition of primitive wheats, including the complete range of relevant bioactives and lesser investigated species. The data do not support an overall superiority of primitive forms, but evidenced interesting, potentially exploitable, between- and within-species variability.

Supercritical fluid extraction of Eucalyptus globulus bark-A promising approach for triterpenoid production

Eucalyptus bark contains significant amounts of triterpenoids with demonstrated bioactivity, namely triterpenic acids and their acetyl derivatives (ursolic, betulinic, oleanolic, betulonic, 3-acetylursolic, and 3-acetyloleanolic acids). In this work, the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of Eucalyptus globulus deciduous bark was carried out with pure and modified carbon dioxide to recover this fraction, and the results were compared with those obtained by Soxhlet extraction with dichloromethane. The effects of pressure (100–200 bar), co-solvent (ethanol) content (0, 5 and 8% wt), and multistep operation were studied in order to evaluate the applicability of SFE for their selective and efficient production. The individual extraction curves of the main families of compounds were measured, and the extracts analyzed by GC-MS. Results pointed out the influence of pressure and the important role played by the co-solvent. Ethanol can be used with advantage, since its effect is more important than increasing pressure by several tens of bar. At 160 bar and 40 °C, the introduction of 8% (wt) of ethanol greatly improves the yield of triterpenoids more than threefold.

Simultaneous analysis of free phytosterols/phytostanols and intact phytosteryl/phytostanyl fatty acid and phenolic acid esters in cereals

An approach based on solid-phase extraction for the effective separation of free phytosterols/phytostanols and phytosteryl/phytostanyl fatty acid and phenolic acid esters from cereal lipids was developed. The ester conjugates were analyzed in their intact form by means of capillary gas chromatography. Besides free sterols and stanols, up to 33 different fatty acid and phenolic acid esters were identified in four different cereal grains via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The majority (52-57%) of the sterols and stanols were present as fatty acid esters. The highest levels of all three sterol and stanol classes based on dry matter of ground kernels were determined in corn, whereas the oil extract of rye was 1.7 and 1.6 times richer in fatty acid esters and free sterols/stanols than the corn oil. The results showed that there are considerable differences in the sterols/stanols and their ester profiles and contents obtained from corn compared to rye, wheat, and spelt. The proposed method is useful for the quantification of a wide range of free phytosterols/phytostanols and intact phytosteryl/phytostanyl esters to characterize different types of grain.

Phytosterol supplementation reduces metabolic activity and slows cell growth in cultured rat cardiomyocytes

Besides being cholesterol-lowering agents, phytosterols (PS) can inhibit the growth and development of tumours. The anti-neoplastic activity is accounted for by PS incorporation into cell membranes, resulting in the interference of membrane functionality. The similarity between the PS cholesterol-lowering and anti-neoplastic effective doses deserves attention on the possible adverse effects even in non-neoplastic cells. To date, few studies have addressed the clarification of this important issue. In the present study, we supplemented primary, non-neoplastic neonatal rat cardiomyocytes with two different PS concentrations (3 or 6 μg/ml), both within the range of human plasma concentration. Cardiac cells were chosen as an experimental model since the heart has been reported as the target organ for subchronic toxicity of PS. Following supplementation, a dose-dependent incorporation of PS and a decrease in cholesterol content were clearly evidenced. PS did not induce apoptosis but caused a reduction in metabolic activity (measured as 3-(4,5-dimethyldiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) conversion) and a slowing down of cell growth. The lower MTT conversion and the similar lactate dehydrogenase release could suggest that PS more efficiently target mitochondria than plasma membrane integrity. The replacement of cholesterol by PS could also have caused the observed slowing down of cell growth and the reduction in metabolic activity, which could rely on the PS increase, cholesterol decrease, or both. The present study is the first report on the effect of PS in cardiac cells, and although it is difficult to translate the obtained results to the health of heart tissue, it raises concerns about the safety of long-term exposure to physiologically relevant PS concentrations.

Commercial peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars in the United States: phytosterol composition

Phytosterols in commercially grown Runner, Virginia, and Spanish peanuts (n = 221) from 2005 and 2006 were quantified by a combination of acid hydrolysis and alkaline saponification steps followed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the trimethylsilyl derivatives. Δ(5)-Avenasterol, which partially degrades during acid hydrolysis, was quantified after alkaline saponification plus direct analysis of the steryl glucosides isolated by solid-phase extraction. β-Sitosterol, Δ(5)-avenasterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol were identified in peanut lipid extracts as the dominant sterols by retention time mapping and mass spectra with recoveries ∼99%. Clerosterol, Δ(5,24(25))-stigmastadienol, Δ(7)-sitosterol + cycloartenol, and one unidentified sterol were also present but at low levels. Free and esterified phytosterols accounted for ∼80% of the total sterols determined; the remainder was attributed to steryl glucosides. The total sterol level in Spanish market type peanuts (144.1 ± 5.3 mg/100 g) was significantly greater than both Runners (127.5 ± 6.3 mg/100 g) and Virginias (129.3 ± 6.9 mg/100 g) (P < 0.05). Tamspan 90 (146.9 mg/100 g) followed by OLIN (138.5 mg/100 g) showed the highest total sterol content among the cultivars examined. Cultivar effects were strongly significant (P < 0.001) for all phytosterols, whereas production year effects were strongly significant (P < 0.001) for Δ(5)-avenasterol, Δ(5,24(25))-stigmastadienol, and the combined quantities of Δ(7)-sitosterol + cycloartenol, which coeluted. Cultivar × year interactions were strongly significant (P < 0.001) in all sterols except for Δ(7)-sitosterol + cycloartenol (P < 0.01). Total phytosterol contents were markedly higher than those reported in the existing literature for Runner and Virginia type peanuts, partially attributed to the inclusion of steryl glucosides in the analysis.

Characterization of total, free and esterified phytosterols in tetraploid and hexaploid wheats

Dietary plant sterols have received increasing attention in recent years due to their favorable health benefits. The present research focused on quantification of phytosterols as free, esterified and total forms in different tetraploid (5 cultivars of Triticum durum Desf., 9 cultivars of Triticum dicoccon Schrank) and hexaploid (5 cultivars of T. aestivum L., 12 cultivars of Triticum spelta L.) wheats. Tetraploid wheats showed the highest content of total sterol (79.4 and 79.5 mg of sterols /100 g dry weight for T. durum and T. dicoccon, respectively). Hexaploid cultivars were the best source of esterified sterols (40.7% and 37.3% of total sterols for Triticum aestivum and T. spelta, respectively). Significant amounts of free sterols (65.5% and 60.7% of total sterols for T. durum and T. dicoccon, respectively) were found in the tetraploid cultivars. The most abundant phytosterol in all wheat samples was sitosterol accounting for 45.1-59.1, 46.6-57.4 and 38.6-59.5% of total, free and esterified sterol fraction, respectively. These results demonstrate that although the sterol profile present in tetraploid and hexaploid wheat species is the same, differences in their relative amounts and distribution allow statistical differentiation between hexaploids and tetraploids, and between soft and durum wheats.

Triterpenic and other lipophilic components from industrial cork byproducts

The detailed chemical composition of the lipophilic extractives of cork and cork byproducts generated throughout industrial processing has been investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Triterpenes (cerine, friedeline, and betulinic acid) were the major components detected. Betulinic acid is the main triterpene (11.7 g/kg) identified in industrial cork powder, whereas in black condensates friedeline (95.3 g/kg), betuline (13.1 g/kg), and betulinic acid (12.1 g/kg) are the main triperpenes. Significant fractions of alpha-hydroxy fatty acids (115.1 g/kg) and alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acids (21.2 g/kg) were also detected in black condensate after alkaline hydrolysis. The results demonstrate that these two industrial byproducts can be considered as promising sources of bioactive chemicals or chemical intermediates for the synthesis of polymeric materials.

Ketosteroids and hydroxyketosteroids, minor metabolites of sugarcane wax

Besides beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol, the major steroids of sugarcane, the following minor steroids have been isolated and identified from sugarcane wax: 3,6-diketosteroids, Delta(4)-3-keto steroids, and Delta(4)-6-hydroxy-3-keto steroids. Their structures were established by spectroscopic techniques and chemical correlations.

Analysis of fatty acid steryl esters in tetraploid and hexaploid wheats: identification and comparison between chromatographic methods

Fatty acid steryl esters (FASE) in whole meal of 14 genotypes of tetraploid wheats (Triticum dicocconand T. durum) and 17 genotypes of hexaploid wheats (T. spelta and T. aestivum) were analyzed using different chromatographic strategies. By both GC-FID and HPLC-ELSD, tetraploid wheats are lacking two major peaks. The amounts of FASE, calculated on the basis of the GC-FID analysis, were double in hexaploid species as compared to tetraploids (40 and 20 mg/100 g db, respectively). HPLC with ESI-MS detection enabled the identification of FASE by the characteristic fragmentations and ion-adducts of each molecule. The distribution of steryl residues was not different between the wheat species: the main class of steryl derivatives found was the beta-sitosteryl derivatives, followed by campesteryl derivatives with small amounts of stigmasteryl esters. The esterified fatty acids explain the difference between the hexaploid and tetraploid wheats. In particular, small amounts of campesteryl and beta-sitosteryl, while no trace of stigmasteryl palmitates, were found in T. durum or its hulled ancestor T. dicoccon. Steryl oleates were not detectable in T. aestivum or its hulled ancestor T. spelta, which is consistent with the filogenesis of tetraploid and hexaploid species. Both chromatographic techniques (GC and HPLC) showed that FASE are useful to discriminate between hexaploid and tetraploid wheats from both qualitative and quantitative points of view.

Determination of sterols in biological samples by SPME with on-fiber derivatization and GC/FID

A new procedure for the determination of sterols in serum samples is proposed. The system consists of coating a Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) microfiber in headspace mode with the derivatizing agent N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoracetamide (BSTFA) and then applying this coated fiber to the simultaneous extraction and derivatization of three precursors in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway (desmosterol, lathosterol and lanosterol) and two phytosterols (sitosterol and sitostanol) in serum samples. Optimization of the analytical procedure via the application of an experimental design, a study of matrix effects, and an analysis of serum pool samples are all described and discussed.

Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) as a source of breadmaking flours and bran naturally enriched in oleic acid and minerals but not phytic acid

The nutritional value of breadmaking cereal spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) is said to be higher than that of common wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare), but this traditional view is not substantiated by scientific evidence. In an attempt to clarify this issue, wholemeal and milling fractions (sieved flour, fine bran, and coarse bran) from nine dehulled spelt and five soft winter wheat samples were compared with regard to their lipid, fatty acid, and mineral contents. In addition, tocopherol (a biochemical marker of germ) was measured in all wholemeals, whereas phytic acid and phosphorus levels were determined in fine bran and coarse bran samples after 1 month of storage. Results showed that, on average, spelt wholemeals and milling fractions were higher in lipids and unsaturated fatty acids as compared to wheat, whereas tocopherol content was lower in spelt, suggesting that the higher lipid content of spelt may not be related to a higher germ proportion. Although milling fractionation produced similar proportions of flour and brans in spelt and wheat, it was found that ash, copper, iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus contents were higher in spelt samples, especially in aleurone-rich fine bran and in coarse bran. Even though phosphorus content was higher in spelt than in wheat brans, phytic acid content showed the opposite trend and was 40% lower in spelt versus wheat fine bran, which may suggest that spelt has either a higher endogenous phytase activity or a lower phytic acid content than wheat. The results of this study give important indications on the real nutritional value of spelt compared to wheat. Moreover, they show that the Ca/Fe ratio, combined with that of oleate/palmitate, provides a highly discriminating tool to authenticate spelt from wheat flours and to face the growing issue of spelt flour adulteration. Finally, they suggest that aleurone differences, the nature of which still needs to be investigated, may account for the differential nutrient composition of spelt and wheat.

Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) wholemeals have similar sterol profiles, as determined by quantitative liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis

From a nutritional point of view, cereal lipids include valuable molecules, such as essential fatty acids, phytosterols, and fat-soluble vitamins. Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) is an alternative hulled bread cereal mostly grown in Belgium, where it is mainly intended for animal feed but should increasingly be used for human consumption. The present research focused on phytosterol quantification by LC/APCI-MS2 in saponified wholemeal extracts of 16 dehulled spelt and 5 winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties grown in Belgium during 2001-2002 at the same location. Glycosylated sterols and free and formerly esterified sterols could be determined in saponified extracts. Results show that the mean phytosterol content is comparable in both cereals (whereas other lipids, such as oleic and linoleic acids, are increased in spelt wholemeal): spelt extract has, on average, 527.7 microg of free and esterified sterols g(-1) of wholemeal and 123.8 microg of glycosylated sterols g(-1) of wholemeal versus 528.5 and 112.6 microg x g(-1) in winter wheat (values not corrected for recoveries). This is the first report on the application and validation of an LC/MS2 method for the quantification of phytosterols in spelt and winter wheat.