Quantification of fatty acids as methyl esters and phospholipids in cheese samples after separation of triacylglycerides and phospholipids

FT-MIR Analysis of Water-Soluble Extracts during the Ripening of Sheep Milk Cheese with Different Phospholipid Content

The purpose of this work was to study the suitability of the water-soluble extracts (WSE) of semi-hard sheep milk cheese for analysis by diffuse reflectance Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy (FT-MIR) and the development of classification models using discriminant analysis and based on cheese age or phospholipid content. WSE was extracted from three types of sheep milk cheeses (full-fat, reduced-fat and reduced-fat fortified with lyophilized sweet sheep buttermilk) at various stages of ripening from six to 168 days and lyophilized. The first model used 1854–1381 and 1192–760 cm−1 regions of the first-derivative spectra and successfully differentiated samples of different age, based on changes in the water-soluble products of ripening biochemical events. The second model used the phospholipid absorbance spectral regions (3012–2851, 1854–1611 and 1192–909 cm−1) to successfully discriminate cheeses of markedly different phospholipid content. Cheese WSE was found suitable for FT-MIR analysis. According to the results, a fast and simple method to monitor cheese ripening based on water-soluble substances has been developed. Additionally, the results indicated that a considerable amount of phospholipids migrates to the cheese WSE and that FT-MIR can be a useful tool for their assessment.

Detailed analysis of the fatty acid composition of six plant-pathogenic bacteria

Bacteria show distinct and characteristic fatty acid (FA) patterns which can be modified by environmental conditions. In this study, we cultivated six plant-pathogenic bacteria of agricultural concern and performed a detailed analysis of the fatty acid composition. The study covered four strains of the gram-negative Xanthomonas campestris pathovar (pv) campestris (Xcc), Xanthomonas perforans (Xp), Acidovorax citrulli (Ac) and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst), and two strains of the gram-positive Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) and Streptomyces scabies (Ssc). After cultivation, freeze-dried bacteria samples were transesterified and analysed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in full scan and selected ion monitoring (SIM) modes. Altogether, 44 different FAs were detected in the six strains with individual contributions of 0.01-43.8% to the total FAs. The variety in the six strains ranged between 12 and 31 individual FAs. The FA composition of Xcc, Xp, Cmm and Ssc were dominated by iso- and anteiso-fatty acids (especially i15:0, a15:0, i16:0), which is typical for most bacteria. In contrast to this, Ac and Pst showed only saturated and monounsaturated FAs. Four of the six bacteria showed similar FA patterns as reported before in the literature. Differences were observed in the case of Cmm where many more FAs were detected in the present study. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, the FA pattern of Xp was presented for the first time.

Unexpected Formation of Low Amounts of (R)-Configurated anteiso-Fatty Acids in Rumen Fluid Experiments

Anteiso-fatty acids (aFA) with odd carbon number are a class of branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) mainly produced by bacteria. Bacterial sources are also made responsible for their occurrence in the low percent-range in lipids of ruminants (meat and milk) and fish. aFAs are chiral molecules and typically occur predominantly in form of (S)-enantiomers, and their primary precursor has been noted to be isoleucine. Yet, low proportions of (R)-aFAs were also detected in fish and cheese samples. Here we investigated the potential formation of (R)-aFAs by means of incubation experiments with rumen fluid from fistulated cows. Supplementation of rumen fluid with both L- and DL-isoleucine, resulted in a significant (α <0.05) increase of the aFA concentrations but in both cases enantiopure (S)-aFAs were observed. By contrast, incubations without addition of any isoleucine lead to a significant (α <0.05) formation of small proportions of (R)-aFAs similarly to those previously observed in fish and cheese. These results were consistently reproduced in three different years with rumen fluid from different cows fed different diets. All findings point to the existence of a further biosynthesis pathway of aFAs with different stereospecificity than the classic one using isoleucine as primer.

Molecular interactions between green tea catechins and cheese fat studied by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Molecular integrations between green tea catechins and milk fat globules in a cheese matrix were investigated using solid-state magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Full-fat cheeses were manufactured containing free catechin or free green tea extract (GTE), and liposomal encapsulated catechin or liposomal encapsulated GTE. Molecular mobility of the carbon species in the cheeses was measured by a wide-line separation technique. The (1)H evolution frequency profile of the (13)C peak at 16ppm obtained for the control cheese and cheeses containing encapsulated polyphenols (catechin or GTE) were similar, however, the spectrum was narrower for cheeses containing free polyphenols. Differences in spectral width indicates changes in the molecular mobility of --CH3- or -C-C-PO4- species through hydrophobic and/or cation-π associations between green tea catechins and cheese fat components. However, the similar spectral profile suggests that encapsulation protects cheese fat from interaction with catechins.

Method Development for the Determination of Free and Esterified Sterols in Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)

Ergosterol is the major sterol in button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) and can occur as free alcohol or esterified with fatty acids (ergosteryl esters). In this study, gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode (GC/MS-SIM) was used to determine ergosterol and ergosteryl esters as well as other sterols and steryl esters in button mushrooms. Different quality control measures were established and sample preparation procedures were compared to prevent the formation of artifacts and the degradation of ergosteryl esters. The final method was then used for the determination of ergosterol (443 ± 44 mg/100 g dry matter (d.m.)) and esterified ergosterol (12 ± 6 mg/100 g d.m.) in button mushroom samples (n = 4). While the free sterol fraction was vastly dominated by ergosterol (∼90% of five sterols in total), the steryl ester fraction was more diversified (nine sterols in total, ergosterol ∼55%) and consisted primarily of linoleic acid esters.

Lipidomics applications for disease biomarker discovery in mammal models

Lipidomics is a lipid-targeted metabolomics approach focusing on comprehensive analysis of all lipids with which they interact in biology systems. Recent technological advances in MS and chromatography have greatly enhanced the developments and applications of metabolic profiling of diverse lipids in complex biological samples. Lipidomics will not only provide insights into the specific functions of lipid species in health and disease, but will also identify potential biomarkers for establishing preventive or therapeutic programs for human disease. In this review, recent applications of lipidomics to understand animal models of disease such as metabolic syndromes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and infectious diseases are considered. We also discuss the lipidomics for the future perspectives and their potential problems.

anteiso-Fatty Acids in Brussels Sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera L.): Quantities, Enantioselectivities, and Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios

anteiso-Fatty acids (aFAs) are a class of branched-chain fatty acids that are characterized by one methyl branch on the antepenultimate carbon of the straight acyl chain. aFAs are mainly produced by bacteria, and sources in vegetables are scarce. This study reports the concentrations of odd-numbered aFAs (a15:0-a21:0) in Brussels sprout buds. Selective enrichment followed by enantioselective gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode revealed that both a15:0 and a17:0 were (S)-enantiopure in Brussels sprout samples. δ(13)C values (‰) of a17:0 in Brussels sprouts were comparable with those of palmitic acid, indicating no different source for both fatty acids.

Production technology and characterization of Fior di latte cheeses made from sheep and goat milks

Innovation in the small ruminant dairy sector faces structural challenges because dairies are often involved in breeding and produce cheeses that appeal essentially to local markets using traditional technologies and facilities. An investigation was carried out to produce Fior di latte, a traditional, soft pasta filata cheese, from sheep and goat milks at the farm level. Fior di latte is an Italian high-moisture, round mozzarella currently produced from cow and water buffalo milks; it is very popular in Europe. Cheesemaking trials were performed and the most appropriate technology proved to be a combination of direct acidification and lactic fermentation, with some modifications to the milk coagulation phase. The gross composition of the experimental cheeses was similar to that of bovine Fior di latte, and the overall hygienic quality was satisfactory even though the milk had not been pasteurized. The new cheeses were similar in appearance to the bovine type, but some specific features were detected. Besides the typical "goaty" and "sheepy" flavors, some novel and distinctive descriptors of odor, flavor, and texture were noted. Our experiment showed that good quality Fior di latte cheese that complies with microbiological requirements of the European legislation can be obtained from sheep and goat milks by appropriately modifying the cheesemaking technology.

Phospholipids in milk fat: composition, biological and technological significance, and analytical strategies

Glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids are quantitatively the most important phospholipids (PLs) in milk. They are located on the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and in other membranous material of the skim milk phase. They include principally phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine, while sphingomyelin is the dominant species of sphingolipids There is considerable evidence that PLs have beneficial health effects, such as regulation of the inflammatory reactions, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity on some types of cancer, and inhibition of the cholesterol absorption. PLs show good emulsifying properties and can be used as a delivery system for liposoluble constituents. Due to the amphiphilic characteristics of these molecules, their extraction, separation and detection are critical points in the analytical approach. The extraction by using chloroform and methanol, followed by the determination by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), coupled with evaporative light scattering (ELSD) or mass detector (MS), are the most applied procedures for the PL evaluation. More recently, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) was also used, but despite it demonstrating high sensitivity, it requires more studies to obtain accurate results. This review is focused on milk fat phospholipids; their composition, biological activity, technological properties, and significance in the structure of milk fat. Different analytical methodologies are also discussed.