Enhancement of pasta antioxidant activity with oregano and carrot leaf

Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum) Preparations in the Design of Novel Functional Pasta

This study investigated the design of novel pasta enriched with different forms of wild garlic (WG): a powder, an extract and an encapsulated extract applied at three enrichment levels (low/middle/high). The effect of cooking on changes in the content of bioactive compounds, antioxidative activity, cooking behaviour, texture, colour and sensory properties of the cooked pasta was evaluated. WG preparations significantly increased the antioxidant potential (by 185-600%) as well as the content of phenolics (by 26-146%), flavonoids (by 40-360%) and potassium (up to three-fold) in the cooked pasta, depending on WG type and enrichment level. Flavonoids were dominantly present in the free form. Cooking resulted in a significant loss of flavonoids (39-75%) whereas phenolics were liberated from the matrix. The highest increase in total phenolics and antioxidant activity was exerted by the WG powder and extract. Pasta hardness and adhesiveness were increased, but encapsulated WG deteriorated cooking behaviour. The best-scored enriched pasta regarding sensory quality and texture was that enriched with WG powder at the low/moderate level.

Quality Evaluation of Fresh Pasta Fortified with Sourdough Containing Wheat Germ and Wholemeal Semolina

Pasta is a staple food in the Mediterranean diet, primarily manufactured with two essential ingredients, semolina and water; nowadays, it is often supplemented with functional ingredients. In this work, a sourdough obtained with wheat germ and wholemeal semolina was used, in order to improve sensorial and nutritional properties of fresh pasta, to prevent lipids oxidation, and to improve the shelf life. Three different formulations were prepared, a first one using semolina, a second one with raw wheat germ, wholemeal semolina, and semolina, and the last one with semolina and sourdough. The study highlighted the improved nutritional properties of pasta with sourdough (reduced phytic acid content, higher antioxidant activity and phenolic content). Proteins, ashes, dietary fibers, lipids, and tocols (vitamin E) increased in pasta with wheat germ and wholemeal semolina, and with sourdough. The amount of tocols decreased in pasta samples after cooking, except for the β-tocopherol in sourdough pasta, the amount of which remained high, surprisingly. Lipase and lipoxygenase enzymes likely decreased as an effect of the pasteurization process. The NMR analysis showed that lipid oxidation was higher in semolina pasta than in pasta with wheat germ, most likely due to the protective effect of antioxidants deriving from wheat germ.

Impact of Sunflower Meal Protein Isolate Supplementation on Pasta Quality

Globally, there is an increased demand for plant- and animal-derived proteins. However, animal-derived proteins are still expensive and expected to negatively impact the environment. Sunflower seeds, an excellent source of proteins, are one of the most critical oilseeds produced in the world markets. This study used sunflower meal protein isolate (SMPI), wheat flour (WF), and their blends to make pasta with good sensory features and higher nutritional value. The chemical and amino acid compositions, rheological properties, color attributes, cooking quality, sensory properties, and texture analysis of pasta were evaluated. SMPI showed a high protein content (87.12%) compared to WF (10.90%). The pasta was made from WF with supplementing SMPI at three concentrations (3.0, 6.0, and 9.0% w/w) to improve the nutritional quality. Farinograph parameters showed that water absorption, arrival time, dough development time, mixing tolerance index, dough weakening, and dough stability increased as the percentage of SMPI in the blends increased. The results also showed that the color (L*, a*, and b*) of pasta samples was darker as the mixing level of SMPI increased. The obtained sensorial results confirmed this result. The cooking quality of pasta revealed that the weight, volume, and cooking loss of prepared pasta with SMPI (3.0–9.0%) increased compared to the control sample (pasta with 100% WF). Moreover, sensory evaluation of pasta revealed that all samples were acceptable. Nonetheless, mouth feel and overall acceptability of pasta reinforced with 3.0 and 6.0% SMPI did not notably impact the pasta compared to the control sample, while flavor did not significantly influence the pasta with 3.0% SMPI. These findings demonstrated that pasta supplemented with SMPI could benefit the pasta industry, which requires a suitable technological process to obtain novel products.

Synergistic antioxidant activity of selected medicinal plants in Brunei Darussalam and its application in developing fortified pasta

BACKGROUND

Developing functional foods by utilizing plants can often lead to compromised sensory properties. Thus this study investigates the combination of plants to produce synergistic effects and to incorporate these plant powders into a pasta formulation without affecting its sensory acceptance. Six common Brunei medicinal plants were evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant activity determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ ), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenziazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. Aqueous extracts of Amaranthus tricolor, Breynia androgyna, Manihot esculenta, Polygonum minus, Apium graveolens and Coriandrum sativum were prepared.

RESULTS

Breynia androgyna had the highest FRAP value of 74.3 ± 5.33 mg g^-1 ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE), with DPPH IC₅₀ antioxidant activity of 70.3 ± 3.14 μg mL^-1 and ABTS scavenging activity of 44.0 ± 2.80 mg g^-1 AAE. This correlates well with the total flavonoid, flavonol and phenolic content (50.5 mg g^-1 gallic acid equivalents (GAE), 50.6 mg g^-1 GAE and 24.3 mg g^-1 GAE, respectively). Plant species powders were combined in pairs and evaluated for their synergistic antioxidant properties. With potential synergistic plant mixtures, fortification of these mixtures into functional food can be developed to improve its overall antioxidant capacity. Based on the synergistic IC₅₀ results of these mixtures, three fortified pastas were formulated by incorporating selected plant powder combinations of Amaranthus tricolor + P. minus, Apium graveolens + P. minus, and P. minus + B. androgyna into wheat pasta at 1:100 (w/w).

CONCLUSION

Fortification of pasta with the plant powder blends resulted a significant increase in DPPH antioxidant activity, while successfully maintaining indistinguishable features from the control pasta, including minimal cooking loss, agreeable measure of cohesiveness, springiness and chewiness, with good overall sensory acceptability. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Upgrading Common Wheat Pasta by Fiber-Rich Fraction of Potato Peel Byproduct at Different Particle Sizes: Effects on Physicochemical, Thermal, and Sensory Properties

Fiber-enriched food has numerous health benefits. This study develops functional fiber-enriched pasta (FEP) by partially substituting wheat flour for alcohol-insoluble residue prepared from potato processing byproducts (AIR-PPB) at various particle sizes (PS). The independent variables’ effects, AIR-PPB at 2–15% substitution levels, and PS 40–250 µm were investigated in terms of chemical, cooking, thermal, and sensory properties. AIR-PPB is rich in total dietary fibers (TDF) (83%), exhibiting high water-holding capacity (WHC) and vibrant colors. Different concentrations of AIR-PPB increase TDF content in FEPs by 7–21 times compared to the control pasta (CP). Although the optimal cooking time (OCT) decreases by 15–18% compared to CP, where a lower OCT should reduce cooking time and save energy, cooking loss (Cl) increases slightly but remains within an acceptable range of 8%. Additionally, AIR-PPB altered the texture properties of FEP, with a moderate decrease in mass increase index (MII), firmness, and stickiness. AIR-PPB impairs the gluten network’s structure in pasta due to AIR-PPB’s WHC, which competes with starch for water binding, increasing the starch gelatinization temperature. FEPs show an increased lightness and yellowness and improved sensory properties. Highly acceptable FEPs were obtained for the following substitution levels: FEP11 (AIR-PPB at 2% and PS of 145 µm), FEP9 (AIR-PPB 4% level with PS of 70 µm), FEP6 (AIR-PPB of 4% level with 219 µm PS), and FEP1 (AIR-PPB = 8.5% with 40 µm PS), as compared to other FEPs.

Development of Novel Pasta Products with Evidence Based Impacts on Health-A Review

Pasta made from durum wheat is a widely consumed worldwide and is a healthy and convenient food. In the last two decades, there has been much research effort into improving the nutritional value of pasta by inclusion of nonconventional ingredients due to the demand by health-conscious consumers for functional foods. These ingredients can affect the technological properties of the pasta, but their health impacts are not always measured rather inferred. This review provides an overview of pasta made from durum wheat where the semolina is substituted in part with a range of ingredients (barley fractions, dietary fibre sources, fish ingredients, herbs, inulin, resistant starches, legumes, vegetables and protein extracts). Impacts on pasta technological properties and in vitro measures of phytonutrient enhancement or changes to starch digestion are included. Emphasis is on the literature that provides clinical or animal trial data on the health benefits of the functional pasta.

Impact of functional vegetable ingredients on the technical and nutritional quality of pasta

Pasta is a popular staple food around world. This makes pasta a great vehicle for delivering functional ingredients. This article reviews the popular functional ingredients - cereals, pseudocereal, legumes and vegetables, that are used to enrich pasta. The influence of these functional ingredients, additives and cooking process on pasta's nutritional, technical and sensory properties is summarized. This article focusses on the effects of different forms of these ingredients on the quality of cereal foods. Such as carrot juice pasta has a superior technical quality than carrot flour pasta. As far as can be established there are very few articles examining the effects of different forms of ingredients on pasta. Puree or liquid form raw vegetable materials offfers a better option than conventional powder form to add to semolina to produce functional pasta with superior technical quality and improved nutritional value.

Nutritional and Functional Advantages of the Use of Fermented Black Chickpea Flour for Semolina-Pasta Fortification

Pasta represents a dominant portion of the diet worldwide and its functionalization with high nutritional value ingredients, such as legumes, is the most ideal solution to shape consumers behavior towards healthier food choices. Aiming at improving the nutritional quality of semolina pasta, semi-liquid dough of a Mediterranean black chickpea flour, fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum T0A10, was used at a substitution level of 15% to manufacture fortified pasta. Fermentation with the selected starter enabled the release of 20% of bound phenolic compounds, and the conversion of free compounds into more active forms (dihydrocaffeic and phloretic acid) in the dough. Fermented dough also had higher resistant starch (up to 60% compared to the control) and total free amino acids (almost 3 g/kg) contents, whereas antinutritional factors (raffinose, condensed tannins, trypsin inhibitors and saponins) significantly decreased. The impact of black chickpea addition on pasta nutritional, technological and sensory features, was also assessed. Compared to traditional (semolina) pasta, fortified pasta had lower starch hydrolysis rate (ca. 18%) and higher in vitro protein digestibility (up to 38%). Moreover, fortified cooked pasta, showing scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals and intense inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation, was appreciated for its peculiar organoleptic profile. Therefore, fermentation technology appears to be a promising tool to enhance the quality of pasta and promote the use of local chickpea cultivars while preventing their genetic erosion.

The carrot monoterpene synthase gene cluster on chromosome 4 harbours genes encoding flavour-associated sabinene synthases

In plants, low molecular weight terpenes produced by terpene synthases (TPS) contribute to multiple ecologically and economically important traits. The present study investigates a carrot terpene synthase gene cluster on chromosome 4 associated with volatile monoterpene production. Two carrot mutants, yellow and cola, which are contrasting in the content of low molecular weight terpenes, were crossed to develop an F2 mapping population. The mapping analysis revealed overlapping QTLs on chromosome 4 for sabinene, α-thujene, α-terpinene, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol and 4-carene. The genomic region of this locus includes a cluster of five terpene synthase genes (DcTPS04, DcTPS26, DcTPS27, DcTPS54 and DcTPS55). DcTPS04 and DcTPS54 displayed genotype- and tissue-specific variation in gene expression. Based on the QTL mapping results and the gene expression patterns, DcTPS04 and DcTPS54 were selected for functional characterization. In vitro enzyme assays showed that DcTPS54 is a single-product enzyme catalysing the formation of sabinene, whereas DcTPS04 is a multiple-product terpene synthase producing α-terpineol as a major product and four additional products including sabinene, β-limonene, β-pinene and myrcene. Furthermore, we developed a functional molecular marker that could discriminate carrot genotypes with different sabinene content in a set of 85 accessions.

Use of asparagus flour from non-commercial plants (residue) for functional pasta production: Asparagus flour for functional pasta production

The objective this study was enrich a pasta with non-commercial asparagus flour (AF). Six treatments were prepared: control (without AF), with 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of AF. Analyzes of antioxidants and bioactive compounds of AF and pasta, and the quality of pasta (color, optimal cooking time, water absorption capacity, cooking loss, texture and centesimal composition) were evaluated. The higher content of polyphenols and flavonoids were found in P25, as well as higher antioxidant activity. The addition of AF influenced the pasta color, decreasing the L* and a*, and increasing b* (p < 0.05). T he cooking time, water absorption, cohesiveness and springiness decreased with an increasing of AF (p < 0.05). The cooking loss, firmness, hardness and protein content increased with AF addition (p < 0.05). Thus, AF can be used to give an adequate destination to asparagus residue and has a potential application for the enrichment with protein and bioactive compounds of pasta.

Storage and preservation of dry pasta into biodegradable packaging made from triticale flour

We studied the quality of dry pasta packaged and stored for 45 days in biodegradable bags made from triticale flour films. Results were compared with the quality of pasta packaged in commercial bags. Characterization of films and technologic and microbiological quality of pasta were performed. Biodegradable bags presented adequate properties during storage. There was no microbiological growth or differences in moisture and breaking force of dry pasta within both types of packaging during storage. Cooking quality of pasta was not affected by the type of packaging or storage time. We also studied the antioxidant capacity of pasta enriched with partially-deoiled-chia flour during storage in both types of packaging. A decrease in the antioxidant activity measured by ABTS assay was found at 45 days of storage in pasta packaged in biodegradable bags. Nevertheless, the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity evaluated by FRAP method did not change significantly with time or type of packaging.

Development of Pasta Products with Nonconventional Ingredients and Their Effect on Selected Quality Characteristics: A Brief Overview

Pasta is a widely consumed food in all over the world. Coarse semolina obtained from durum wheat and water are the main ingredients of conventional pasta products. The amount of gluten and quality level of durum wheat, are two important factors for the superiority of finished pasta. Market price of durum wheat is higher than the common wheat and it contributes no more than 5% of the world wheat production. Thus, to come across the challenge of emerging pasta consumption, new field of research that is dealing with the incorporation of nonconventional ingredients to the conventional formula of pasta has initiated. The compositions of raw materials which are used for pasta preparation directly affect the physical, chemical, and textural properties of the product. Therefore, incorporation of nonconventional ingredients can lead to a contradictory effect of pasta quality. This review will focus on the various types of nonconventional ingredients that are being incorporated in pasta products and their effect on the quality attributes of different pasta products.

Fresh Pasta Manufactured with Fermented Whole Wheat Semolina: Physicochemical, Sensorial, and Nutritional Properties

Fresh pasta (SP) was prepared by mixing semolina with liquid sourdough, whole wheat semolina based, and the effects of sourdough inclusion were evaluated against a control sample (CP) prepared using semolina and whole wheat semolina. Physicochemical, nutritional, and sensorial analyses were performed on pasteurized fresh pasta, before and after cooking. The optimum cooking time was not affected by whole wheat sourdough, whereas differences were found in color, firmness, and cooking loss. Changes of in vitro digested starch fractions in SP pasta were affected by a higher cooking loss. Overall, SP samples were characterized by improved nutraceutical features, namely higher content of free essential amino acids and phenolic compounds, lower phytic acid content, and higher antioxidant activity. Sensory analyses (acceptability and check-all-that-apply (CATA) tests) showed significantly higher scores for the SP, and the differences were enhanced when the consumers were informed about the product composition and how it was manufactured. Consumers checked for more positive sensory parameters for the SP than the CP.

Antioxidant and phytochemical activities of Amaranthus caudatus L. harvested from different soils at various growth stages

This study aimed at profiling the biological activities of Amaranthus caudatus cultivated on different soils in a glasshouse experiment. Five soil types namely; sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, clayey loam, loam and control (unfractionated soil) were experimentally formulated from primary particles of clay, sand and silt following the United State Department of Agriculture's (USDA) soil triangle technique. After harvesting at pre-flowering (61 days after planting), flowering (71 days after planting) and post-flowering (91 days after planting) stages, crude extracts were obtained with water and ethanol. Total flavonoids, phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents of the extracts, as well as their biological activities, were determined using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl ethanol (DPPH), nitric oxide and phosphomolybdate assays. It was observed that biological activity of A. caudatus varied with soil types, stages of maturity and solvents of extraction. The highest phytochemical yield was recorded in ethanolic extracts of clayey loam harvested prior to flowering and the same trend was replicated in the antioxidant properties of the plant. For optimal biological activity, it is recommended that clayey loam soil should be used for cultivation of A. caudatus and harvest should be made near flowering to capture high phytochemical yield from the species.

The influence of Cistus incanus L. leaves on wheat pasta quality

Modern nutritional trends and looking for functional food and dedicated products for various consumers are a source of inspiration for scientists to develop new pro-health supplemented foods with high quality. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the selected properties of common wheat pasta fortified with dried Cistus incanus in amount from 1 to 5% as a replacement of wheat flour. Pasta was made with a spaghetti shape and dried. Supplemented pasta was tested for total phenolics content, the total activity against DPPH, the ability to neutralize free radicals to ABTS and the antioxidant capacity reduction power, using various extraction procedures. Selected physicochemical properties of pasta were evaluated: cooking time, cooking weight, cooking loss, hardness and color profile of dry and cooked pasta in CIE-Lab scale, as well as the sensory properties of supplemented products. The addition of C. incanus to fortify wheat pasta increased total phenolics content and antioxidant activity with some significant differences according to the extraction procedure used. Methanolic extraction was more efficient than buffer extraction. Increased addition of dry Cistus herb caused higher cooking weight, cooking loss and increased hardness of cooked pasta. Studies have shown that C. incanus addition had a slight effect on color change with the largest decrease in brightness, especially for cooked products. Finally, it was found that advisable application of C. incanus addition to achieve nutritionally improved composition of pasta should not exceed 3% due to the proper sensory characteristics.

An optimized 4-day diet meal plan for 'Lunar Palace 1'

BACKGROUND

Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) provide self-sufficient food ingredients to support long-term manned missions. It is crucial to transform raw food ingredients that are regenerated in situ in BLSS into nutritional and delectable meals for spacecraft crews. It is in our interest to develop a dietary menu with Chinese characteristics that comprises biomass produced in situ with BLSS regenerated ingredients.

RESULTS

Here we report an optimized Chinese 4-day diet meal plan for 'Lunar Palace 1' that is nutritionally balanced and highly acceptable. The 2900 cal diet menu not only meets the requirements of a balanced diet for crews but also exceeds the recommended levels for most nutrients. Specifically, daily fresh food consumption in our meal plan is 1267 g day^-1 , of which 78% is provided by crops and insects regenerated in situ in the BLSS. The meal plan is highly favored by Chinese crews, with acceptability as high as 7.8-8.2 on a 9-point hedonic scale. We further confirmed that our meal plan satisfies crews' basic nutritional needs through a 105-day closed habitation experiment.

CONCLUSION

In brief, the findings provide new insights for dietary meal plan design in future long-term manned missions. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

High fibre tiger nut pasta and xanthan gum: cooking quality, microstructure, physico-chemical properties and consumer acceptance

The feasibility of replacing wheat semolina by tiger nut flour (20 and 40%) and xanthan gum (1%) in order to obtain high fibre dry pappardelle with fair techno-functional, structural and sensory attributes, was assessed. The cooking properties, texture, colour and sensory acceptance of uncooked and cooked pasta were evaluated. The proximate chemical composition of the raw materials, and the microstructure of the dry pasta were also assessed. The results in this manuscript address the improved nutritional value in terms of its dietary fibre, mineral content, oleic and linoleic acids, and the positive effects on the textural characteristics and cooking behaviour achieved on dry tiger nut based pappardelle using 1% of xanthan gum as a structural agent. Micrographs revealed in fact that the gluten network was better formed when xanthan gum was used. Furthermore, the obtained results seem to support that consumers would prefer pappardelle with 40% tiger nut flour.

In vitro bioaccessibility, transepithelial transport and antioxidant activity of Urtica dioica L. phenolic compounds in nettle based food products

Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) is a well-known plant with a wide historical background use of stems, roots and leaves. Nettle leaves are an excellent source of phenolic compounds, principally 3-caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA), caffeoylmalic acid (CMA) and rutin. The aim of this work was to evaluate the bioaccessibility (BAC), the bioavailability (BAV) and the antioxidant activity of nettle phenolic compounds present in foods and supplements. The BAC of nettle phenolics was evaluated with an in vitro dynamic digestion of real food matrices: the type of food matrix and chemical characteristic affected the kinetics of release and solubilization, with the highest BAC after duodenal digestion. A study of duodenal trans epithelial transport evidenced low bioavailability of native forms of 3-CQA, CMA and rutin. Simulation of colonic metabolism confirmed that phenolic compounds are fermented by gut microflora, confirming the need for further investigations on the impact of phenolic compounds at the large intestine level. Photochemiluminescence assay of the simulated digestion fluids demonstrated that ingestion of Urtica based foods contributes to create an antioxidant environment against superoxide anion radicals in the entire gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

Functional Dehydrated Foods for Health Preservation

The market of functional foods has experienced a huge growth in the last decades due to the increased consumers’ awareness in a healthy lifestyle. Dried fruits constitute good snacks, in alternative to salty or sweet ones, and food ingredients due to their taste and nutritional/health benefits. Bioactive molecules are interesting sources to develop functional foods, as they play a major role in improving the health status and minimizing disease risks. The bioactive compounds most widely discussed in literature are presented in this review, for example, polyphenols, phytosterols, and prebiotics. Different technologies to dry bioproducts for producing functional foods or ingredients are presented. New drying techniques for the preservation of bioactive compounds are proposed, focusing more specifically on dielectric drying. A discussion on the techniques that can be used to optimize drying processes is performed. An overview on dehydrated plant based foods with probiotics is provided. The microorganisms used, impregnation procedures, drying methods, and evaluated parameters are presented and discussed. The principal bioactive compounds responsible for nutritional and health benefits of plant derived dried food products—fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables by-products, grains, nuts, and algae—are presented. Phytochemical losses occurring during pretreatments and/or drying processes are also discussed.

Oregano Essential Oil as an Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Additive in Food Products

Food consumers and industries urged the need of natural alternatives to assure food safety and quality. As a response, the use of natural compounds from herbs and spices is an alternative to synthetic additives associated with toxic problems. This review discusses the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of oregano essential oil (OEO) and its potential as a food additive. Oregano is a plant that has been used as a food seasoning since ancient times. The common name of oregano is given to several species: Origanum (family: Lamiaceae) and Lippia (family: Verbenaceae), amongst others. The main compounds identified in the different OEOs are carvacrol and thymol, which are responsible for the characteristic odor, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activity; however, their content may vary according to the species, harvesting season, and geographical sources. These substances as antibacterial agents make the cell membrane permeable due to its impregnation in the hydrophobic domains, this effect is higher against gram positive bacteria. In addition, the OEO has antioxidant properties effective in retarding the process of lipid peroxidation in fatty foods, and scavenging free radicals. In this perspective, the present review analyzes and discusses the state of the art about the actual and potential uses of OEO as an antimicrobial and antioxidant food additives.

Different effectiveness of two pastas supplemented with either lipophilic or hydrophilic/phenolic antioxidants in affecting serum as evaluated by the novel Antioxidant/Oxidant Balance approach

Effectiveness in improving serum antioxidant status of two functional pastas was evaluated by the novel Antioxidant/Oxidant Balance (AOB) parameter, calculated as Antioxidant Capacity (AC)/Peroxide Level ratio, assessed here for the first time. In particular, Bran Oleoresin (BO) and Bran Water (BW) pastas, enriched respectively with either lipophilic (tocochromanols, carotenoids) or hydrophilic/phenolic antioxidants extracted from durum wheat bran, were studied. Notably, BO pasta was able to improve significantly (+65%) serum AOB during four hours after intake similarly to Lisosan G, a wheat antioxidant-rich dietary supplement. Contrarily, BW pasta had oxidative effect on serum so as conventional pasta and glucose, thus suggesting greater effectiveness of lipophilic than hydrophilic/phenolic antioxidants under our experimental conditions. Interestingly, no clear differences between the two pastas were observed, when AC measurements of either serum after pasta intake or pasta extracts by in vitro assays were considered, thus strengthening effectiveness and reliability of AOB approach.

Structure and quality of pasta enriched with functional ingredients

In this article we review current knowledge on the fate of those functional components that have been more widely studied, how they may interact during pasta processing and what impact they may have on quality pasta attributes.

Evaluation of solvent effect on the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities from the berries: application of principal component analysis

Background

This study evaluated the effect of the solvent on the extraction of antioxidant compounds from black mulberry (Morus nigra), blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius) and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). Different extracts of each berry were evaluated from the determination of total phenolic content, anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity, and data were applied to the principal component analysis (PCA) to gain an overview of the effect of the solvent in extraction method.

Results

For all the berries analyzed, acetone/water (70/30, v/v) solvent mixture was more efficient solvent in the extracting of phenolic compounds, and methanol/water/acetic acid (70/29.5/0.5, v/v/v) showed the best values for anthocyanin content. Mixtures of ethanol/water (50/50, v/v), acetone water/acetic acid (70/29.5/0.5, v/v/v) and acetone/water (50/50, v/v) presented the highest antioxidant capacities for black mulberries, blackberries and strawberries, respectively.

Conclusion

Antioxidants extractions are extremely affected by the solvent combination used. In addition, the obtained extracts with the organic solvent-water mixtures were distinguished from the extracts obtained with pure organic solvents, through the PCA analysis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13065-014-0048-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.