FT-IR extra virgin olive oil classification based on ethyl ester content

Waste for Product-Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Properties of Palladium Nanopyramid Layer Enriched with PtNPs

The presented research is the seed of a vision for the development of a waste-for-product strategy. Following this concept, various synthetic solutions containing low concentrations of platinum group metals were used to model their recovery and to produce catalysts. This is also the first report that shows the method for synthesis of a pyramid-like structure deposited on activated carbon composed of Pd and Pt. This unique structure was obtained from a mixture of highly diluted aqueous solutions containing both metals and chloride ions. The presence of functional groups on the carbon surface and experimental conditions allowed for: the adsorption of metal complexes, their reduction to metal atoms and enabled further hierarchical growth of the metal layer on the carbon surface. During experiments, spherical palladium and platinum nanoparticles were obtained. The addition of chloride ions to the solution promoted the hierarchical growth and formation of palladium nanopyramids, which were enriched with platinum nanoparticles. The obtained materials were characterized using UV-Vis, Raman, IR spectroscopy, TGA, SEM/EDS, and XRD techniques. Moreover, Pd@ROY, Pt@ROY, and Pd-Pt@ROY were tested as possible electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions.

Arctangent normalization and principal-component analyses merge method to classify characteristics utilizing time-dependent material data

We propose a technique for classifying paints with time-dependent properties using a new method of merging principal-component analyses (the "PCA-merge" method) that utilizes shifting of the barycenter of the PCA score plot. To understand the molecular structure, elemental concentrations, and the concentrations in the evolved gaseous component of various paints, we performed comprehensive characterizations using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and head-space-gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry while drying the paint films for 1-48 h. As various detected intensity- and time-axis variables have different dimensions that cannot be handled equally, we normalized those data as an angle parameter (θ) using arctangent to reduce the influence of high/low intensity data and the various analytical instrument. We could classify the paints into suitable categories by applying multivariate analysis to this arctangent-normalized data set. In addition, we developed a new PCA-merge method to analyze data groups that include different time components. This method merges the PCA data groups of each time-component axis into that of specific-component axes and distinguishes each sample by utilizing the shift in the barycenter of the PCA score plot. The proposed method enables the simultaneous utilization of various data groups that contain information about static and dynamic properties. This provides further insight into the characteristics of the paint materials via shifts in the barycenter of the PCA scores without requiring numerous peak identifications.

Development and characterization of trans-anethole-containing solid lipid microparticles: antiinflammatory and gastroprotective effects in experimental inflammation

The present study prepared, optimized, and characterized solid lipid microparticles that contained trans-anethole (SLMAN), evaluated their antiinflammatory activity in acute and chronic inflammation models, and investigated their effects on the gastric mucosa in arthritic rats. The microparticles were obtained by a hot homogenization process and characterized by physicochemical analyses. The acute inflammatory response was induced by an intradermal injection of 0.1 ml of carrageenan solution (200 μg) in the hind paw. The rats were treated orally with a single dose of SLMAN 1 h before induction of the inflammatory response. The chronic inflammatory response was induced by the subcutaneous application of 0.1 ml of complete Freund's adjuvant suspension (500 µg) in the hind paw. SLMAN was orally administered, starting on the day of arthritis induction, and continued for 21 days. The results showed that SLMAN was obtained with good encapsulation efficiency. Treatment with SLMAN at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg was as effective as trans-anethole (AN) at a dose of 250 mg/kg on acute and chronic inflammatory responses. Histological analyses showed that treatment with SLMAN did not aggravate lesions in the gastric mucosa in arthritic rats. These results indicated that treatment with SLMAN at a dose that was 5-10 times lower than non-encapsulated AN exerted an inhibitory effect on acute and chronic inflammatory responses, suggesting the better bioavailability and efficacy of microencapsulated AN without aggravating lesions in the gastric mucosa in arthritic rats.

Toward the Non-Targeted Detection of Adulterated Virgin Olive Oil with Edible Oils via FTIR Spectroscopy & Chemometrics: Research Methodology Trends, Gaps and Future Perspectives

Fourier-Transform mid-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offers a strong candidate screening tool for rapid, non-destructive and early detection of unauthorized virgin olive oil blends with other edible oils. Potential applications to the official anti-fraud control are supported by dozens of research articles with a "proof-of-concept" study approach through different chemometric workflows for comprehensive spectral analysis. It may also assist non-targeted authenticity testing, an emerging goal for modern food fraud inspection systems. Hence, FTIR-based methods need to be standardized and validated to be accepted by the olive industry and official regulators. Thus far, several literature reviews evaluated the competence of FTIR standalone or compared with other vibrational techniques only in view of the chemometric methodology, regardless of the inherent characteristics of the product spectra or the application scope. Regarding authenticity testing, every step of the methodology workflow, and not only the post-acquisition steps, need thorough validation. In this context, the present review investigates the progress in the research methodology on FTIR-based detection of virgin olive oil adulteration over a period of more than 25 years with the aim to capture the trends, identify gaps or misuses in the existing literature and highlight intriguing topics for future studies. An extensive search in Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, combined with bibliometric analysis, helped to extract qualitative and quantitative information from publication sources. Our findings verified that intercomparison of literature results is often impossible; sampling design, FTIR spectral acquisition and performance evaluation are critical methodological issues that need more specific guidance and criteria for application to product authenticity testing.

TXRF spectral information enhanced by multivariate analysis: A new strategy for food fingerprint

The increased costumers' request of safe and high-quality food products makes food traceability a priority for frauds identification and quality certification. Elemental profiling is one of the strategies used for food traceability, and TXRF spectroscopy is widely used in food analysis even if its potentialities have not been fully investigated. In this work, a new method for food traceability using directly TXRF spectra coupled with multivariate analyses, was tested. Twenty-four different beans' genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown onto two different sites have been studied. After the development of the method for beans' analysis, TXRF spectra were collected and processed with PCA combined with SNV and GLSW filter obtaining a perfect clustering of the seeds according to their geographical origin. Finally, using PLS-DA, beans were correctly classified demonstrating that TXRF spectra can be successfully used as fingerprint for food/seed traceability and that elemental quantification procedure is not necessary to this aim.

Advanced process analytical tools for identification of adulterants in edible oils - A review

This review summarizes the use of spectroscopic processes-based analytical tools coupled with chemometric techniques for the identification of adulterants in edible oil. Investigational approaches of process analytical tools such asspectroscopy techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), hyperspectral imaging (HSI), e-tongue and e-nose combined with chemometrics were used to monitor quality of edible oils. Owing to the variety and intricacy of edible oil properties along with the alterations in attributes of the PAT tools, the reliability of the tool used and the operating factors are the crucial components which require attention to enhance the efficiency in identification of adulterants. The combination of process analytical tools with chemometrics offers a robust technique with immense chemotaxonomic potential. These involves identification of adulterants, quality control, geographical origin evaluation, process evaluation, and product categorization.

An overview of recent advances and applications of FT-IR spectroscopy for quality, authenticity, and adulteration detection in edible oils

Authenticity and adulteration detection are primary concerns of various stakeholders, such as researchers, consumers, manufacturers, traders, and regulatory agencies. Traditional approaches for authenticity and adulteration detection in edible oils are time-consuming, complicated, laborious, and expensive; they require technical skills when interpreting the data. Over the last several years, much effort has been spent in academia and industry on developing vibrational spectroscopic techniques for quality, authenticity, and adulteration detection in edible oils. Among them, Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy has gained enormous attention as a green analytical technique for the rapid monitoring quality of edible oils at all stages of production and for detecting and quantifying adulteration and authenticity in edible oils. The technique has several benefits such as rapid, precise, inexpensive, and multi-analytical; hence, several parameters can be predicted simultaneously from the same spectrum. Associated with chemometrics, the technique has been successfully implemented for the rapid detection of adulteration and authenticity in edible oils. After presenting the fundamentals, the latest research outcomes in the last 10 years on quality, authenticity, and adulteration detection in edible oils using FT-IR spectroscopy will be highlighted and described in this review. Additionally, opportunities, challenges, and future trends of FT-IR spectroscopy will also be discussed.

Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters in Virgin Olive Oils: In-House Validation of a Revised Method

The content of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) is one of the quality parameters to define if an olive oil can be classified as extra virgin as these compounds are considered markers for virgin olive oils obtained from poor-quality olives. In addition, FAEEs can also be indirect markers to detect soft deodorization treatment. In this study, an off-line HPLC-GC-FID method for determination of FAEEs is presented, revising the preparative step and the GC injector required by the official method (EU Reg. 61/2011). After optimization, the method was validated in-house by analyzing several parameters (linearity, limit of detection LOD, limit of quantification LOQ, robustness, recovery, precision, and accuracy) to determine its effectiveness. Linearity was measured in the 2.5-50 mg/L range; furthermore, intra-day and inter-day precision values were lower than 15%, while the LOD and LOQ were lower than 1 and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively, for all compounds considered. The main advantages of this revised protocol are: (i) significant reduction in time and solvents needed for each analytical determination; (ii) application of HPLC as an alternative to traditional LC, carried with manually packed glass columns, thus simplifying the separation step.

A sound approach: Exploring a rapid and non-destructive ultrasonic pulse echo system for vegetable oils characterization

A rapid and non-destructive ultrasonic pulse echo system was developed for vegetable oils characterization. To understand the differences in the ultrasonic properties of the oils, physical traits, such as their viscosity and density, were related to the ultrasonic data. In turn, these physical traits were correlated with the fatty acid compositions of the oils. Eighty oil samples, including 30 extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), 15 refined olive oil, 15 pomace olive oil, 10 rapeseed oil, 5 sunflower oil and 5 peanut oil samples, were analysed for their sound properties, viscosities, densities and fatty acid compositions. It was observed that the ultrasonic velocity of EVOO decreased linearly with increase in temperature, the temperature coefficient of ultrasonic velocity in EVOO was -2.92 m·s^-1·°C^-1. The ultrasonic velocity of EVOO (1453 ± 2 m/s) differed significantly from those of pomace olive oil and the oils of other botanical origin, but not from the velocity of refined olive oil. Ultrasonic velocity was positively correlated with the density and negatively correlated with the viscosity of the oils. The higher density and lower viscosity of the oils were in turn related to a higher unsaturation degree of the oils. Hence, oils with a higher proportion of unsaturated fat present higher densities and lower viscosities, which resulted in higher ultrasonic velocity values. Ultrasonic measurements allow rapid, non-destructive analysis, and this first application for characterization of these oils is promising.