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Quirantes-Piné R, Sanna G, Mara A, Borrás-Linares I, Mainente F, Picó Y, Zoccatelli G, Lozano-Sánchez J, Ciulu M. Mass Spectrometry Characterization of Honeydew Honey: A Critical Review. Foods 2024; 13:2229. [PMID: 39063313 PMCID: PMC11275487 DOI: 10.3390/foods13142229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Honeydew honey is produced by bees (Apis mellifera) foraging and collecting secretions produced by certain types of aphids on various parts of plants. In addition to exhibiting organoleptic characteristics that distinguish them from nectar honey, these honeys are known for their functional properties, such as strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Despite their importance, they remain poorly characterized in comparison with flower honeys, as most studies on this subject are not only carried out on too few samples but also still focused on traditional chemical-physical parameters, such as specific rotation, major sugars, or melissopalynological information. Since mass spectrometry has consistently been a primary tool for the characterization and authentication of honeys, this review will focus on the application of these methods to the characterization of the minor fraction of honeydew honey. More specifically, this review will attempt to highlight what progress has been made so far in identifying markers of the authenticity of the botanical and/or geographical origin of honeydew honeys by mass spectrometry-based approaches. Furthermore, strategies devoted to the determination of contaminants and toxins in honeydew honeys will be addressed. Such analyses represent a valuable tool for establishing the level of food safety associated with these products. A critical analysis of the presented studies will identify their limitations and critical issues, thereby describing the current state of research on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Quirantes-Piné
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Avda Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Gavino Sanna
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (G.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrea Mara
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (G.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Isabel Borrás-Linares
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Avda Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Federica Mainente
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, Cà Vignal 1, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (G.Z.); (M.C.)
| | - Yolanda Picó
- Centro de Investigaciones Sobre Desertificaciòn, Ctra. Moncada-Naquera km 4.5, 46113 Moncada, Spain;
| | - Gianni Zoccatelli
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, Cà Vignal 1, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (G.Z.); (M.C.)
| | - Jesús Lozano-Sánchez
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus Universitario s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Marco Ciulu
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, Cà Vignal 1, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (G.Z.); (M.C.)
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Jakkielska D, Frankowski M, Zioła-Frankowska A. Speciation analysis of arsenic in honey using HPLC-ICP-MS and health risk assessment of water-soluble arsenic. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134364. [PMID: 38657508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
It is well known that arsenic is one of the most toxic elements. However, measuring total arsenic content is not enough, as it occurs in various forms that vary in toxicity. Since honey can be used as a bioindicator of environmental pollution, in the present study the concentration of arsenic and its species (As(III), As(V), DMA, MMA and AsB) was determined in honey samples from mostly Poland and Ukraine using HPLC-ICP-MS hyphenated technique. The accuracy of proposed methods of sample preparation and analysis was validated by analyzing certified reference materials. Arsenic concentration in honey samples ranged from 0.12 to 13 μg kg-1, with mean value of 2.3 μg kg-1. Inorganic arsenic forms, which are more toxic, dominated in honey samples, with Polish honey having the biggest mean percentage of inorganic arsenic species, and Ukrainian honey having the lowest. Furthermore, health risks resulting from the consumption of arsenic via honey were assessed. All Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values, for total water-soluble arsenic and for each form, were below 1, and all Carcinogenic Risk (CR) values were below 10-4, which indicates no potential health risks associated with consumption of arsenic via honey at average or recommended levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Jakkielska
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Marcin Frankowski
- Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Anetta Zioła-Frankowska
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
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Mara A, Caredda M, Addis M, Sanna F, Deroma M, Georgiou CA, Langasco I, Pilo MI, Spano N, Sanna G. Elemental Fingerprinting of Pecorino Romano and Pecorino Sardo PDO: Characterization, Authentication and Nutritional Value. Molecules 2024; 29:869. [PMID: 38398621 PMCID: PMC10892592 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29040869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Sardinia, located in Italy, is a significant producer of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) sheep cheeses. In response to the growing demand for high-quality, safe, and traceable food products, the elemental fingerprints of Pecorino Romano PDO and Pecorino Sardo PDO were determined on 200 samples of cheese using validated, inductively coupled plasma methods. The aim of this study was to collect data for food authentication studies, evaluate nutritional and safety aspects, and verify the influence of cheesemaking technology and seasonality on elemental fingerprints. According to European regulations, one 100 g serving of both cheeses provides over 30% of the recommended dietary allowance for calcium, sodium, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus, and over 15% of the recommended dietary intake for copper and magnesium. Toxic elements, such as Cd, As, Hg, and Pb, were frequently not quantified or measured at concentrations of toxicological interest. Linear discriminant analysis was used to discriminate between the two types of pecorino cheese with an accuracy of over 95%. The cheese-making process affects the elemental fingerprint, which can be used for authentication purposes. Seasonal variations in several elements have been observed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mara
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Marco Caredda
- Department of Animal Science, Agris Sardegna, S.S. 291 Sassari-Fertilia, Km. 18,600, I-07040 Sassari, Italy; (M.C.); (M.A.)
| | - Margherita Addis
- Department of Animal Science, Agris Sardegna, S.S. 291 Sassari-Fertilia, Km. 18,600, I-07040 Sassari, Italy; (M.C.); (M.A.)
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Environmental Studies, Crop Protection and Production Quality Agris Sardegna, Viale Trieste 111, I-09123 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Mario Deroma
- Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, Viale Italia, 39A, I-07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Constantinos A. Georgiou
- Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 118 55 Athens, Greece;
- FoodOmics.GR Research Infrastructure, Agricultural University of Athens, 118 55 Athens, Greece
| | - Ilaria Langasco
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Maria I. Pilo
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Nadia Spano
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Gavino Sanna
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
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Magdas TM, David M, Hategan AR, Filip GA, Magdas DA. Geographical Origin Authentication-A Mandatory Step in the Efficient Involvement of Honey in Medical Treatment. Foods 2024; 13:532. [PMID: 38397509 PMCID: PMC10887874 DOI: 10.3390/foods13040532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, in people's perceptions, the return to roots in all aspects of life is an increasing temptation. This tendency has also been observed in the medical field, despite the availability of high-level medical services with many years of research, expertise, and trials. Equilibrium is found in the combination of the two tendencies through the inclusion of the scientific experience with the advantages and benefits provided by nature. It is well accepted that the nutritional and medicinal properties of honey are closely related to the botanical origin of the plants at the base of honey production. Despite this, people perceive honey as a natural and subsequently a simple product from a chemical point of view. In reality, honey is a very complex matrix containing more than 200 compounds having a high degree of compositional variability as function of its origin. Therefore, when discussing the nutritional and medicinal properties of honey, the importance of the geographical origin and its link to the honey's composition, due to potential emerging contaminants such as Rare Earth Elements (REEs), should also be considered. This work offers a critical view on the use of honey as a natural superfood, in a direct relationship with its botanical and geographical origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tudor Mihai Magdas
- Department of Anatomy, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 3-5 Clinicilor Street, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (T.M.M.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Maria David
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.D.); (A.R.H.)
| | - Ariana Raluca Hategan
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.D.); (A.R.H.)
| | - Gabriela Adriana Filip
- Department of Anatomy, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 3-5 Clinicilor Street, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (T.M.M.); (G.A.F.)
| | - Dana Alina Magdas
- National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.D.); (A.R.H.)
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Mara A, Migliorini M, Ciulu M, Chignola R, Egido C, Núñez O, Sentellas S, Saurina J, Caredda M, Deroma MA, Deidda S, Langasco I, Pilo MI, Spano N, Sanna G. Elemental Fingerprinting Combined with Machine Learning Techniques as a Powerful Tool for Geographical Discrimination of Honeys from Nearby Regions. Foods 2024; 13:243. [PMID: 38254544 PMCID: PMC10814624 DOI: 10.3390/foods13020243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Discrimination of honey based on geographical origin is a common fraudulent practice and is one of the most investigated topics in honey authentication. This research aims to discriminate honeys according to their geographical origin by combining elemental fingerprinting with machine-learning techniques. In particular, the main objective of this study is to distinguish the origin of unifloral and multifloral honeys produced in neighboring regions, such as Sardinia (Italy) and Spain. The elemental compositions of 247 honeys were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The origins of honey were differentiated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and Random Forest (RF). Compared to LDA, RF demonstrated greater stability and better classification performance. The best classification was based on geographical origin, achieving 90% accuracy using Na, Mg, Mn, Sr, Zn, Ce, Nd, Eu, and Tb as predictors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mara
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.M.); (S.D.); (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Matteo Migliorini
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.M.); (M.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Marco Ciulu
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.M.); (M.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Roberto Chignola
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy; (M.M.); (M.C.); (R.C.)
| | - Carla Egido
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (C.E.); (O.N.); (S.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Oscar Núñez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (C.E.); (O.N.); (S.S.); (J.S.)
- Research Institute in Food Nutrition and Food Safety, University of Barcelona, Recinte Torribera, Av. Prat de la Riba 171, Edifici de Recerca (Gaudí), Santa Coloma de Gramenet, 08921 Barcelona, Spain
- Serra Húnter Fellow, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya, Via Laietana 2, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sònia Sentellas
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (C.E.); (O.N.); (S.S.); (J.S.)
- Research Institute in Food Nutrition and Food Safety, University of Barcelona, Recinte Torribera, Av. Prat de la Riba 171, Edifici de Recerca (Gaudí), Santa Coloma de Gramenet, 08921 Barcelona, Spain
- Serra Húnter Fellow, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya, Via Laietana 2, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Saurina
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (C.E.); (O.N.); (S.S.); (J.S.)
- Research Institute in Food Nutrition and Food Safety, University of Barcelona, Recinte Torribera, Av. Prat de la Riba 171, Edifici de Recerca (Gaudí), Santa Coloma de Gramenet, 08921 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Caredda
- Department of Animal Science, AGRIS Sardegna, Loc. Bonassai, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Mario A. Deroma
- Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, Viale Italia, 39A, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Sara Deidda
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.M.); (S.D.); (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Ilaria Langasco
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.M.); (S.D.); (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Maria I. Pilo
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.M.); (S.D.); (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Nadia Spano
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.M.); (S.D.); (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
| | - Gavino Sanna
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (A.M.); (S.D.); (I.L.); (M.I.P.); (N.S.)
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Labsvards KD, Rudovica V, Borisova A, Kokina K, Bertins M, Naumenko J, Viksna A. Multi-Element Profile Characterization of Monofloral and Polyfloral Honey from Latvia. Foods 2023; 12:4091. [PMID: 38002149 PMCID: PMC10670016 DOI: 10.3390/foods12224091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey is of scientific interest mainly due to its health-promoting and antibacterial properties, which are also associated with its floral origins. However, the methods for confirming honey floral origins are quite limited and require improvements. One method suggested in the search for a multi-method approach to evaluating the floral origins of Latvian honey is inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This study investigated the multi-element profile of 83 honey samples of well-specified floral origins. The main findings included using Ba, Ca, Cs, Fe, and Rb as indicator elements for heather honey. The chemometric evaluation supported the use of ICP-MS for distinguishing heather honey from other types of honey. The Latvian polyfloral honey multi-element profile was defined and compared to honey samples with other geographical origins. Additionally, the multi-element profiles of buckwheat, clover, and polyfloral honey proteins were investigated to clarify whether the majority of elements were bound with proteins or not. Preliminary results indicated that Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Sr were mainly found in non-protein-bound forms, while the majority of Al, Cu, Ni, and Zn were in the form of large chemical structures (>10 kDa).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kriss Davids Labsvards
- Department of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia; (V.R.); (M.B.); (J.N.); (A.V.)
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes Street 3, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (A.B.); (K.K.)
| | - Vita Rudovica
- Department of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia; (V.R.); (M.B.); (J.N.); (A.V.)
| | - Anastasija Borisova
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes Street 3, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (A.B.); (K.K.)
| | - Kristina Kokina
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR”, Lejupes Street 3, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (A.B.); (K.K.)
| | - Maris Bertins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia; (V.R.); (M.B.); (J.N.); (A.V.)
| | - Jevgenija Naumenko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia; (V.R.); (M.B.); (J.N.); (A.V.)
| | - Arturs Viksna
- Department of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia; (V.R.); (M.B.); (J.N.); (A.V.)
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Caredda M, Mara A, Ciulu M, Floris I, Pilo MI, Spano N, Sanna G. Use of genetic algorithms in the wavelength selection of FT-MIR spectra to classify unifloral honeys from Sardinia. Food Control 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Astolfi ML, Conti ME, Messi M, Marconi E. Probiotics as a promising prophylactic tool to reduce levels of toxic or potentially toxic elements in bees. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136261. [PMID: 36057357 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bees are precious living beings for our planet. Thanks to their essential service of pollination, these insects allow the maintenance of biodiversity and the variety and amount of food available. Unfortunately, we are observing an increasingly devastating reduction of bee families and other pollinating insects for factors related to human activities, environmental pollution, diseases and parasites, compromise of natural habitats, and climate change. We show that probiotics can protect bees from element pollution. We collected bees, beeswax, honey, pollen, and propolis directly from hives in a rural area of central Italy to investigate the content of 41 elements in control (not supplemented with probiotics) and experimental (supplemented with probiotics) groups. Our data show a significantly lower concentration of some elements (Ba, Be, Cd, Ce, Co, Cu, Pb, Sn, Tl, and U) in experimental bees than in control groups, indicating a possible beneficial effect of probiotics in reducing the absorption of chemicals. This study presents the first data on element levels after probiotics have been fed to bees and provides the basis for future research in several activities relating to the environment, agriculture, economy, territory, and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luisa Astolfi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy; CIABC, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Marcelo Enrique Conti
- Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Messi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Marconi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
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Mazarakioti EC, Zotos A, Thomatou AA, Kontogeorgos A, Patakas A, Ladavos A. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), a Useful Tool in Authenticity of Agricultural Products' and Foods' Origin. Foods 2022; 11:foods11223705. [PMID: 36429296 PMCID: PMC9689705 DOI: 10.3390/foods11223705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fraudulent practices are the first and foremost concern of food industry, with significant consequences in economy and human's health. The increasing demand for food has led to food fraud by replacing, mixing, blending, and mislabeling products attempting to increase the profits of producers and companies. Consequently, there was the rise of a multidisciplinary field which encompasses a large number of analytical techniques aiming to trace and authenticate the origins of agricultural products, food and beverages. Among the analytical strategies have been developed for the authentication of geographical origin of foodstuff, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) increasingly dominates the field as a robust, accurate, and highly sensitive technique for determining the inorganic elements in food substances. Inorganic elements are well known for evaluating the nutritional composition of food products while it has been shown that they are considered as possible tracers for authenticating the geographical origin. This is based on the fact that the inorganic component of identical food type originating from different territories varies due to the diversity of matrix composition. The present systematic literature review focusing on gathering the research has been done up-to-date on authenticating the geographical origin of agricultural products and foods by utilizing the ICP-MS technique. The first part of the article is a tutorial about food safety/control and the fundaments of ICP-MS technique, while in the second part the total research review is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni C. Mazarakioti
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Patras, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
- Correspondence: (E.C.M.); (A.L.); Tel.: +30-26410-74126 (A.L.)
| | - Anastasios Zotos
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | - Anna-Akrivi Thomatou
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Patras, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | - Achilleas Kontogeorgos
- Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Angelos Patakas
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Patras, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | - Athanasios Ladavos
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Patras, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
- Correspondence: (E.C.M.); (A.L.); Tel.: +30-26410-74126 (A.L.)
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10
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Italian Consumer Preferences for Eucalyptus Honey: An Exploratory Study. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14137741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The growing concern for environmental issues has underlined the need to promote sustainable consumption and production. Taking into consideration the three pillars of sustainability, honey should be seen as an important food from a sustainability perspective. Among honey varieties, the eucalyptus one is becoming increasingly popular with people for its aroma and the plant’s therapeutic properties. However, the beekeeping sector in Italy does not yet have sufficient knowledge and understanding of consumer needs with a view to increasing earnings. This paper aimed to analyze the drivers that make people pick eucalyptus honey and tries to investigate which extrinsic and intrinsic quality attributes affect consumer behavior. Data came from an online survey of 403 Italian honey consumers. An ordered Probit model was applied. The results show that consumers consider the taste, viscosity, therapeutic properties, brand reputation, variety, geographical indication, Italian origin, and organic certification of honey as the most important factors that drive the consumption of eucalyptus honey. The findings of the study should help the beekeepers and provide them with the right tools of communication, such as quality or sustainability labeling, thereby increasing their competitiveness.
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