25 years of European Union (EU) quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs across EU Member States

Consumers are increasingly turning their attention to the quality and origin of products that they consume. European Union (EU) quality schemes are associated with a label, which was introduced to allow consumers to perform an informed choice and to protect producers from unfair practices. This present study provides an overview of the last 25 years of EU quality schemes [Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG)] on agricultural products and foodstuffs across the 28 EU Member States. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that Southern European countries have the highest number of registered products. The most used EU quality scheme is PGI, followed by PDO. Concerning the analysis of the evolution in the last 25 years, the number of registered products among EU Member States has increased significantly. The fruit, vegetables and cereals (fresh or processed) category is the one that accounts for the highest percentage (26.8%) of registered products, followed by cheeses and meat products (cooked, salted, smoked) categories, with 17.2% and 13.5%, respectively. Further investigations should address consumer preferences, knowledge and attitudes, especially Northern European countries with a lower number of registered products. Moreover, the investigation and registration of products should be encouraged among all EU Member States to allow the maintenance of important elements of the history, culture and heritage of the local areas, regions and countries. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of UV-C radiation on bioactive compounds of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) by-products

BACKGROUND

The industrial processing of pineapple generates a high quantity of by-products. To reduce the environmental impact of these by-products and the inherent cost of their treatment, it is important to characterise and valorise these products, converting them into high added value products. Ultra-violet radiation is one of the main sustainable sanitation techniques for fruits. Since this radiation can induce plant stress which can promote the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds, it is important to evaluate its effect in fruits.

RESULTS

The amounts of vitamins (C and E) and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, neoxanthin, violaxanthin and zeaxanthin) in pineapple by-products (core and rind) were analysed before and after treatment with UV radiation. All treated and untreated pineapple by-products contained β-carotene as the main carotenoid (rind, 2537-3225 µg; and core, 960-994 µg 100 g(-1) DW). Pineapple rind also contained lutein (288-297 µg 100 g(-1) DW) and α-carotene (89-126 µg 100 g(-1) DW).

CONCLUSION

The results provide evidence of the potential of pineapple by-products as a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, which can be used by pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. In addition, UV-C was shown to be a treatment that can add nutritional value to pineapple by-products.

Trends in the use of natural antioxidants in active food packaging: a review

The demand for natural antioxidant active packaging is increasing due to its unquestionable advantages compared with the addition of antioxidants directly to the food. Therefore, the search for antioxidants perceived as natural, namely those that naturally occur in herbs and spices, is a field attracting great interest. In line with this, in the last few years, natural antioxidants such as α-tocopherol, caffeic acid, catechin, quercetin, carvacrol and plant extracts (e.g. rosemary extract) have been incorporated into food packaging. On the other hand, consumers and the food industry are also interested in active biodegradable/compostable packaging and edible films to reduce environmental impact, minimise food loss and minimise contaminants from industrial production and reutilisation by-products. The present review focuses on the natural antioxidants already applied in active food packaging, and it reviews the methods used to determine the oxidation protection effect of antioxidant active films and the methods used to quantify natural antioxidants in food matrices or food simulants. Lastly consumers' demands and industry trends are also addressed.

New nutritional composition data on selected traditional foods consumed in Black Sea Area countries

BACKGROUND

Traditional foods are an important part of the culture, history, identity and heritage of a region or country and are key elements in dietary patterns. In most countries there is limited information on the nutritional composition of such foods and therefore there is a need to investigate, register and promote traditional foods. One of the aims within the 'Sustainable exploitation of bioactive components from the Black Sea Area traditional foods' (BaSeFood) project is to generate for the first time new data on the nutritional composition of traditional foods from six Black Sea Area countries to promote their sustainable development and exploitation.

RESULTS

Thirty-three traditional foods were analysed in an accredited laboratory to determine their nutritional composition, and the data were fully documented. The nutrient content varied widely because of the nature and variety of the analysed foods. The energy content ranged between 4 kcal per 100 g for kvass southern and 900 kcal per 100 g for mustard oil, with the exception of the analysed teas, which did not contribute to energy intake.

CONCLUSION

The use of a common methodology for the study of traditional foods will enable countries to further investigate these foods. Moreover, a new nutritional knowledge base of traditional foods from Black Sea Area countries will contribute to promote local biodiversity and sustainable diets by maintaining healthy dietary patterns within local cultures.

Comparison of leafy kale populations from Italy, Portugal, and Turkey for their bioactive compound content: phenolics, glucosinolates, carotenoids, and chlorophylls

BACKGROUND

Kales are primitive leafy Brassica oleracea L. forms, widespread in local farming systems of several European countries and employed in the preparation of traditional recipes. Kales are also potential sources of healthy bioactive phytochemical components. The present study compared the bioactive compound content of kale populations from Italy, Portugal, and Turkey, either from local sources or grown in an experimental field.

RESULTS

Total phenolics, glucosinolates (GLS), carotenoids, and chlorophylls were in the ranges 8310-38 110, 755-8580, 135-2354, and 1740-16,924 mg kg(-1) dry matter, respectively. On average, locally harvested samples showed a total GLS content about twice as high as populations from the experiment. Conversely, pigments were significantly more abundant in experimental than in local kales, owing to the higher soil fertility. Portuguese samples showed higher phenolic and GLS amounts than Italian and Turkish kales, whereas some of the Italian samples were the richest in carotenoids.

CONCLUSION

This paper represented the first cross-country comparison of local kale accessions with respect to bioactive compound amounts. Both geographic origin and growing environment appeared to be remarkable and discriminating factors in determining bioactive levels in leafy kales, with possible effects on their health-promoting and sensorial attributes.

Carotenoids, vitamins (A, B2, C and E) and total folate of traditional foods from Black Sea Area countries

BACKGROUND

Carotenoids, vitamins (A, B2, C and E) and total folate are related to health promotion. However, there are still many food matrices for which the content of these compounds is not available. In order to fill this gap, traditional foods from Black Sea Area countries (BSAC) were analysed in order to investigate their potential health benefits.

RESULTS

The most abundant carotenoid was β-carotene. Plum jam was the sample with the highest β-carotene content (608 µg 100 g(-1) edible portion). The group of vegetables and vegetable-based foods contributed most to β-carotene content. Evergreen cherry laurel presented the highest l-ascorbic acid content (29.9 mg 100 g(-1) edible portion), while the highest riboflavin and total folate contents were found for roasted sunflower seeds. Approximately 61% of the analysed samples showed quantifiable amounts of α-tocopherol but did not contain retinol.

CONCLUSION

Despite the great variability in the content of carotenoids, vitamins and total folate, most of the analysed traditional foods from BSAC can be considered good sources of these compounds. Therefore, owing to their putative health benefits, the consumption of those with higher contents of these compounds should be encouraged and promoted.

Traditional foods from the Black Sea region as a potential source of minerals

BACKGROUND

In the past few years, minerals have assumed great importance in public health. As a consequence, considerable research has been carried out to better understand their physiological role and the health consequences of mineral-deficient diets, to establish criteria for defining the degree of public health severity of malnutrition, and to develop prevention and control strategies. In most countries, there is limited information on the mineral content of traditional foods, and consequently it is very difficult to estimate mineral intake across these countries.

RESULTS

Ten minerals were quantified in 33 traditional foods from Black Sea area countries. Our results indicate a considerable variability among the analysed traditional foods; nevertheless, the most abundant components were sodium (ranging from 40.0 to 619 mg 100 g(-1), for kvass southern and herbal dish, respectively), potassium (varied between 45.5 mg 100 g(-1) for millet ale and 938 mg 100 g(-1) for roasted sunflower seeds), and phosphorus (22.2 mg 100 g(-1) and 681 mg 100 g(-1) for sauerkraut and roasted sunflower seeds, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study that provides validated data on the mineral content for 33 traditional foods from Black Sea area countries, which is important in order to elucidate their role in the dietary pattern of populations and to preserve and promote these foods.

Ultra-high pressure LC determination of glucosamine in shrimp by-products and migration tests of chitosan films

Chitosan, a multiple applications molecule, was isolated from shrimp by-products by fermentation. The amount of chitosan in the solid fraction of the fermented extract was measured after its conversion in the respective glucosamine units. The procedure includes an acid hydrolysis (110 °C, 4 h with HCl 8 M) and a derivatization with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (Fmoc-Cl). Ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography method was developed and optimized. Excellent peaks resolution was achieved in just 10 min. The method was evaluated in what concerns to validation parameters such as linearity, repeatability, quantification limit, and recovery. Migration tests of films prepared with chitosan were carried out in two simulants: ultrapure water and ethanol 95% (v/v).