Bioactive, Mineral and Antioxidative Properties of Gluten-Free Chicory Supplemented Snack: Impact of Processing Conditions.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of chicory root addition (20-40%) and extrusion conditions (moisture content from 16.3 to 22.5%, and screw speed from 500 to 900 rpm) on bioactive compounds content (inulin, sesquiterpene lactones, and polyphenols) of gluten-free rice snacks. Chicory root is considered a potential carrier of food bioactives, while extrusion may produce a wide range of functional snack products. The mineral profiles were determined in all of the obtained extrudates in terms of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents, while antioxidative activity was established through reducing capacity, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) tests. Chicory root addition contributed to the improvement of bioactive compounds and mineral contents, as well as antioxidative activities in all of the investigated extrudates in comparison to the pure-rice control sample. An increase in moisture content raised sesquiterpene lactones and minerals, while high screw speeds positively affected polyphenols content. The achieved results showed the important impact of the extrusion conditions on the investigated parameters and promoted chicory root as an attractive food ingredient in gluten-free snack products with high bioactive value.

Development of a Novel Rice-Based Snack Enriched with Chicory Root: Physicochemical and Sensory Properties.

A novel rice-based snack enriched with chicory root flour (CRF) was developed by twin-screw extrusion. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is one of the promising medicinal plants for the development of innovative food and may be considered a functional food ingredient. Central composite design (CCD) was employed to generate snack formulations by varying feed moisture (M, 16.3-22.5%), screw speed (SS, 500-900 rpm) and CRF content (20-40%). The optimization according to artificial neural network modeling and a genetic algorithm was applied to define optimal process conditions (17.6% moisture, 820 rpm and 24.1% of CRF) for obtaining the product with the highest expansion (3.34), crispiness (3.22 × 10-3), volume (2040 m3), degree of gelatinization (69.70%) and good color properties. Bulk density (110.33 g/L), density (250 kg/m3), and hardness (98.74 N) resulted in low values for the optimal sample. The descriptive sensory analysis evaluated low hardness and bitterness, with high crispiness for the optimal extrudate. This study points to the possibility of a novel chicory enriched extrudate production with desirable physicochemical and sensory properties.

Addition of Combinedly Dehydrated Peach to the Cookies-Technological Quality Testing and Optimization.

Peach dehydrated by a combined method of osmodehydration and lyophilization is characterized by upgraded dehydration effectiveness and enhanced chemical and mineral matter content, and as such, is an interesting material to be applied to the cookies' formulation. Incorporation of this material requires testing and optimization of the addition level from the aspect of overall technological quality in order to obtain a new cookie product. Obtained cookie samples with different levels of dehydrated peach addition were subjected to the nutritive and technology quality parameters testing. Cookies' chemical, mineral matter, and phenolic compounds content, the antioxidative activity of nutritive parameters, and the physical, technological, textural, colour, and sensory characteristics of technological parameters were investigated. Obtained results showed that the addition of especially higher levels of dehydrated peach enhanced all nutritive, while simultaneously decreased most of the technological quality parameters. The statistical method of Z-score analysis was used to calculate the optimal level of dehydrated peach addition to the cookie formulation for obtaining the highest nutritive enrichment without excessive technological quality deterioration. The optimal addition of osmodehydrated and lyophilized peach to the cookie formulation was determined to be 15%.

UHPLC-Triple-TOF-MS Characterization, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activity of Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Seed Extracts.

The primary aim of this experiment was to investigate the bioactivity potential and polyphenolic profile of defatted raspberry seeds (DRS) extracts from three varieties (Willamette, Meeker, and Polka) using the in vitro tests HPLC-DAD and UHPLC-Triple-TOF-MS. Extracts were obtained using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) or hydrolysis. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) cation (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Furthermore, the extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity using the disk diffusion method for four bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Enteritidis). In vitro antiproliferative activity was tested using cervical carcinoma (HeLa), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7), and fetal lung (MRC-5) human cell lines. In total, 32 phenolic compounds were detected in DRS extracts. A small quantity of ellagic acid (EA) was in free form, while EA content increased after the hydrolysis process. The extracts from the Meeker variety exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, analyzed with DPPH and FRAP assays, while extracts from the Polka variety had the highest activity towards ABTS•+ radical scavenging activity. The UAE samples expressed higher antiproliferative activity in comparison to hydrolysis extracts. The results indicate that DRS extracts have certain bioactivity, and their use in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries is recommended.

Identification of biomarkers in hydrosoluble extracts from spelt and wheat cultivated in different production systems.

BACKGROUND: In the present paper, a method for differentiation between common and spelt wheat grown in different farming systems (biodynamic, ecological, integrated, conventional), based on biomarkers identified from aqueous flour extracts (nitrogen and 14 soluble carbohydrates) was employed. RESULTS: The identification and determination of soluble carbohydrate content were carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, with the UV spectrum generated by mass spectrometry for comparison with the WILEY database. Soluble carbohydrates were determined in the peak area between 21.92 and 43.63 min-1 retention time. The obtained data set was analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques. It was revealed that common wheat exerted a much more pronounced tendency than spelt wheat to be influenced by the farming system. CONCLUSION: This differentiation was particularly well visualized after subjecting the data set to principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). In the PCA graph, all spelt samples were positioned closer to the corresponding control sample, in contrast to the wheat samples, which were distributed over a huge area in the factor space. CA showed that the spelt samples grown under different farming systems were highly similar and grouped into one cluster. Common wheat samples cultivated under organic, biodynamic and integrated system were similar and represented the second cluster, whereas that cultivated under the conventional system was clearly separated from other samples. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) as a food ingredient - Nutritional composition, bioactivity, safety, and health claims: A review.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a perennial herb from the Cichorium genus, Asteraceae family, and is worldwide cultivated. So far, chicory has been used mainly in animal feed, but also in several cases in the food industry: as salad, for teas and tea blends, for coffee supplementation, and as a source for the inulin production. Nowadays there is an increasing interest in chicory utilization for food production and supplementation. Some compounds present in chicory, such as polyphenols, inulin, oligofructose and sesquiterpene lactones may be considered as potential carriers of food functionality. This review describes nutritional, mineral and bioactive composition of the chicory plant and summarized the main biological activities associated with the presence of bioactive compounds in the different plant parts. Finally, the review explores possibilities of uses of chicory and its implementation in food products, with intention to design new functional foods.

The effect of storage temperature and water activity on aflatoxin B1 accumulation in hull-less and hulled spelt grains.

BACKGROUND: In concomitance with shifts in climate conditions in recent years, an increasingly frequent emergence of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins in cereals has been observed. In this study the effects of temperature (15, 23, 30 and 37 °C) and water activity (aw ) (0.85, 0.90, 0.95 and 0.99) on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 ) production by A. flavus isolate inoculated on hull-less and hulled spelt grains were investigated. RESULTS: The optimal conditions for AFB1 biosynthesis were reached at 30 °C and aw value of 0.99 in the all tested samples (hull-less grains, dehulled spelt grains and hulls). The AFB1 accumulation was significantly higher in hull-less than in dehulled grains, that implicated a protective effect of spelt hulls. The levels of AFB1 were about 10-170 times higher in hulls than in grains. In order to determine the possibility of predicting the occurrence of AFB1 under different storage conditions mathematical models [second order polynomial (SOP) and artificial neural network (ANN)] were applied. CONCLUSION: The achievement of such estimation facilitates further decisions on continuous monitoring of the potential hazard related to AFB1 contamination of stored spelt-based food. The knowledge of the storage temperature and aw effects on the AFB1 content in spelt during the postharvest phase is of great practical importance. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

A New Concept to Secure Food Safety Standards against Fusarium Species and Aspergillus Flavus and Their Toxins in Maize.

Commercial maize hybrids are exposed to different degrees of ear infection by toxigenic fungal species and toxin contamination. Their resistance to different fungi and toxin relationships are largely unknown. Without this knowledge, screening and breeding are not possible for these pathogens. Seven- to tenfold differences were found in resistance to Fusarium spp., and there was a five-fold difference in ear coverage (%) in response to A. flavus. Three hybrids of the twenty entries had lower infection severity compared with the general means for toxigenic species. Three were highly susceptible to each, and 14 hybrids reacted differently to the different fungi. Differences were also observed in the toxin content. Again, three hybrids had lower toxin content in response to all toxigenic species, one had higher values for all, and 16 had variable resistance levels. Correlations between infection severity and deoxynivalenol (DON) content were 0.95 and 0.82 (p = 0.001) for F. graminearum and F. culmorum, respectively. For fumonisin and F. verticillioides ear rot, the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was 0.45 (p = 0.05). Two independent isolates with different aggressiveness were used, and their mean X values better described the resistance levels. This increased the reliability of the data. With the introduction of this methodological concept (testing the resistance levels separately for different fungi and with two isolates independently), highly significant resistance differences were found. The resistance to different fungal species correlated only in certain cases; thus, each should be tested separately. This is very useful in registration tests and post-registration screening and breeding. This would allow a rapid increase in food and feed safety.

Betaine in Cereal Grains and Grain-Based Products.

Betaine is a non-essential nutrient which performs several important physiological functions in organisms. Abundant data exist to suggest that betaine has a potential for prevention of chronic diseases and that its dietary intake may contribute to overall health enhancement. Several studies have pointed out that the betaine status of the general population is inadequate and have suggested nutritional strategies to improve dietary intake of betaine. Cereal-based food has been implicated as the major source of betaine in the Western diet. This review summarizes the results on the betaine content in various cereals and related products. Attention has been given to the betaine content in gluten-free grains and products. It also discusses the stability of betaine during processing (cooking, baking, extrusion) and possibilities to increase betaine content by fortification.

Breadmaking performance and textural changes during storage of composite breads made from spelt wheat and different forms of amaranth grain.

The objectives of the present study were to assess the baking properties of composite spelt wheat-amaranth blends and to study the staling of composite breads during a six-day storage. Different forms of amaranth grains were added to spelt bread formulation: native amaranth flour and flour from popped amaranth, including their scalded and non-scalded variants. Native amaranth flour (both scalded and non-scalded) gave loaves with the highest volume and contributed to significantly softer crumb but not in comparison to the control bread. Crumb resilience did not show significant differences among the breads but there were differences in the crumb stress relaxation parameters which indicated certain influence on the crumb viscoelastic properties. During storage, all samples developed firmer and less elastic crumbs. Drying loss and staling degree significantly increased with increased storage time. The staling rate was the highest in the bread with non-scalded amaranth flours (native and flour from popped amaranth). The changes in the crumb textural and elastic properties caused by staling turned significant after six days of storage. In general, inclusion of different forms of amaranth flour did not alter the staling of breads and they exerted similar behaviour during storage.

Extraction methods of Amaranthus sp. grain oil isolation.

BACKGROUND: Amaranthus sp. is a fast-growing crop with well-known beneficial nutritional values (rich in protein, fat, dietary fiber, ash, and minerals, especially calcium and sodium, and containing a higher amount of lysine than conventional cereals). Amaranthus sp. is an underexploited plant source of squalene, a compound of high importance in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. RESULTS: This paper has examined the effects of the different extraction methods (Soxhlet, supercritical fluid and accelerated solvent extraction) on the oil and squalene yield of three genotypes of Amaranthus sp. grain. The highest yield of the extracted oil (78.1 g kg(-1) ) and squalene (4.7 g kg(-1) ) in grain was obtained by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) in genotype 16. Post hoc Tukey's HSD test at 95% confidence limit showed significant differences between observed samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used for assessing the effect of different genotypes and extraction methods on oil and squalene yield, and also the fatty acid composition profile. Using coupled PCA and CA of observed samples, possible directions for improving the quality of product can be realized. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that it is very important to choose both the right genotype and the right method of extraction for optimal oil and squalene yield. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of the liposoluble fraction of common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and spelt (T. aestivum ssp. spelta) flours using multivariate analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the present paper, a special method for derivatization of liposoluble extract of common wheat and spelt flours was employed which enables simultaneous detection of fatty acid and non-saponifiable lipid fractions. RESULTS: Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analytical data for both fractions were separately analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques to model classes of different common wheat and spelt cultivars. Cluster analysis was used, and the results obtained revealed that better discrimination of samples was achieved by analyzing the peak area after 16 min retention time (non-saponifiable lipids), rather than commonly used peak area between 12 and 16 min (fatty acid fraction), due to more distinctive positions of points in factor space, even though the distances between points for fatty acid fraction (12-16 min) were greater. Similar results were obtained by principal components analysis, where all wheat points almost coincided whereas spelt showed good discrimination. CONCLUSION: Comparison of chromatogram areas for non-saponifiable lipid fraction between common and spelt wheat showed a statistically high difference and hence has a potential for use in authenticity control.

Quality of gingernut type biscuits as affected by varying fat content and partial replacement of honey with molasses.

Gingernut type biscuits were prepared with varying fat content (10, 20, and 30 % w/w flour basis) and with sugar beet molasses replacing 0, 25, and 50 % w/w of the honey in the formulation. To evaluate the effects of these modifications, dough properties, and the physical, and sensory properties, and chemical composition of the biscuits were determined. Dough properties were significantly affected by the fat content; higher fat gave softer dough with reduced adhesiveness, cohesiveness and springiness. Biscuit height and diameter were also significantly affected only by the fat content. The tested biscuit variants showed no difference with respect to hardness and fracturability. During storage, hardness, fracturability and brittleness of the biscuits significantly increased but significant differences within the biscuits variants were observed after two months of storage in terms of fracturability which was least impaired in the biscuits with 30 % fat. Higher fat content also contributed to better flavour keeping during storage. Substitution of honey with molasses resulted in products with darker colour, less yellow and more red tone. Molasses also contributed to better nutritive value of biscuits by increasing significantly the content of proteins, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron.

Status quo and future research challenges on organic food quality determination with focus on laboratory methods.

Organic food quality determination needs multi-dimensional evaluation tools. The main focus is on the authentication as an analytical verification of the certification process. New fingerprinting approaches such as ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, direct analysis in real time-high-resolution mass spectrometry as well as crystallization with and without the presence of additives seem to be promising methods in terms of time of analysis and detecting organic system-related parameters. For further methodological development, a system approach is recommended, which also takes into account food structure aspects. Furthermore, the authentication of processed organic samples needs more consciousness, hence most of organic food is complex and processed.

The protective effect of hulls on the occurrence of Alternaria mycotoxins in spelt wheat.

BACKGROUND: Since there is an increasing demand on the world market for alternative crops suitable for organic production, spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum spp. spelta L.) is a highly attractive farming option. Alternaria species are widespread and infect a great variety of economically important crops. Certain species are known producers of mycotoxins. The aim of this study was to assess the protective effect of hulls covering the spelt kernels on Alternaria toxins. RESULTS: Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) were evaluated in hulls and dehulled kernels after plant inoculation with one A. alternata and two different A. tenuissima isolates. Mycotoxins were determinated using high-performance liquid chromatography with dioade array detection. The detected levels of AOH and AME were four times higher in hulls compared to kernels in inoculation treatments. AOH was registered at levels ranging from 227 to 331 µg kg(-1) in dehulled kernels and from 433 up to 1647 µg kg(-1) in hulls. AME was predominant toxin detected in the range of 277 to 398 µg kg(-1) in dehulled kernels and from 1844 to 2183 µg kg(-1) in hulls, with highly significant difference to water control treatment. CONCLUSION: Obtained results indicate the significantly higher concentrations of Alternaria toxins in hulls than in dehulled kernels which implicate the possible protective effect of spelt wheat hulls.