Genetic and geochemical signatures to prevent frauds and counterfeit of high-quality asparagus and pistachio.

A fingerprinting strategy based on genetic (simple sequence repeat) and geochemical (multielement and 87Sr/86Sr ratio) analysis was tested to prove the geographical origin of high-quality Italian products "White Asparagus from Bassano del Grappa" and "Green Pistachio from Bronte". Genetic analysis generated many polymorphic alleles and different specific amplified fragments in both agriproducts. In addition, a […]

Colour and in vitro quality attributes of walnuts from different growing conditions correlate with key precursors of primary and secondary metabolism.

Walnuts (Juglans regia L.) are well known for their flavour, nutritional and health properties. The light colour of walnuts is a quality attribute that leads to consumer preference. The aim of this study was to correlate attributes such as colour and antioxidant capacity with the precursors of primary and secondary metabolism. Two growing areas and […]

Fatty acid and phenolic profiles of almond grown in Serbia.

Almond production is not typical for Serbia however the existence of natural populations and unexpectedly suitable agro-climatic conditions initiated this kind of study. Total oil content and concentrations of the fatty acids, total phenolic content and radical-scavenging activity were determined in the kernel oil of 20 local almond selections originating from North Serbia and cultivars […]

Free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in sun-dried raisins made from different fragrance intensities grape varieties using a validated HS-SPME with GC–MS method.

The conditions of sample pretreatments and HS-SPME for extracting volatile compounds from raisins were optimized, and the method was validated in the study. Free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in three different fragrance intensities raisins were analysed using this method. There were 91 compounds identified, and 72, 26 and 8 of these compounds came from […]

Sun dried Corinthian currant (Vitis Vinifera L., var. Apyrena) simple sugar profile and macronutrient characterization.

Corinthian currant simple sugar profile was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with refractive index detection; the content in other macroconstituents was also assessed. Corinthian currants analyzed were obtained over three consecutive crop years, while the effect of cultivation area altitude was also evaluated. Sugar extraction was optimized with respect to solvent, process, and time. […]

Quantification of Inositol Phosphates in Almond Meal and Almond Brown Skins by HPLC/ESI/MS.

The extraction and measurement of all six forms of inositol phosphates (InsPs) in almond meal and brown skins were improved from existing methods by pH adjustment, supplementation of EDTA, and rapid analysis via anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The quantity of InsPs in six major almond cultivars ranged from 8 […]

Identification of novel peptides from 3 to 10kDa pine nut (Pinus koraiensis) meal protein, with an exploration of the relationship between their antioxidant activities and secondary structure.

In the present study, two novel peptides Lys-Trp-Phe-Cys-Thr (KWFCT) and Gln-Trp-Phe-Cys-Thr (QWFCT) were purified and identified from 3 to 10kDa pine nut (Pinus koraiensis) meal protein. Their cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities in vitro were determined. Additionally, pulsed electric field technology, antioxidant activities, and circular dichroism were used together to investigate the relationship between antioxidant activities […]

Potential health benefits and quality of dried fruits: goji fruits, cranberries and raisins.

Dried fruits are important snacks and additives to other foods due to their taste and nutritional advantages. Therefore there is an important goal to control the quality of the food on the market for consumer's safety. Antioxidant activity of goji fruits (Lycium barbarum), cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon and oxycoccus) and raisins (Vitis vinifera) were studied using […]

Streamlining the analytical workflow for multiplex MS/MS allergen detection in processed foods

Allergenic ingredients in pre-packaged foods are regulated by EU legislation mandating their inclusion on labels. In order to protect allergic consumers, sensitive analytical methods are required for detect allergen traces in different food products. As a follow-up to our previous investigations, an optimized, sensitive, label-free LC-MS/MS method for multiplex detection of five allergenic ingredients in […]