1,721,002 research outputs found
Novel foods/feeds and novel frauds: The case of edible insects
No full textBackground
Novel foods demand in EU is increasing, and their consumption is expected to grow in the next years. This increased use enhances the risk of misidentification and counterfeiting.
Scope and approach
In this review, the vulnerability to frauds of the incoming edible insect value chain was analysed. The starting point was the regulatory framework in the EU scenario, which encompasses the authorized species for food and/or feed but also the authorized feeding substrates for insects. The market scenario in which insects have been/will be introduced was also analysed. The possible safety issue related to fraud in insect market have been analysed, especially focusing on allergenic risk related to species substitution. The analytical tools currently available to assure insect/rearing substrate authentication have been also evaluated.
Key findings and conclusions
The key factors making the insect market vulnerable to fraud are the evolving legislative framework, the possible importation of wild/non-authorized species, the use of insect meal/powder in which insects are non-recognizable, the lack of robust and high throughput analytical method. The safety issue, due to the allergenic risk, makes of outmost importance to make steps forward on analytical tools dedicated to insect species and rearing substrates authentication
Black Soldier Fly Larvae Grown on Hemp Fiber: Nutritional Composition and Production of Potential Bioactive Peptides
Full text linkBlack soldier fly larvae (BSFL) represent a way of converting organic substrates into valuable biomolecules, and are potentially exploitable as feed and food. In the present work, BSFL grown on retted hemp fiber were chemically analyzed to evaluate their nutritional profile. Chemical analysis revealed BSFL biomass to be an interesting source of proteins (40% on dry matter) rich in essential amino acids. In addition, larval biomass contained 12% fat, mainly composed of saturated fatty acids, and β-sitosterol and campesterol were found to be the most abundant among sterols. A total of 9% of the larval biomass was composed of chitin. The investigation extended to the enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins, leading to the identification of potential bioactive peptides. Peptidomics analysis coupled with in silico tools unveiled promising antioxidant, ACE-inhibitory, and DPP-IV-inhibitory properties within the protein hydrolysates. These findings revealed the potential of BSFL grown on retted hemp fiber as a source of dietary compounds as well as bioactive molecules which can be exploited as functional ingredients in the feed and food sectors
Novel foods/feeds and novel frauds: The case of edible insects
No full textBackground
Novel foods demand in EU is increasing, and their consumption is expected to grow in the next years. This increased use enhances the risk of misidentification and counterfeiting.
Scope and approach
In this review, the vulnerability to frauds of the incoming edible insect value chain was analysed. The starting point was the regulatory framework in the EU scenario, which encompasses the authorized species for food and/or feed but also the authorized feeding substrates for insects. The market scenario in which insects have been/will be introduced was also analysed. The possible safety issue related to fraud in insect market have been analysed, especially focusing on allergenic risk related to species substitution. The analytical tools currently available to assure insect/rearing substrate authentication have been also evaluated.
Key findings and conclusions
The key factors making the insect market vulnerable to fraud are the evolving legislative framework, the possible importation of wild/non-authorized species, the use of insect meal/powder in which insects are non-recognizable, the lack of robust and high throughput analytical method. The safety issue, due to the allergenic risk, makes of outmost importance to make steps forward on analytical tools dedicated to insect species and rearing substrates authentication
Effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis for reducing the allergenic potential of legume by-products
Full text linkThe interest in agri-food residues and their valorization has grown considerably, and many of them are today considered to be valuable, under-exploited sources of different compounds and notably proteins. Despite the beneficial properties of legumes by-products, there are also some emerging risks to consider, including their potential allergenicity. In this work the immunoreactivity of chickpea, pea, and white bean by-products was assessed, and whether the production of enzymatic hydrolysates can be an effective strategy to reduce this allergenic potential. The results presented clearly indicate that the efficiency of this strategy is strongly related to the enzyme used and the food matrix. All legume by-products showed immunoreactivity towards serum of legume-allergic patients. Hydrolysates from alcalase did not show residual immunoreactivity for chickpea and green pea, whereas hydrolysates from papain still presented some immunoreactivity. However, for white beans, the presence of antinutritional factors prevented a complete hydrolysis, yielding a residual immunoreactivity even after enzymatic hydrolysis with alcalase
Enhancement of agri-food by-products: green extractions of bioactive molecules with fungicidal action against mycotoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins
Full text linkIntroductionToday, alternative strategies based on the use of bioactive compounds have been proposed to reduce mycotoxin contamination and limit the use of chemical fungicides. MethodsIn the present work, several by-products collected from the agri-food chain (i.e., red and white grape marc, red grapevine leaves, grape seeds and stalks, pear, apple, green beans, tomato, and spent hops) were subjected to green extraction protocols (i.e., steam distillation, Ultrasound-Assisted, and Naviglio (R) extraction) to obtain extracts rich in polyphenols and terpenes. Each extract was assessed in vitro for its ability to inhibit the development of the main mycotoxigenic species and related mycotoxins. Results and DiscussionAspergillus flavus and A. carbonarius were significantly reduced by pear (from -45 to -47%) and grape marc (from -21 to -51%) extracts, while F. graminearum was shown to be highly influenced by grape stalk, pear, and grape marc extracts (-24% on average). On the contrary, F. verticillioides was inhibited only by pear (-18%) and to a very low and negligible extent by apple (-1%) and green beans (-3%). Regarding the reduction of mycotoxins, the extracts were able to inhibit OTA from 2 to 57%, AFB1 from 5 to 75%, and DON from 14 to 72%. The highest percentages of reduction were obtained against FBs (from 11 to 94%), ZEN (from 17 to 100%), and Alternaria toxins (from 7 to 96%). In conclusion, this work provided promising results for the production of bioactive extracts obtained from agri-food by-products, which could be exploited as potential biofungicides against the development of mycotoxigenic fungi and related mycotoxins
Can Tannin-coated Paper Packaging Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh Fruits?
No full textThis study explores the potential of tannin-coated paper-based packaging to extend the shelf life of highly perishable fruits, with strawberries used as a model. Firstly, the antimicrobial properties of a tannin extract were assessed, demonstrating the most promising results against Staphylococcus xylosus. From this findings, two types of packaging were developed: untreated paper containers and containers coated with the tannin extract. Fresh strawberries were stored in these containers under controlled conditions (5°C, 85% relative humidity) for 19 days. Several parameters were monitored, including microbial growth, texture, colour evolution, weight loss and the fungicidal efficacy of the coated paper, with analysis performed every two days. The results revealed no significant differences in microbial growth or quality parameters between the treated and untreated containers at the different time points. In addition, fungal growth was more pronounced in the tannin-coated containers. These findings suggest that the tannin coating did not enhance key preservation parameters. Instead, it may have accelerated degradation, possibly due to the presence of undesirable compounds that could have fostered fungal growth. These findings serve as the basis for future research that will refine coating formulations and application methods for wider adoption in the food packaging industry
Ochratoxin A and Sterigmatocystin in Long-Ripened Grana Cheese: Occurrence, Wheel Rind Contamination and Effectiveness of Cleaning Techniques on Grated Products
Full text linkA survey on the occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) and sterigmatocystin (STC) in grated cheese products obtained from hard grana-type cheeses was carried out, where 107 grated products were collected in retail outlets and analysed. OTA and STC were found in 48.6% and 94.4% of the samples, in a range from <LOD to 25.05 µg kg(−1) and from <LOD to 6.87 µg kg(−1), respectively. STC was detected in all the OTA-contaminated samples. The OTA and STC occurrence in cheese is due to environmental contamination during ripening, leading to fungal growth and mycotoxin production on the cheese surface. This statement was confirmed by analysing the surface of 16 hard grana cheese rinds, which resulted contaminated by both OTA and STC, with concentration ranging from 3 to 370 µg kg(−1). This finding demonstrates that rind inclusion increases the mycotoxin concentration in grated cheeses. The mycotoxin level significantly decreased from the surface (0–1.5 mm) to inner parts of cheese rinds (1.5–4.5 mm). Industrial wheel-cleaning techniques can represent a useful treatment to reduce both toxins in grated cheese products
Bioconversion of agri-food waste and by-products through insects: a new valorization opportunity
No full textThe complete valorization of wastes and by-products to new valuable commodities requires innovative, “out-of-the-box” technologies, also including biological technologies, which must be at the same time economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. Inside this scenario, insects have been gaining a lot of momentum as a promising biotechnological solution for exploiting residual biomasses. The diversity of these residual biomasses constitutes a technological problem for processing, and insects may represent a possible biotechnological solution. Several insect species naturally develop on organic wastes and, via the incorporation of the nutrients into their bodies, can be used to reduce the amount of waste material, while at the same time generating a more homogeneous and more valuable biomass. As a matter of fact, insects are a good source of useful compounds, being rich in protein, fat, chitin, and micronutrients. These biomolecules can be used for different purposes (e.g., for feed/food ingredients, cosmetics, pharma, bioplastics, and others), actually upgrading the value of the starting waste. In this chapter the possibility to use insects as bioagents in the agro-food by-products management will be explored, outlining their potential role in a circular economy system
Degree of Hydrolysis Affects the Techno-Functional Properties of Lesser Mealworm Protein Hydrolysates
Full text linkProtein hydrolysates from lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus, LM) were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis with protease from Bacillus licheniformis. A preliminary test performed for five hours of hydrolysis generated an insect protein hydrolysate with 15% of degree of hydrolysis (DH), optimum solubility property and oil holding capacity, but emulsifying and foaming ability were completely impaired. In order to investigate the potential implication of DH on techno-functional properties, a set of protein hydrolysates with a different DH was obtained by sub-sampling at different time points during three hours of enzymatic hydrolysis process. An increase in DH% had positive effects on the solubility property and oil holding ability, while a reduced emulsifying ability was observed up to five hours of hydrolysis. These results demonstrated that the enzymatic hydrolysis, if performed under controlled conditions and not for a long period, represents a valid method to extract high quality protein from insects with tailored techno-functionality, in order to produce tailored ingredients for feed and food purpose
Development of a Quantitative UPLC-ESI/MS Method for the Simultaneous Determination of the Chitin and Protein Content in Insects
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