Rogerta Dalipi, Laura Borgese, Elza Bontempi, Laura E. Depero
In this work, total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy was used for the simultaneous multi-elemental determination of thirteen elements (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba and Pb) in 38 tea and herb samples. Infusions were also prepared and analysed by TXRF in order to determine the solubility of each element. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied by using the elemental concentration values for the differentiation purposes.
Fabjola Bilo, Laura Borgese, Annalisa Zacco, Rogerta Dalipi, Elza Bontempi, Laura E. Depero
Elemental composition of food is of great importance, since food is the main source of essential, major and trace elements for humans. Some potentially toxic elements may contaminate food, entering the food chain from the environment, processing, and storage. Therefore, the elemental analysis of food is fundamental for safety assessment. Fast and sensitive analytical techniques are required as a result of the increasing demand on multi-elemental analysis and product screening. Total reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) is suitable technique, since it provides simultaneous multi-elemental...
Sonia Errico, Carla Nicolucci, Marianna Portaccio, Maria Lepore, Nadia Diano
A selective and highly sensitive analytical methodology for determination of Bisphenol A (BPA) in canned tomatoes was developed and validated. The method was based on selective liquid/solid extraction, combined with liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode and negative ionization. The linearity of the detector response was verified for canned tomato samples and the limit of quantification of the method (LOQ) was calculated to be 0.02 µg/kg. The method was in-house validated evaluating specificity, trueness,...
Susana Jesus, Ines Delgado, Andreia Rego, Isabel Castanheira
Acrylamide is known for its potential health hazards. The aim of this study was to analyze the acrylamide content of confectioned bread in fifty four different pastries. Acrylamide levels obtained were high, ranging between 59 and 1273 ug/kg. Only two bakeries had lower quantities of acrylamide than the indicative value of EFSA, 150 ug/kg. These differences can be associated with the products confection process, but also with the use of different recipes bread.
Federica Corrado, Anna Cutarelli, Daniela Criscuolo, Antonella De Roma, Bianca Cecere, Daniele Simonetti, Giorgio Galiero, Elena Coccia, Carmina Viola, Ettore Varricchio, Marina Paolucci
Institutions working for food safety have the main goal to guarantee consumers about the security of what they eat. In seafood field a key aspect of food safety is represented by the possibility to correctly identify the species of fish especially when the product has been already processed and therefore no more morphologically identifiable. In the present study we analysed 20 seafood products with the aim to properly classify their fish species composition. The analysis was carried out by sequencing a region of cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Results revealed ability of DNA sequencing to...
Anna Maria Salzano, Simona Arena, Andrea Scaloni
A progressive diffusion of Mozzarella cheese products realized with frozen curd or frozen milk have been observed in the last years. In order to reveal adulterations in raw milk used for cheese manufacturing, we have developed a robust and rapid MALDI-TOF-MS profiling procedure of fresh and frozen buffalo milks. We finally identified 28 polypeptide markers of milk freezing storage. Abundance changes of polipeptide species following freezing treatment were confirmed by an independent approach. We observed the progressive formation in frozen buffalo milk of GLYCAM1-derived phosphopeptides.A...
Simona Arena, Mauro Sassi, Andrea Scaloni
Seasonality and economic factors are the cause of fraudulent action in diary industry. One of the most frequent fraud is the adulteration of ovine, caprine and buffalo milks with bovine material and the use of powdered milk instead of declared, fresh material. In this context, we present a fast analytical approach suitable both for speciation and thermal treatment analysis to guarantee the origin of raw milk.
Carmina Viola, Maria Carmela Polese, Finizia Russo, Elena Coccia, Francesca Cimino, Marina Paolucci, Ettore Varricchio
Pan frying is the main method of cooking of cutlets, and often the choice of oil to use is controversial. In this note, we proposed the use of extra virgin olive oil to cook Marchigiana cattle meat. In detail, we reported not only some data on the quality of extra virgin olive oil and meat, but also, the modification in α-tocopherol and fatty acid content in topside and silverside cuts of Marchigiana cattle, after frying. The results showed an improvement of quality of fatty acid content together an increase of α-tocopherol. In conclusion, considering our results, we promote the use of extra...
Mariana Mendes Ribeiro, Duarte Torres, Mariana Santos, Isabel Castanheira
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the nutritional composition of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) obtained by different cultivation processes from different areas (fruiting induced by sprinkler from Amarante or dipping method from Sintra). Macronutrient, vitamin B1 and B2, minerals and contaminant trace metals were quantified in three samples. Variability among the different samples regarding macronutrients, minerals content was found. Regarding contaminants content, only one sample showed an atypical high value for arsenic. The results obtained indicate that the...
Anastasia Kyriakoudi, Claudia Zoani, Giovanna Zappa, Maria Z. Tsimidou
In the present study, analytical methodologies based on inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were developed for the determination of the elemental profile of saffron as a tool for its geographical traceability. Due to the high commercial price of the spice, special focus was paid in using only a minute amount of sample (30 mg).