Germination of Oat and Quinoa and Evaluation of the Malts as Gluten Free Baking Ingredients

Germination can be used to improve the sensory and nutritional properties of cereal and pseudocereal grains. Oat and quinoa are rich in minerals, vitamins and fibre while quinoa also contains high amounts of protein of a high nutritional value. In this study, oat and quinoa malts were produced and incorporated in a rice and potato based gluten free formulation. Germination of oat led to a drastic increase of α-amylase activity from 0.3 to 48 U/g, and minor increases in proteolytic and lipolytic activities. Little change was observed in quinoa except a decrease in proteolytic activity from 9.6 to 6.9 U/g. Oat malt addition decreased batter viscosities at both proofing temperature and during heating. These changes led to a decrease in bread density from 0.59 to 0.5 g/ml and the formation of a more open crumb, but overdosing of oat malt deteriorated the product as a result of excessive amylolysis during baking. Quinoa malt had no significant effect on the baking properties due to low α-amylase activity. Despite showing a very different impact on the bread quality, both malts influenced the electrophoretic patterns of rice flour protein similarly. This suggests that malt induced proteolysis does not influence the technological properties of a complex gluten free formulation.     

Diachronic analysis of individual-tree mortality in a Norway spruce stand in the eastern Italian Alps

? Understanding tree mortality processes across time requires long term studies. Spatiotemporal patterns of mortality in a 200 years-old mono-layered Norway spruce stand were evaluated to determine what factors affected individual-tree mortality.

? We performed an analysis on two surveys (1993 and 2005) in a 1-ha permanent plot in the Paneveggio forest (Eastern Italian Alps). Tree diameter and age distribution between surveys were compared. We examined spatial patterns of living and dead trees before 1993, in 1993 and in 2005 using univariate and bivariate Ripley’s K(d) function, and a kernel estimator of local crowding. A logistic model was used to assess the effects of diameter, age, recent growth and competitive pressure on tree mortality.

? Spatial pattern analysis indicated mortality was associated to tree neighbourhood (neighbour effect at 2–5 m). An increment of regularization of tree spatial pattern occurred due to density-dependent mortality. Logistic regression showed tree diameter and recent growth were determinant on mortality risk during the monitoring period.

? Even if the stand is relatively aged, mortality dynamics are those typical of stem exclusion stage. Mortality was related to competitive dynamics, and small suppressed trees with slow growth rate had higher probability to die.

     

Combined use of starter cultures and preservatives to control production of biogenic amines and improve sensorial profile in low-acid salami

The combined effect of starter culture, nitrites, and nitrates has been studied in low-acidity salamis, typical products of northern Italy. Nine batches have been prepared, combining three different inoculations of starter cultures (control, Lactobacillus plantarum , and Lactobacillus plantarum together with Kocuria varians ) with three different preservatives (control, sodium nitrate, and sodium nitrite). All of the batches showed a good fermentation process with a proper pH decrease, which was quicker in batches inoculated with L. plantarum. The use of starter cultures and in particular the use of nitrites allowed the control of the proliferation of Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci. The accumulation of biogenic amines, especially putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, and tyramine, in salami ready for consumption (60 days of ripening) was strongly affected by the presence of Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci. Results obtained showed that the combined use of adequate preservatives and starter cultures allows the production of safer products with improved sensorial profile.     

Calcium chloride washing of calcareous sediment from a freshwater canal: effect on the removal of potentially toxic elements and water aggregate stability

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Canal dredging and shaping produce considerable amounts of sediments whose reuse on- and off-site depends on their pollution level. This study explores the...     

Evidence of fish and human pathogens associated with doctor fish (Garra rufa,Heckel, 1843) used for cosmetic treatment

Doctor fish (Garra rufa, Heckel, 1843) are increasingly used for cosmetic treatment raising particular concerns regarding the potential transmission of infections to clients. Investigations of microbial causes undertaken in two outbreaks of mortality among G. rufa used for cosmetic treatment revealed the presence of multiple bacteria, including both fish and human pathogens such as Aeromonas veronii, A. hydrophila, Vibrio cholerae, Shewanella putrefaciens, Mycobacterium marinum and M. goodii. This range of bacteria indicates an intense microbial proliferation involving multiple pathogens, most likely induced by the poor health condition of the fish. Most of the detected pathogens are well‐known agents of zoonosis. Indeed, M. goodii is an emerging nosocomial human pathogen that has never been detected in fish to date, nor in other animals. This first detection of M. goodii associated with fish infection points out a new zoonotic potential for this pathogen. These findings point out that handling, poor environmental conditions and the presence of fish pathogens, that can compromise the immune system of fish, can result in a mixed microbial proliferation and increase the spread of waterborne bacteria, including zoonosis agents. Accordingly, the microbiological surveillance of fish used for cosmetic treatment is extremely important, particularly in association with mortality outbreaks.     

Contrasting land use legacy effects on forest landscape dynamics in the Italian Alps and the Apennines

Landscape Ecology - Land use legacies of human activities and recent post-abandonment forest expansion have extensively modified numerous forest landscapes throughout the European mountain ranges....     

Infestation potential of Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu, 1951 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) in different natural populations of Castanea sativa Miller: an experimental ex situ test

The Asian chestnut gall wasp was accidentally introduced in Italy in 2002 and spread across Europe in the following years, becoming a serious threat for chestnut cultivations and rural economies of many countries. Exploring the variation in susceptibility of the host genetic resources is crucial to face the spreading of this pest. We used an experimental approach for testing the differential susceptibility within and between populations of European chestnut. For doing this, we compared both the infestation level and the rate of immune individuals in trees from populations of Spain, Italy, and Greece. We found that the level of infestation is not significantly different in the different provenances but that a higher rate of immune trees occur in Greece. Our results suggest that two different contingents of trees compose Greek populations: one major group of trees with the same susceptibility as the other populations and a second minor group of trees resistant to gall wasp infestation. Our data lay the basis for improving the currently adopted measures to mitigate gall wasp impacts.     

Chemical and sensory characterization of DOC red wines from Marche (Italy) related to vintage and grape cultivars

Monomeric phenols, color and copigmentation parameters, pigments with different chemical structure, tannin, glucose, fructose, glycerol, ethanol, and organic acids were determined in DOC red wines from Marche (Italy), obtained during three different vintages ranging from 1996 to 2000. The intensity of the bitter and astringent tastes of the wines was determined with panel tastings. Lacrima di Morro and Vernaccia di Serrapetrona (obtained from local cultivars) were different from Rosso Piceno, Rosso Piceno Superiore, and Rosso Conero (produced from different percentages of Sangiovese and Montepulciano). Vernaccia, a red, sweet, "spumante" wine, was an outlier. Lacrima showed a low tannin content, a high content of small pigments and phenols, and a high ratio of copigmented color, which persisted after 3 years of aging. The chemical determinations accounted for a high percentage of variability of measured panel astringency, copigmented color, and measured wine absorbance at 520 nm. It was not possible to create a predictive model for bitterness.