Evaluation of heat damage, sugars, amylases and colour in breads from einkorn, durum and bread wheat flours

To limit nutritional losses and optimise bread processing, heat damage indices (furosine, glucosylisomaltol, hydroxymethylfurfural), sugars, α-amylase, β-amylase and colour were monitored during bread manufacturing from refined flour of three einkorn, three bread and one durum wheat samples. The heat damage indices increased only during the baking step. Furosine was significantly lower in einkorn (on average, 9.3 ± 5.33 and 25.3 ± 10.70 mg/100 g protein in crumb and crust, respectively) than in bread wheat (31.6 ± 3.05 and 115.6 ± 13.53) and durum wheat (36.2 ± 2.82 and 165.0 ± 3.17). Glucosylisomaltol and hydroxymethylfurfural were detected only in the crust, with lower levels in einkorn (on average, 2.3 ± 1.78 and 10.0 ± 7.79 mg/kg DM, respectively) than in bread wheat (13.1 ± 5.57 and 42.8 ± 10.64) and durum wheat (18.9 ± 1.11 and 57.2 ± 0.80). The different behaviour of einkorn was probably related to its moderate β-amylase activity, and thus the low maltose content of its dough. Colour was correlated with heat damage, as einkorn breads were lighter than the others.The results show that einkorn bread undergoes lower heat damage than analogous products from durum and bread wheat, thus probably better preserving its nutritional value.     

Impact of genetic and environmental factors on einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L. subsp. monococcum) polysaccharides

To evaluate the effect of genotype, year and location on 1000 kernel weight, falling number, alpha- and beta-amylase activity, pasting properties, β-glucan, fructan, total starch, amylose, resistant starch and dietary fibre contents of wholemeal flour, four einkorns and one control bread wheat were cropped in Italy for two years in four different locations.     

Is the ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) two species? Genetic analysis reveals within‐species divergence associated with plain and spotted morphotype frequencies

The ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) is a marine fish belonging to the family Labridae characterized by 2 main morphotypes that occur in sympatry: spotty and plain. Previous studies have revealed differences in their life‐history traits, such as growth and maturation; however, the genetic relationship between forms is presently unknown. Using 20 recently developed microsatellite markers, we conducted a genetic analysis of 41 and 48 spotty and plain ballan wrasse collected in Galicia (northwest Spain). The 2 morphotypes displayed highly significant genetic differences to each other (F_ST = 0.018, P < 0.0001). A similar degree of genetic differentiation (F_ST = 0.025, P < 0.0001) was shown using the STRUCTURE clustering approach with no priors at K = 2. In this case, the frequency of spotty and plain morphotypes was significantly different (χ² = 9.46, P = 0.002). It is concluded that there is significant genetic heterogeneity within this species, which appears to be highly associated with the spotty and plain forms, but not completely explained by them. Given the previously demonstrated biological differences between morphotypes, and the present genetic analyses, we speculate about the convenience of a taxonomic re‐evaluation of this species.     

Thiabendazole uptake and storage performance of cactus pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cv Gialla] fruit following postharvest treatments with reduced doses of fungicide at 52 degrees C

The storage response of cactus pears [Opuntia ficus-indica Miller (L.) cv. Gialla] was investigated over 6 weeks at 6 degrees C, plus an additional week of simulated marketing period (SMP) at 20 degrees C, after a 3-min dip treatment with thiabendazole (TBZ) at 1000 mg/L at 20 degrees C or 150 mg/L TBZ at 52 degrees C. Untreated fruits were used as control. Following TBZ treatments at 20 and 52 degrees C, total residues were recovered from the peel of cactus pear, as the concentration of residues in the pulp was negligible. Treatments with 1000 mg/L TBZ at 20 degrees C resulted in a 2.82 mg/kg residue uptake (active ingredient, whole-fruit basis), whereas treatment at 150 mg/L TBZ left 1.09 mg/kg. TBZ showed great persistence over both storage and SMP: on average, in the fruits treated at 20 and 52 degrees C, over 72 and 68%, respectively, of TBZ was still present after SMP. Postharvest treatments with 1000 mg/L TBZ at room temperature did not affect the expression of slight-to-moderate chilling injury (CI), but reduced severe CI by approximately 50% and decay development by 63.4% in comparison to those of untreated fruit after SMP. The effectiveness of TBZ was much higher with the treatment at 150 mg/L TBZ at 52 degrees C, providing 91% control of severe CI and approximately 89% suppression of decay; no treatment damage occurred during storage and SMP. External appearance was better in fruit treated with 150 mg/L TBZ at 52 degrees C. Respiration rate, titratable acidity, soluble solids concentration, and acetaldehyde in the flesh were not significantly influenced by treatments. Ethylene production rate and ethanol levels in the flesh were significantly higher in the TBZ-treated fruit as opposed to those in the untreated control fruit.     

Ultrastructure of the sporocysts of Eurytrema coelomaticum (Giard Et Billet, 1892) Looss, 1907

The digenetic trematode Eurytrema coelomaticum is a parasite of pancreatic ducts of ruminants. The ultrastructure of the mother and daughter sporocysts of E. coelomaticum was analyzed. The mother sporocyst was attached to the coelome of the intestine wall of intermediate snail host Bradybaena similaris, intimately adhered in some regions. It presents a highly folded tegument with granules and the body wall was composed by an outer syncitial layer, basal lamina, and circular and longitudinal muscle layer. Below was the cell body (cyton) with the nucleus. The daughter sporocysts obtained by dissection exhibited many granules and secretory vesicle in the outer layer indicating an intense secretory activity. The body wall presented the same layers of the mother sporocysts, but the outer syncitial layer invaginated and an amorphous layer was present between the syncitial and circular muscle layers. The protonephridial excretory system was viewed. The anterior and posterior end of the expelled sporocyst exhibit a degenerated structure, but biological activity still occurred in these regions. The swollen middle of the body was filled by a lamellar structure formed by degenerating membranes, but the excretory system was preserved. The endocyst wall was fibrilar and filled by cercariae and amorphous, membranous and secretory material inside it. These results were discussed.     

Ostertagiasis in calves. II. infection parameters and body weight gains following housing

The performance of six groups of six calves each from a previous field experiment was followed from the beginning of housing until turning out seven months later. When housed the groups harboured different levels of infection with Ostertagia ostertagi and had corresponding weight and gain reductions. The most heavily infected groups improved rapidly following housing. Elevated serum pepsinogen levels decreased markedly, and approached normal values at eight weeks. Differences in serum pepsinogen levels between groups diminished considerably, but remained significant over the entire stabling period. The serum albumin level was low in the most seriously affected animals at the time of housing, but normal levels were restored within the first twelve weeks. In general, the number of parasite eggs in the faeces of the animals decreased, but there was considerable fluctuation. Apart from a single sampling date, no significant difference in egg per gram (EPG) could be demonstrated between the experimental groups during the stabling period.The calves were fed according to their age. The live weight differences between most and least affected groups diminished from 64 kg at the time of housing to 37 kg at the end of the stabling period. The reduction took place particularly during the first four weeks of housing.Considering both the grazing and stabling periods, it appeared that anthelmintic treatment twice during the period had no effect on the final live weight, whereas remeated treatments at three-week intervals resulted in an increase of 24 kg. Similarly, moving the animals to a clean pasture in mid-July resulted in an increase of 39 kg at the end of the stabling period when compared to calves which were not moved. Treatment of moved animals did not result in further body weight gain after seven months of housing.No significant correlation was found between parasite EPG of faeces and growth rate during the stabling period. However, a positive correlation was found between serum pepsinogen during the first eight weeks of housing and the weight gain over the entire stabling period. This was in contrast to the correlation experienced during the grazing period.     

Chemical and genomic combined approach applied to the characterization and identification of Italian Allium sativum L

Chemotype analyses and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) genomic analyses have been applied to the characterization of Allium sativum variety from Voghiera (Ferrara, Italy), a typical Italian product actually demanding the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The garlic from Voghiera is characterized by peculiar morphological and composition characteristics. The proximate composition and atomic absorbance spectrometry elemental pattern of this garlic suggested as the chemical composition did not depend on the intrinsic pedologic soil features only, but it was probably connected to some peculiar genetic characters. Amplification of genomic DNA using random primers highlighted a good clustering differentiating of Voghiera Allium sativum from five commercial reference samples used in this study (Piacentino, Serena, France, China, and Adriano varieties), confirming the existence of intervarietal genetic difference. The intravarietal polymorphisms of Voghiera samples were low.     

Capillary electrophoresis determination,synthesis, and stability of resveratrol and related 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosides

Because of the health implications of resveratrol and piceid, which are widely present in foods, we focused our attention on the development of a highly efficient methodology for their characterization and measurement. On the basis of our experience in capillary electrophoresis for separation of polyphenolic compounds, we developed a general analytical method for piceid identification which was also applicable to complex natural mixtures such as red wine. In view of its very limited availability from natural sources, we first directed our attention to the development of a synthetic route suitable to produce an adequate amount of polydatin (piceid or resveratrol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside). The latter was synthesized by a new one-step procedure which afforded the expected product in a good yield. The studied compounds were also investigated for their stability to UV irradiation.     

Kinetics of carotenoids degradation during the storage of einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ssp. aestivum) flours

To evaluate the effect of storage temperature, the degradation kinetics of carotenoids in wholemeal and white flour of einkorn cv. Monlis and bread wheat cv. Serio, stored at -20, 5, 20, 30, and 38 degrees C, was assessed by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. In Monlis, the carotenoids content (8.1 and 9.8 mg/kg for wholemeal and white flour, respectively) was 8-fold higher than in Serio (1.0 and 1.1 mg/kg). Only lutein and zeaxanthin were detected in bread wheat, while significant quantities of (alpha and beta)-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin were observed in einkorn. Carotenoids degradation was influenced by temperature and time, following first-order kinetics. The degradation rate was similar in wholemeal and white flour; however, loss of lutein and total carotenoids was faster in Serio than in Monlis. The activation energy E(a) ranged from 35.2 to 52.5 kJ/mol. Temperatures not exceeding 20 degrees C better preserve carotenoids content and are recommended for long-term storage.     

Variation among Andean races of maize for cold tolerance during heterotrophic and early autotrophic growth

Cold in the initial growth stages is an important stressfactor for maize grown in regions with a temperate climate,particularly in case of early sowing. Sources of tolerancehave been identified in adapted genotypes, but promisinggenes for cold tolerance should also be found in materialdeveloped under the lower-temperature margins of the cropdistribution. This research was conducted in order to testAndean maize accessions for cold tolerance expressed duringboth the heterotrophic and early autotrophic growth stages.Experiments were conducted in controlled environments tostudy cold tolerance traits (germination %, germinationindex and plant growth rate) at continuous 10^°C (heterotrophic growth) and at varying 10–16^°C (autotrophic growth). An experiment was also performed inthe field with early sowing (both heterotrophic and autotrophic growth). In each experiment, a control trialwas conducted in more favourable conditions (i.e. continuous25^°C in a controlled environment or late planting inthe field) so that cold tolerance traits could also beexamined as the ratio between the stress and the controltrial. None of the accessions was superior for all coldtolerance traits. However, several Andean maize accessionsoutperformed the US Corn-belt hybrid checks for one or moretraits, both in heterotrophic and autotrophic growth. Overall, BOZM 855, PMS 636, Poblacion D, Poblacion E andBOZM 696 were the best accessions, suggesting that they canbe a promising source of genes for improving cold toleranceof adapted maize genotypes.