Browsing by Author "Ferraro, Vincenza"
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- Cassava (manihot esculenta crantz) and yam (dioscorea spp.) crops and their derived foodstuffs: safety, security and nutritional valuePublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Piccirillo, Clara; Tomlins, Keith; Pintado, M. E.Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and yam (Dioscorea spp.) are tropical crops consumed by ca. 2 billion people and represent the main source of carbohydrate and energy for the approximately 700million people living in the tropical and sub-tropical areas. They are a guarantee of food security for developing countries. The production of these crops and the transformation into food-derived commodities is increasing, it represents a profitable business and farmers generate substantial income from their market. However, there are some important concerns related to the food safety and food security. The high post-harvest losses, mainly for yam, the contamination by endogenous toxic compounds, mainly for cassava, and the contamination by external agents (such as micotoxins, pesticides, and heavy metal) represent a depletion of economic value and income. The loss in the raw crops or the impossibility to market the derived foodstuffs, due to incompliance with food regulations, can seriously limit all yam tubers and the cassava roots processors, from farmers to household, from small-medium to large enterprises. One of the greatest challenges to overcome those concerns is the transformation of traditional or indigenous processing methods into modern industrial operations, from the crop storage to the adequate package of each derived foodstuff.
- Characterisation of high added value compounds in wastewater throughout the salting process of codfish (Gadus morhua)Publication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Cruz, Isabel B.; Jorge, Ruben Ferreira; Malcata, F. Xavier; Castro, Paula M. L.; Pintado, Manuela E.In Portugal Atlantic codfish (Gadus morhua) is dry-salted with food-grade marine salt for 6 days. During this process, codfish incorporates salt and drains away water up to 22%(w/w) of its weight, which contains important compounds, such as free amino acids, peptides and proteins. Hence, the chemical profile of such water, composed of various soluble nitrogen fractions, was thoroughly determined. Along the salting process, the ratio of water released to trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen remained constant, but the proportion between water released and phosphotungstic acid-soluble nitrogen decreased because of proteolysis. The concentration of free amino acids increased from 2.68 g/l to 5.41 g/l within 6 days, but myofibrillar proteins were found to be approximately constant, ca. 3.31 g/l. Creatine, aspartic and glutamic acids, glycine, taurine and tryptophan were the dominant free amino acids, the release of which was successfully modelled. Total biogenic amines concentration in wastewater at the end of the salting process was ca. 100 mg/kg.
- Characterisation of soluble nitrogen and muscle proteins in wastewater throughout the salting process of Codfish (Gadus morhua)Publication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Cruz, Isabel B.; Jorge, Ruben Ferreira; Malcata, F. Xavier; Castro, Paula M. L.; Pintado, Manuela E.In Portugal, Atlantic codfish (Gadus morhua) is usually consumed after dry salting; this process is carried out by mixing deboned codfish with food–grade marine salt followed by stacking in a tank for 6 days. Along the salting process, codfish incorporates salt as well as it is partially dried by the release of water - up to 22 % (w/w). Currently, this wastewater is treated as a residue not being further valorized. However, the presence of a significant amount of valuable compounds in this rest, such as amino acids and proteins, may allow for valorization opportunities not yet explored. The present work focuses on the identification of the nitrogen-containing compounds present in such wastewater. Total nitrogen (WSN), trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen (TCASN) and phosphotungstic acid-soluble nitrogen (PTASN) were evaluated by the micro-Kjeldahl method; Biuret method was used for total protein determinations and SDS-Page was performed for protein molecular weight screening. The results revealed an increase of WSN, TCASN and PTASN with time, with corresponding values of 3.17 g/L (WSN), 1.62 g/L (TCASN) and 1.16 g/L (PTASN) by the end of the process; the evolution of WSN versus the released water was approximately constant during the salting process, as well as the ratios of TCASN/WSN and PTASN/WSN with values of 51.25 and 36.55 % (w/w) at equilibrium, respectively.
- Extraction of high added value biological compounds from sardine, sardine-type fish and mackerel canning residues - a reviewPublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Carvalho, Ana P.; Piccirillo, Clara; Santos, Manuela M.; Castro, Paula M. L.; Pintado, Manuela E.Different valuable compounds, which can be employed in medicine or in other industries (i.e. food, agro-chemical, pharmaceutical) can be recovered from by-products and waste from the fish canning industries. They include lipids, proteins, bio-polymers, minerals, amino acids and enzymes; they can be extracted from wastewaters and/or from solid residues (head, viscera, skin, tails and flesh) generated along the canning process, through the filleting, cooking, salting or smoking stages. In this review, the opportunities for the extraction and the valorisation of bioactive compounds from sardine, sardine-type fish and mackerel canning residues are examined and discussed. These are amongst the most consumed fishes in the Mediterranean area; moreover, canning is one of the most important and common methods of preservation. The large quantities of by-products generated have great potentials for the extraction of biologically desirable high added value compounds.
- Extraction of high-added-value compounds from codfish (Gadus morhua) salting wastewaterPublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Cruz, Isabel B.; Jorge, Ruben Ferreira; Pintado, M. E.; Castro, Paula M. L.The fish processing industry is widespread and extremely varied in terms of type and scale of operation. Codfish (Gadus morhua L.) is one of the most processed white fish in Europe, where it is usually consumed salt-cured. Significant amounts of waste and byproducts result from its processing. Salt induces the release of substantial volumes of physiological water (∼200 l for each ton of fresh fish), which drains away significant amounts of nutrients (∼10 g/l). In this chapter we discuss the recovery of muscle proteins and free amino acids from codfish salting wastewater by sorption using a commercial resin. The free amino acid extract shows important biological properties, such as antioxidant activity and in vitro intestinal permeability. The chapter discusses the application of this mixture and of muscle protein in food, feed, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical formulations.
- Food safety evaluation for cassava and yam producers in NigeriaPublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Piccirillo, C.; Teixeira, Paula; Obadina, A.; Adegunwa, M. O.; Omohimi, C. I.; Hogg, Tim; Sanni, L.; Tomlins, K.; Pintado, M. E.
- Food safety evaluation for cassava and yam producers in NigeriaPublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Piccirillo, C.; Teixeira, Paula; Obadina, A.; Adegunwa, M. O.; Omohimi, C. I.; Hogg, Tim; Sanni, L.; Tomlins, K.; Pintado, M. E.
- High added value compounds form codfish processingPublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Cruz, I. B.; Jorge, R. Ferreira; Malcata, F. X.; Pintado, M. E.; Castro, Paula M. L.
- In vitro intestinal absorption of amino acid mixtures extracted from codfish (Gadus morhua L.) salting wastewaterPublication . Ferraro, Vincenza; Jorge, Ruben Ferreira; Cruz, Isabel B.; Antunes, Filipa; Sarmento, Bruno; Castro, Paula M. L.; Pintado, Manuela E.This study reports on the intestinal permeability of salt-containing mixtures of amino acids extracted from codfish salting wastewater. Permeability was evaluated in vitro using the Caco-2 cell line model; cell integrity during exposure to mixtures of amino acids was estimated by measuring the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER). The effect of salt (NaCl) on the permeability and on the intestinal cell’s integrity was also examined. Permeation rate (i.e. transport) was ≥95% for all amino acids except for creatine, for which it was 6%. Values for apparent permeability coefficients, Papp > 10 5 cm s 1, for mixture with isotonic concentration of NaCl suggest that amino acids are very likely to be absorbed in humans. Mixture with a hypertonic level of NaCl exerts a cytotoxic effect in intestinal cells resulting in a loss of epithelium integrity. Results show that isotonic mixture of amino acids extracted from codfish salting wastewater could be used in food, feed, cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations. These applications could contribute to the fish industry sustainability.
- Isolation and characterisation of lactic acid bacteria from cassava by productsPublication . Ayodeji, David; Piccirillo, Clara; Ferraro, Vincenza; Moreira, Patrícia; Obadina, Adewale; Sanni, Lateef; Pintado, M.M.ELactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known for their probiotic properties. Literature reports how they can be isolated from both food products and their by-products, in particular from food/byproducts which went through a fermentation process. Cassava is a root crop with high nutritional value, widely consumed in many African, Asian and South American countries. Cassava food items and by-products could be used to isolate probiotic strains. In this work we report about the isolation of several LAB strains from the effluents of gari and fufu, two cassava-based food items typical of Nigeria. The isolate were analysed to determine their morphology, Gram-staining, acid and bile salt tolerance; moreover, molecular characterisation was also performed. Indeed some of the strains showed interesting properties. This study shows the potential of cassava as a source of LAB, which could find numerous applications in the food industry.