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Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Analytical Methods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2022) | Viewed by 37442

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Dr. Stefania Cesa

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Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Italy
Interests: functional food valorization; food byproducts; polyphenols; ellagitannins; anthocyanins, carotenoids; reflectance colorimetry; HPLC-DAD analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Different processing techniques matched to selective extraction methods, together with analytical procedures directly applicable, allow obtaining a sort of fingerprint of foods, through which it is possible to highlight differences among cultivars, provenience, and cultural techniques. A multimethodological approach could be useful to reveal frauds and adulterations, to monitor storage conditions and shelf life, to valorize high quality and differences among foods, and finally to re-evaluate agro-industrial byproducts, also reducing wastes and disposal costs.

The antioxidant and antiradical activities, monitored by spectrophotometric analyses and combined with chromatographic methods and specific enzymatic assays, further allow obtaining a profile of bioactivities and highlighting interesting classes of biomolecules usable in pharmaceutics and the veterinary, cosmetic, and nutritional fields, with great benefits for health and for the prevention of degenerative disease.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect articles in which more different analytical techniques are applied to the authentication and valorization of foods, high-quality foods, local specialties, functional foods, and food byproducts, maximizing their added value.

Dr. Stefania Cesa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Food authentication and valorization
Poliphenols
Terpenoids
Polysaccharides
Chromatographic analyses
Color analyses
Spectroscopic analyses
Antioxidant and antiradical capacity
Functional and biological activities
Multimethodological approach

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Screening of Estrogenic-Disrupting Compounds in Dairy Products Based on the Estrogen Receptor Cocktail

by Xiaoqi Li, Shuyuan Du, Fangyuan Tian, Minglu Wang, Ying Wang, Hongyan Zhang and Liguo Zang

Foods 2022, 11(9), 1178; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11091178 - 19 Apr 2022

Viewed by 1679

Abstract

The residue of estrogenic-disrupting compounds (EDCs) that are secreted by cows, added as drugs, and present in the feed may exist in dairy products. A gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-estrogen receptor (ER) cocktail colorimetric assay equipped with ER cocktail solid phase extraction (SPE) was established to screen EDCs. Nine EDCs with high, moderate, and low estrogenic activity were selected to be the representative targets. The recognition range of the colorimetric assay combined with the ER cocktail SPE was wider than that of a single ERα or ERβ. The lowest detection limit of the established assay was about 10⁻⁹ mg·mL⁻¹. The detection limits of estrone, bisphenol A, and bisphenol B were about one order of magnitude lower than the method based on a single ER. The recoveries of the spiked nine EDCs were between 80.0% and 110.0%, and daidzein was identified in the dairy product. The developed method has potential application prospects in food safety and environmental monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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15 pages, 11350 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Valorization of Kiwi Peels: Fractionation, Bioactives Analyses and Hypotheses on Complete Peels Recycle

by Francesco Cairone, Stefania Garzoli, Luigi Menghini, Giovanna Simonetti, Maria Antonietta Casadei, Laura Di Muzio and Stefania Cesa

Foods 2022, 11(4), 589; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11040589 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2837

Abstract

Kiwi fruit samples (Actinidia deliciosa Planch, cv. Hayward) represent a suitable and good source for fibers obtainment as well as for polyphenolic and carotenoid extraction. With this aim, in this study they were submitted to a double phase extraction to separate insoluble fibers by an organic phase containing lipophilic substances and an hydroalcoholic phase containing polyphenols and soluble fibers. Insoluble fibers could be separated by filtration and sent to be micronized and reused. Hydroalcoholic fractions were then furtherly fractionated by solid-phase extraction. Data coming from the color CIEL*a*b* and the HPLC-DAD analyses of the extracts were compared and correlate with those coming from the SPME-GC/MS analysis of either the finely shredded peels or of the extracts. The obtained extracts were also submitted to anti-radical activity evaluation and anti-Candida activity. Results show that all of the obtained residues are value added products. Hypotheses were also made about the nature and the possible recycle of the obtained purified solid residue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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15 pages, 1776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Valorization of By-Products from Biofuel Biorefineries: Extraction and Purification of Bioactive Molecules from Post-Fermentation Corn Oil

by Francesco Cairone, Stefania Cesa, Alessia Ciogli, Giancarlo Fabrizi, Antonella Goggiamani, Antonia Iazzetti, Gabriella Di Lena, Jose Sanchez del Pulgar, Massimo Lucarini, Luca Cantò, Gokhan Zengin and Petra Ondrejíčková

Foods 2022, 11(2), 153; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11020153 - 07 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2082

Abstract

The aim of this work was to develop innovative and sustainable extraction, concentration, and purification technologies aimed to recover target substances from corn oil, obtained as side stream product of biomass refineries. Residues of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, phytosterols, tocopherols, and polyphenols could be extracted from this matrix and applied as ingredients for food and feeds, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic products. These molecules are well known for their antioxidant and antiradical capacity, besides other specific biological activities, generically involved in the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases. The project involved the development of methods for the selective extraction of these minor components, using as suitable extraction technique solid phase extraction. All the extracted and purified fractions were evaluated by NMR spectroscopic analyses and UV–Vis spectrophotometric techniques and characterized by quali-quantitative HPLC analyses. TPC (total phenolic content) and TFC (total flavonoid content) were also determined. DPPH and ABTS radical were used to evaluate radical quenching abilities. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), amylase, glucosidase, and tyrosinase were selected as enzymes in the enzyme inhibitory assays. The obtained results showed the presence of a complex group of interesting molecules with strong potential in market applications according to circular economy principles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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18 pages, 2047 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rapid Determination of β-Glucan Content of Hulled and Naked Oats Using near Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics

by Maninder Meenu, Yaqian Zhang, Uma Kamboj, Shifeng Zhao, Lixia Cao, Ping He and Baojun Xu

Foods 2022, 11(1), 43; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11010043 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3481

Abstract

The quantification of β-glucan in oats is of immense importance for plant breeders and food scientists to develop plant varieties and food products with a high quantity of β-glucan. However, the chemical analysis of β-glucan is time consuming, destructive, and laborious. In this study, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in conjunction with Chemometrics was employed for rapid and non-destructive prediction of β-glucan content in oats. The interval Partial Least Square (iPLS) along with correlation matrix plots were employed to analyze the NIR spectrum from 700–1300 nm, 1300–1900 nm, and 1900–2500 nm for the selection of important wavelengths for the prediction of β-glucan. The NIR spectral data were pre-treated using Savitzky Golay smoothening and normalization before employing partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis. The PLSR models were established based on the selection of wavelengths from PLS loading plots that present a high correlation with β-glucan content. It was observed that wavelength region 700–1300 nm is sufficient for the satisfactory prediction of β-glucan of hulled and naked oats with R²c of 0.789 and 0.677, respectively, and RMSE < 0.229. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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16 pages, 1022 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phenolic Profile by HPLC-PDA-MS of Greek Chamomile Populations and Commercial Varieties and Their Antioxidant Activity

by Nektaria Tsivelika, Maria Irakli, Athanasios Mavromatis, Paschalina Chatzopoulou and Anastasia Karioti

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2345; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10102345 - 01 Oct 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2783

Abstract

The phenolic profile of Greek chamomile populations was investigated by HPLC-PDA-MS. For comparison, three commercial varieties (Banatska, Lutea and Goral) cultivated under the same conditions were included in the study. All samples exhibited similar qualitative patterns but differed in their quantitative characteristics. Overall, 29 constituents were detected, belonging to phenolic acids, flavonol glycosides, flavone glycosides (mainly apigenin derivatives) and acylated polyamines. Quantitative results showed that both Greek populations had a high content in apigenin derivatives (0.39 and 0.31 %w/w) and caffeoylquinic acids (0.96 and 0.81 %w/w), whereas they had the highest amount of flavonol glycosides among the tested samples. Greek populations were comparable to the Banatska variety, while they were superior to the Lutea and Goral varieties cultivated under the same conditions. Results demonstrate that Greek chamomile populations studied here, are an excellent source of a wide range of phenolics which contribute to the medicinal and antioxidant properties of this herbal remedy. Antioxidant tests showed that chamomile extracts from the studied materials, especially from the Greek populations possess antioxidant activity, corresponding to their polyphenol content. This is the first report on the phenolic constituents of Matricaria recutita growing in Greece and well-established chamomile varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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16 pages, 1761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rapid Nondestructive Simultaneous Detection for Physicochemical Properties of Different Types of Sheep Meat Cut Using Portable Vis/NIR Reflectance Spectroscopy System

by Yanlei Li, Xiaochun Zheng, Dequan Zhang, Xin Li, Fei Fang and Li Chen

Foods 2021, 10(9), 1975; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10091975 - 24 Aug 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1845

Abstract

The visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) models for sheep meat quality evaluation using only one type of meat cut are not suitable for other types. In this study, a novel portable Vis/NIRS system was used to simultaneously detect physicochemical properties (pH, color L*, a*, b*, cooking loss, and shear force) for different types of sheep meat cut, including silverside, back strap, oyster, fillet, thick flank, and tenderloin cuts. The results show that the predictive abilities for all parameters could be effectively improved by spectral preprocessing. The coefficient of determination (R_p²) and residual predictive deviation (RPD) of the optimal prediction models for pH, L*, a*, b*, cooking loss, and shear force were 0.79 and 3.50, 0.78 and 2.28, 0.68 and 2.46, 0.75 and 2.62, 0.77 and 2.19, and 0.83 and 2.81, respectively. The findings demonstrate that Vis/NIR spectroscopy is a useful tool for predicting the physicochemical properties of different types of meat cut. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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12 pages, 1753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Quality Evaluation by Anti-Radical Activity, Color Analysis, and Polyphenolic HPLC-DAD Analysis

by Francesco Cairone, Stefania Petralito, Luigi Scipione and Stefania Cesa

Foods 2021, 10(8), 1808; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10081808 - 05 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2641

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of oils available on the Italian market and purchased directly from the mill or in the supermarket and labelled as extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs). As one of the most relevant foods of the Mediterranean diet and recognized as a functional food if regularly consumed, the quality of EVOO needs to be continuously monitored. Different analytical protocols were applied. The spectrophotometric parameters used to classify the extra virgin olive oils—a CIEL*a*b*color analysis and the quali-quantitative analysis of bioactive molecules by HPLC-DAD detection and the anti-radical activity, by the DPPH method, were evaluated and compared among the samples. This study confirmed a very high variation in terms of quality, both in oils purchased directly from mills throughout Italy, but also in oils labeled as “100% of Italian origin”. Due to the high variability reconfirmed in the monitored samples, it is necessary to carry out a capillary control, not limited only to the parameters indexed by law. A useful complementary method could be represented by reflectance colorimetric analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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11 pages, 1528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Anthocyanin Profiles in Various Blackcurrant Cultivars over a Three-Year Period Using a Fast HPLC-DAD Method

by Barbora Šimerdová, Michaela Bobríková, Ivona Lhotská, Jiří Kaplan, Alena Křenová and Dalibor Šatínský

Foods 2021, 10(8), 1745; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10081745 - 29 Jul 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2407

Abstract

Anthocyanins are the most important polyphenolic substances contained in blackcurrant fruits. They are responsible for the various health benefits caused, in particular, by their high antioxidant activity. Anthocyanins derived from anthocyanidins cyanidin and delphinidin are typical for blackcurrant fruits, especially their rutinoside and glucoside forms. These four anthocyanins usually represent about 97–98% of total anthocyanins in blackcurrant fruits. In this study, we developed and validated a new HPLC-DAD method for rapid anthocyanin separation and determination in fifteen perspective blackcurrant cultivars (‘Ruben’, ‘Ben Lomond’, ‘Ben Conan’, ‘Ceres’, ‘Moravia’, ‘Ometa’, ‘Lota’, ‘Fokus’, ‘Tenah’, ‘Sejanec’, ‘Consort’, ‘Triton’, ‘Ben Hope’, ‘Ben Gairn’, and one gooseberry hybrid ‘Josta’). Eight of them were monitored throughout the three-year experiment. The most represented anthocyanins in all monitored blackcurrant cultivars were delphinidin-3-rutinoside (36.7–63.6%), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (26.4–40.6%), delphinidin-3-glucoside (6.1–17.9%), and cyanidin-3-glucoside (1.3–9.9%). The individual anthocyanin proportion (%) in each cultivar was specific, and a similar profile was verified in a three-year period for eight available cultivars. Total anthocyanin content expressed as a sum of four major anthocyanins present in blackcurrants was compared with values expressed as the equivalent of cyanidin-3-glucoside, as many authors do. We revealed an underestimation of about 20% with the latter method. Cultivars with the highest average total anthocyanin content were ‘Ben Gairn’ (294.38 mg/100 g), ‘Ceres’ (281.31 mg/100 g), and ‘Ometa’ (269.09 mg/100 g). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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14 pages, 1875 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Authentication and Grading of Edible Bird’s Nest by Metabolite, Nutritional, and Mineral Profiling

by Ramlah Mohamad Ibrahim, Nurul Nadiah Mohamad Nasir, Md Zuki Abu Bakar, Rozi Mahmud and Nor Asma Ab Razak

Foods 2021, 10(7), 1574; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10071574 - 07 Jul 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3851

Abstract

Edible bird’s nest (EBN) produced by Aerodramus fuciphagus has a high demand for nutritional and medicinal application throughout the world. The present study was to evaluate the authentication of a man-made house EBN, which are half cup and stripe-shaped by FTIR. Next, both samples were compared according to their metabolite, nutritional, and mineral composition. The results indicated that the FTIR spectra of both EBN samples were identical and similar to the reference, suggesting the authenticity of the EBN used. The metabolites that contribute to the possible medicinal properties of EBN were found by using GC-MS. The results of the proximate analysis, followed by the standard AOAC method, inferred that both EBN shapes to be rich in crude protein and carbohydrate contents. However, the proximate composition between the half cup and stripe-shaped EBN showed significant differences. Major mineral elements detected were calcium and sodium, and magnesium contents were significantly different between both EBN. Additionally, the half cup and stripe-shaped EBN had a low level of heavy metal content than the maximum regulatory limit as set by the Malaysian Food Act 1983. This study concludes that the nutritional composition varied between the samples and thus suggests that nutrient content should be considered as criteria for the grading requirement of commercialized EBN. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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20 pages, 1423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Ripening on the Phenolic Composition and Mineral Content of Three Varieties of Olive Fruits

by María del Pilar Fernández-Poyatos, Eulogio J. Llorent-Martínez and Antonio Ruiz-Medina

Foods 2021, 10(2), 380; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10020380 - 09 Feb 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2116

Abstract

The phenolic composition and mineral content of Cornezuelo, Cornicabra and Picual olive fruit varieties were investigated during olive ripening in two different harvesting seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019). Phytochemical profiles were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array and mass spectrometry detection. Mineral contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Twenty-five compounds were characterized and the main ones quantified. These compounds corresponded mostly to secoiridoids, the main ones being oleuropein, oleoside/secologanoside, oleoside-11-methylester, and oleuropein and comselogoside isomers. Total phenolic contents reached the highest values between December and January, coinciding with the usual harvesting date. This trend was observed in both harvesting seasons, although higher phenolic contents were recorded in season 2018/2019. This was due to the different weather conditions, which caused a lower olive production in season 2017/2018. No clear tendency was observed between mineral content and harvest time in any of the studied seasons. The highest concentration of total phenolics was obtained in Cornezuelo variety (840 mg/100 g) in January 2019 (season 2018/2019). Picual and Cornicabra varieties reached concentrations of 670 mg/100 g and 530 mg/100 g, respectively, also in the last harvesting dates of season 2018/2019. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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12 pages, 3150 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative and Comparative Investigation of Plasmalogen Species in Daily Foodstuffs

by Yue Wu, Zhen Chen, Jiaping Jia, Hitoshi Chiba and Shu-Ping Hui

Foods 2021, 10(1), 124; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10010124 - 08 Jan 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3891

Abstract

Plasmalogens are an animal-derived functional phospholipid increasingly known as a safe and effective nutritional ingredient, however, the quantitation and comparison of plasmalogen species in foods is limited. In the present work, determination methods for dietary plasmalogens using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy under positive and negative ionization modes were compared. The negative-mode method, which showed better selectivity, sensitivity, and accuracy, was then applied in 14 kinds of livestock, poultry, and seafood samples. Livestock and poultry showed abundant total plasmalogen (530.83–944.94 nmol/g), higher than fish (46.08–399.75 nmol/g) and mollusk (10.00–384.76 nmol/g). While fish and mollusk samples expressed healthier fatty acyl composition, with higher eicosapentaenoyl and more beneficial n-6/n-3 ratio than the land animal meats, especially for squid and octopus, with eicosapentaenoyl of 98.4% and 94.5%, respectively. The correlations among plasmalogen species varied in different foodstuffs with distinguishing patterns, suggesting the customizable strategies for achieving targeted plasmalogen species. These findings not only provided fundamental comparison of plasmalogen among daily foodstuffs, but also contributed to extend the dietary plasmalogen sources for health food development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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17 pages, 3413 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Ultrasonic Extraction to Obtain Erinacine A and Polyphenols with Antioxidant Activity from the Fungal Biomass of Hericium erinaceus

by Mihai-Vlad Valu, Liliana Cristina Soare, Nicoleta Anca Sutan, Catalin Ducu, Sorin Moga, Lucian Hritcu, Razvan Stefan Boiangiu and Simone Carradori

Foods 2020, 9(12), 1889; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods9121889 - 18 Dec 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6117

Abstract

Hericium erinaceus is a medicinal fungal species that produces the active biological metabolite erinacine A with strong antioxidant activity. The classical extraction techniques used to date to obtain metabolites from this fungal species require high consumption of resources and energy and, in the end, prove to be expensive and inefficient, especially on a biomedical scale. The aim of this research is based on the development of an ultrasonic extraction (UE) method for the identification and extraction of biological compounds with high antioxidant activity from the mycelia of H. erinaceus biomass developed through a solid cultivation process. The extraction process was optimized by varying parameters to determine the best extraction yield of metabolites involved in such antioxidant activity, using the response surface methodology (RSM). The physicochemical analyses were oriented towards the investigation of polyphenols, flavonoids, and the diterpenoid erinacine A. It is highlighted that there is a very good mutual connection between the concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids in the extracts studied and the diterpenoid erinacine A. Also, this study describes an efficient and qualitative extraction method for extracting natural antioxidants from the H. erinaceus mushroom, since toxic solvents were not used in the developed extraction procedure. This biomass can be used both as a food source and as a possible phytotherapeutic tool in the prevention or treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders that require drugs with strong antioxidant activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Chromatography and Spectroscopy in Natural Food Analysis)

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