Andrea Bassani

In this work, rice bran wax (4.5% w/w) oleogels were prepared, including different dietary fibres as potential structuring agents. The effect of oil type (sunflower, SFO or extra virgin olive oil, EVO), fibre type (bamboo, citrus or aronia) and concentration (0.5% and 1%) were evaluated based on structural properties and oil binding capacity (OBC). Storage tests under accelerated conditions (illuminated systems at 4 °C and 35 °C for 10 days) were carried out to assess the thermal oxidative stability using peroxide values (PV). No significant texture differences were observed compared to EVO or SFO controls. However, EVO gels without added fibre retained the most oil. The texture of oil/wax is a function of the fibre type. Adding 1% fibre, especially with citrus and aronia EVO and citrus and bamboo fibres in SFO, generally strengthened the gel network. Fibre addition significantly reduced OBC, particularly in EVO systems, where oil loss ranged from 16.8% to 41.4%, compared to the reference gel’s (86.78% of OBC). These results indicate that mechanical reinforcement and oil immobilisation were not directly coupled in the composite wax–fibre networks. From a stability perspective, fibres helped reduce oxidation, especially in SFO samples, with fibre-enriched gels showing about half the PV of controls. Citrus and bamboo fibres were most effective in maintaining low PV levels during accelerated storage.

The growing demand for alternative food packaging materials has gained significant attention, driven by both European and global policies aimed at promoting a more sustainable food system. In the present work, more sustainable packaging materials were compared to a conventional system (tray in PET/EVOH/PE with lid in PET/EVOH/PE) to preserve pre‐cut cooked ham and mortadella packaged under a modified atmosphere during storage. The alternative systems included a tray in PET/R‐PET/PET with a BOPET lid (System 2) or a lid in PET‐AlOx/PET (System 3) and a tray in BIOPET/R‐PET/PET with a BIOPET lid (System 4). The results revealed that the packaging systems, storage time (performed at 4°C), and light/dark conditions significantly affected the physicochemical properties and microbiological stability of both processed meat products. In particular, cooked ham stored in System 1 exhibited the best color retention, with a* and b* color coordinates slightly degrading over time. Mortadella samples, on the contrary, appeared less affected by discoloration phenomena, with System 2 under light conditions performing the worst in preserving the product. a _w and pH decreased in cooked ham and mortadella packaged in all systems throughout the storage period, with light exposure accelerating these changes. Finally, microbiological analysis demonstrated that alternative System 2 performed similarly to conventional System 1 in controlling microbial growth during product storage. The results highlight the importance of thoroughly exploring the effects of more sustainable packaging materials to maintain product quality, particularly in terms of color, a _w , and pH.

This study examined the effects of spread formulation and the structural/lubricant properties of six different commercial hazelnut and cocoa spreads on sensory perception. Rheology, tribology, and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was assessed by also evaluating the correlation coefficients between the quality descriptor and the rheological and textural parameters. The viscosity was evaluated at different temperatures to better simulate conditions before and after ingestion. Tribological analysis was executed at 37°C to mimic the human oral cavity. The effect of saliva presence and the number of runs on tribological behaviors was investigated. Moreover, textural, calorimetric, and particle size distribution measurements were performed to reinforce the correlation between structural/thermal parameters (e.g., firmness, stickiness, sugar melting point) and sensory aspects. “Visual viscosity,” defined as a sensory attribute evaluated prior to consumption, negatively correlated with apparent viscosity measured at 20°C and 10 s⁻¹, whereas “body,” defined during oral processing and related to creaminess, positively correlated with apparent viscosity measured at 37°C and 50 s⁻¹. These attributes were mainly influenced by particulate microstructure and solid volume fraction within the formulation. Textural stickiness positively correlated with sensory “adhesiveness” and was related to fat composition and milk powder addition, while “sweetness” was related to sucrose content and sugar melting enthalpy. Tribological data provided meaningful information related to particle‐derived attributes, as well as after‐coating perception (fattiness/oiliness), thus better predicting food evolution during oral consumption.

A commercial olive leaf extract (OL), effective against Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus, was added to three different coating formulations (methylcellulose, MC; chitosan, CT; and alginate, ALG) to produce active polylactic acid (PLA) coated films. Evaluation of these coated PLA films revealed significant inhibition of S. aureus growth, particularly with the MC and CT formulations exhibiting the highest inhibition rates (99.7%). The coated films were then tested for food contact compatibility with three food simulants (A: 10% ethanol; B: 3% acetic acid; D2: olive oil), selected to assess their suitability for pre-cut hams and ready-to-eat vegetables in relation to overall migration. However, coated films with active functions exhibited migration values in simulants A and B above legal limits, while promising results were obtained for simulant D2, highlighting the need to deeply investigate these coatings’ impact on a real food system. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that the type of coating influenced the selective release of certain phenolic classes based on the food simulant tested. The Oxitest analysis of simulant D2 demonstrated that the MC and ALG-coated PLA films slightly slowed down the oxidation of this food simulant, which is an edible vegetable oil.

The extraction of bioactive compounds from food wastes or by‐products with natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) could be an attractive alternative to traditional hydroalcoholic extraction but needs to be optimized taking advantage of modeling. This work aims to propose, develop, and discuss a new model for the extraction of phenolic compounds from spent coffee grounds (SCGs) using NADES to overcome some gaps related to the kinetic extraction models and the surface response methodology. The model presented is based on the same assumption as the kinetic model, but improving it to be able to predict phenolic extraction changing different process parameters (e.g., water content, time of extraction, temperature, etc.) using betaine: triethylene glycol (molar ratio 1:2). The model was validated on the extraction of total phenolic compounds from SCG as a function of water content of NADES ranging from 30 to 60% v/v. There was good agreement between experimental and simulated data and even, in some cases, better than with the second‐order kinetic models. In addition, the new model needs fewer parameters to be regressed concerning the specific case investigated in this work. This model and methodology can be the basis for further modeling applicable to other bioactives, and/or other NADES and feedstocks.Practical Applications: Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) can be a potential sustainable solvent for the valorization of food by‐products as they can be used to extract bioactive compounds with high added value. This extraction process needs to be optimized depending on several factors like water content in NADES solution, solids ratio, extraction time, and temperature. The model validated in this work on spent coffee ground (SCG) could be used for this purpose, improving the gaps related to the kinetic extraction models and the surface response methodology (RSM). The new model enables predicting the behavior of the process as a function of the parameters previously mentioned and reduces the number of experimental trials required compared with RSM. In particular, the new model was validated on the variation of water content in NADES solution. Certainly, this model will need to be further validated, but, once further studies are conducted, this model could be used for scale‐up calculation and design optimization of the industrial process.

Commercial cocoa and hazelnut-based sweet spreads typically present a poor nutribiochemical level due to their ingredients and recipes, while nowadays, there is the need of developing sustainable food products addressing both an improved nutritional and environmental profile. The aim of this work was then to develop an innovative hazelnut/carob-based spread with potential high sustainability and nutritional profile, including the exploitation of grape-processing residues (grape skin flour and grapeseed oil) and carob pulp as cocoa surrogate. Rheological (rotational/oscillatory), oxidative, and thermal features of the spread were assessed and compared with two commercial nut-cocoa-based products. Tribology was used to mimic and evaluate the spreads’ behavior during oral consumption, and sensory profile (by quantitative descriptive analysis) was also assessed. All products exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior, with the elastic component prevailing over the viscous one. The innovative product showed the highest lubricity from both rheological and sensory analysis, thus well correlating to the obtained lowest viscosity and friction factor trends. Grapeseed oil provided a better nutritional profile, but the largest amount of unsaturated fatty acids promoted oxidation, despite the higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity coming from the use of carob and grape skin powders. The sensory perception investigation revealed a characteristic mouthfeel/flavor for the new spread identified having a more fluid consistency and a bitter/sour taste, together with a greater stickiness and a poorer smoothness due to a higher fiber content and solid fat absence.

Circular economy approach for various agrowaste-based bioplastic and biocomposite systems with potential applications in the protection of food products and extension of their shelf life.