Application of the FTIR technique as a non-invasive tool to discriminate Portuguese olive oils with Protected Designation of Origin.

Three Portuguese olive oils with PDO ('Azeite do Alentejo Interior', 'Azeites da Beira Interior' and 'Azeite de Trás-os-Montes') were studied considering their physicochemical quality, antioxidant capacity, oxidative stability, total phenols content, gustatory sensory sensations and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. All oils fulfilled the legal thresholds of EVOOs and the PDO's specifications. Olive oils from 'Azeite da Beira Interior' and 'Azeite de Trás-os-Montes' showed greater total phenols contents and antioxidant capacities, while 'Azeites da Beira Interior' presented higher oxidative stabilities.

A Lab-Made E-Nose-MOS Device for Assessing the Bacterial Growth in a Solid Culture Medium.

The detection and level assessment of microorganisms is a practical quality/contamination indicator of food and water samples. Conventional analytical procedures (e.g.

An Electronic Nose as a Non-Destructive Analytical Tool to Identify the Geographical Origin of Portuguese Olive Oils from Two Adjacent Regions.

The geographical traceability of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) is of paramount importance for oil chain actors and consumers. Oils produced in two adjacent Portuguese regions, Côa (36 oils) and Douro (31 oils), were evaluated and fulfilled the European legal thresholds for EVOO categorization. Compared to the Douro region, oils from Côa had higher total phenol contents (505 versus 279 mg GAE/kg) and greater oxidative stabilities (17.

Overcoming Challenges in Pediatric Formulation with a Patient-Centric Design Approach: A Proof-of-Concept Study on the Design of an Oral Solution of a Bitter Drug.

Designing oral formulations for children is very challenging, especially considering their peculiarities and preferences. The choice of excipients, dosing volume and palatability are key issues of pediatric oral liquid medicines. The purpose of the present study is to develop an oral pediatric solution of a model bitter drug (ranitidine) following a patient centric design process which includes the definition of a target product profile (TPP).

Geographical discrimination of olive oils from Cv. 'Galega Vulgar'.

Olive oils from seven Portuguese regions were selected to study the effect of the geographical origin on the oils' composition. Quality parameters, fatty acids, tocopherols, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol derivatives, and oxidative stability were evaluated. All olive oils could be classified as extra virgin, and the geographical origin significantly affected the oils chemical composition.

Pomegranate Peels and Seeds as a Source of Phenolic Compounds: Effect of Cultivar, By-Product, and Extraction Solvent.

The nutraceutical properties of L. are not restricted to the edible portion of the fruit but also to the peels and seeds, flowers, leaves, and tree bark. The recovery and valorization of the peel and seeds (ca.

Does water addition during the industrial milling phase affect the chemical-sensory quality of olive oils? The case of cv. Arbequina oils.

At olive oil industrial extraction, water addition is a practice overcoming the formation of thick pastes. The effect of water addition (0 to 6.2%, kg/kg), during the industrial milling of cv.

Impact of fresh olive leaves addition during the extraction of Arbequina virgin olive oils on the phenolic and volatile profiles.

Leaves incorporation during the extraction of olive oils can enhance their chemical-sensory quality. Thus, leaves from cvs. Arbequina or Santulhana were added (1%, w/w) during the extraction of Arbequina oils using an Abencor system, being discussed the impacts on the phenolics and volatiles formation enzymatic pathways.

Effect of Extraction Method on the Bioactive Composition, Antimicrobial Activity and Phytotoxicity of Pomegranate By-Products.

Pomegranate by-products can be an asset to the food industry due to the richness in bioactive and antimicrobial compounds. This work studied the influence of conventional solvent and sonication-assisted extraction methods on the bioactive profile, antimicrobial properties, and phytotoxicity effect of the peels and seeds extracts from Acco, Big Full, and Wonderful pomegranate cultivars. The bioactive composition of the extracts was evaluated for the content of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity (expressed as the half-maximal inhibitory concentration-IC) by spectrophotometric methods, while the tannins were determined by titration and the anthocyanins were estimated by the pH-differential method.

Olive Oil Sensory Analysis as a Tool to Preserve and Valorize the Heritage of Centenarian Olive Trees.

In inland areas of Portugal and some regions of the Mediterranean basin, olive production is based on traditional olive groves, with low intensification, local cultivars, aged plants, and centenarian trees. These plants play a key role in the ecosystem, contributing to carbon sequestration and possessing a high genetic diversity, particularly important for selecting cultivars more resistant to climatic changes. Appreciation of the value of this genetic diversity implies genetic, morphological, and physicochemical characterization of centenarian trees, which is expensive and time-consuming.

The Use of Electronic Nose as Alternative Non-Destructive Technique to Discriminate Flavored and Unflavored Olive Oils.

Cv. Arbequina extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) were flavored with cinnamon, garlic, and rosemary and characterized. Although flavoring significantly affected the physicochemical quality parameters, all oils fulfilled the legal thresholds for EVOO classification.

Fatty Acid Composition from Olive Oils of Portuguese Centenarian Trees Is Highly Dependent on Olive Cultivar and Crop Year.

The high proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) represent one of the most important technological and nutritional features of olive oils. The present study details the fatty acid (FA) composition of autochthonous cultivars (Lentisca, Madural, Redondal, Rebolã, Verdeal, and Verdeal Transmontana) produced from centenarian trees during five crop years (2013-2017). Olive cultivar highly influenced the FA composition, namely, oleic acid (70.

Impact of the malaxation temperature on the phenolic profile of cv. Cobrançosa olive oils and assessment of the related health claim.

Phenolic compounds contribute to the bioactive properties of olive oil. However, olive oils can only support a health claim concerning the protection against oxidative stress depending on the polyphenolic concentration, requiring effective measures during extraction to preserve/enhance their concentrations. The effect of the malaxation temperature (22, 28 and 34 °C) on the phenolic profile was studied for industrially extracted cv.

Formulation and Optimization of Nanoemulsions Using the Natural Surfactant Saponin from Bark.

Replacing synthetic surfactants by natural alternatives when formulating nanoemulsions has gained attention as a sustainable approach. In this context, nanoemulsions based on sweet almond oil and stabilized by saponin from bark with glycerol as cosurfactant were prepared by the high-pressure homogenization method. The effects of oil/water (O/W) ratio, total surfactant amount, and saponin/glycerol ratio on their stability were analyzed.

Seeking for sensory differentiated olive oils? The urge to preserve old autochthonous olive cultivars.

Mediterranean olive heritage richness is poorly characterized. Olive oils from minor cultivars of Northeast-Portugal (Lentisca, Madural, Rebolã, Redondal, Verdeal and Verdeal Transmontana) from centenarian trees were chemical and sensory characterized, aiming to identify autochthonous cultivars capable of producing differentiated olive oils. All oils, produced during two campaigns, were classified as extra virgin.

Dataset on free amino acids contents of Serra da Estrela PDO cheeses determined by UPLC-DAD-MS/MS.

The composition of Serra da Estrela PDO cheeses (total fat, total protein, salt and free amino acids) was assessed using NIR spectrophotometry and UPLC-DAD-MS/MS. In total, 24 cheeses were acquired from 6 certified cheesemakers located in 5 different municipalities within the delimited PDO geographical region. Cheeses were produced from raw ewe milk of two autochthonous Portuguese sheep breeds, between November 2017 and March 2018, and were acquired after 45 days of maturation.

An electronic tongue as a classifier tool for assessing perfume olfactory family and storage time-period.

The identification of more than three perfumes is difficult and no analytical tool can completely replace the human olfactory system for fragrance classification. Indeed, no analytical system can mimic the human fragrance perception, being the recognition of perfume aroma patterns by conventional or sensor-based analytical tools a challenging task. For the perfume sector, the possibility of applying fast, cost-effective and green analytical devices for perfume analysis would represent a huge economic revenue.

Serra da Estrela cheese's free amino acids profiles by UPLC-DAD-MS/MS and their application for cheese origin assessment.

Serra da Estrela cheese is a high-value Portuguese Protected Designation of Origin cheese, produced with raw ewe milk. Thus, information regarding its composition is of utmost relevance for both consumers and certified producers. In this work, the chromatographic profiles of free amino acids in cheeses (45 days of maturation, 6 producers located in 5 municipalities and produced from November 2017 to March 2018) were established by UPLC-DAD-MS/MS.

Ancient olive trees as a source of olive oils rich in phenolic compounds.

Olive oil phenolic compounds are receiving increased attention due to its influence on sensory characteristics and to scientific evidences of positive health effects. In this work, 28 ancient olive trees were selected and, during four consecutive seasons (2014-2017), oils were extracted and their phenolic fraction characterized. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol secoiridoids were the predominant groups, with contents between 32 and 496 mg of tyrosol equivalents/kg.

Perception of olive oils sensory defects using a potentiometric taste device.

The capability of perceiving olive oils sensory defects and intensities plays a key role on olive oils quality grade classification since olive oils can only be classified as extra-virgin if no defect can be perceived by a human trained sensory panel. Otherwise, olive oils may be classified as virgin or lampante depending on the median intensity of the defect predominantly perceived and on the physicochemical levels. However, sensory analysis is time-consuming and requires an official sensory panel, which can only evaluate a low number of samples per day.

Electrochemical aptasensor for human osteopontin detection using a DNA aptamer selected by SELEX.

A DNA aptamer with affinity and specificity for human osteopontin (OPN), a potential breast cancer biomarker, was selected using the SELEX process, considering its homology rate and the stability of its secondary structures. This aptamer exhibited a satisfactory affinity towards OPN, showing dissociation constants lower than 2.5 nM.

Sensory classification of table olives using an electronic tongue: Analysis of aqueous pastes and brines.

Table olives are highly appreciated and consumed worldwide. Different aspects are used for trade category classification being the sensory assessment of negative defects present in the olives and brines one of the most important. The trade category quality classification must follow the International Olive Council directives, requiring the organoleptic assessment of defects by a trained sensory panel.