Raimondo Gaglio

In recent years, a main goal of research has been to exploit waste from agribusiness industries as new sources of bioactive components, with a view to establishing a circular economy. Non-compliant avocado fruits, as well as avocado seeds and peels, are examples of promising raw materials due to their high nutritional yield and antioxidant profiles. This study aimed to recycle avocado food waste and by-products through dehydration to produce functional bread. For this purpose, dehydrated avocado was reduced to powder form, and bread was prepared with different percentages of the powder (5% and 10%) and compared with a control bread prepared with only semolina. The avocado pulp and by-products did not alter organoleptically after dehydration, and the milling did not affect the products’ color and retained the avocado aroma. The firmness of the breads enriched with avocado powder increased due to the additional fat from the avocado, and alveolation decreased. The total phenolic content of the fortified breads was in the range of 2.408–2.656 mg GAE/g, and the antiradical activity was in the range of 35.75–38.235 mmol TEAC/100 g (p < 0.0001), depending on the percentage of fortification.

This work was carried out with the aim to investigate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory properties of an innovative yoghurt produced from ewe’s milk. Experimental yoghurt productions were performed with a commercial freeze-dried starter preparation and a natural milk starter culture (NMSC) of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The two yoghurts did not differ for colour parameters, showing an average value of lightness, redness, and yellowness of 94.99, −3.74, and 9.37, respectively. The yoghurt produced using the NMSC as a fermenting agent was characterised by a significantly lower fat percentage and a higher antioxidant potential than commercial starters. Microbiological analysis confirmed the safety of the final product and a level of living lactic acid bacteria of 108 CFU/g. Sensory analysis revealed some differences among yoghurts regarding unpleasant odour, homogeneity, and persistence in the mouth, but the yoghurt processed with NMSC was more appreciated. Thus, the production of ewe’s yoghurt fermented by a selected multi-strain starter culture represents an interesting strategy to enlarge the functional ovine dairy product portfolio.

The use of selected strains of lactic acid bacteria is necessary to produce fermented table olives with high hygiene and quality standards at the industrial level. A current tendency is the use of fermentation adjuvants (nutrients and activators) that can satisfy the nutritional needs of starter strains. In this study, five experimental protocols, different for nutrient and activator presence and addition of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus OM13 in freeze-dried form and after acclimatisation, were tested with the aim of improving the fermentation performances of the commercial starter. The trial inoculated with the starter strain acclimatised in the presence of nutrients and activator showed the most rapid acidification during the first phase of fermentation (third to ninth day), registering a pH loss of 3.40 units. The addition of adjuvants positively influences starter dominance (>89%) and rapid colonisation (>7 Log CFU/mL from third d) by indirectly limiting the presence of undesirable microorganisms. The analysis of volatile organic compounds revealed the presence of 32 chemicals distributed differently in each trial. Sensory evaluation showed that table olives produced with the different treatments were characterised by low bitterness, acidity, and absence of unpleasant odours/flavours. Control production showed slower acidification kinetics and lower sensory pleasantness than the other trials.

The pericarp browning and postharvest microbiological decay of litchi fruit (Litchi chinensis Sonn cv Kwai Mai) significantly reduce its commercial potential in the fresh market. In this study, different combinations of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were applied at 5 ± 1 °C based on the use of natural gases that are innocuous to human health and an alternative to commercially adopted sulfur dioxide (SO2) treatment. The results showed that control fruits, after 6 days of storage, begin to show the first symptoms of decay, revealed by the appearance of lesions and microbial infections determined by total mesophilic microorganisms and molds. This is not the case in the MAP-treated fruits and the MAP 3-treated (5% O2 + 20% CO2 + 75% N2) fruits that show the best results. The control fruits, moreover, turned completely brown by the end of the storage period. The MAP 3 treatment was the most effective in preventing browning and the loss of the red pericarp color and vitamin content and in maintaining acceptable SSC/TA levels and flavor. In addition, a microbiological analysis revealed that all the MAP-treated litchi fruits did not harbor undesirable microorganisms during the entire cold storage period. In conclusion, the MAP 3 conditions delayed pericarp browning and maintained the better organoleptic quality of litchi fruits.