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Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Kairouan, Tunisia
Food provides humans with more than just energy and nutrients, addressing both vital needs and pleasure. Food habits are determined by a wide range of factors, from sensorial stimuli to beliefs and, once commanded by local and seasonal availability, are nowadays driven by marketing campaigns promoting unhealthy and non-sustainable foodstuffs. Top-down and bottom-up changes are transforming food systems, driven by policies on SDGs and by consumer’s concerns about environmental and health impacts. Food quality, in terms of taste, safety, and nutritional value, is determined by its composition, described in food composition databases (FDBs). FDBs are then useful resources to agronomists, food and mechanical engineers, nutritionists, marketers, and others in their efforts to address at maximum human nutrient needs. In this work, we analyse some relevant food composition databases (viz., purpose, type of data, ease of access, regularity of updates), inspecting information on the health and environmental nexus, such as food origin, production mode as well as nutritional quality. The usefulness and limitations of food databases are discussed regarding what concerns sustainable diets, the food ‘matrix effect’, missing compounds, safe processing, and in guiding innovation in foods, as well as in shaping consumers’ perceptions and food choices.
Amélia Delgado; Manel Issaoui; Margarida C. Vieira; Isabel Saraiva de Carvalho; Anthony Fardet. Food Composition Databases: Does It Matter to Human Health? Nutrients 2021, 13, 2816 .
AMA StyleAmélia Delgado, Manel Issaoui, Margarida C. Vieira, Isabel Saraiva de Carvalho, Anthony Fardet. Food Composition Databases: Does It Matter to Human Health? Nutrients. 2021; 13 (8):2816.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmélia Delgado; Manel Issaoui; Margarida C. Vieira; Isabel Saraiva de Carvalho; Anthony Fardet. 2021. "Food Composition Databases: Does It Matter to Human Health?" Nutrients 13, no. 8: 2816.
Carob flour is increasingly popular in innovative functional foods. Its main producers are Mediterranean countries, facing health and nutrition challenges, and difficulties in tackling climate change. This study aims at formulating innovative sustainable bakery products of high nutritional value while pleasing the consumer and addressing regional challenges. Hence, carob flour was obtained by grinding sun-dried carob pods, thus reducing the environmental impact, and preserving carob’s high nutraceutical value. Different bread formulations resulted from the blend of wheat flour with carob pulp (5, 10, 20, and 30%) and/or seed powder (5 and 10%), with no added fats, additives, or processing aids. New products were evaluated for their textural, chromatic, nutritional, aromatic, and hedonic properties. Carob is rich in aroma, antioxidants, and prebiotic fibers, and does not contain gluten, so when combined with wheat, the proportion of gluten in bread is reduced. Carob is also rich in minerals (4.16% and 2.00% ash, respectively in seed and pulp), and breadmaking seems to generate lesser furane derivatives than in white bread. In short, carob is typically Mediterranean and is a valuable local resource in the formulation of sustainable foods with high nutritional value, low carbon footprint, safe, healthy, tasty, and affordable, all at once.
Manel Issaoui; Guido Flamini; Amélia Delgado. Sustainability Opportunities for Mediterranean Food Products through New Formulations Based on Carob Flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.). Sustainability 2021, 13, 8026 .
AMA StyleManel Issaoui, Guido Flamini, Amélia Delgado. Sustainability Opportunities for Mediterranean Food Products through New Formulations Based on Carob Flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.). Sustainability. 2021; 13 (14):8026.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManel Issaoui; Guido Flamini; Amélia Delgado. 2021. "Sustainability Opportunities for Mediterranean Food Products through New Formulations Based on Carob Flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.)." Sustainability 13, no. 14: 8026.
In this preliminary study, two non-filtered virgin olive oils (one freshly produced VOO-N; one VOO-O stored for one year) were subjected to moisture removal with mineral clay (raw or activated) and analyses were performed to attest possible effects on the quality of the product. The results demonstrated that the treatment of oil with mineral clay at 36-38 °C had no negative effect on the basic quality parameters or on the volatile comound profile. On the other hand, a significant decrease in the water amount as well as in pigments was observed in the samples subjected to this kind of treatment, in particular with raw clay. Regarding the colour measurement, the lightness (L) as well as the consumers’ acceptability exhibited a marked increase when oils were treated with raw clay.
M. Issaoui; M. Mosbahi; S. Barbieri; G. Flamini; A. Bendini; R. Ascrizzi; T. Gallina Toschi; M. Hammami. Preliminary investigation of possible effects of mineral clay treatment applied to oils produced from olives: focus on moisture removal and compositional changes. Grasas y Aceites 2021, 72, e392 .
AMA StyleM. Issaoui, M. Mosbahi, S. Barbieri, G. Flamini, A. Bendini, R. Ascrizzi, T. Gallina Toschi, M. Hammami. Preliminary investigation of possible effects of mineral clay treatment applied to oils produced from olives: focus on moisture removal and compositional changes. Grasas y Aceites. 2021; 72 (1):e392.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Issaoui; M. Mosbahi; S. Barbieri; G. Flamini; A. Bendini; R. Ascrizzi; T. Gallina Toschi; M. Hammami. 2021. "Preliminary investigation of possible effects of mineral clay treatment applied to oils produced from olives: focus on moisture removal and compositional changes." Grasas y Aceites 72, no. 1: e392.
This paper reviews the contribution of tocopherols and tocotrienols (tocols) to food quality as well as their bioactivity and health-promoting properties, which have attracted researchers and food technologists. Tocols are lipophilic phenolic antioxidants encompassing tocopherols that are characterized by a saturated side chain and tocotrienols with an unsaturated isoprenoid side chain. Tocols are natural constituents of several foods like dairy, vegetable oils, nuts, and grains. Their presence in foods, namely, as food additives, helps prevent lipid oxidation, which negatively affects the sensorial quality of foods, and even the nutritional value and safety. Supplementation of animals’ diets with tocopherols has proven its effectiveness in preserving fresh color and flavor of the meat. Although alfa-tocopherol displays much higher vitamin E activity than other tocols, health outcomes have been reported for tocotrienols, thus calling for more studies.
Amélia Delgado; Said Al-Hamimi; Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan; Maryna De Wit; Alessandra Durazzo; Kar Lin Nyam; Manel Issaoui. Contribution of Tocols to Food Sensorial Properties, Stability, and Overall Quality. Journal of Food Quality 2020, 2020, 1 -8.
AMA StyleAmélia Delgado, Said Al-Hamimi, Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan, Maryna De Wit, Alessandra Durazzo, Kar Lin Nyam, Manel Issaoui. Contribution of Tocols to Food Sensorial Properties, Stability, and Overall Quality. Journal of Food Quality. 2020; 2020 ():1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmélia Delgado; Said Al-Hamimi; Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan; Maryna De Wit; Alessandra Durazzo; Kar Lin Nyam; Manel Issaoui. 2020. "Contribution of Tocols to Food Sensorial Properties, Stability, and Overall Quality." Journal of Food Quality 2020, no. : 1-8.
Manel Issaoui; Mahfoudhi Nesrine; Guido Flamini; Amélia Delgado. Enrichment of white flour with spices positively impacts safety and consumer acceptance of bread. International Journal of Food Science & Technology 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleManel Issaoui, Mahfoudhi Nesrine, Guido Flamini, Amélia Delgado. Enrichment of white flour with spices positively impacts safety and consumer acceptance of bread. International Journal of Food Science & Technology. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManel Issaoui; Mahfoudhi Nesrine; Guido Flamini; Amélia Delgado. 2020. "Enrichment of white flour with spices positively impacts safety and consumer acceptance of bread." International Journal of Food Science & Technology , no. : 1.
Foods are the vehicle and the support of a wide variety of macronutrients, micronutrients and minor compounds that are responsible for the nutritional and sensorial properties. Mediterranean Diet is abundant in plant-based (nutrient-dense, seasonal and low-energy) foods, and despite including industrial products, it does not have place to ultraprocessed foods, which are energetically dense and low in nutrients; the first type of foods (including fresh produce as well as foodstuffs) is grounded on agro-biodiversity and respectful of the environment, while the second class of foods (sodas, fast-food) is responsible for the rise in obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Products of the second food category generally have a high carbon footprint, contribute to deforestation, to the reduction of biodiversity, and generally do not bring any social benefit. This chapter emphasizes the important involvement of polyphenols of natural origin specifically in connection with organoleptic features, on the one side; on the other side, the use of polyphenols as food supplements and additives is also detailed. Polyphenols can configure the sensorial proprieties of foods by their colours, their taste (e.g. astringency and bitterness) in addition to various nutritional functions and health benefits, which make them popular bioactive compounds. It is important to raise awareness on the need of official regulations of health claims (particularly in food supplements) and standardization of recommended daily intakes for these phytonutrients. It is also important to claim that phenols are just one piece of the whole puzzle of dietary components that must be present in our dishes.
Manel Issaoui; Amélia Martins Delgado; Candela Iommi; Nadia Chammem. Polyphenols as Bioactive Compounds in Foods and Food Supplements. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science 2020, 19 -31.
AMA StyleManel Issaoui, Amélia Martins Delgado, Candela Iommi, Nadia Chammem. Polyphenols as Bioactive Compounds in Foods and Food Supplements. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science. 2020; ():19-31.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManel Issaoui; Amélia Martins Delgado; Candela Iommi; Nadia Chammem. 2020. "Polyphenols as Bioactive Compounds in Foods and Food Supplements." SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science , no. : 19-31.
The quality of food in terms of taste and nutritional value is primarily based on the composition. Plant-based foods contain phenols that may determine consumer’s acceptance of such foods. Besides their role in preventing the emergence of some diseases and in protecting our gut’s health, phenols play a cardinal role in shaping our perception of foods. In this specific ambit and during the last decade, many scientific researches have been revealing the health and nutritional benefits of polyphenols and have thus stimulated the creation and the development of a market niche linked to polyphenols. These molecules are mainly extracted from 12 vegetable matrices, including grape seeds, green tea, cocoa, olives (including fruit and oil) and coffee predominate. For these reasons, many of these food products are considered as ‘functional foods’. Interestingly, the Mediterranean Diet includes mainly foods of vegetable origin, many of which contain remarkable amounts and a wide variety of polyphenols. This chapter examines the consumers’ reaction to polyphenol-rich foods in terms of sensorial features, mainly flavours and colours. In addition, chemical properties and natural sources of phenolics have to be investigated.
Manel Issaoui; Amélia Martins Delgado; Candela Iommi; Nadia Chammem. Polyphenols and the Mediterranean Diet. Chemistry, Sensorial Properties and Natural Sources. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science 2020, 1 -17.
AMA StyleManel Issaoui, Amélia Martins Delgado, Candela Iommi, Nadia Chammem. Polyphenols and the Mediterranean Diet. Chemistry, Sensorial Properties and Natural Sources. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science. 2020; ():1-17.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManel Issaoui; Amélia Martins Delgado; Candela Iommi; Nadia Chammem. 2020. "Polyphenols and the Mediterranean Diet. Chemistry, Sensorial Properties and Natural Sources." SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science , no. : 1-17.
Food supplies energy, nutrients, and different types of molecules and even micro-organisms that play key roles in human body. In addition, food also conveys pleasure and it is entangled with social behaviours and beliefs. Besides the macronutrients, the relevance of other compounds has been disclosed, notably about polyphenols. Besides the macronutrients, the relevance of other compounds has been disclosed, notably about polyphenols. This family of molecules has been regarded as unpleasant for their bitter taste, astringency or darkening of juices by food technologists. Polyphenols have also been regarded as antinutrients because of their ability to bind minerals and to denature proteins. However, recently many health-promoting properties have been attributed to polyphenols and a new niche market of food supplements is on the rise. On the other hand, the Med Diet contains a wide variety of ingredients rich in phytonutrients and it also encompasses cooking methods that optimize the interaction and protection of such phytonutrients. The present chapter focuses on polyphenol-rich foods of Med Diet and the interactions between them.
Manel Issaoui; Amélia Martins Delgado; Candela Iommi; Nadia Chammem. Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols in Selected Vegetables and Fruits. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science 2020, 33 -54.
AMA StyleManel Issaoui, Amélia Martins Delgado, Candela Iommi, Nadia Chammem. Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols in Selected Vegetables and Fruits. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science. 2020; ():33-54.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManel Issaoui; Amélia Martins Delgado; Candela Iommi; Nadia Chammem. 2020. "Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols in Selected Vegetables and Fruits." SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science , no. : 33-54.
The presence of flavored olive oils (FOO) on the market represents an answer to an increasing consumer demand for novel and healthy food. This work aims to compare the sensory acceptability and the thermal stability of FOO prepared by mixing different flavors (lemon, onion, garlic, paprika) to an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) also used as the control sample. 96 Tunisian citizens were involved in a consumer test and the lemon flavored oil was the most liked whereas the least liked was the oil with onion. Samples were subjected to different heat treatments (60 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C for 1, 2, 4, 8 hours) and the flavor addition did not influence the EVOO stability when samples were heated at 60 °C, whereas at 200 °C the FOO with onion and garlic showed higher oxidative stability. The thermo-oxidation process at 60 °C and at 100 °C of the FOOs was not detrimental for the volatile compound markers but the effect was noticeable for all these markers at 200 °C.
M. Issaouia; A. Bendini; S. Souid; G. Flamini; S. Barbieri; T. Gallina Toschi; M. Hammami. Flavored olive oils: focus on their acceptability and thermal stability. Grasas y Aceites 2019, 70, 293 .
AMA StyleM. Issaouia, A. Bendini, S. Souid, G. Flamini, S. Barbieri, T. Gallina Toschi, M. Hammami. Flavored olive oils: focus on their acceptability and thermal stability. Grasas y Aceites. 2019; 70 (1):293.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Issaouia; A. Bendini; S. Souid; G. Flamini; S. Barbieri; T. Gallina Toschi; M. Hammami. 2019. "Flavored olive oils: focus on their acceptability and thermal stability." Grasas y Aceites 70, no. 1: 293.