Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, CITACA, Agri-Food Research and Transfer Cluster, Campus da Auga, University of Vigo, 32004-Ourense, Spain
Dr. Raquel Rial
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, CITACA, Agri-Food Research and Transfer Cluster, Campus da Auga, University of Vigo, 32004-Ourense, Spain
Volatile organic compounds are vital to wine quality, determining their aroma and varietal characteristics. Which are present, and in what quantity, depends on the cultivar, the situation and soil of the vineyard, weather, cultivation methods, and wine-making practices. Here, we review the literature on the development of wine aroma compounds in grapes, and how it is affected by the above-named factors. Increasing understanding of these processes at the molecular level will aid vine growers in the optimal selection of harvest dates and other decisions favoring the consistent production of balanced, flavorful berries.
31 January 2011 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Only the intake of toxicologically-significant amounts can lead to adverse health effects even for a relatively toxic substance. In the case of residues in foods this is based on two major aspects—first, how to determine quantitatively the presence of a pollutant in individual foods and diets, including its fate during the processes within the food production chain; and second, how to determine the consumption patterns of the individual foods containing the relevant pollutants. The techniques used for the evaluation of the fate of pesticides during food processing have been critically reviewed in this paper to determine those areas where improvements are needed or desirable. Options for improvements are being suggested, including, for example, the development of a pan-European food composition database, activities to understand better effects of processing on individual food pesticides, and harmonization of food consumption survey methods with the option of a regular pan-European survey. The ultimate aim is to obtain appropriate estimations for the presence and quantity of a given chemical in a food and in the diet in general. Existing pragmatic approaches are a first crude step to model food pollutant intake. It is recommended to extend, refine, and validate this approach in the near future. This has to result in a cost-effective exposure-assessment system to be used for existing and potential categories of pollutants. This system of knowledge (with information on sensitivities, accuracy, etc.) will guide future data collection.
Residues of pesticides in food are influenced by processing such as fermentation. Reviewing the extensive literature showed that in most cases, this step leads to large reductions in original residue levels in the fermented food, with the formation of new pesticide by-products. The behavior of residues in fermentation can be rationalized in terms of the physical-chemical properties of the pesticide and the nature of the process. In addition, the presence of pesticides decrease the growth rate of fermentative microbiota (yeasts and bacterias), which provokes stuck and sluggish fermentations. These changes have in consequence repercussions on several aspects of food sensory quality (physical-chemical properties, polyphenolic content, and aromatic profile) of fermented food. The main aim of this review is to deal with all these topics to propose challenging needs in science-based quality management of pesticides residues in food.