The aim of this research is to contribute to food security by studying the development of integrated organic production models related to the biodiversity of food sources, soil fertility and water availability, both in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sicily. Using the FAO’s multi-facetted approach of the Sustainable Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) Tool, combined with interviews and visits to two organic farming communities in the UAE and Sicily, preliminary results were obtained consisting of: SAFA reports for each farmer and each community and the identification of some additional SAFA Tool indicators for local markets and migrant worker relations. Overall, the two systems contain elements described in the literature, such as Short Food Local Systems and as such contribute to territorial food support. Some best practices in organic production, direct marketing and migrant worker integration were identified and shared with farmers. The study highlights some operational issues that will be further focused upon in the future.

Durum wheat is one of the most important food sources in the world, playing a key role in human nutrition, as well as in the economy of the different countries in which its production areas are concentrated. Its grain also represents a staple and highly versatile ingredient in the development of health foods. Nonetheless, the aspects determining durum wheat’s health quality and their interactions are many, complex, and not entirely known. Therefore, the present systematic literature review aims at advancing the understanding of the relationships among nutritional, health, and technological properties of durum wheat grain, semolina, and pasta, by evaluating the factors that, either positively or negatively, can affect the quality of the products. Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched utilising sets of keywords following the PRISMA guidelines, and the relevant results of the definitive 154 eligible studies were presented and discussed. Thus, the review identified the most promising strategies to improve durum wheat quality and highlighted the importance of adopting multidisciplinary approaches for such purposes.

A microwave distillation method was optimized for the extraction and isolation of cannabis essential oil from fresh and dried hemp inflorescences. The developed method enabled us to obtain a distilled product rich in terpenes and terpenoid compounds, responsible of the typical and unique smell of the cannabis plant. The distillate from different hemp cultivars, including Kompolti, Futura 75, Carmagnola, Felina 32 and Finola were characterized by using a gas chromatograph equipped with both mass spectrometer and flame ionization detectors. In a single chromatographic run, the identity and absolute amounts of distilled compounds were determined. Peak assignment was established using a reliable approach based on the usage of two identification parameters, named reverse match, and linear retention index filter. Absolute quantification (mg g⁻¹) of the analytes was performed using an internal standard method applying the flame ionization detector (FID) response factors according to each chemical family. An enantio-GC-MS method was also developed in order to evaluate the enantiomeric distribution of chiral compounds, an analytical approach commonly utilized for establishing the authenticity of suspicious samples.

Cotton, with a cultivated area of 31.92 × 10⁶ ha⁻¹ across 80 countries and an estimated annual turnover of USD 5.68 billion, is the world’s leading natural textile fiber. However, many cotton-producing countries have neglected to improve production practices, adversely affecting the environment and society. A systematic review of the sustainable cotton cultivation literature was performed for the first time to identify and suggest context-specific agricultural strategies that can be applied within different agroecosystems. The key aspects include (1) inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal species such as Gigaspora margarita, Funneliformis mosseae, and Acaulospora scrobiculata to enhance root exploration, biomass, and nutrient uptake; (2) using grass, legume, and brassica cover crops as a valid alternative to monoculture and fallow crop rotations to reduce resource depletion and increase the sustainability of cotton production; (3) adopting drip and mulched drip irrigation systems over traditional furrow and sprinkler systems for water conservation; (4) exploring the feasibility of prematurely terminating irrigation in humid subtropical and Mediterranean climates as an alternative to chemical defoliation without affecting cotton yield. This paper, which describes various farming practices adopted in different climates, provides farmers a guide for eco-friendly cotton agronomic management without sacrificing productivity.

Rhus coriaria L. (Anacardiaceae), commonly known as sumac, has been used since ancient times for many different applications, and nowadays is used mostly as a spice obtained from its in the Mediterranean and the Middle ground fruits and employed for flavoring and garnishing food, predominantly Eastern regions. Traditionally, sumac has been also used in popular medicine for the treatment of many ailments including hemorrhoids, wound healing, diarrhea, ulcers, and eye inflammation. Sumac drupes are indeed rich in various classes of phytochemicals including organic acids, flavonoids, tannins, and others, which are responsible of their powerful antioxidant capacity, from which treatment of many common diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer could benefit. In this work we evaluated the influence of fruit ripeness, conservation, and processing. To this aim, a phytochemical characterization of six different samples of Rhus coriaria L. was carried out. Specifically, headspace solid-phase micro extraction gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array and mass spectrometry detection, were employed. A total of 263 volatile compounds, including terpene hydrocarbons, acids, and aldehydes, as well as 83 polyphenolic compounds, mainly gallic acid derivatives, were positively identified. All samples showed a significant antioxidant activity by means of oxygen radical absorbance capacity, in line with their polyphenolic content and composition. Such findings set a solid ground to support the utilization of this plant as an attractive target for novel nutraceutical approaches and for drug discovery.

The growing demand in natural matrices that represent a source of dietary and nutraceutical molecules has led to an increasing interest in Cannabis sativa, considered to be a multipurpose, sustainable crop. Particularly, the considerable content in essential fatty acids (FAs) makes its derived-products useful food ingredients in the formulation of dietary supplements. In this research, the FA and triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of hempseed oils and flours were investigated using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and flame ionization detection as well as liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS), respectively. Furthermore, a recently introduced linear retention index (LRI) approach in LC was successfully employed as a useful tool for the reliable identification of TAG species. A total of 30 FAs and 62 glycerolipids were positively identified in the investigated samples. Relative quantitative analyses confirmed linoleic acid as the most abundant component (50–55%). A favorable omega6/omega3 ratio was also measured in hemp-derived products, with the α-linolenic acid around 12–14%. Whereas, γ-linolenic acid was found to be higher than 1.70%. These results confirm the great value of Cannabis sativa as a source of valuable lipids, and the further improvement of the LRI system paves the way for the automatization of the identification process in LC.