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Prof. Federica Blando
ISPA

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0 Micropropagation
0 antioxidant activity
0 polyphenols
0 anthocyanins
0 In vitro plant cell cultures

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anthocyanins
polyphenols
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Micropropagation

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Short Biography

WORK EXPERIENCE Period (from – to) FULL RESEARCHER AT THE ‘INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES OF FOOD PRODUCTION’ (ISPA) Name and address of employer CNR, Via Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce- Italy Type of business or sector Public research Occupation or position held Researcher Main activities or responsibilities Project leader of research activities with involvement in experimental research. Responsibility of the ‘Laboratory of in vitro culture’. 1) Characterization by HPLC of polyphenolic compounds (particularly anthocyanins) extracted from red fruits (cherry, strawberry, grape, etc…), vegetables (carrot, Opuntia ficus-indica) and wine. 2) Characterization of antioxidant activity of fruit extracts from Prunus species (sweet and sour cherry, mahaleb cherry) and other red fruits (strawberry, grape); from vegetables (carrot, Opuntia ficus-indica) as well as wine. 3) Exploitation of plant cell cultures as “bio-factories”, dealing with the in vitro production of natural antioxidants from plant cell cultures of herbaceous and woody crop species. In vitro production of artemisinin from Artemisia annua cell cultures. In vitro production of polyphenolic compound (anthocyanins, proanthocyanin). Studies on the in vitro regeneration processes. In vitro behaviour of olive microplants (different varieties) and olive cell cultures (calli and suspension cultures) for the modelling of Xylella fastidiosa pathogenesis mechanisms.

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Journal article
Published: 17 March 2021 in Plants
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The carrot is one of the most cultivated vegetables in the world. Black or purple carrots contain acylated anthocyanins which are of special interest to the food industry for their stability and nutraceutical characteristics. Anthocyanin-rich fruits and vegetables have gained popularity in the last ten years, due to the health benefits they provide. In this paper, the characterizations of the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacities of different anthocyanin-containing carrots (a black carrot—BC, and a local purple carrot, the “Polignano” carrot—PC), compared to the commercial orange carrot (OC) (lacking of anthocyanins), are reported. The anthocyanin profiles of the polyphenolic extracts of BC and PC were similar, but differences were observed at quantitative levels. The total anthocyanin content in BC was more than twice that in PC (13.84 ± 0.61 vs. 5.64 ± 0.48 mg K Eq. g−1 DW). Phenolic acids (mostly chlorogenic acid) were also present at high level in anthocyanin-rich carrots compared to OC. High polyphenol content accounted also for a high reducing capacity (evaluated by Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, FCR), and antioxidant capacity (evaluated by TEAC and ORAC assays) which were the highest for BC (FCR value: 16.6 ± 1.1 mg GAE. g−1 DW; TEAC: 76.6 ± 10.6 µmol TE. g−1 DW; ORAC: 159.9 ± 3.3 µmol TE. g−1 DW). All carrot genotypes (mostly OC) were rich in carotenoids (BC 0.14 ± 0.024; PC 0.33 ± 0.038; OC 1.29 ± 0.09 mg. g−1 DW), with predominance of α and β-carotene, in OC, and lutein in BC. PC showed the highest malic acid and sugar (glucose plus fructose) content. In conclusion, while BC is remarkable for nutraceutical features, the local genotype (“Polignano” carrot) is worth considering in genetic biodiversity conservation programme.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Stefano Marchello; Gabriele Maiorano; Miriana Durante; Angelo Signore; Maura Laus; Mario Soccio; Giovanni Mita. Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Anthocyanin-Rich Carrots: A Comparison between the Black Carrot and the Apulian Landrace “Polignano” Carrot. Plants 2021, 10, 564 .

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Stefano Marchello, Gabriele Maiorano, Miriana Durante, Angelo Signore, Maura Laus, Mario Soccio, Giovanni Mita. Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Anthocyanin-Rich Carrots: A Comparison between the Black Carrot and the Apulian Landrace “Polignano” Carrot. Plants. 2021; 10 (3):564.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Stefano Marchello; Gabriele Maiorano; Miriana Durante; Angelo Signore; Maura Laus; Mario Soccio; Giovanni Mita. 2021. "Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Anthocyanin-Rich Carrots: A Comparison between the Black Carrot and the Apulian Landrace “Polignano” Carrot." Plants 10, no. 3: 564.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2019 in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
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To explore the effect of pectolytic enzyme application on polysaccharide size and colloidal interactions, rosé wines were prepared from pressed Shiraz grape juice, and red wines were made from the same juice by the addition of skins and seeds from fresh pressings. A pectolytic enzyme preparation containing primarily polygalacturonase and side-activities of arabinase and pectin lyase was used. Enzyme treatment enhanced the contribution of high molecular weight (≈ 200 kDa) polysaccharides rich in mannose and glucose (mannoproteins) and removed arabinose-rich polysaccharides of intermediate (≈ 40 kDa) size. Enzyme application reduced the molecular weight average of a class of smaller polysaccharides of approximately 6 kDa (rhamnogalacturonan II). All wines had similar particle sizes, but enzyme treatment markedly reduced particle concentration in wines, particularly in rosé wines. Wine polysaccharides were purified and when reconstituted in model wine, showed reduced particle concentration in response to enzyme treatment. Aggregation of polysaccharide in the presence of seed tannin was also markedly reduced by enzyme treatment. The results indicated that changes in structure introduced by the enzyme affected wine colloidal properties, potentially increasing polysaccharide solubility.

ACS Style

Stella Kassara; Sijing Li; Paul Smith; Federica Blando; Keren Bindon. Pectolytic enzyme reduces the concentration of colloidal particles in wine due to changes in polysaccharide structure and aggregation properties. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2019, 140, 546 -555.

AMA Style

Stella Kassara, Sijing Li, Paul Smith, Federica Blando, Keren Bindon. Pectolytic enzyme reduces the concentration of colloidal particles in wine due to changes in polysaccharide structure and aggregation properties. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2019; 140 ():546-555.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stella Kassara; Sijing Li; Paul Smith; Federica Blando; Keren Bindon. 2019. "Pectolytic enzyme reduces the concentration of colloidal particles in wine due to changes in polysaccharide structure and aggregation properties." International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 140, no. : 546-555.

Original research article
Published: 28 August 2019 in Frontiers in Nutrition
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Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetable in the world and it represents a large source of bioactive compounds, including carotenoids and polyphenols (phenolic acids and flavonoids). However, the concentration of flavonoids in tomato is considered sub-optimal, particularly because anthocyanins are not generally present. Therefore, this crop has been the object of an intense metabolic engineering in order to obtain anthocyanin-enriched tomatoes by using either breeding or transgenic strategies. Some wild tomato species, such as S. chilense and S. cheesmaniae, biosynthesize anthocyanins in the fruit sub-epidermal tissue, and some alleles from those genotypes have been introgressed into a new developed purple tomato line, called “Sun Black” (SB). It is a tomato line with a purple skin color, both in green and in red fruit stages, due to the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in the peel, and a normal red color pulp, with a taste just like a traditional tomato. SB is the result of a breeding programme and it is not a genetically modified (GM) product. We report the chemical characterization and structure elucidation of the attractive anthocyanins found in the peel of SB tomato, as well as other bioactive compounds (carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C) of the whole fruit. Using one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments, the two main anthocyanins were identified to be petunidin 3-O-[6″-O-(4‴-O-E-p-coumaroyl-α-rhamnopyranosyl) -β-glucopyranoside]-5-O-β-glucopyranoside (petanin) and malvidin 3-O-[6″-O-(4‴-O-E-p-coumaroyl-α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-glucopyranoside]-5-O-β-glucopyranoside (negretein). The total anthocyanins in the whole ripe fruit was 1.2 mg/g dry weight (DW); 7.1 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW). Chlorogenic acid (the most abundant phenolic acid) was 0.6 mg/g DW; 3.7 mg/100 g FW. The main flavonol, rutin was 0.8 mg/g DW; 5 mg/100 g FW. The total carotenoid content was 211.3 μg/g DW; 1,268 μg/100 g FW. The total phenolic content was 8.6 mg/g DW; 52.2 mg/100 g FW. The vitamin C content was 37.3 mg/100 g FW. The antioxidant activities as measured by the TEAC and ORAC assays were 31.6 and 140.3 μmol TE/g DW, respectively (193 and 855.8 μmol TE/100 g FW, respectively). The results show the unique features of this new tomato genotype with nutraceutical properties.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Helge Berland; Gabriele Maiorano; Miriana Durante; Andrea Mazzucato; Maurizio E. Picarella; Isabella Nicoletti; Carmela Gerardi; Giovanni Mita; Øyvind M. Andersen. Nutraceutical Characterization of Anthocyanin-Rich Fruits Produced by “Sun Black” Tomato Line. Frontiers in Nutrition 2019, 6, 1 .

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Helge Berland, Gabriele Maiorano, Miriana Durante, Andrea Mazzucato, Maurizio E. Picarella, Isabella Nicoletti, Carmela Gerardi, Giovanni Mita, Øyvind M. Andersen. Nutraceutical Characterization of Anthocyanin-Rich Fruits Produced by “Sun Black” Tomato Line. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2019; 6 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Helge Berland; Gabriele Maiorano; Miriana Durante; Andrea Mazzucato; Maurizio E. Picarella; Isabella Nicoletti; Carmela Gerardi; Giovanni Mita; Øyvind M. Andersen. 2019. "Nutraceutical Characterization of Anthocyanin-Rich Fruits Produced by “Sun Black” Tomato Line." Frontiers in Nutrition 6, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 04 July 2019 in Animal Feed Science and Technology
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a commercially available herbal preparation (Oxyphenol®, I-Green, Padua, Italy) of Pinus taeda hydrolyzed lignin (PTHL) on beef fattening performance, in vitro rumen apparent digestibility, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and gas production. Forty Limousine steers were randomly divided into two groups of twenty individuals each and reared in two separated pens. The control (CON) group did not receive PTHL whereas the experimental group was supplemented with PTHL (35 g/day for each for the first 90 days of the trial and 70 g/day for each for other 30 days). The data set of in vitro rumen apparent digestibility, VFA and gas production was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the GLM procedure in SAS software (SAS 9.4), considering the dietary treatment and the time as fixed effects. The inclusion of PTHL did not affect slaughter performance, with no differences in live weight at slaughter, daily weight gain and carcass dressing percentage between groups. In addition, the apparent digestibility of nutrients tested (dry matter, organic matter, crude fiber, NDF, crude protein and ether extract) was unaffected both by the dietary treatment and by sampling time. Rumen fluid pH was unaffected both by either dietary treatment or the sampling time, showing mean values ranging from 6.53 to 6.61. The acetate concentration was significantly greater for rumen fluid from PTHL group than in CON one, from 30 to 120 days (P < 0.01). Propionate production showed higher levels in rumen fluid from the PTHL group at 60, 90 and 120 days of supplement administration (P < 0.001). Conversely, butyrate concentrations showed an opposite trend, with lower content in rumen fluid from the PTHL group, compared with CON group at 30 days (P = 0.0188). Total VFA concentration did not show significant differences because of sampling time (P > 0.05), but the dietary effect induced higher values in PTHL group from 30 to 120 days (P < 0.05). Finally, rumen fluid from PTHL during fermentation produced less CH4 relative to CON, with lower values from 30 to 120 days compared to day 0 (P < 0.001). Dietary inclusion of PTHL reduced CH4 production but did not affect apparent digestibility and live and slaughter performance.

ACS Style

A. Maggiolino; J.M. Lorenzo; J. Quiñones; M.A. Latorre; F. Blando; G. Centoducati; G.E. Dahl; P. De Palo. Effects of dietary supplementation with Pinus taeda hydrolyzed lignin on in vivo performances, in vitro nutrient apparent digestibility, and gas emission in beef steers. Animal Feed Science and Technology 2019, 255, 114217 .

AMA Style

A. Maggiolino, J.M. Lorenzo, J. Quiñones, M.A. Latorre, F. Blando, G. Centoducati, G.E. Dahl, P. De Palo. Effects of dietary supplementation with Pinus taeda hydrolyzed lignin on in vivo performances, in vitro nutrient apparent digestibility, and gas emission in beef steers. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 2019; 255 ():114217.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. Maggiolino; J.M. Lorenzo; J. Quiñones; M.A. Latorre; F. Blando; G. Centoducati; G.E. Dahl; P. De Palo. 2019. "Effects of dietary supplementation with Pinus taeda hydrolyzed lignin on in vivo performances, in vitro nutrient apparent digestibility, and gas emission in beef steers." Animal Feed Science and Technology 255, no. : 114217.

Journal article
Published: 05 June 2019 in Antioxidants
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In the last years, the interest in Italian monovarietal oils has increased due to their specific organoleptic qualities. Extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) are rich in phenolic compounds, secondary metabolites well known and studied for their nutraceutical properties. However, among EVOOs, there is great variability in phenolic composition due to the origin, the production technique, and mainly, the genotype. The aim of this work was to evaluate the different phenolic profiles and the antioxidant activities of monovarietal oils. The results confirm this variability. In fact, the overall content of oleuropein varies up to four times between the different genotypes (from 33.80 to 152.32 mg/kg oil), while the oleocanthal content is significant only in two oils. The antioxidant activity, determined with 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, is correlated with the content of total phenolic substances, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for the DPPH test ranging from 160 to 91 mg of oil, while the ORAC test shows values between 5.45 and 8.03 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g oil.

ACS Style

Carmine Negro; Alessio Aprile; Andrea Luvisi; Francesca Nicolì; Eliana Nutricati; Marzia Vergine; Antonio Miceli; Federica Blando; Erika Sabella; Luigi De Bellis. Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Italian Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils. Antioxidants 2019, 8, 161 .

AMA Style

Carmine Negro, Alessio Aprile, Andrea Luvisi, Francesca Nicolì, Eliana Nutricati, Marzia Vergine, Antonio Miceli, Federica Blando, Erika Sabella, Luigi De Bellis. Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Italian Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils. Antioxidants. 2019; 8 (6):161.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carmine Negro; Alessio Aprile; Andrea Luvisi; Francesca Nicolì; Eliana Nutricati; Marzia Vergine; Antonio Miceli; Federica Blando; Erika Sabella; Luigi De Bellis. 2019. "Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Italian Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils." Antioxidants 8, no. 6: 161.

Journal article
Published: 18 May 2019 in Antioxidants
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The olive tree "Cellina di Nardò" (CdN) is one of the most widespread cultivars in Southern Italy, mainly grown in the Provinces of Lecce, Taranto, and Brindisi over a total of about 60,000 hectares. Although this cultivar is mainly used for oil production, the drupes are also suitable and potentially marketable as table olives. When used for this purpose, olives are harvested after complete maturation, which gives to them a naturally black color due to anthocyanin accumulation. This survey reports for the first time on the total phenolic content (TPC), anthocyanin characterization, and antioxidant activity of CdN olive fruits during ripening and after fermentation. The antioxidant activity (AA) was determined using three different methods. Data showed that TPC increased during maturation, reaching values two times higher in completely ripened olives. Anthocyanins were found only in mature olives and the concentrations reached up to 5.3 g/kg dry weight. AA was determined for the four ripening stages, and was particularly high in the totally black olive fruit, in accordance with TPC and anthocyanin amounts. Moreover, the CdN olives showed a higher TPC and a greater AA compared to other black table olives produced by cultivars commonly grown for this purpose. These data demonstrate the great potential of black table CdN olives, a product that combines exceptional organoleptic properties with a remarkable antioxidant capacity.

ACS Style

Alessio Aprile; Carmine Negro; Erika Sabella; Andrea Luvisi; Francesca Nicolì; Eliana Nutricati; Marzia Vergine; Antonio Miceli; Federica Blando; Luigi De Bellis. Antioxidant Activity and Anthocyanin Contents in Olives (cv Cellina di Nardò) during Ripening and after Fermentation. Antioxidants 2019, 8, 138 .

AMA Style

Alessio Aprile, Carmine Negro, Erika Sabella, Andrea Luvisi, Francesca Nicolì, Eliana Nutricati, Marzia Vergine, Antonio Miceli, Federica Blando, Luigi De Bellis. Antioxidant Activity and Anthocyanin Contents in Olives (cv Cellina di Nardò) during Ripening and after Fermentation. Antioxidants. 2019; 8 (5):138.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alessio Aprile; Carmine Negro; Erika Sabella; Andrea Luvisi; Francesca Nicolì; Eliana Nutricati; Marzia Vergine; Antonio Miceli; Federica Blando; Luigi De Bellis. 2019. "Antioxidant Activity and Anthocyanin Contents in Olives (cv Cellina di Nardò) during Ripening and after Fermentation." Antioxidants 8, no. 5: 138.

Journal article
Published: 02 May 2019 in Antioxidants
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Plant extracts are a rich source of natural compounds with antimicrobial properties, which are able to prevent, at some extent, the growth of foodborne pathogens. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of polyphenolic extracts from cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. to inhibit the growth of some enterobacteria and the biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus. Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes at two stages of development were analysed for total phenolic content and antioxidant activity by Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) (in vitro assays) and by cellular antioxidant activity in red blood cells (CAA-RBC) (ex vivo assay). The Liquid Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS–TOF) analysis of the polyphenolic extracts revealed high levels of piscidic acid, eucomic acid, isorhamnetin derivatives and rutin, particularly in the immature cladode extracts. Opuntia cladodes extracts showed a remarkable antioxidant activity (in vitro and ex vivo), a selective inhibition of the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, and an inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation. Our results suggest and confirm that Opuntia ficus-indica cladode extracts could be employed as functional food, due to the high polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity, and used as natural additive for food process control and food safety.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Rossella Russo; Carmine Negro; Luigi De Bellis; Stefania Frassinetti. Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity against Staphylococcus aureus of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cladode Polyphenolic Extracts. Antioxidants 2019, 8, 117 .

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Rossella Russo, Carmine Negro, Luigi De Bellis, Stefania Frassinetti. Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity against Staphylococcus aureus of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cladode Polyphenolic Extracts. Antioxidants. 2019; 8 (5):117.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Rossella Russo; Carmine Negro; Luigi De Bellis; Stefania Frassinetti. 2019. "Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity against Staphylococcus aureus of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cladode Polyphenolic Extracts." Antioxidants 8, no. 5: 117.

Review article
Published: 04 March 2019 in Trends in Food Science & Technology
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The production and consumption of cherries has increased recently due to consumer awareness of their health benefits and antioxidant value, since they are rich in polyphenolics (namely anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids). Global sweet cherry production increased over the last 16 years from 1.9 to 2.32 million tons, with Turkey, USA, Iran, as the main producers. Sour cherry production has been static during the same period at around 1.1-1.3 million tons concentrated in Europe, with the Russian Federation as the predominant producer. This review presents a comprehensive survey of the current literature on sweet and sour cherries, from the origin and distribution of the fruit crop to their antioxidant and health properties. Moreover, possible further investigations are highlighted after summarizing the existing body of knowledge. Sweet cherries are mostly consumed fresh, and are also highly perishable, whereas sour cherries are most frequently processed. Sweet cherries are appreciated for their organoleptic aspects, such as taste, texture and color, whereas processed sour cherries are recognized for their higher bioactive content. Both sweet and sour cherries exert beneficial health effects to counteract oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, modulate blood glucose, and enhance cognitive function. Sour cherries supplementation in particular, has been reported to benefit in recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. The health benefits derived from consuming cherries should increase this fruit tree crop cultivation and improve the agricultural practices and food processing technology to provide consistent and reliable supply of these fruits.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; B. Dave Oomah. Sweet and sour cherries: Origin, distribution, nutritional composition and health benefits. Trends in Food Science & Technology 2019, 86, 517 -529.

AMA Style

Federica Blando, B. Dave Oomah. Sweet and sour cherries: Origin, distribution, nutritional composition and health benefits. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2019; 86 ():517-529.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; B. Dave Oomah. 2019. "Sweet and sour cherries: Origin, distribution, nutritional composition and health benefits." Trends in Food Science & Technology 86, no. : 517-529.

Journal article
Published: 29 March 2018 in Journal of Berry Research
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ACS Style

Federica Blando; Carmela Gerardi; Massimiliano Renna; Sergio Castellano; Francesco Serio. Characterisation of bioactive compounds in berries from plants grown under innovative photovoltaic greenhouses. Journal of Berry Research 2018, 8, 55 -69.

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Carmela Gerardi, Massimiliano Renna, Sergio Castellano, Francesco Serio. Characterisation of bioactive compounds in berries from plants grown under innovative photovoltaic greenhouses. Journal of Berry Research. 2018; 8 (1):55-69.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Carmela Gerardi; Massimiliano Renna; Sergio Castellano; Francesco Serio. 2018. "Characterisation of bioactive compounds in berries from plants grown under innovative photovoltaic greenhouses." Journal of Berry Research 8, no. 1: 55-69.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2018 in Food Chemistry
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This study investigates the effects of tomato puree fortification with several anthocyanin-rich food colorants on bioactive compound content (phenolics, isoprenoids), antioxidant capacity, in vitro biological activities and consumer acceptance. Tomato puree (tp) was added with different anthocyanin extracts from black carrot (Anthocarrot), grape fruit skins (Enocolor), elderberry fruits (Elderberry) or mahaleb cherry fruits (Mahaleb), thus obtaining a 'functional tomato puree' (ftp). The consumer acceptance (colour, flavor, taste, visual appearance) was at high level, except for Mahaleb-added ftp. Compared to the control (tp), the addition of colouring extracts increased significantly the total phenolic content, before pasteurization, in addition to the expected anthocyanin content. However, after pasteurization, mostly Anthocarrot-ftp preserved an increased phenolic (+53%) content, as well as a higher antioxidant capacity (50%), more than the other added-extracts. Consistently, against tp, Anthocarrot-ftp exhibited an increased anti-inflammatory capacity as showed by the reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 in human cultured endothelial cells, under inflammatory conditions.

ACS Style

C. Gerardi; C. Albano; Nadia Calabriso; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; M. Durante; Giovanni Mita; Massimiliano Renna; Francesco Serio; F. Blando. Techno-functional properties of tomato puree fortified with anthocyanin pigments. Food Chemistry 2018, 240, 1184 -1192.

AMA Style

C. Gerardi, C. Albano, Nadia Calabriso, Maria Annunziata Carluccio, M. Durante, Giovanni Mita, Massimiliano Renna, Francesco Serio, F. Blando. Techno-functional properties of tomato puree fortified with anthocyanin pigments. Food Chemistry. 2018; 240 ():1184-1192.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Gerardi; C. Albano; Nadia Calabriso; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; M. Durante; Giovanni Mita; Massimiliano Renna; Francesco Serio; F. Blando. 2018. "Techno-functional properties of tomato puree fortified with anthocyanin pigments." Food Chemistry 240, no. : 1184-1192.

Article
Published: 06 January 2018 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Anthocyanins, the naturally occurring pigments responsible for most red to blue colours of flowers, fruits and vegetables, have also attracted interest because of their potential health effects. With the aim of contributing to major insights into their structure–activity relationship (SAR), we have evaluated the radical scavenging and biological activities of selected purified anthocyanin samples (PASs) from various anthocyanin-rich plant materials: two fruits (mahaleb cherry and blackcurrant) and two vegetables (black carrot and “Sun Black” tomato), differing in anthocyanin content (ranging from 4.9 to 38.5 mg/g DW) and molecular structure of the predominant anthocyanins. PASs from the abovementioned plant materials have been evaluated for their antioxidant capacity using Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assays. In human endothelial cells, we analysed the anti-inflammatory activity of different PASs by measuring their effects on the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. We demonstrated that all the different PASs showed biological activity. They exhibited antioxidant capacity of different magnitude, higher for samples containing non-acylated anthocyanins (typical for fruits) compared to samples containing more complex anthocyanins acylated with cinnamic acid derivatives (typical for vegetables), even though this order was slightly reversed when ORAC assay values were expressed on a molar basis. Concordantly, PASs containing non-acylated anthocyanins reduced the expression of endothelial inflammatory antigens more than samples with aromatic acylated anthocyanins, suggesting the potential beneficial effect of structurally diverse anthocyanins in cardiovascular protection.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Nadia Calabriso; Helge Berland; Gabriele Maiorano; Carmela Gerardi; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; Øyvind M. Andersen. Radical Scavenging and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Representative Anthocyanin Groupings from Pigment-Rich Fruits and Vegetables. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 19, 169 .

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Nadia Calabriso, Helge Berland, Gabriele Maiorano, Carmela Gerardi, Maria Annunziata Carluccio, Øyvind M. Andersen. Radical Scavenging and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Representative Anthocyanin Groupings from Pigment-Rich Fruits and Vegetables. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018; 19 (1):169.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Nadia Calabriso; Helge Berland; Gabriele Maiorano; Carmela Gerardi; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; Øyvind M. Andersen. 2018. "Radical Scavenging and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Representative Anthocyanin Groupings from Pigment-Rich Fruits and Vegetables." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 19, no. 1: 169.

Preprint
Published: 04 December 2017
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Anthocyanins, the naturally occurring pigments responsible for most red to blue colours of flowers, fruits and vegetables, have also attracted interests because of their potential health effects. With the aim of contributing to major insights into their structure-activity relationship (SAR), we have evaluated the radical scavenging and biological activities of selected purified anthocyanin samples (PASs) from various anthocyanin-rich plant materials: two fruits (mahaleb cherry and blackcurrant) and two vegetables (black carrot and ‘Sun Black’ tomato). PASs from the above-mentioned plant material have been evaluated for their antioxidant capacity, using TEAC and ORAC assays. In human endothelial cells, we analysed the biological activity of different PASs by measuring their effects on the expression of endothelial inflammatory markers, including endothelial adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. We demonstrated that all the different PASs showed biological activity. They exhibited antioxidant capacity of different magnitude, higher for samples containing non-acylated anthocyanins (typical for fruits) compared to samples containing more complex anthocyanins acylated with cinnamic acid derivatives (typical for vegetables), even though this order was slightly reversed when ORAC assay values were expressed on molar basis. Concordantly, PASs containing non-acylated anthocyanins reduced the expression of endothelial inflammatory antigens more than samples with aromatic acylated anthocyanins, suggesting the potential beneficial effect of structurally diverse anthocyanins in cardiovascular protection.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Nadia Calabriso; Helge Berland; Gabriele Maiorano; Carmela Gerardi; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; Øyvind M. Andersen. Radical Scavenging and Biological Activities of Representative Anthocyanin Groupings from Pigment-Rich Fruits and Vegetables. 2017, 1 .

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Nadia Calabriso, Helge Berland, Gabriele Maiorano, Carmela Gerardi, Maria Annunziata Carluccio, Øyvind M. Andersen. Radical Scavenging and Biological Activities of Representative Anthocyanin Groupings from Pigment-Rich Fruits and Vegetables. . 2017; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Nadia Calabriso; Helge Berland; Gabriele Maiorano; Carmela Gerardi; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; Øyvind M. Andersen. 2017. "Radical Scavenging and Biological Activities of Representative Anthocyanin Groupings from Pigment-Rich Fruits and Vegetables." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2016 in Journal of Functional Foods
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ACS Style

Carmela Gerardi; Stefania Frassinetti; Leonardo Caltavuturo; Antonella Leone; Raffaella Lecci; Nadia Calabriso; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; Federica Blando; Giovanni Mita. Anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic activities of a Prunus mahaleb L. anthocyanin-rich fruit extract. Journal of Functional Foods 2016, 27, 537 -548.

AMA Style

Carmela Gerardi, Stefania Frassinetti, Leonardo Caltavuturo, Antonella Leone, Raffaella Lecci, Nadia Calabriso, Maria Annunziata Carluccio, Federica Blando, Giovanni Mita. Anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic activities of a Prunus mahaleb L. anthocyanin-rich fruit extract. Journal of Functional Foods. 2016; 27 ():537-548.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carmela Gerardi; Stefania Frassinetti; Leonardo Caltavuturo; Antonella Leone; Raffaella Lecci; Nadia Calabriso; Maria Annunziata Carluccio; Federica Blando; Giovanni Mita. 2016. "Anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic activities of a Prunus mahaleb L. anthocyanin-rich fruit extract." Journal of Functional Foods 27, no. : 537-548.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2015 in Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
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The identification of novel plant-based functional foods or nutraceutical ingredients that possess bioactive properties with antioxidant function has recently become important to the food, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. This study evaluates the polyphenolic composition, identifies bioactive compounds and assays the total antioxidant capacity of Prunus mahaleb L. fruits collected from different populations and sampling years in the countryside around Bari (Apulia Region, Italy). We identified nine polyphenolic compounds including major anthocyanins, coumaric acid derivatives and flavonols from P. mahaleb fruits. The anthocyanin content (in some populations > 5 g kg(-1) fresh weight; FW) in the fruit was comparable to that reported for so-called superfruits such as bilberries, chokeberries and blackcurrants. Coumaric acid derivatives comprised a large portion of the total polyphenolic content in the P. mahaleb fruits. Antioxidant activities, assessed using ORAC and TEAC assays, measured up to 150 and 45 mmol Trolox equivalents kg(-1) FW, respectively. Therefore antioxidant capacity of P. mahaleb fruits is relatively high and comparable to that of superfruit varieties that are often used in commercial nutraceutical products. Our findings suggest that mahaleb fruit (currently not consumed fresh or used in other ways) could serve as a source of bioactive compounds and therefore find interest from the functional food and nutraceutical industries, as a natural food colorant and antioxidant ingredient in the formulation of functional foods. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Clara Albano; Yazheng Liu; Isabella Nicoletti; Danilo Corradini; Noemi Tommasi; Carmela Gerardi; Giovanni Mita; David D. Kitts. Polyphenolic composition and antioxidant activity of the under-utilised Prunus mahaleb L. fruit. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2015, 96, 2641 -2649.

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Clara Albano, Yazheng Liu, Isabella Nicoletti, Danilo Corradini, Noemi Tommasi, Carmela Gerardi, Giovanni Mita, David D. Kitts. Polyphenolic composition and antioxidant activity of the under-utilised Prunus mahaleb L. fruit. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2015; 96 (8):2641-2649.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Clara Albano; Yazheng Liu; Isabella Nicoletti; Danilo Corradini; Noemi Tommasi; Carmela Gerardi; Giovanni Mita; David D. Kitts. 2015. "Polyphenolic composition and antioxidant activity of the under-utilised Prunus mahaleb L. fruit." Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 96, no. 8: 2641-2649.

Journal article
Published: 11 July 2015 in European Food Research and Technology
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There is an increasing consumer and retailer demand for new natural colorants. Anthocyanins are a class of molecules already used as water-soluble natural colorant and for their health effects. Prunus mahaleb L. is a tree native to the Mediterranean area, producing highly pigmented small-stone fruits currently not used for fresh consumption due to their astringent and sour taste. In the present study, we set up a protocol to obtain a “mahaleb fruit concentrated extract” (mfce) and characterized it chemically by high-performance liquid chromatography/diode array detection. Anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, coumarin, sugars, ascorbic acid and organic acids were identified and quantified. After characterization, the antioxidant capacity of the mfce was assayed in vitro by three different methods: Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and Folin–Ciocalteu assays. The concentrated extract produced and characterized in this study showed a high content of anthocyanins, flavonols and coumarin and a strong antioxidant capacity. Therefore, mfce may be of interest as a natural food colorant and as an ingredient in the formulation of functional foods.

ACS Style

Carmela Gerardi; Noemi Tommasi; Clara Albano; Federica Blando; Leonardo Rescio; Eli Pinthus; Giovanni Mita. Prunus mahaleb L. fruit extracts: a novel source for natural food pigments. European Food Research and Technology 2015, 241, 683 -695.

AMA Style

Carmela Gerardi, Noemi Tommasi, Clara Albano, Federica Blando, Leonardo Rescio, Eli Pinthus, Giovanni Mita. Prunus mahaleb L. fruit extracts: a novel source for natural food pigments. European Food Research and Technology. 2015; 241 (5):683-695.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carmela Gerardi; Noemi Tommasi; Clara Albano; Federica Blando; Leonardo Rescio; Eli Pinthus; Giovanni Mita. 2015. "Prunus mahaleb L. fruit extracts: a novel source for natural food pigments." European Food Research and Technology 241, no. 5: 683-695.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2015 in Antioxidants
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Betacyanin (betanin), total phenolics, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity (by Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays) were investigated in two differently colored cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) genotypes, one with purple fruit and the other with orange fruit, from the Salento area, in Apulia (South Italy). In order to quantitate betanin in cactus pear fruit extracts (which is difficult by HPLC because of the presence of two isomers, betanin and isobetanin, and the lack of commercial standard with high purity), betanin was purified from Amaranthus retroflexus inflorescence, characterized by the presence of a single isomer. The purple cactus pear variety showed very high betanin content, with higher levels of phenolics, vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity (TEAC) than the orange variety. These findings confirm the potential for exploiting the autochthonous biodiversity of cactus pear fruits. In particular, the purple variety could be an interesting source of colored bioactive compounds which not only have coloring potential, but are also an excellent source of dietary antioxidant components which may have beneficial effects on consumers’ health.

ACS Style

Clara Albano; Carmine Negro; Noemi Tommasi; Carmela Gerardi; Giovanni Mita; Antonio Miceli; Luigi De Bellis; Federica Blando. Betalains, Phenols and Antioxidant Capacity in Cactus Pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] Fruits from Apulia (South Italy) Genotypes. Antioxidants 2015, 4, 269 -280.

AMA Style

Clara Albano, Carmine Negro, Noemi Tommasi, Carmela Gerardi, Giovanni Mita, Antonio Miceli, Luigi De Bellis, Federica Blando. Betalains, Phenols and Antioxidant Capacity in Cactus Pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] Fruits from Apulia (South Italy) Genotypes. Antioxidants. 2015; 4 (2):269-280.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Clara Albano; Carmine Negro; Noemi Tommasi; Carmela Gerardi; Giovanni Mita; Antonio Miceli; Luigi De Bellis; Federica Blando. 2015. "Betalains, Phenols and Antioxidant Capacity in Cactus Pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] Fruits from Apulia (South Italy) Genotypes." Antioxidants 4, no. 2: 269-280.

Journal article
Published: 21 October 2014 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Plant cell cultures as valuable tools for the production of specific metabolites can be greatly improved by the application of elicitors including cyclodextrins (CDs) for enhancing the yields of the desired plant compounds. Here the effects of 2,6-dimethyl-β-cyclodextrins (DIMEB) on the production of carotenoids and quinones from Artemisia annua L. cell suspension cultures were investigated. The addition of 50 mM DIMEB induced an early increase of intracellular carotenoid and quinone contents, which could be observed to a higher extent for lutein (10-fold), Q9 (3-fold) and Q10 (2.5-fold). Real Time PCR analysis revealed that the expression of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) gene in DIMEB treated cell cultures after three days was 2.5-fold higher than in untreated samples, thus suggesting that the DIMEB induced increase of carotenoids and quinones could be due to the induction of the plastidial isoprenoid biosynthetic route. In addition, the DIMEB treatment induced an enhanced release of carotenoids and quinones into the culture medium of A. annua cell suspension cultures possibly due to the ability of CDs to form inclusion complexes with hydrophobic molecules.

ACS Style

Francesca Rizzello; Angelo De Paolis; Miriana Durante; Federica Blando; Giovanni Mita; Sofia Caretto. Enhanced Production of Bioactive Isoprenoid Compounds from Cell Suspension Cultures of Artemisia annua L. Using β-Cyclodextrins. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2014, 15, 19092 -19105.

AMA Style

Francesca Rizzello, Angelo De Paolis, Miriana Durante, Federica Blando, Giovanni Mita, Sofia Caretto. Enhanced Production of Bioactive Isoprenoid Compounds from Cell Suspension Cultures of Artemisia annua L. Using β-Cyclodextrins. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2014; 15 (10):19092-19105.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesca Rizzello; Angelo De Paolis; Miriana Durante; Federica Blando; Giovanni Mita; Sofia Caretto. 2014. "Enhanced Production of Bioactive Isoprenoid Compounds from Cell Suspension Cultures of Artemisia annua L. Using β-Cyclodextrins." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 15, no. 10: 19092-19105.

Journal article
Published: 14 March 2013 in In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal
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Eugenia myrtifolia Sims. is an evergreen shrub, native to temperate and tropical rainforests of Australia, which is becoming an important containerized ornamental plant in the US and Mediterranean nursery industries. To satisfy the growing market demands for this new ornamental plant, development of an accelerated propagation method is required. The goal of this study was to investigate the in vitro regeneration potential of E. myrtifolia Sims. seeds at different stages of development, towards establishment of an in vitro multiplication system. Maximum regeneration of adventitious shoots was achieved from immature seeds cultured in the dark on half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) macronutrients and full-strength MS micronutrients and vitamins (MS/2) medium supplemented with 2.5 μM thidiazuron (TDZ). Induction of regeneration occurred after at least two successive subcultures on TDZ-enriched medium, followed by subcultures on expression medium (hormone free MS/2) or multiplication medium [MM; MS medium enriched with 4.4 M 6-benzyladenine and 0.05 M α-naphthaleneacetic acid], where complete development of shoots occurred. The regenerated shoots were excised and transferred again onto MM for micropropagation, where a proliferation rate of 1:4 was achieved, and finally the shoots were transferred to a hormone-free MS medium for rooting. Following ex vitro transplanting, acclimatization over a period of 15 d was sufficient to establish greenhouse plants. The regenerated plants grown in the field for more than 2 yr showed the same phenotype as that of mother plants. The adventitious regeneration and micropropagation carried out in this study can be used for a large-scale propagation and genetic engineering of E. myrtifolia Sims.

ACS Style

Federica Blando; Seyma Önlü; Gianni Colella; Izabela Konczak. Plant regeneration from immature seeds of Eugenia myrtifolia Sims. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal 2013, 49, 388 -395.

AMA Style

Federica Blando, Seyma Önlü, Gianni Colella, Izabela Konczak. Plant regeneration from immature seeds of Eugenia myrtifolia Sims. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal. 2013; 49 (4):388-395.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federica Blando; Seyma Önlü; Gianni Colella; Izabela Konczak. 2013. "Plant regeneration from immature seeds of Eugenia myrtifolia Sims." In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal 49, no. 4: 388-395.

Journal article
Published: 31 December 2012 in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
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Using four different chromatographic steps, β-galactosidase was purified from the ripe fruit of sweet cherry to apparent electrophoretic homogeneity with approximately 131-fold purification. The Prunus avium β-galactosidase showed an apparent molecular mass of about 100 kDa and consisted of four different active polypeptides with pIs of about 7.9, 7.4, 6.9 and 6.4 as estimated by native IEF and β-galactosidase-activity staining. The active polypeptides were individually excised from the gel and subjected to SDS-PAGE. Each of the four native enzymes showing β-galactosidase activity was composed of two polypeptides with an estimated mass of 54 and 33 kDa. Both of these polypeptides were subjected to N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. The 54 kDa polypeptide of sweet cherry β-galactosidase showed a 43% identity with the 44 kDa subunit of persimmon and apple β-galactosidases and the 48 kDa subunit of carambola galactosidase I. The sweet cherry β-galactosidase exhibited a strict specificity towards p-nitrophenyl β-d-galactopyranoside, a pH optimum of 4.0 and Km and Vmax values of 0.42 mM and 4.12 mmol min−1 mg−1 of protein respectively with this substrate. The enzyme was also active towards complex glycans. Taken together the results of this study prompted a role for this class of enzymes on sweet cherry fruit ripening and softening.

ACS Style

Carmela Gerardi; Federica Blando; Angelo Santino. Purification and chemical characterisation of a cell wall-associated β-galactosidase from mature sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) fruit. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 2012, 61, 123 -130.

AMA Style

Carmela Gerardi, Federica Blando, Angelo Santino. Purification and chemical characterisation of a cell wall-associated β-galactosidase from mature sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) fruit. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 2012; 61 ():123-130.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carmela Gerardi; Federica Blando; Angelo Santino. 2012. "Purification and chemical characterisation of a cell wall-associated β-galactosidase from mature sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) fruit." Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 61, no. : 123-130.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2012 in Acta Horticulturae
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C. Gerardi; F. Blando; G. Mulè; F. Maltese; K. Ali; R. Verpoorte. METABOLIC CHARACTERIZATION OF PRUNUS CERASUS L. AND PRUNUS MAHALEB L. FRUITS. Acta Horticulturae 2012, 361 -368.

AMA Style

C. Gerardi, F. Blando, G. Mulè, F. Maltese, K. Ali, R. Verpoorte. METABOLIC CHARACTERIZATION OF PRUNUS CERASUS L. AND PRUNUS MAHALEB L. FRUITS. Acta Horticulturae. 2012; (940):361-368.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Gerardi; F. Blando; G. Mulè; F. Maltese; K. Ali; R. Verpoorte. 2012. "METABOLIC CHARACTERIZATION OF PRUNUS CERASUS L. AND PRUNUS MAHALEB L. FRUITS." Acta Horticulturae , no. 940: 361-368.