Major, minor and trace element concentrations in spices and aromatic herbs from Sicily (Italy) and Mahdia (Tunisia) by ICP-MS and multivariate analysis

Trace Element and Mineral Content in Medicinal Plants Collected in the Altai Mountains Foothills

The objective of the present study was to assess the patterns of trace element and mineral accumulation in 21 medicinal plants collected in the Altai Mountains foothills. The levels of trace elements and minerals in Hippophae rhamnoides, Aronia melanocarpa, Sorbus aucuparia, Viburnum opulus, Rosa canina, Crataegus sanguinea (fruits), Chamaenerion angustifolium, Echinacea purpurea, Fagopyrum esculentum, Trifolium pratense, Origanum vulgare, Achillea millefolium, Mentha piperita (herbs), Plantago major, Salvia officinalis, Urtica dioica (leaves), Panax ginseng, Rhaponticum carthamoides, Eleuterococcus senticosus, and Taraxacum officinale (roots), and Matricaria recutita flowers were assessed using inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry. Comparative analysis revealed that R. carthamoides roots accumulated the highest level of toxic trace elements (Al, Cd, Ni, Pb). C. angustifolium herbs and V. opulus fruits are characterized by the highest As and Sn levels, respectively. The highest content of essential trace elements and minerals was observed in H. rhamnoides fruits (Zn), V. opulus fruits (Cu), E. purpurea herbs (I, Mg), R. carthamoides roots (Fe), O. vulgare herbs (Mn), and M. recutita herbs (Se). In turn, R. canina fruits are characterized by the lowest levels of certain essential and toxic trace elements. Significant differences in B, Cr, Li, Si, and Sr content were also revealed. Discriminant analysis revealed complete discrimination of certain medicinal plants based on their trace element and mineral content. The obtained data indicate the potential usefulness of medicinal plants as sources of certain essential trace elements and minerals, as well as provides data for risk assessment of toxic trace element intake following administration of medicinal plants.

Evaluation of the Bioaccessibility of Essential and Toxic Trace Elements in Basil, Peppermint, and Rosemary Using an In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion Model

Herbs, well-known for their antioxidant properties, are a common component of the human diet. In this work, for the first time, the bioaccessibility of essential (Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, and Se) and toxic trace elements (Ni, Cd, As, Pb, and Hg) in spice plants: basil, peppermint, and rosemary was studied using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process and artificial dialysis membranes. The different forms of plants, fresh, lyophilized, and dried (as spice and dietary supplements), were analyzed. The results show that the bioaccessibility of elements depends on the type of plants, their form, and origin. Relatively high bioaccessibility of Cu (24-84%), Mn (39-52%), and Zn (8-43%) was observed in fresh and lyophilized herbs. The lowest value was obtained for Fe (<2%) in all herbs. The lyophilization process did not affect the trace elements' bioaccessibility in herbs. The total phenolic content was positively correlated with the total content of elements in all tested spice plants.

Chemical and microbial risk assessment of wild edible plants and flowers

The document focuses on the chemical and microbial risk assessment of wild edible plants (WEPs) and flowers, highlighting potential risks from heavy metals, pesticides and microorganisms. WEPs are valuable for human nutrition and gastronomy, offering essential compounds and health benefits. They are also seen as a sustainable food source. The study used various data sources and methodologies, including microbiological load and heavy metals' analysis, to assess the risks associated with WEPs. Consumption data were gathered to comprehensively assess exposure assessment. This document provides detailed recommendations for risk characterisation and management to mitigate potential health hazards associated with WEPs. The document was developed as part of the EU-FORA fellowship programme, which aims to enhance food risk assessment expertise through training to ensure preparedness for future risk analysis needs.

Determination of the geographical origin of chicken (breast and drumstick) using ICP-OES and ICP-MS: Chemometric analysis

This study aimed to develop a geographical origin discrimination analytical method for chicken breasts and drumsticks based on inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The sixty elements were set as variables, and the geographical origin discrimination analysis was conducted through chemometrics. In orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), twenty-three variable importance in projection (VIP) elements were selected in chicken breasts, and twenty-eight VIP elements were selected in drumsticks. The importance of the selected elements was displayed by the area under the curve (AUC) value of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Verification of OPLS-DA was performed through permutation test and good results were obtained. A heatmap was also used as a method for determining the geographical origin, and each top element discriminant classification was 100 % accurate, as determined through canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). This method shows potential as a food analysis tool and can accurately determine the geographic origin of chicken.

The use of olive cake in the diet of dairy cows improves the mineral elements of Provola cheese

Mineral elements (Ca, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Ti, Sr, Fe, Ni, Ba, Cr, Mn, Cu, Se, Cd, Mo, B, V, As, Pb and Hg) in Provola cheeses obtained from dairy cows fed with two different integrated diets (Biotrak) and without olive cake (Control) were determined to discriminate between the two different cheeses. The results showed that cheeses from the Biotrak group presented higher values of essential elements. Selenium (Se) was found to be the most interesting: in Biotrak cheeses the content of Se was in the range of 0.112 to 0.281 mg/kg, about twice the content of Se in cheeses from the Control group. Among the toxic elements, only Cd was found in the samples, but at low levels (in average lower than 0.11 mg/kg). Therefore, the use of olive cake in animal feed is a good strategy to improve the mineral profile of the product obtained.

Comparison of Essential and Toxic Metals Levels in some Herbal Teas: a Systematic Review

In the present study, we reviewed the literature as a systematic review to investigate the concentration of some metals (essential, none essential, and toxic metals) in herbal teas and their health risks. The search extended the literature from the database, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus, using the terms "herbal teas" combined with "heavy metals, essential metals, thyme, rosemary, chamomile, and tea" also with "iron, zinc, aluminum, chromium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, arsenic, cadmium, and lead" in titles and abstracts. The search was limited to articles published from 2012 to 2023 years. Initially, 212 articles were found; by detailed consideration, only 49 papers fit the inclusion criteria and were selected for further study. The mean of metal concentration, standard deviation, data distribution, and sample size were applied to generate data from the articles. The results indicated that all commonly consumed herbal teas included metals. None of them meet the requirements of the WHO requirements. However, more than 70% of their health risks are acceptable. The risks of arsenic and lead in tea and cadmium in black tea were considerably higher than in others. According to the review results, it is important to prevent heavy metal contamination of herbal teas by modifying cultivation patterns and also to prevent to consumption of low-quality herbal teas.

Occurrence of 8 trace elements in Rhizoma Cibotii from China and exposure assessment

The contamination of trace elements in Chinese edible herbs has attracted worldwide concern over the world. The objective of the present study was to investigate the occurrence and exposure assessment of eight trace elements in Rhizoma Cibotii from China. For this purpose, the method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed to detect the contamination levels of target trace elements in 58 Rhizoma Cibotii samples. The results demonstrated that the trace elements of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb were detected in all analyzed samples; the occurrence frequencies of As, Se, and Cd were 98.3%, 96.6%, and 98.3%, respectively. The highest mean levels were found in Zn (17.32 mg/kg), followed by Pb (8.50 mg/kg) and Cu (3.51 mg/kg). For a further step, one-way ANOVA was used to compare the difference of eight elements levels among groups, and Pearson's correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between elements in Rhizoma Cibotii. A strong positive correlation between Zn and Cd was observed by Pearson's correlation analysis, which indicated that the possible presence of Cd contamination in Rhizoma Cibotii. Based on the contamination levels, the mean exposure of individual element and the health risks of eight trace elements in Rhizoma Cibotii were estimated by health risk assessment models. The calculated HQ values were less than 1, indicating that the contamination of trace elements in Rhizoma Cibotii did not pose significant health risks to human. In conclusion, the study provided baseline information on the contamination levels of trace elements in Rhizoma Cibotii. Moreover, it is necessary to monitor the trend of trace elements levels in Rhizoma Cibotii, which will be useful for ingredient control and human health protection.

Preliminary Study of Pepper Types Based on Multielement Content Combined with Chemometrics

Different types of pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) are widely used spices that exhibit therapeutic properties in addition to nutritional properties. In order to characterize these foods in further detail, the content of macro- (Ca, K, Mg, Na) and microelements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, Te, Tl, V and Zn) of four pepper types was determined via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave-assisted digestion using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The obtained results were then evaluated using chemometric methods. The content of macroelements and microelements lies in the expected ranges for such spices but differs significantly between different types. The content of macro- and microelements is characteristic for pepper types originating from different plant species, but also based on further processing. Whilst green and black pepper are similar to each other, clearly diverse patterns are obtained for white pepper (different processing method) and cayenne pepper (different plant species).

Trace elements in Foodstuffs from the Mediterranean Basin-Occurrence, Risk Assessment, Regulations, and Prevention strategies: A review

Trace elements (TEs) are chemical compounds that naturally occur in the earth's crust and in living organisms at low concentrations. Anthropogenic activities can significantly increase the level of TEs in the environment and finally enter the food chain. Toxic TEs like cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury have no positive role in a biological system and can cause harmful effects on human health. Ingestion of contaminated food is a typical route of TEs intake by humans. Recent data about the occurrence of TEs in food available in the Mediterranean countries are considered in this review. Analytical methods are also discussed. Furthermore, a discussion of existing international agency regulations will be given. The risk associated with the dietary intake of TEs was estimated by considering consumer exposure and threshold values such as Benchmark dose lower confidence limit and provisional tolerable weekly intake established by the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, respectively. Finally, several remediation approaches to minimize TE contamination in foodstuffs were discussed including chemical, biological, biotechnological, and nanotechnological methods. The results of this study proved the occurrence of TEs contamination at high levels in vegetables and fish from some Mediterranean countries. Lead and cadmium are more abundant in foodstuffs than other toxic trace elements. Geographical variations in TE contamination of food crops clearly appear, with a greater risk in developing countries. There is still a need for the regular monitoring of these toxic element levels in food items to ensure consumer protection.

Assessment of heavy metals and macromineral in frequently used medicinal plants from Algerian Sahara traditional ethnopharmacopeia

In this study, a total of 15 elements, both physiological and causing toxic effects, have been determined in 9 medicinal plants collected from their natural environment in the Algerian Sahara regions. The concentrations of elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after acid digestion and by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). By analyzing the spiked test and the reference materials, the accuracy of the measurements was determined. Our findings show differences in elements composition and concentration between the species under investigation, indicating differences in physiological function of the plant as a result of elemental interactions within it. The elements were quantified (in μg/g): Br (0.04-5.44), Cd (1.21-1.34), Co (1.12-64.35), Cr (1.51-59.05), Cu (1.81-9.28), Fe (94.26-668.55), Mn (16.34-70.77), Ni (1.5-53.64), Pb (1.18-2.55), Zn (1.21-310.80) and (in mg/g): Ca (4.23-4.70), Cl (21.98-117.91), P (28.92-30.49), S (4.15-11.95), Si (1.99-2.36). Mean element levels in medicinal plants were established in decreasing order as follows: Zn>Mn>Cu>Cr>Ni>Pb>Cd>Co. Except for nickel, which reached 53.64μg/g in the Capparis spinosa L species, heavy metal concentrations were found to be low in all samples. Based on traditional use, we can cautiously conclude that these medicinal plants pose no risk to users.

Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), a Useful Tool in Authenticity of Agricultural Products' and Foods' Origin

Fraudulent practices are the first and foremost concern of food industry, with significant consequences in economy and human's health. The increasing demand for food has led to food fraud by replacing, mixing, blending, and mislabeling products attempting to increase the profits of producers and companies. Consequently, there was the rise of a multidisciplinary field which encompasses a large number of analytical techniques aiming to trace and authenticate the origins of agricultural products, food and beverages. Among the analytical strategies have been developed for the authentication of geographical origin of foodstuff, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) increasingly dominates the field as a robust, accurate, and highly sensitive technique for determining the inorganic elements in food substances. Inorganic elements are well known for evaluating the nutritional composition of food products while it has been shown that they are considered as possible tracers for authenticating the geographical origin. This is based on the fact that the inorganic component of identical food type originating from different territories varies due to the diversity of matrix composition. The present systematic literature review focusing on gathering the research has been done up-to-date on authenticating the geographical origin of agricultural products and foods by utilizing the ICP-MS technique. The first part of the article is a tutorial about food safety/control and the fundaments of ICP-MS technique, while in the second part the total research review is discussed.

Mineral Profiling of Twenty Wild and Cultivated Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Growing in Morocco

Aromatic and medicinal plants (AMPs) have attracted a considerable attention owing to their medicinal and nutritional value. The main research focus in AMPs is devoted to bioactive compounds and related biological activities; however, little is known about their mineral profiling, hence the novelty of this work, which aims at investigating the mineral composition of 20 species of AMPs belonging to 10 botanical families growing in Morocco. Mineral profiling was determined using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer in various plant parts depending on each species. Wide variations were found in mineral content among the studied plants. Major elements were K (3987.49 ± 319.01-36,707.01 ± 2936.56 mg/kg), Ca (862.54 ± 69.86-32,836.15 ± 2626.89 mg/kg), P (1065.77 ± 86.33-6328.83 ± 506.32 mg/kg), Mg (986.96 ± 79.66-4935.41 ± 394.82 mg/kg), and Na (28.21 ± 2.23-5792.26 ± 463.38 mg/kg). Fe (62.09 ± 4.96-1636.24 ± 130.89 mg/kg), Mn (10.63 ± 0.85-124.72 ± 9.85 mg/kg), B (5.64 ± 0.45-71.33 ± 5.71 mg/kg), Zn (8.94 ± 0.72-47.01 ± 3.76 mg/kg), and Cu (2.06 ± 0.14-15.12 ± 1.20 mg/kg) were detected at minor levels. Most of the investigated plants were shown to be good sources of minerals. Important correlations were found among different minerals. These outcomes were confirmed by principal component analysis, which separate among studied plants and minerals through the first two principal components. According to obtained results, the studied plants could provide a new promising source of necessary minerals for human diet as well as other various applications.

Multielement and chemometric analysis for the traceability of the Pachino Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) cherry tomatoes

To prevent PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) cherry tomato of Pachino (Sicily, Italy) from frauds, an alternative method, which includes chemometric treatments, was proposed. The content of 32 inorganic elements (macro-micronutrients and lanthanides) present in 16 PGI and 24 not PGI cherry tomato samples cv Naomy, and in 16 PGI and 8 not PGI soil samples, was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). To identify the elements able to differentiate PGI and not PGI cherry tomato samples, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) were performed. The first two principal components (PC1-PC2) explain a total variance of 71,41% between PGI and not PGI group, whereas CDA showed Zn, Cd, Mn and Ca as inorganic markers able to correctly classify the 100% of samples. Furthermore, with a translocation factor (K), evaluated in soil/plant chain, the comparison of absorption trends for PGI and not PGI samples was realized.

Quality assessment of African herbal medicine: A systematic review and the way forward

BACKGROUND

In Africa, herbalism supplements allopathic medicine's efforts to ensure Universal Health Coverage attainment. This review was conducted to identify and to summarise current literature on methodological approaches used for quality control of herbal medicines in Africa, to evaluate the gaps associated with existing strategies within context of best practices, and make recommendations for future improvements.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles were screened and assessed for eligibility.

RESULTS

118 articles were included into the study. There was a high preference for impurity profiling tests (77%) indicating the prioritization for tests that guarantee safety despite the limited analytical resources available. Other classes of tests reported included identification tests (29%), physicochemical tests (18%), and content assays (12%). Although standard methods exist in preparing samples for impurity tests, different techniques were observed in different studies, and this could lead to differences in analytical outcomes. Content assays focused on single marker assessments, which may be inadequate to comprehensively assess the quality of products.

CONCLUSION

This review provides knowledge of existing strengths and challenges for herbal medicine quality assessments in Africa. For future it is recommended to implement more studies on contaminants (e.g. mycotoxins) and pharmaceutical adulterants. The use of chemometrics to develop analytical methods should be promoted. Also, stakeholders in the medicine quality industry in Africa need to effectively collaborate to establish a well co-ordinated and harmonized system to provide a sustainable framework for the GACP and GMP guided production and quality assurance of herbal medicines.

Valorization of Traditional Alcoholic Beverages: The Study of the Sicilian Amarena Wine during Bottle Aging

Traditional alcoholic beverages have always been part of the Mediterranean culture and, lately, they have been re-evaluated to valorize both the territory and local customs. In this study, the Amarena wine, a fortified wine included in the national list of the traditional agri-food products, was characterized during bottle aging for oenological parameters, chromaticity, volatiles, and inorganic elements. Then, experimental data were visually interpreted by a principal component analysis (PCA). PCA revealed that most of oenological parameters (i.e., alcoholic grade, total dry extract, sugars, organic acids, and phenolic compounds) had a scarce discriminating power. Additionally, ethyl esters were only present in younger products, while remaining at quite constant levels. Conversely, certain metals (i.e., Mg, Na, Mn, Zn, and Cu), chromatic properties, and pH differentiated older Amarena bottles from the younger counterpart. Particularly, acetaldehyde and furanic compounds proved to be valid aging markers. A sensorial analysis highlighted that fruity and floral odors and flavors characterized younger beverages, while dried fruity, nutty, and spicy notes were displayed by older products, along with the valuable attribute of “oxidized” typically observed in aged Sherry wines. Overall, this study may encourage the production and commercialization of the Amarena wine, thus preserving the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean area.

Elaboration of an organic beverage based on grape juice with positive nutritional properties

The present study aimed to develop a natural beverage with interesting phytochemical composition and biological activity based on grape juice without added sugars or artificial additives. Two groups of blends were made by diluting concentrate grape juice with a sugar content of 65 °Brix with two different mineral waters (BA: Bezoya with low mineralization; BB: Solan de Cabras with high mineralization). Lemon juice was used for pH correction, and mixtures of extractions of hop with tea and hop with mint were used to increase aroma. Samples were stored under refrigeration (4°C) then subjected to physicochemical and sensory analysis. The results demonstrated that malvidin-3-O-glucoside pigment was the predominant pigment with a concentration ranging from 75.71 ± 12.49 to 84.87 ± 1.70 mg/L. The levels of sugars ranged from 79.90 ± 1.37 to 82.37 ± 0.55 g/L and total soluble solids were between 5.47 ± 0.12 and 5.77 ± 0.06 °Brix. Total acids presented a significant difference, ranging from 1.40 ± 0.00 to 1.43 ± 0.06 g/L in BA samples and from 1.10 ± 0.10 to 1.20 ± 0.00 g/L in BB samples. For 20 days, the color increased in all beverages. However, BA drinks presented higher acidity and higher red color intensity than BB drinks, so the type of water and pH influenced the color of beverages. The sensory evaluation showed that the beverage made with low mineral water and flavored with a mixture of hop with tea was preferred.

The effects of drying methods and harvest season on piperine, essential oil composition, and multi-elemental composition of black pepper

This study aimed to evaluate the piperine content, essential oil composition, and multi-elemental composition of black pepper samples according to different drying methods and harvest season. Differences in essential oil composition and B, Ca, K, Mg, and S were noted according to sampling campaign, indicating secondary metabolism plant alterations. Mechanical drying resulted in essential oil composition changes due to high temperature exposure during processing. Increases in Fe and Cr contents when employing mechanical dryers with direct heating were also observed, due to direct contact with metallic structures and particulate material from the burning process. The As and Pb contents of several samples were higher than the maximum permissible limits, reaching 0.46 and 0.56 mg kg^-1, respectively, thus surpassing legislation safety limitations for human consumption.

The Elemental Profile of Beer Available on Polish Market: Analysis of the Potential Impact of Type of Packaging Material and Risk Assessment of Consumption

Twenty-five elements, including the most essential and toxic metals, were determined in fifty beer samples stored in cans and bottles by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS) techniques. The packaging material was analyzed using the Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) technique. The control of the level of individual metals is necessary, not only to maintain the organoleptic properties of the product, but also to fulfill the standards regarding the permissible maximum concentrations. Metals can originate from different sources, including the brewing water, malt grains, hops, adjuncts, fruits, and spices. They may also come from contamination from the brewery equipment, i.e., vessels and tanks, including beer packing, storing and transporting (kegs, casks, cans). Discriminant analysis revealed that the differentiation of three types of beer (Lager, Ale, Craft) was possible, based on elemental concentrations, for the reduced data set after their selection using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The analysis of the impact of the packaging material (can or bottle) proved that when this parameter was used as a differentiating criterion, the difference in the content of Na, Al, Cu and Mn can be indicated. The risk assessment analysis showed that the consumption of beer in a moderate quantity did not have any adverse effect in terms of the selected element concentrations, besides Al. However, in the case of Al, the risk related to consumption can be considered, but only for the beer stored in cans produced from aluminum.

Health Hazard Assessment Due to Slimming Medicinal Plant Intake

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80% of people rely on medicinal plants for their primary health needs. Traditional medicine's principal benefits are their vast population knowledge, low severe adverse effects rate, low cost, and the lack of a medical prescription to use them. While obesity has become a global health issue, an increase in finding cheap and fast ways to lose weight escalates medicinal herbs' use for this purpose, both in dietary supplements or in teas. At the same time that Brazil aims to expand traditional medicine, reports regarding toxicology and poisoning put natural products' safety in check. Plants can accumulate heavy metals and metalloids leading to health risks; however, there is a lack of information on that matter, possibly due to a lack of international standardization regarding elemental contamination - this study aimed to determine metal and metalloid concentrations in slimming medicinal plants and their respective teas and evaluate their safety consumption. Metal and metalloid content were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). All plants and teas were within the set limits for tolerable upper intake level (UL), provisional tolerable daily maximum intake (PTDMI), and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The hazard quotient index (HQ) was above 1 for almost all plants, and the Hibiscus sabdariffa tea regarding aluminum content. The arsenic level was above the Brazilian Pharmacopeia limit in natura plants demonstrating risk in their consumption. Some herbs also presented detection for elements with no safety limits set, such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which could mark as a red flag for consumption once their security intake is not precise yet.

Chemical Characterization of Different Products from the Tunisian Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill

Various dried (by-)products from the Tunisian O. ficus-indica were elucidated for their proximate composition, fatty acid (FA) composition, inorganic elements, sugars, and polyphenols. Nopal and prickly pear peel and seeds were abundant in fiber (respectively, 28.39, 12.54, and 16.28%). Seeds had also high protein (17.34%) and may be source of an edible oil, due to lipids (9.65%) poor in saturated FAs (14.12%) and rich in linoleic acid (61.11%). Nopal and peel showed the highest levels of Mg (493.57 and 345.19 mg/100 g), K (6949.57 and 1820.83 mg/100 g), Mn (59.73 and 46.86 mg/Kg) and Fe (23.15 and 15.23 mg/Kg), while the fruit pulp predominantly constituted of sugars, glucose and arabinose being predominant (42.57 and 13.56 g/100 g). Total polyphenols widely varied among the Opuntia products (108.36-4785.36 mg GAE/100 g), being mainly represented by hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, and flavonoids as well. In particular, peel may be revalorized for these valuable bioactives, including 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (484.95 mg/100 g), cinnamic acid (318.95 mg/100 g), rutin (818.94 mg/100 g), quercetin (605.28 mg/100 g), and several isorhamnetin and kaempferol glycosides. Overall, the Tunisian prickly pear cactus could encourage a sustainable production, an effective waste management, and may provide several benefits for human health, in accordance with the model of the Mediterranean diet.

Mineral Composition in Delactosed Dairy Products: Quality and Safety Status

Mineral elements are ingested through the diet (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba, Tl, Pb, and Bi). Essential minerals have structural, biochemical, nutritional and catalytic functions; therefore, they are fundamental for human health. In this research, thirty commercial delactosed dairy products from different varieties were supplied by various markets in Sicily (Italy), and their mineral contents were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with the following aims: (1) to highlight the differences among various products; (2) to evaluate if it is possibly related to the analyzed samples of their product group; (3) to evaluate the nutritional quality and safety related to intake of these dairy products. Evident differences were found among the samples depending on the type of product. A good separation between mozzarella-on the one hand-and crescenza and primo sale-on the other-was observed. The mozzarella samples were distinguished by the higher Fe, V and Co contents, and the lower amount of Al. Based on shares of the RDA, the analyzed dairy samples are a good source of Ca (up to 58% of the nutrient reference values), with a relatively high concentration of Na (between 5.5% and 22%). Any safety risk for consumers due to exposures to toxic elements through analyzed samples is excluded. The obtained results give reason to expect further insight concerning the direct comparison between the delactosed and non-delactosed product, in order to evaluate if the manufacturing process can affect the content of some mineral.

An Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometric Method for the Determination of Toxic and Nutrient Metals in Spices after Pressure-Assisted Digestion

The aim of this study was to develop a simple and rapid inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric (ICP-OES) method for the determination of 17 metals (Ag, Al, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Tl and Zn) in packaged spices. For this purpose, the spice samples (200 mg) in the form of powder were submitted to pressure-assisted wet-acid digestion with a mixture of 6 mL concentrated HNO3 and 1 mL H2O2. The proposed method was validated in terms of linearity, trueness, precision, limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs). Good method trueness, precision and linearity were observed for the examined elements. The LODs of the examined analytes ranged between 0.08 and 5.95 mg kg−1. The present method was employed for the analysis of twenty-two packaged commercially available spices including asteroid anise, clove, cardamon, cinnamon, curry, coriander, turmeric, cumin, white pepper, black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, red pepper, paprika, ginger, green pepper and pink pepper from the Greek market that are widely consumed. A wide variety of metal of different concentration ranges were determined in the samples.

ICP-MS Assessment of Essential and Toxic Trace Elements in Foodstuffs with Different Geographic Origins Available in Romanian Supermarkets

The present study was conducted to quantify the daily intake and target hazard quotient of four essential elements, namely, chromium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, and four toxic trace elements, mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic. Thirty food items were assigned to five food categories (seeds, leaves, powders, beans, and fruits) and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Factor analysis after principal component extraction revealed common metal patterns in all foodstuffs, and using hierarchical cluster analysis, an association map was created to illustrate their similarity. The results indicate that the internationally recommended dietary allowance was exceeded for Cu and Cr in 27 and 29 foodstuffs, respectively. According to the tolerable upper level for Ni and Cu, everyday consumption of these elements through repeated consumption of seeds (fennel, opium poppy, and cannabis) and fruits (almond) can have adverse health effects. Moreover, a robust correlation between Cu and As (p < 0.001) was established when all samples were analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated an association between Pb, As, Co, and Ni in one group and Cr, Cu, Hg, and Cd in a second group, comprising 56.85% of the total variance. For all elements investigated, the cancer risk index was within safe limits, highlighting that lifetime consumption does not increase the risk of carcinogens.

Physicochemical, Nutritional, Microbiological, and Sensory Qualities of Chicken Burgers Reformulated with Mediterranean Plant Ingredients and Health-Promoting Compounds

The quality of chicken burgers reformulated by the partial replacement of meat by Mediterranean plant ingredients and enriched with peculiar amounts of n-3 PUFAs, Mg, Fe, Se, and folic acid, was evaluated in comparison to conventional chicken burgers. Specifically, two types of burger were developed, namely the "Sicilian burger"-based on cherry tomato and rosemary-and the "Mediterranean burger"-with basil leaves and thyme essential oil-every recipe being differentially functionalized according to the nutritional requirements of consumers, such as children, pregnant women and elderly. Mediterranean ingredients were responsible for different pH, color, and cooking loss between conventional and functional burgers. Except for n-3 PUFAs resulting poorly fortified, the functionalization with Mg, Fe, Se, and vitamin B9 was successful in all products. Considering the target consumer categories, the daily consumption of the functional burger may assure an intake of Mg, Fe, and Se equal, respectively, to 37.31-59.90%, 17.76-46.81%, and 27.20-50.05%, and a cover of vitamin B9 of 31.98-48.31% of the relative population reference intakes. Fortified products kept a good microbiological quality during 5 days of refrigerated storage, and, according to the sensorial descriptive analysis and the hedonic test, they showed a higher acceptability than conventional burgers.

Ca and Mg Concentrations in Spices and Growth of Commonly Sporulated and Non-Sporulated Food-Borne Microorganisms According to Marketing Systems

Ca and Mg levels were determined in five spices according to marketing system (in bulk or commercialized in glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers) and correlated with microbial growth of commonly sporulated (Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus) and non-sporulated (Listeria monocytogenes, psychrophilic and mesophilic bacteria, and yeasts and molds) food-borne pathogens present in them, when they were previously added to the microbial culture media. The basil had the highest mean Ca and Mg level and showed the highest microbial growth in the food-borne pathogenic microorganisms studied (p < 0.001). For Ca, the lowest levels were measured in cloves (p < 0.001), which had the lowest capacity for microbial contamination. Ca and Mg contents in spices correlated linear and positively (p < 0.05). Ca concentrations weakly and positively correlated (p < 0.05) with microbial counts for almost all studied microorganisms, and Mg levels for B. cereus, C. perfringens, and mesophilic bacteria (p < 0.05), possibly acting as a growing factor for some sporulated and non-sporulated foodborne pathogens. These relationships are especially significant when PET vs. glass was used as a packaging material for spices.

Stable Isotope Ratios of Herbs and Spices Commonly Used as Herbal Infusions in the Italian Market

Stable isotope ratio analysis has been widely used for traceability and authenticity purposes in relation to various food commodities, but only in a limited number of herb and spice species. This study explored the stable isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S, δ¹⁸O, and δ²H) of 119 herbs and spices belonging to 116 plant species and 57 plant families collected from the Italian market for the first time. The characteristic value ranges of δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S, δ¹⁸O, and δ²H of the herbs and spices went from -31.0 to -11.6, -4.7 to 12.0, -5.0 to 22.0, 14.7 to 46.0, and -158 to -12‰, respectively. The isotopic profiles within and between common botanical families and their similarity/dissimilarity between herbs and spices belonging to the common botanical families are also discussed here. The results of this exploratory work highlight the possibility of characterizing herbs and spices and suggest widening the scope of the survey through more extensive sampling and focusing on specific plant species.

Discrimination of Tunisian Honey by Mineral and Trace Element Chemometrics Profiling

The concentrations of 19 chemical elements have been determined in 36 honey samples of different botanical (wildflower, eucalyptus, eucalyptus red flowers, prickly pears, lemon blossom, thyme, almond, rosemary and jujube) honeys from the three geographical areas of Tunisia (Sidi Bouzid, Nabeul and Sfax) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The aim of this work was to use the multielement analysis together with chemometric tools to verify the botanical and the geographical origin of honeys. The correlation on the basis of mineral element content between the honey samples and their botanical and/or geographical origins was in some measure achieved. The data collected on the samples were also used to evaluate the nutritional quality and the potential health risks associated with elements via consumption of the Tunisian honey. According to the results obtained, the intake of essential elements was small, and the potential health risks associated with toxic or potentially toxic elements via consumption of this food were overall insignificant.

Spicy Herb Extracts as a Potential Improver of the Antioxidant Properties and Inhibitor of Enzymatic Browning and Endogenous Microbiota Growth in Stored Mung Bean Sprouts

The quality and shelf life of sprouts can be improved by postharvest application of water herb extracts. The effect of water infusions of marjoram, oregano, basil, and thyme on the phenolic content, antioxidant potential, and the microbiological and consumer quality of stored mung bean sprouts was studied. Compared to the control, the treatments increased total phenolic content. The highest amounts were determined in sprouts soaked in the thyme extract (6.8 mg/g d.m.). The infusions also inhibited the activity of enzymes utilizing phenolics, and marjoram and oregano were found to be the most effective. The increase in the level of phenolics was reflected in enhanced antioxidant properties (ability to quench cation radical ABTS^•+, reducing and chelating power). Both total phenolics and flavonoids, as well as antioxidant capacities, were highly bioaccessible in vitro. All the natural extracts effectively reduced the growth of total mesophilic bacteria, coliforms, and molds (they were more effective than ascorbic and kojic acids). The treatments did not exert a negative influence on the sensory properties or nutritional value of the sprouts, and even improved starch and protein digestibility. These results are very promising and may suggest a wider used of natural extracts as preservatives of minimally processed food.

Multi-element determination in chocolate bars by microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry

Macro- and microelement determination in chocolate bars by microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) was evaluated after microwave-assisted sample digestion. Optimization of the sample digestion was carried out, and the recommended conditions were obtained at a temperature of 190 °C, with a digestion time of 40 min and in a mixture constituted by 2.3 mL of nitric acid, 1.0 mL of hydrogen peroxide and 4.7 mL of water. The method was applied in the analysis of chocolate bars, and the concentration ranges of the elements determined were (in mg kg^-1): Ca (653-3096); Cr (<0.6-2.8); Cu (<0.16-19.5); Fe (<1.6-227); Mg (147-2775); K (3554-8573); Mn (<0.03-25.2); Na (45.6-1095); Ni (3.2-10.2); P (1111-22594) and Zn (4.8-33.3). The association of the proposed microwave-assisted acid digestion with the MIP OES technique was adequate for multi-element determination in chocolate bars for routine analysis.

Zn, Cu, and Fe Concentrations in Dehydrated Herbs (Thyme, Rosemary, Cloves, Oregano, and Basil) and the Correlation with the Microbial Counts of Listeria monocytogenes and Other Foodborne Pathogens

Zn, Cu, and Fe concentrations were measured in dehydrated herbs (thyme, rosemary, cloves, oregano, and basil) marketed in bulk or packaged in glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Microbial counts of Listeria monocytogenes and other five foodborne pathogens were also checked when herbs were previously added to the growing media. The highest mean concentrations were found in basil for Zn and Cu, and in thyme and basil for Fe; the lowest ones for these minerals were in cloves (p < 0.05). Basil had significantly higher microbial counts in five of the six foodborne pathogens studied (p < 0.05). Cloves have the best hygienic quality as there is no microbial growth of L. monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, and Bacillus cereus; they therefore could be used as a natural preservative in food. Aromatic herbs marketed in bulk showed a significantly higher microbial count (p < 0.05). Zn, Cu, and Fe concentrations were positively correlated with microbial growth for L. monocytogenes, C. perfringens, B. cereus, and psychrophilic microorganisms (p < 0.05), so they could act as a growing factor for the foodborne pathogens.

Recent Techniques in Nutrient Analysis for Food Composition Database

Food composition database (FCD) provides the nutritional composition of foods. Reliable and up-to date FCD is important in many aspects of nutrition, dietetics, health, food science, biodiversity, plant breeding, food industry, trade and food regulation. FCD has been used extensively in nutrition labelling, nutritional analysis, research, regulation, national food and nutrition policy. The choice of method for the analysis of samples for FCD often depends on detection capability, along with ease of use, speed of analysis and low cost. Sample preparation is the most critical stage in analytical method development. Samples can be prepared using numerous techniques; however it should be applicable for a wide range of analytes and sample matrices. There are quite a number of significant improvements on sample preparation techniques in various food matrices for specific analytes highlighted in the literatures. Improvements on the technology used for the analysis of samples by specific instrumentation could provide an alternative to the analyst to choose for their laboratory requirement. This review provides the reader with an overview of recent techniques that can be used for sample preparation and instrumentation for food analysis which can provide wide options to the analysts in providing data to their FCD.