The concentration of oleocanthal in olive oil waste

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of oleocanthal in olive pomace waste and compare this to its concentration in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The concentration of oleocanthal in freshly pressed EVOO and its subsequent waste was analysed at early, mid and late season harvests. Oleocanthal concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography&ndash;mass spectrometry. In oil, oleocanthal concentration was as follows: 123.24 &plusmn; 6.48 mg kg&macr;&sup1;1 in early harvest, 114.20 &plusmn; 17.42 mg kg&macr;&sup1; in mid harvest and 152.22 &plusmn; 10.54 mg kg&macr;&sup1; in late harvest. Its concentration in waste was determined to be: 128.25 &plusmn; 11.33 mg kg&macr;&sup1; in early harvest, 112.15 &plusmn; 1.51mg kg&macr;&sup1; in mid harvest and 62.35 &plusmn; 8.00 mg kg&macr;&sup1; in late harvest. Overall, olive pomace waste is a valuable source of oleocanthal.<br /

Chemosensory abilities in consumers of a western-style diet

People vary in their habitual diet and also in their chemosensory abilities. In this study we examined whether consumption of a Western-style diet, rich in saturated fat and added sugar, is associated with either poorer or different patterns of chemosensory perception, relative to people who consume a healthier diet. Participants were selected based on a food frequency questionnaire, which established whether they were likely to consume a diet either higher or lower in saturated fat and added sugar. Eighty-seven participants were tested for olfactory ability (threshold, discrimination, identification), gustatory ability (PROP sensitivity, taste intensity, quality and hedonics), and flavour processing (using dairy fat-sugar-odour mixtures). A Western-style diet was associated with poorer odour identification ability, greater PROP sensitivity, poorer fat discrimination, different patterns of sweetness taste enhancement, and hedonic differences in taste and flavour perception. No differences were evident for odour discrimination or threshold, in perception of taste intensity/quality (excluding PROP) or the ability of fats to affect flavour perception. The significant relationships were of small to moderate effect size, and would be expected to work against consuming a healthier diet. The discussion focuses on whether these diet-related differences precede adoption of a Western-style diet and/or are a consequence of it

How does decision-making change during challenging times?

Prospect Theory, proposed and developed by Kahneman and Tversky, demonstrated that people do not make rational decisions based on expected utility, but are instead biased by specific cognitive tendencies leading to neglect, under- or over- consider information, depending on the context of presentation. In this vein, the present paper focuses on whether and how individual decision-making attitudes are prone to change in the presence of globally challenging events. We ran three partial replications of the Kahneman and Tversky (1979) paper, focusing on a set of eight prospects, after a terror attack (Paris, November 2015, 134 subjects) and during the Covid-19 pandemic, both during the first lockdown in Italy (Spring 2020, 176 subjects) and after the first reopening (140 subjects). The results confirm patterns of choice characterizing uncertain times, as shown by previous literature. In particular, we note significant increase of risk aversion, both in the gain and in the loss domains, that consistently emerged in the three replications. Given the nature of our sample, and the heterogeneity between the three periods investigated, we suggest that the phenomenon we present can be explained stress-related effects on decision making rather than by other economic effects, such as the income effect

Micronutrient supplement use and diet quality in university students

Many national and international public health organisations recommend achieving nutrient adequacy through consumption of a wide variety of nutritious foods. Despite this, dietary supplement sales continue to increase. Understanding the characteristics of micronutrient supplement users and the relationship with diet quality can help develop effective public health interventions to reduce unnecessary consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements. Participants (n = 1306) were a convenience sample of students studying first year food and nutrition. Data was collected via a Food and Diet Questionnaire (FDQ) and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Supplement users were defined as participants who indicated consuming any listed supplement as frequently as once a month or more. Diet quality was assessed using a Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) score. Prevalence of supplement use was high in this study population with 56% of participants reporting supplement use; the most popular supplements consumed were multivitamins (28%) and vitamin C (28%). A higher DGI score was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of supplement use (mean: 105 &plusmn; 18 vs. 109 &plusmn; 17, p = 0.001). Micronutrient supplement use was associated with a higher DGI score, suggesting that supplements are more likely to be used by those who are less likely to require them

Biological Activities of Phenolic Compounds Present in Virgin Olive Oil

The Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower incidence of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of cancer. The apparent health benefits have been partially ascribed to the dietary consumption of virgin olive oil by Mediterranean populations. Much research has focused on the biologically active phenolic compounds naturally present in virgin olive oils to aid in explaining reduced mortality and morbidity experienced by people consuming a traditional Mediterranean diet. Studies (human, animal, in vivo and in vitro) have demonstrated that olive oil phenolic compounds have positive effects on certain physiological parameters, such as plasma lipoproteins, oxidative damage, inflammatory markers, platelet and cellular function, antimicrobial activity and bone health. This paper summarizes current knowledge on the bioavailability and biological activities of olive oil phenolic compounds

Consumer Perception, Attitudes, Liking and Preferences for Olive Oil

The consumption of healthful olive oil (OO) has grown considerably over the past 20 years, particularly in areas outside of Europe. To meet this demand, worldwide production of OO has doubled over this time period. Greece, Italy and Spain remain the major producers of this commodity; however, significant growth in production has also occurred in countries such as Australia and the US. OO consumption is closely associated with the traditional Mediterranean diet. It is likely that the potential health benefits of using OO as a primary dietary fat have been a driver of increased intake, but undoubtedly other factors will be involved. An understanding of the factors that influence consumers’ perceptions, attitudes, liking and preferences for OO will be of benefit to the OO sector. Olive growers, OO manufacturers, packaging specialists and marketers, etc. can utilize these insights to aid in the development and delivery of OO products in line with consumer needs and wants, and help drive further growth in this sector particularly with regard to new and emerging markets. The following chapter details information on the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that have demonstrated an influence on consumer perception, attitudes, liking and preferences for OO