Journal of Probiotics & Health
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-8901
ISSN: 2329-8901
Alberto Ritieni
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Prob Health
Cynarascolymus is a plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, native of Sicily. The edible portion, the head, is widely consumed all over the world, raw or boiled, not only as a tasty food but also because of its known health properties. The artichoke is rich in natural fiber, minerals, vitamins and has a low lipid content; it is also rich in polyphenolic compounds, mainly caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids, responsible for its healthy properties. The agro-food industries are involved in the selection of products that can be sold as fresh-cut products, so genotype is the most important factor to consider.According to the different genotypes, grown products will differ for size, color, flavor, texture, nutrition, pest resistance, eating quality and yield; in particular, artichoke heads should have some quality traits (fullness, safety, freshness, cleanness) defined by the European legislation.The choice of the best genotype is based on the assessment of physiological and biochemical parameters that can increase the storage, because this is the main characteristic sought by manufacturers and retailers in order to sell fresh produce.The aim of the present work was to evaluate the polyphenolic profile and nutraceutical potential of some commercially interesting artichoke genotypes. In addition, since particular attention has been recently given to the waste productsresulting from the industrial processing of fruits and vegetables as sources of bioactive compounds,the attention was also focused on artichoke stems and leaves, in order to discover promising new sources of natural antioxidants, functional foods, and nutraceuticals, both from edible and waste food products.
Alberto Ritieni has a degree in Biology, 1985 and received a degree Honor in ?Cause in Agricultural and Natural Sciences?, 2010 from the University of Constantain Romania. His scientific responsible search focuses on food safety for the presence of natural contaminants, mycotoxins, pesticides, plasticizers, etc. and development of new functional foods dedicated to the prevention of cardio-vascular and metabolic diseases through a nutraceutical approach. He is the author of over 180scientific publications in international journals, book chapters devoted to food chemistry. He is part of several Editorial Boards including the Journal of Chemistry and Food Chemistry prestigious journal published by Elsevier .