Francesco Donsì

Bio: Francesco Donsì is an academic researcher from University of Salerno. The author has contributed to research in topics: Emulsion & Partial oxidation. The author has an hindex of 38, co-authored 113 publications receiving 4872 citations. Previous affiliations of Francesco Donsì include University of Minnesota & Unilever.

Nanoencapsulation of essential oils to enhance their antimicrobial activity in foods

Abstract: This work focuses on the encapsulation of essential oils into nanometric delivery systems for incorporation into fruit juices, in order to enhance their antimicrobial activity while minimizing the impact on the quality attributes of the final product. A terpenes mixture and d -limonene were encapsulated into nanoemulsions based on food-grade ingredients, prepared by high pressure homogenization at 300 MPa. The effect of the delivery systems on the antimicrobial activity of terpenes was investigated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for three different classes of microorganisms (Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Escherichia coli). The increase of the antimicrobial activity resulted to depend on the formulation and mean diameter of the delivery systems as well as on the microorganisms class. Additionally, GC–MS analysis revealed that high intensity processing for nanoemulsion production may affect the chemical stability of several active compounds. The application of the most efficient antimicrobial nanocapsules was tested in pear and orange juices inoculated with L. delbrueckii. Due to the higher antimicrobial activity of the nanoencapsulated compounds, lower antimicrobial concentrations are required for a bactericidal action under accelerated aging at 32 °C, with a minimal alteration of the organoleptic properties of the juice.

Applications of Pulsed Electric Field Treatments for the Enhancement of Mass Transfer from Vegetable Tissue

Abstract: In the last decades, several non-thermal technologies have been proposed as alternative to the traditional ones to improve the competitiveness of the food industry. The key to success was identified in offering to food industries the opportunity to improve food quality, to introduce new foods in the market, and to optimize the processing procedures while reducing energy costs. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) showed the potential to be one of the most promising novel technologies to reach these objectives. The application of PEF as a pretreatment of permeabilization of vegetable and animal tissue to enhance the efficiency of mass transfer of water or of valuable compounds from biological matrices demonstrated its efficiency in drying, extraction, and diffusion processes. This article reviews the basic mechanisms of electroporation of plant tissues, discusses the methods of detection of electrically induced cell damage, and analyses the influence of process parameters on the efficiency of the treatment. Furthermore, this article focuses on the applications of PEF, its advantages, and energy costs in different fields of food processing, such as juice expression, drying, and extraction, with special emphasis on the relevance of PEF to the winemaking industry.

Inductive Teaching and Learning Methods: Definitions, Comparisons, and Research Bases

Abstract: Traditional engineering instruction is deductive, beginning with theories and progressing to the applications of those theories Alternative teaching approaches are more inductive Topics are introduced by presenting specific observations, case studies or problems, and theories are taught or the students are helped to discover them only after the need to know them has been established This study reviews several of the most commonly used inductive teaching methods, including inquiry learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, case-based teaching, discovery learning, and just-in-time teaching The paper defines each method, highlights commonalities and specific differences, and reviews research on the effectiveness of the methods While the strength of the evidence varies from one method to another, inductive methods are consistently found to be at least equal to, and in general more effective than, traditional deductive methods for achieving a broad range of learning outcomes

Essential oils in food preservation: mode of action, synergies, and interactions with food matrix components.

Abstract: Essential oils are aromatic and volatile liquids extracted from plants. The chemicals in essential oils are secondary metabolites, which play an important role in plant defense as they often possess antimicrobial properties. The interest in essential oils and their application in food preservation has been amplified in recent years by an increasingly negative consumer perception of synthetic preservatives. Furthermore, food-borne diseases are a growing public health problem worldwide, calling for more effective preservation strategies. The antibacterial properties of essential oils and their constituents have been documented extensively. Pioneering work has also elucidated the mode of action of a few essential oil constituents, but detailed knowledge about most of the compounds’ mode of action is still lacking. This knowledge is particularly important to predict their effect on different microorganisms, how they interact with food matrix components, and how they work in combination with other antimicrobial compounds. The main obstacle for using essential oil constituents as food preservatives is that they are most often not potent enough as single components, and they cause negative organoleptic effects when added in sufficient amounts to provide an antimicrobial effect. Exploiting synergies between several compounds has been suggested as a solution to this problem. However, little is known about which interactions lead to synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects. Such knowledge could contribute to design of new and more potent antimicrobial blends, and to understand the interplay between the constituents of crude essential oils. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of current knowledge about the antibacterial properties and antibacterial mode of action of essential oils and their constituents, and to identify research avenues that can facilitate implementation of essential oils as natural preservatives in foods.

Recovery of high added-value components from food wastes: Conventional, emerging technologies and commercialized applications

Abstract: Food wastes are today considered as a cheap source of valuable components since the existent technologies allow the recovery of target compounds and their recycling inside food chain as functional additives in different products. The goal of the current article is to classify food waste sources and high-added value ingredients prior to exploring the recovery stages, conventional and emerging technologies applied from the raw material to the final or encapsulated product. Safety and cost aspects were discussed, too, while a survey of patented methodologies leading to real products was listed, with a final purpose of discussing the prevalent problems that restrict the commercialization of similar procedures.

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of synbiotics

Abstract: In May 2019, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) convened a panel of nutritionists, physiologists and microbiologists to review the definition and scope of synbiotics. The panel updated the definition of a synbiotic to “a mixture comprising live microorganisms and substrate(s) selectively utilized by host microorganisms that confers a health benefit on the host”. The panel concluded that defining synbiotics as simply a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics could suppress the innovation of synbiotics that are designed to function cooperatively. Requiring that each component must meet the evidence and dose requirements for probiotics and prebiotics individually could also present an obstacle. Rather, the panel clarified that a complementary synbiotic, which has not been designed so that its component parts function cooperatively, must be composed of a probiotic plus a prebiotic, whereas a synergistic synbiotic does not need to be so. A synergistic synbiotic is a synbiotic for which the substrate is designed to be selectively utilized by the co-administered microorganisms. This Consensus Statement further explores the levels of evidence (existing and required), safety, effects upon targets and implications for stakeholders of the synbiotic concept. Gut microbiota can be manipulated to benefit host health, including the use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. This Consensus Statement outlines the definition and scope of the term ‘synbiotics’ as determined by an expert panel convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics in May 2019.