simonetta.caira

Scopus Publications

Dietary glycated peptides from UHT Milk reach the human circulatory system
Simonetta Caira, Gabriella Pinto, Gianluca Picariello, Sabrina De Pascale, Mariapia Esposito, et al.
Food Chemistry, 2026
Insights into Bioactive Molecules in Rhododendron tomentosum: From Metabolomics to Biological Applications
Giovanna Schiavone, Paola Imbimbo, Sabrina De Pascale, Rosalia Ferracane, Simonetta Caira, et al.
Biomolecules, 2026
Rhododendron tomentosum is an aromatic plant belonging to the Ericaceae family, widely used for different applications, but still lacking in its molecular signature. This work provides a complete chemical and biological characterization of the hydroalcoholic extract of R. tomentosum tips of twigs. Combining untargeted metabolomic analysis with bioassays, a correlation between chemical composition and biological activity was defined. To this regard, liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed a heterogeneous chemical composition, including flavonoids, such as quercetin, catechin, and their derivatives, as well as a first tentative identification of novel aesculin derivatives. Cell-based model experiments on stressed immortalized human keratinocytes demonstrated the antioxidant activity of the extract. Moreover, it exhibited significant antifungal and antibacterial effects against Trichoderma atroviride AGR2, Botrytis cinerea, and Clavibacter michiganensis, while promoting the growth of the beneficial bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. These findings highlight the rich diversity of bioactive molecules present in R. tomentosum hydroalcoholic extract, bridging its chemical composition to its functional properties. Overall, these results suggest its promising potential for applications in improving plant health, as well as in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agricultural industries.
Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles from Donkey Colostrum and Mature Milk
Simonetta Caira, Sandra Buratta, Silvia Vincenzetti, Raffaella Latella, Matteo Seccaroni, et al.
Metabolites, 2025
Background/Objectives: Donkey milk (DM) has been considered a valuable alternative to human and bovine counterparts as well as to infant formulas. Milk extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been proposed to influence key biological processes. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the protein composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by extending quantitative proteomic comparisons to EVs derived from donkey colostrum (DC) and mature donkey milk (MDM). Methods: The EVs were isolated from DC and MDM samples, characterized, and subjected to proteomic analysis using the tandem mass tag-based quantitative approach. Results: In addition to typical milk proteins and EV markers, EVs from DC and MDM both contain components associated with the immune system, immune response, or promoting tissue repair, and assisting with communication between the infant and their environment. The EVs from DC were enriched in proteins associated with protein turnover, specific defense functions, and regenerative processes. Conclusions: Overall, the results can contribute to the broader characterization of the overall protein composition of DC and MDM and might help to predict the beneficial effects of the corresponding EVs on various mammalian cells. They may also provide valuable insights for the development of novel DM-based products for food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological applications.
A cheese or not a cheese? Proteomics redefines the regulatory categorization of mascarpone
Gianluca Picariello, Olga Fierro, Simonetta Caira, Francesco Siano, Francesco Addeo
Food Bioscience, 2025
Proteolysis and volatile compounds in Mediterranean buffalo milk blue cheese: Quality determinants and functional peptides
Federica Della Cerra, Giuseppina Garro, Rosaria Cozzolino, Sabrina De Pascale, Mariapia Esposito, et al.
Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 2025
Integrated Gel Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry Approach for Detecting and Quantifying Extraneous Milk in Protected Designation of Origin Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese
Sabrina De Pascale, Giuseppina Garro, Silvia Ines Pellicano, Andrea Scaloni, Stefania Carpino, et al.
Foods, 2025
Ensuring the authenticity of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (MdBC), a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese, is essential for regulatory enforcement and consumer protection. This study evaluates a multi-technology analytical platform developed to detect adulteration due to the addition of non-buffalo milk or non-PDO buffalo milk in PDO dairy buffalo products. Peripheral laboratories use gel electrophoresis combined with polyclonal antipeptide antibodies for initial screening, enabling the detection of foreign caseins, including those originating outside the PDO-designated regions. For more precise identification, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) differentiates species by detecting proteotypic peptides. In cases requiring confirmation, nano-liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS) is used in central state laboratories for the highly sensitive detection of extraneous milk proteins in PDO buffalo MdBC cheese. On the other hand, analysis of the pH 4.6 soluble fraction from buffalo blue cheese identified 2828 buffalo-derived peptides and several bovine specific peptides, confirming milk adulteration. Despite a lower detection extent in the pH 4.6 insoluble fraction following tryptic hydrolysis, the presence of bovine peptides was still sufficient to verify fraud. This integrated proteomic approach, which combines electrophoresis and mass spectrometry technologies, significantly improves milk adulteration detection, providing a robust tool to face increasingly sophisticated fraudulent practices.
Challenges in Using the Official Italian Method to Detect Bovine Whey Proteins in Protected Designation of Origin Buffalo Mozzarella: A Proteomic Approach to Face Observed Limits
Federica Della Cerra, Mariapia Esposito, Simonetta Caira, Andrea Scaloni, Francesco Addeo
Foods, 2025
This study critically examines the limitations of the official Italian methodology used for detecting bovine adulteration milk in Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (MdBC). This method focuses on the whey fraction of cheese samples, which comprises about 1% of total MdBC proteins, and is based on a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantification of the bovine β-lactoglobulin A (β-Lg A) as a marker. Here, we have demonstrated that this official methodology suffers from measurement inconsistencies due to its reliance on raw bovine whey standards, which fail to account for β-Lg genetic polymorphisms in real MdBC samples and protein thermal modifications during cheesemaking. To overcome these limitations, we propose a dual proteomics-based approach using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and nano-HPLC-electrospray (ESI)−tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis of MdBC extracted whey. MALDI-TOF-MS focused on identifying proteotypic peptides specific to bovine and buffalo β-Lg and α-lactalbumin (α-La), enabling high specificity for distinguishing the two animal species at adulteration levels as low as 1%. Complementing this, nano-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS provided a comprehensive profile by identifying over 100 bovine-specific peptide markers from β-Lg, α-La, albumin, lactoferrin, and osteopontin. Both methods ensured precise detection and quantification of bovine milk adulteration in complex matrices like pasta filata cheeses, achieving high sensitivity even at minimal adulteration levels. Accordingly, the proposed dual proteomics-based approach overcomes challenges associated with whey protein polymorphism, heat treatment, and processing variability, and complements casein-based methodologies already validated under European standards. This integrated framework of analyses focused on whey and casein fraction enhances the reliability of adulteration detection and safeguards the authenticity of PDO buffalo mozzarella, upholding its unique quality and integrity.
Impact of β-casein variants on the formation of β-casomorphins in blue cheeses: Investigating key drivers through peptidomic analysis
Simonetta Caira, Gianluca Picariello, Sabrina De Pascale, Antonio Dario Troise, Alfonso Piscitelli, et al.
Food Research International, 2025
Indigestible proteins and peptide-bound AGEs in ultra-processed foods: Dulce de leche as a model of severely transformed protein food systems
Gianluca Picariello, Simonetta Caira, Gabriella Pinto, Francesco Siano, Francesca Marino, et al.
Food Bioscience, 2024
Beyond the gut: Investigating the mechanism of formation of β-casomorphins in human blood
Simonetta Caira, Antonio Dario Troise, Gianluca Picariello, Sabrina De Pascale, Gabriella Pinto, et al.
Food Chemistry, 2024
Ex vivo degradation of β-Casomorphin-7 by human plasma peptidases: Potential implications for peptide systemic effects
Sabrina De Pascale, Gianluca Picariello, Antonio Dario Troise, Simonetta Caira, Gabriella Pinto, et al.
Journal of Functional Foods, 2024
A Genotyping Method for Detecting Foreign Buffalo Material in Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Cheese Using Allele-Specific- and Single-Tube Heminested-Polymerase Chain Reaction
Rosario Rullo, Simonetta Caira, Ioana Nicolae, Francesca Marino, Francesco Addeo, et al.
Foods, 2023
Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production
Simonetta Caira, Pasquale Ferranti
Sustainable Food Science A Comprehensive Approach Volumes 1 4, 2023
Old and New Technological Processes to Produce Ingredients From New Sources: Characterization of Polyphenols Compounds in Food and Industrial Wastes
Gabriella Pinto, Anna Illiano, Simonetta Caira, Francesco Addeo, Pasquale Ferranti, et al.
Sustainable Food Science A Comprehensive Approach Volumes 1 4, 2023
In vivo absorptomics: Identification of bovine milk-derived peptides in human plasma after milk intake
Simonetta Caira, Gabriella Pinto, Gianluca Picariello, Paola Vitaglione, Sabrina De Pascale, et al.
Food Chemistry, 2022
Proteomic characterisation and phylogenetic derivation of ovine αS1-CN B and αS1-CN G genetic variants
Sabrina De Pascale, Simonetta Caira, Giuseppina Garro, Rosalba Mauriello, Andrea Scaloni, et al.
International Dairy Journal, 2022
Recent developments in peptidomics for the quali-quantitative analysis of food-derived peptides in human body fluids and tissues
Simonetta Caira, Gianluca Picariello, Giovanni Renzone, Simona Arena, Antonio Dario Troise, et al.
Trends in Food Science and Technology, 2022
Polyphenol profiling of chestnut pericarp, integument and curing water extracts to qualify these food by-products as a source of antioxidants
Gabriella Pinto, Sabrina De Pascale, Maria Aponte, Andrea Scaloni, Francesco Addeo, et al.
Molecules, 2021
Occurrence of quantitative genetic polymorphism at the caprine β-CN locus, as determined by a proteomic approach
Maria Adalgisa Nicolai, Giuseppina Garro, Simonetta Caira, Rosalba Mauriello, Maria Quarto, et al.
International Dairy Journal, 2021
Olive oil from the 79 A.D. Vesuvius eruption stored at the Naples National Archaeological Museum (Italy)
Raffaele Sacchi, Adele Cutignano, Gianluca Picariello, Antonello Paduano, Alessandro Genovese, et al.
Npj Science of Food, 2020
Proteolysis and Process-Induced Modifications in Synbiotic Yogurt Investigated by Peptidomics and Phosphopeptidomics
Gabriella Pinto, Gianluca Picariello, Francesco Addeo, Lina Chianese, Andrea Scaloni, et al.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2020
Effect of Trichoderma Bioactive Metabolite Treatments on the Production, Quality, and Protein Profile of Strawberry Fruits
Nadia Lombardi, Anna Maria Salzano, Antonio Dario Troise, Andrea Scaloni, Paola Vitaglione, et al.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2020
Trichoderma Applications on Strawberry Plants Modulate the Physiological Processes Positively Affecting Fruit Production and Quality
Nadia Lombardi, Simonetta Caira, Antonio Dario Troise, Andrea Scaloni, Paola Vitaglione, et al.
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020
Article influence of the casein composite genotype on milk quality and coagulation properties in the endangered agerolese cattle breed
Sara Albarella, Maria Selvaggi, Emanuele D’Anza, Gianfranco Cosenza, Simonetta Caira, et al.
Animals, 2020
The antimicrobial peptides casocidins I and II: Solution structural studies in water and different membrane-mimetic environments
Flavia Anna Mercurio, Andrea Scaloni, Simonetta Caira, Marilisa Leone
Peptides, 2019