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During alcoholic fermentation, ethanol accumulation significantly impacts yeast cells by disrupting membrane integrity, increasing permeability, and reducing cell viability. This study evaluated the effects of ethanol stress on the growth, membrane fluidity, and cell surface morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeast strains, specifically Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima. These strains, commercialized by AEB SpA and preserved at the Unimore Microbial Culture Collection (UMCC), were tested for fermentative performance in grape must and grown under varying ethanol concentrations. Membrane fluidity was measured using Laurdan generalized polarization (GP), while Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) assessed cell surface morphology. Results indicated that at 10% ethanol, membrane fluidity increased, particularly in strains able to tolerate up to 16% ethanol, which also demonstrated superior fermentative performance. Less tolerant strains, such as T. delbrueckii UMCC 5 and M. pulcherrima UMCC 15, showed smaller increases in fluidity. At 18% ethanol, these strains exhibited severely altered surface morphology and larger surface roughness values, suggesting increased instability under high ethanol stress, while more tolerant strains displayed better-preserved surface morphology and lower roughness values, reflecting enhanced adaptability. These findings offer insights into yeast responses to ethanol stress, supporting the development of more resilient strains for improved fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the role of microwave cooking in reducing mycotoxin contamination in plant-based food matrices, with a focus on veggie burgers (purchased and home-made) and their ingredients (soybean, potatoes, zucchini, carrots). Two different conditions were studied (Max–Min) that were 800 W for 60 s and 800 W for 90 s, respectively. The degradation patterns of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), fumonisins (FB1, FB2, FB3), trichothecenes (T2, HT2, ZEA), and ochratoxin A (OTA) were studied. The extraction procedures were conducted with the QuEChERS extraction, and the analyses were conducted with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that degradation under microwave cooking varies considerably across different food matrices and cooking conditions. This study provides valuable insights into the degradation of mycotoxins during microwave cooking and underscores the need for more research in this area to ensure food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a wide pool of lactic acid bacteria strains deposited in two recognized culture collections was tested against ropy bread spoilage bacteria, specifically belonging to Bacillus spp., Paenibacillus spp., and Lysinibacillus spp. High-throughput and ex vivo screening assays were performed to select the best candidates. They were further investigated to detect the production of active antimicrobial metabolites and bacteriocins. Moreover, technological and safety features were assessed to value their suitability as biocontrol agents for the production of clean-label bakery products. The most prominent inhibitory activities were shown by four strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (NFICC19, NFICC 72, NFICC163, and NFICC 293), two strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus (NFICC10 and NFICC341), and Leuconostoc citreum NFICC28. Moreover, the whole genome sequencing of the selected LAB strains and the in silico analysis showed that some of the strains contain operons for bacteriocins; however, no significant evidence was observed phenotypically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, approximately 30–50% of food is wasted from post-harvesting to consumer usage. Typical examples of food by-products are fruit peels and pomace, seeds, and others. A large part of these matrices is still discarded in landfills, while a small portion is valorized for bioprocessing. In this context, a feasible strategy to valorize food by-products consists of their use for the production of bioactive compounds and nanofillers, which can be further used to functionalize biobased packaging materials. The focus of this research was to create an efficient methodology for the extraction of cellulose from leftover orange peel after juice processing and for its conversion into cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for use in bionanocomposite films for packaging materials. Orange CNCs were characterized by TEM and XRD analyses and added as reinforcing agents into chitosan/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (CS/HPMC) films enriched with lauroyl arginate ethyl (LAE). It was evaluated how CNCs and LAE affected the technical and functional characteristics of CS/HPMC films. CNCs revealed needle-like shapes with an aspect ratio of 12.5, and average length and width of 500 nm and 40 nm, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy confirmed the high compatibility of the CS/HPMC blend with CNCs and LAE. The inclusion of CNCs increased the films' tensile strength, light barrier, and water vapor barrier properties while reducing their water solubility. The addition of LAE improved the films' flexibility and gave them biocidal efficacy against the main bacterial pathogens that cause foodborne illness, such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, academic research and industries have gained awareness about the economic, environmental, and social impacts of conventional plastic packaging and its disposal. This consciousness has oriented efforts towards more sustainable materials such as biopolymers, paving the way for the "green era" of food packaging. This review provides a schematic overview about polymers and blends of them, which are emerging as promising alternatives to conventional plastics. Focus was dedicated to biopolymers from renewable sources and their applications to produce sustainable, active packaging with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In particular, the incorporation of plant extracts, food-waste derivatives, and nano-sized materials to produce bio-based active packaging with enhanced technical performances was investigated. According to recent studies, bio-based active packaging enriched with natural-based compounds has the potential to replace petroleum-derived materials. Based on molecular composition, the natural compounds can diversely interact with the native structure of the packaging materials, modulating their barriers, optical and mechanical performances, and conferring them antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Overall, the recent academic findings could lead to a breakthrough in the field of food packaging, opening the gates to a new generation of packaging solutions which will be sustainable, customised, and green. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, eight lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, previously isolated from traditional and gluten-free sourdoughs, and selected for their potential in improving the sensory and rheological quality of bakery products, were screened against some common spoilage agents. The anti-mould activity was tested using strains of the species Fusarium graminearum, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium paneum and Aspergillus niger. Regarding the antibacterial activity, it was assessed against four strains of the species Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes. Furthermore, LAB strains were evaluated for their ability to produce exopolysaccharides, which are gaining considerable attention for their functional properties and applicability in different food industrial applications. A strain-specific behaviour against the moulds was observed. In particular, F. graminearum ITEM 5356 was completely inhibited by all the LAB strains. Regarding the antibacterial activity, the strains Leuconostoc citreum UMCC 3011, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum UMCC 2996, and Pediococcus pentosaceus UMCC 3010 showed wide activity against the tested pathogens. Moreover, all the LAB strains were able to produce exopolysaccharides, which were preliminarily characterized. The assessed features of the LAB strains allow us to consider them as promising candidates for single or multiple starter cultures for food fermentation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, twelve strains of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) belonging to five different genera were tested for their ability to produce levan, at 70 and 250 g/L of sucrose concentration, respectively. The fructan produced by the bacterial strains was characterized as levan by NMR spectroscopy. Most of the strains produced levan, highlighting intra- and inter-species variability. High yield was observed for Neoasaia chiangmaiensis NBRC 101099 T, Kozakia baliensis DSM 14400 T and Gluconobacter cerinus DSM 9533 T at 70 g/L of sucrose. A 12-fold increase was observed for N. chiangmaiensis NBRC 101099 T at 250 g/L of sucrose concentration. Levan production was found to be affected by glucose accumulation and pH reduction, especially in Ko. baliensis DSM 14400 T. All the Gluconobacter strains showed a negative correlation with the increase in sucrose concentration. Among strains of Komagataeibacter genus, no clear effect of sucrose on levan yield was found. Results obtained in this study highlighted the differences in levan yield among AAB strains and showed interdependence between culture conditions, carbon source utilization, and time of incubation. On the contrary, the levan yield was not always related to the sucrose concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Some Procellariiformes use an alternation of short tips and long trips to feed their chick. During these trips, they can accumulate stomach oil in the proventriculus derived from partially digested preys. The stomach oil was collected from adults of Calonectris diomedea from Linosa islands for fatty acids composition investigation. The results showed differences in fatty acid composition between the initial rearing period and the period near fledging. The present work gives a contribution to deepen the ecology and feeding strategies of the C. diomedea colony in Linosa island (Southern Italy). Calonectris diomedea is a Procellariforms seabird having a very representative colony in Linosa Island (Southern Italy). The adult forms of C. diomedea produce a pasty oil from their proventriculus to feed their chicks during the rearing period. In this work, we examined the fatty acids composition of the stomach oil of C. diomedea from Linosa Island by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The samples were collected at 20 and 70 days after hatching. Twenty different fatty acids (FAs) were identified. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were the most abundant in percentage (41.6%) at day 20 followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 38.7%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 19.7%). MUFAs were the most abundant in samples collected at day 70 (53.8%), followed by SFAs (36.6%) and PUFAs (9.8%). Oleic acid (C18:1ω9) in the samples on day 70 was 4 times higher than that in the samples on day 20. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) verified a clear separation of the stomach oil samples in two groups, according to the day of sampling. The results obtained confirm the role of FAs analysis of stomach oil to understand the ecology and breeding behaviour of C. diomedea, highlighting a resemblance with signatures recorded in marine organisms of Linosa Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sourdough is a composite ecosystem largely characterized by yeasts and lactic acid bacteria which are the main players in the fermentation process. The specific strains involved are influenced by several factors including the chemical and enzyme composition of the flour and the sourdough production technology. For many decades the scientific community has explored the microbiological, biochemical, technological and nutritional potential of sourdoughs. Traditionally, sourdoughs have been used to improve the organoleptic properties, texture, digestibility, palatability, and safety of bread and other kinds of baked products. Recently, novel sourdough-based biotechnological applications have been proposed to meet the demand of consumers for healthier and more natural food and offer new inputs for the food industry. Many researchers have focused on the beneficial effects of specific enzymatic activities or compounds, such as exopolysaccharides, with both technological and functional roles. Additionally, many studies have explored the ability of sourdough lactic acid bacteria to produce antifungal compounds for use as bio-preservatives. This review provides an overview of the fundamental features of sourdoughs and their exploitation to develop high value-added products with beneficial microorganisms and/or their metabolites, which can positively impact human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature and time are two critical parameters in sous vide cooking which directly affect eating quality characteristics and food safety. This study aimed to evaluate physicochemical and microbiological properties of sous vide chicken breast fillets cooked at twelve different combinations of temperature (60, 70, and 80 °C) and time (60, 90, 120, and 150 min). The results showed that cooking temperature played a major role in the moisture content, cooking loss, pH, a* color value, shear force, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Increasing cooking temperature caused an increase in cooking loss, lipid oxidation, TBARS, and pH, while moisture content was reduced (p < 0.05). Cooking time played a minor role and only moisture content, cooking loss, and a* color value were affected by this parameter (p < 0.05). Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Psychrotrophic bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae were not detected during 21 days of storage at 4 °C. Cooking at 60 °C for 60 min showed the optimum combination of temperature and time for sous vide cooked chicken breast fillets. The result of this study could be interesting for catering, restaurants, ready-to-eat industries, and homes to select the optimum combination of temperature and time for improving the eating quality characteristics and ensuring microbiological safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A is a dangerous mycotoxin present in wines and is considered the principal safety hazard in the winemaking process. Several authors have investigated the ochratoxin A adsorption ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts, and specifically selected strains for this desired trait. In the present work, a huge selection of wine yeasts was done starting from Portuguese, Spanish and Italian fermenting musts of different cultivars. Firstly, 150 isolates were collected, and 99 non-redundant S. cerevisiae strains were identified. Then, the strains were screened following a multi-step approach in order to select those having primary oenological traits, mainly (a) good fermentation performance, (b) low production of H2S and (c) low production of acetic acid. The preselected strains were further investigated for their adsorption activity of pigments, phenolic compounds and ochratoxin A. Finally, 10 strains showed the desired features. The goal of this work was to select the strains capable of absorbing ochratoxin A but not pigments and phenolic compounds in order to improve and valorise both the quality and safety of red wines. The selected strains are considered good candidates for wine starters, moreover, they can be exploited to obtain a further enhancement of the specific adsorption/non-adsorption activity by applying a yeast breeding approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary shelf life (SSL) is defined as the time after package opening during which the food product retains a required level of quality. The SSL, indicated in labels as "best if used within x days after opening", could lead to domestic food waste if not correctly evaluated. In this context, the SSL of two brands of industrial shelf-stable pesto products (with an indicated SSL of 5 days) was studied through a domestic use simulation performed in five households under two scenarios simulating real opening and storage conditions. The quality of pesto after opening was assessed through microbiological and sensory analyses, determination of instrumental colour parameters, pH and volatiles profiling. For both pesto sauces tested, a SSL ≥ 20 days was proven. Irrespective of the intensity of use (scenarios 1 and 2), the pesto was microbiologically stable: the maximum count for total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TMB) observed during 20 days of storage was 9.64 ± 1.7 × 102 CFU/g, starting from a commercially stable product. Colour parameters L* and ΔE did not change significantly during storage (p > 0.05), while the a* and BI values significantly changed (p < 0.05) during the first 5 days, and then stabilized during the rest of the household storage. Nevertheless, the slight colour modifications were not perceived by the sensory panel. Moreover, sensory assessors were not able to discern pesto samples stored for up to 20 days after first opening, from a just-opened reference sample, proving that the sensory appreciation of pesto was not influenced by the time after opening. The results of this study suggest the possibility to significantly extend or even omit the SSL indications for industrial pesto sauces. The objective assessment of SSL could have impressive practical outcomes both for the industry and the end user. The elongation of the SSL on the food label might increase food sustainability, thanks to the potential reduction of food wastes, thus giving added value to the commercial products. In addition, the end user could benefit the increase of the useful period for the food consumption after first opening, with significant domestic food waste reduction, reduced household stock turnover and consequent cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in sourdough fermentation is the first step in the selection of starters with suitable technological aptitude and capable of producing desired aromas and/or aromatic precursors. In this work, two sourdoughs samples (MA and MB) and the derived doughs (samples A and B) were collected from a bakery during artisanal Panettone manufacture. Yeasts and bacteria were isolated at different fermentation steps on selective agar media. A total of 77 isolates were obtained and characterized. Representative strains of yeasts and LAB were identified by sequencing the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA and the 16S rRNA genes, respectively. Moreover, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced in the collected samples were detected and correlated to the species found in the same samples. The results highlighted the occurrence of Kazachstania humilis in both samples A and B, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were detected only in samples B. Among LAB, Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis was the main species detected in both sourdoughs. Furthermore, strains belonging to the species Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Furfurilactobacillus rossiae, Lactobacillus parabuchneri, Leuconostoc citreum, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were assessed in the dough samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to assess the use of polylactic acid (PLA) bottles as an alternative to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ones for high-pressure processing (HPP) of apple juice. The treatment of PLA bottles at 600 MPa for 3 min did not cause alterations in the packaging shape and content, confirming the suitability of PLA bottles to withstand HPP conditions as well as PET bottles. Quantification of total mesophilic bacterial and fungal load suggested HPP treatment can be effectively applied as an alternative to pasteurization for apple juice packed in PLA bottles since it guarantees microbial stability during at least 28 days of refrigerated storage. The headspace gas level did not change significantly during 28 days of refrigerated storage, irrespective of the bottle material. Color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) of the HPP-treated juice were similar to those of the fresh juice. Irrespective of the packaging type, the total color variation significantly changed during storage, showing an exponential increase in the first 14 days, followed by a steady state until the end of observations. Overall, PLA bottles proved to offer comparable performances to PET both in terms of mechanical resistance and quality maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protein-based film (PBF), obtained from black soldier fly prepupae proteins, was assessed for its agronomic performance as mulch. PBF was investigated in a potting experiment and compared with Mater-Bi (MB), polyethylene (PE) and bare soil. During the experiment, degraded surface area, weight and thickness of the film, water evaporated from the pot, and the soil microbiological content (SMC) were recorded. In addition, films were buried to assess their biodegradability and impact on SMC. During the mulching process, the PBF showed a significant degradation. In terms of evaporated water, the PBF performed similarly to MB and worse than PE. Regarding SMC, film of any nature caused an increase in the Clostridia spp. and a decrease of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria and fungi contents. When buried, only PBF recorded a faster biodegradability, showing a reduction of surface area, thickness and weight. PBF and MB highlighted a significant increase in contents of Clostridia spp., mesophilic aerobic bacteria and fungi. Our results reported, for the first time, the valorization of black soldier fly (BSF) prepupae proteins as a biodegradable film for mulching purposes. However, further study is needed to reduce the PBF biodegradability and allow it to be used for the most important mulched crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An agronomic strategy to mitigate climate change impact can be the build-up of soil organic carbon. Among agronomic management approaches, the administration of organic fertilizers like livestock manure represents an effective strategy to increase soil organic carbon. However, livestock manure usually contains a high amount of water, reducing its sustainable delocalization and impacting on greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching. Furthermore, the possible presence of weed seeds and harmful microorganisms could reduce the agronomic value of the manure. To overcome these issues, the combined effects of dewatering, composting and pelleting were investigated on livestock manure to produce sustainable organic fertilizers. Our results showed that composting and pelleting can represent a feasible and sustainable solution to reduce the potential risks related to the presence of weed seeds and harmful bacteria, concentrating nutrients and allowing a sustainable valorization and delocalization of the livestock manure. In addition, the processed manures were assessed as fertilizers in the growing medium (GM), displaying an increase in water retention and nutrient availability and a decrease of GM temperature and weed seed emergences. However, further study is needed to validate, both in open field and greenhouse productions, the effects of the proposed fertilizers in real cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasites belonging to the Anisakis genera are organisms of interest for human health because they are responsible for the Anisakiasis zoonosis, caused by the ingestion of raw or undercooked fish. Furthermore, several authors have reported this parasite to be a relevant inducer of acute or chronic allergic diseases. In this work, a rapid commercial system based on Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) was optimised and validated for the sensitive and rapid detection of Anisakis spp. DNA in processed fish products. The specificity and sensitivity of the LAMP assay for processed fish samples experimentally infected with Anisakis spp. larvae and DNA were determined. The LAMP system proposed in this study was able to give positive amplification for all the processed fish samples artificially contaminated with Anisakis spp., giving sensitivity values equal to 100%. Specificity tests provided no amplification for the Contracaecum, Pseudoterranova, or Hysterothylacium genera and uninfected samples. The limit of detection (LOD) of the LAMP assay proposed was 102 times lower than the real-time PCR method compared. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the application of the LAMP assay for the detection of Anisakis spp. in processed fish products. The results obtained indicate that the LAMP assay validated in this work could be a reliable, easy-to-use, and convenient tool for the rapid detection of Anisakis DNA in fish product inspection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms represent most of the biodiversity of living organisms in every ecological habitat. They have profound effects on the functioning of any ecosystem, and therefore on the health of our planet and of human beings. Moreover, microorganisms are the main protagonists in food, medical and biotech industries, and have several environmental applications. Accordingly, the characterization and preservation of microbial biodiversity are essential not only for the maintenance of natural ecosystems but also for research purposes and biotechnological exploitation. In this context, culture collections (CCs) and microbial biological resource centres (mBRCs) are crucial for the safeguarding and circulation of biological resources, as well as for the progress of life sciences. This review deals with the expertise and services of CCs, in particular concerning preservation and characterization of microbial resources, by pointing to the advanced approaches applied to investigate a huge reservoir of microorganisms. Data sharing and web services as well as the tight interconnection between CCs and the biotechnological industry are highlighted. In addition, guidelines and regulations related to quality management systems (QMSs), biosafety and biosecurity issues are discussed according to the perspectives of CCs and mBRCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatty acid (FA) profile of wild Theba pisana, Cornu aspersum, and Eobania vermiculata land snail samples, collected in Sicily (Southern Italy), before and after heat treatment at +100 °C were examined by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The results show a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in all of the examined raw snails samples, representing up to 48.10% of the total fatty acids contents, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The thermal processing of the snail samples examined determined an overall reduction of PUFA levels (8.13%, 7.75%, and 4.62% for T. pisana, C. aspersum and E. vermiculata samples, respectively) and a species-specific variation of saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents. Oleic acid remained the most abundant FA of all of the snails species examined, accounting for up to 29.95% of the total FA content. A relevant decrease of ɷ3/ɷ6 ratio was found only for T. pisana samples. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed a separation of the snail samples in terms of species and heat treatment. The results of this work suggest land snails as a valuable source of MUFA and PUFA contents and boiling as appropriate treatment, according to the maintenance of healthy properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In highly polluted water, fish can accumulate Hg at concentrations that cause risk to human health. This has occurred in Sicily (Southern Italy), where there is activity from the petrochemical pole. In this paper, we present concentrations of mercury in 14 fish species collected from western Sicilian coasts in 2013. A significant difference was found between fish species examined but not between pelagic and benthic fish. Four out of 130 analyzed samples showed mercury concentrations over the European limits. In highly polluted water, fish can accumulate mercury up to a concentration of 10 mgKg−1. This has occurred on the eastern coasts of Sicily (Southern Italy), probably due to the intense industrial activity of this area. However, little is known about Hg accumulation in fish of the western Sicilian coasts. In this work, we examined the Hg accumulation of 108 fish samples belonging to 14 species collected from western Sicilian coasts using a direct mercury analyzer. The samples showed a mean mercury concentration of 0.165 ± 0.22 mg kg−1 with a maximum in Lepidopus caudatus (1.72 mgKg−1), exceeding the limits provided by EC Reg. 1881/2006. The lowest Hg levels were found in Sparus aurata samples (0.001 mgKg−1). A significant difference was found between the fish species examined (p < 0.05). The comparison between benthic and pelagic species did not show statistical differences (p < 0.05). Fish food constitutes the main route of Hg uptake for humans. Only four of the 130 samples examined reached a mercury concentration over the European limits. The comparative analysis of Hg pollution for benthic and pelagic species did not confirm a different trend in metal contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined a total of 369 bovine liver and muscle samples for the detection of oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and doxycycline (DOX) residues by implementation and validation of a LC-MS/MS method. The method showed good recovery values between 86% and 92% at three levels of concentrations. The linearity tests revealed r2 > 0.996 for all the tetracyclines examined. Furthermore, the Youden test revealed that the method was robust. Only 14.4% of the samples showed OTC and TC residues in a concentration range of 10.4–40.2 µg kg−1. No CTC and DOX residues were found in all the samples analyzed. Liver samples showed the highest average values (31.5 ± 20.6 and 21.8 ± 18.9 for OTC and TC, respectively). The results showed a low incidence of TCs in all the samples examined, in comparison with other studies reported in the literature. A significant decrease in TC residues frequency was found from 2013 (p < 0.05). This work reports for the first time epidemiological data on the presence of TC residues in liver and muscle samples of cattle farmed in Sicily (Southern Italy). The very low incidence of TC residues indicates a continuous improvement in farming techniques in Southern Italy, which is essential to ensure consumers' protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]