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Abstract: Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin which occurs naturally in a variety of crops (e.g. cereals, grapes), can contaminate feedstock and beverages derived from these crops (e.g. wine and beer) . OTA detection is critical for food safety since exposure through consumption is related to potential health risks, namely cancer . Food and beverages commercialized in Europe must follow the European Commission regulations for the amount of OTA allowed.In this work, OTA detection was developed and performed based on indirect competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (icELISA) perfomed inside polydimethylsiloxane microchannels. The microfluidic icELISA is integrated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon photodiodes microfabricated on a glass substrate for a fast, reliable, and portable OTA detection and quantification system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microbial interactions play an important role in initial cell adhesion and the endurance of biofilm toward disinfectant stresses. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of microbial interactions on biofilm formation and the disinfecting activity of an innovative photocatalytic surfactant based on TiO 2 nanoparticles. Listeria monocytogenes , Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli , Leuconostoc spp., Latilactobacillus sakei , Serratia liquefaciens , Serratia proteomaculans , Citrobacter freundii , Hafnia alvei , Proteus vulgaris , Pseudomonas fragi , and Brochothrix thermosphacta left to form mono- or dual-species biofilms on stainless steel (SS) coupons. The effectiveness of the photocatalytic disinfectant after 2 h of exposure under UV light on biofilm decontamination was evaluated. The effect of one parameter i.e., exposure to UV or disinfectant, was also determined. According to the obtained results, the microbial load of a mature biofilm depended on the different species or dual species that had adhered to the surface, while the presence of other species could affect the biofilm population of a specific microbe ( p < 0.05). The disinfectant strengthened the antimicrobial activity of UV, as, in most cases, the remaining biofilm population was below the detection limit of the method. Moreover, the presence of more than one species affected the resistance of the biofilm cells to UV and the disinfectant ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study confirms that microbial interactions affected biofilm formation and decontamination, and it demonstrates the effectiveness of the surfactant with the photocatalytic TiO 2 agent, suggesting that it could be an alternative agent with which to disinfect contaminated surfaces.