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It is well known that the lack of control and sanitation of water in developing countries has cause very significant epidemiological events. In the last decades the situation of water supplies and sanitation has improve all over the world. Despite of it, in the European Union there are a considerable number of confirmed cases of water-borne infections even though the restrictive law. Electronic Noses (ENs) has shown to be a very effective and fast tool for monitoring microbiological spoilage and quality control. The aim of this study was test the ability of a novel EN for the detection of bacterial presence in potable water in cooperation with analytical (pH) and optical (photometer) techniques. The achieved results notably advocate the use of EN in industry laboratories as a very important tool in water quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel pectin-based edible coating (PBEC), alone or added with the antagonistic yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus BS91 (PBECY), in reducing postharvest rots of Tarocco orange fruit. Their antifungal efficacy was assessed in vitro and in vivo , as well as their ability to preserve fruit quality under refrigerated conditions on three different cultivars, comparing a commercial wax amended with a fungicide. For all the treatments, the decay incidence, physiological disorders, weight loss and physical-chemical parameters were evaluated. The in vivo test results indicated that PBECY enhanced the antifungal effect compared to PBEC, given the significant reduction (p ≤ 0.01) of Penicillium digitatum (PD) decay incidence (up to 90%). After 30 d of cold storage, both PBEC and PBECY reduced fruit decay (p ≤ 0.05) in all cultivars, with values between 0 and 1.2%, relatively to the untreated control (up to 10%). Pectin-coated fruit showed a cultivar-dependent weight loss, with values comparable or higher to the other treatments, respectively for T. Lempso and T. Messina, whereas weight loss in T. Sciara was higher only when coated with PBEC. Fruit physical and chemical parameters were preserved until 30 d of storage, thus demonstrating the potential of this edible coating for future industrial application. • Pectin-based coating was tested alone (PBEC) or with a biocontrol yeast (PBECY). • Postharvest Penicillium rot during cold storage was determined on 'Tarocco' orange • Physiological disorders, weight loss and physico-chemical parameters were evaluated. • PBECY significantly reduced Penicillium digitatum growth with respect to PBEC. • Fruit physical and chemical parameters were preserved until 30 days of storage. [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]

Purpose: Prototypes of Gianturco-Rosch Z-stents coated with polycarbonate urethane (PCU) were placed in the biliary tree of pigs, in order to test their biomechanical behavior, stability, and biocompatibility.Methods: The stents were surgically implanted in the common bile duct of three pairs of pigs, which were killed after 1, 3, and 6 months respectively. Explanted livers from pigs of the same race, age, and size were used to provide comparative data. The bile ducts were radiologically and histopathologically examined; the stents were processed and examined by scanning electron microscopy.Results: No complications occurred and the animals showed a normal weight gain. The main bile duct appeared radiologically and macroscopically dilated, but the stents proved to be in place. Histologically, the bile duct epithelium was destroyed, but neither hyperplastic nor inflammatory fibrotic reactions of the wall were evident. Both the metallic structure and the polymeric coating of the stents were intact. A layer of organic material with a maximum thickness of approximately 3 micron was evident on the inner surface of the stents.Conclusion: The present in vivo study demonstrates the biocompatibility, efficacy, and stability of PCU-coated Gianturco-Rosch stents in the biliary environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 132 patients who underwent liver transplantation for primary liver cancer was collected from three different Italian hospitals and studied for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver replacement. Twenty-one patients (15.9%) had a neoplastic recurrence after an average follow-up period of 7.8 months after transplantation (range, 1–25 months); 15 (71%) occurred within the first 18 months after transplant and only two recurred later than 2 years. The sites of recurrence were grafted liver (19%), lung (19%), bone (14%), and other (5%). Eight patients (38%) had multiple organ involvement at the onset. After 1, 2, 3, and 4 years the overall survival rates were 62%, 43%, 29%, and 23%, respectively. The tumor factors related to early cancer recurrence after transplantation were diameter of nodules more than 3 cm ( P < 0.05), tumor stage not meeting the "Milan criteria" ( P < 0.03), and presence of peri-tumoral capsule ( P < 0.05); the number of nodules, TNM stage, presence of vascular invasion, alpha-fetoprotein level more than 150 UI/l, pre-transplant chemoembolization and resectability of cancer deposits did not seem to be related to early recurrence. The prognosis differed in the 7 patients with resectable recurrences (57% 4-year survival) and the 14 patients with unresectable disease (14% 4-year survival) ( P < 0.02). Better patient selection and new combined medical strategies could reduce the incidence of and mortality from liver cancer recurrence after transplantation. The role of surgical resection of recurrence should be further investigated. [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]

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]