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Heavy metals in the marine environment are significant contaminants that readily bioaccumulate in the tissues of aquatic organisms, particularly in filter-feeding animals such as bivalve molluscs. Human exposure to elevated concentrations of heavy metals, including essential elements such as Fe, Cu, and Zn, through the consumption of seafood can lead to various pathological effects. Research has demonstrated that among bivalve molluscs, mussels are the most effective indicators for monitoring marine pollution. Consequently, this study focused on the species Mytilus galloprovincialis to evaluate the levels of Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the two primary harvesting areas of Albania and to assess the associated human health risks from mussel consumption. The results revealed a concerning situation, particularly for Pb and Cd, with average concentrations of 2.15 μg/g and 4.14 μg/g, respectively, significantly exceeding the limits established by Regulation (EC) No. 915/2023. The levels of the other investigated elements also raised concerns, as only half of them were within the dietary intake values recommended by scientific authorities for weekly consumption of 250 g of mussels., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of horse and donkey meat in the production of kaddid-a traditional dish typically not made with these meats-from a physical and chemical perspective. The results showed that both meats exhibit similar water retention during cooking, contributing to comparable tenderness and juiciness, with no significant differences in pH values, indicating similar quality ( p > 0.05). However, their amino acid profiles differ: horse meat contains lower levels of glutamate ( p < 0.05), methionine ( p < 0.01), isoleucine ( p < 0.05), and leucine ( p < 0.05), but higher levels of proline ( p < 0.05), histidine ( p < 0.01), and lysine ( p < 0.001) compared to donkey meat. Both meats provide essential amino acids. Horse meat is richer in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (32.44% and 39.58%, respectively), while donkey meat has a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (31.51%), with a more favorable PUFA/SFA ratio, suggesting better cardiovascular health benefits. In terms of dried meat, donkey kaddid has a higher protein (17.45 g/100 g) and lower fat content (2.1 g/100 g) compared to horse kaddid (16.7 g/100 g, and 3.5 g/100 g, respectively) ( p < 0.05). These findings inform consumer choices and production practices, promoting the use of horse and donkey meat for kaddid production.

The nutritional, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of bovine colostrum (BC) have encouraged its use in animal nutrition as a functional food in recent years. Nonetheless, the potential implications of BC supplementation on meat quality remain to be thoroughly assessed. To address this, thirty-nine New Zealand White rabbits (n = 13/group) were fed different dietary regimens until slaughter.: commercial standard diet for the control group (C) and C with 2.5% and 5% w/w of BC for BC-2.5 and BC-5 groups, respectively. Rabbits were slaughtered at 91 days of age and meat quality, and sensory characteristics were evaluated at days 2 (48 h after slaughter), 5, and 10 of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. The addition of colostrum in the diet resulted in a reduction of the total viable count, albeit only at the highest concentration and at the final detection, whereas for Lactobacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp., there was little or no effect. The colour coordinates showed no differences between the groups, but they varied over time according to diet. Some differences between groups emerged in the definition of sensory attributes but did not affect the overall liking and overall scores of individual descriptors. These results indicate that the use of colostrum in rabbit feeding does not significantly impart meat quality and sensory attributes, but the potential of this valuable by-product for the food industry needs further investigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Rabbits, pivotal in the EU as livestock, pets, and experimental animals, face bacterial infection challenges, prompting a quest for alternatives to curb antibiotic resistance. Bovine colostrum (BC), rich in immunoregulatory compounds, antimicrobial peptides, and growth factors, is explored for disease treatment and prevention. This study assesses BC diet supplementation effects on rabbit intestines, examining gene expression. Thirty female New Zealand White rabbits at weaning (35 days) were divided into three experimental groups: control (commercial feed), 2.5% BC, and 5% BC. The diets were administered until slaughtering (81 days). BC-upregulated genes in the jejunum included IL-8, TGF-β, and CTNN-β1 at 5% BC, while PLVAP at 2.5% BC. Antioxidant-related genes (SOD1, GSR) were downregulated in the cecum and colon with 2.5% BC. BC 5% promoted IL-8 in the jejunum, fostering inflammation and immune cell migration. It also induced genes regulating inflammatory responses (TGF-β) and gastrointestinal permeability (CTNN-β1). BC 5% enhanced antioxidant activity in the cecum and colon, but no significant impact on anti-myxo antibody production was observed. These results suggest that BC has significant effects on the rabbit gastrointestinal tract's inflammatory and antioxidant response, but further research is required to fully understand its histological and physiological impact.

The permeability of the immature intestine is higher in newborns than in adults; a damaged gut barrier in young animals increases the susceptibility to digestive and infectious diseases later in life. It is therefore of major importance to avoid impairment of the intestinal barrier, specifically in a delicate phase of development, such as weaning. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on the intestinal barrier, such as the intestinal morphology and proliferation level and tight junctions expression (zonulin) and enteric nervous system (ENS) inflammation status (through the expression of PGP9.5 and GFAP) in fattening rabbits. Rabbits of 35 days of age were randomly divided into three groups (n = 13) based on the dietary administration: commercial feed (control group, CTR) and commercial feed supplemented with 2.5% and 5% bovine colostrum (BC1 and BC2 groups, respectively). Rabbits receiving the BC1 diet showed a tendency to have better duodenum morphology and higher proliferation rates ( p < 0.001) than the control group. An evaluation of the zonulin expression showed that it was higher in the BC2 group, suggesting increased permeability, which was partially confirmed by the expression of GFAP. Our results suggest that adding 2.5% BC into the diet could be a good compromise between intestinal morphology and permeability, since rabbits fed the highest inclusion level of BC showed signs of higher intestinal permeability.

In June 2014, Albania was granted EU candidate status, thus starting a process of compliance with the membership criteria. In this context, a modern meat inspection approach in line with the European legislation was applied to a pig slaughterhouse in northern Albania in order to investigate the ante-mortem (AM) and post-mortem (PM) conditions and the relationship between these findings. For this purpose, 3930 pigs divided into 35 batches were evaluated over a 3-month period. The most frequent AM conditions recorded were tail lesions and dyspnea (9.1%), followed by skin (8.9%) and ear lesions (8.5%), while in the PM inspections, pleuritis was the most frequently observed condition (10.2%), followed by pneumonia (8.5%), liver alterations (5.7%), milk spot liver (3.8%), and pericarditis (3.3%). With the exception of liver alterations, the other PM lesions mentioned were positively associated with lesions on the ears (OR = 1.036; p < 0.001) and skin (OR = 1.026; p = 0.011) and dyspnea (OR = 1.021; p = 0.005), confirming the link between these variables and the health and welfare conditions of pigs on farms. Overall, the evidence that emerged from this Albanian slaughterhouse can be considered in line with other European contexts, especially in light of the considerable variability in the data present in the literature.

Recent advances in animal nutrition have indicated that bovine colostrum (BC), due to its content of macronutrients, micronutrients and bioactive compounds, is an excellent health supplement. To the best of our knowledge, no studies on the effect of BC on antioxidant status have been performed in rabbits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of two BC concentrations on antioxidant status and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in some tissues of rabbits. Thirty New Zealand White male rabbits were randomly divided into three experimental diets, containing 0% (CON), 2.5%, and 5% of BC (BC-2.5 and BC-5, respectively). The activity of antioxidant enzymes in plasma (catalase: CAT; glutathione peroxidase: GPx; superoxide dismutase: SOD), and the enzymes' gene expression in the liver and longissimus dorsi muscle, were determined. Results showed no significant differences, neither in plasma nor in tissues. A significant tissue-related effect has been observed regarding the mRNA levels of SOD and GPx, which were higher in the LD ( p = 0.022) and liver ( p = 0.001), respectively. Further studies, considering modifications of the length and dosage of dietary BC supplementation, are required to update the current state of knowledge in rabbits, as well as to fully understand the potential value of BC for possible application in farming use.

Bovine colostrum (BC) is rich in nutrients, antimicrobial, and antioxidant factors; for these reasons, it has been used as supplement in animal nutrition. However, its possible effects on meat quality have not been studied yet. Thirty-nine New Zealand White rabbits (n = 13/group) were assigned to three groups and fed until slaughter with a commercial standard diet, control group (C), and C supplemented with 2.5% and 5% (w/w) of BC (BC-2.5 and BC-5 groups, respectively). After slaughtering, the effect of dietary supplementation on microbiological and chemical characteristics of the rabbit loins was evaluated at 48 h postmortem (D0) and after 3 (D3) and 8 (D8) days of refrigerated storage. Results showed no difference in the microbiological parameters. In the supplemented groups, TBARS and TVBN values were lower and higher than in the C group, respectively (p < 0.01), and their fatty-acid profile was increased in SFA and decreased in MUFA (p < 0.05). In conclusion, research must continue to examine in depth the possible effects of BC byproduct reuse in animal nutrition on meat quality (e.g., antioxidant power, and physical and sensory characteristics).

This study aims to give an overview of the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. in 9727 samples (2996 for L. monocytogenes and 6731 for Salmonella spp.) from different categories of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, collected over 2 years from 28 large retailers and 148 canteens in the regions of northern Italy. The RTE samples were classified into two groups according to the preparation methods: ( i ) multi-ingredient preparations consisting of fully cooked food ready for immediate consumption, or with minimal further handling before consumption (Group A), and ( ii ) multi-ingredient preparations consisting of cooked and uncooked food, or preparations consisting of only raw ingredients (Group B). L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. were investigated in both of these categories. The overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. was 0.13% and 0.07%, respectively. More specifically, L. monocytogenes was found in 0.04% of 2442 analysed RTE food samples belonging to group A and in 0.54% of 554 samples belonging to group B. Furthermore, 0.03% of 5367 RTE food samples from group A and 0.21% of 1364 samples from group B tested positive for Salmonella spp. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study can provide a significant contribution to L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. risk analysis in RTE foods.

High-pressure (HP) treatment could lead to several advantages when applied to fish and seafood since it would affect the extension of the shelf life of this highly perishable food. In this regard, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of high-pressure treatment (500 MPa for 2 min at a temperature of 4 °C) on changes in quality on two different kinds of fresh fish fillets ( Salmo salar and Pleuronectes platessa ). Specifically, physico-chemical (VOCs, untargeted metabolomics spectra, pH and color), microbiological ( Enterobacteriaceae , Pseudomonas spp., mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria) and sensory traits were evaluated at different days of refrigerated storage. From the results obtained, it is possible to state that the high pressure significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) reduced microbial growth for each investigated microorganism. Regarding the colorimetric coordinates, no remarkable effects on a* and b* indices were found, while a significant effect ( p = 0.01) was observed on the colorimetric index L*, making the HP-treated samples lighter than their respective controls. The sensory analysis showed that for the odor attribute, the HP treatment seems to have had a stabilizing action during shelf-life. Moreover, the treated samples obtained a better score than the respective controls ( p ≤ 0.05). With regards to texture and appearance attributes, the treatment seems to have had a significant ( p ≤ 0.05) effect, making the treated samples more compact and opaque than controls, therefore resulting in the loss of the characteristics of raw fish for the treated samples. Moreover, from a chemical point of view, HP treatment prevents the development of volatile sulfides and delays the formation of histamine ( p ≤ 0.05). Very interestingly, the metabolomic approach revealed novel dipeptide markers for the HP procedure.

Background: Fish consumption is increasing nowadays both because of its positive role for health due to the abundant presence of unsaturated fatty acids and for its use in many new food preparations (e.g. raw fillet used for uncooked sushi and sashimi dishes). The growing food industry and increased demand for the long-term storage and preservation of food have created the need to develop methods that can easily track and preserve food freshness and safety throughout shelf-life (production, storage, shipment, and consumption). While E-nose technologies have already been used and tested for these purposes, scarce information is available in the literature on the feasibility of using other food devices to detect changes in perishable food like fish during shelf-life in order to predict and correctly manage all food storage phases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of Food Sniffer® portable devices to define the quality and safety of salmon fillet and burger (Salmo salar) packaged in modified atmosphere at two refrigerated conditions (4 and 8 °C)., Results: An increase in biogenic amines and volatile compounds especially ketones and alcohols were observed, with large amounts at final storage times of 8 °C temperature., Conclusion: The Food Sniffer® application was able to anticipate unacceptability conditions of salmon samples also correlated with chemical and microbiological parameters. This could represent a valid support for food industry and retail to manage perishable food commodities preventing possible food risk as well. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Recent foodborne pathogen outbreaks associated with dry pet food and treats have focused the attention on these products as vehicles of pathogens for both pets and their owners. This study investigates the purchasing habits of dog owners and determines if and in what form pet snacks can be potentially dangerous for humans, especially for children. For these purposes, questionnaires collected from 406 dog owners were evaluated and microbiological analyses were performed on 120 dry pet snacks. The shape of the pet snack affects the purchase (median score, Mdn = 6.4) and the star bone was the preferred one (Mdn = 7.1). Most of the participants (76.0%; p  < 0.001) stated that snacks are attractive to their children and that the possibility for children to get in contact with pet snacks is rare, but not implausible (Mdn = 3.1). Indeed, more than 6% of respondents admitted that there had been incidents of involuntary ingestion of pet snacks, with fever and gastrointestinal manifestations. Microbiological analyses showed that 119 dry pet snacks analyzed of a total of 120 (99.2%) were in good sanitary condition except for one sample where the presence of Listeria ivanovii was confirmed. The upward trend in the presence of pets in households and the strong and continuous growth in value and volume of the pet food market led researchers to analyze possible public health issues. Children and infants in particular are the most exposed subjects as they are more likely to come into contact with pet snacks, attracted by a shape similar to that of a toy. For this reason, although our findings did not highlight important microbiological contamination of pet snacks, it would be useful to standardize food safety criteria with those for human food from a One Health perspective.

The COVID-19 outbreak has rapidly progressed worldwide finding the health system, scientists and society unprepared to face a little-known, fast spreading, and extremely deadly virus. Italy is one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, resulting in healthcare facilities bearing heavy burdens and severe restrictive measures. Despite efforts to clarify the virus transmission, especially in indoor scenarios, several aspects of SARS-CoV-2 spread are still rudimentary. This study evaluated the contamination of the air and surfaces by SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the COVID-19 isolation ward of a hospital in Milan, Italy. A total of 42 air and surface samples were collected inside five different zones of the ward including contaminated (COVID-19 patients' area), semi-contaminated (undressing room), and clean areas. SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection was performed using real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 24.3% of swab samples were positive, but none of these were collected in the clean area. Thus, the positivity rate was higher in contaminated (35.0%) and semi-contaminated (50.0%) areas than in clean areas (0.0%; P<0.05). The most contaminated surfaces were hand sanitizer dispensers (100.0%), medical equipment (50.0%), medical equipment touch screens (50.0%), shelves for medical equipment (40.0%), bedrails (33.3%), and door handles (25.0%). All the air samples collected from the contaminated area, namely the intensive care unit and corridor, were positive while viral RNA was not detected in either semi-contaminated or clean areas. These results showed that environmental contamination did not involve clean areas, but the results also support the need for strict disinfection, hand hygiene and protective measures for healthcare workers as well as the need for airborne isolation precautions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Forty-two New Zealand White rabbits ( n = 21/group) were fed with two different diets: a commercial diet (control group) and a diet supplemented with goji berries (3% w / w ). After slaughtering, the effect of dietary supplementation on microbiological, physico-chemical, and sensory characteristics of the rabbit loins, packed in an oxygen-permeable package, was evaluated at 6 h post mortem (day 0), after 4 and 10 days of refrigerated storage. No relevant results were obtained for pH and total volatile basic Nitrogen (TVBN) values but with regards to the color, some significant differences were observed between the groups. The goji berries (GBs) dietary supplementation had positive effects by reducing thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values in all the observations ( p < 0.001). Moreover, microbiological results showed that the supplementation had a significant impact on Lactobacillus spp. ( p < 0.001) prevalence, indeed the goji group had higher means on day 0 ( p < 0.05) and on day 4 ( p < 0.001) than the control group. Lastly, with regards to the consumer's test, the tasters assigned a higher score to GBs rabbit meatballs and the purchase interest increased when the rabbit diet was known. Overall, these results indicate that the goji berries inclusion in the rabbit diet could represent a valuable strategy to improve quality and sensory traits of meat.

The steady increase in the global food demand requires alternative sources. Food sources from invertebrates could be a viable alternative. Despite a growing interest in terrestrial invertebrates as novel food, Western consumers have to cope with fears and taboos. This research aims to investigate possible communication strategies of novel food through labels. To understand the complexity underlying food choice and novel food attitude, two studies were carried out. In Study 1, the main drivers in the food decision-making process were identified. Based on these results, in Study 2, two different food labels for crackers made with earthworm flour were designed. Applying a neurophysiological approach, we measured participants' neuropsychophysiological activation and behavioural response while watching food labels. A video on nutritional and ecological issues was shown to consumers to reduce aversion towards earthworms as food. The results in Study 1 indicate health and sensory dimensions as the major drivers in food choice. The data of Study 2 supported the effectiveness of the statement about nutritional qualities of the products on male participants, who tend to have a more positive reaction than female participants toward the novel product made with earthworm flour when the label's claim focuses on nutritional advantages. Limitations and practical implications are discussed.

The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of global goals that provide a framework for shared action. These goals also include the reduction of food waste and the definition of sustainable solutions to achieve food security. In this context, the aim of the study was to describe all phases of a pilot earthworm rearing project started in September 2017 and concluded in December 2017, together with a risk analysis carried out in order to evaluate if earthworms can represent a safe and sustainable protein source for human consumption and/or animal nutrition. The conversion rate, that in this study is more appropriately identified as the "waste reduction efficiency," was also calculated in order to define the extent to which earthworm rearing can contribute to the objective of reducing fruit and vegetable waste (FVW). The results showed that earthworms can bio-convert 3750 kg of FVW in three months producing 1050 kg of compost and 82 kg of fresh earthworms with minimal environmental impact showing good waste reduction efficiency. Moreover, the risk analysis conducted on earthworm rearing highlighted a microbiological hazard after the freeze-drying phase. The critical control point was therefore identified, and, in order to guarantee the total food safety of the finished product, corrective action was taken consisting in the implementation of heat treatment-sterilization at 121 °C for 20 min. The results of microbiological analyses carried out on the earthworm meal after the sterilization treatment showed that the treatment guarantees microbiological safety for the consumer and ensures a balanced approach in relation to two main topics-public health and food-borne diseases. In conclusion, earthworm meal is a concentrate of valuable nutrients useful for human and animal nutrition and can also transform fruit and vegetable waste into a resource.

The production methods, in particular the cook-serve method, applied in high production catering establishments, even if inserted in a correct spatial design, it is affected by time-temperature flows characterized by inadequate designed moments during which critical points can be observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate, at a preliminary stage, how the new technologies can support the supply chain and production processes in catering establishments. To this end, a specific passive and active heat storage system was tested: "Polibox Smart Heater®" (PX SH), which makes an isothermal expanded polypropylene container an advanced maintainer for ready to eat food. The experimental design was divided into four different experiments, during which the functionality of the isothermal containers was evaluated, and thermal-tightness tests were carried out. The results showed that the PX SH containers, containing a heat accumulator, are temperature maintainers, which guarantee thermal stability (>65°C), according to the current standard (UNI EN 12571:1999). In conclusion, the production chain of catering establishments should use innovative technologies such as PX SH, in order to benefit from performance consistent with the safety, hygiene and sensory criteria., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare no potential conflict of interests., (©Copyright: the Author(s).)

Purpose: This work analyses the meal supply in primary schools in Italy to highlight new areas of inefficiency upstream of the food chain, regarding the size of the food portions specified in public tenders. A lack of conformity of food portions can potentially lead to a double negative externality affecting the sustainability of school meals: overweight children and food waste., Method: Based on the data contained in the contract between municipalities and school catering services, the analysis was performed on the portion sizes (in grams) of the main food products included in the school menu for each regional capital (RC) in Italy. Data analysis regarded two main aspects: consistency of food portions within regions and adherence to national standards for childrens., Results: The results revealed great discrepancies amongst regions and in several cases, portion sizes significantly larger than the reference values of standard portions for school catering. The study also profiles RC on the basis of portion sizes, school meal attendance, and childhood obesity rates., Conclusions: School meals have the potential to educate the next generation regarding healthy eating habits, and thus play a leading role in obesity prevention in children. Similarly, the educational role of eating at school can contribute to raising children's awareness about one of the most urgent environmental challenges-food waste-by introducing the best strategies for waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Results have economic, social, health, and environmental implications and highlight the need to revisit policies to introduce new solutions for more sustainable and healthy school canteens in Italy., Level of Evidence: Level V, descriptive studies.

The world population and global food demand are increasing, particularly the demand for animal protein sources. At the same time, society produces large quantities of food waste. Sustainable solutions, to ensure enough food and to optimize the use of resources, are necessary. Earthworms grown on fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) can be a future alternative food source, contributing to waste disposal efficiency. They improve food sustainability under nutritional and environmental dimensions. These topics are included in the philosophy of the circular economy. Earthworms, characterized by a high percentage of proteins and minerals, are used as foods in some world countries, including China and the Philippines. In order to consider safety aspects of earthworms grown on FVW as food sources, this study evaluated the microbiological quality of FVW (i) used as growth substrate; fresh earthworms (ii) and earthworms' meal (iii) resulting from two technological processes (freeze-drying and drying). The efficiency of these technologies in reducing microbial contamination was evaluated. Microbiological analyses revealed the absence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in FVW, in fresh earthworms and in earthworms' meal. Fresh earthworms' results fell within the limits of acceptability, if related to the limit for minced meat (Interdepartmental Center for Research and Documentation on Food Safety). Both freeze-drying and drying step led to a further reduction of microbial contamination, confirming the importance of the processing methods. In conclusion, earthworms can represent an innovative biotechnological response to re-use FVW, a valuable food supplement of animal proteins and a strategy to improve food sustainability., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

The aim of this study was to analyze different aspects of food waste in the specific context of prisons by introducing the nudging method , thanks to the collaboration of District House and Prison of Larino (Italy) involving staff and guests of the penitentiary structure, providing them with the knowledge of the topic and encouraging them to propose creative and effective solutions to prevent and reduce food waste. The study involved n. 50 participants out of total of about 200 prisoners. Data were collected using n.3 questionnaires related to the knowledge of food waste food, the second related to the origin of consumed and food waste and the third collected the participants' proposals how to reduce food waste. The results show that effects of nudging has awakened the prisoners' conscience about the social, ethical and economic importance of reducing food waste and a proactive attitude in providing proposals for the reduction of food waste. The most wasted food is bread (35%), pasta (27%) and fresh fruit (20%), provided by the administration because they are considered of inferior quality or prepared and cooked badly. The overwhelming majority (96%) of the participants showed sensitivity about the ethical and economic reasons behind the fight against food waste, making themselves available to contribute to its reduction and suggesting some initiatives. The data collected from the questionnaires related to the causes of waste indicate the need to implement actions aimed at the correct conservation of food and the promotion of good hygiene practices., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

The purpose of this study was to elaborate a checklist with an inspection scoring system at national level in order to assess compliance with sanitary hygiene requirements of food services. The inspection scoring system was elaborated taking into account the guidelines drawn up by NYC Department of Food Safety and Mental Hygiene. Moreover the checklist was used simultaneously with the standard inspection protocol adopted by Servizio Igiene Alimenti Nutrizione ( Servizio Igiene Alimenti Nutrizione - Ss. I.A.N) and defined by D.G.R 6 March 2017 - n. X/6299 Lombardy Region. Ss. I.A.N protocol consists of a qualitative response according to which we have generated a new protocol with three different grading: A, B and C. The designed checklist was divided into 17 sections. Each section corresponds to prerequisites to be verified during the inspection. Every section includes the type of conformity to check and the type of violation: critical or general. Moreover, the failure to respect the expected compliance generates 4 severity levels that correspond to score classes. A total of 7 food services were checked with the two different inspection methods. The checklist results generated a food safety score for each food service that ranged from 0.0 (no flaws observed) to 187.2, and generates three grading class: A (0.0-28.0); B (29.0-70.0) and C (>71.00). The results from the Ss. I. A. N grading method and the checklist show positive correlation ( r =0.94, P>0.01) suggesting that the methods are comparable. Moreover, our scoring checklist is an easy and unique method compared to standard and allows also managers to perform effective surveillance programs in food service.

The most recent study, conducted by Politecnico of Milan, on food surplus management in Italy shows that in the Italian food supply chain the food surplus is around 5.5 million tons/year, and the amount of food wasted is around 5.1 million tons/year. During 2015, the charitable organizations (COs) belonging to the Italian Food Bank Network, active in recovering and distributing food for social solidarity's purposes, reused 381,345 tons of food from 2292 donors. The main supplying sources of the Banco Alimentare Network are: food industries, organized large-scale retail trade and collective catering service. The aim of this study was to analyze several aspects of the food surplus recovery thanks to the collaboration with the Banco Alimentare Foundation Onlus and Caritas Italiana. In particular, two main features were analyzed in the food recovery chain: the microbiological profiles of specific food categories recovered from catering service with the aim to evaluate their conformity in relation to food safety and process criteria. For this purpose 11 samples were analyzed in four different moments: T0, same day of the collection; T1, after four hours of storage at 4°C; T2, 24 hours from the collection (storage at 4°C); T3, after four days at frozen storage (-18°C). For all samples several microbiological parameters were investigated: enumeration of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (AFNOR 3M 01/1-09/89), enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae (AFNOR 3M 01/06-09/97), enumeration of E. coli (AFNOR 3M 01/08-06/01), enumeration of coagulase-positive Staphylococci AFNOR 3M 01/9-04/03 A), enumeration of Bacillus cereus (UNI EN ISO 7932:2005), research of Salmonella spp. [UNI EN ISO 6579 (2008b)], and research of Listeria monocytogenes [AFNOR BRD 07/4-09/98 (AFNOR, 2010a)]. Furthermore, the volunteer's knowledge on the correct hygienic procedures during the recovery was evaluated by the 71 questionnaires with the aim to prevent foodborne diseases. The results show that the recovery of surplus from catering service and their reuse at COs should be planned with correct procedures, and the volunteer's knowledge on the hygienic aspects appears to be a critical point. The recovery and the charitable activities require an appropriate assessment and careful risk analysis, in order to manage the complexity of no profit organization.