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The occurrence of analogues of bisphenol A (BPA), including bisphenol F(BPF) in milk is still not well known. BPF may enter the milk chain at the farm and during milk processing at the dairy company. This study identified the main BPF contamination pathways using a monitoring model based on the identification of the hazard at three stages along the dairy chain: raw milk from the storage tank, pasteurized milk from the storage tank, and cardboard packaged milk. Quantitative analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection (HPLC/FD) system. BPF was detected in all analysed stages (fromLOQ to 2.686 μg/L). The structural and toxicological similarity between BPF and BPA suggested considering both bisphenols for a more comprehensive risk evaluation. The daily intake of BPF and of the sum of BPF and BPA, and the worst-case scenario through the consumption of packaged milk were calculated. Exposure levels below the temporary daily intake, fixed for only BPA, were detected in all consumer age classes. Nevertheless, the use of BPA substitutes represents a risk to human health because of their potential synergic effects. The application of a monitoring program at each stage of milk processing at the dairy company may represent a useful strategy to ensure food safety in the milk chain.

Many pollutants in the environment may contaminate bee matrices, comprising bee, honey and pollen. The contamination sources can be roughly divided into environmental and apicultural. The article reviewed the literature data about honey contamination, focusing on honey as potential bioindicator of environmental pollution. Contaminants as pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, bactericides), veterinary drugs and antibiotics, organic pollutants, heavy metals (cadmium and mercury), radioactive isotopes, and genetically modified organisms, are the most abundant and frequently occurred in honey. EU regulations fixed maximum residue limits only for some pollutants. As exposures to environmental pollution remain a major source of health risk, the introduction of monitoring systems and validation of acceptable minimal concentrations of pollutant residue limits for honey should be considered.

Chapter 9: Food-borne diseases, including those via dairy products, have been recognised as major threats to human health. The causes associated with dairy food-borne disease are the use of raw milk in the manufacture of dairy products, faulty processing conditions during the heat treatment of milk, post-processing contamination, failure in due diligence and an unhygienic water supply. Dairy food-borne diseases affecting human health are associated with certain strains of bacteria belonging to the genera of Clostridium, Bacillus, Escherichia, Staphylococcus and Listeria, which are capable of producing toxins, plus moulds that can produce mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, sterigmatocytin and ochratoxin. Microbial Toxins in Dairy Products reviews the latest scientific knowledge and developments for detecting and studying the presence of these toxins in dairy products, updating the analytical techniques required to examine bacterial and mould toxins and the potential for contamination of milk as it passes along the food chain, i.e. from 'farm-to-fork'. This comprehensive and accessible collection of techniques will help dairy processors, food scientists, technologists, researchers and students to further minimise the incidences of dairy food-borne illnesses in humans. The EU (2002) laid down the general principles and requirements of food law where it had changed the approach to food safety through the integrated control of the food chain, that is, the concept ‘from farm to table’, the precautionary principle, the responsibilities of food business operators, the traceability at all stage of food chain, and the introduction of ‘risk analysis’ (Codex Alimentarius Commission-FAO, 1999). The scope of a risk assessment is dependent on the risk management question and the reason for doing the assessment. The microbiological risk assessment would reveal, for example, either the sources of exposure to the pathogen or determine which pathogen(s) may be present in a specific and/or group of cheeses. This approach is largely a qualitative evaluation of the risk issue. in the process. If a hazard identification is orientated towards the food, then the focus will be on the use of available epidemiological and microbiological data to determine which pathogens could be associated with the products. In the dairy chain, contesting the hazard identification is linked to the microbiological quality of raw milk, the cheesemaking process including raw and/or pasteurization of the milk, maturation of the pressed curd, cross‐contamination, packaging, and handling at home.

SUMMARY Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are in cooked meat dishes at ng/g levels. They are animal carcinogens that form adducts in human tissues, and have been associated with increased risk of cancer. Cooking method, time, temperature, heat transfer, and chemical composition of food influence HA production during domestic, restaurant and industrial cooking. IQ, MeIQx, 4-8-DiMeIQx, PhiP Harman and Norharman are the most abundant HAs in cooked meat. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified IQ as probably carcinogenic for humans (Group 2A) and MeIQx, PhiP and other polar HAs as possibly carcinogenic for humans (Group 2B). Avoiding over-cooking of meat seems to be an important way to decrease the content of HAs. Addition of waterholding ingredients, such as common salt, potato starch or carbohydrates, may also affect the formation of HAs. Frying in oil containing antioxidants may provide a way to reduce the amounts of HA formed. Such recommendations may assure food safety and decrease the human intake of HAs.

"Istamina negli alimenti e Sindrome sgombroide"- Le allergie e le intolleranze alimentari sono sempre più diffuse fra la popolazione. In questo contesto si inserisce la sindrome sgombroide e le problematiche legate al consumo di istamina attraverso alimenti di origine animale.

To assess sea bream (Sparus aurata) thawing, two ultrasonographic (US) protocols were used. The first protocol was used on 15 subjects at three different times immediately after capture, after the first thaw, and after the second thaw. A general-purpose device equipped with a linear high-frequency probe was used. On the B-mode-Real Time images, quantitative analysis of the epiaxial muscle gray levels was made. For the second protocol, a quantitative US (QUS) device was used on three groups of fish samples (fresh, thawed once, and thawed twice), each composed of five subjects. Speed of sound, bone ultrasound attenuation, bone mineral density, and quantitative ultrasound index were measured. Data were statistically compared using ANOVA (P < 0.05). Gray levels differed significantly among the three control times. QUS data differed significantly between the fresh and thawed groups. US and QUS appear to be promising techniques for assessing fish thawing.

The natural lactic flora of the artisanal chilli ???Tramonti??? cheese, a typical product manufactured in the ???Lattari mountains???, area of Salerno province (Italy), was investigated. Particular attention was paid to the growth dynamics assessment and to the molecular identification of the indigenous lactic acid bacteria involved in the ripening of this cheese made with raw sheep milk without starter cultures. One batch was monitored taking 4 sample on 0, 30, 50 and 105 ripening days. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were enumerated and randomly isolated on MRS and LM17 agar (32ºC x 48h -mesophilic flora- and 42°C x 48h -thermophilic flora), respectively. N. 66 presumptive lactic acid bacteria isolates, gram positive and catalase negative, were genotipically identified by Ribotyping. Mesophilic Lactobacillus remained at levels of 107 cfu/g during whole maturation time and thermophilic Lactobacillus, from initial values of 105 cfu/g, reached concentratios of 106 cfu/g at the end of maturation. Mesophilic and thermophilic Lactococcus showed, on average, levels of 106 since the beginning of the ripening. Ribotyping allowed to detect 4 lactic acid bacteria species: Enterococcus faecium (65,15%), Lactococcus lactis spp. cremoris (24,24%), Enterococcus faecalis (6,06%) and Enterococcus durans (4,54%), showing the diversity of indigenous lactic acid bacteria of chilli ???Tramonti??? cheese.

"Tecnologie di trattamento industriali e sviluppo di composti chimici da danno termico"- Nei trattamenti termici il calore, responsabile della trasformazione degli alimenti, accelera la velocità di tutte le reazioni chimiche, comprese quelle indesiderate. L ' aumento della temperatura causa la perdita di nutrienti, vitamine e digeribilità mentre favorisce la comparsa di off-flavours e/o off-colours e infine di composti dannosi tipici, quali:Ammine eterocicliche, Idrocarburi policiclici aromatici e Furani. L'applicazione di buone pratiche di produzione e una corretta informazione sulle modalità di cottura domestica possono ridurre il rischio per la salute del consumatore.

Religious slaughter is related to the Jewish and Muslim religions, according to which the meat must be obtained from animals slaughtered according to religious rules, in order to be lawfully consumed by the faithful. In Italy religious slaughter is regulated by L. 623/85, DM. 11/06/80 and DL. 333/98, which establish that the stunning phase is prohibited. A Farm Animal Council report about methods of religious slaughter and animal welfare recommended to abrogate the exemptions related to these slaughters and identifi ed critical issues about animal welfare and the hygienic production of meat. The main problem of marketing halal products is linked to both a religious and health certifi cation. A greater understanding about the central nervous responses to anxiety and suffering during the slaughter to improve the methods of slaughter is needed.

Religious slaughter is related to the Jewish and Muslim religions, according to which the meat must be obtained from animals slaughtered according to religious rules, in order to be lawfully consumed by the faithful. In Italy religious slaughter is regulated by L. 623/85, DM. 11/06/80 and DL. 333/98, which establish that the stunning phase is prohibited. A Farm Animal Council report about methods of religious slaughter and animal welfare recommended to abrogate the exemptions related to these slaughters and identifi ed critical issues about animal welfare and the hygienic production of meat. The main problem of marketing halal products is linked to both a religious and health certifi cation. A greater understanding about the central nervous responses to anxiety and suffering during the slaughter to improve the methods of slaughter is needed.