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Beehives can accumulate environmental contaminants as bees gather pollen, propolis, and water from their surroundings, contaminating hive products like honey. Moreover, in multifloral environments, bees can interact with plants treated with different pesticides, often causing higher pesticides concentrations in multi-floral honey than in mono-floral varieties. Glyphosate and glufosinate are both widely used herbicides. Glyphosate accounted for one-third of herbicide sales in Europe in 2017 and continues to raise health concerns, including its potential carcinogenicity. While the European Commission extended glyphosate's authorisation for another 10 years in 2023, concerns remain about its impact on biodiversity and human health. This study aimed to monitor the presence of glyphosate, glufosinate, and their metabolites in 100 samples of multifloral honey representing Italian production by analysis using IC-HRMS. Results indicated that 12% of honey samples contained glyphosate residues ranging from > LOQ to 45 ng g−1, with the highest concentrations detected in the Puglia region. No sample exceeded the maximum residue levels set by EU regulations. Glufosinate and its metabolites were not detected in any samples. These findings underscore the need for continued monitoring of pesticide residues in honey, particularly given the potential 'cocktail effect' of multiple contaminants and their combined toxicity. This study highlights the importance of safeguarding consumer health, especially in vulnerable populations, by addressing gaps in data on pesticide residue levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungi species belonging to the genera Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. The proliferation of OTA-producing fungal species may occur due to inadequate practices during both the pre-harvest and post-harvest stages of feed. Consequently, poultry species may be exposed to high concentrations of this mycotoxin that can be transferred to animal tissues due to its carry-over, reaching dangerous concentrations in meat and meat products. Therefore, this review aims to propose a comprehensive overview of the effects of OTA on human health, along with data from global studies on the prevalence and concentrations of this mycotoxin in avian feeds, as well as in poultry meat, edible offal, and eggs. Moreover, the review examines significant gross and histopathological lesions in the kidneys and livers of poultry linked to OTA exposure. Finally, the key methods for OTA prevention and decontamination of feed are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The blue crab is one of the most invasive alien species in the Mediterranean Sea. Its remarkable surge in availability suggests an imminent increase in consumption. However, blue crabs are vulnerable to contamination by per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known to accumulate in the food chain and pose health risks to humans. Data on PFAS contamination levels in blue crabs are a few. This study investigates 26 PFAS in 113 blue crabs by UHPLC‐HRMS. Results revealed higher concentrations in cephalothorax than in claws. PFHpA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFNA, PFOS, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTrDA, PFHpS, and PFBA were among the most detected PFAS. Total PFAS mean concentration ranged from 0.65 to 2.61 ng g−1 ww. Three crabs exceeded maximum residue limits for PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS. Statistical analyses suggested a correlation between contaminants presence and crab size. PCA highlighted the weight as a potential predictor of PFOS concentration. PFAS intake evaluation showed no risk for consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the dairy industry, traditional heat treatments are known for their high water and energy consumption, and more economically and environmentally friendly solutions are being sought. Infrared (IR) technology offers advantages in energy efficiency and environmental sustainability; however, its effectiveness in milk processing, particularly in pathogen inactivation, remains relatively unexplored. In this study, homogenized raw milk was subjected to IR treatment, and its impact on Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Enterobacteriaceae was assessed. Results indicate that IR treatment effectively reduces the microbial load, achieving levels of inactivation comparable to conventional pasteurization methods (around 6 Log10 CFU/mL). Moreover, the treatment maintains milk pH levels, suggesting minimal alteration to its composition. Further research is needed to explore the full extent of IR treatment on milk sanitation efficacy, deeply exploring IR technology to fully assess its applicability and integration into dairy processing practices. Despite regulatory challenges, the Wir System Milk shows promise as a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative for raw milk treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is an important nectar source for honey production in some specific habitats as well as an important crop, so the definition of the features of this kind of honey is noteworthy. However, due to its rarity on the market, red raspberry honey is poorly characterized. The aim of this work was the phytochemical characterization of honey containing red raspberry from different geographical origins, through melissopalynological analyses concurrently with untargeted metabolomics achieved with different chromatographic techniques coupled to mass spectrometry: solid‐phase micro‐extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME‐GC–MS) and high‐performance liquid chromatography/Orbitrap mass spectrometry (HPLC‐Orbitrap). RESULTS: Only 4 out of the 12 samples involved in the study contained raspberry pollen as dominant pollen, although these honeys did not group in the hierarchical cluster analysis nor in the classical multidimensional scaling analyses used for data evaluation. The first result was the detection of mislabelling in two samples, which contained raspberry pollen only as minor or important minor pollen. Of the 188 compounds identified by HPLC‐Orbitrap and of the 260 identified by SPME‐GC–MS, 87 and 31 compounds were present in all samples, respectively. The structurally related compounds nicotinaldehyde and nicotinamide, nicotinic acid and nicotinyl alcohol were present in 100% of the samples and correlated with R. idaeus pollen count (r > 0.60, Pearson's correlation analysis). CONCLUSION: This study reveals important aspects about the characterization of red raspberry honey and could give new insights on bee diet and preferences, since niacin compounds resulted interestingly to be related to the presence of red raspberry pollen. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fish is well known for its perishable nature. Essential oils in food packaging seem to be safe and reliable both in terms of safety for the consumer and in terms of improving the shelf life of the product. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two different essential oil vapours (one with rosemary and the other one with lemon extract) on three different types of fishery products (swordfish steaks, bluefin tuna steaks and Argentinian prawns) stored in a protective atmosphere packaging, monitoring the shelf life up to 8 days through microbiological, chemical and sensorial analyses. The results showed that the products preserved with the inclusion of essential oils have reached the end of the shelf‐life period respecting the process hygiene and food safety criteria, receiving a greater appreciation rating from the consumer panel at the end of shelf life for the prawns and swordfish samples with the addition of rosemary essential oils vapours, which instead highlighted the worst result at the end of shelf life for tuna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities lead to the spread of chemicals and biological materials, including plastic waste, toxic metals, and pharmaceuticals, of which the impact on the Mediterranean Sea is of high concern. In this context, the EU Interreg Italy-Albania-Montenegro Project "ADRINET (Adriatic Network for Marine Ecosystem) _244" (2018–2020) arises. It aims to carry out biomonitoring campaigns in the main commercial interest of fish and cephalopod species, such as Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax, Sepia spp., and Loligo spp. sampled in three different subregions of the Mediterranean Sea. The presence of the main environmental contaminants, such as cadmium, microplastics, and antibiotics was investigated in these seafood samples. Contamination by cadmium and antibiotics in the seafood investigated in our study was negligible. However, a high value of microplastics was detected in the stomach and gut of Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax. Overall, even though the presence of microplastics needs to be investigated by further studies, the results confirmed that the environmental conditions of the three bays investigated by the ADRINET project partners (Italy, Albania, Montenegro) are positive and not affected by intensive anthropogenic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared (IR) technology offers a promising solution for reducing microbiological loads in various food types while preserving their quality traits, such as flavour. However, research on IR's application in complex matrices is limited. Therefore, our preliminary study aimed to evaluate its effectiveness in sanitizing bovine raw milk. We assessed the bacterial count before and after IR treatment by comparing volatile organic compound profiles via headspace extraction and GC/MS analysis. Our findings showed that higher energy levels led to a greater bacterial reduction. IR85 was the most effective in reducing Coliforms and Enterobacteriaceae in non-homogenised samples, with a reduction ranging from −1.01 to >−2.99 and from −1.66 to −3.09 Log CFU/mL, respectively. IR60 and 70 showed no efficacy, while IR80 had intermediate but still satisfactory effect. IR85 notably affected volatile compounds, particularly increasing hexanal (from 0.08 to 4.21 ng g−1) and dimethyl sulphone (from 10.76 to 26.40 ng g−1), while IR80 better preserved the aroma profile. As a result, only IR80 was tested with homogenised raw milk, demonstrating significant bacterial reduction (from >2.39 to 3.06 Log CFU/mL for Coliforms and from 1.90 to >2.45 Log CFU/mL for Enterobacteriaceae) and maintaining the aroma profile quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a perennial herbaceous geophyte in the Iridaceae family. It propagates vegetatively by corm. All saffron production processes are generally conducted by hand: from bulb implantation, harvesting of flowers to stigma separation. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world because of the intensive hand labour required for production. The increasing interest in Crocus sativus cultivation and production in the Italian Alpine area could increase revenues for the rural farming economy. Twenty eight dried saffron samples were collected from different farmers of the Italian Alpine area (Lombardia, Trentino Alto Adige, Piemonte and Veneto) between November 2015 and March 2016. Each sample was processed to determine their moisture content and amount of picrocrocin, crocins and safranal using the methods established by the International Organization for Standardization for saffron (ISO 3632 1,2:2010-2011). Over 82.1 % of the samples analyzed were ranked in the highest quality category of the ISO 3632. A high quality saffron product can be produced in the Italian Alpine area suggesting that this crop could serve as a sustainable source of economic revenues to diversified farms in the Alps.

Simple Summary: The generation of an artificial intestine could minimize the use of in vivo trials, which are presently necessary for testing aquafeeds. As well as being lengthy and expensive, they also require the use of many animals. Furthermore, although in vivo screening allows for a precise evaluation of the final effect of each feed, it does not improve our basic knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that determine the end results. This, in turn, severely limits our ability to understand and predict the biological value of ingredients, both individually and in differing combinations thereof. To circumvent these constraints, we previously derived and characterized two novel cell lines from the proximal (RTpi-MI) and distal intestine (RTdi-MI) of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), demonstrating that the two cell lines retain the main properties of the intestinal tracts from which they originate. In the present work, we used these cells to set up a functional intestinal barrier on a permeable membrane support to investigate the digestion and absorption of dietary amino acids in fish feed. The results demonstrate that the procedure we developed enables the quantification of individual amino acids that cross the intestinal wall. This new platform will now be used to screen and select new feed ingredients/formulations. The ever-increasing number and variation of raw materials utilized to provide alternative feed formulations continues to allow for a more sustainable and flexible approach. Testing all these options in vivo is still the most robust and reliable manner to pick the best raw material candidates, but it requires the use of large numbers of animals and is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, we are developing an in vitro platform that can provide a reliable evaluation of new ingredients. The main aim of this work was to combine an in vitro digestion protocol of extruded, commercially relevant aquafeeds with the exposure of intestinal epithelial cells to the extracted bio-available fraction (BAF). The results show that 250,000 cells/cm2 represents the optimal seeding density and that up to 50% BAF concentration for up to 24 h had no negative effects on the epithelial barrier morphology and function. It is possible to determine amino acid digestibility and bioavailability in all the experimental conditions (with and without BSA, at 25% and 50% dilution) and at all time points (0, 6, and 24 h). However, BAF concentration, the medium used for its dilution, and the length of exposure to the different epithelial cell lines can all influence the results and, therefore, must be selected according to the final aim of the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]