Human enteric viruses, such as hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and norovirus genogroups I and II (NoVGI and NoVGII), cause infections, and it has been largely demonstrated that mussels play an important role if consumed as raw or undercooked food matrices. This study aimed to investigate, through qualitative and quantitative biomolecular assays, the detection of partial genomic regions belonging to the most relevant enteropathogenic viruses for humans (HAV, HEV, NoVGI and NoVGII) in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) farmed along the coasts of two Italian regions on the central Adriatic Sea: Abruzzo (Casalbordino, Chieti) and Molise (Termoli, Campobasso). A total of 425 animals were sampled, and the respective georeferentiations were registered. A total of 85 pools, each composed of five subjects/aliquot, were formed (22 from Abruzzo and 63 from Molise regions). This step was followed by homogenization and RNA extraction, and then the biomolecular assays [nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR] were performed. 1.17% of the pool was positive for HAV RNA detection (102 copies/mL), 9.41% for HEV (102-103 copies/mL), 2.35% for NoVGI (101 copies/mL), and no pool was positive for NoVGII. This study demonstrated the human enteric viruses’ presence in mussels farmed in a low-investigated marine area. Based on a one-health point of view, this paper wants to enforce the importance of biomolecular and epidemiological screenings as surveillance systems to guarantee human, animal, and environmental health.
{"title":"Human enteric viruses’ detection in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) farmed in the central Adriatic Sea","authors":"G. Ferri, Vincenzo Olivieri, Alberto Vergara","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12349","url":null,"abstract":"Human enteric viruses, such as hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and norovirus genogroups I and II (NoVGI and NoVGII), cause infections, and it has been largely demonstrated that mussels play an important role if consumed as raw or undercooked food matrices. This study aimed to investigate, through qualitative and quantitative biomolecular assays, the detection of partial genomic regions belonging to the most relevant enteropathogenic viruses for humans (HAV, HEV, NoVGI and NoVGII) in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) farmed along the coasts of two Italian regions on the central Adriatic Sea: Abruzzo (Casalbordino, Chieti) and Molise (Termoli, Campobasso). A total of 425 animals were sampled, and the respective georeferentiations were registered. A total of 85 pools, each composed of five subjects/aliquot, were formed (22 from Abruzzo and 63 from Molise regions). This step was followed by homogenization and RNA extraction, and then the biomolecular assays [nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR] were performed. 1.17% of the pool was positive for HAV RNA detection (102 copies/mL), 9.41% for HEV (102-103 copies/mL), 2.35% for NoVGI (101 copies/mL), and no pool was positive for NoVGII. This study demonstrated the human enteric viruses’ presence in mussels farmed in a low-investigated marine area. Based on a one-health point of view, this paper wants to enforce the importance of biomolecular and epidemiological screenings as surveillance systems to guarantee human, animal, and environmental health.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141120742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Altissimi, R. Roila, S. Primavilla, R. Branciari, A. Valiani, D. Ranucci
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in substances that could inhibit or reduce microbial growth in food products. Olive oil industry by-products, due to bioactive compounds with potential antimicrobial properties such as polyphenols, could be used in carcass treatment to enhance hygienic and quality traits. The assessment of the antimicrobial efficacy of bioactive molecules against pathogens should be determined with in vitro and in situ models since it is not possible to evaluate it directly on carcasses at the slaughterhouse. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extract against Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, simulating carcass surfaces using bovine dermis samples that were experimentally contaminated with the selected pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were first determined for S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes. In situ bactericidal activity assessment was performed using 20 cm2 derma samples contaminated with 5 Log CFU/20 cm2 of S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes in separate trials. Treatment with the polyphenolic extract was not effective for either microorganism. In order to establish the bacteriostatic activity of the polyphenolic extract, suspensions of about 2 Log CFU/20 cm2 of S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes were used. Polyphenolic extract treatment was not effective against Salmonella, while for Listeria it allowed microbial growth to delay (around 1 Log CFU/cm2 difference at 3, 7, and 14 days between treated and control groups). Further investigations are needed to evaluate the application of polyphenolic compounds on carcass surfaces and their effects on sensory traits.
{"title":"Surface carcass treatment with olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extract against Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes: in vitro and in situ assessment","authors":"C. Altissimi, R. Roila, S. Primavilla, R. Branciari, A. Valiani, D. Ranucci","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12403","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, there has been an increased interest in substances that could inhibit or reduce microbial growth in food products. Olive oil industry by-products, due to bioactive compounds with potential antimicrobial properties such as polyphenols, could be used in carcass treatment to enhance hygienic and quality traits. The assessment of the antimicrobial efficacy of bioactive molecules against pathogens should be determined with in vitro and in situ models since it is not possible to evaluate it directly on carcasses at the slaughterhouse. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extract against Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, simulating carcass surfaces using bovine dermis samples that were experimentally contaminated with the selected pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were first determined for S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes. In situ bactericidal activity assessment was performed using 20 cm2 derma samples contaminated with 5 Log CFU/20 cm2 of S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes in separate trials. Treatment with the polyphenolic extract was not effective for either microorganism. In order to establish the bacteriostatic activity of the polyphenolic extract, suspensions of about 2 Log CFU/20 cm2 of S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes were used. Polyphenolic extract treatment was not effective against Salmonella, while for Listeria it allowed microbial growth to delay (around 1 Log CFU/cm2 difference at 3, 7, and 14 days between treated and control groups). Further investigations are needed to evaluate the application of polyphenolic compounds on carcass surfaces and their effects on sensory traits.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140969337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dhary Alewy Almashhadany, Mustafa Abdulmonam Zainel, Taha Talal AbdulRahman
Helicobacteriosis is a common bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori. It affects the stomach and small intestines, leading to inflammation. Bacteria can spread through contaminated food or water. This review explores the role of food in the transmission of H. pylori, drawing on research from the past three decades. People commonly acquire the infection during childhood, often from close family members. Crowded living conditions can also contribute to the spread. This review also discusses various risk factors and highlights the challenges of detecting H. pylori, particularly in its dormant form. Techniques like ribotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism hold promise for tracing transmission routes, but more long-term studies are needed to account for potential confounding factors.
{"title":"Review of foodborne helicobacteriosis","authors":"Dhary Alewy Almashhadany, Mustafa Abdulmonam Zainel, Taha Talal AbdulRahman","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12176","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12176","url":null,"abstract":"Helicobacteriosis is a common bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori. It affects the stomach and small intestines, leading to inflammation. Bacteria can spread through contaminated food or water. This review explores the role of food in the transmission of H. pylori, drawing on research from the past three decades. People commonly acquire the infection during childhood, often from close family members. Crowded living conditions can also contribute to the spread. This review also discusses various risk factors and highlights the challenges of detecting H. pylori, particularly in its dormant form. Techniques like ribotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism hold promise for tracing transmission routes, but more long-term studies are needed to account for potential confounding factors.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140970928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Federica Savini, Federico Tomasello, Valentina Indio, Alessandra De Cesare, Mauro Fontana, Sara Panseri, Laura Prandini, Andrea Serraino, Federica Giacometti
Traditional heat treatments in the dairy industry 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 the 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.
众所周知，乳制品行业的传统热处理方法耗水耗能高，因此人们正在寻求更经济、更环保的解决方案。红外线（IR）技术在能源效率和环境可持续性方面具有优势；然而，它在牛奶加工中的有效性，尤其是在病原体灭活方面的有效性，相对来说仍有待探索。在这项研究中，对均质生乳进行了红外处理，并评估了其对李斯特菌、沙门氏菌属和肠杆菌科细菌的影响。结果表明，红外处理可有效降低微生物负荷，达到与传统巴氏杀菌法相当的灭活水平（约 6 Log10 CFU/mL）。此外，这种处理方法还能保持牛奶的 pH 值，表明对牛奶成分的改变极小。需要进一步研究红外处理对牛奶卫生功效的全面影响，深入探讨红外技术，以全面评估其适用性和与乳品加工实践的整合。尽管面临监管方面的挑战，但 Wir 系统牛奶有望成为一种具有成本效益且环保的生乳处理替代方案。
{"title":"Effect of infrared technology on the behavior of Listeria monocytogens, Salmonella spp. and Enterobacteriaceae in homogenized raw vaccine milk: preliminary results","authors":"Federica Savini, Federico Tomasello, Valentina Indio, Alessandra De Cesare, Mauro Fontana, Sara Panseri, Laura Prandini, Andrea Serraino, Federica Giacometti","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12379","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12379","url":null,"abstract":"Traditional heat treatments in the dairy industry 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 the 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.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140971849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Federica Savini, Valentina Indio, F. Giacometti, Yitagele Terefe Mekkonnen, Alessandra De Cesare, Laura Prandini, Raffaele Marrone, Alessandro Seguino, Maria Grazia Di Paolo, Valeria Vuoso, Federico Tomasello, A. Serraino
Dry-aged meat is gaining popularity among food business operators and private consumers. The process is carried out in aerobic conditions by hanging beef carcasses or placing subprimal or primal cuts in a dedicated cabinet for several weeks or even months while controlling the environment through the management of process parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, and airflow. In this review, we present a critical evaluation of the literature to evaluate tools to manage the process to guarantee food safety and identify critical control points, as well as good hygienic and manufacturing practices. In controlled aging conditions, only Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica can multiply, while a reduction in the number of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 is generally reported. Enterobacteriaceae usually decrease on the surface of the meat during maturation; thus, for the purpose of the hygienic evaluation of the production process, a count no higher than that of unmatured meat is expected. Besides, various studies report that the total bacterial count and the spoilage microorganisms significantly increase on the surface of the meat, up to 5-6 Log CFU/g in the absence of visible spoilage. Bacteria of the Pseudomonas genus tend to progressively replace other microorganisms during maturation; thus, the total mesophilic or psychrophilic bacterial load is not a good indicator of process hygiene for matured meat. Critical parameters for the control of the process are temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation, which should be monitored during the process. For this reason, equipment designed and certified for dry aging must be used, and the manufacturer must validate the process. Food business operators must apply general good manufacturing practices (GMP) and good hygiene practices (GHP) for meat processing and some GMP and GHP specific for dry aging. Several research needs were identified, among them the evolution of the populations of L. monocytogenes and Y. enterocolitica and the microbiology of the inner parts of the dry-aged meat.
{"title":"Microbiological safety of dry-aged meat: a critical review of data gaps and research needs to define process hygiene and safety criteria","authors":"Federica Savini, Valentina Indio, F. Giacometti, Yitagele Terefe Mekkonnen, Alessandra De Cesare, Laura Prandini, Raffaele Marrone, Alessandro Seguino, Maria Grazia Di Paolo, Valeria Vuoso, Federico Tomasello, A. Serraino","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12438","url":null,"abstract":"Dry-aged meat is gaining popularity among food business operators and private consumers. The process is carried out in aerobic conditions by hanging beef carcasses or placing subprimal or primal cuts in a dedicated cabinet for several weeks or even months while controlling the environment through the management of process parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, and airflow. In this review, we present a critical evaluation of the literature to evaluate tools to manage the process to guarantee food safety and identify critical control points, as well as good hygienic and manufacturing practices. In controlled aging conditions, only Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica can multiply, while a reduction in the number of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 is generally reported. Enterobacteriaceae usually decrease on the surface of the meat during maturation; thus, for the purpose of the hygienic evaluation of the production process, a count no higher than that of unmatured meat is expected. Besides, various studies report that the total bacterial count and the spoilage microorganisms significantly increase on the surface of the meat, up to 5-6 Log CFU/g in the absence of visible spoilage. Bacteria of the Pseudomonas genus tend to progressively replace other microorganisms during maturation; thus, the total mesophilic or psychrophilic bacterial load is not a good indicator of process hygiene for matured meat. Critical parameters for the control of the process are temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation, which should be monitored during the process. For this reason, equipment designed and certified for dry aging must be used, and the manufacturer must validate the process. Food business operators must apply general good manufacturing practices (GMP) and good hygiene practices (GHP) for meat processing and some GMP and GHP specific for dry aging. Several research needs were identified, among them the evolution of the populations of L. monocytogenes and Y. enterocolitica and the microbiology of the inner parts of the dry-aged meat.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140983001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valentina Indio, Chiara Olivieri, A. Lucchi, Federica Savini, Ú. Gonzales-Barrón, Panagiotis Skandamis, F. Achemchem, G. Manfreda, A. Serraino, Alessandra De Cesare
In this pilot study, we compared the metagenomic profiles of different types of artisanal fermented meat products collected in Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Morocco to investigate their taxonomic profile, also in relation to the presence of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes. In addition, technical replicates of the same biological sample were tested to estimate the reproducibility of shotgun metagenomics. The taxonomic analysis showed a high level of variability between different fermented meat products at both the phylum and genus levels. Staphylococcus aureus was identified with the highest abundance in Italian fermented meat; Escherichia coli in fermented meat from Morocco; Salmonella enterica in fermented meat from Greece; Klebsiella pneumoniae and Yersinia enterocolitica in fermented meat from Portugal. The fungi Aspergillus, Neosartoria, Emericella, Penicillum and Debaryomyces showed a negative correlation with Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus. The resistome analysis indicated that genes conferring resistance to aminoglycoside, macrolide, and tetracycline were widely spread in all the samples. Our results showed that the reproducibility between technical replicates tested by shotgun metagenomic was very high under the same conditions of analysis (either DNA extraction, library preparation, sequencing analysis, and bioinformatic analysis), considering both the degree of overlapping and the pairwise correlation.
{"title":"Shotgun metagenomic investigation of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes in artisanal fermented meat products from the Mediterranean area","authors":"Valentina Indio, Chiara Olivieri, A. Lucchi, Federica Savini, Ú. Gonzales-Barrón, Panagiotis Skandamis, F. Achemchem, G. Manfreda, A. Serraino, Alessandra De Cesare","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12210","url":null,"abstract":"In this pilot study, we compared the metagenomic profiles of different types of artisanal fermented meat products collected in Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Morocco to investigate their taxonomic profile, also in relation to the presence of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes. In addition, technical replicates of the same biological sample were tested to estimate the reproducibility of shotgun metagenomics. The taxonomic analysis showed a high level of variability between different fermented meat products at both the phylum and genus levels. Staphylococcus aureus was identified with the highest abundance in Italian fermented meat; Escherichia coli in fermented meat from Morocco; Salmonella enterica in fermented meat from Greece; Klebsiella pneumoniae and Yersinia enterocolitica in fermented meat from Portugal. The fungi Aspergillus, Neosartoria, Emericella, Penicillum and Debaryomyces showed a negative correlation with Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus. The resistome analysis indicated that genes conferring resistance to aminoglycoside, macrolide, and tetracycline were widely spread in all the samples. Our results showed that the reproducibility between technical replicates tested by shotgun metagenomic was very high under the same conditions of analysis (either DNA extraction, library preparation, sequencing analysis, and bioinformatic analysis), considering both the degree of overlapping and the pairwise correlation.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140990672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alfonso Rosamilia, Stefano Benedetti, Delia Cotugno, Chiara Guarnieri, Viviana Miraglia, Andrea Riponi, Stefano Capezzuto, Giulia Siragusa, N. Santini, M. Pierantoni
In early 2022, the confirmed presence of African swine fever (ASF) circulating in wild boars in mainland Italy and subsequently found in domestic pigs led to several changes regarding the export of pork and pork products to countries outside the European Union (non-EU). The sector suffered the complete and immediate closure of the markets of some countries, often without the measure being communicated in the forms stipulated by international agreements. Indeed, compliance with the current EU regulations does not guarantee the possibility of exporting to non-EU countries. Knowledge of the animal health status requirements of the country (Italy in this case) is essential for food business operators (FBOs) wishing to enter markets outside the EU according to the ‘Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures’. In cases where a sanitary protocol and a model of an official certificate with the importing country exist, the market is officially accessible according to the agreed sanitary requirements. Where no agreement exists, requirements are detailed in the ‘import permit’ issued to individual FBOs or may be known by directly accessing national regulations through the client/importer. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to outline briefly the conditions imposed by the main non-EU countries for pork products, especially in light of the new epidemiological situation created by the spread of the ASF into a country previously free of the disease.
{"title":"African swine fever: implications for the Italian pork trade","authors":"Alfonso Rosamilia, Stefano Benedetti, Delia Cotugno, Chiara Guarnieri, Viviana Miraglia, Andrea Riponi, Stefano Capezzuto, Giulia Siragusa, N. Santini, M. Pierantoni","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12489","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12489","url":null,"abstract":"In early 2022, the confirmed presence of African swine fever (ASF) circulating in wild boars in mainland Italy and subsequently found in domestic pigs led to several changes regarding the export of pork and pork products to countries outside the European Union (non-EU). The sector suffered the complete and immediate closure of the markets of some countries, often without the measure being communicated in the forms stipulated by international agreements. Indeed, compliance with the current EU regulations does not guarantee the possibility of exporting to non-EU countries. Knowledge of the animal health status requirements of the country (Italy in this case) is essential for food business operators (FBOs) wishing to enter markets outside the EU according to the ‘Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures’. In cases where a sanitary protocol and a model of an official certificate with the importing country exist, the market is officially accessible according to the agreed sanitary requirements. Where no agreement exists, requirements are detailed in the ‘import permit’ issued to individual FBOs or may be known by directly accessing national regulations through the client/importer. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to outline briefly the conditions imposed by the main non-EU countries for pork products, especially in light of the new epidemiological situation created by the spread of the ASF into a country previously free of the disease.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140992860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. G. Basanisi, G. Nobili, G. La Bella, Anna Mattea D’Antuono, Rosa Coppola, Annita Maria Damato, T. Scirocco, Lucrezia Cilenti, G. La Salandra
In this study, two Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Lesina and Varano) of Southern Italy, located in the north of the Apulia region, were investigated for the presence of Shiga toxin Escherichia coli (STEC) and potentially enteropathogenic Vibrio species in parallel with norovirus (NoV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study aimed to evaluate the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and viruses in the water and sediments of these ecosystems. From March 2022 to February 2023, a total of 98 samples were collected: 49 water samples and 49 sediment samples. STEC strains were isolated in three samples (3.1%), of which one (2%) was water (stx1 and stx2 positive) and two (4.1%) were sediment (both stx2 positive) samples. Vibrio spp. were detected in twenty samples (20.4%), of which nine were water (18.4%) and eleven were sediment (22.4%) samples. The species detected included V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae, and V. vulnificus. NoV was detected in 25 (25.5%) samples, while none of the water or sediment samples were positive for HAV, HEV, and SARS-CoV-2. The results of this study provide an overview of the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in areas influenced by anthropogenic pressure. Monitoring the circulation of these pathogens could be useful to evaluate the water flowing into the lagoons, in particular discharge waters (i.e., urban, agricultural, and livestock runoff), considering the presence of fish and shellfish farms in these sites.
{"title":"One-year monitoring of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in the waters and sediments of the Lesina and Varano lagoons (South-Est Italy)","authors":"M. G. Basanisi, G. Nobili, G. La Bella, Anna Mattea D’Antuono, Rosa Coppola, Annita Maria Damato, T. Scirocco, Lucrezia Cilenti, G. La Salandra","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12218","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, two Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Lesina and Varano) of Southern Italy, located in the north of the Apulia region, were investigated for the presence of Shiga toxin Escherichia coli (STEC) and potentially enteropathogenic Vibrio species in parallel with norovirus (NoV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study aimed to evaluate the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and viruses in the water and sediments of these ecosystems. From March 2022 to February 2023, a total of 98 samples were collected: 49 water samples and 49 sediment samples. STEC strains were isolated in three samples (3.1%), of which one (2%) was water (stx1 and stx2 positive) and two (4.1%) were sediment (both stx2 positive) samples. Vibrio spp. were detected in twenty samples (20.4%), of which nine were water (18.4%) and eleven were sediment (22.4%) samples. The species detected included V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae, and V. vulnificus. NoV was detected in 25 (25.5%) samples, while none of the water or sediment samples were positive for HAV, HEV, and SARS-CoV-2. The results of this study provide an overview of the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in areas influenced by anthropogenic pressure. Monitoring the circulation of these pathogens could be useful to evaluate the water flowing into the lagoons, in particular discharge waters (i.e., urban, agricultural, and livestock runoff), considering the presence of fish and shellfish farms in these sites.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141005074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Ziino, E. Callipo, Luca Nalbone, F. Giarratana, A. Giuffrida, A. Panebianco
The aim of this work is the description and characterization of a severe Microsporidia infection in a batch of salted and dried cod. Particularly, the case involves a batch of approximately 800 kg obtained from Gadus macrocephalus (Food and Agriculture Organization Zone 61 - Northwest Pacific Ocean), which, after rehydration and sectioning operations, underwent routine company checks before packaging. On about 20% of the samples, the presence of whitish nodules with a diameter ranging from 1 to 2 mm was observed on the surface of the fillets and in cross-section. The lesions ranged from a few units to 10 per cm2. Some samples were subjected to fresh microscopic observation with the stereomicroscope, confirming the nodular nature of the lesions, which were often confluent, alternating with empty spaces, giving the tissue a honeycombing aspect. The histological examination at low magnification allowed us to observe the heavy vacuolization of nodular lesions irregularly surrounded by a spongy-like wall. The observation at higher magnification of other sections allowed us to identify intra-myofibrillar cists containing presumptive microsporidian elements. The tissue damage derived from the technological processes and gravity of lesions did not allow a morphological characterization of presumptive protozoans. The molecular examination of the nodular lesions and the analysis of the sequence of an 897 bp fragment of the small subunit 16S rRNA revealed 100% identity with Microsporidium theragrae (GenBank Accession number MT928885-89) first isolated from the skeletal muscles of Gadus chalcogrammus specimens from the Sea of Okhotsk. This finding confirms the importance of selecting suppliers and raw materials in the seafood industry, as well as the usefulness of an effective traceability system.
{"title":"Microsporidian heavy infection in a batch of salted and dried cod","authors":"G. Ziino, E. Callipo, Luca Nalbone, F. Giarratana, A. Giuffrida, A. Panebianco","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12333","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this work is the description and characterization of a severe Microsporidia infection in a batch of salted and dried cod. Particularly, the case involves a batch of approximately 800 kg obtained from Gadus macrocephalus (Food and Agriculture Organization Zone 61 - Northwest Pacific Ocean), which, after rehydration and sectioning operations, underwent routine company checks before packaging. On about 20% of the samples, the presence of whitish nodules with a diameter ranging from 1 to 2 mm was observed on the surface of the fillets and in cross-section. The lesions ranged from a few units to 10 per cm2. Some samples were subjected to fresh microscopic observation with the stereomicroscope, confirming the nodular nature of the lesions, which were often confluent, alternating with empty spaces, giving the tissue a honeycombing aspect. The histological examination at low magnification allowed us to observe the heavy vacuolization of nodular lesions irregularly surrounded by a spongy-like wall. The observation at higher magnification of other sections allowed us to identify intra-myofibrillar cists containing presumptive microsporidian elements. The tissue damage derived from the technological processes and gravity of lesions did not allow a morphological characterization of presumptive protozoans. The molecular examination of the nodular lesions and the analysis of the sequence of an 897 bp fragment of the small subunit 16S rRNA revealed 100% identity with Microsporidium theragrae (GenBank Accession number MT928885-89) first isolated from the skeletal muscles of Gadus chalcogrammus specimens from the Sea of Okhotsk. This finding confirms the importance of selecting suppliers and raw materials in the seafood industry, as well as the usefulness of an effective traceability system.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141017350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elisa Di Carlantonio, Lucia Romagnoli, Annette Schatzle, Giuseppe Base, Gaetano Liuzzo
The internet and digital technologies pose new specific challenges to competent authorities, whose activity fields are limited to their own jurisdictions. Consequently, these authorities must operate a system of controls adapted to online sites and e-sales, and official control must be strengthened. To address these challenges and protect consumers from misleading practices that can lead to the consumption of unsafe food, it is necessary to adapt official controls to new distance-selling techniques. The food inspection scheme as conceived in the European legal system cannot be easily applied to online food sales. To this purpose, the competent authorities need to equip themselves to guarantee effective control and compliance with the European Union laws regarding food sold online. It emerged that there are different levels of non-compliance with online food: the non-registration of the food business operator (registrant) and the non-compliance with the obligations as the law prescribes (obligations on food hygiene, electronic commerce, and information to consumers about the food). The focus of this survey on the distance sale of dairy products in Modena Local Competent Authority territory is on the pattern suggested by the Food Standards Agency in 2016. This analysis is based on two different phases. The first one is the study of the websites, and the second one is the physical visit to the address of the online food business. This survey shows how to collect the first phase's data and organize the official controls.
{"title":"Official controls on the distance sale of dairy products in the territory of the Modena Local Competent Authority: an analysis of websites","authors":"Elisa Di Carlantonio, Lucia Romagnoli, Annette Schatzle, Giuseppe Base, Gaetano Liuzzo","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2024.12241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2024.12241","url":null,"abstract":"The internet and digital technologies pose new specific challenges to competent authorities, whose activity fields are limited to their own jurisdictions. Consequently, these authorities must operate a system of controls adapted to online sites and e-sales, and official control must be strengthened. To address these challenges and protect consumers from misleading practices that can lead to the consumption of unsafe food, it is necessary to adapt official controls to new distance-selling techniques. The food inspection scheme as conceived in the European legal system cannot be easily applied to online food sales. To this purpose, the competent authorities need to equip themselves to guarantee effective control and compliance with the European Union laws regarding food sold online. It emerged that there are different levels of non-compliance with online food: the non-registration of the food business operator (registrant) and the non-compliance with the obligations as the law prescribes (obligations on food hygiene, electronic commerce, and information to consumers about the food). The focus of this survey on the distance sale of dairy products in Modena Local Competent Authority territory is on the pattern suggested by the Food Standards Agency in 2016. This analysis is based on two different phases. The first one is the study of the websites, and the second one is the physical visit to the address of the online food business. This survey shows how to collect the first phase's data and organize the official controls.","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140690457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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