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Ochratoxin A is a typical cereal contaminant mainly produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium. With the aim to estimate the quantity of Ochratoxin A that can be taken in by a child, samples of Pasta and cereals food used in nursery school have been monitored in Milan. Cereal and cereal-based food have been monthly collected during one year. The analysis of ochratoxin A was performed by fluorimeter detector. Ochratoxin A has been found in all samples (100%): the average concentrations of OTA A were 0,64 μg/kg for children specific Pasta and 1,11 for organic Pasta; the average concentrations for cereals and cereals-based food 3,16 μg/kg.

“Aflaflesh” is a computer based instrument, designed combining a visual data acquisition system with a sophisticated software of acquisition and analysis of images. This system allows you to check on a representative sample (5/10 kg) contamination of corn by AFB1, using fluorescence under UV light when the grain is contaminated. To optimize the use of this control equipment were analyzed in two phases, a total of 80 samples comparing the results obtained by chemical analysis (Hplc) to those obtained using “Aflaflesh”. Initially the study was set to correlate the number of contaminated grains to the ppb read by the official method, Hplc; the second step was to correlate ppb values to the number of pixel of contaminated surface of the grains read by the “Aflaflesh” instrument. The apparatus was then calibrated through a statistical analysis of the results obtained, to allow a direct reading of the AFB1 concentrations in a short period of time (15 min) without the assistance of specialized personnel.

A microbiological survey was performed on ten brined jellyfish products, sampled in Italy from Chinese food markets. In general, the microbiological conditions were good and respected the standards contemplated in the regulations CE 2073/2005 e 1441/2007. The presence of inhibiting substances and the absence of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in two samples suggest a treatment to preserve the product.

The essential oils are well known for their antibacteric, antomycotic and insecticide effects. In this research the antomycotic activity of Rosemary essential oil has been tested in vitro versus different moulds, common contaminants of food and feed, as Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ustus, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium aurantio-griseum, Fusarium moniliforme. The Rosemary essential oil tested (produced in Sardegna, Italy) shows a different efficacy against various moulds and his activity seems to be produced by borneol, α-pinene, eucalyptol, camphor and limonene. Aspergillus and Penicillium are the genus showing an important inhibition of their development in vitro. Rosemary essential oil for these natural properties can be used as antimycotic additive to extended shelf-life of many foodstuffs.

Stemphilium botryosum e Penicillium chrysogenum are the principal fungi responsable of the spreading of moulds on paper label of bottled mineral water. The contamination of raw materials used for labels production is the origin of the alterations.