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The Histological Control Plan has been introduced in Italy in 2008 as an indirect monitoring tool of illicit administration of sexual hormones and corticosteroids in bovine. Analysis of 2008-2016 results permitted to draw a new plan targeting risk category. This work presents the results of the histopathological monitoring plan that was carried out from 2017 to 2019. The overall prevalence of samples suspected of treatment with corticosteroid was 11.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.6-17.8] in 2017; 10.2% (95% CI 6.6-16.9) in 2018 and 8.9% (95% CI 4.6-15.4) in 2019. The overall prevalence of samples suspected of treatment with sexual hormones was 2.3 % (95% CI 0.5-6.6) in 2017; 6.2% (95% CI 2.7-11.8) in 2018 and 12.4% (95% CI 7.4- 19.1) in 2019. Although not targeting and measuring specific molecules, this strategy allows to verify the trend of illicit treatments and identify farms to be submitted to further check.

Species substitution is a common commercial fraud, mainly applied to fish species. It is thus important to have analytical methods for species identification. DNA analysis can be a suitable technique: some mitochondrial genes are actually recognized as valuable markers for species discrimination. Aim of this work was thus to evaluate the capability of cytb and COI genes to discriminate the species of fish (n=89) which are commonly substituted. In the last four years of activity on field, the laboratory analysed, using the FINS method (Forensically Informative Nucleotide Sequencing), 146 samples, belonging to several fish species, sent by veterinary officers in the frame of their activities of control: in this work, results about number and kind of fraud are reported. Additionally, samples directly purchased by the lab were examined. The obtained results showed that the genetic markers have a high discriminatory power and that the method is highly suitable. The frequent detection of species substitution in the samples collected on field showed the importance of controlling this kind of frauds in the fish market.

Sarcosporidiosis is caused by ingestion of contaminated raw or undercooked bovine meat and, although considered a minor zoonosis, it can represent a threath for immunocompromised people. Aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in bovine minced meat intended for raw consumption collected from butcher shops and retail stores in Turin’s province (Piedmont region, Northwest Italy). Twenty-five samples were examined in parallel by histology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The prevalence of infestation of Sarcocystis spp. resulted to be 64% [confidence interval (CI) 95% 42- 82] and 88% (CI 95% 69-97) respectively by histology and PCR. In detail, the prevalence resulted 80% for S. cruzi (CI 95% 59-93), 68% for S. hominis (CI 95% 46-85) and 4% for S. hirsuta (CI 95% 0.10-20). The high prevalence of S. hominis highlights that sarcosporidiosis may constitute a public health problem in Italy, particularly in regions like Piedmont, that has traditional dishes prepared from raw or undercooked bovine meat.

17β-estradiol is the most powerful substance with estrogenic effect, commonly used as illegal growth promoter in livestock production. To avoid health risks for consumers, sensitive, reliable and low-cost methods for quantification of extremely low concentrations of such carcinogenic residues in food are needed. Antibody-immobilised microcantilever resonators were proposed as innovative biosensors able to quantify an adsorbed target mass thanks to a shift in resonance frequency. Furthermore, the quantification of masses on the order of few picograms has recently shown to be successfully achievable with very high precision. In this study, we analysed the performance of our microcantilever sensors using extracted samples of bovine muscle from experimental animals, containing variable concentrations of 17β-estradiol (HPLC-MS/MS tested). Preliminary data showed that treated animals are correctly revealed, exhibiting large negative frequency shifts. More experiments, though, are needed to obtain a correct quantification of 17β-estradiol concentration.

Authentication of fish as fresh or frozenthawed is compulsory because of the widespread fraudulent practice of retailing fish products as fresh, when they have actually been frozen. Moreover, according to EC Regulations 853/2004 and 1276/2011, fish intended for raw consumption has to be deepfrozen before usage, to protect consumers against Anisakiasis. In this study, a food business operator set an example of good quality control by collaborating with health authorities and an official laboratory in charge of food control, to evaluate the feasibility of a further integrated regional plan on fish safety. Furthermore, differences in microscopic patterns related to freezing time complying (24 h) and not complying (12 h) with legislation in force were evaluated. Ten samples obtained from red and white-meat fish, and based on real production of the food business, were identified to evaluate the histological method performance in correctly classifying fish as fresh/frozen as well as the microbiological and chemical safety issues possibly related to fishery products. For two samples, species identification was needed. Based on the histological method, one out of ten fish was not fresh, though the supplier claimed all fish to be fresh; the others, after freezing, could be characterised microscopically as frozen and a borderline P-value was found between different freezing times. Microbiological parameters and species identification resulted compliant, while flesh from a tuna fish (Euthynnus alletteratus) contained mercury residues three times higher than the legally permitted level. Our results highlight the reliability of an integrated approach to control fishery products frauds.