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Climate change is increasing the demand for alternative water sources, with treated municipal wastewater from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) standing out as a potential alternative. A field study was performed to examine the impact of storage on the microbial quality of water from a WWTP and the possible microbial transmission to three vegetable crops irrigated with (stored) water from a WWTP. The analysis consisted of 13 microbial indicators, hygiene and pathogenic parameters. Results showed that storing water from a WWTP up to 32 days can result in a decrease of 4.8 log CFU/100 ml E. coli and the absence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Additionally, integrating waiting periods of 7 days post-irrigation resulted in very limited microbial transmission to the irrigated crops. However, continuous research and monitoring are essential to apply this method in practice, due to the variability of crop type and type of bacteria. As of now, in order to meet European legislation (2020/741/EC) and depending on the impact of post-harvest processing, further water treatment (e.g. disinfection) is still needed to safely use stored WWTP water as an alternative water source for irrigation.

Due to societal concerns, assess the environmental impacts, address the issues and provide labelling to the consumer are growing issues for the agri-food sector. In this context, provide datasets specific to alternative systems is crucial to be able to take into account the variability between systems then address their issues and label them appropriately. This data paper compiles all the data used to produce the life cycle assessment (LCA) environmental of an organic low-input apple value chain including the cultivation of apples at farm, the transformation of a part into juice and applesauce, the retail and the consumption stages. The raw data have mostly been obtained through interviews of the farmer and complemented by literature. They have been used to build a life cycle inventory (LCI), using Agribalyse 3.0 and Ecoinvent 3.8 as background databases. The dataset also compiles the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) using the characterization method EF3.0. As discussed in an associated scientific paper, this dataset participates in filling two gaps: integrate the variability between systems in the discussion and link upstream (at farm) and downstream (transformation, retail, consuming) impacts. This is done by (1) covering the entire value chain from cradle to grave when most papers found in literature focusses on one stage (e.g. the cultivation of apples) and (2) applying LCA to a system that present specificities not well covered by LCA literature (e.g. low-input cultivation with no fertilization up to now).

Consumers are increasingly interested in knowing the environmental impacts of foods. In addition, producers are interested in receiving recommendations to reduce their impacts. This faces two major challenges: (1) certain systems are not widely studied and (2) not all production stages are included in system boundaries (e.g. only the agricultural stage or the supply chain). Life Cycle Assessment was applied to a specific small-scale and low-input organic apple value chain. The system boundaries included the cultivation, processing and distribution. All transport and waste management were considered. The main contributors to environmental impacts are: cultivation, juice and applesauce production, retail and consumption. Compared to literature, cultivation is efficient. Processing and retail are respectively influenced by the use of glass packaging, the cold storage of fresh apples and the transport to stores. Consumption was influenced by the management of apple waste and the consumer trip. Literature survey and results confirm that the system was not represented in the literature and provides new insights into the entire value chain, as well as new proxy LCIs. Similar specific studies should be repeated in the future to cover the variability. It is an essential step towards applying the environmental footprint fairly to alternative systems.

Considering the growing interest in enzyme-based extraction technology as a safe and eco-friendly extraction technique, along with the relatively high cost associated with enzymatic applications, it became necessary to explore novel strategies aimed to improve enzyme activity. In this study, the impact of ultrasonic treatment on commercial cellulase and pectinase was investigated. As this effect may be influenced by various ultrasonic and enzyme-related parameters, changes in enzyme conformation were explored under optimal and non-optimal enzyme conditions. The intrinsic fluorescence spectrum was utilized as a tool for monitoring these changes. Additionally, the enzyme’s catalytic potential was also assessed under the same conditions. Results indicated that the impact of ultrasonic treatment on enzyme conformation primarily depends on the total ultrasonic energy delivered to the system, rather than other ultrasonic parameters such as power, sample volume, treatment time, or duty cycle. The maximum relative decrease in intrinsic fluorescence intensity of Pectinex® Ultra Clear (PUC) and Pectinex® Ultra SPL (PUS) after ultrasonic treatment was approximately 51% and 55%, respectively, while the decrease induced by thermal denaturation was 25% and 30% respectively. Furthermore, a blue shift in the fluorescence spectrum of both pectinases was observed upon sonication for all process conditions indicating a change in enzyme conformation. However, ultrasonic treatment did not result in a significant change in enzyme activity, suggesting that these conformational adjustments may occur in regions other than the active sites. Moreover, ultrasonicated pectinases and cellulases did not exhibit any improvement in their catalytic potential under either optimal or non-optimal conditions.

Abstract Background Water quality in the drinking water system (DWS) plays an important role in the general health and performance of broiler chickens. Conditions in the DWS of broilers are ideal for microbial biofilm formation. Since pathogens might reside within these biofilms, they serve as potential source of waterborne transmission of pathogens to livestock and humans. Knowledge about the presence, importance and composition of biofilms in the DWS of broilers is largely missing. In this study, we therefore aim to monitor the occurrence, and chemically and microbiologically characterise biofilms in the DWS of five broiler farms. Results The bacterial load after disinfection in DWSs was assessed by sampling with a flocked swab followed by enumerations of total aerobic flora (TAC) and Pseudomonas spp. The dominant flora was identified and their biofilm-forming capacity was evaluated. Also, proteins, carbohydrates and uronic acids were quantified to analyse the presence of extracellular polymeric substances of biofilms. Despite disinfection of the water and the DWS, average TAC was 6.03 ± 1.53 log CFU/20cm2. Enumerations for Pseudomonas spp. were on average 0.88 log CFU/20cm2 lower. The most identified dominant species from TAC were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas geniculata and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However at species level, most of the identified microorganisms were farm specific. Almost all the isolates belonging to the three most abundant species were strong biofilm producers. Overall, 92% of all tested microorganisms were able to form biofilm under lab conditions. Furthermore, 63% of the DWS surfaces appeared to be contaminated with microorganisms combined with at least one of the analysed chemical components, which is indicative for the presence of biofilm. Conclusions Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas geniculata and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are considered as opportunistic pathogens and could consequently be a potential risk for animal health. Additionally, the biofilm-forming capacity of these organisms could promote attachment of other pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp.

Abstract A multi‐country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes ST6 linked to blanched frozen vegetables (bfV) took place in the EU (2015–2018). Evidence of food‐borne outbreaks shows that L. monocytogenes is the most relevant pathogen associated with bfV. The probability of illness per serving of uncooked bfV, for the elderly (65–74 years old) population, is up to 3,600 times greater than cooked bfV and very likely lower than any of the evaluated ready‐to‐eat food categories. The main factors affecting contamination and growth of L. monocytogenes in bfV during processing are the hygiene of the raw materials and process water; the hygienic conditions of the food processing environment (FPE); and the time/Temperature (t/T) combinations used for storage and processing (e.g. blanching, cooling). Relevant factors after processing are the intrinsic characteristics of the bfV, the t/T combinations used for thawing and storage and subsequent cooking conditions, unless eaten uncooked. Analysis of the possible control options suggests that application of a complete HACCP plan is either not possible or would not further enhance food safety. Instead, specific prerequisite programmes (PRP) and operational PRP activities should be applied such as cleaning and disinfection of the FPE, water control, t/T control and product information and consumer awareness. The occurrence of low levels of L. monocytogenes at the end of the production process (e.g.