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Wild artisanal cultures, such as a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY) and water kefir grains (WKG), represent a complex microorganism consortia that is composed of yeasts and lactic and acetic acid bacteria, with large strains of diversity and abundance. The fermented products (FPs) obtained by the microbiome’s contribution can be included in functional products due to their meta-biotics (pre-, pro-, post-, and paraprobiotics) as a result of complex and synergistic associations as well as due to the metabolic functionality. In this study, consortia of both SCOBY and WKG were involved in the co-fermentation of a newly formulated substrate that was further analysed, aiming at increasing the postbiotic composition of the FPs. Plackett–Burman (PBD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) techniques were employed for the experimental designs to select and optimise several parameters that have an influence on the lyophilised starter cultures of SCOBY and WKG activity as a multiple inoculum. Tea concentration (1–3%), sugar concentration (5–10%), raisins concentration (3–6%), SCOBY lyophilised culture concentration (0.2–0.5%), WKG lyophilised culture concentration (0.2–0.5%), and fermentation time (5–7 days) were considered the independent variables for mathematical analysis and fermentation conditions’ optimisation. Antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis MIUG B1, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Aspergillus niger MIUG M5, antioxidant capacity (DPPH), pH and the total acidity (TA) were evaluated as responses. The rich postbiotic bioactive composition of the FP obtained in optimised biotechnological conditions highlighted the usefulness of the artisanal co-cultures, through their symbiotic metabolic interactions for the improvement of bioactive potential.

This study assessed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) ham during storage under conditions simulating domestic practices with the intention to offer support in the elaboration of food safety policies that should better protect consumers against food poisoning at home. RTE ham, artificially contaminated at either medium (102 –103 CFU/g) or high (104 –105 CFU/g) concentration, was stored at both isothermal (4℃ in a refrigerator able to maintain a relatively constant temperature and 5℃ and 7℃ in a refrigerator with fluctuating temperature) and dynamic (5℃ and 7℃ with intermittent exposure to ambient temperature, e.g. 25℃) conditions. Under isothermal conditions, the increasing storage temperature determined a significantly increased (p < 0.05) capacity of L. monocytogenes to grow. The kinetic growth parameters were derived by fitting the Baranyi and Roberts model to the experimental data and, based on the maximum specific growth rates, it was estimated the temperature dependence of L. monocytogenes growth in RTE ham. At medium contamination level, sanitary risk time calculation revealed that, unlike storage at 5℃ and 7℃, storage at 4℃ of the RTE ham extends the time period during which the product is safe for consumption by ∼40 and 52%, respectively. However, the real temperature fluctuations included in the Monte Carlo simulations at low L. monocytogenes counts (1, 5 and 10 CFU/g) have shortened the safety margins. Stochastic models also proved to be useful tools for describing the pathogen’s behavior when refrigeration of the RTE ham alternates with periods of ham being kept at room temperature, considered dynamic conditions of growth.

Study describing the use of pasteurised eggs in dishes traditionally prepared with raw or undercooked eggs as a food safety solution againstSalmonella

Whey edible films (EFs) functionalized with essential oils have a high potential to be used on various foods due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Encapsulation is applied for a better retention of volatiles in EFs; however, the functional properties of EFs are modified. The properties of EFs containing thyme essential oil (TEO) encapsulated by co-precipitation in β-CD, developed in three formulae, with inclusion complexes (EF/IC1, EF/IC2, and EF/IC3, respectively) in 15:85, 26:74, and 35:65 mass ratios were studied. Thymol is the main volatile in the ICs with TEO/β-CD (50%–60% of the total volatiles). In comparison with EF/TEO, all three formulae with EF/ICs had better, but similar, WVPs (p > 0.05). The EF/IC2 displayed a different FTIR profile than EF/IC1 and EF/IC3, suggesting a smaller number of free functional groups. The EF/IC2 showed better transparency in comparison with EF/IC1 and EF/IC3. All EF/ICs moderately inhibited R. glutinis, with the strongest activity registered by EF/IC3 (p < 0.05), but did not inhibit G. candidum, while showing a strong antibacterial activity against B. cereus. All EF/ICs inhibited 65%–70% of the total free radicals. The EF/ICs ensured a gradual release of VOCs in food simulants, with a higher rate in 95% ethanol than in water. These results have demonstrated the properties of EF/ICs with TEO/β-CD as bioactive packaging systems for foods.

The aim of the paper is to analyse the importance of online media when buying food and the consumers’ awareness of its involvement in food integrity. Recognizing the importance of online media in daily life, the paper explores the possibility to get consumers more involved, through social media, in food integrity activities. Thus, the goal of the study was to identify the causal relationship between the involvement of food business operators (FBOs), authorities, and consumers, the three main actors in the food chain. It was found that consumers consider themselves responsible, along with authorities and FBOs, for monitoring food integrity, and that they are interested in periodically receiving information on food integrity through online media. Based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM), the results showed a link between involving consumers, FBOs, authorities and the influence of online media, in monitoring food integrity, therefore online media could be capitalized together with conventional practices, in a complementary manner. Authorities and FBOs should provide online media with tools through which consumers could lodge complaints, if necessary, find out information about food chain supervision, and get access to educational and informative materials regarding food integrity. The paper promotes the idea of transforming informed consumers into informal auditors for the food products.

This study aimed at assessing the ability of the foodborne pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes to resist high pressure processing when present in cucumber juice and evaluating its capacity to recover during post-processing storage at 8°C for 72 hours. Two L. monocytogenes strains were selected, Scott A and RO15, a reference and a food isolated strains, respectively. The cucumber juice was inoculated with either Scott A or RO15 strain at a concentration of approximately 7 log CFU/mL and treated at 300 and 400 MPa, 8°C, for 8 minutes. The behavior of L. monocytogenes populations was studied by employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches: enumeration of L. monocytogenes viable cells by plate counting on a selective growth medium and measuring the fluorescence intensity emitted by the cells when stained with propidium iodide (PI). The treatment at 300 MPa, 8°C, for 8 minutes determined a reduction rate of less than 1 log CFU/mL for both L. monocytogenes strains, while treatment at 400 MPa led to a significantly higher reduction in cells number, 6 and 5 log CFU/mL for Scott A and RO15 strain, respectively. L. monocytogenes viable cells counting at each time point (0, 24, 48 and 72 hours) revealed no multiplication of survivors during storage at 8°C. However, the fluorescence method suggested a possible cellular membrane recovery process, since fluorescence intensity emitted by the HP treated L. monocytogenes cells decreased continuously over the storage period compared to time 0. The results of this experiment emphasize the necessity of employing other barriers against L. monocytogenes in combination with HPP, to ensure its consumption safety during storage for periods longer than 72 hours.

Given that the pesticide and fungicide residues determination in honey is not a routine analysis in Romania, information on these emerging contaminants is useful for consumer's safety. High resolution mass spectrometry technique was applied by Q-Exactive Orbitrap LC-MS/MS to identify and quantify environmental contaminants in honey. A list of 25 compounds, biocides and antifungals was selected for the method development, based on the occurrence in the Romanian environment and their potential usage in agriculture. The method was applied for 18 various honey samples collected in different geographic regions of Romania. Eleven compounds were present in the honey samples: carbendazim, enilconazole, hexaconazole, penconazole, tebuconazole, flusilazole, thiabendazole, terconazole, cyproconazole, propiconazole, metalaxyl. Targeted MS/MS analyses were performed for confirmation. The measured quantities ranged from 1.7-7.2 μg kg

We developed a comparative study, between the 2009-2010 and 2015-2016 sampling campaigns, in order to monitor the changes occurred in the quality of seven drinking water sources, after few springs from the Runcuri Plateau were taped into the locals’ homes. A special view was given to the geology of the Runcuri Plateau and to the relationship between the geological substrate and physicochemical profile, microbial content, and invertebrate communities of the analyzed springs. The particular geology of every drinking water source allowed us to understand why their physicochemical and biological features are different, even if springs are close to each other. Also the trends over space and time, as well as the seasonal variations were analyzed, in order to contribute to a better understanding of the geochemical and biological constraints, specific to the groundwater ecosystem functioning in karstic areas. Our results emphasized the anthropogenic impact on the drinking water quality, which was higher in the 2015-2016 sampling campaigns. The anthropogenic pollution was assessed through the following parameters: ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and faecal coliforms including E.coli, which reflect the vulnerable nature of the drinking water sources on the marginal limits of the plateau. The groundwater fauna responded to the organic pollution by a pronounced decrease in diversity and abundance in 2015-2016. Taking into account these results, specific protective measures must be considered, in order to maintain the quality of the drinking water sources used by the inhabitants of the Runcuri Plateau. The results of this study may have relevant implications for public health and for the sustainability of the rural communities of karstic regions. In addition, our results provide a reference background of the local groundwater status, which can be used in further investigations and monitoring.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of dirt removal (bacteria and organic matter) of several hand-cleaning procedures. The results from the hand hygiene experiment indicated that washing hands with warm water and soap for 20 s is the most effective method investigated when hands are either dirty or greasy. Even if not proper washing, rinsing under running water for 5 s is a cleaning procedure that may significantly reduce the probability of cross-contamination, as it removes 90% of the hands’ dirt. Although less effective than water and soap, the usage of antibacterial wipes was significantly more effective than wet wipes, indicating that they are a better choice when water and soap are not available. The results of this study enable us to inform consumers about the effectiveness of hand-cleaning procedures applied in their homes when cooking. Moreover, it can make consumers understand why, during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities recommended washing hands as a preventive measure of infection and using an anti-bacterial hand gel or wiping hands with an antimicrobial wipe if water and soap are not available.

Objectives The study aims to generate the whole genome sequence of L. monocytogenes strain S2542 and to compare it to the genomes of strains RO15 and ScottA. In addition, we aimed to compare gene expression profiles of L. monocytogenes strains S2542, ScottA and RO15 after high-pressure processing (HPP) using ddPCR. Results The whole genome sequence of L. monocytogenes S2542 indicates that this strain belongs to serotype 4b, in contrast to the previously reported serotype 1/2a. Strain S2542 appears to be more susceptible to the treatment at 400 MPa compared to RO15 and ScottA strains. In contrast to RO15 and ScottA strains, viable cell counts of strain S2542 were below the limit of detection after HPP (400 MPa/8 min) when stored at 8 °C for 24 and 48 h. The transcriptional response of all three strains to HPP was not significantly different. Introduction Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive foodborne bacterium that can cause severe infections in humans. Listeriosis, the associated disease, particularly affects individuals with compromised immune systems [1] and may lead to hospitalization and mortality rates of 20–30% [2]. Humans are generally infected following consumption of contaminated ready-to-eat (RTE) food products that do not undergo thermal treatment during the manufacturing process or are contaminated post-thermal treatment. L. monocytogenes can thrive in a range of inhospitable environmental conditions including low temperatures thus causing significant challenge to the food industry [3,4,5,6]. Recently, we have studied the transcriptional response of L. monocytogenes strains RO15 and ScottA to HPP by RNA-seq [7, 8]. We observed that our previous gene expression results [8] are negatively correlated with the results of a previous study on HPP-induced changes in gene expression of L. monocytogenes strain S2542 [9]. Thus, our aim was to make a draft assembly of the genome of the strain S2542 (obtained from Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research) and to compare the genome sequences of these three strains. Based on the conflicting results regarding the HPP-induced changes in gene expression, we also performed a new set of HPP experiments under the same conditions as in our previous study [8] with all the three strains, and analyzed the transcriptional response of a number of representative genes.

About 40% of foodborne infections are acquired in the home. The aim of the present study was to track contamination of pathogens during domestic food preparation and link the contamination to preparation practices. Research participants from 87 households in six European countries were observed and interviewed during shopping and preparation of a chicken and vegetable meal. The presence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and norovirus on raw chicken, kitchen surfaces, cloths and sponges was determined.\ud \ud \ud \ud The prevalence of Campylobacter on raw chicken varied from 8.3% in Norway (NO) to 80% in France (FR) and Portugal (PT), with a mean prevalence of 57%. Campylobacter was found on half of the products that had been frozen and appeared to be less prevalent on chicken from supermarkets than other sources. Salmonella was found in 8.6% of raw chicken samples, exclusively from Hungary (HU).\ud \ud \ud \ud A relationship between observed practices and spread of pathogens to kitchen surfaces was found only for the use of cutting boards for chicken and/or vegetables. After food preparation, Campylobacter and Salmonella were isolated from 23% (samples derived from HU, RO, UK) and 8.7% (HU), respectively of cutting boards. Research participants in France and Portugal were more likely to buy products that fitted their recipe, with less need for using cutting boards. Using the same board and knife for vegetables after using it for chicken and without washing with detergent was common in Portugal and Romania, but not in the other countries. Contamination with Campylobacter to other kitchen surfaces or washing utensils were found in five households (UK, RO, PT). Rinsing chicken in sinks was common in three countries (PT, HU, RO), and washing vegetables in the same sink was also usual. Prevalence of Norovirus was low, with detection in one out of 451 samples. The participants' awareness of the risk posed by pathogens from raw chicken differed among the six countries, with higher awareness in Norway and the UK than the other countries studied.\ud \ud \ud \ud In conclusion, practices intended to avoid cross-contamination from chicken to kitchen surfaces and washing utensils are not established among consumers in all European countries. Nevertheless, cross-contamination events that disseminate infectious doses of pathogens seems to be rare, probably due to the relatively low levels of pathogens in food combined with food preferences. Food safety interventions must consider the national food culture, preferences, practices and the prevalence and levels of pathogens in food. Emphasis should be on providing and promoting chicken products with lower risk (prevalence of pathogens, ready-to-cook) and safe use of cutting boards.

Background: High-pressure processing (HPP) is a commonly used technique in the food industry to inactivate pathogens, including L. monocytogenes. It has been shown that L. monocytogenes is able to recover from HPP injuries and can start to grow again during long-term cold storage. To date, the gene expression profiling of L. monocytogenes during HPP damage recovery at cooling temperature has not been studied. In order identify key genes that play a role in recovery of the damage caused by HPP treatment, we performed RNA-sequencing (RNAseq) for two L. monocytogenes strains (barotolerant RO15 and barosensitive ScottA) at nine selected time points (up to 48 h) after treatment with two pressure levels (200 and 400 MPa). Results: The results showed that a general stress response was activated by SigB after HPP treatment. In addition, the phosphotransferase system (PTS; mostly fructose-, mannose-, galactitol-, cellobiose-, and ascorbate-specific PTS systems), protein folding, and cobalamin biosynthesis were the most upregulated genes during HPP damage recovery. We observed that cell-division-related genes (divIC, dicIVA, ftsE, and ftsX) were downregulated. By contrast, peptidoglycan-synthesis genes (murG, murC, and pbp2A) were upregulated. This indicates that cell-wall repair occurs as a part of HPP damage recovery. We also observed that prophage genes, including anti-CRISPR genes, were induced by HPP. Interestingly, a large amount of RNA-seq data (up to 85%) was mapped to Rli47, which is a noncoding RNA that is upregulated after HPP. Thus, we predicted that Rli47 plays a role in HPP damage recovery in L. monocytogenes. Moreover, gene-deletion experiments showed that amongst peptidoglycan biosynthesis genes, pbp2A mutants are more sensitive to HPP. Conclusions: We identified several genes and mechanisms that may play a role in recovery from HPP damage of L. monocytogenes. Our study contributes to new information on pathogen inactivation by HPP. © The Author(s). 2021 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Background The pathogen Listeria (L.) monocytogenes is known to survive heat, cold, high pressure, and other extreme conditions. Although the response of this pathogen to pH, osmotic, temperature, and oxidative stress has been studied extensively, its reaction to the stress produced by high pressure processing HPP (which is a preservation method in the food industry), and the activated gene regulatory network (GRN) in response to this stress is still largely unknown. Results We used RNA sequencing transcriptome data of L. monocytogenes (ScottA) treated at 400 MPa and 8∘C, for 8 min and combined it with current information in the literature to create a transcriptional regulation database, depicting the relationship between transcription factors (TFs) and their target genes (TGs) in L. monocytogenes. We then applied network component analysis (NCA), a matrix decomposition method, to reconstruct the activities of the TFs over time. According to our findings, L. monocytogenes responded to the stress applied during HPP by three statistically different gene regulation modes: survival mode during the first 10 min post-treatment, repair mode during 1 h post-treatment, and re-growth mode beyond 6 h after HPP. We identified the TFs and their TGs that were responsible for each of the modes. We developed a plausible model that could explain the regulatory mechanism that L. monocytogenes activated through the well-studied CIRCE operon via the regulator HrcA during the survival mode. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the timely activation of TFs associated with an immediate stress response, followed by the expression of genes for repair purposes, and then re-growth and metabolism, could be a strategy of L. monocytogenes to survive and recover extreme HPP conditions. We believe that our results give a better understanding of L. monocytogenes behavior after exposure to high pressure that may lead to the design of a specific knock-out process to target the genes or mechanisms. The results can help the food industry select appropriate HPP conditions to prevent L. monocytogenes recovery during food storage.

Nontyphoidal salmonellae are among the most prevalent foodborne pathogens causing gastrointestinal infections worldwide. A high number of cases and outbreaks of salmonellosis are associated with the consumption of eggs and egg products, and several of these occur at the household level. The aim of the current study is to critically evaluate the current status of knowledge on Salmonella in eggs from a consumer's perspective, analyzing the hazard occurrence and the good practices that should be applied to reduce salmonellosis risk. Following a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) based approach, some steps along the food journey were identified as Critical Consumer Handling (CCH)—steps in which consumers, through their behavior or choice, can significantly reduce the level of Salmonella in eggs and egg products. From shopping/collecting to consumption, each of these steps is discussed in this review to provide an evidence-based overview of risk factors of human salmonellosis related to egg consumption. The main message to consumers is to choose Salmonella-free eggs (those that some official entity or producer guarantees that does not contain Salmonella), when available, especially for dishes that are not fully heat treated. Second, as guaranteed Salmonella-free eggs are only available in a few countries, refrigerated storage from the point of collection and proper cooking will significantly reduce the risk of salmonellosis. This will require a revision of the actual recommendations/regulations, as not all ensure that eggs are maintained at temperatures that prevent growth of Salmonella from collection until the time of purchasing.

This paper examines the Romanian consumers' knowledge regarding food hazards and their awareness on certified labelled food, while identifying the sources of information they trust. The study reveals that half of the consumers are not aware of hazards as mycotoxins and pathogenic microorganisms likeListeria,Campylobacter,YersiniaandClostridium, while they perceive food additives and GMOs as being hazardous. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal component analysis (PCA), it was found that certified labelled food provides the consumer with a general feeling of trust; however, consumers do not discriminate what the certification is standing for. Also, science books are recognized as trustful sources of information but family and media are the first option at hand for making an opinion on what can put somebody at risk. Applying confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) modelling it was possible to link consumers’ knowledge and awareness with their trust and to identify means to communicate in order to fill the existing knowledge gaps and alleviate part of their food related anxieties. Suggestions on how to manage this process are given with the aim to make Romanian consumers understand the efforts of food chain participants to ensure food safety, to avoid confusion on what is risky and what is not, and to determine them to share responsibilities on food safety. The study may inspire strategies for consumer education based on adopting a risk-based approach to food safety not only in Romania, but in other countries too, as similarities may exist.

Background High-pressure processing (HPP) is a commonly used technique in the food industry to inactivate pathogens, including L. monocytogenes. It has been shown that L. monocytogenes is able to recover from HPP injuries and can start to grow again during long-term cold storage. To date, the gene expression profiling of L. monocytogenes during HPP damage recovery at cooling temperature has not been studied. In order identify key genes that play a role in recovery of the damage caused by HPP treatment, we performed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) for two L. monocytogenes strains (barotolerant RO15 and barosensitive ScottA) at nine selected time points (up to 48 h) after treatment with two pressure levels (200 and 400 MPa). Results The results showed that a general stress response was activated by SigB after HPP treatment. In addition, the phosphotransferase system (PTS), protein folding, and cobalamin biosynthesis were the most upregulated genes during HPP damage recovery. We observed that cell-division-related genes (divIC, dicIVA, ftsE, and ftsX) were downregulated. By contrast, peptidoglycan-synthesis genes (murG, murC, and pbp2A) were upregulated. This indicates that cell-wall repair occurs as a part of HPP damage recovery. We also observed that prophage genes, including anti-CRISPR genes, were induced by HPP. Interestingly, a large amount of RNA-seq data (up to 85%) was mapped to Rli47, which is a non-coding RNA that is upregulated after HPP. Thus, we predicted that Rli47 plays a role in HPP damage recovery in L. monocytogenes. Moreover, gene-deletion experiments showed that amongst peptidoglycan biosynthesis genes, pbp2A mutants are more sensitive to HPP. Conclusions We identified several genes and mechanisms that may play a role in recovery from HPP damage of L. monocytogenes. Our study contributes to new information on pathogen inactivation by HPP.

Considering the growing interest in functional foods, the identification of the individual species of elements is of great importance in understanding specific nutraceutical properties. The present study aims to compare the dynamic of the elemental content (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Se), total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity of Trifolium pratense L. and Medicago sativa L. sprouts in different germination stages. The elemental profile was established by atomic absorption spectroscopy after the microwave acid digestion of the samples, while total polyphenols and anti-radical activity were evaluated by UV-Vis spectroscopic methods. Phenolic compounds and anti-radical activity of both alfalfa and red clover sprouts varied with germination stages. Germination can significantly increase the anti-radical activity in the first 3 days of germination, followed by a decline in the following days. An increase in total polyphenols was noticed, starting from the second day of germination in both plant species. There were significant (p &lt, 0.05) differences for Ca, Na, Fe, K, Zn, and Mg contents among the sprouts, depending on the germination stage and plant species. The calcium contents of alfalfa ranged between 200.74 &micro, g/g DW (raw seeds) and 2765.31 &micro, g/g DW (sprouted), while in red clover between 250.83 &micro, g/g DW and 601.59 &micro, g/g DW. Maximum selenium content in alfalfa sprouts, reached in the 3rd day of germination (11.42 &micro, g/g DW), exceeded the maximum value measured in red clover (9.42 &micro, g/g DW). The data were subject to statistical processing using analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA).

This paper aimed to establish the relationship between food safety knowledge, food shopping attitude, and self-reported kitchen practices among Romanian consumers. The study used data collected in an online survey applied on 985 consumers. A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) model applied by structural equation modelling revealed significant correlations between knowledge and attitude (r=0.36;pβ=0.17,pβ=0.47,p&nbsp

Identification and quantification of polyphenols in plant material are of great interest since they make a significant contribution to its total bioactivity. In the present study, an UPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS approach using the variable data acquisition mode (vDIA) was developed and applied for rapid separation, identification, and quantification of the main polyphenolic compounds in Medicago sativa L. and Trifolium pratense L. sprouts in different germination stages. Based on accurate MS data and fragment ions identification strategy, a total of 29 compounds were identified by comparing their accurate masses, fragment ions, retention times, and literatures. Additionally, a number of 30 compounds were quantified by comparing to the reference standards. Data were statistically analysed. For both plant species, the sprouts of the third germination day are valuable sources of bioactive compounds and could be used in phytotherapy and nutrition. Although Trifolium pratense L. (Red Clover) is considered to be a reference for natural remedies in relieving menopause disorders, alfalfa also showed a high level of biological active compounds with estrogenic activity.

International audience; How is food handled in safe and unsafe ways from retail to fork in European households? This is the overall research question raised in this report. The aim of this report is to contribute to an in-depth, detailed, empirical and nuanced analysis of how food is handled in everyday life in five European countries: France, Norway, Portugal, Romania and the UK. The first chapters (Part 1) describe the food cultural difference and food safety variation between the five countries, theories of practices that underpin the study and the transdisciplinary methods employed for studying shopping, transportation, storage and cooking a meal with chicken and raw vegetables in 75 European households. The first empirical chapters (Part 2) introduce the households in this study (chapter 2.1), discuss the everyday food life the households (chapter 2.2) and describe food anxieties and experiences with foodborne illnesses (chapter 2.3). Part 3 concentrates on food procuring and organising practices in the households and includes three empirical discussions of shopping (chapter 3.1), transportation (chapter 3.2) and storage (chapter 3.3). Part 4 discusses food preparation and comprises five chapters discussing the order of cooking (chapter 4.1), chicken preparation (chapter 4.2), vegetable preparation (chapter 4.3), determining doneness (chapter 4.4) and washing hands (chapter 4.5). Finally, Part 5 discusses the main findings in the report and suggests further research steps.

A transdisciplinary observational study, coupled with a web-based survey, was conducted to investigate refrigerated storage of food, in five European countries. The investigated consumer groups in this study were: young families with small children and/or pregnant women, elderly people, persons with an immunodeficient system, and young single men. The refrigerator temperature was monitored for approximately two weeks using a temperature data logger. Variables such as country, income, age of refrigerators, education, living area, refrigerator loading practices had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the overall average fridge temperature, whereas consumers' practices showed a significant influence (p < 0.05) on registered temperature values. Compared to temperatures inside the fridges belonging to young families and young single men group, the temperatures inside refrigerators belonging to elderly was in the temperature danger zone (5–63 °C). The lowest temperatures were recorded in UK consumers’ refrigerators, whereas the highest were in French households. Presence of Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed in three refrigerators out of 53 sampled (two in Romania and one in Portugal). The most vulnerable category to food safety risks is represented by elderly persons with low education, unaware of safe refrigeration practices and the actual temperature their fridges are running. This research was supported by the Horizon 2020 project SafeConsume (Grant Agreement No. 727580).

The safety of many foods is dependent on ensuring the cold chain until the time of consumption. A weak link is the consumer part of the chain as the temperatures of domestic refrigerators are often too high and the users have limited possibilities to monitor and adjust the temperatures. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether common consumer practices for monitoring that food is kept cold are valid. Consumers demonstrated limited ability to assess food and surface temperature by tactile sense with lower precision at 8 °C compared to 4 °C. Almost 20% of the consumers were able to detect the exact food and surface temperature kept at 4 °C, while at 8 °C only 13% detected the exact temperature. A web-based survey mapping consumer practices showed that more than 40% of consumers never checked the temperature in their refrigerators, 38% rely on food coldness to evaluate if the refrigerator is running at adequate temperature and 65% lack knowledge on how to correctly asses temperature in the fridge. Most of the comments emphasized the situations where consumers could be at risk due to misevaluation of refrigerated food and surfaces real temperature indicating the necessity for better monitorization of cold food chain at domestic level.

Several encapsulation variants to deliver the anthocyanins from cornelian cherry fruits, using soy proteins alone or in combination with maltodextrin and freeze-drying or spray-drying, were studied. The resulting powders were characterized in terms of flow properties, encapsulation retention and efficiency, color, bioavailability of anthocyanins with simulated gastrointestinal conditions, particles microstructure, and stability during storage. The highest encapsulation efficiency was obtained when using soy proteins-maltodextrin biopolymeric systems with spray-drying. The in vitro studies showed that the best protection was delivered when using a mixture of coating materials, allowing a controlled release of the anthocyanins in the intestinal environment. The powder obtained by spray-drying had nearly perfect spherosomes, in which the anthocyanins were retained as droplets coated by fine membranes. Anthocyanins are best protected during storage at 8 °C and low aw values. This study showed that the microencapsulation of cornelian cherry anthocyanins using spray-drying is more effective than freeze-drying and can be used to develop new functional foods and supplements.

Two formulations of salami were obtained: a conventional salami (50 % beef, 20 % pork and 30 % animal fat, w/w) and a reformulated one (50 % beef, 20 % pork and 30 % a mixture of olive and palm oil - 2.5:1, w/w). Storage studies were performed by accelerated shelf life testing at 20�C and different relative humidity, in comparison with 4 and 8�C after 22 days of storage. Halsey model was the best one to describe the desorption isotherms. The products stability was evaluated by TBA (thiobarbituric acid) index and colour changes. TBA increased with the increase of the environment relative humidity at 4 and 8�C. Modified Weibull model described the changes in colour as a function of TBA and water activity. Bound water characteristics have markedly changed at 20�C for both products. The results of this work can be used as reference in defining reformulated salami minimal durability.

Capability of thyme natural antimicrobials (NAs) to reduce the intensity of high pressure processing (HPP) and enhance the inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh cheese was investigated. Thyme extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction at 30 MPa and 40 MPa and their concentration was estimated in units of carvacrol (190.44–609.57 μg/mL). The acceptable sensorial threshold of thyme extract in cheese was 0.2% (v/w), a value lower than the MIC for L. monocytogenes. Detailed kinetic studies of L. monocytogenes inactivation in cheese were performed following HPP (200–300 MPa) treatments. A maximum 1.68-log10 CFU/g supplementary reduction was achieved for L. monocytogenes in cheese with HPP & NAs than without NAs. The kinetic parameter zp indicated an accelerated inactivation of L. monocytogenes when HPP was combined with thyme NAs, as hurdle applied to fresh cheese (55.99 MPa for HPP and 33.29 MPa for HPP with thyme NAs). Industrial relevance Applied as a post-processing treatment high pressure processing (HPP) is considered an effective listericidal tool that produces limited quality changes in foods compared to other preservative methods. In order to overcome the main drawback related to HPP effect on cheese structure, a combination of pressure with natural antimicrobials (NAs) is proposed for reducing the intensity of processing while improving microbiological safety of food. The efficacy of L. monocytogenes inactivation in cheese by HPP and HPP with NAs from thyme was kinetically evaluated and modeled in the present work. The current results provide support for the industrial development of more effective combined HPP with NAs treatment, able to minimize the risk of Listeria presence in cheese.