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Cactus pear [(Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] consumption and marketability are limited by the presence of spines and glochids on the fruit surface. Minimally processed cactus pear fruits are characterized by a short shelf life due to the peel removing that increases tissue senescence and deterioration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of O. ficus-indica (OFI) mucilage edible coating on quality, nutraceutical, and sensorial parameters of minimally processed cactus pear. OFI fruits were collected in mid-October and were quickly moved to the nearby laboratory. One-year-old cladodes were sanitized, sliced into squares, and cooked in a microwave oven and mixed using a homogenizer to aid the mucilage extraction and then the obtained pulp was centrifuged to separate the liquid mucilage from the solids. Cactus pear, sanitized and selected fruits, were treated with OFI mucilage (OFI-M), and the remaining fruits (OFI-C) were treated with distilled water and used as control. Soon after coating, all fruits were air- dried at room temperature, then, coated, and uncoated samples, were placed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) retail boxes and stored at 5±0.5°C and 95% RH for 9 days. Quality, nutraceutical, microbiological and sensorial parameters of minimally processed cactus pear fruits were assessed soon after coating (0 d) and at 3, 6 and 9 days of cold storage. OFI mucilage treated fruits showed the highest values in terms of firmness, TSS, TA, ascorbic acid content and weight loss. OFI mucilage, acting as a barrier, reduced the microbial load and the decay incidence; furthermore, coated fruits got the highest scores in terms of sensory analysis and visual evaluation; the mucilage did not alter the fruits’ natural taste. These results suggested that OFI mucilage could be used to extend ready-to-eat cactus pear shelf-life and to reduce fruit quality losses during storage and marketability.

This essay's main goal the present review is to highlight the connections between intestinal dysbiosis and the ensuing activation of the mucosal lymphatic system. One of the study's goals is to investigate the impact on mood caused by a serotonergic deficit driven by mucosal inflammation. It assesses the relationship between food consumption and the onset of psychological and mental illness as a secondary end aim. Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and psychological and psychiatric mood disorders appear to benefit therapeutically from the sort of diet they consume.

Bio-composites are commonly obtained by combining biodegradable polymers with fillers collected from natural resources. In this context, biochar (BC) is attracting high interest as filler for polymer-based composites due to its challenging properties, including ecosustainability. This study aimed to prepare and characterize bio-composites with antimicrobial properties evaluating the role of the filler in the release kinetics. In particular, BC as filler and carvacrol (CRV) as antimicrobial agent, were incorporated via melt-compounding in poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) samples. The rheological, tensile, and antimicrobial properties of the obtained bio-composites were evaluated paying particular attention to the influence of BC concentration, i.e., 5, 10, and 20 wt%, on the investigated properties. Moreover, the influence of BC content on the release kinetics of carvacrol was studied and mathematically modeled to evaluate the release mechanism. The results showed that the presence of biochar modified the carvacrol release in comparison with the unfilled system thus allowing to tune the release kinetics.

Il formaggio al cioccolato ottenuto combinando due alimenti tradizionali, il pecorino ed il cioccolato di Modica IGP, può rappresentare un prodotto lattiero caseario innovativo e funzionale

Il presente articolo riporta i dati di alcune ricerche volte a risalire all’origine dei batteri lattici degli impasti acidi. A tal proposito, i batteri lattici del frumento di quattro varietà moderne sono stati monitorati a partire dalle spighe. Le cariossidi ospitavano livelli di microrganismi inferiori rispetto a quelli rilevati sulle spighe e queste ultime livelli inferiori rispetto alle semole. La minore biodiversità lattica è stata riscontrata sulle cariossidi, mentre le semole hanno mostrato la maggiore ricchezza di specie e ceppi. Al fine di valutare la resistenza dei batteri lattici del grano durante l’invecchiamento, le cariossidi di due varietà antiche e due moderne di grani duri siciliani fino a 3 anni dalla raccolta sono state molite per rilevare la biodiversità lattica delle semole risultanti. Lattobacilli e enterococchi hanno superato le condizioni di stress subite durante la conservazione meglio di altri batteri lattici comunemente associati alle cariossidi di frumento. This article shows research data to retrieve the origin of lactic bacteria in sourdoughs. To this purpose, wheat lactic acid bacteria from four modern varieties were monitored starting from the ears. In general, kernels harboured lower levels of microorganisms than ears and ears than semolinas. The lowest lactic acid bacteria complexity was found on kernels, while a richer biodiversity in terms of species and strains was observed in semolinas. In order to assess the resistance of wheat lactic acid bacteria during aging, the kernels of two old landraces and two modern genotypes of Sicilian durum wheat up to 3 years after harvest were milled to detect the biodiversity of the resulting semolinas. Lactobacilli and enterococci were able to overcome the stressing conditions represented by cereal storage better than other lactic acid bacteria genera commonly found associated to wheat kernels after harvest.

The present work was performed to improve the general quality characteristics of sparkling wines produced in Southern Italy (Sicily region) as well as the sustainability of the production process. To this purpose, two novel approaches were applied during experimental winemaking: (i), the use of raceme grapes (formed from the secondary shoots) of Grillo cultivar to improve the chemical characteristics of sparkling base wine; (ii), the technological selection of potential fructophilic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from honey by-product to improve the alcoholic fermentations and the organoleptic features of bottled wines. The racemes are typical of Grillo cugrapes and mature 20 days after the primary production. The racemes, not reaching maturation, possess a high acidity, a low sugar content and pH values between 2.5-2.8. Thus, they represent a production scrap that can be enhanced through the production of base wines for sparkling wines in warm temperate climate areas, such as the Mediterranean Basin. The experimental vineyards were subjected to a topping operation to stimulate the production of racemes. The topping operation was carried out leaving a different number of buds in order to evaluate the incidence of the budding load on the quality of the grapes and musts. The yeasts used, previously isolated from honey by-products, were subjected to the genotypic identification and technologically characterization in order to select the strains with oenological potential. Four strains (SPF21, SPF42, SPF52 and SPF159) belonging to the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been used as starters to ferment raceme musts obtaining base wines characterized by a remarkable and significant sensation of acidity and flavour. This is the case with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 'galactose –' yeasts: their fructophile index is generally higher than that of the standard S. cerevisiae yeasts (known as 'galactose +'). The SPF21, SPF42, SPF52 and SPF159 strains, which belongs to GAL- group, therefore has a naturally above-average propensity for fructose. The experimental project was developed over two years at industrial level. The analysis of the chemical parameters of wines obtained through experimental vinifications showed the presence of high values of total acidity (10 g/l) and a low pH (

The present work was carried out to select lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resistant to polyphenols in order to develop an ad hoc starter culture for the production of functional fresh ewes’ milk cheeses through the addition of grape pomace powder (GPP). To this purpose, raw ewes’ milk samples were inoculated with individual polyphenols belonging to five classes: flavanols (cathechin, epicatechin and epigallocathechin), flavonols (quercetin), flavones (rutin), hydroxyl-benzoic acid (vanillic acid and syringic acid) and hydroxyl-cinnamic acid (caffeic acid and cumaric acid). These polyphenols are commonly associated with the wine industry by-products and were added in milk to a final concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. All samples were incubated at 30°C and 44°C for 48h in order to select potential mesophilic and thermophilic starter LAB. Plate counts showed the total microbial counts (TMC) till levels of almost 109 CFU/mL and all milk samples were dominated by coccus LAB. All colonies with different morphological appearance were isolated and differentiated on the basis of their phenotypic characteristics and by Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR profiles. A total of 55 strains were collected and subjected to the genotypic analysis by means of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, which identified 5 LAB species belonging to two genera (Enterococcus and Lactococcus). The species most frequently found were Lactococcus lactis. The 55 strains were investigated in vitro for their general dairy aptitudes and four strains of L. lactis (MISE36, MISE94, MISE169 and MISE190) showed technological traits relevant to act as starter strains for cheese production.In order to produce a GPP-fortified fresh cheeses, red grape pomaces of Nero D’Avola cultivar were provided by a winemaking factory (Cantine Europa, Petrosino, Italy). Grape pomaces were dried at 54°C for 48 h and milled through a Retsch apparatus to a particle size of 250 μm. The experimental cheese making trials were carried out in a dairy pilot plant (Biopek, Gibellina, Italy) following the protocol of “pressed” cheeses. For each trial 20 L of pasteurised milk was divided into two plastic vats (10 L each) representing two different trials. Both vats were inoculated with the individual starter LAB cultures (100 mL) to reach a final cell density of 107 CFU/mL. One vat represented the control cheese (CC) production. The second vat represented the experimental cheese (EC) that, after curd extraction, was added with 1% (w/w) GPP. The cheeses were sampled after one month of ripening. All lactococci were able to perform the rapid acidification in CC and EC production, showing that polyphenols of GPP did not slow down starter development. Plate counts and RAPD analysis applied to the colonies isolated from the highest dilutions of samples confirmed the dominance of the added strains. A sensory evaluation of the resulting cheeses, indicated the cheeses processed with the addition of GPP were well appreciated by the judges. Analyses are in progress to evaluate the nutraceutical properties of the experimental cheeses. This research has been supported by the grant MISE-2017-NAZ-0228 - CUP: B78I17000260008

Il presente articolo riassume il progetto di valorizzazione della Pagnotta di Piana degli Albanesi attraverso lo sviluppo di un impasto acido ottenuto da batteri lattici selezionati dalle materie prime, al fine di legare la produzione al territorio e permettere di recuperare le note di tipicità. Le farine e le semole rappresentano dei veri e propri habitat microbici, la cui composizione può variare in funzione dell’area geografica e delle condizioni di conservazione. Trattandosi di materie prime che non possono essere trattate termicamente prima della trasformazione, esse trasferiscono i loro microrganismi al prodotto in lavorazione. Pertanto, qualora tali microorganismi esprimano proprietà panarie rappresentano degli utili strumenti per l’esaltazione delle note aromatiche desiderate. Il contributo scientifico riporta le popolazioni lattiche delle materie prime siciliane impiegate nella produzione di pani tipici, la selezione dei batteri lattici e lo scaleup della loro applicazione.

In this study, the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils (EOs) from Origanum majorana L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. growing in Pantelleria (Sicily, Italy) were tested alone and in combination against some prokaryotic and eukaryotic food-borne pathogens. The chemical composition of the EOs as well as the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against the most sensitive strains were also determined. Both EOs showed interesting antimicrobial effects against all bacteria and yeasts tested. MIC was in the range 1.25–2.50 µl/ml. Interestingly, O. majorana was particularly rich in thymol acetate, while carvacrol was present at very low percentages. Also R. officinalis EOs composition was different from rosemary collected in different areas, as being particularly rich in caryophyllene. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the combination of O. majorana and R. officinalis EOs indicated their potential as food biopreservatives.

This work was carried out to pursue a double objective: to improve the hygienic safety of cheeses produced from raw ewes’ milk; and to produce a new typology of cheese through the application of “Grana” technology. With this in mind, raw milk from an individual farm was transformed under controlled condition at a pilot dairy plant. The production technology included the partial skimming of the evening and morning milk mixture by cream surfacing, the addition of a natural whey starter cultures (NWSC) prepared with four selected Streptococcus thermophilus strains (PON6, PON244, PON261 e PON413) isolated from raw ewes’ cheese productions (Gaglio et al., 2014), milk clotting at 38°C, curd cooking at 56°C, cheese moulding at room temperature, immersion salting and ripening for 9 months. In this study, 10 microbial groups were investigated from raw milk until ripened cheeses. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were in the range 104 - 105 CFU/ml before NWSC addition. After curdling, these bacteria increased to 3 Log cycles and were counted at 106 CFU/ml after curd cooking. A rapid pH drop (to 6.05) was registered after almost 3 h from NWSC addition. The levels of members of the Enterobacteriaceae family were at about 103 CFU/ml in raw milk and decreased after curd cooking to 1 Log cycle. A similar behavior was shown by the other undesired microbial group till the complete disappearance of staphylococci. The microbiological counts of 9-month ripened cheeses showed the dominance of LAB and undetectable levels of undesired bacteria. Next Generation Sequence analyses are in progress to evaluate the total microbial composition of the final cheeses. On the basis of the results, the main hypothesis of the work was accepted since the undesired microbial groups were reduced in number in comparison with uncooked hard pressed technology.

La fermentazione spontanea è un processo biologico incontrollato durante il quale molti lieviti e/o batteri potrebbero aumentare rapidamente in concentrazioni tali incidere negativamente sulla qualità del prodotto finale. A tal proposito, al fine di ottimizzare la crescita di lieviti con buone attitudini enologiche, si utilizza il metodo “pied de cuve”. Questa tecnica enologica è in grado di realizzare in una determinata massa di mosto dal volume ridotto, una fermentazione alcolica con un ceppo di lievito opportunamente inoculato o con ceppi di lieviti indigeni, naturalmente presenti nel mosto. Al fine di valorizzazione ed aumentare la diffusione di pratiche enologiche basate su un ridotto uso di coadiuvanti tecnologici sono state studiate fermentazioni alcoliche spontanee “gestite” in modo tale eliminare e/o ridurre l’uso delle colture microbiche selezionate commerciali. L’attività di ricerca è stata concepita ed eseguita per valutare la biodiversità microbica delle popolazioni di lieviti e dei principali parametri chimico-fisici, relativi a dei processi innovativi di vinificazione dell’Aglianico di Taurasi. Lo scopo finale è stato quello di validare l’applicabilità tecnologica, sia su base microbiologica che chimico-fisica, di un processo di fermentazione spontanea ma “gestito” mediante l’uso della tecnica del pied de cuve fortificato (PdCF). Tale tecnica ha previsto l’addizione di etanolo, mediante l’uso di vino dell’annata precedente, in un mosto appena ottenuto, ovvero un’alcolizzazione di mosto d’uva. Inoltre, con la presente sperimentazione sono stati valutati anche gli effetti della modifica dei parametri di preparazione del PdCF, ovvero grado di alcolizzazione del mosto [1% (v/v) di etanolo] e rapporto di inoculo PdCF del 5%. Il presente lavoro ha fornito una panoramica sull’ecologia microbica dei vini prodotti utilizzando il PdCF, nonché la fermentazione alcolica spontanea associata al metodo pied de cuve utilizzando uve della cultivar Aglianico di Taurasi vinificate su scala aziendale. L’aggiunta di etanolo nel pied de cuve, prima dell’inizio della fermentazione spontanea, ha favorito lo sviluppo e la dominanza dei lieviti di Saccharomyces cerevisiae autoctoni durante l’intero processo di vinificazione. Allo stesso tempo, tutti i principali parametri chimico-fisici enologici hanno raggiunto valori in linea con gli standard che assicurano la produzione di vini di qualità. Il risultato finale del presente studio, ha confermato che il protocollo di vinificazione PdCF all’1,0% (v/v) di etanolo anche se applicato su scala aziendale consente lo svolgimento di una fermentazione alcolica spontanea riducendo il rischio di alterazioni microbiche e/o chimico-fisiche. Tale metodica se applicata su scala industriale nell’intero comparto vitivinicolo legato alla produzione di Aglianico di Avellino consentirà alle cantine di diversificare l’offerta aziendale attraverso la produzione di vini a fermentazione spontanea con una potenziale “impronta” sensoriale legata a distinte caratteristiche di tipicità. Ciò consentirà di soddisfare la crescente domanda di quei consumatori, sempre più numerosi, attenti agli aspetti qualitativi delle produzioni vinicole.

The present work was carried out to investigate the microbiological characteristics of the ice cubes produced at different levels: 1) home-made (HM) from domestic freezers; 2) produced by ice machines in bars and pubs (BP); 3) produced by ice industries (IN). BP samples were collected from the box stocks. HM and BP samples were transferred into sterile stomacher bags. IN samples were provided in the manufacturers’ plastic bags. Samples were transported into thermal insulated boxes. Five samples per each production level, forming a total of 15 samples (HM1-HM5, BP1-BP5, IN1-IN5), were collected in duplicate in two consecutive months. Each ice sample was thawed in 1 L sterile Dhuram’s bottle at room temperature and subjected to the membrane filtration analyses. Total mesophilic microorganisms (TMM), total psychrotrophic microorganisms (TPM), pseudomonads, members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, coliforms, enterococci, yeasts and moulds were investigated. When the amounts of colonies were uncountable, 1 mL of sample was directly inoculated into agar media. All results were expressed as colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL of thawed ice. TMM were in the range 100-9600, 312-6300 and 130-4000 for HM, BP and IN samples, respectively. Three HM and two IN samples were negative for the presence of TPM. The highest concentration (960) was found for IN2. Pseudomonads were detected in all HM samples but the highest levels were registered for BP1 (390) and IN2 (384). Except IN4, Enterobacteriaceae were found in all samples. All INs and 4 HM samples did not displayed coliforms. By contrast, they were hosted in all BP samples, ranging from 1 to 184. Enterococci were never found in HM samples, but detected in two INs and 3 BPs. Except IN1, moulds were always registered, while yeasts developed from the majority of HM and IN samples and two BP samples. The colonies representative for the different morphologies were randomly picked up from plates, purified to homogeneity and subjected to a phenotypic grouping. Yeasts and bacteria were subjected to the genetic identification by sequencing of D1/D2 domains of 26S rRNA gene and partial sequencing of 16S rRNA gene, respectively, while moulds were identified phenotypically. So far, the species mostly represented among bacteria, as evaluated only by the forward 16S rRNA gene sequence, were Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Pantoea spp., Pantoea agglomerans, Enterococcus faecium, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Candida intermedia and Pichia guillermondii were identified among yeasts and Penicillium spp. among moulds. The work was also aimed to monitor the microbial transfer from ice to humans through drinks. To this purpose, each microorganism was inoculated singly in sterile mineral water to produce contaminated ice cubes using disposable ice cube trays. Inoculums occurred at the highest concentrations found in the ice cubes analysed. The concentrations of the microorganisms were followed in six different types of drinks, including alcoholic (vodka and whiskey), moderate alcoholic (Martini), sparkling (tonic water), sugary (peach tea) and sugary sparkling (coke) drinks. In order to simulate the contamination of drinks by ice during consumption, six ice cubes (corresponding to 60 mL) containing each microorganism were added to 100 mL of each drink (simulating a bar administration) in sterile cups and, after 1 h, the entire volume was analysed by membrane filtration. A physiological solution was used as control. So far, the tests were performed with Penicillium spp. and P. agglomerans. Penicillium was not influenced by the different drinks, since, after 1 h, its level did not change. Regarding P. agglomerans, which is an opportunistic pathogen causing urinary tract infections, its concentration in peach tea was superimposable to that found in physiological solution, while it decreased in all other drinks. In particular, the concentration of this bacterium almost halved in vodka, coke and tonic water, diminished consistently in Martini and completely disappeared in whiskey. Experimentations are in progress to determine the behaviour of the other microorganisms in these systems. These data evidenced that the worst hygienic characteristics were found in BP samples, while the majority of ice cubes produced in specialized industries were characterized by acceptable microbiological parameters. This work indicated that the concentration of P. agglomerans is reduced by alcohol and CO2, but further in vivo assays are necessary to better clarify their role on the other ice microorganisms.

Milk freezing point (FP) is an important quality indicator which can be used for determination of possible adulteration of the milk with water. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of seasonality on ewe FP produced in Sicily during the last 10 years of investigation. A total of 1,996 samples of raw bulk ewes’ milk were collected from 295 dairy factories located in western Sicily (Italy). The average of the FP during the entire period of investigations was -0.560 °C ± 0.013 °C. The seasonality of milk FP showed that at the beginning of lactations (September) the FP was -0.554°C, than it decreased up to December (-0.561°C). Successively, FP increases until the end of lactations were the lowest values were recorded in August (-0.551°C). The Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between FP and milk fat percentage (r= -0.21), milk protein content (r= -0.23), milk urea content (r= -0.30), milk lactose percentage (r= -0.25) and titratable acidity (r=-0.27) that demonstrate a strong correlation between milk FP and milk chemical composition.

Traditional Sicilian cheeses are manufactured in small size farms with raw milk from animals of indigenous breeds and without the addition of starter cultures. In order to transform milk into cheese, the presence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is required. The main sources of desirable LAB are generally the milk, the rennet, the equipment used during processing and the dairy environment. In the last years, the microbial characterisation of traditional Sicilian cheeses, such as Caciocavallo Palermitano, Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Pecorino Siciliano and PDO Vastedda della valle del Belìce have been the object of different studies conducted by our research group. To this purpose, the aim of the present study was to describe the microbial population of traditional Sicilian cheeses. The analysis of the microbial diversity of these cheeses revealed the presence of several dairy LAB at dominant levels, while the undesired microorganisms, including coliforms and coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), were at very low densities. Overall, the presence of the pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. was never detected. This may be due to the quality of milk, the optimal maintenance of wooden vats and on following good production practices. Furthermore, the technological characterisation of the LAB found in these cheeses and in raw materials showed interesting dairy properties, including acidification capacity, diacetyl formation, autolytic properties and the ability to inhibit undesired bacteria.

In order to explore the community of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts present in two major typical Sicilian sourdoughs, seven mature sourdoughs for "Pane Nero di Castelvetrano" (CV1 - CV3 samples) and "Pane di Monreale" (MR1 - MR4 samples) were analysed through a culturedependent and culture-independent approach. The highest values of microbial counts were revealed in MR1 sourdough. In particular, LAB counts were at about 109 CFU/g in media specific for typical sourdough LAB, such as SDB and SFM, while levels of 106 CFU/g were registered for yeasts. The total DNA form each sourdough sample was extracted and subjected to a multiplex-PCR in order to recognize the major groups of LAB. Seventy-six LAB with a rod shape, presumptively Lactobacillus, were phenotypically grouped and subjected to a genotypic identification by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and further confirmed by species-specific PCRs. Yeasts were isolated and identified by a combined genotypic approach consisting of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of 5.8S rRNA gene and sequencing of D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene. The LAB species identified were Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Lactobacillus paralimentarius, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus coryniformis. Among yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia guiliermondii, Pichia segobiensis, Rhodotorula acuta and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa were the species hosted in Sicilian sourdough. The multiplex PCR carried out on total DNA of sourdoughs allowed the rapid identification of the majority of sourdough lactobacilli but the culture-dependent methodology was confirmed to be necessary for the detection of the species, such as Lactobacillus coryniformis not included in the system.

Caciocavallo Palermitano (CP) is a traditional cheese made with raw milk from cows of Sicilian local breeds fed pasture-based diets in extensive farms (EXT), processed by an artisanal technology (ART) based on wooden tools and the action of native microflora. CP is obtained also in intensive farms (INT) where milk from cows of specialized breeds fed dry diets is transformed by advanced procedures (ADV) using a stainless steel equipment and lactic acid starter cultures. This research was planned to investigate the changes in cheese properties due to production system and ripening., Milk was collected 3 times from an EXT and an INT farm and processed in ART and ADV conditions. The 12 produced CP were evaluated at 30, 60 and 120d. EXT CP showed higher yield and protein, lower fat, NaCl and soluble N, a less yellow color, a smoother paste, and a sweeter, less bitter and salty, and more acidic taste than INT CP. The pasture led to EXT CP with a beneficial FA profile to human health, richer in PUFA, n-3 FA and CLA. ART CP showed lower yield, higher fat and color indexes, lower NaCl and soluble N, a harder and more compact paste, with less holes, and at taste was less bitter, salty and acidic, and more piquant than ADV CP. During ripening, the soluble N, the yellow color and the consistency of paste increased. In ART CP, the proteolysis was slower, and the increasing of yellow color was more intense. The microbial analysis of ART CP showed that the wooden vat is a reservoir of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculating milk, among which strains of Streptococcus thermophilus were dominant and acted as a starter culture, while undesired microorganisms were absent or very low. During ripening, all LAB decreased except enterococci. The canonical discriminant analysis of physicochemical and microbial data was able to separate CP from different productions and ripening time. Among dominant LAB, 10 species were genetically identified at strain level and some of them showed antibacterial activity. In ART CP, the comparison of polymorphic profiles of LAB strains isolated from the wooden vat with those of strains collected during maturation showed the persistence of 3 Enterococcus spp. strains, among which E. faecalis was found at dominant level till 120d. The absence of these strains in ADV CP evidenced the contribution of the wooden vat LAB during ripening. EXT and ART CP showed the best features in terms of hygienic safety, health benefits and typical sensory properties.

Il consumo di bevande alcoliche ha da sempre accompagnato la storia dell’uomo, riscontrandosi in tutte le civiltà, dalle meno evolute a quelle più progredite. Le scoperte scientifiche del XV secolo hanno messo in luce come tutti i popoli abbiano ampiamente sfruttato il fenomeno della fermentazione di cereali per produrre bevande. Lo stesso vino, inoltre, aveva assunto fin dai tempi più antichi un valore liturgico presso tutte le civiltà che si erano affacciate al Mediterraneo. Anche oggi, e in misura maggiore rispetto al passato, si fa largo uso di bevande alcoliche ottenute sia da fermentazione che da distillazione di liquidi zuccherini. Le bevande alcoliche fermentate sono caratterizzate dalla presenza di concentrazioni variabili di alcol, ottenute da frutta, semi di cereali e tuberi, mediante la fermentazione di soluzioni zuccherine. Nelle bevande alcoliche fermentate, la presenza di alcol etilico è dovuta ad un processo naturale denominato “fermentazione alcolica”, operato da lieviti, mediante il quale le sostanze zuccherine si trasformano in alcol etilico e anidride carbonica. Per la legislazione italiana (D.P.R. n. 162), può essere denominato “vino” esclusivamente il prodotto ottenuto attraverso la fermentazione alcolica spontanea, totale o parziale, dell’uva fresca, dell’uva ammostata o del mosto d’uva con gradazione alcolica non inferiore ai tre quinti della gradazione complessiva. Pertanto, con il termine “vino” si indica il prodotto finale di una lunga catena biotecnologica articolata nelle fasi di preparazione del mosto, di fermentazione, di maturazione e di invecchiamento. Ciascuna delle fasi appena menzionate investe fenomeni chimici, chimico-fisici e biologici che si cerca di regolare con tecniche atte a conservare i caratteri della materia prima e a migliorare la qualità dei vini che ne derivano, anche in considerazione della crescente domanda e del maggiore interesse dei consumatori per un vino di qualità. Sicuramente, la svolta microbiologica ha rappresentato una delle innovazioni tecniche più importanti nella storia dell’enologia, insieme alle osservazioni sugli effetti dell’ossigeno, sui costituenti fenolici e dell’aroma, grazie alla capacità di incidere sul processo di fermentazione. I principali agenti responsabili della fermentazione alcolica sono i lieviti appartenenti al genere Saccharomyces (in particolare Saccharomyces cerevisiae), mentre i batteri lattici sono determinanti per la fermentazione malolattica. Tali microrganismi guidano la vinificazione del succo d’uva e, per questa ragione, osservare e comprendere il loro comportamento in ambiente enologico è di elevata importanza per l’ottenimento di prodotti finiti con caratteristiche organolettiche ottimali. Le interazioni microbiche, infatti, sono di notevole rilevanza in quanto lo sviluppo di microrganismi indesiderati può generare alterazioni e difetti di natura organolettica.

Using data from the PRIAMO study, we investigated non-motor symptoms (NMS) versus frontal lobe dysfunction in patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD); 808 patients with PD and 118 with atypical parkinsonisms (AP) were consecutively enrolled at 55 Centers in Italy. Twelve categories of NMS were investigated. Cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental Status Evaluation score ≤ 23.8 and frontal lobe dysfunction as a Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) score ≤ 3.48. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictor of frontal lobe dysfunction in 524 PD patients, and a generalized linear model was used for each of the six FAB items. Not only the total FAB scores but also the single FAB items were lower in AP versus PD (p ≤ 0.005). Age (OR = 1.05), cognitive impairment (OR = 9.54), lack of cardiovascular symptoms (OR = 3.25), attention or memory problems (OR = 0.59) and treatment with L: -DOPA (OR = 5.58) were predictors of frontal lobe dysfunction. MMSE was negatively associated with all FAB items (β ≤ -0.16) and age with all FAB items but prehension behavior (β ≤ -0.01). Previous use of L: -DOPA was negatively associated with verbal fluency (β = -0.32) possibly acting as surrogate marker of disease duration. Cognitive impairment is a predictor of frontal lobe dysfunction. Among NMS, lack of attention or memory problems were negatively associated with frontal impairment. Further studies are nonetheless needed to better identify the predictors of frontal impairment in PD patients.

We performed a multicenter survey using a semistructured interview in 1,072 consecutive patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) enrolled during 12 months in 55 Italian centers to assess the prevalence of nonmotor symptoms (NMSs), their association with cognitive impairment, and the impact on patients' quality of life (QoL). We found that 98.6% of patients with PD reported the presence of NMSs. The most common were as follows: fatigue (58%), anxiety (56%), leg pain (38%), insomnia (37%), urgency and nocturia (35%), drooling of saliva and difficulties in maintaining concentration (31%). The mean number of NMS per patient was 7.8 (range, 0-32). NMS in the psychiatric domain were the most frequent (67%). Frequency of NMS increased along with the disease duration and severity. Patients with cognitive impairment reported more frequently apathy, attention/memory deficit, and psychiatric symptoms. Apathy was the symptom associated with worse PDQ-39 score but also presence of fatigue, attention/memory, and psychiatric symptoms had a negative impact on QoL. These findings further support a key role for NMS in the clinical frame of PD and the need to address them specifically in clinical trials using dedicated scales.

PRIAMO (PaRkinson And non Motor symptOms) is an epidemiology study aimed to assess the prevalence and incidence of non-motor symptoms (NMS) in patients with parkinsonism. PRIAMO consists of two phases: (1) a transversal assessment of the prevalence of NMS and (2) a longitudinal observation with two follow-up visits at 12 and 24 months to establish the incidence of NMS. A secondary aim of PRIAMO is to study the relationship between NMS and quality of life. Patients with parkinsonism have been evaluated in 59 Neurology Centres widely distributed throughout Italy. PRIAMO has analysed a total of 1307 patients (out of 1325 initially enrolled). We expect that PRIAMO will substantially help to quantify the burden of NMS in patients with parkinsonism.

The production of artisanal Sicilian cheeses is generally carried out with wooden equipment. For centuries, wood has been the main material used in cheese making due to its availability, low cost and resistance over time. Among dairy wooden equipment, the wooden vat used for milk curdling plays a role of paramount importance to inoculate the bulk milk with desired lactic acid bacteria (LAB) responsible for the acidification of the curd. In the last few years, the biofilms associated to these containers have been object of study of different research groups, mainly Italian and French, but so far, very little is known about the microbiological characteristics of the wooden shelves used for cheese ripening and their influence on the safety of the final products. With this in mind, the aim of the present study was to investigate and enumerate several microbial populations associated to the wooden shelves used for the ripening of traditional Sicilian cheeses. To this purpose, the biofilms of nine wooden shelves used for the ripening of Caciocavallo Palermitano and PDO Pecorino Siciliano made with raw cows’ and raw ewes’ milk, respectively, were investigated. The shelf biofilms (400 cm2) were sampled by the brushing recovery method using sterile plastic squares (Biogenetics s.r.l., Padua, Italy). The cell suspensions of wooden shelves were subjected to the decimal serial dilutions in Ringer’s solution (Sigma-Aldrich, Milan, Italy). The microbiological investigation carried out by plate count involved pro-technological and spoilage/pathogenic bacterial groups and unicellular/filamentous fungi. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and coagulase-positive staphylococci were never detected, total coliforms were at low numbers with E. coli found only onto two shelves. The spores of clostridia were not detected in any shelf. LAB dominated the surfaces of seven shelves, but they were below the detection limit onto two shelves. In general, the dominance was showed by mesophilic LAB cocci found in the range 105 - 108 CFU/cm2. Enterococci were found only onto three wooden shelves, but almost at 2 Log cycles lower than the levels of mesophilic LAB. Pseudomonas spp. were found only onto three shelves, also positive for the presence of enterobacteria. Yeasts were found in all samples and their levels ranged between 1.60 and 6.81 Log CFU/cm2. Moulds were below the detection limit only in one sample and their levels ranged between 1.78 and 5.45 Log CFU/cm2 on the other shelves. This study represents a first report on the microbiological investigation of the biofilms associated to the wooden shelves used for cheese ripening in Sicily. The results of the present work confirmed that from a hygienic point of view, the wooden shelves do not represents a risk for the safety of consumers. However, further studies are necessary to better investigate the microbial composition of these dairy equipment at species level in order to evaluate their influence on the centripetal ripening.

Sempre maggiore è l’importanza che stanno acquisendo gli spumanti Italiani nel mondo, ed anche la produzione vitivinicola in Sicilia è aumentata nell’ultimo decennio. Gli spumanti di qualità, però, sono caratterizzati da un’elevata acidità che non sempre è raggiunta nei vini base e negli spumanti prodotti nelle aree con climi caldo-temperati come quello siciliano. A tale scopo, si sono svolte delle fermentazioni su un mosto di racemi di Grillo, per l’ottenimento del vino di base spumante, avviando numerose attività di natura microbiologica, molecolare, chimico-fisica e sensoriale. I lieviti utilizzati come starter nelle fermentazioni, sono stati isolati da uve racemi raccolte nelle vendemmie del 2015 e 2016 in diverse zone della Sicilia, identificati tramite analisi genotipica delle regione 5.8S-ITS e successivamente caratterizzati tecnologicamente con lo scopo ultimo di selezionare starter indigeni di elevata qualità enologica. Sulla base dei risultati ottenuti dai saggi sopra elencati, sono stati selezionati 24 ceppi di Saccharomyces cerevisiae con una valida potenziale attitudine enologica. Attraverso micro-fermentazioni condotte su mosti di uve Grillo, sono stati valutati i parametri di vigore e potere fermentativo, la concentrazione di acido acetico, glicerolo e zuccheri riduttori durante l’intero periodo di fermentazione alcolica. Sulla base dei risultati raccolti durante la fase di micro-fermentazione, sono stati selezionati due ceppi MSE13 e MSE41 caratterizzati dalla migliore attitudine enologica per la potenziale fermentazione alcolica di mosti ottenuti da racemi di Grillo. Dalla fase di ammostamento alla fine della fermentazione alcolica sono stati periodicamente monitorati i principali parametri chimico-fisici e microbiologici. Dopo 27 giorni di fermentazione, i diversi ceppi hanno portato a termine correttamente le varie fermentazioni, ma con diversi andamenti. I ceppi MSE13 e MSE41 non sono stati in grado di avviare una rapida fermentazione alcolica entro i 7 giorni dall’ammostamento. Per tale motivo, i suddetti ceppi sono stati preliminarmente coltivati a un pH di 2.5, mediante un accrescimento della biomassa in terreni colturali liquidi a pH decrescente, e quindi inoculati nuovamente nel mosto ottenuto da racemi. I vini sperimentali così ottenuti hanno mostrato oltre che un quadro chimico-fisico e microbiologico, anche caratteristiche sensoriali ottimali per la formulazione di vini base e/o vini da taglio dedicati alla produzione di vini spumanti di qualità. E’ di particolare interesse enologico, sottolineare che tutti i vini sperimentali sono stati caratterizzati da una notevole e significativa sensazione di acidità e sapidità. Pertanto l’utilizzo di vini da racemi di Grillo, da utilizzare come taglio di vini da uve grillo con medio-bassi valori di acidità totale, possono risultare particolarmente utili alla produzione di vini base spumante. associati a climi caldo-temperati quali quello siciliano e della provincia di Trapani.

In the framework of the Work Package DIV 1 - “Divertor Cassette Design and Integration” of the EUROfusion action, a research campaign has been jointly carried out by University of Palermo and ENEA to investigate the steady-state thermal-hydraulic performances of the DEMO divertor cassette cooling system. The research activity has been focussed onto the most recent design of the Cassette Body (CB) cooling circuit, consistent with the DEMO baseline 2017 and equipped with a liner, whose main function is to protect the underlying vacuum pump CB opening from plasma radiation. The research campaign has been carried out following a theoretical-computational approach based on the finite volume method and adopting the commercial Computational Fluid-Dynamic (CFD) code ANSYS-CFX. The CB thermal-hydraulic performances have been assessed in terms of coolant and structure temperature, coolant overall total pressure drop and flow velocity distribution, mainly in order to check its aptitude to provide a uniform and effective cooling to both CB and liner structures. Moreover, the margin against coolant saturation has been evaluated in order investigate whether any risk of its bulk vaporisation is prevented. The outcomes of the study have shown some criticalities, mainly in terms of structure maximum temperature and coolant vaporization occurrence within the liner. As a consequence, some minor design variations have been suggested within the paper. Models, loads and boundary conditions assumed for the analyses are herewith reported and critically discussed, together with the main results obtained.

Calanchi (plural of calanco) are typical Italian badlands created by a combination of morphogenetic processes (rill and interrill erosion, gullying, piping, and mass movements) mainly originated by the effect of water. Calanchi are characterized by the sparse and patchy distribution of vegetation, and, in interplant areas, the soil surface is colonized by an association of organisms known as biological soil crust (BSC). A morphometric analysis of 45 basins in the studied calanchi area, based on a high-resolution digital elevation model, showed those basins are sediment removal systems characterized by rapid and relevant erosion processes. The goal of the current research is to evaluate the bacterial composition of BSC and to recognize its signature of land degradation processes in soil samples by a microbiological analysis (culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches). Soil bacterial distribution was investigated by a culture-independent approach, applying Illumina technology in soils with different vegetation cover. Four species were detected in site A (bare soil). In sites B (sparse vegetation) and C (densely vegetated soil) 19 and 18 bacterial taxa were detected, respectively. Sites B and C were characterized by 17 species in common. The microbial communities detected at sites B and C are typical of environments unable to support vegetation and microorganisms that are not specialized to live in these environments. Biodiversity analysis of the bacterial communities of biocrusts, done using richness and evenness indices, confirmed that the composition of the BSC communities can be a signature of the intensity of soil erosion processes.

Almond production generates large amounts of by-products rich in polyphenols. In this study, almond skin was explored as a valuable food ingredient in bread making. To this purpose, almond skin was used to produce functional products modifying a traditional sourdough bread recipe. The doughs were prepared replacing semolina with powdered almond skin (PAS) at 5 and 10% (w/w). Sourdough inoculum was started with a mix of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and propagated in semolina until reaching pH3.7. The pH of PAS added breads was higher than that of control (CTR) breads before and after fermentation. Plate counts showed a similar evolution of LAB and total mesophilic microorganisms, but members of Enterobacteriaceae and coliform were detectable in PAS doughs. Illumina data clearly showed a dominance of lactobacilli in all trials, but PAS doughs displayed the presence of Bacillus. The final bread characteristics were influenced by PAS and its addition percentage; in particular, crust and crumb colour resulted darker, the alveolation decreased and, regarding sensory attributes, odour intensity increased, while bread odour diminished. In presence of PAS, bread emissions were characterized by lower percentages of alcohols and aromatic hydrocarbons and higher percentages of the other volatile compound classes, especially terpenoids like β-pinene, β-myrcene and limonene than CTR trial. After in vitro simulated digestion, the final release of phytochemicals from 10% PAS bread was almost 100%. Thus, PAS determined an increase of the antioxidant capacity of the breads. Phytochemicals released from digested PAS-fortified bread can provide antioxidant protection in a complex biological environment such as human intestinal-like cells. Besides the positive functional properties of PAS, this work also evidenced the hygienic issues of almond skin and, in order to avoid potential risks for the human health, highlighted the need to preserve its microbiological characteristics during storage for their reuse in bread production.

Catarratto is one of the most widely cultivated grape varieties in Sicily. It is an indigenous non-aromatic white grape variety. Despite its widespread use in winemaking, knowledge of the aroma and chemical and microbiological properties of Catarratto wines is quite limited. The influence of Metschnikowia pulcherrima combined with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the aromatic expression of Catarratto wines was investigated with and without the addition of glutathione-rich inactivated yeast. The substance is a natural specific inactivated yeast with a guaranteed glutathione level used to limit oxidative processes. The aromatic profiles of the final wines were determined through analysis of the volatile organic compounds using a solid-phase microextraction technique that identified 26 aromatic compounds. The addition of M. pulcherrima in combination with the natural antioxidant undoubtedly increased the aromatic complexity of the wines. Dodecanal was exclusively detected in the wines processed with glutathione-rich inactivated yeasts. Furthermore, the presence of this natural antioxidant increased the concentration of six esters above the perception threshold. Sensory analysis was also performed with a panel of trained judges who confirmed the aromatic differences among the wines. These results suggest the suitability of glutathione-rich inactivated yeasts for determining the oxidative stability of Catarratto wines, thus preserving its aromatic compounds and colour.

Functional, biopolymeric electrospun structures for the controlled release of antimicrobial agents are gaining in-creasing interest in food packaging applications. In this study, the physical and antibacterial performances of ternary systems composed of polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun mats loaded with 20 wt% of different relative amounts of carvacrol (CRV) and a commercial nisin formulation (Nis) were assessed. Scanning electron micrographs displayed micro-scaled fibers with different diameter size distributions depending on the relative concentrations of the additives. The PLA/CRV/Nis membranes??? wettability was affected by the relative amount of CRV and Nis loaded, switching from hydrophobic to hydrophilic at the highest Nis concentrations. Thermal and tensile tests assessed the plasticizer action of CRV on PLA, while the Nis formulation was found to modify the mechanical behavior of the membranes from ductile to brittle. The release profiles of CRV and Nis from PLA/CRV/Nis structures, assessed via spectroscopical measurements and fitted with a power-law model, permitted to investigate of the different release mechanisms of the additives as a function of their relative concentration. The determination of the antibacterial activity of the electrospun material clearly indicated that the most effective inhibition of food-borne path-ogenic bacteria was registered with PLA containing 20% of CRV.

Loquat fruit, popular all over the world for its mild, subacid, and sweet taste, has been classified as a non-climacteric fruit with a very short postharvest life. The fruit decays quickly after harvest, and losses in titratable acidity, taste, and juiciness, and internal browning occurs rapidly during shelf life. The aim of our study was to assess the effects of cactus pear mucilage-based coating on quality, nutraceutical value, microbiological growth, and sensorial parameters of minimally processed white-flesh Martorana and orange-red-flesh Gigante Rossa loquat fruits during cold storage. The effect of mucilage edible coating on the postharvest life, qualitative attributes, and nutraceutical value of fruit were evaluated by coloring, firmness, total soluble solids content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, total phenols, and total carotenoids content. Our data showed a significant effect of mucilage coating on preserving quality, nutraceutical value, sensorial parameters, and improving postharvest life of minimally processed loquat fruits. Furthermore, coated fruits showed a significantly lower microbiological growth than uncoated loquat fruits during the cold storage period. Our study suggests that minimally processing coated loquat fruit could allow producers to also sell to the market loquat fruits that present large spotted areas in the epicarp, which are usually considered unmarketable.

Background Persimmon fruits are cherished for their unique flavor and high nutrient content. In the present study, the effects of Aloe vera-based edible coatings (EC) added with 1% ascorbic acid, 1% citric acid and 5% calcium chloride in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and their impact on shelf-life quality of fresh-cut persimmon fruit, were investigated. The experimental design consisted of four treatments 1) Aloe vera edible coating + modified atmosphere packaging (EC + MAP), 2) untreated fruit packaged with MAP (CTR + MAP); 3) Aloe vera-based edible coating in passive atmosphere (EC PASSIVE); 4) untreated fruit in passive atmosphere (CTR PASSIVE). Persimmon fruit were stored at 5 °C for 3, 6 and 9 days. At each storage time, firmness, weight loss, sugar content, organic acids, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), browning index respiration rate, sensory and microbiological analysis, were investigated. Results Our results were confirmed also by the sensory analysis in which both EC-treated fruit scored the highest values for positive descriptors.EC + MAP treatment showed the most effective result in maintaining total carotenoids, ascorbic acid, glucose and CO2 inside packaging reducing the PPO activity and the flesh browning of persimmon slices. EC + MAP treatment controlled the growth of total mesophilic microorganisms, pseudomonads, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and molds. Conclusions The obtained results confirmed the importance of coating composition in controlling post-harvest decay and maintaining fruit quality.

Strawberry fruit is a nonclimacteric fruit and is one of the most consumed berries in the world. It is characterized by high levels of vitamin C, folate, vitamin E, β-carotene, and phenolic constituents as well asanthocyanins that are strictly related to health benefits. Strawberries are highly perishable fruit with a very short postharvest life due to their susceptibility to mechanical injury, rapid texture softening, physiological disorders, and infection caused by several pathogens (yeast and mold) that can rapidly reduce fruit quality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the application of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage in combination with ascorbic acid, as edible coating, on quality, sensorial parameters, and microbiological characteristics of strawberry fruit during cold storage at 4 ± 0.5°C and 85% RH. Strawberries were characterized by a linear increase of weight loss during the storage at 4°C that was significantly higher (+11.3% on average) in the uncoated strawberries. The coating affected the ascorbic acid content of the strawberries that increased by 36.0% in coated strawberries; total soluble solid content and color of the strawberries were only affected by storage. Visual quality and sensorial analysis recorded higher scores in the coated samples at the end of the cold storage period. Furthermore, the mucilage coating did not negatively affect the natural taste of strawberries. The application of O. ficus-indica gel-based edible coating in combination with ascorbic acid, although not able to inhibit the microbial growth, limited significantly their development in coated strawberry fruits. Our results suggest that Opuntia mucilage plus 5% ascorbic acid could be a useful biochemical way of maintaining strawberry fruit quality and extending their postharvest life.

The present study was carried to correlate the microbial diversity of the biofilms developed on the wooden boards used for aging traditional Sicilian cheeses with cheese typology. To this end, the microbial diversity of the shelves in contact with the cheeses PDO Pecorino Siciliano, PDO Piacentinu Ennese, and TAP Caciocavallo Palermitano, during ripening, was evaluated by a multivariate statistical approach. The shelf biofilms of this study were previously analyzed for their microbial composition, but no correlation between biodiversity and cheese type was investigated. Canonical discriminant analysis confirmed a cheese typology effect on the microbial loads of the wooden shelves investigated. Regarding the plate count data, the centroids of different cheeses were statistically distant from one another. This analysis also showed a good graphic separation of data regarding bacterial order operational taxonomy units (OTUs). Thus, the microbiological differences imputed to the cheese typologies were not affected by the environmental conditions of the facilities. Furthermore, wooden shelf lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were investigated for their ability to inhibit the main dairy pathogens. Although inhibitors were mainly enterococci, P. pentosaceus WS287 and W. paramesenteroides WS581 showed the highest inhibition activity, indicating their possible application to control the undesired bacteria in situ.

In the context of the contemporary research on sustainable development and circular economy, the quest for effective strategies aimed at revaluation of waste and by-products generated in industrial and agricultural production becomes important. In this work, an ethanolic extract from red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) seed waste (WRSP) was evaluated for its phytochemical composition and functional properties in term of antioxidative, antiproliferative, and antimicrobial activities. Chemical composition of the extract was determined by both HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and spectrophotometric methods. Phytochemical analysis revealed that flavan-3-ols and flavonols were the major phenolic compounds contained in WRSP. The extract demonstrated very high radical-scavenging (4.86 ± 0.06 µmol TE/DW) and antioxidant activity in a cell-based model (0.178 ± 0.03 mg DW/mL cell medium). The WRSP extract also exhibited antiproliferative activity against three different epithelial cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HepG2, and HeLa cells) in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, microbiological assays showed the absence of colonies of bacteria and microscopic fungi (yeasts and molds) and revealed that the WRSP extract has a large inhibition spectrum against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, without inhibitory activity against pro-technological bacteria. In conclusion, the obtained results show that WRSP is a rich source of phytochemical compounds exerting interesting biological activities. For these reasons WRSP could find applications in the nutritional, nutraceutical, and pharmacological fields.

The agricultural practices applied in pre-harvest greatly influence the presence and the levels of microorganisms in fresh produce. Among these, Listeria monocytogenes represents one of the most lethal foodborne pathogens associated with vegetables. The main hypothesis of this work is that bacteriocin producer Enterococcus mundtii strains can be effective against L. monocytogenes in soil. To this purpose, bacteriocin production by E. mundtii WFE3, WFE20 and WFE31, three strains showing a strong bacteriocin activity in terms of inhibitory power and inhibition spectra, was evaluated in sterile extracts from agricultural soil and peat moss, in organic nutrient solution (ONS) and mineral nutrient solution (MNS). ONS supernatants from E. mundtii WFE3 showed the highest inhibition of the strain L. monocytogenes ATCC 19114. Thus, this strain [104 colony forming units (CFU) g−1 dw] was co-inoculated with E. mundtii WFE3 (106 CFU g−1 dw) in the sterile extracts and solutions. A general increase of E. mundtii cell densities and the contemporary decrease of the levels of L. monocytogenes were observed, particularly in ONS. This solution was used to amend autoclaved soil to test in vivo the competition among bacteriocin producer and sensitive strain. L. monocytogenes decreased of almost 1.5 log CFU when E. mundtii was added to soil. The test was also carried out with basil plants showing that the anti-Listeria effect of E. mundtii is exerted during the very first days from inoculation. After 2 days, the levels of NO3−-N in soil increased for all trials, while the concentrations of ammonium and α-amino N decreased. The lowest concentrations of NH4+-N were found in presence of L. monocytogenes. At harvest, the plants were analysed for the presence of E. mundtii and L. monocytogenes, but none of the two bacterial species deliberately added to soil was transferred to plants. Although a biocontrol based on bacteriocin application in soil has to be properly set, this study provides useful insight for the future development of chemical-free agricultural strategies.