Detection of glyphosate, glufosinate, and their metabolites in multi-floral honey for food safety.

Beehives can accumulate environmental contaminants as bees gather pollen, propolis, and water from their surroundings, contaminating hive products like honey. Moreover, in multifloral environments, bees can interact with plants treated with different pesticides, often causing higher pesticides concentrations in multi-floral honey than in mono-floral varieties. Glyphosate and glufosinate are both widely used herbicides.

Microbial screening of animal skin bags used in traditional cheesemaking.

Bouhezza is a traditional Algerian cheese produced and ripened in goatskin bags called Djeld. The aim of this study was to characterize the microbial ecosystem from Djeld (fresh and dried Djeld for making Bouhezza cheese) and the changes introduced by Lben microflora during its preparation and to identify its role in cheesemaking and its safety. Two replicates of fresh and dried skin bags (FS and DS) were sampled and analyzed before and after contact with Lben.

Influence of dietary cardoon meal on volatile compounds and flavour in lamb meat.

Cardoon meal is a by-product retained after oil extraction from the seeds of cultivated Cynara cardunculus var. altilis that has been proposed as a valuable resource for animal feeding. The study aimed to assess the influence of its dietary inclusion on volatile profile and flavour of meat and kidney fat from lambs.

Apulo-Calabrese and Crossbreed Pigs Show Different Physiological Response and Meat Quality Traits after Short Distance Transport.

Despite the increasing interest in the welfare of animals during transport, very little is known on the response of local pig breeds to the transport procedures. This study aims to compare the effect of short journey on behaviour, blood parameters, and meat quality traits in 51 Apulo-Calabrese and 52 crossbreed [Duroc × (Landrace × Large White)] pigs. All the animals were blood sampled five days before delivery (basal condition) and at exsanguination for the analysis of creatine kinase, cortisol, glucose, lactate, albumin, albumin/globulin, total protein, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphate, sodium, and potassium.

Survival of potential probiotic lactobacilli used as adjunct cultures on Pecorino Siciliano cheese ripening and passage through the gastrointestinal tract of healthy volunteers.

In the present study, two lactobacilli strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 and Lactobacillus paracasei N24, used as adjunct cultures, were evaluated for their heat resistance both with and without prior heat adaptation and for their survival, at industrial scale, during the production and ripening of the Pecorino Siciliano cheese. In addition, the viability and persistence of the lactobacilli strains after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of healthy volunteers were evaluated by using rep-PCR analysis of viable cells. Both strains exhibited good heat resistance and survival throughout cheese production and ripening, and positively influenced the physico-chemical, the microbiological and the sensorial characteristics of the final product.

Influence of PDO Ragusano cheese biofilm microbiota on flavour compounds formation.

The objectives of the present study were to characterize the biofilm microbiota of 11 different farms (from A to K), producing PDO Ragusano cheese, and to investigate on its ability to generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in milk samples inoculated with biofilm and incubated under Ragusano cheese making conditions. The biofilms were subjected to plate counting and PCR/T/DGGE analysis and the VOCs generated in incubated milk samples were evaluated through SmartNose, GC/O, and GC/MS. Streptococcus thermophilus was the dominant species both in biofilms and in incubated milks.

A large factory-scale application of selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria for PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheese production.

The main hypothesis of this study was that the autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) selected for their dairy traits are able to stabilize the production of PDO (Protected Denomination of Origin) Pecorino Siciliano cheese, preserving its typicality. The experimental plan included the application of a multi-strain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) culture, composed of starter (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis CAG4 and CAG37) and non starter (Enterococcus faecalis PSL71, Lactococcus garviae PSL67 and Streptococcus macedonicus PSL72) strains, during the traditional production of cheese at large scale level in six factories located in different areas of Sicily.

Group Prenatal Care: A Financial Perspective.

Introduction: Multiple studies have demonstrated improved perinatal outcomes for group prenatal care (GPC) when compared to traditional prenatal care. Benefits of GPC include lower rates of prematurity and low birth weight, fewer cesarean deliveries, improved breastfeeding outcomes and improved maternal satisfaction with care. However, the outpatient financial costs of running a GPC program are not well established.

Crossbreeding effect on genome stability in pig (Sus scrofa scrofa).

Aneuploid cell percentages and frequencies of CAs and SCEs were investigated in 10 Calabrian pigs, 10 LW pigs and 19 Calabrian x LW crossbred pigs, in order to compare genome stability between an autochthonous pig breed and a highly selected one and to verify if genome stability of their progeny, as other phenotypic traits, are influenced by heterosis. The mean number of cells per animal with structural aberrations, excluding gaps, was 6.20 +/- 2.

The Microfloras and Sensory Profiles of Selected Protected Designation of Origin Italian Cheeses.

Approximately 39 Italian cheeses carry protected designation of origin (PDO) status. These cheeses differ in their manufacturing technology and the microbial flora which comprise the finished products. The evolution of lactic microflora in cheeses with PDO status is of particular interest because the biochemical activities of these organisms participate in cheesemaking and may play an acknowledged role in the development of organoleptic characteristics during ripening.

Effect of Sicilian pasture feeding management on content of α-tocopherol and β-carotene in cow milk.

This study was performed to evaluate α-tocopherol and β-carotene contents of pasture milk under ordinary Sicilian farming conditions. Fourteen dairy farms were allocated into 2 balanced groups on the basis of cultivated (CULT) or spontaneous (SPO) pasture type feeding. Bulk milk per farm was collected 4 times from February through April at 3-wk intervals.

Tina wooden vat biofilm: a safe and highly efficient lactic acid bacteria delivering system in PDO Ragusano cheese making.

In the Sicilian PDO Ragusano cheese making, raw milk is placed in a wooden vat called a Tina. As no starter is added, lactic acid is produced by milk flora and flora released from the Tina biofilm. The aim of this work was to assess the safety and efficiency of this natural inoculation system.

Variability of bacterial biofilms of the "tina" wood vats used in the ragusano cheese-making process.

Ragusano cheese is a "protected denomination of origin" cheese made in the Hyblean region of Sicily from raw milk using traditional wooden tools, without starter. To explore the Ragusano bacterial ecosystem, molecular fingerprinting was conducted at different times during the ripening and biofilms from the wooden vats called "tinas" were investigated. Raw milks collected at two farm sites, one on the mountain and one at sea level, were processed to produce Ragusano cheese.

Primary photon fluence extraction from portal images acquired with an amorphous silicon flat panel detector: experimental determination of a scatter filter.

When dose delivery to the patient is evaluated by extracting the primary photon fluence impinging on a portal imaging device, scattered radiation from the patient acts as noise. Our aim in the present study is to establish and test a procedure to filter out scatter radiations from portal images by experimental determination of a scatter filtering function. We performed a dose calibration of the Varian (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) aS500 electronic portal imaging device in routine use in our institution.

Interaction of brine concentration, brine temperature, and presalting on salt penetration in Ragusano cheese.

Thirty-one 3.6-kg blocks of Ragusano cheese were made on each of 6 different days (in different weeks) starting with a different batch of milk on each day. On d 1, 3, and 5, the cheeses were not presalted and on d 2, 4, and 6, all cheeses were presalted (PS).

Proteolysis and microstructure of Piacentinu Ennese cheese made using different farm technologies.

The aim of this study was to provide the biochemical and structural characterization of Piacentinu Ennese cheese and to evaluate the impact of different farm technologies on cheese proteolysis and microstructure. Fifteen cheeses were manufactured according to traditional technology, i.e.

Composition, microstructure, and surface barrier layer development during brine salting.

The goal of this study was to characterize the changes in chemical composition, porosity, and structure that occur at the surface of a block of brine-salted cheese and their relationship to the rate at which salt is taken up from the brine. To create a difference in composition, salt uptake, and barrier layer properties, identical blocks of Ragusano cheese were placed in saturated and 18% salt brine at 18 degrees C for 12 d. The overall moisture content and porosity decreased, whereas salt and salt in moisture content increased near the surface of blocks of brine-salted Ragusano cheese for all treatments.

Evaluation of bitterness in Ragusano cheese.

The appearance of undesirable bitter taste in Ragusano cheese was investigated by comparing the composition of 9 bitter cheeses with that of 9 reference cheeses of good quality by means of chemical, electrophoretic, and chromatographic analyses. Rates of proteolysis were significantly affected in cheeses of different quality. Primary proteolysis, as measured by pH 4.

Chemometric analysis of proteolysis during ripening of Ragusano cheese.

Chemometric modeling of peptide and free amino acid data was used to study proteolysis in Protected Denomination of Origin Ragusano cheese. Twelve cheeses ripened 3 to 7 mo were selected from local farmers and were analyzed in 4 layers: rind, external, middle, and internal. Proteolysis was significantly affected by cheese layer and age.

Lipolysis and proteolysis in Ragusano cheese during brine salting at different temperatures.

The influence of temperature (12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 degrees C) of saturated brine on lipolysis and proteolysis in 3.8-kg blocks of Ragusano cheese during 24 d of brining was determined. Twenty-six 3.

Composition and aroma compounds of Ragusano cheese: native pasture and total mixed rations.

Raw milk from 13 cows fed TMR supplemented with native pasture and from 13 cows fed only TMR on one farm was collected separately 4 times with an interval of 15 d between collections. Two blocks (14 kg each) of cheese were made from each milk. The objective was to determine the influence of consumption of native plants in Sicilian pastures on the aroma compounds present in Ragusano cheese.

Contribution of native pasture to the sensory properties of Ragusano cheese.

Ragusano is a Protected Denomination of Origin cheese produced in the Hyblean area of Sicily. Sixteen samples of Ragusano cheese from two different treatments [pasture and total mixed ration (TMR)] were evaluated after 4 and 7 mo of aging. The color of the cheeses produced from milk of cows consuming fresh native pasture plants was much more yellow than cheeses from TMR fed cows (i.