Does hunted wild boar meat meet modern consumer nutritional expectations?

The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of hunted wild boar (WB) meat and compare them with those of meat from analogous domestic animals (pigs) reared in two different rearing systems: indoor-intensive (PI) and outdoor-extensive (PO). WB meat showed a lower amount of lipid content compared to pork and a higher antioxidant activity compared to PI and PO. The comparison of the fatty acid composition of WB and domestic pig reveals significant differences in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), with WB having the highest PUFA level and the lowest SFA level.

Monitoring of polyphosphate levels in animal source products collected in Italy by means of ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection.

Polyphosphates (PPs) constitute a class of food additives widely used due to their ability to exercise different useful activities. The food safety concern about the use of PPs in food is both the possible non-declared addition and some health effects, such as bile duct stones, decrease in oligo-element absorption, and allergic reactions in susceptible people. In this study, an analytical method based on ion chromatography with conductivity detection was applied for the detection and quantification of PPs in 238 samples of animal-derived products such as meat, dairy, and fish products.

Unravelling microbial populations and volatile organic compounds of artisan fermented liver sausages manufactured in Central Italy.

The aim of the present study was to obtain information on the occurrence of bacteria and eumycetes in ready-to-eat fermented liver sausages manufactured by 20 artisan producers located in the Marche Region (Italy). To this end, culture-dependent analyses and metataxonomic sequencing were carried out. Physico-chemical parameters and volatilome of the fermented liver sausages were also studied.

Sesame, Pistachio, and Macadamia Nut: Development and Validation of New Allergenic Systems for Fast Real-Time PCR Application.

Food allergy is a worldwide health problem that concerns infants to adults. The main health risk for sensitised individuals is due to the presence of traces of allergens as the result of an accidental contamination during food processing. The labelling of allergens such as sesame, pistachio, and macadamia nut on food products is mandatory according to Regulation (EU) N.

Discovering microbiota and volatile compounds of surströmming, the traditional Swedish sour herring.

In this study, the microbiota of ready-to-eat surströmming from three Swedish producers were studied using a combined approach. The pH values of the samples ranged between 6.67 ± 0.

The analytical determination of polyphosphates in food: A point-to-point comparison between direct ion chromatography and indirect photometry.

Being an indirect approach, the standard method for the determination of polyphosphates (PPs) in food maybe characterized by high variability which can lead to significant errors in the final measurement. In this study, this method was validated and then compared to the ion chromatography-based approach. Method trueness and measurement uncertainty resulted comparable, while the precision of ion chromatography approach was higher.

Nutritional Value and Contaminant Risk Assessment of Some Commercially Important Fishes and Crawfish of Lake Trasimeno, Italy.

The aim of our study was to describe the balance between health benefits and risks associated with the consumption of crawfish and nine fish species from lake Trasimeno. We thus determined both fatty acid profiles (particularly, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids) and chemical pollutants (some polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and heavy metals) in fish muscle tissues. The contents of all fatty acids varied significantly among species.

Lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) powder as a novel baking ingredient for manufacturing high-protein, mineral-dense snacks.

Increasing interest in consuming foods that are high in protein, vitamin, amino acid, and mineral contents is steering growth in the market for fortified snacks. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) powder (LP) (at 10 or 30% substitution for wheat flour) for the protein and mineral fortification of crunchy snacks (rusks). Hence, the technological, microbiological, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of the fortified rusks were evaluated.

Is there any still undisclosed biodiversity in Ciauscolo salami? A new glance into the microbiota of an artisan production as revealed by high-throughput sequencing.

Ciauscolo is a fermented sausage with the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. To disclose the microbial ecology of a model Ciauscolo salami manufacture during its natural fermentation, viable counting, amplicon-based sequencing and real-time PCR were applied. The volatilome during fermentation was also characterized.

Estimation of acrylamide exposure in Italian schoolchildren consuming a canteen menu: health concern in three age groups.

Acrylamide (AA) is a food process contaminant with carcinogenic and genotoxic properties that is formed in thermally treated foods, especially carbohydrate-rich. Dietary exposure to AA, due to school canteen foods, was estimated in schoolchildren aged 3-13 years by combining the AA concentration in foods with the amount and frequency of food consumption. Potato products and bakery products presented the highest mean levels of AA (841 and 244 µg/kg, respectively) followed by meat (222 µg/kg) and egg products (151 µg/kg).

Experimental accelerated shelf life determination of a ready-to-eat processed food.

The most direct way to estimate the shelf life of a product is to conduct simulation tests which are time consuming and expensive. Conversely, accelerated shelf life tests can be successfully used for stable products having long expected shelf life. The aim of the study was directed to verify the possibility to apply an accelerated shelf life test to perishable food products having a short-expected shelf life, such as a new ready-to-eat processed food preparation, composed mainly by cereals, tuna and chicken, packed in thermo-sealed trays and pasteurised.

Contribution of vegetables and cured meat to dietary nitrate and nitrite intake in Italian population: Safe level for cured meat and controversial role of vegetables.

Nitrate and nitrite content was determined on a total of 900 samples of vegetables and cured meat and the nitrite and nitrate exposure assessment was evaluated for central Italy population based on the food consumption data reported by the national dietary surveys. The highest average content of nitrate was detected in rocket salad (4415 mg/kg) and radish (3817 mg/kg) and for cured meat in "Bresaola" (188 mg/kg) and in Bacon (178 mg/kg). The nitrite content was negligible both in vegetables than in cured meat.

Microbial dynamics of model Fabriano-like fermented sausages as affected by starter cultures, nitrates and nitrites.

The present study promotes the valorization of Fabriano-like fermented sausages, which are central-Italy salami with an origin that dates to the early 17th century, for the possible future selection of autochthonous starter cultures to be used with respect to local traditions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to define the microbial dynamics in Fabriano-like fermented sausage and the effect of nitrates/nitrites and starter cultures on its natural bacterial biota. Culture and RNA-based techniques (RT-PCR-DGGE and Illumina sequencing) were used to assess the microbial ecology of model Fabriano-like fermented sausages together with the impact of starter cultures and different nitrate and nitrite concentrations.

Indicators of protein spoilage in fresh and defrosted crustaceans and cephalopods stored in domestic condition.

In relation to consumer demand, crustaceans and cephalopods are sold as both fresh and defrosted. It is well known that total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and volatile amine values, especially, biogenic amines and biogenic amine index, are expression of freshness of fish products, but there is a lack of knowledge of their acceptability limits, for crustaceans and cephalopods. In order to assess these limits, real-time shelf life tests were carried out, relating the results of TVB-N, biogenic amines and BAI to the sensory evaluation of crustaceans and cuttlefishes, both fresh and defrosted.

Contribution of street food on dietary acrylamide exposure by youth aged nineteen to thirty in Perugia, Italy.

Acrylamide dietary intakes from selected street foods in youth population are estimated. The intake evaluation was carried out by combining levels of acrylamide in food, analytically determined by high performance liquid chromatography, with individual consumption data recorded using a questionnaire applied to a group of 200 students aged 19 to 30. The mean value of acrylamide exposure was recorded to be 0.

Occurrence of Arcobacter spp. and correlation with the bacterial indicator of faecal contamination Escherichia coli in bivalve molluscs from the Central Adriatic, Italy.

A total of 162 samples of bivalve molluscs (45 mussels and 117 clams) collected between December 2012 and 2014 from harvesting areas of the Central Adriatic were analysed by a culturing method for the presence of Arcobacter spp. Species identification was performed by PCR and sequencing analysis of a fragment of the rpoB gene. Overall, Arcobacter species were detected in 30% of samples, specifically 33% clams and 22% mussels.

Study of Acrylamide Level in Food from Vending Machines.

Acrylamide is a by-product of the Maillard reaction and is potentially carcinogenic to humans. It is found in a number of foods with higher concentrations in carbohydrate-rich foods and moderate levels of protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and seafood. Acrylamide levels in food distributed in vending machines placed in public areas of the city of Perugia were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A rapid high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for unambiguous detection of different milk species employed in cheese manufacturing.

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility to differentiate the 4 most important species in Italian dairy industry (cow, buffalo, sheep, and goat), applying a bottom-up proteomic approach to assess the milk species involved in cheese production. Selective peptides were detected in milk to use as markers in cheese products. Trypsin-digested milk samples of cow, sheep, goat, and buffalo, analyzed by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry provided species-specific peptides, some of them recognized by Mascot software (Matrix Science Ltd.

Foreign Bodies in Dried Mushrooms Marketed in Italy.

The presence of foreign bodies in mushrooms affects their marketability and may result in health risks to consumers. The inspection of fresh or dried mushrooms today is very important in view of the increased consumption of this kind of food. Ten samples of dried mushrooms collected in supermarkets were examined for evidence of entomological contamination by macro and microscopic analytical methods, the so-called .

Evaluation of the quality of foods for special diets produced in a school catering facility within a HACCP-based approach: a case study.

A study was carried out to verify the appropriateness of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan adopted in a school catering facility. To that end, the microbiological quality of foods, the correct implementation of special diets (lactose- and gluten-free) and the nutritional value of foods were assessed. Thirty-six samples of lactose-free and 87 samples of gluten-free special diet food preparations were subjected to microbiological, chemical, and nutritional analyses.