Plant Growth-Promoting Activities of Bacteria Isolated from an Anthropogenic Soil Located in Agrigento Province.

Bacteria producers of plant growth-promoting (PGP) substances are responsible for the enhancement of plant development through several mechanisms. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the PGP traits of 63 bacterial strains that were isolated from an anthropogenic soil, and obtained by modification of vertisols in the Sicily region (Italy) seven years after creation. The microorganisms were tested for the following PGP characteristics: indole acetic acid (IAA), NH, HCN and siderophore production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity (ACC) and phosphate solubilization.

Effect of grape pomace from red cultivar 'Nero d'Avola' on the microbiological, physicochemical, phenolic profile and sensory aspects of ovine Vastedda-like stretched cheese.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to functionalize an ovine stretched cheese belonging to 'Vastedda' typology with red grape pomace powder (GPP) of Nero d'Avola cultivar and to characterize the microbiological, physicochemical, phenolic profile and sensory characteristics of the final cheeses.

Methods And Results: Before cheeses production, GPP was characterized for its microbiological profile, antibacterial activity and polyphenolic content. No colonies of bacteria and yeasts were detected in the GPP.

The Use of Winery by-Products to Enhance the Functional Aspects of the Fresh Ovine "Primosale" Cheese.

Fresh ovine "primosale" cheese was processed with the addition of grape pomace powder (GPP). Cheese making was performed using pasteurized ewes' milk and four selected strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190) inoculated individually. For each strain the control cheese (CCP) was not added with GPP, while the experimental cheese (ECP) was enriched with 1% (/) GPP.

Effect on the Antioxidant, Lipoperoxyl Radical Scavenger Capacity, Nutritional, Sensory and Microbiological Traits of an Ovine Stretched Cheese Produced with Grape Pomace Powder Addition.

An innovative ovine cheese enriched with red grape pomace powder (GPP) was produced to improve the functional properties of Vastedda cheese typology. Vastedda cheese making was performed adding GPP and four selected strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190). For each strain, 40 L of pasteurized ewe's milk was divided into two aliquots representing control and experimental trials.

Identification and evaluation of antimicrobial resistance of enterococci isolated from raw ewes' and cows' milk collected in western Sicily: a preliminary investigation.

The present work was carried out to investigate the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) of enterococci isolated from raw ewes' and cows' milk. The samples were collected from eighteen semi-extensive dairy sheep and cow farms throughout western Sicily. Plate counts, carried out on Rapid Agar commonly used to detect food enterococci, revealed a maximal enterococcal concentration of approximately 4.

Biodiversity and dairy traits of indigenous milk lactic acid bacteria grown in presence of the main grape polyphenols.

The present work was developed to select lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to be used as starter cultures in functional cheese production. The indigenous milk LAB populations were isolated from fermented raw ewes' milks (four bulks) added with 0.5 mg/mL of nine polyphenols commonly found in winery by-products.

Evolution of indigenous starter microorganisms and physicochemical parameters in spontaneously fermented beef, horse, wild boar and pork salamis produced under controlled conditions.

The present work was carried out to evaluate the microbiological and physicochemical composition of salamis produced with the meat of beef, horse, wild boar and pork. Salami productions occurred under controlled laboratory conditions to exclude butchery environmental contaminations, without the addition of nitrate and nitrite. All trials were monitored during the ripening (13 °C and 90% relative humidity) extended until 45 d.

[Infectious diseases and sexual transmitted diseases in two different cohort of extra communitarian people in Palermo (Sicily, Italy) from 2000 to 2004].

Unlabelled: The Authors have studied the prevalence of Infectious and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) in a cohort of 109 Nigerian prostitutes and 37 extra communitarian drug addicts, with the aim to quantify the circulation of infectious and diffusive diseases in these groups of people.

Results: HIV infection was diagnosed in 2 prostitutes (1.8%) and in 4 drug addicts (10.