Publications by authors named "Terio V"

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungi species belonging to the genera spp. and spp. The proliferation of OTA-producing fungal species may occur due to inadequate practices during both the pre-harvest and post-harvest stages of feed.

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Hepatitis E is a disease sustained by RNA viruses, which have four different genotypes, all of which are responsible for acute forms of hepatitis. Genotypes 1 and 2 infect only humans, causing epidemics mainly transmitted by contaminated water, while geno-types 3 and 4 are zoonotic, and the infection is linked to the consumption of raw or undercooked meat or meat products. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 3 and 4 have been detected in domestic , considered the asymptomatic reservoir of HEV, and in wild animals such as wild boar and deer.

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Anthropogenic activities lead to the spread of chemicals and biological materials, including plastic waste, toxic metals, and pharmaceuticals, of which the impact on the Mediterranean Sea is of high concern. In this context, the EU Interreg Italy-Albania-Montenegro Project "ADRINET (Adriatic Network for Marine Ecosystem) _244" (2018-2020) arises. It aims to carry out biomonitoring campaigns in the main commercial interest of fish and cephalopod species, such as , , spp.

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Cold plasma is a promising alternative for water treatment owing to pathogen control and a plethora of issues in the agriculture and food sectors. Shellfish pose a serious risk to public health and are linked to large viral and bacterial outbreaks. Hence, current European regulations mandate a depuration step for shellfish on the basis of their geographical growth area.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is becoming a significant health concern in industrialized countries, and the HEV-3 genotype, primarily found in wild boar products, is the most common in Europe.
  • A study conducted in the Catanzaro province of Italy analyzed 86 wild boar liver samples and found a 26.7% prevalence of HEV, all classified as genotype 3, specifically the HEV-3c subtype.
  • The research emphasizes the need for further investigation into the virus's viability and its potential risk linked to the consumption of wild boar products, urging authorities to conduct thorough risk assessments to protect public health.
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  • The study examines the prevalence of specific bacteria in nearly 10,000 ready-to-eat food samples from northern Italy, collected over two years from large retailers and canteens.
  • Samples were divided into two groups: Group A included fully cooked foods ready for immediate consumption, while Group B included a mix of cooked and uncooked items or raw ingredients.
  • Overall prevalence rates for the bacteria were low, at 0.13% for one type and 0.07% for another, providing insights for risk analysis in the safety of ready-to-eat foods.
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Even though SARS-CoV-2's primary transmission pathway is person-to-person, the role played by surfaces and food contact materials in carrying viral RNA should be further explored. For this purpose, the study aimed to investigate the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 using the strain ATCC® VR-1986HK™ on flow pack polyethylene (FPP) and polystyrene food trays (PFT). Samples of FPP and PFT were contaminated with heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and were incubated at a temperature of 24 ± 1 °C and at controlled relative humidity (RH 65%).

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Given that the number of foodborne illness outbreaks linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat vegetables has been widely documented and considering that data on the occurrence of spp. in such foodstuffs are lacking, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of spp. and the occurrence of virulence factors as well as to genotype spp.

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  • Screening tests for detecting antibiotics in honey are quick and user-friendly but have a high rate of false positives, which complicates safety assessments.
  • A more reliable method using liquid chromatography High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) showed good sensitivity in detecting antibiotic residues, revealing that many honey samples previously tested had false positive results, emphasizing the need for accurate testing, especially for organic honey.
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  • This research investigates antibiotic residues in honey, primarily linked to poor beekeeping practices and the use of drugs to treat beehive diseases.
  • The study utilized the Anti-Microbial Array II and IV methods, finding antibiotic residues in 26 out of 50 honey samples, indicating environmental contamination affects honey's quality.
  • Further analysis suggests that antibiotic levels in honey can change over time, highlighting the need for more research to identify contamination sources and improve honey safety management.
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AiV-1 is considered an emerging human enteric pathogens and foodborne transmission has been documented as an important source of exposure for humans, chiefly in relation to non-safe, risky food habits. We surveyed the presence of AiV-1 in retail shellfish, including oysters and mussles, identifying the virus in 3/170 (1.8%) of the analysed samples.

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In winter 2015-16, norovirus GII.17 Kawasaki 2014 emerged as a cause of sporadic gastroenteritis in children in Italy. Median patient age was higher for those with GII.

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Considering that mislabeled milk products have been widely reported throughout the world and that the authentication of food components is one of the key issues in food safety and quality, the aim of this study was to use DNA-based methods to investigate the prevalence of mislabeling among goat-milk products and, consequently, how far the ingredients matched the labels. The study reveals a high degree of species mislabeling in milk products (80%), underlining the need to enhance dairy traceability practices, so as to guarantee product authenticity, and provide reliable information to consumers.

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Fresh vegetables and their ready-to-eat (RTE) salads have become increasingly recognized as potential vehicles for foodborne diseases. The EU Reg. 1441/2007 establishes microbiological criteria for bacterial pathogens for products placed on the market during their shelf-life (i.

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Shellfish are an important vehicle for transmission of food-borne pathogens including norovirus (NoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV). The risks related with consumption of shellfish are greater if these products are eaten raw or slightly cooked. As molluscs are filter-feeding organisms, they are able to concentrate pathogens dispersed in the water.

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Given that changes in consumer food behaviours have led to an increase in the demand for pre-cut ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, and that few data are currently available on the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. in such foods, the aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. that carry virulence-associated genes on pre-cut RTE vegetables, using cultural and molecular methods.

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Considering that several recent cases of human gastroenteritis have been associated with species from the Arcobacter genus, and that few data are currently available about the occurrence of this genus in Italian shellfish, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. and the presence of virulence-associated genes. The approach consisted of cultural and biomolecular (multiplex-PCR and 16S-RFLP) methods identifying isolates, followed by PCR assays aimed at the cadF, ciaB, cjl349, irgA, hecA putative virulence genes.

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Given the increase in the international trade of packaged frozen fishery products, this study used DNA barcoding to investigate the breaded hake and plaice species, sold in Italian markets. The results of this study generally matched the ingredient list on the food label. Only 6 of the 120 samples were non-compliant.

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Fish authentication is a major concern not only for the prevention of commercial fraud, but also for the assessment of safety risks deriving from the undeclared introduction of potentially dangerous toxic or allergenic substances or environmentally damaging fish where endangered species are involved. Moreover, food authentication might affect the diet of certain groups of consumers, such as followers of religious practices. Considering the authentication of fish products is one of the key issues in food safety, quality and sustainability, the aim of this work was to investigate the prevalence of mislabelling in sole (), plaice (), Atlantic salmon (), and hake () fillets from markets and supermarkets located in Apulia (Southern Italy) using DNA barcoding.

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The health and vigour of honeybee colonies are threatened by numerous parasites (such as and spp.) and pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa. Among honeybee pathogens, viruses are one of the major threats to the health and well-being of honeybees and cause serious concern for researchers and beekeepers.

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Norovirus (NoV) is one of the major causes of diarrhoeal disease with epidemic, outbreak and sporadic patterns in humans of all ages worldwide. NoVs of genotype GII.4 cause nearly 80-90 % of all NoV infections in humans.

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Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was detected in a batch of imported non-packaged frozen redcurrants purchased in a Bari grocery. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis showed the HAV strain clustered tightly with the HAV strain from the 2013 Italian epidemic, providing additional evidence that frozen redcurrants were the main vehicle of the HAV outbreak.

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Protothecosis is a potential zoonotic disease associated with bovine mastitis which can be transmitted to humans through contaminated milk. Considering the increasing prevalence of bovine mastitis due to Prototheca species, individual cow milk samples were analyzed using microbiological examination and biomolecular assay. Aspects related to health requirements for milk production, clinical and histological bovine mastitis were also described.

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Global surveillance for norovirus identified in 2012 the emergence of a novel pandemic GII.4 variant, termed Sydney 2012. In Italy, the novel pandemic variant was identified as early as November 2011 but became predominant only in the winter season 2012-2013.

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An outbreak of canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) associated to canine pneumovirus (CnPnV) infection is reported. The outbreak occurred in a shelter of the Apulia region and involved 37 out of 350 dogs that displayed cough and/or nasal discharge with no evidence of fever. The full-genomic characterisation showed that the causative agent (strain Bari/100-12) was closely related to CnPnVs that have been recently isolated in the USA, as well as to murine pneumovirus, which is responsible for respiratory disease in mice.

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