Microbial community dynamics during the Scamorza Altamurana cheese natural fermentation.

The growth dynamics of the natural microbial community responsible for the fermentation of Scamorza Altamurana, a typical Southern Italian cheese made using backslopping, was investigated applying a polyphasic approach combining 1) microbial enumeration with culture media, 2) randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting of microbial communities, 3) sequencing of partial 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes, and 4) physiological tests. Viable cell counts on different culture media showed that the cocci community prevailed during the 18 h of curd fermentation and the 6 d of cheese ripening. RAPD fingerprinting made it possible to isolate 25 different strains identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as belonging to five species of Lactobacillus, three species of Streptococcus, one species of Weissella, and one species of Enterococcus. The physiological analyses of all lactic acid bacteria strains revealed that the isolates belonging to Streptococcus genus were the most acidifying, whereas lactobacilli were most proteolytic. Streptococcus thermophilus C48W and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus B15Z dominated all through the fermentation process. Furthermore, they seemed to be stable in a subsequent whey sample analyzed after 7 mo. The recovery of strains endowed with interesting technological features, such as acidifying and proteolytic activities, and surviving in natural whey could allow the upscaling of cheese processing safeguarding the organoleptic characteristics of Scamorza Altamurana and could possibly improve other fermented dairy products

Plan de movilidad ciclista en la Ciudad de Córdoba

Este trabajo persigue impulsar el transporte no motorizado en la Ciudad de Córdoba, a través del uso de la bicicleta como medio de transporte alternativo y recreativo. Se espera generar un impacto positivo en la calidad de vida de los habitantes, a partir de la concepción de un sistema de transporte equilibrado y sustentable que permita racionalizar el uso del vehículo privado. Para el desarrollo del trabajo, se estudio la demanda, a través de encuestas de origen y destino y de preferencias declaradas. Se obtuvo que un alto porcentaje de habitantes utilizaría la bicicleta con más frecuencia, de existir mayor seguridad vial. Asimismo, se relevo la oferta existente, encontrándose gran extensión de ciclovias no interconectadas y que necesitan ser refuncionalizadas, como así también carencia de bici estacionamientos. En función de los resultados, se propusieron tramos de nexo que mejoren la oferta y la seguridad y legislación acorde a los objetivos.http://eluree.org/?page_id=128Fil: Albrieu, Laura. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Armesto, Graciela. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Baruzzi, Alejandro. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Baruzzi, Federico. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Español, Graciela. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Martínez, Juan. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rey, Federico. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Riera, Ana Belen. Municipalidad de Córdoba. Comisión de Elaboración del Plan Integral de Movilidad de la Ciudad de Córdoba; Argentina.Ingeniería del Transport

Influence of soil and soilless agricultural growing system on postharvest quality of three ready-to-use multi-leaf lettuce cultivars

In this study the influence of soil and soilless growing systems (substrate 3:1 v/v perlite:peat) on quality and microbial traits of three multi-leaf lettuce cultivars (two green, ‘Eztoril’ and ‘Ezabel’, and one red, ‘Ezra’) was evaluated at harvest and after 7 and 13 days of storage at 8°C. At harvest, ‘Ezra’ showed a respiration activity and a total phenol content respectively 2-fold and 25% significantly higher than the green cultivars. Soil lettuces resulted more stressed than those grown in soilless, as indicated by their initial content in antioxidants. As for nitrate content, soilless grown lettuces at harvest showed an average concentration higher than soil-grown ones, although values are generally lower than limits imposed by the EU Regulation (No. 1258/2011). During storage, soilless lettuces showed no ammonium accumulation, differently from those cultivated in soil. In addition, lettuce cultivars grown in soilless condition showed unchanged content in the antioxidant activity and total phenols, and lower microbial counts than soil lettuces. Results of the present study showed that soilless growing system can positively affect qualitative and microbiological parameter of lettuces studied, and it can be considered a good soilless growing technique in order to obtain high quality multi-leaf lettuces for ready-to-use industry

Genomic Characterization of Arcobacter butzleri Isolated From Shellfish: Novel Insight Into Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Determinants

Arcobacter (A.) butzleri is an emerging pathogenic microorganism, whose taxonomy has been recently suggested to be emended to the Aliarcobacter (Al.) butzleri comb. nov. Despite extensive taxonomic analysis, only few fragmented studies have investigated the occurrence and the prevalence of virulence and antibiotic resistance determinants of this species in strains isolated from shellfish. Herein we report for the first time the whole genome sequencing and genomic characterization of two A. butzleri strains isolated from shellfish, with particular reference to the antibiotic, heavy metals and virulence determinants. This study supported the taxonomic assignment of these strains to the Al. butzleri species, and allowed us to identify antibiotic and metal resistance along with virulence determinants, also additional to those previously reported for the only two A. butzleri strains from different environments genomically characterized. Moreover, both strains showed resistance to β-lactams, vanocomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin and susceptibility to aminoglycosides and ciprofloxacin. Beside enlarging the availability of genomic data to perform comparative studies aimed at correlating phenotypic differences associated with ecological niche and geographic distribution with the genetic diversity of A. butzleri spp., this study reports the endowment of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance and virulence determinants of these shellfish-isolated strains. This leads to hypothesize a relatively high virulence of A. butzleri isolated from shellfish and prompt the need for a wider genomic analysis and for in vitro and in vivo studies of more strains isolated from this and other ecological niches, to unravel the mechanism of pathogenicity of this species, and the potential risk associated to their consumption

Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape

Wildlife must adapt to human presence to survive in the Anthropocene, so it is critical to understand species responses to humans in different contexts. We used camera trapping as a lens to view mammal responses to changes in human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across 163 species sampled in 102 projects around the world, changes in the amount and timing of animal activity varied widely. Under higher human activity, mammals were less active in undeveloped areas but unexpectedly more active in developed areas while exhibiting greater nocturnality. Carnivores were most sensitive, showing the strongest decreases in activity and greatest increases in nocturnality. Wildlife managers must consider how habituation and uneven sensitivity across species may cause fundamental differences in human–wildlife interactions along gradients of human influence.Peer reviewe

Transporte activo en la ciudad de Córdoba. Caso bicicleta

Fil: Albrieu, María Laura. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Baruzzi, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Baruzzi, Federico. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Dapas, Oscar. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Garrido, Guillermo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.En la ciudad de Córdoba los medios de transporte individuales motorizados son los preferidos para los desplazamientos cotidianos, marcadamente radiales, con destino hacia la zona céntrica, con una longitud que no supera los cuatro kmts. Los principales motivos de los mismos son ocupacionales. Estas características de la movilidad en la ciudad, convierten al tránsito, en la zona céntrica y sus vías de acceso, en un problema con consecuencias económicas, sociales y ambientales no deseadas. En este marco, es necesario el fortalecimiento de alternativas de transporte más convenientes, como es el transporte colectivo de pasajeros, la caminata y la bicicleta. El clima templado, la alta concentración de viajes dentro de los 4 Km y la gran cantidad de población estudiantil joven de la ciudad hacen del medio bicicleta un medio propicio de transporte. A partir del año 1983 a través de un Proyecto de Red de Ciclovías realizado por el Municipio se comenzó la construcción de ciclovías hasta totalizar 103,48 Km a fines de la década de 1990. A principios del 2013 se inauguraron 2.5 Km de bicisendas en el área central buscando integrar la infraestructura existente para que pueda ser utilizada como alternativa de transporte. El presente trabajo presenta el estudio desarrollado para integrar los kilómetros de ciclovías y bicisendas en funcionamiento mediante una red complementaria que permita satisfacer motivos no solo recreacionales.www.clatpu.orgFil: Albrieu, María Laura. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Baruzzi, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Baruzzi, Federico. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Dapas, Oscar. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Garrido, Guillermo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Ingeniería del Transport

Control of spoiler Pseudomonas spp. on fresh cut vegetables by neutral electrolyzed water

In the present study, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) against 14 strains of spoilage Pseudomonas of fresh cut vegetables under cold storage. The NEW, produced from solutions of potassium and sodium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate developed up to 4000mg/L of free chlorine, depending on the salt and relative concentration used. The antimicrobial effect of the NEW was evaluated against different bacterial strains at 105 cells/ml, with different combinations of free chlorine concentration/contact time; all concentrations above 100mg/L, regardless of the salt used, were found to be bactericidal already after 2min. When catalogna chicory and lettuce leaves were dipped for 5min in diluted NEW, microbial loads of mesophilic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae were reduced on average of 1.7logcfu/g. In addition, when lettuce leaves were dipped in a cellular suspension of the spoiler Pseudomonas chicorii I3C strain, diluted NEW was able to reduce Pseudomonas population of about 1.0logcfu/g. Thanks to its high antimicrobial activity against spoilage microorganisms, and low cost of operation, the application of cycles of electrolysis to the washing water looks as an effective tool in controlling fresh cut vegetable microbial spoilage contamination occurring during washing steps

Comparison of Antibacterial and Antioxidant Properties of Red (cv. Negramaro) and White (cv. Fiano) Skin Pomace Extracts

Wine pomace has attracted the attention of the food industry, due to its high content in bioactive compounds, and its multiple healthy activities. In this work, whole and separated skin pomaces from fermented (red) and un-fermented (white) grape by-products were characterized for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in order to exploit them as functional food ingredient. Antioxidant activity, measured by both ORAC and TEAC assays, was higher in whole than in skin pomace extracts. The characterization of phenolic composition in whole and skin pomace extracts confirmed the peculiarity of some compounds such as anthocyanins (107.84 + 10.3 mg/g TP) in red skin pomace and a great amount of flavanols (80.73 + 4.04 mg/g TP) in white skin pomace. Whole and skin pomace extracts displayed the same antibacterial activity at 250 µg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/mL. Red and white skin pomace extracts showed a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 31.25–62.5 GAE/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. Pseudomonas spp. were more sensitive to red skin pomace extracts rather than white skin pomace extracts. Given these results, both red and white pomace extracts could be exploited for future application in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry

Antibacterial Activity of Oregano (<i>Origanum vulgare</i> L.) Essential Oil Vapors against Microbial Contaminants of Food-Contact Surfaces

The antimicrobial effect of eight essential oils’ vapors against pathogens and spoilage bacteria was assayed. Oreganum vulgare L. essential oil (OVO) showed a broad antibacterial effect, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values ranging from 94 to 754 µg cm−3 air, depending on the bacterial species. Then, gaseous OVO was used for the treatment of stainless steel, polypropylene, and glass surfaces contaminated with four bacterial pathogens at 6–7 log cfu coupon−1. No viable cells were found after OVO treatment on all food-contact surfaces contaminated with all pathogens, with the exception of Sta. aureus DSM 799 on the glass surface. The antimicrobial activity of OVO after the addition of beef extract as a soiling agent reduced the Sta. aureus DSM 799 viable cell count by more than 5 log cfu coupon−1 on polypropylene and glass, while no viable cells were found in the case of stainless steel. HS-GC-MS analysis of the headspace of the boxes used for the antibacterial assay revealed 14 different volatile compounds with α-Pinene (62–63%), and p-Cymene (21%) as the main terpenes. In conclusion, gaseous OVO could be used for the microbial decontamination of food-contact surfaces, although its efficacy needs to be evaluated since it depends on several parameters such as target microorganisms, food-contact material, temperature, time of contact, and relative humidity