Effect of production process and high-pressure processing on viability of Listeria innocua in traditional Italian dry-cured coppa

In this study the effect of the application of High Pressure Treatment (HPP) combined with four different manufacturing processes on the inactivation of Listeria innocua, used as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes, in artificially contaminated coppa samples was evaluated in order to verify the most suitable strategy to meet the Listeria inactivation requirements needed for the exportation of dry-cured meat in the U.S. Fresh anatomical cuts intended for coppa production were supplied by four different delicatessen factories located in Northern Italy. Raw meat underwent experimental contamination with Listeria innocua using a mixture of 5 strains. Surface contamination of the fresh anatomical cuts was carried out by immersion into inoculum containing Listeria spp. The conditions of the HPP treatment were: pressure 593 MPa, time 290 seconds, water treatment temperature 14\ub0C. Listeria innocua was enumerated on surface and deep samples post contamination, resting, ripening and HPP treatment. The results of this study show how the reduction of the microbial load on coppa during the production process did not vary among three companies (P>0.05) ranging from 3.73 to 4.30 log CFU/g, while it was significantly different (P<0.01) for the fourth company (0.92 log CFU/g). HPP treatment resulted in a significant (P<0.01) deep decrease of L. innocua count with values ranging between 1.63-3.54 log CFU/g with no significant differences between companies. Regarding superficial contamination, HPP treatment resulted significant (P<0.01) only in Coppa produced by two companies. The results highlight that there were processes less effective to inhibit the pathogen; in particular for company D an increase of L. innocua count was shown during processing and HPP alone cannot be able to in reaching the Listeria inactivation requirements needed for exportation of dry-cured meat in the U.S. According to the data reported in this paper, HPP treatment increases the ability of the manufacturing process of coppa in reducing Listeria count with the objective of a lethality treatment

Effect of production process and high-pressure processing on viability of Salmonella spp. in traditional Italian dry-cured coppa

The aim of the study was to investigate the combined effect of the manufacturing process followed by HPP treatment on the inactivation of Salmonella spp. in artificially contaminated coppa samples, in order to verify the ability of the combined processes to achieve the objective of a 5-log reduction of Salmonella spp. needed for exportation to the U.S. Fresh anatomical cuts intended for coppa production were supplied by four different delicatessen factories located in Northern Italy. Raw meat underwent experimental contamination with Salmonella spp. using a mixture of 3 strains. Surface contamination of the fresh anatomical cuts was carried out by immersion into inoculum containing Salmonella spp. The conditions of the HPP treatment were: pressure 593 MPa, time 290 seconds, water treatment temperature 14\ub0C. Surface and deep samples were performed post contamination (T0), end of the cold phase (T1), end of process (Tend), and after HPP treatment (postHPP) and Salmonella spp. Enumerated. The results of this study show a significant reduction of Salmonella spp. all through the production process (P<0.01) for all companies, followed by an additional reduction of bacterial counts due to HPP treatment (P<0.01), both in superficial and deep contaminations (P<0.01). The superficial overall reduction resulted of 1.58 to 5.04 log CFU/g during the production process. HPP treatment resulted in a significant (P<0.01) superficial and deep decrease in Salmonella spp. enumeration varying from 0.61 to 4.01 log and from 1.49 to 4.13 log. According to the data presented in this study, only the combined approach of coppa manufacturing process followed by HPP treatment always led to a 5-log reduction of Salmonella spp. required by USDA/FSIS guidelines

ELSA Italy

In the last 50 years, Italy has experienced a relevant transformation, starting from an emigrant nation (according to the last statistics from the Ministry of the Interior, there are more than 4.636.647 Italians still living abroad) to become an immigrant destination. From 1970 until now, migrant citizens with regular residence permits in Italy have increased, with a rate of growth that looks almost unstoppable: at the beginning of 2017, there were more than 5,047,028 foreign nationals resident in Italy. This numbers, added to the illegal immigrants whose numbers are difficult to define, outline a complex situation, characterized by immigrant flows from almost 200 different countries, especially Central Eastern Europe (Albania, Romania and Ukraine), Northern Africa (Morocco), China and the Indian subcontinent (Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka). This historically important phenomenon requires in-depth analysis in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Italian legislation and intervention policies, and to find concrete solutions to help immigrants settling in our country

Impiego di biofertilizzanti e biofumiganti per il controllo del marciume radicale nel reimpianto del pesco

Peach replanting is an important issue in Italian peach industry, characterized by a small average holding size and consequently by the difficulty to make a correct crop rotation. Recently, root rot has become one of the most important replanting-related peach disease. The fungus involved is Armillaria mellea, that occurs all over the world on a wide variety of forest and fruit trees in both hemispheres and in a range of climates. The fungus colonizes both living and dead tissue and can survive for decades in the soil. Possible biological tool to reduce the negative effect of A. mellea is the root colonization by an effective competitor. Such competitors may be found among species of Trichoderma, arbuscolar mycorrhizal fungi and actinomycetes, that are used in commercial biofertilizers. Another biological way to reduce re-planting diseases is the soil incorporation of plants with biocidal effect, that after their degradation produce chemical compounds harmful for the peach pathogens (this technique is called biofumigation). Among the species that have been studied, the most important are those belonging to the genus Brassica for the high concentration of glucosinolates that can be converted in isothiocyanates. From the research carried out by the Department of Colture Arboree (University of Bologna) along with the private advisory service of the Consorzio Agrario di Ravenna (Ravenna, Italy), although no direct effect of biofertilizers and biocide plants on A. mellea was found, however the use of the commercial biofertilizers Remedier (a mix of Trichoderma spp.) and biocide extract of Brassica spp. (Biofence) has promoted peach growth and nutrient uptake (i. e. P), with the final results of healthier trees

Use of Trichoderma spp. and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to increase soil beneficial population of bacteria in a nectarine commercial orchard: effect on root growth, nutrient acquisition and replanting disease

The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of commercial Trichoderma and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)-based bio-fertilizers on nectarine root growth, nutrient acquisition and replanting disease. The experiment was performed from 2008 to 2012 in an A. mellea-infected nectarine orchard subjected to the following treatments: 1) untreated control; 2) AMF-biofertilizer applied at planting (120 kg ha-1) and every year in spring and autumn at the rate of 6 kgha-1;3)Trichoderma spp. applied at planting (5 g plant-1) and every year (in April, May and September) at 2.5 kg ha-1. AMF bio-fertilizers decreased root diameterand increased root survivorship. Leaf phosphorus concentration increased in AMF biofertilizers plots, while no significant treatments effects were observed on other leaf nutrient concentration. Although biofertilizer application did not affect soilmicrobial population, at the end of the trial (2012) the application of Trichoderma alone increased the population of the fungus

Risultati preliminari nel contenimento biologico del marciume radicale del pesco

Peach replanting is an important issue in Italian peach industry, characterized by a small average holding size and consequently by the difficulty to make a correct crop rotation. Recently, root rot has become one of the most important replanting-related peach disease. The fungus involved is Armillaria mellea, that occurs all over the world on a wide variety of forest and fruit trees in both hemispheres and in a range of climates. The fungus colonizes both living and dead tissue and can survive for decades in the soil. Possible biological tool to reduce the negative effect of A. mellea is the root colonization by an effective competitor. Such competitors may be found among species of Trichoderma, arbuscolar mycorrhizal fungi and actinomycetes, that have used in commercial biofertilizers. Another biological way to reduce re-planting diseases is the soil incorporation of plants with biocidal effect, that after their degradation produce chemical compounds harmful for the peach pathogens (this technique is called biofumigation). Among the species that have been studied, the most important are those belonging to the genus Brassica for the high concentration of glucosinolates that can be converted in isothiocyanates. From the research carried out by the Department of Colture Arboree (University of Bologna) along with the private advisory service of the Consorzio Agrario di Ravenna (Ravenna, Italy), although no direct effect of biofertilizers and biocide plants on A. mellea was found, however the use of the commercial biofertilizers Remedier (a mix of Trichoderma spp) and biocide extract of Brassica spp (Biofence) has promoted peach growth and nutrient uptake (i. e. P), with the final results of healthier trees

Photo-selective plastic nets in young peach orchards

Present work aims to investigate photo-selective hail nets (yellow, red and blue) effects on young nectarine trees (Prunus persica L.) in a typical production area in Northern Italy (Faenza, RA), compared with black net, the most used in local orchards. The study was carried out during three years in a private orchard, from second growing season until full production. Light spectra under photo-selective nets were measured in one sunny day of the third growing season at two distances from the net and in the two sides of the row using an array spectrometer; tree growth was evaluated every year, fruit yield and quality during the second and third year. The light spectra under the nets were modified according to net color. All tested nets reduced ultra-violet A (UVA) wave length of the same extent, while blue net reduced Infra-Red (IR) significantly less than other nets. Trees under red and yellow nets had higher production as number of fruit/tree and kg/tree in the earliest two years, on the other hand trees under black nets had lower, not significant, production also in the third year while trees under blue net recovered. Net color did not significantly affect fruit quality, but yellow net induced redder skin than black net and blue net smaller fruits at least one season. Trees under blue nets had lower growth than trees under other net colors, but they did not show any photosynthetic stress. The results suggest that blue net reduced peach tree vigor as reported by previous studies in other species, while yellow and red nets improved fruit production and quality. In conclusion, photo-selective plastic nets influenced production and growth mainly in the first two years of application on young peach trees with specific and opposite results. Red and yellow induced higher production and fruit quality and blue net provoked less vigor and fruit quality