Allergia Anisakis-correlata: approfondimento delle dinamiche immunologiche ed allergologiche scaturite dai parassiti appartenenti alla famiglia Anisakidae – RC IZS SI 18/16

È stata riscontrata un aumento significativo dell’attivazione dei basofili ottenuta con gli estratti di A. pegreffii rispetto a A. simplex s. s. (p=0,005). I dati ottenuti mostrano che i lavoratori più esposti sarebbero gli addetti alla preparazione degli alimenti (7.4%) seguiti dagli addetti alla vendita (6.3%) probabilmente per il maggior contatto e per il non utilizzo di DPI. I risultati del presente progetto hanno confermato la western-blot come valido approccio per la diagnosi di allergia Anisakis-correlata. Questi dati confermano inoltre l’utilità della metodica BAT nella diagnosi in conferma di allergia ad Anisakis e come sia indispensabile utilizzare un algoritmo diagnostico che preveda test a cascata successivi rispetto allo SPT ed al dosaggio delle IgE specifiche per Anisakis

Human Drug Pollution in the Aquatic System: The Biochemical Responses of Danio rerio Adults

To date, drug pollution in aquatic systems is an urgent issue, and Danio rerio is a model organism to study the toxicological effects of environmental pollutants. The scientific literature has analyzed the effect of human drug pollution on the biochemical responses in the tissues of D. rerio adults. However, the information is still scarce and conflicting, making it difficult to understand its real impact. The scientific studies are not consistent with each other and, until now, no one has grouped their results to create a baseline of knowledge of the possible impacts. In this review, the analysis of literature data highlights that the effects of drugs on adult zebrafishes depend on various factors, such as the tissue analyzed, the drug concentration and the sex of the individuals. Furthermore, the most influenced biochemical responses concern enzymes (e.g., antioxidants and hydrolase enzymes) and total protein and hormonal levels. Pinpointing the situation to date would improve the understanding of the chronic effects of human drug pollution, helping both to reduce it in the aquatic systems and then to draw up regulations to control this type of pollution

Determination of Ten Corticosteroids in Illegal Cosmetic Products by a Simple, Rapid, and High-Performance LC-MS/MS Method

The aim of our present work was the development of a rapid high-performance liquid chromatography method with electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry detection (LC-ESI-MS/MS) for the determination of several corticosteroids in cosmetic products. Corticosteroids are suspected to be illegally added in cosmetic preparations in order to enhance the curative effect against some skin diseases. Sample preparation step consists in a single extraction with acetonitrile followed by centrifugation and filtration. The compounds were separated by reversed-phase chromatography with water and acetonitrile (both with 0.1% formic acid) gradient elution and detected by ESI-MS positive and negative ionization mode. The method was validated at the validation level of 0.1 mg kg−1. Linearity was studied in the 5–250 μg L−1 range and linear coefficients (r2) were all over 0.99. The accuracy and precision of the method were satisfactory. The LOD ranged from 0.085 to 0.109 mg kg−1 and the LOQ from 0.102 to 0.121 mg kg−1. Mean recoveries for all the analytes were within the range 91.9–99.2%. The developed method is sensitive and useful for detection, quantification, and confirmation of these corticosteroids in cosmetic preparations and can be applied in the analysis of the suspected samples under investigation

The cold chain and the COVID-19 pandemic: an unusual increase in histamine content in fish samples collected in Southern Italy during lockdown

Objectives We analysed 900 samples of fresh (250) and processed (650) fish products collected in Sicily (Southern Italy) in 2020 during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic (hereafter: COVID-19). Materials and methods The samples were divided temporally based on five phases relating to the various restrictions imposed by the Italian government in this period. The validated method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) combined with a diode array detector (DAD) was then employed for the analysis. Results The samples collected during the Phase I lockdown period and after it had ended (Phase II) revealed significant increases in the mean histamine levels: 41.89±87.58 mg/kg -1 and 24.91±76.76 mg/kg -1, respectively. The 11 (1.3% of the total) fresh fish samples that were identified as being non-compliant with EC Reg. 2073/2005 were only found during these two periods. All the processed samples were always compliant. The histamine values decreased as the restrictions eased, achieving a mean value of 11.16±9.3 mgkg -1 (Phase III). Conclusions There was an increase in the incidence of fish samples that were non-compliant with EC Reg. 2073/2005 compared to previous surveillance data. These results provide a first report on the effect of lockdown measures on food safety and the cold chain. Our findings must cause food safety operators to intensify their controls over fresh fish products in such periods to safeguard consumer health. Further studies are required to evaluate whether the same trend would be observed with other food contaminants

First Survey on the presence of anisakid parasites in farmed European sea bass and gilthead sea bream produced and marketed in Sicily

The Scientific Opinion of EFSA (2010) outlines as the only fish free of health risks related to Anisakidae parasites the farmed salmon, if reared in floating cages or on-shore cages and fed by feed with no live parasites. Otherwise, the food operator shall verify, by means of procedures approved by the competent authority, that the fishery products do not represent a health risk regarding the presence of live parasites. This opinion was confirmed by several studies conducted on farmed salmon in Norway (Angot and Brasseur, 1993, Aquaculture, 118: 339-344; Lunestad, 2003, J Food Prot, 66:122-124). The absence of anisakid parasites in farmed fish has also been found for other marine fish species such as European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) (Penalver et al., 2010 J Food Prot, 73:1332-1334). Currently there are low evidences on the prevalence of anisakid infestation in aquaculture fish produced and marketed in Italy. In this work, a sampling plan was carried out aimed at collecting different fish samples marketed in Sicily, to verify the presence and prevalence of anisakid parasites infestation. A total of 143 samples of sea bass and 110 samples of sea bream from Sicilian and Greek farms were examined: all the samples were of commercial size (over 200 g). The specimens were taken and stored refrigerated then transferred to the C.Re.N.A laboratories, where visual inspection of viscera and muscle was carried out. The negative samples were subjected to chloro-peptic digestion. The larvae found were subjected to morphological identification, through optical microscopy and molecular analysis by PCRRFLP method. The survey revealed the presence of two parasites belonging to the Anisakidae family, found inside the coelomatic cavity, only in a single sample of European sea bass from a single farm located in Greece, revealing a prevalence of infestation of 1.7%. The larvae were morphologically identified as belonging to the morphotype I of the genus Anisakis. Molecular investigations confirmed the larvae as Anisakis pegreffii species. No larvae were found in the samples of gilthead sea bream examined. The present work represents the first report on the presence of anisakid parasites in European sea bass. Our findings in farmed fish can be traced back to the aquaculture policies; however the prevalence of infestation in these productive realities remains very low. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest further investigations in order to have a comprehensive risk picture

Mercury Detection in Benthic and Pelagic Fish Collected from Western Sicily (Southern Italy)

In highly polluted water, fish can accumulate mercury up to a concentration of 10 mgKg-1. This has occurred on the eastern coasts of Sicily (Southern Italy), probably due to the intense industrial activity of this area. However, little is known about Hg accumulation in fish of the western Sicilian coasts. In this work, we examined the Hg accumulation of 108 fish samples belonging to 14 species collected from western Sicilian coasts using a direct mercury analyzer. The samples showed a mean mercury concentration of 0.165 ± 0.22 mg kg-1 with a maximum in Lepidopus caudatus (1.72 mgKg-1), exceeding the limits provided by EC Reg. 1881/2006. The lowest Hg levels were found in Sparus aurata samples (0.001 mgKg-1). A significant difference was found between the fish species examined (p < 0.05). The comparison between benthic and pelagic species did not show statistical differences (p < 0.05). Fish food constitutes the main route of Hg uptake for humans. Only four of the 130 samples examined reached a mercury concentration over the European limits. The comparative analysis of Hg pollution for benthic and pelagic species did not confirm a different trend in metal contamination

Land Snails as a Valuable Source of Fatty Acids: A Multivariate Statistical Approach

The fatty acid (FA) profile of wild Theba pisana, Cornu aspersum, and Eobania vermiculata land snail samples, collected in Sicily (Southern Italy), before and after heat treatment at +100 °C were examined by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC‐FID). The results show a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in all of the examined raw snails samples, representing up to 48.10% of the total fatty acids contents, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The thermal processing of the snail samples examined determined an overall reduction of PUFA levels (8.13%, 7.75%, and 4.62% for T. pisana, C. aspersum and E. vermiculata samples, respectively) and a species‐specific variation of saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents. Oleic acid remained the most abundant FA of all of the snails species examined, accounting for up to 29.95% of the total FA content. A relevant decrease of ɷ3/ɷ6 ratio was found only for T. pisana samples. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed a separation of the snail samples in terms of species and heat treatment. The results of this work suggest land snails as a valuable source of MUFA and PUFA contents and boiling as appropriate treatment, according to the maintenance of healthy properties

Polyphenols of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) seeds cultivated in Southern Italy by a LC-HRMS method

: In this work we examined the contents of 14 polyphenols in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) samples cultivated in Southern Italy by the optimisation and validation of a LC-HRMS method. The validation of the LC-HRMS method showed linearity results r2 > 0.989 and recovery values between 71 and 119% for a very wide range of concentrations. Ellagic acid was the most abundant polyphenol, with mean concentrations of 16271.86 ± 19798.53 μg/Kg, followed by apigenin (2749.51 ± 889.95 μg/Kg). A significant variability in ellagic acid contents was found between the areas of cultivation examined (p < 0.05). As far as we know, this work provides the first data on the polyphenols contents of white lupins cultivated in Italy. The comparison with other study confirms the role of the cultivation area for the determination of the polyphenol's contents. The study also confirms white lupins as a promising source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances in a balanced diet

Identification of contracaecum rudolphii (Nematoda: Anisakidae) in great cormorants phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (Blumenbach, 1978) from Southern Italy

Simple Summary: Four dead Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis specimens from Southern Italy coasts were examined for Contracaecum sp. detection. 181 Contracaecum sp. larvae and adults were found in the viscera of all the P. carbo sinensis examined. The PCR-RFLP analysis showed the presence of Contracaecum rudolphii A and B. A co-infestation of C. rudolphii A and B was found in P. carbo sinensis from Leporano Bay. This study provides a first report of the presence of Contracaecum sp. in P. carbo sinensis from Southern Italy. Abstract: In this study, four dead great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (Blumenbach, 1978) specimens, collected from the coasts and lakes of Southern Italy, were examined by necropsy for the detection of Contraceacum sp. The adults and larvae found were subjected to morphological analysis and molecular identification by PCR-RFLP. A total of 181 Contracaecum specimens were detected in all of the four great cormorants examined (prevalence = 100%), showing an intensity of infestation between nine and ninety-two. A co-infestation by adult and larval forms of Contracaecum rudolphii was found only in one of the great cormorants examined. Following molecular investigations, 48 specimens of C. rudolphii A and 38 specimens of C. rudolphii B were detected, revealing co-infestation solely for the great cormorant from Leporano Bay (Southern Italy). Our results showed an opposite ratio between C. rudolphii A and C. rudolphii B in Pantelleria and in Salso Lake (Southern Italy) compared to what was reported in the literature, probably due to migratory stopovers and the ecology of the infested fish species, confirming the role of Contracaecum nematodes as ecological tags of their hosts

High hydroxycinnamic acids contents in fennel honey produced in Southern Italy

A total of 122 honey samples (Apis mellifera ssp. Ligustica) collected from Southern Italy were examined for floral identification by melissopalynological examination and for polyphenols detection by an LC-ESI-OrbitrapTM -MS/MS method. The melissopalynological examination confirmed all the samples examined as fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) unifloral variety. The analytical method carried out for polyphenols detection showed satisfactory linearity and recovery values, achieved during the validation of the method. Very high amounts of flavonols (kaempferol and quercetin) and hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid), were found in all the samples examined. Among the hydroxycinnamic acids group, caffeic acid showed the highest mean contents (865.90 ± 67.07 µg/kg). The results of this work confirmed the high presence of phenolic acids with strong free radical-scavenging activity in fennel products such as honey, suggesting their use to reduce oxidative stress