Giovanna Sala

Agricultural land abandonment in Mediterranean environment provides ecosystem services via soil carbon sequestration

Abandonment of agricultural land leads to several consequences for ecosystem functions. Agricultural abandonment may be a significant and low cost strategy for carbon sequestration and mitigation of anthropogenic CO2 emissions due to the vegetation recovery and increase in soil organic matter. The aim of this study was to: (i) estimate the influence of different Soil Regions (areas characterized by a typical climate and parent material association) and Bioclimates (zones with homogeneous climatic regions and thermotype indices) on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics after agricultural land abandonment; and (ii) to analyse the efficiency of the agri-environment policy (agri-environment measures) suggested by the European Commission in relation to potential SOC stock ability in the Sicilian Region (Italy). In order to quantify the effects of agricultural abandonment on SOC, a dataset with original data that was sampled in Sicily and existing data from the literature were analysed according to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) methodology. Results showed that abandonment of cropland soils increased SOC stock by 9.03MgCha-1 on average, ranging from 5.4MgCha-1 to 26.7MgCha-1 in relation to the Soil Region and Bioclimate. The estimation of SOC change after agricultural use permitted calculation of the payments for ecosystem service (PES) of C sequestration after agricultural land abandonment in relation to environmental benefits, increasing in this way the efficiency of PES. Considering the 14,337ha of abandoned lands in Sicily, the CO2 emission as a whole was reduced by 887,745Mg CO2. Therefore, it could be concluded that abandoned agricultural fields represents a valid opportunity to mitigate agriculture sector emissions in Sicily.

Formation and Characterization of Early Bacterial Biofilms on Different Wood Typologies Applied in Dairy Production

ABSTRACT The main hypothesis of this work was that Sicilian forestry resources are suitable for the production of equipment to be used in cheese making and indigenous milk lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are able to develop stable biofilms providing starter and nonstarter cultures necessary for curd fermentation and cheese ripening, respectively. Hence, the present work was carried out with deproteinized whey to evaluate LAB biofilm formation on different woods derived from tree species grown in Sicily. Microbiological and scanning electron microscopy analyses showed minimal differences in microbial levels and compositions for the neoformed biofilms. The specific investigation of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), and sulfite-reducing anaerobes did not generate any colony for all vats before and after bacterial adhesion. LAB populations dominated all vat surfaces. The highest levels (7.63 log CFU/cm2) were registered for thermophilic cocci. Different colonies were characterized physiologically, biochemically, and genetically (at strain and species levels). Six species within the genera Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Streptococcus were identified. The species most frequently present were Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactococcus lactis. LAB found on the surfaces of the wooden vats in this study showed interesting characteristics important for dairy manufacture. To thoroughly investigate the safety of the wooden vat, a test of artificial contamination on new Calabrian chestnut (control wood) vats was carried out. The results showed that LAB represent efficient barriers to the adhesion of the main dairy pathogens, probably due to their acidity and bacteriocin generation. IMPORTANCE This study highlights the importance of using wooden vats for traditional cheese production and provides evidence for the valorization of the Sicilian forest wood resources via the production of dairy equipment.

Evolution of the lactic acid bacterial biofilms on different wood typologies applied for the production of vats intended for cheese making

In order to help laboratories to face with their regulatory requirements, BIPEA (Bureau Interprofessionnel d’Études Analytiques) developed a production of external reference materials (ERM) for microbiology in food. These samples should allow laboratories to check the trueness of their results at any time, outside the regular proficiency-testing schemes (PTS). For this purpose, stable and homogeneous samples of minced meat spiked with various bacterial strains are produced by BIPEA: Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, at levels between 102 to 104 microorganisms per gram. Controls were performed by analysing samples all along the production process, at the beginning of the study and regularly during a 6-month period. The homogeneity was checked by calculating coefficients of variation, which were inferior to 25 % for all the analytical parameters. The stability was characterized by comparing means of three samples to the mean obtained at the beginning of the study. The samples produced were thus considered as being sufficiently homogeneous and stable to meet the ERM requirements: the results of enumeration of the different micro-organisms present in the minced meat after 6 months of storage at (-24 ± 6)°C showed a good stability, with a maximum deviation less than 0.5 log (CFU/g: colony forming unity per gram). ISSN 2576-0564 Research Article Citation: Marie de BORT, Elvire MESSINEO, Romain LE NEVE, et al. Production of External Reference Materials in Food Microbiology. Int J Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018; 2(1): 1-3.In this study, essential oil of Sahara Nigella sativa L. was extracted using a rapid extraction, the microwave steam distillation (MSD) and the cryogenic grinding (CG). Two procedures have been investigated, the MSD1 (seeds inside of oven apparatus) and MSD2 (seeds outside of oven apparatus). Forty-six compounds were identified and significant differences in quantities of the major constituents were observed, mainly were thymoquinone (CLG: 331.82-443.55 mg and CG: 272.95413.57 mg/100 g of seeds), p-cymene (CLG: 181.71-244.17 mg, CG: 369.80- 374.40 mg/100 g of seeds), dehydro-sabina ketone (CLG: 24.60- 25.83 mg, GC: 44.02-50.69 mg/100g of seeds), carvacrol (CLG: 10.32-10.96 mg, CG: 3.91-12.67 mg/100 g of seeds) and longifolene (CLG: 11.9016.43 mg, CG: 12.72-19.58 mg/100 g of seeds).Results showed that essential oils exhibit a good activity in each antioxidant system with a special attention for β-carotene bleaching test (IC50: 21 to 27 μg/ml) and reducing power (EC50: 9 to 14 μg/ml).The N. Sativa essential oils exhibited higher antibacterial and antifungal activities varying according to technique extraction and grinding mode used, with a high effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria with a diameter of inhibition zones growth ranging from 9.5 to 35 mm and MIC and MBC values ranging from (0.042–0.10 mg/ml) to (0.20–0.75 mg/ml), respectively.T mold growth leading physical, chemical and sensory changing in food products and carrying health risks with toxin production is a main problem in the food industry. In our study, as an alternative solution, bioactive materials were developed by incorporating Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus at different concentrations (0; 3.2; 6.8 and 8.8 cfu/cm2) into whey protein concentrate (WPC) based edible films. Viability of W. saturnus var. saturnus in the films was investigated during the time of the storage. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the films incorporated with W. saturnus var. saturnus was also tested against Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger. The effect of the antagonist yeast occurrence in the film on physical properties and microstructural properties of the films were analyzed. The optical properties and the mechanical properties of the film samples were also observed by SEM and Instron, respectively. The results showed that bioactive WPC films containing 8.8 log cfu/cm2 W. saturnus var. saturnus were able to maintain more than 60% of the initial antagonist yeast population. In addition, the films incorporated with the antagonist yeasts reduced mycelium growth of P. expansum and A. niger on the medium by more than 29% and 19% at pH 4.5, respectively. Incorporation of more than 3.2 log cfu/cm2 antagonist yeasts significantly increased water vapor permeability of the films (P<0.05). Increased population of the yeasts also significantly increased percent water solubility of the films (P<0.05). Moreover, the distribution of the antagonistic yeasts in the films presented homogenous microstructure at SEM. Increasing concentration of the killer yeasts in the films presented a significant tendency to greenness and yellowness as well as lightness values (P<0.05). The concentrations more than 3.2 log cfu/cm2 of killer yeast population in the films significantly increased tensile strength but decreased percent elongation at break (P<0.05).L are rods belonging to the Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), and includes: Gram-positive, catalase negative, non-motile, non-sporulating, facultative anaerobes, growing under microaerophilic to strictly anaerobic conditions. Recently, some research has been focused for selected strains from goat’s milk with a technological potential and safety, susceptible to be used as adjunct cultures in dairy products strains intended for the use in food systems as starters or probiotics adjunct culture should therefore be carefully examined following important criteria. This study is a widespread of our research that has of objective to identify and study in vitro the technological traits heterogeneity and their safety aspect of lactobacilli strains isolated from goats milk samples collected in different regions of Algeria. Using API50 CHL system and 16S rDNA sequencing, 51 % of strains were assigned as L. plantarum, 34 % as L. pentosus, 7 % as L. rhamnosus and 8 % as L. fermentum. A large variability was noted for the acidifying capacity in skimmed milk after 6, 12 and 24 h of incubation. All strains expressed aminopeptidase activity against alanine-ρ-NA and leucine-ρ-NA at different levels. All strains were resistant to vancomycin and most of strains showed more susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotic. High susceptibility toward the inhibitors of protein synthesis was also observed. Minimum inhibitory concentrations data obtained revealed that isolates were susceptible to penicillin and chloramphenicol, and resistant to gentamicin and vancomycin. Minimum inhibitory concentration distribution of other antibiotics showed variability. The analysis of graphical representation of principal component analysis of technological properties of L. plantarum and L. pentosus strains showed diversity among the isolates. Finally, eight L. plantarum, four L. pentosus and two L. rhamnosus strains, could be good candidates as adjunct culture in dairy product in Algeria.Background: The realization that stress alters brain–gut interaction which is known to play a critical role in health and disease is rapidly advancing. In a stress model, we aimed at evaluating the effect of fermented maillard reaction product treatment on intestinal barrier and inflammation. Moreover, the fermentation of MRP by Lactobacillus rhamnosus 4B15 synergistically enhanced the above effect compared to those of unfermented MRP.Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A total of 129 samples, consisting in 123 samples of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and 6 oysters (Crassostrea cornucopiae), were purchased from outlets in the city of Murcia (southeast Spain). The isolation of C. difficile strains was carried out using enrichment broth suplemented with sodium taurocholate followed by etanol shock, prior to the culture on a selective media. The identification was carried out detecting Tpi gene using molecular techniques. The isolation and enumeration of bacterial indicators were investigated according to the ISO norm.Background: The realization that stress alters brain-gut interaction which is known to play a critical role in health and disease, including neuropsychiatric disorders, is rapidly advancing. Here we tested whether fermented Maillard reaction product (f-MRP) treatment modifies behavior across domains relevant to anxiety, depression, cognition, stress response, and social behavior. Furthermore, the fermentation of MRP by Lactobacillus rhamnosus 4B15 synergistically enhanced the above activities compared to those of unfermented MRP.

Nicodemia madagascariensis (Lam.) R. Parker (Family Scrophulariaceae), a casual alien plant new to Italy

In this note the authors report the first case of naturalization of the Malagasy smoke bush within Italian territory. Along with a description of the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the invaded site, the current demographic and dynamic trends of the detected population by means of growth-ring analysis was also assessed. Moreover, an overview on the history of its introduction in Europe is provided, underlining the key role played by the Mediterranean cities with respect to the acclimatization and spread of alien tropical and subtropical plants. Due to its low frequency under cultivation, the Malagasy smoke bush should not behave as an invader in the future; on the other hand, its ability to cover and smother neighbouring trees in very short times, make its spread within the whole Mediterranean area worth regular monitoring.