Ricotta fresca is a whey cheese susceptible of secondary contamination, mainly from Pseudomonas spp. The extension of the shelf life of refrigerated ricotta fresca could be obtained using protective ...cultures inhibiting the growth of this spoilage microorganism. A commercial biopreservative, Lyofast CNBAL, comprising Carnobacterium spp was tested against Pseudomonas spp. The surface of ricotta fresca samples were inoculated either with Pseudomonas spp or Pseudomonas and Carnobacterium spp. Samples were MAP packed, stored at 4 °C and analyzed the day of the inoculum and 7, 14 and 21 days after the contamination. Microbiological analyses included total bacterial count, mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp, Listeria monocytogenes, moulds and yeasts. Pseudomonas mean initial contamination level was comparable in blank and artificially inoculated samples, respectively with values of 2.15 ± 0.21 and 2.34 ± 0.26 log cfu g−1. Carnobacterium spp. significantly reduced the growth of Pseudomonas spp respectively of 1.28 log and 0.83 log after 14 and 21 days of refrigerated storage. Intrinsic properties and physico-chemical composition were also investigated. Limited variation of pH was observed in samples inoculated with the protective cultures, indicating low acidification properties of Carnobacterium spp. Instead, no significant differences were observed for aW, moisture, fat and proteins during storage and between inoculated and control samples.
•Pseudomonas spp is the main spoilage microorganism in refrigerated ricotta fresca.•A microbiological challenge test was conducted on MAP ricotta fresca samples.•Carnobacterium spp commercial protective culture was tested against Pseudomonas spp.•Inoculation of Carnobacterium spp protective culture reduced Pseudomonas spp growth.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plant responses to solar radiation are difficult to quantify due to interannual weather variation and to interference by other environmental factors. This study assesses the ...extent of the effect of UV sunlight on the accumulation and partitioning of anthocyanins in the berry skin of two red grape cultivars. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ultraviolet screening treatments, visible + UV‐A and visible, applied to Bovale Grande (syn. Carignan) and Cannonau (syn. Grenache) field‐grown vines, in Sardinia, Italy, promoted a significant difference in the concentration of skin anthocyanins compared with that of plants exposed to natural sunlight. Thermal units for anthocyanin accumulation, estimated with an adjusted normal heat hours model, showed a highly significant difference between cultivars. The elevated duration of high temperature (HT >₃₅°C) in the first season reduced the concentration of skin anthocyanins, with Cannonau showing greater sensitivity. Together with the light regimes, HT >₃₅°C induced an alteration in the composition of the anthocyanins; both natural UV‐B and low flux of UV‐A promoted higher acylation. CONCLUSIONS: Besides light intensity, spectral composition also influenced accumulation and partitioning of anthocyanins in berry skin. The extent of alteration differs among cultivars as the combined effect of natural UV and HT >₃₅°C drives shifts in anthocyanins biosynthesis differently. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Extending knowledge of the role played by sunlight and temperature on accumulation of berry anthocyanins may help to define management practices that foster stability of berry must colour and favour an optimal phenolic profile.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Under natural conditions the grapevine has shown different growth and physiological responses to high UV radiation. We evaluate the effect of natural and reduced UV‐B, UV‐A and ...photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on vine growth, physiological status and berry composition in Bovale Grande (syn. Carignan) and Cannonau (syn. Grenache) field‐grown grapes. METHODS AND RESULTS: During the two seasons of the trial, UV‐screening treatments Visible + UV‐A and Visible, imposed with plastic tunnels from pea size onward, promoted a significant difference in UV and PAR transmission as compared with that of plants exposed to natural sunlight, but did not reduce canopy growth and yield. Plants adjusted leaf gas exchange and water status to both high and reduced UV and PAR radiation. The concentration of phenolic substances of berries was significantly higher under natural UV, whereas accumulation of anthocyanins responded differently in the two cultivars according to the duration of high temperature. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that red grapes of Mediterranean origin are able to adapt growth and physiological responses to high natural UV and temperature, but accumulation of berry anthocyanins and phenolic substances can vary considerably according to sensitivity of cultivars to these abiotic factors. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Increasing knowledge on the acclimation responses to high UV and solar irradiance environments by grape cultivars may help to improve management practices towards greater adaption to global warming conditions and projected climate change.
•Bridge innovation and real farm conditions for benefits from PLF.•Small Ruminant must be individually electronically identified in Europe through RFID technology.•Efficacy, Reliability and ...Efficiency for milk production recording improve through RFID.•Fieldwork of expert technician is highly improved in terms of time required to accomplish tasks.•Automatic data recording and transfer into digital format by RFID highly reduce human and tool bias.
In compliance with EU Reg. 21/2004, the individual electronic identification (EID) of sheep is mandatory in EU Countries since the 1st of January 2008. However, the impact of innovation within animal identification systems has not yet been carried out to quantify benefits during common fieldwork in real dairy sheep flocks. In particular, systematic milk production record represents a fundament to monitor real time performance of each single ewe, before a cumulative datum about flock output. The rational management of dairy ewes should rely on technological tools to create sub-groups according to production performance in a quick and reliable way. This trial aimed to investigate efficacy, reliability and efficiency associate to two different identification systems for monitoring individual milk production throughout the lactation in sheep flocks. Qualitative and quantitative indicators for each criterion, were useful for the assessment of activities and output correctness. Experimental activities were carried in two different farms of Sardinia. In both farms, animals were individually identified by means of an endoruminal ceramic bolus (transponder HDX 134.2 kHz, according to ISO Standards 11784–11785) and by conventional plastic ear tag. In both farms, during milking, groups of ewes were monitored (24 animals per round) by 2 trained technicians. In EID ewes, equipment to check individual transponder’s code and data recording consisted of a handy reader (Gesimpex Com. S.L., Barcelona, Spain); in ET ewes, individual ET code and milk production were visually inspected and typed on a handy data store equipment (ABB Immediate Business System PLC – Radix). Time needed for accomplishment of activities was taken for the two identification systems with a chronometer. In the two farms, a total of 553 animals were monitored for five times (controls were scheduled monthly) throughout the lactation period. Average time for reading and recording individual code and production for EID vs. ET resulted 6″/sheep vs. 11″/sheep. Transponder’s code resulted correctly checked and repeatedly associated in 100% of readings. EID system of diary ewes shows to improve production recording and data transfer in comparison with conventional ET system with advantageous technical relationships between fieldwork activities.
Ricotta fresca cheese is susceptible to secondary contamination and is able to support the growth of pathogens or spoilage psychotrophic bacteria during storage. The aim of the present study was to ...evaluate which among three commercial biopreservatives was suitable to be used to control the growth of spoilage microorganisms in sheep's milk MAP ricotta fresca cheese. 144 Ricotta fresca cheese samples were inoculated either with the bioprotective culture Lyofast FPR 2 (including Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum e Lactobacillus rhamnosus) or Lyofast CNBAL (Carnobacterium spp) or the fermentate MicroGARD 430. Not inoculated control and experimental ricotta were MAP packed (30% CO2 and 70% N2) and stored at 4 °C. Triplicate samples were analyzed after 5 h and 7, 14 and 21 days after inoculation for total bacterial count, mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp, Listeria monocytogenes, moulds and yeasts. Among the tested biopreservatives only Carnobacterium spp was able to control Pseudomonas spp and Enterobacteriaceae. The maximum reduction in the concentration of Pseudomonas spp and Enterobacteriaceae was respectively 1.93 and 2.66 log10 cfu/g, observed 14 days after production. Therefore, Carnobacterium spp was selected as the culture of choice to conduct a challenge study against Pseudomonas spp.
•Ricotta fresca support psychotrophic microorganism growth during refrigerated storage.•3 Commercial biopreservatives were tested against spoilage bacteria in ricotta fresca.•Cultures Lyofast FPR 2, Lyofast CNBAL and the fermentate FERM 430D were tested.•Inoculation of Carnobacterium spp protective culture reduced Pseudomonas spp growth.
•Microdialysis for rapid determination of ascorbic-acid and antioxidant capacity.•Microdialysis is applied to in vivo determination of effect of water stress in plants.•Water-stressed Opuntia show ...decreased ascorbic acid levels and increased the others antioxidants.
A simple and rapid method was developed for in vivo simultaneous determination of ascorbic-acid and antioxidant capacity in microdialysates from cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller. The method is verified in water-stressed plants, as compared with a well-watered test controls. The microdialysis probe construction and insertion procedure was specifically developed to minimise the tissue trauma of the plant and to obtain optimal dialysis performance. Microdialysis was performed using a flow rate of 3μL/min and the samples were analysed by HPLC coupled to electrochemical detection of ascorbic-acid and DPPH-determined antioxidant capacity. Our data indicate exponential decay of the concentrations of the analysed compounds as a function of microdialysis sampling time. Water-stressed Opuntia show decreased ascorbic acid levels and increased the others antioxidants.
Among the landscape systems threatened by the desertification processes there are wide portions of Mediterranean coast, including some of the most important wine production areas. Furthermore, higher ...risks can be raised where intensive touristic fruition is present. Here the loss of coastal agricultural land can be due to both natural and artificial factors, like coast erosion and floating or urban expansion. In the Sardinian region, one of the most vocated viticultural regions in Italy, particularly in danger for environment diversity loss are the north-occidental and southern coastal lands. The research has focused on a systemic characterization of the viticultural models in the north-eastern, western and south-western coastal land. The relationship of vineyards with the landscape ecomosaic, the complexity of the cropping ecosystem, the physical characters of the environment, grape and wine quality have been analysed. Coastal vineyards have shown a particular biological value, owing to the uniqueness of plant material, and a particular ecological meaning. In order to prevent erosion of low-lying coastal areas a key role is played by contiguous micro-vineyards in which frequently traditional and sustainable agronomic techniques are adopted. The high quality of grapes and derived enological products justify the interest in maintaining such cultivated environment and the opportunity of restoring residual or abandoned vineyard, particularly in those territories where high potential lands for agriculture and areas under high urban pressure meet together.
This work offers a methodology based on statistical tools and GIS applications in a study of the adaptability of
Opuntia to the environment, applied on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Detailed ...surveys of habitats containing naturalized populations of
Opuntia spp. were made in order to select study sites. The topographic, soil and climatic features of these are described. The local biotypes are ascribed mainly to the spineless
Opuntia ficus–indica (L.) Mill. and to the spiny
Opuntia amyclaea Ten. Although introduced at different times, for different uses, they have adapted to the Sardinian environment and established in the wild. The distributions of the two species differed. The FloraMap
® modelling approach was used to simulate
Opuntia distribution as a function of the island's climate and produced individual distribution maps using the accession points for the two species. Our analysis showed that environmental conditions at elevations above 800
m are the main limiting factors for the presence and abundance of
Opuntia in Sardinia. Spatial representation developed by GIS software indicated temperatures below 2
°C as the threshold impairing the species naturalized distribution. The statistic results also show that variation in rainfall does not affect
Opuntia spatial distribution in Sardinia.
Cactus pear is the common name of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., the arid-resistant plant that is grown worldwide for its multifunctional proprieties. The paper gives an overview of local genetic ...resources of Opuntia spp. and describes the results of the recent introduction of some O. ficus-indica varieties, hybrids and other cactaceas on Fogo Island during a cooperation international project carried out by the Italian Universities of Torino and Sassari aimed to build a sustainable supply chain for the local growers, in order to fight their extreme poverty and malnutrition. The ten introduced genotypes were selected from a repository located Sardinia (Italy) held by the University of Sassari. They were selected for fruits and/or cladodes productivity, and potential use as livestock feed, and no invasive behaviour. The propagation test started in May 2007 and data on the emerging and the growth of new cladodes were recorded until March 2008: propagation was carried out by cloning via cutting. Once planted and identified, usual agrotechniques for Opuntia cultivation were applied and data on growth were periodically collected. To evaluate and compare the growth of the different genotypes, a productivity index was used. Cladodes of the Nopalea genotype were significantly smaller in size than all the other genotypes, in length (20.50 cm), width (11.25 cm), and thickness (0.98 cm). In the present study, the active preservation of biodiversity has become a tool to enhance sustainable agroforestry.
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