Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Improvement of cheese safety by means of enrichment with bacteria or p...
Coordinator
Innovative mitigation measures to reduce the risks through the application of bacterial pathogens challenges in food models. Tailored fermentation processes, based on QPS microorganisms (i.e., biocontrol agents, lactic acid bacteria, non-conventional yeasts, symbiotic culture of microorganisms) and hydrolysed food matrices, will be set-up and integrated in traditional food production protocols to increase food safety. Selected natural antimicrobials (e.g., essential oils) and hydrolysed raw matrices will be used to inactivate pathogens at food processing, storage, and retail levels.
Analysis of the role of cognitive, emotional, and relational factors in determining risk perception, beliefs, and habits affecting food safety. These psychosocial factors will be leveraged to develop effective and personalised communication strategies aimed to ameliorate food safety practices. Design and piloting of educational and communication initiatives to promote citizens engagement in food safety behaviours. Promotion of stakeholders’ engagement actions (i.e., targeted to journalists, nutritionists, opinion leaders, influencers) on food safety culture also by using multi-stakeholder platforms aimed to establish a network of Food Safety System actors at national, European and international level and in connection with Spoke 1 and 7.
The task includes evaluation of safety parameters in traditional and novel foods through the development of: a) chemical sensors and immunosensors for the selective detection of algal and plant toxins, and trace allergens; b) portable devices based on laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) and other spectroscopy techniques; c) Ambient Desorption Ionisation methods with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (DESI-HRMS); e) use of rt-PCR and digital droplet-PCR to evaluate new and (re)-emerging foodborne pathogenic species; f) metabolomics and proteomics strategies coupled to pathway analysis to evaluate the effects of emerging and re-emerging contaminants; d) analytical techniques, i.e., spectroscopic and MS-based, to determine biogenic amines, pesticides, veterinary drug residues, mycotoxins and processing toxicants; and g) new Matrix-Reference Materials to be characterised for food safety parameters will be developed, including preparation of test-lots, their characterization and homogeneity and stability studies.
Protective bacterial and phage cultures
Protocol of innovative microbiological cultures and fermentation for food improvement.
Consumer risk perception towards the food safety of novel foods (M36)
Safety assessment of traditional and novel foods through targeted and untargeted methodologies (M36)
In the last few years, the dairy sector has developed new products, in particular fresh cheeses enhanced with different kinds of plant sources. Low salt content and high acidity are characteristics of fresh cheeses favoring the possible growth of spoilage microorganisms. Concerns about fresh cheeses as potential vehicles for pathogens, have increased the interest in the use of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB), essential oils and plant sources to preserve cheeses. Plant derivatives are effective in inhibiting a range of cheese-related bacteria in in vitro systems. Autochthonous dairy LAB, besides offering desired organoleptic characteristics, could also inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, mainly related to synthesizing bacteriocins. The use of natural products (vegetable derivatives and/or bacteria) as bio-protectives extending cheese shelf life and safety is a new appealing approach to consumers increasingly attentive to sustainability aspects.
