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Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), widely used in agriculture, can cause toxic effects to humans and animals. The main purpose of the present work was to determine the contamination in raw milk by the main organophosphorus pesticides used in Italy and to evaluate the opportunity to start specific procedures of risk management along the milk production chain. The samples, collected in 4 Italian dairy plants directly from the tank trucks during the delivering, were representative of 920 tonnes of raw milk. The isolation of the OPPs (acephate, chlorpyriphos, chlorpyriphos-methyl, diazinon, methamidophos, methidathion, phorate, pirimiphos-methyl) was performed by liquid partition followed by clean-up with solid phase extraction. The analyses were carried out by dual column gas chromatography using two nitrogen-phosphorus detectors. Among the 135 samples analysed, 37 were positive in traces and 10 showed an OPP contamination ranging from 5 to 18 microg/kg. The higher results were recorded in the samples collected during the autumn-winter period. The main pollutants detected were acephate and chlorpyriphos. In every positive sample found, the OPP contamination was lower than the maximum residue level (MRL) fixed by the European Commission.

Aims: Enumeration of resistant bacteria in ultra-high temperature (UHT) treated milk; morphological characterization and phenotyping of resistant strains by traditional and nontraditional methods and their identification by molecular biology. Methods and Results: Modified standard plate count agar (PCA) and modified brain-heart infusion (BHI) agar were used for colony counts. Physiological culture traits were determined as suggested by Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology or in modified J-broth or in modified BHI agar. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for microscopic examination. Strain identification was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 125 (62AE81% of 199) samples were positive and the bacterial load was higher than 10 5 CFU ml )1 in 46 samples (28AE80% of 125). The 16S rRNA sequence of bacterial cultures obtained from UHT-treated milk was similar to that of Bacillus sporothermodurans M215 type strain (T) and different biotypes were found by analysis of colony appearance, cell morphology and physiological traits. Conclusions: Bacillus sporothermodurans was the predominant sporigenous micro-organisms in UHT milk. Significance and Impact of the Study: BHI agar is more suitable than PCA for quality control of milk after UHT treatment. Modified J-broth medium is useful to determine selected physiological traits of B. sporothermodurans. The strains characterized and identified as B. sporothermodurans were significantly different compared with the type strain.

Synbiotic dietary supplements are used to modulate the intestinal microbiota in adults; however, studies regarding elderly people are limited. The aim of this work is to determine the effect of regular consumption of yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and the fructooligosaccharide (FOS) Actilight(®) both in healthy adults and the elderly suffering from constipation. Yogurt was administered daily for 4 weeks; faecal samples were collected before starting, after 4-week administration and a 15-day wash out period, and analyzed for LGG and bifidobacteria counts. Constipation status in the elderly was recorded by a standardized questionnaire. Bifidobacteria did not increase in either groups; at the end of the intervention trial, LGG was detected in significantly different amount in the faeces of the elderly and adults, being higher in adults (95% vs. 30%). An increased evacuation number in the elderly was evidenced, probably due to the presence of FOS in yogurt.

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Between the two packaging materials, the triple-layer plastic mini bottle with black coloured and completely opaque intermediate layer offered the best protection against lipid oxidation. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

SUMMARYComparative quality evaluation of organic and conventional milk produced in similar environmental condition was performed. Bulk-tank milk was sampled once a week during 30 weeks from 10 organic and 10 conventional dairy farms where aflatoxin M1 level was previous tested during 11 months on bulk-tank milk from tanker at the processing plant. Somatic Cells and Total Microbial Counts did not show differences that can be related to the organic production system, suggesting an effect induced by farm size and technical factors. Higher level of Aflatoxin M1 was found in organic than conventional milk. KeywordsAflatoxin; milk quality; mastitis; organic dairy INTRODUZIONENegli ultimi anni in Italia sono aumentate le aziende che producono prodotti biologici, regolamentati dal Reg. 2491/01/CE (1) che ha posto le regole per la certificazione, tracciabilità ed etichettatura dei prodotti biologici. Inoltre, i consumatori, sulla base della percezione del rischio connesso al consumo degli alimenti di origine animale prodotti mediante metodo convenzionale, sono maggiormente disposti a riconoscere prezzi superiori per gli alimenti prodotti con metodo biologico; tuttavia, in alcuni casi, gli alimenti biologici possono non raggiungere gli standard qualitativi degli alimenti convenzionali. I problemi qualitativi che si riscontrano possono esser riconducibili all'applicazione, nell'allevamento biologico, dei principi di produzione del metodo tradizionale, compresa la gestione dell'aspetto sanitario. Un altro aspetto da considerare è il fatto che la produzione o l'approvvigionamento di mangimi biologici da parte delle aziende zootecniche può determinare problematiche tecniche o commerciali tali da influenzare le produzioni animali oltre che dal punto di vista sanitario e qualitativo anche quantitativamente.È stato ipotizzato che l'assenza di specifiche competenze nel management delle produzioni biologiche sia la principale fonte delle problematiche in cui incorrono le aziende che adottano questo sistema (2). Molti studi sottolineano che l'allevamento biologico deve confrontarsi con problemi specifici: ad esempio l'utilizzo regolare ed esclusivo del letame come fertilizzante può essere fonte di rischio nella diffusione di patogeni enterici (3, 4) e l'assenza di trattamenti chimici finalizzati alla conservazione o alla disinfestazione dei cereali prodotti con metodo biologico può favorire la crescita di muffe tossigene. Nell'allevamento bovino, inoltre, la pratica dell'al-