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Levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) in "Provola" cheese samples from Calabria, smoked naturally and using commercial smoke-flavouring, have been determined. A comparative study of BaP and BaA concentrations was carried out on rind, exterior zone, core and slice of these samples. Quantitative determination of BaP and BaA was ascertained by HPLC using fluorescence detection. Levels of BaP and BaA were found in all smoked "Provola" cheese samples, but higher in cheese smoked with natural methods (0.46-1.13 µg kg⁻¹ for BaP and 1.38-9.29 µg kg⁻¹ for BaA) compared to samples smoked using commercial flavouring (0.085-0.32 µg kg⁻¹ for BaP and 1.20-2.98 µg kg⁻¹ for BaA). The smoking process contributes to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contamination; however, for improved food safety, the use of commercial buffered smoke is preferable to traditional smoking procedures.

At present, there are no specific studies on the evaluation of environmental toxicological risks in Calabria (south of Italy) and on the presence of contaminants in the fauna of this region. The aim of the present research was to investigate the levels of contamination by OC pesticides and PCBs in some organs and tissues of wild boars (utilized as 'biological indicator') from various areas of Calabria. Quantitative determinations of organochlorines were carried out using GC-ECD and confirmed with GC-MS in 154 samples from wild boars (heart, liver, lung, kidney, muscle tissue and spleen) during the hunting season from 2000 to 2002. The results indicate the low residual levels of DDE in 8 samples and DDT in 4 samples and PCBs residues (Aroclor 1232) below the detection limits were found. Therefore, these results show that the Calabria region is not at contamination risk from organochlorines and moreover is free from health problems for the consumer of boar meat.

The ‘nduja is one of the most typical and appreciated Calabrian raw seasoned sausages. As well as other Calabrian meat products, the ‘nduja contains a high quantity of hot red chilli pepper. The ‘nduja is a seasoned, very savoury but yet spreadable sausage; it is traditionally spread on bread or used as natural flavour enhancer of pasta, pizza and other similar kind of food. 27 samples of ‘nduja were sampled, 15 coming from artisanal production and the remaining 12 from industrial production, in order to establish if they were differences between the two kind of production from the hygienic point of view. The samples were stored up to 6 month and analyzed at 1 day of storage and then at 3 and 6 month of storage. Our results show that the ‘nduja is a meat product of good hygienic quality; the sausages made in artisanal manner showed a more variable microbial quality as the ones made in industrial factories. The microbial flora of ‘nduja is mainly composed by lactobacilli, yeasts and moulds; only in rare cases we have found quite high numbers of micrococci and/od pseudomonads. Total and faecal coliforms are in general very low, in the product ready to eat. No Salmonella enterica nor Listeria monocytogenes nor enterotoxigenic strains of S. aureus or B. cereus were found in the samples analysed