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SUMMARY:The influence of pasteurization temperature and time of treatment on the flesh firmness and the evolution of microbial communities was studied for table olives Cv. Nocellara del Belice, packed in glass jars and processed with a tunnel pasteurizer. The experiment was first carried out on the laboratory level in order to select the optimal combination of pasteurization time/temperature so as to obtain the proper balance between the consistency of the pulp and the microbiological quality of the final product. Pasteurization at industrial scale was then carried out in a tunnel pasteurizer applying the treatment at 75 °C for 8 min in the thermal center of the jars. Besides flesh firmness and microbial evolutions, the pH, total titratable acidity (TTA) and color were evaluated for the table olives during storage at 6, 12 and 15 months from packing. The table olives showed a high stability and acceptable flesh firmness for the entire period under observation. Specifically, olive pulp texture decreased during the storage period, but the softening was most evident in the deeper layers of the pulp. The results indicated that the storage period should not exceed 6 months. Although the hygiene is preserved, after this period the firmness might not be acceptable to consumers. KEYWORDS: Compression force; Dynamometer; Microbiological analysis; RESUMEN:Investigación sobre un pasteurizador de túnel para las aceitunas de mesa "Nocellara del Belice" procesadas mediante el "Método Castelvetrano". En el presente trabajo se estudió la influencia de la temperatura y del tiempo de pasteurización en la firmeza de la pulpa y la evolución de las comunidades microbianas para la aceituna de mesa "Nocellara del Belice" procesadas con un pasteurizador de túnel. El experimento se llevó a cabo preliminarmente a nivel de laboratorio con el fin de seleccionar la combinación óptima de tiempo/temperatura de pasteurización para obtener el compromiso adecuado entre la consistencia de la pulpa y la calidad microbiológica del producto final. A continuación se llevó a cabo la pasteurización en escala industrial dentro de un pasteurizador de túnel aplicando el tratamiento a 75 ° C durante 8 minutos. Fueron evaluados pH, acidez total titulable (ATT) y el color para las aceitunas de mesa durante el almacenamiento a los 6, 12 y 15 meses de envasado. Las aceitunas de mesa mostraron una alta estabilidad y una firmeza de pulpa aceptable para todo el período de observación; en particular, la textura de pulpa disminuyó durante el período de almacenamiento, pero el ablandamiento fue más evidente en las capas más profundas de la pulpa. Los resultados indicaron que el período de almacenamiento no debe ser superior a 6 meses.

The determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in cheeses has become an official method for controlling cheeses with a protected designation of origin (PDO), all of which use raw milk. PDO cheeses, characterized by high craftsmanship, usually have an uneven quality. However, for these cheeses, it is necessary to establish ALP values so that they can be defined as a raw milk product. In this study, a dataset with Pecorino Siciliano PDO samples was analyzed to determine ALP both at the core and under the rind. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the different zones in Pecorino cheese. A second dataset of 100 pecorino cheese samples determined that ALP was only at the core of the cheese. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference between the ALP values of cheeses produced with raw milk and those produced with pasteurized milk. Furthermore, according to the temperatures, a wide variability of ALP values was observed in the Pecorino Siciliano PDO samples from the core of the cheeses. This was a result of several under scotta whey cooking methodologies adopted by cheesemakers, which do not permit a clear range. Therefore, further investigation is desirable.

Abstract. Postharvest handling of fresh fruit is a potential source of bruising and damage, with significant consequences for fruit quality and marketability. In the last 30 years, different types of impact-recording devices (also called electronic fruits or pseudo-fruits) have been developed with the aim of measuring the impacts experienced by fruits during postharvest operations. The aim of this study was to develop and test a novel wireless instrumented sphere to study the critical points in a citrus packing line by measuring the impacts experienced by fruits in real-time. The non-commercial device was based on a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) sensor node with a sensing range from ±1×g to ±400×g (g = 9.8 m s-2), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM) memory, a radio frequency (RF) transmitter, a microcontroller, and a 75 mAh lithium battery. The sensor node was placed inside a plastic ellipsoid case with a total weight of 100 g to represent a ‘Tardivo di Ciaculli’ mandarin. An FR receiver allowed real-time transmission of the measured data. Tests were performed in the Consorzio del Mandarino Tardivo di Ciaculli packing line (Palermo, Italy). Total acceleration values, representing the stresses experienced by fruit in the packing line, were studied using a variance component model. The results showed that total acceleration remained below 20×g in most of the measurements, but considerably higher values, up to 80×g, were obtained between the brushing and waxing machines. In particular, waxing was identified as the most critical operation based on the impact transmitted to the fruit. Our system proved to be effective for immediate on-line assessment of the accelerations experienced by fruits, allowing prompt intervention to guarantee fruit quality in postharvest operations.HighlightsA novel, wirelessly instrumented sphere was developed and tested to study the critical points in a fruit packing line.The total acceleration experienced by the fruits was studied using a variance component model.The system was proven effective in online assessment of the accelerations experienced by fruits. Keywords: Acceleration, Damage, Instrumented sphere, Mandarin, Postharvest.

ABSTRACT. Hydroseeding is a technique increasingly used to establish vegetation on degraded areas in order to

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Human exposure to mechanical vibration can be a significant risk factor for exposed workers and this also occurs in the agricultural sector, in particular with reference to the driver of the tractor during field operations. The aim of this paper is the evaluation of Whole Body Vibrations for the operator driving tractors during the field operations in the vineyard. The experimental tests were performed using a wheeled and a track-laying tractor. They were coupled to four different machines: rototilling (RT), chisel plough (CP), flail mowers (FM) and vibro farmer (VF). Two homogeneous plots of vineyard, about 200 m long, were identified different only for slope: 0% and 30%. The tests were performed during the execution of the cultivation operations in flat conditions, uphill and downhill. For the evaluation of whole-body vibration we referred to ISO 2631-1:2008 standard. We used the portable vibration analyzer HD2070 by Delta Ohm, Italy. The mean square frequency-weighted acceleration [m s -2 ] was evaluated along each of the three axial components of the acceleration vector (awx, awy, awz)The vibration total value to which the body is exposed (av) was determined by the following relationship: av = (kx 2 awx 2 + ky 2 awy 2 + kz 2 awz 2 ) 1/2 where kx = ky = 1.4 and kz = 1.The study allowed to point out that during the use of the above mentioned operating machines coupled both with a track-laying tractor and a wheeled tractor, A(8) values were always higher than 0.5 m s -2 therefore, included in the "risk threshold" identified by the Italian Law Decree 81/2008. The machines coupled to the wheeled tractor always registered higher vibration values on the driving seat than the same machines coupled to the tracklying tractor. The operating machines showing higher vibration values are rototilling and vibro farmer in both tractors. Finally, the soil conditions in terms of slope caused no particular differences of vibration levels for all the machines used in the tests.

Human exposure to mechanical vibration can be a significant risk factor for exposed workers and this also occurs in the agricultural sector, in particular with reference to the driver of the tractor during field operations. The aim of this paper is the evaluation of Whole Body Vibrations for the operator driving tractors during the field operations in the vineyard. The experimental tests were performed using a wheeled and a track-laying tractor. They were coupled to four different machines: rototilling (RT), chisel plough (CP), flail mowers (FM) and vibro farmer (VF). Two homogeneous plots of vineyard, about 200 m long, were identified different only for slope: 0% and 30%. The tests were performed during the execution of the cultivation operations in flat conditions, uphill and downhill. For the evaluation of whole-body vibration we referred to ISO 2631-1:2008 standard. We used the portable vibration analyzer HD2070 by Delta Ohm, Italy. The mean square frequency-weighted acceleration [m s -2 ] was evaluated along each of the three axial components of the acceleration vector (awx, awy, awz)The vibration total value to which the body is exposed (av) was determined by the following relationship: av = (kx 2 awx 2 + ky 2 awy 2 + kz 2 awz 2 ) 1/2 where kx = ky = 1.4 and kz = 1.The study allowed to point out that during the use of the above mentioned operating machines coupled both with a track-laying tractor and a wheeled tractor, A(8) values were always higher than 0.5 m s -2 therefore, included in the "risk threshold" identified by the Italian Law Decree 81/2008. The machines coupled to the wheeled tractor always registered higher vibration values on the driving seat than the same machines coupled to the tracklying tractor. The operating machines showing higher vibration values are rototilling and vibro farmer in both tractors. Finally, the soil conditions in terms of slope caused no particular differences of vibration levels for all the machines used in the tests.