The impact of added saffron on the characteristics of yoghurt was evaluated during storage. The fat content was lower in the saffron yoghurt. All colour variables were significantly affected by saffron and storage. From the 15th day of storage, bacterial numbers in the saffron yoghurt were higher than those of the control yoghurt. Sensory analysis data suggested that colour, odour and texture impacted consistently on the overall acceptability of the saffron yoghurt. Saffron addition significantly increased polyphenol content and antioxidant activity, providing evidence that the enrichment of natural yoghurt with saffron yields an innovative fermented product useful for supplementing antioxidant dietary intake.

Fresh ovine “primosale” cheese was processed with the addition of grape pomace powder (GPP). Cheese making was performed using pasteurized ewes’ milk and four selected Lactococcus lactis strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190) inoculated individually. For each strain the control cheese (CCP) was not added with GPP, while the experimental cheese (ECP) was enriched with 1% (w/w) GPP. GPP did not influence the starter development that reached levels of 109 CFU/g in all final cheeses. The comparison of the bacterial isolates by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR showed the dominance of the added strains over indigenous milk bacteria resistant to pasteurization. GPP addition reduced fat content and determined an increase of protein and of secondary lipid oxidation. Sensory tests indicated that cheeses CCP94 and ECP94, produced with the strain Mise94, reached the best appreciation scores. Following in vitro simulated human digestion, bioaccessible fraction of ECP94 showed antioxidant capacity, evaluated as radical scavenging activity and inhibition of membrane lipid oxidation, significantly higher than that from CCP94, with promising increase in functional properties. Thus, the main hypothesis was accepted since the functional aspects of the final cheeses improved, confirming that GPP is relevant for sustainable nutrition by using winemaking by-products.

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An innovative ovine cheese enriched with red grape pomace powder (GPP) was produced to improve the functional properties of Vastedda cheese typology. Vastedda cheese making was performed adding GPP and four selected Lactococcus lactis strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190). For each strain, 40 L of pasteurized ewe’s milk was divided into two aliquots representing control and experimental trials. Control cheese (CC) production did not contain GPP, while the experimental cheese (EC) production was enriched with 1% (w/w) GPP. GPP did not slow down starter development and acid generation. Plate counts and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR analysis confirmed the dominance of the starters in all trials. The evolution of the physicochemical parameters showed that EC productions were characterized by lower fat content, higher protein content, and higher values of secondary lipid oxidation. Sensory evaluation indicated that the cheeses produced with the strain Mise94 were those more appreciated by the judges. Thus, the last cheeses were investigated for some functional aspects: GPP enrichment significantly increased antioxidant activity and lipoperoxyl radical scavenger capacity, confirming that grape polyphenol inclusion in cheese represents an optimal strategy for the valorization of ovine cheeses as well as winemaking industry by-products.

Aims The purpose of this study was to functionalize an ovine stretched cheese belonging to 'Vastedda' typology with red grape pomace powder (GPP) of Nero d’Avola cultivar and to characterize the microbiological, physicochemical, phenolic profile and sensory characteristics of the final cheeses. Methods and Results Before cheeses production, GPP was characterized for its microbiological profile, antibacterial activity and polyphenolic content. No colonies of bacteria and yeasts were detected in the GPP. GPP showed a large inhibition spectrum against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Three classes of polyphenolic compounds belonging to flavan‐3‐ols, flavonol and phenolic acids were identified. Two cheeses [0 and 1% (w w−1) of GPP] were produced with pasteurized ewe's milk and commercial starter cultures. Plate counts and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis demonstrated the ability of the starter strains to drive the fermentation process in the presence of GPP. GPP enrichment resulted in an increase of protein, phenolic compounds, sensory traits and reduced fat. Conclusions GPP addition to cheese represents an optimal strategy for the valorization of winemaking by‐products and to obtain polyphenol‐enriched cheese. Significance and Impact of the Study This study allowed to achieve an ovine cheese with specific physicochemical, nutraceutical and sensorial characteristics able to enlarge the functional dairy product portfolio.

Red grape Nero d’Avola cultivar grape pomace powder (GPP) was applied during fresh ovine cheese production in order to increase polyphenol content. Before cheeses were produced, the bacteria of a freeze-dried commercial starter culture were isolated and tested in vitro against GPP. Two dominant strains, both resistant to GPP, were identified. Thestarter culture was inoculated in pasteurized ewe’s milk and the curd was divided into two bulks, one added with 1% (w/w) GPP and another one GPP-free. GPP did not influence the starter culture development, since lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were 109 CFU/g in both cheeses at 30 d. To exclude the interference of indigenous LAB, the pasteurized milk was analyzed, and several colonies of presumptive LAB were isolated, purified and typed. Four strains were allotted into Enterococcus and Lacticaseibacillus genera. The direct comparison of the polymorphic profiles of cheese bacteria evidenced the dominance of the starter culture over milk LAB. The addition of GPP increased cheese total phenolic compounds by 0.42 g GAE/kg. Sensory evaluation indicated that GPP-enriched cheese was well appreciated by the judges, providing evidence that GPP is a suitable substrate to increase the availability of total phenolic content in fresh ovine cheese.

The present work was carried out to investigate the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) of enterococci isolated from raw ewes’ and cows’ milk. The samples were collected from eighteen semi-extensive dairy sheep and cow farms throughout western Sicily. Plate counts, carried out on Rapid Enterococcus Agar commonly used to detect food enterococci, revealed a maximal enterococcal concentration of approximately 4.58 Log Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/mL. Colonies were isolated and differentiated based on genetic analysis by Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. Thirty-eight different strains were identified. Analysis by a species-specific multiplex PCR assay grouped the strains into three Enterococcus species such as Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. The 38 strains were also investigated for their antimicrobial resistance by a phenotypic approach. All 38 Enterococcus displayed resistance to at least one or more of the antimicrobials tested confirmed that the dairy enterococci could be a vector for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. This work showed that enterococci with AMR traits are commonly present in semiextensive dairy sheep and cow farms of western Sicily pointed out the relevance of informing dairy makers and veterinary regarding the antimicrobial use in order to mitigate problems of public health and veterinary medicine.

The present work was developed to select lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to be used as starter cultures in functional cheese production. The indigenous milk LAB populations were isolated from fermented raw ewes’ milks (four bulks) added with 0.5 mg/mL of nine polyphenols commonly found in winery by-products. After 48 h of fermentation, all milks were characterized by an increase of LAB levels of about 3–4 Log cycles. All different colonies were purified and characterized for the main physiological and biochemical traits and then differentiated genetically at strain level and identified. Ten species belonging to the LAB genera Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Leuconostoc and Lactococcus were identified. Only Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides strains were evaluated for the technological traits including acidification and autolytic kinetics, diacetyl formation, exopolysaccharide production and generation of antimicrobial compounds. A total of four strains (Mise36, Mise94 Mise169 and Mise190) belonging to Lc. lactis displayed potential for production of cheeses containing grape polyphenols.