1,720,979 research outputs found
Use of medicinal mushrooms in the preparation of superfoods for sustainable nutrition and human health
No full textThe interest of research and food industries is being extensively focused on the development of functional foods
able to prevent several diet-related diseases beyond the simple nutritional effects. For these reasons, this PhD
thesis research project is focused on the development of different foods and beverage with enhanced
nutraceutical characteristics, made by addition of medicinal mushrooms extract in the production processes.
Foods and drinks that will be developed include bread, cheese, yogurt, salami, beer and kefir
Conservation Strategies of the Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom Pleurotus nebrodensis (Basidiomycota, Fungi)
Full text linkPleurotus nebrodensis (Inzenga) Quél. is an edible mushroom appreciated by consumers for its organoleptic characters. It was first described by the mycologist Giuseppe Inzenga as “the most delicious mushroom growing in Sicily”. This taxon, originally described as Agaricus nebrodensis Inzenga, has undergone several changes in the synomy and is recognized as a variety or subspecies within the Pleurotus eryngii (DC.) Quél. species complex. Recent studies demonstrated that P. nebrodensis is
distinct from other taxa related to the P. eryngii complex. The distribution of P. nebrodensis in Europe is limited. The mushroom grows only in Madonie Park (Sicily, Italy) and in Greece, associated with plants of Prangos ferulacea (Lindl.). Several studies demonstrated that the presence of P. nebrodensis in native territories has progressively decreased over the years. Research conducted in Sicily (southern Italy) during the fructification period (April–June 2009) confirmed this negative trend. The decision
to include P. nebrodensis as an endangered (EN) species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was taken to safeguard the existence of this important taxon. Legal action is needed to stop the overexploitation and collection of unripe basidiomata of P. nebrodensis in the wild. Ex situ cultivation to increase wild production was experimented and preservation of mycelium in the Mycotheca of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Forest Science (SAAF) of the University of Palermo was
carried out. The in situ conservation strategy can be implemented only if the wild collection is properly managed (picking of ripe mushrooms forbidden in zone A of Madonie Park and collection of unripe mushrooms forbidden in other areas)
The use of native species for urban forestry to prevent allergies
No full textThe persistence of populations migratory flows from the rural to the urban context certainly alter the habits in the connection with nature and, generally, decrease the quality of life and the well-being of inhabits of cities. The pandemic highlighted how crucial is for citizens the connection with nature and the key role of vegetation in parks and gardens defined as a real cultural heritage to be protected and enhanced. It is not important design and develop new green areas only but also to re-evaluate and re-appropriate existing ones. Urban reforestation projects must not be just green restoration actions, but real systematic and structured programs, which consider the whole territory and its complexity. Each “green” action must be integrated inside the territory and connected with the context. The planting of thousands of new trees in the several development plans requires basic and applied research to have adequate material to effectively perform the required functions such as air purification, climate mitigation, water regulation, environmental rehabilitation, etc. (Anguelovski et al. 2018) The identification of native species that can be successfully used for urban landscaping and reforestation in the Mediterranean environment is crucial. Native species have the advantage of already being adapted to the environment in which they will be used, while the exotic species currently used have been selected based on aesthetic characteristics and their resistance, with low consideration of the risks on human health and ecosystem’s biodiversity. One of the most underestimated issues is the allergenicity of species used for urban reforestation. Allergies are the result of a hypersensitive response of the immune system to foreign agents, called allergens, which can be represented by very different substances. (Bro ek et al., 2017) In particular, pollen allergies affect the respiratory system and are characterized by seasonality and recurrence during the year, determined by the cycle of plants that produce and release into the environment the different types of pollen, large quantities of which enter the respiratory tract (Lake et al., 2017). Normally this event does not have consequences, whereas in allergic people the release of pollens and their “migration” causes allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, and in more serious cases it can cause real asthma attacks. (Cariñanos, et al. 2016.) The best fight against allergy is to try to avoid contact with the allergenic substance. For pollen this is very complicated because it means not staying outdoors during the migration period, closing windows and using air filters and air conditioning systems. In order to avoid the worsening of this problem during urban reforestation programs, it is recommended the introduction of species with low pollen emission and low or no allergenicity
Survey of antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas isolated from fresh cut red chicory (Cichorium intybus L., Asteraceae)
Full text linkThe present work was carried out to investigate the safety
aspects of minimally processed red chicory (Cichorium
intybus L., family Asteraceae) regarding the antibiotic resistance
of Pseudomonas Migula, 1894 populations (Bacteria
Pseudomonadaceae). The Pseudomonas strains
tested for their characteristics were previously isolated
from experimental monovarietal salads prepared with two
different processes, a classic ready-to-eat (RTE) process
and a process with entire leaves, and stored under refrigeration
(4 °C) up to 15 days from production. Due to their
dominance over the microbial community, Pseudomonas
strains were better characterised for their undesirable features
that might be exerted on the health of consumers.
To this purpose, the 21 dominant Pseudomonas strains
were subjected to the antimicrobial resistance test, applying
the antibiotics commonly administered to combat intestinal
bacteria responsible for human infections. The
results revealed a certain sensibility to almost all the antibiotics
diffused among these bacteria, with the exception
of ampicillin, amoxicillin, and chloramphenicol. If, on
one hand, this study has found that, generally,
Pseudomonas are not related to the dissemination of the
majority of antibiotics used for hospitalized patients, on
the other hand, it poses the attention to this microbial
group regarding ampicillin and amoxicillin
Can the combination of two apulian traditional agri-food products generate a superfood? The case of functional taralli with Pleurotus eryngii
No full textBiodiversity of Fungi in Freshwater Ecosystems of Italy
Full text linkFungal biodiversity is still mostly unknown and their presence in particular ecosystems such as freshwater habitats is often underestimated. The ecological role that these fungi play in freshwater environments mainly concerns their activity as decomposers of litter and plant material. At present, it is estimated that 3870 species belong to the ecological group of freshwater fungi (13 phyla and 45 classes). In this survey, we provide an overview of the Italian freshwater fungal diversity on the basis of the field and literature data. In the literature, data on freshwater fungi are fragmentary and not updated, focusing mainly on northern Italy where the most important lakes and rivers are present, while data from central and southern Italy (including Sicily and Sardinia) are almost completely ineffective. In particular, Ascomycota are reported in only 14 publications, most of which concern the freshwater environments of Lombardia, Piemonte, and Veneto. Only one publication explores the biodiversity of freshwater Basidiomycota in the wetlands of the Cansiglio forest (Veneto). The field observation allowed for us to identify 38 species of Basidiomycota growing in riparian forest of Italy. However, the number of fungi in freshwater habitats of Italy is strongly underestimated and many species are still completely unknown
Preliminary investigation on antioxidant, antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of Pleurotus eryngii var. thapsiae, as potencial source of bioactive compounds
Full text linkTable_1_Insights Into the Cultivable Microbial Ecology of “Manna” Ash Products Extracted From Fraxinus angustifolia (Oleaceae) Trees in Sicily, Italy.docx
Full text linkMicrobial communities characterizing a specific food matrix, generally, strongly contribute to both its composition, and properties for food applications. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the cultivable microbial ecology of Sicilian “Manna” ash products in order to acquire new information on the hygienic quality, shelf-life and potential application of this traditional food. To this purpose, several manna samples belonging to different commercial categories were collected and subjected to the analysis of bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi. Furthermore, an investigation of the sugar content and physicochemical parameters was performed. The results of our study followed the trend generally reported for other sugary foods. Conversely, as regards microbiological analyses, in the present study, the presence of microorganisms at high levels confirmed their survival in stressing conditions characterizing this food matrix in a viable and cultivable form. Most species were osmophilic, endophytic bacteria, antagonistic of fungi pathogen of plants. Yeasts were the most abundant microbial populations and a total of six species were identified: Candida aaseri, Candida lactis-condensi, Citeromyces matritensis, Lachancea thermotolerans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. Filamentous fungi included five genera, which were considered common contaminants of honey and of other foods due to their xerophilic characteristics. Interestingly, our results suggest that the strains of L. thermotolerans isolated in this study might be evaluated for their potential to act as starters either singly or in multi-combination for food applications.</p
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