In food industry, quality assurance requires low cost methods for the rapid assessment of the parameters that affect product stability. Foodstuffs are complex in their structure, mainly composed by gaseous, liquid and solid phases which often coexist in the same product. Special attention is given to water, concerned as natural component of the major food product or as added ingredient of a production process. Particularly water is structurally present in the matrix and not completely available. In this way, water can be present in foodstuff in many different states: as water of crystallization, bound to protein or starch molecules, entrapped in biopolymer networks or adsorbed on solid surfaces of porous food particles. The traditional technique for the assessment of food quality give reliable information but are destructive, time consuming and unsuitable for on line application. The techniques proposed answer to the limited disposition of time and could be able to characterize the main compositional parameters. Dielectric interaction response is mainly related to water and could be useful not only to provide information on the total content but also on the degree of mobility of this ubiquitous molecule in different complex food matrix. In this way the proposal of this thesis is to answer at this need. Dielectric and electric tool can be used for the scope and led us to describe the complex food matrix and predict food characteristic. The thesis is structured in three main part, in the first one some theoretical tools are recalled to well assess the food parameter involved in the quality definition and the techniques able to reply at the problem emerged. The second part explains the research conducted and the experimental plans are illustrated in detail. Finally the last section is left for rapid method easily implementable in an industrial process.

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FHB dell’orzo è una malattia dall’eziologia complessa causata da specie fungine tossigene appartenenti al genere Fusarium in grado di compromettere interi raccolti. La predominanza di una specie di Fusarium rispetto ad un’altra dipende principalmente dal clima. Con i cambiamenti climatici in corso si sta assistendo ad una modificazione delle popolazioni fungine e per questo risulta fondamentale monitorare le specie fungine presenti in una determinata coltura, onde prevenire micotossicosi per l’uomo ed animali. Da analisi micologiche su granella di orzo proveniente da varie regioni italiane F. graminearum, F. poae e F. tricinctum sono risultate le specie più presenti. Prove in ambiente controllato hanno consentito di mettere a punto una scala fitopatometrica per la valutazione di FHB. Tale scala risulta pratica e facilmente applicabile ed è stata utilizzata per le prove di campo. In queste prove oltre a FHB sono stati valutati altri parametri quali produzione e contaminazione da micotossine. Il contenuto di micotossina Deossinivalenolo è correlata alla frequenza di F. graminearum su granella. I dati produttivi delle tesi inoculate non sono apparsi significativamente distinti dalle tesi non inoculate, facendo dedurre che granella contaminata da micotossina possa facilmente ritrovarsi nelle derrate alimentari, in quanto le cariossidi infette, solo lievemente più leggere di quelle sane. vengono ugualmente raccolte e commercializzate con serie conseguenze per l’industria mangimistica e alimentare. Con il presente lavoro si è dimostrato per la prima volta che per effetto della colonizzazione di culmi di piante di orzo da parte di tre specie Fusarium, responsabili sia della fusariosi del piede che della spiga, la micotossina DON può traslocare dalla base delle piante fino alla spiga, mentre la presenza dei funghi è rilevata da alte concentrazioni fino al secondo nodo. Da questo emerge che la presenza di Fusarium a livello basale contribuisce alla contaminazione della granella, oltre a quella dovuta ad FHB. / Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a barley disease with a complex etiology which is caused by different toxigenic Fusarium species able to compromise the whole crop yield. Climatic conditions establish the predominance of one Fusarium species respect to the others. With the climate change in progress we are attending to a modification of fungal populations that evidence the importance of monitoring the presence of fungal species in the crop, to prevent mycotoxicosis, dangerous for humans and animals. Mycological analysis in barley kernel from different Italian regions has shown that F. graminearum, F. poae and F. tricinctum are the main species. A phytopathometric scale to evaluate FHB was set up in controlled conditions. That scale, practical and easy to use, was used in field trials, where FHB, yield and mycotoxin contamination were evaluated. Mycotoxin DON content was correlated to F. graminearum frequency. Yield data of inoculated plots were not significant respect to the not inoculated ones, this implies that it is easy to find kernel contaminated by mycotoxins in food and feed, because infected grains are slightly lighter than those not infected and they are harvested and commercialized as well with serious consequences to public safety. For the first time on barley, with this study it was shown that after culm colonization of the plant by three toxigenic Fusarium spp., able to cause both FHB and FCR, DON mycotoxin can be transferred from the bottom to the head, whereas the presence of the fungi was with high level until the second node. This means that presence of Fusarium at base level contributes to the kernel contamination, additionally to FHB.

Bifidobacterium spp. are known as probiotic strains and recently new features emphasize their importance for human health, as EPSs and folate production. The relationship between Bifidobacterium spp. and their hosts is unknown, but probably links to peculiarities in the bifidobacterial cell-wall structures or to bifidobacterial ability to metabolize substrates from the host diet. Recently, a richness and diversity of bifidobacteria was observed in Callithrix jacchus and Saguinus midas, introducing the existence of a storehouse in primate guts. Several techniques were developed to deepen the microbial diversity, mainly based on the PCR. The RFLP-PCR of 16S rRNA gene represents a fast tool to distinguish human or animal origin bifidobacteria, useful in “Microbial Source Tracking” and probiotic selection. The project aim was the exploration of the bifidobacterial occurrence and diversity in evolutionary primate hosts to improve the knowledge about bifidobacteria distribution in non-human primates, and to identify bifidobacteria with new probiotic features (EPSs and folate production). 17 subjects from Strepsirrhini, Eulemur macaco, Eulemur rubriventer, Hapalemur alaotrensis and Lemur catta, and from Simiiformes, the New World Monkeys Callithrix jaccus, Pithecia pithecia, Saguinus oedipus and Saguinus imperator, and the Old World Monkeys, Chlorocebo aethiops and Macaca Sylvanus, were studied. Strains tested for probiotics traits, acid and bile tolerance, revealed B. aesculapii, B. myosotis and B. spp. MRM_8.19 strains as the most resistance. The folate production on strains from ring-tailed lemur and common marmoset revealed autotrophy only in strains from common marmoset. The distribution of microbial communities in non-human primates from 8 babies of common marmosets, golden faced saki and Barbary macaques and 11 adults of ring-tail lemurs, black lemurs, red-bellied lemur, Alaotran bamboo lemur, Barbary macaques, grivet, cotton top-tamarin and emperor tamarin, was carried out using ARDRA and rep-PCR. Results revealed a richness in both abundance and diversity of Bifidobacterium in primates.

Skin damage and meat quality are very important issues for the whole pig industry as well as animal welfare. To investigate the real impact of pre-slaughter period and its entity on carcass apperance and meat quality, a Risk Assessment approach was applied on 1680 Italian heavy pigs which were examinated and frequency of pigs’behaviour was recorded and related to carcass, ham, loin and shoulder/head damage. The operators’handling was recorded too. The main potential cause of damage both unloading and to the stunning resulted the use of driving devices by operators for the highest frequency and calculated risk of lesions. The effect of pre-slaughter stress was also evaluated on some quality traits of pork. Twenty-eight pigs of different breed (Italian large White, Italian Duroc and Pietrain) were subjected to rough and gently handling before stunning and the level of lactate, pro-, macro- and total glycogen were evaluated in longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus musles. Pigs rough handled before death tended to presents muscles with lower level of pro-, macro- and total glycogen and higher level of lactate, with little differences among breeds. Also transport is known to be another very stressful event for pigs which influence skin damage score and meat quality. Data of 3.650 heavy pig batches were collected to identify the relationship between the transport and ham estetical and technological defects that make them rejected from PDO Parma Consortium. The results shown that short (<37 km) or long (>170 km) travel distances may have adeverse effects on the incidence of defects on fresh hams together the season of transport, where Autumn and Spingtime are the seasons with highest incidence of ham defects. It’s clear that pre-slaughter events as transport and handling affect animal welfare and ham defects, total carcass damage and meat quality parameters.

Gli stress abiotici determinando modificazioni a livello fisiologico, biochimico e molecolare delle piante, costituiscono una delle principali limitazioni per la produzione agricola mondiale. Nel 2007 la FAO ha stimato come solamente il 3,5% della superficie mondiale non sia sottoposta a stress abiotici. Il modello agro-industriale degli ultimi cinquant'anni, oltre ad avere contribuito allo sviluppo economico dell'Europa, è stato anche causa di inquinamento di acqua, aria e suolo, mediante uno sfruttamento indiscriminato delle risorse naturali. L'arsenico in particolare, naturalmente presente nell'ambiente e rilasciato dalle attività antropiche, desta particolare preoccupazione a causa dell'ampia distribuzione come contaminante ambientale e per gli effetti di fitotossicità provocati. In tale contesto, la diffusione di sistemi agricoli a basso impatto rappresenta una importante risorsa per rispondere all'emergenza del cambiamento climatico che negli anni a venire sottoporrà una superficie agricola sempre maggiore a stress di natura abiotica. Nello studio condotto è stato utilizzato uno stabile modello di crescita in vitro per valutare l'efficacia di preparati ultra diluiti (PUD), che non contenendo molecole chimiche di sintesi ben si adattano a sistemi agricoli sostenibili, su semi di frumento preventivamente sottoposti a stress sub-letale da arsenico. Sono state quindi condotte valutazioni sia a livello morfometrico (germinazione, lunghezza di germogli e radici) che molecolare (espressione genica valutata mediante analisi microarray, con validazione tramite Real-Time PCR) arricchendo la letteratura esistente di interessanti risultati. In particolare è stato osservato come lo stress da arsenico, determini una minore vigoria di coleptile e radici e a livello molecolare induca l'attivazione di pathways metabolici per proteggere e difendere le cellule vegetali dai danni derivanti dallo stress; mentre il PUD in esame (As 45x), nel sistema stressato ha indotto un recupero nella vigoria di germoglio e radici e livelli di espressione genica simili a quelli riscontrati nel controllo suggerendo un effetto "riequilibrante" del metabolismo vegetale. / The unquestionable importance of abiotic stresses to world agriculture is demonstrated by the fact that altogether abiotic factors provide the major limitation to crop production worldwide. A 2007 FAO report stated that only 3.5% of the global land area is not affected by environmental stresses and that climate change will increase areas characterized by abiotic stresses. The agro-industrial model that enriched European population in the last fifty years, however has resulted in irreversible contamination of water, air and soil. In particular arsenic is a toxic metalloid widely disseminated in the environmental as a consequence of natural processes and anthropic activities, that causes global concern for health and environmental hazards. Within this context, sustainable farming systems and the use of organic treatments such as ultrahigh diluted treatments (PUD) could be important tools of mitigating the effects of climate change. The objective of the present study was to test the biological effect of PUD As45x on wheat seedling poisoned with a sub-letal dose of arsenic, using an in vitro plant system. The evaluation of the arsenic toxicity and the effectiveness of As45x was conducted through biometric measurements and molecular analyses (microarray and Real-Time PCR). The results provided evidence for a strong gene modulating effect of arsenic, upregulating molecular pathways involved in cellular protection and defense from oxidative stress. It was also observed a reduction in the length of shoots and roots. Inversely in seedlings grown from poisoned seeds and treated with PUD, a recovery of coleoptiles and roots vigor was detected together with a massive reduction of gene expression levels to values comparable to those of the control group. A plausible hypothesis is that PUD induced a reequilibration of those genes that were upregulated during arsenic stress by bringing the expression levels closer to the basal levels normally occurring in control plants.

La ricerca svolta ha voluto approfondire le possibilità offerte dai sistemi di allevamento dei vigneti a Doppia Cortina (GDC) e a Cordone Libero nei riguardi della meccanizzazione. La ricerca ha considerato gli interventi di potatura invernale, di gestione della chioma (spollonatura, cimatura, defogliazione e pettinatura della doppia cortina) e di vendemmia. Un’operazione particolarmente seguita è stata la potatura invernale realizzando differenti livelli di meccanizzazione. Tutti gli interventi sono stati eseguiti sia manualmente che meccanicamente, confrontando i tempi d’impiego, la qualità del lavoro svolto e gli impegni di manodopera. I risultati sono stati sintetizzati in una valutazione economica, ipotizzando differenti livelli di costo della manodopera impiegata, per ottenere giudizi di convenienza per i singoli interventi e per costruire una valutazione completa e più organica della linea di lavoro proposta. Nelle due forme d’allevamento la meccanizzazione della potatura invernale e della gestione della chioma hanno rispettato pienamente gli obbiettivi tecnici prefissati, dimostrando di essere un valido mezzo per ridurre tempi e costi di gestione. Per questi interventi l’acquisto delle macchine risulta conveniente anche per vigneti di piccola dimensione. Ancor più evidenti in queste due forme d’allevamento sono i vantaggi economici offerti dalla vendemmia meccanica, realizzata con pochi maltrattamenti e perdite di prodotto. La tendenza a meccanizzare integralmente gli interventi di gestione del ciclo colturale della vite, può essere nei prossimi anni un motivo di interesse e di scelta nella realizzazione di nuovi impianti con queste due forme di allevamento, che hanno dimostrato di essere un’espressione completa di sinergia tra macchina e pianta. / The research carried out has wanted to go into the possibility offered by the system of growing of double curtain vineyards (GDC) and in a free cordon referring to mechanization. The research has examined the operations of winter pruning, canopy management (removal of suckers, trimming, defoliation, and shoots positioning) and grape harvesting. The winter pruning was especially monitored through two different levels of mechanization. All the operations have been carried out, both manually and mechanically, comparing the times of working, the quality of the work effected and the engagement of manpower employed. The results have been synthesized under an economic valuation, supposing different levels of the cost of the employed manpower, in order to obtain to judge the suitability on the single interventions and to build a complete and more organic valuation of the proposed kind of work. In the two forms of growing, the mechanization of both the winter pruning and canopy management have respected completely the prefixed technical aims, showing to be a valid way in order both to reduce times and cost of management. For these interventions the purchase of machineries turns out to be suitable also for vineyards of small dimension. Even more evident in both these forms of growing are the economic advantages offered by the mechanized grape harvesting effected by few ill-treatments and wastes of product. The tendency to mechanize completely the interventions of management of the growing cycle of vineyards, can be in the next years both a reason of interest and of a choice in carrying out new installations with both these forms of growing that shown to be a complete expression of synergy between machinery and plant.

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