The food industry is the second largest manufacturing sector in Italy, not only for economic, but also for the role played in the social, environmental and cultural development of the country. Total employment offered by this sector is around 2.5 millions workers. These companies are mostly family-run, which often give rise to aggregations industrial highly competitive in the international arena thanks to factors such as originality, flexibility, speed and attention to detail. A particularly important role is played by the canning sector, which allows you to eat all year round vegetables collection only in a certain season. Italy is the third largest producer of tomatoes in the world and the collection of tomatoes destined for canning industrial takes place once a year, in the summer months. The La Doria SpA Group is the first Italian producer of peeled and chopped tomatoes and legumes preserved and the second largest producer of juices and fruit drinks. This article aims to analyze the process of growth and internationalization of the food processing sector, analyzing the expansion of this company on the basis of data from field surveys, with attention to the role of Information and Communications Technology. As we will see the La Doria Spa Grou, despite its size, has established itself successfully in the international context, thanks to export orientation, working relationships and acquiosition policy.

Background: One of the foodborne diseases of high incidence in the Latin American region is Staphylococcal intoxication, due to food contaminated with enterotoxins produced mainly by Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of this study was to enumerate, isolate and characterize S. aureus enterotoxigenic in Paraguay cheeses obtained at markets in Paraguayan cities. Methods: Three hundred eighty-two cheese samples were analyzed according to ISO 6888-1. Biochemical test, enterotoxin production ability and genotype characterization by PCR multiplex were performed to isolate. Results: Eight point thirty-seven percent of samples contained typical colonies of coagulase-positive S. aureus. Fourteen strains had the gene encoding enterotoxin A. Conclusion: The presence of coagulase-positive S. aureus in the cheese samples revealed a latent state of staphylococcal food poisoning outbreaks in Paraguay. Type A enterotoxigenic S. aureus is the most frequent isolation in this type of products, and multiplex PCR method is an effective and fast identification technique.

This study evaluated the influence of NPK fertilizer on the proximate content and antioxidant profile of pumpkin leafy vegetable. The vegetable was raised at the Teaching and Research Farm, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria in 2010 for two seasons and the following NPK fertilizer rates were applied: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg/ha and replicated six times. Six composite samples from the six replications were analyzed in duplicates for proximate content and antioxidant profile. For the antioxidant assays, crude extract was obtained from cold extraction of each of the samples with 80% methanol and evaporated to dryness. The hydrogen donating or radical scavenging of the extract was determined using the stable radical DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate). Total phenol content was determined by the method of Singleton and Rossi using the Folin – Ciocalteau reagent in alkaline medium while total flavonoid content was determined using AlCl3 method as described by Lamaison and Carnet. The proanthocyanidin content was determined using a modified method of Porter et al, using the AlCl / Butan – 1-0l assay method while the total anthocyanin content of the test samples was determined using the pH differential method of Fuleki and Francis as described by Guisti and Wrolstad. Crude protein, Carbohydrate, Ash, Crude fibre, Ether extract (fat) and Moisture contents were determined using the routine chemical analytical methods of Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC). The chemical compositions analyzed were reduced significantly when fertilizer rate exceeded 100 kg NPK/ha. The proximate values in pumpkin leaves are 23.8, 0.18, 1.65, and 2.16 g/100g for protein, fat, ash and crude fibre respectively. Fertilizer rates from 150 – 250 kg/ha reduced these values by 10 – 40%. With the increase in fertilizer rates from 100 kg – 250 kg/ha, antioxidant activities was reduced by 19%, phenol by 57% and flavonoid by 65%. For the food value and bioactive compounds of pumpkin to be retained, NPK fertilizer application should not exceed 100 kg/ha if it must be applied.

Background: Abound™ is a nutritional supplement containing ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate, L-glutamine, and L-arginine (HMB/Gln/Arg). In recent years, the effects of these nutrients in promoting wound healing have been reported. Here we report our experience of using this supplement for the treatment of chronic oral mucosal diseases. Methods:We clinically investigated the effects of HMB/Gln/Arg on 9 cases of chronic oral mucosal diseases such as oral lichen planus and recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Results:Improvement in subjective symptoms was observed in 7 out of 9 cases of oral mucosal diseases. Conclusion:We found that the use of this supplement was effective in the treatment of 7 out of 9 cases of chronic oral mucosal diseases. Thus, we believe that HMB/Gln/Arg use should be considered as a treatment option.

To determine whether MCR-producing Enterobacteriaceae are present in poultry meat at retail level, 128 fresh meat samples from Switzerland (n=40), Germany (n=69), Hungary (n=6), Denmark (n=6), Austria (n=2), and Italy (n=5), obtained from retail stores were analyzed. The plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was detected by PCR in 33 (25.8%) meat samples (5 samples originating from Italy and 28 samples originating from Germany). Thereof, 12 mcr-1 harbouring E. coli were obtained from 12 samples (10 from Germany and two from Italy) by subculturing for further characterization. Despite repeated subculturing, the remaining 21 samples were discarded due to mixed growth with Proteus spp., which possess intrinsic resistance to polymyxins. The isolates belonged to various sequence types (ST) and clonal complexes (CC), including E. coli of the endemic avian and human pathogenic CC10, CC23, and CC155. Further STs included ST156, ST1431 and ST3519, which are associated with humans and animals. Our data highlight the importance of surveillance of retail poultry meat from different countries in context of the global dissemination of MCR-producing E. coli.