Search results for "flor"

Investigation of the hygienic safety of aromatic plants cultivated in soil contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

2012

Abstract The present work was undertaken to investigate the survival of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19114T in soil during the whole crop cycle of rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), to monitor its transfer to the leaves, and to evaluate its viability at harvest. To this purpose, the soil was N–P–K fertilized and four trials, obtained with different combinations of soil treatment, listerial inoculums and seed planting, were followed for each aromatic plant. Soil was weekly investigated for total microbial counts and L. monocytogenes evolution. At the starting time, un-inoculated autoclaved soil showed a limited microbial load (103 CFU g dw−1), while un-inoculated non…

Spent Coffee Grounds Extract, Rich in Mannooligosaccharides, Promotes a Healthier Gut Microbial Community in a Dose-Dependent Manner.

2019

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages around the world, and as a consequence, spent coffee grounds are a massively produced residue that is causing environmental problems. Reusing them is a major focus of interest presently. We extracted mannooligosaccharides (MOS) from spent coffee grounds and submitted them to an in vitro fermentation with human feces. Results obtained suggest that MOS are able to exert a prebiotic effect on gut microbiota by stimulating the growth of some beneficial genera, such as Barnesiella, Odoribacter, Coprococcus, Butyricicoccus, Intestinimonas, Pseudoflavonifractor, and Veillonella. Moreover, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production also increased in a dos…

The Italian endemic forest plants: an annotated inventory and synthesis of knowledge

2023

Background and aims – Forests are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, and endemic plants are often a vulnerable component of the flora of a given territory. So far, however, understory forest endemics of southern Europe have received little attention and are poorly known for several aspects. Material and methods – We developed the first list of native vascular plants that are restricted to Italian forests. Available information on taxonomy, regional distribution, ecology, biology, functional traits, and conservation status was collected for each taxon, allowing to identify major knowledge gaps and calculate baseline statistics. Key results – The list includes 134 taxa, most of w…

Effects of Packaging on Shelf-Life and Quality of Minimally Processed Fennel

2011

Fennel is not a widespread product among minimally processed vegetables, due to the fast deterioration mainly caused by browning of the cut surfaces, even during cold storage. In order to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut fennel, the influence of different packaging techniques was studied. Sliced fennel, dipped in citric acid solution (0.5 %), was placed in polystyrene trays, sealed with PE film or vacuum packaged in PE bags and stored up to 14 days at 4°C. During this period weight loss, soluble solid content, pH, color and firmness were evaluated. Minimally processed fennel packed in sealed trays and coldstored at 4°C, extended its shelf life to 14 days maintaining acceptable quality. Fe…

Effect of packaging on quality of minimally processed fennel

2014

Fennel is not a widespread product among minimally processed vegetables, due to the fast deterioration mainly caused by browning of the cut surfaces, even during cold storage. In order to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut fennel, the influence of different packaging techniques was studied. Sliced fennel, dipped in citric acid solution (0.5 %), was placed in polystyrene trays, sealed with PE film or vacuum packaged in PE bags and stored up to 14 days at 4°C. During this period weight loss, soluble solid content, pH, colour and firmness were evaluated. Minimally processed fennel packed in sealed trays and cold-stored at 4°C, extended its shelf life to 14 days maintaining acceptable quality. …

2014

Morphogenesis in plants is usually reconstructed by scanning electron microscopy and histology of meristematic structures. These techniques are destructive and require many samples to obtain a consecutive series of states. Unfortunately, using this methodology the absolute timing of growth and complete relative initiation of organs remain obscure. To overcome this limitation, an in vivo observational method based on Epi-Illumination Light Microscopy (ELM) was developed and tested with a male inflorescence meristem (floral unit) of the handkerchief tree Davidia involucrata Baill. (Nyssaceae). We asked whether the most basal flowers of this floral unit arise in a basipetal sequence or, altern…

Micropropagation from inflorescence stems of the Spanish endemic plant Centaurea paui Loscos ex Willk. (Compositae)

1999

Tissue culture techniques have been established as a useful approach for ex situ conservation of rare, endemic or threatened plant species. This report describes the micropropagation of Centaurea paui Loscos ex Willk (Compositae), an extremely endangered plant species endemic to the Valencia Community (eastern Spain), as a conservation measure which does not cause damage to the wild plants used as explant source. Inflorescence nodal segments of C. paui were selected as explants for in vitro establishment. The best rate of shoot proliferation was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) mineral medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l 6-benzyladenine or with 2 mg/l kinetin. Maximum shoot elongation was…

The influence of backslopping on lactic acid bacteria diversity in tarhana fermentation

2020

Tarhana is produced at batch systems in which the microbiota has changed accordingly to the microbial load from ingredients. In order to stabilize the microbiota, the effects of backslopping carried out under different temperature regimes (25 and 30 °C), pH (3.70 and 4.00) and inoculation rates (5, 10 and 15%) on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) diversity were determined in tarhana dough. LAB and Total Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria (TAMB) numbers increased in all tarhana dough samples subjected to backslopping. Temperature and pH significantly affected the microbiological diversity of tarhana whereas the different inoculation rates did not. Tarhana dough showed complex tarhana microbiota following …

The identity and geographical distribution of Jacobaea vulgaris subsp. gotlandica , supposedly endemic to Gotland and Öland (Sweden)-the importance o…

2009

The identity of Jacobaea vulgaris Gaertn. subsp. gotlandica (Neum.) B. Nord., hitherto considered an endemic to the Swedish islands Oland and Gotland, was investigated using nrITS and trnT-trnL intergenic spacer sequences and a broad sample of species and accessions particularly of J. vulgaris. We found that J. vulgaris subsp. gotlandica is a distinct evolutionary lineage more widespread in Europe than previously thought and may be a southeastern European steppe floristic element with outliers on the large Baltic islands. Our entirely unexpected findings underline the need of multiple intraspecific sampling in species-level phylogenetic studies.

<i>Acacia cyclops</i> A. Cunn. ex G. Don (Leguminosae) in Italy: first cases of naturalization

2012

The first two cases of naturalization of <i>Acacia cyclops</i> are reported for Italy. Young trees were observed growing in the wild some 15 years ago on Linosa (Pelagie Islands, Strait of Sicily). A decade later, this alien plant should no longer be considered as a casual, since a very intensive process of self-sown regeneration has been observed in some plantations on Lampedusa, the major island of the same Archipelago. The available literature suggests the need for careful monitoring of the ongoing invasion process, as <i>A. cyclops</i> has already shown a very invasive behaviour elsewhere within Mediterranean-type biomes due to its ability to withstand high envir…