Giorgio Fedrizzi

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini"

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Simonetta Menotta

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini"

Alberto Cerri

Sigma Tau (Italy)

Elisabetta Caprai

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini"

Piero Melloni

Sigma Tau (Italy)

Paola Roncada

University of Bologna

Marco Santagostino

Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany)

Alberto Altafini

University of Bologna

Sergio Ghidini

University of Milan

Mauro Gobbini

Sigma-Tau (Switzerland)

Nicoletta Almirante

Tethys Research Institute

Cooperative Institutions

University of Bologna

University of Milan

Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini"

Istituto Superiore di Sanità

Sigma Tau (Italy)

University of Parma

Sapienza University of Rome

Azienda Sanitaria Unità Locale di Reggio Emilia

University of Padua

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Case reports of tropane alkaloid contamination in spinach from Italy and its potential implications for consumer health

Food Control (2024)

Elisabetta Caprai Ilaria Prizio Mariantonietta Peloso Gaetan Minkoumba Sonfack Stefania Bonan

This study reports cases of intoxication that occurred in various regions of Italy in October 2022. These incidents were linked to the consumption of leafy vegetables contaminated with tropane alkaloids (TAs), likely due to suspected cross-contamination with toxic plants from the Datura genus. Although official controls were unable to identify the specific weed responsible for the contamination, chemical analysis of the remaining spinach and spinach-based foods consumed by the affected patients revealed concentrations of atropine and scopolamine up to 4642 μg/kg and 8158 μg/kg, respectively. While European regulations currently lack maximum limits for TAs in leafy vegetables, the concentrations detected in 4 out of 5 samples exceeded the maximum limits currently established for cereal-based foods, infant cereal-based foods, and herbal infusions. To assess the acute dietary exposure to atropine and scopolamine, estimated daily intakes of the Italian population were calculated using the TA concentrations measured in spinach samples or assuming the presence of 1 % of the weight of one Datura stramonium leaf in a 500 g spinach pouch. Both exposure scenarios resulted in concerning exposure levels, far exceeding the acute reference dose of 0.016 μg/kg bw by 2–1200 times. Toddlers exhibited the highest mean and 95th percentile acute dietary exposures compared to adults and the elderly. These findings emphasize the necessity of intensifying monitoring efforts and enacting regulatory measures to minimize exposure to TAs from dietary sources that are less commonly associated with contamination, especially for mitigating potential health risks for vulnerable population groups.

Datura stramonium

Tropane

Leafy vegetables

Acceptable daily intake

Food contaminant

Hyoscyamine

Tolerable daily intake

10.1016/j.foodcont.2024.110334

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Citations (4)

Biosensing the Histamine Producing Potential of Bacteria in Tuna

Frontiers in Microbiology (2019)

Marcello Trevisani Matilde Cecchini Giorgio Fedrizzi Alessandra Corradini Rocco Mancusi

Histamine poisoning is the most common cause of human foodborne illness due to the consumption of fish products. An enzyme-based amperometric biosensor was developed to be used as a screening tool to detect histamine and histamine-producing bacteria (HPB) in tuna. It was developed by immobilizing histidine decarboxylase and horseradish peroxidase on the surface of screen-printed electrodes through a cross-linking procedure employing glutaraldehyde and bovine serum albumin. The signal generated in presence of histamine at the surface of the electrode was measured by chronoamperometry at in presence of a soluble redox mediator. The sensitivity of the electrode was 1.31-1.59 μA/mM, with a linear range from 2 to 20 μg/ml and detection limit of 0.11 μg/ml. In this study fresh tuna filets purchased in supermarkets in different days (n = 8) were analyzed to detect HPB. Samples with different concentration of histamine were analyzed with culture-based counting methods, biosensor and HPLC and also a challenge test was made. Recovery of histamine from cultures and tuna samples was also assessed. The presence of Morganella psychrotolerans, Photobacterium phosphoreum, P. damselae and Hafnia alvei was detected using culture- and PCR-based methods. At the time of purchase these tuna samples had histamine concentrations from below the limit of detection (LOD) to 60 μg/g. HPLC and biosensor methods provided similar results in the range from zero to 432 μg/g (correlation coefficient, R2 = 0.990) and the recovery of histamine from cultures and tuna samples was very high (mean bias -12.69 to 1.63%, with root-mean-square error <12%). These results clearly show that fresh tuna is commonly contaminated with strong HPB. The histamine biosensor can be used by the Food Business Operators as a screening tool to detect their presence and to determine whether their process controls are adequate or not.

Amperometry

Morganella morganii

Linear range

10.3389/fmicb.2019.01844

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Citations (11)

Bioavailability of coated amoxicillin in pigs field experiences

Large animals review (2012)

Simonetta Menotta Pia Pini Giorgio Fedrizzi P. Bortolazzi Fausto Quintavalla

Source

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Citations (0)

Safety Evaluation and Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Cow Milk Produced in Northern Italy According to Dioxins and PCBs Contamination Levels

Foods (2023)

Maria Olga Varrà Valentina Lorenzi Emanuela Zanardi Simonetta Menotta Giorgio Fedrizzi

Contamination levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were monitored over 2018–2021 in 214 bovine milk samples from farms located in two regions in northern Italy (Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna). The average concentrations of the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (0.78 ± 0.55 pg TEQ/g fat) and six non-dioxin-like PCBs (6.55 ± 2.24 ng/g fat) were largely below the maximum, and action limits established at European level, confirming a decreasing trend observed both locally and across Europe in recent years. The impact of contamination levels on chronic dietary exposure of the Italian population to dioxins and PCBs was found to be highly variable based on the type of cow milk (skimmed, semi-skimmed, or whole-fat milk) and the population age group considered. Indeed, a first-tier screening of the potential exposure via determinist methods allowed for the identification of the youngest population as the group with the worst risk profile. The refinement of exposure assessment via Monte Carlo probabilistic methods suggested that, at the less pessimistic middle-bound simulation scenario, infants, toddlers, and children consuming whole cow milk may be exposed to dioxins and PCBs levels above the toxicological reference values with a probability of 76, 56, and 22%, respectively.

Food contaminant

Tolerable daily intake

10.3390/foods12091869

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Citations (3)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) food supplements and hepatotoxicity: an integrated evaluation approach.

Annali dell Istituto Superiore di Sanità (2020)

Francesca Menniti‐Ippolito Ilaria Ippoliti Augusto Alberto Pastorelli Ilaria Altieri F Scalise

Introduction Turmeric is the common name for the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. In the recent years, food supplements containing turmeric have been marketed and widely used by an increasing number of consumers. Spontaneous reports of suspected adverse reactions to food supplements are collected within the Phytovigilance system. Methods An ad hoc multidisciplinary group investigated the suspected cases of hepatotoxicity reported to the Italian Phytovigilance system associated with the assumption of turmeric food supplements with the methodology specific to pharmacovigilance as well as for the evaluation of the quality and safety of food supplements. Results A cluster of 28 spontaneous reports of acute hepatitis, mostly with cholestasis, associated with turmeric products were sent to the Italian Phytovigilance system in the first six months of 2019. In all cases, except one, the causality assessment was at least possible. The suspected products were collected and analysed for the presence of drugs, heavy metals, aflatoxins, pesticides, synthetic dyes and pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Conclusion On the basis of the results of all the activities performed by multidisciplinary group, regulatory intervention was taken. This study highlights the importance of developing an integrated evaluation approach for the evaluation of the adverse effects associated with the use of food supplements.

10.4415/ann_20_04_08

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Citations (20)

Evaluation of Pb and Hg levels in wild migratory water-birds nesting in different areas of Po Delta

Alessandro Guerrini Giorgio Fedrizzi Alessandro Andreotti Iannone Luisa Paola Roncada

Nesting (process)

Source

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Overview of Cyanide Poisoning in Cattle from Sorghum halepense and S. bicolor Cultivars in North-West Italy

Stefano Giantin Alberico Franzin Fulvio Brușa Vittoria Montemurro Elena Bozzetta

Sorghum plants naturally produce dhurrin, a cyanogenic glycoside which may be hydrolysed to cyanide resulting in often lethal toxicoses. Ruminants are particularly sensitive to cyanogenic glycosides due to the active role of rumen microbiota in dhurrin hydrolysis. This work provides an overview of a poisoning outbreak occurred in 5 farms from North-West Italy in August 2022; a total of 66 cows died, and many others developed an acute toxicosis after being fed on either cultivated- (Sorghum bicolor) or wild Sorghum (Sorghum halepense). Clinical signs were recorded, and all cows received an antidotal/supportive therapy. Dead animals were subjected to necropsy and dhurrin content was determined in Sorghum specimens by a LC-MS/MS method. Rapid onset, severe respiratory distress, recumbency and convulsions were the main clinical features; bright red blood, bitter almond smell and lung emphysema were consistently observed at necropsy. The combined i.v. and oral administration of sodium thiosulphate resulted in a rapid improvement of clinical signs. Dhurrin concentrations corresponding to cyanide levels higher than the tolerated threshold of 200 mg/kg were detected in sorghum specimens from 4 out 5 involved farms; thereafter, such levels declined reaching tolerable concentrations in September-October. Feeding cattle with wild or cultivated Sorghum green fodder is a common practice in Northern Italy, especially in summer. However, care should be taken in case of adverse climatic conditions, such as severe drought and tropical temperatures (characterising summer 2022), which are reported to increase dhurrin synthesis and storage.

Sorghum bicolor

North west

10.20944/preprints202402.0315.v1

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Citations (2)

Iron Content, Iron Speciation and Phycocyanin in Commercial Samples of Arthrospira spp.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2022)

Gloria Isani Enea Ferlizza Martina Bertocchi Thomas Dalmonte Simonetta Menotta

Cyanobacteria are characterized by high iron content. In this research, we collected ten commercial samples of Arthrospira spp. sold as food supplement to determine iron content and assess whether iron speciation showed variability among samples and changed respect to A. platensis grown in controlled conditions. Particular attention was also paid to phycocyanin, as an iron-binding protein. In six of the ten samples, 14 essential and non-essential trace elements were analysed using ICP-MS. Iron content measured in samples using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) varied from 353 (sample S5) to 1459 (sample S7) µg g-1 dry weight and was in the range of those reported by other authors in commercial supplements. Iron speciation was studied using size exclusion chromatography followed by the analysis of the collected fraction for the determination of iron by AAS and for protein separation using SDS-PAGE. Overlapping chromatographic profiles were obtained for total proteins, phycocyanin and iron, although quantitative differences were evidenced among the samples analysed. In most samples, iron was mainly bound to ligands with high molecular mass; however, in four samples iron was also bound to ligands with low molecular mass. In fractions containing the most relevant iron burden, the principal protein was phycocyanin, confirming its role as an iron-binding protein in commercial samples.

Genetic algorithm

10.3390/ijms232213949

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Citations (4)

Six cases of chloracne in Italy: the success of combined therapy

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (2020)

Marco Adriano Chessa M. La Plaça Annalisa Patrizi Annalucia Virdi Cosimo Misciali

Specialty

10.1111/jdv.16835

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Citations (5)

Overview of Cyanide Poisoning in Cattle from Sorghum halepense and S. bicolor Cultivars in Northwest Italy

Animals (2024)

Stefano Giantin Alberico Franzin Fulvio Brusa Vittoria Montemurro Elena Bozzetta

Sorghum plants naturally produce dhurrin, a cyanogenic glycoside that may be hydrolysed to cyanide, resulting in often-lethal toxicoses. Ruminants are particularly sensitive to cyanogenic glycosides due to the active role of rumen microbiota in dhurrin hydrolysis. This work provides an overview of a poisoning outbreak that occurred in 5 farms in Northwest Italy in August 2022; a total of 66 cows died, and many others developed acute toxicosis after being fed on either cultivated (Sorghum bicolor) or wild Sorghum (Sorghum halepense). Clinical signs were recorded, and all cows received antidotal/supportive therapy. Dead animals were subjected to necropsy, and dhurrin content was determined in Sorghum specimens using an LC–MS/MS method. Rapid onset, severe respiratory distress, recumbency and convulsions were the main clinical features; bright red blood, a bitter almond smell and lung emphysema were consistently observed on necropsy. The combined i.v. and oral administration of sodium thiosulphate resulted in a rapid improvement of clinical signs. Dhurrin concentrations corresponding to cyanide levels higher than the tolerated threshold of 200 mg/kg were detected in sorghum specimens from 4 out of 5 involved farms; thereafter, such levels declined, reaching tolerable concentrations in September–October. Feeding cattle with wild or cultivated Sorghum as green fodder is a common practice in Northern Italy, especially in summer. However, care should be taken in case of adverse climatic conditions, such as severe drought and tropical temperatures (characterising summer 2022), which are reported to increase dhurrin synthesis and storage.

Fodder

10.3390/ani14050743

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Citations (9)