The effect of cooking (barbecue-grilling, boiling, microwaving, oven cooking and frying) on lipids, fatty acids (FAs) and lipid quality indices of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was investigated. In general, all processing methods significantly (p < 0.05) modified the fatty acid profiles of mussels, although with major changes in fried samples, which exhibited the lowest saturated fatty acids and n-3 and highest polyunsaturated (PUFA) and n-6 FAs content. A significant decrease in the n-3 PUFA from the raw sample to five cooking methods was observed. The n-3/n-6 ratio decreased from raw (6.01) to cooked mussels, exhibiting the lowest value in fried ones (0.15). C20:5 n-3 and C22:6 n-3 significantly decreased during all cooking processes, and overall in fried mussels. It can be concluded that cooking does not compromise the nutritional quality of mussels except with frying, although it resulted in a decrease of the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices.

Microplastic contamination is rapidly becoming an increasingly worrying environmental problem and poses a real threat to marine ecosystems and human health. The aim of this research was to conduct a traditional review of the current state of the art regarding the sources of MPs in marine environment, including an assessment of their toxic effect on marine organisms and transfer within the food webs and up to humans. An extensive literature search (from 1 January 2024 to 15 February 2025) yielded a total of 1027 primary research articles on this topic. This overview revealed that MPs can be ingested by marine organisms, migrate through the intestinal wall, and spread to other organs. They can biomagnify along the food chain and can be carriers of toxic chemicals and pathogen agents. Exposure of marine organisms to MPs can lead to several risks, including tissue damage, oxidative stress, and changes in immune-related gene expression, neurotoxicity, growth retardation, and behavioural abnormalities. The toxicity of MPs depends mainly on the particle size distribution and composition/characteristics of the polymer. The main routes of human exposure to MPs have been identified as ingestion (mainly seafood), inhalation, and dermal exposure. There is strong evidence of contamination of seafood by MPs, which pose a potential risk to human health. This study provides the basis for assessing MPs’ risk to marine ecosystems and potential human health impacts.

The consumption of seafood has considerably increased over recent decades; however, as wild seafood stocks are limited, the cultured ones represent a possible valuable alternative. The purpose of this study was to compare wild and cultured scallops, Flexopecten glaber, on the basis of their marketability indices and biochemical characteristics. Wild and cultured specimens were harvested from the Ionian Sea (the Central Mediterranean Sea). Protein and lipid were significantly different between scallops, with the values of protein of 8.50 and 11.6 g/100 g and lipid of 1.45 and 1.70 g/100 g for wild and cultured scallops, respectively. Regarding fatty acids (FAs), statistical differences were also detected. The cultured species showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) than its wild counterpart. Eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5 n3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6:3) were the major polyunsaturated fatty acids, although only DHA showed significant differences between wild and culture scallops (p < 0.05). The ratio of n3/n6 PUFA showed high values, with 2.7 and 3.1 for wild and cultured scallops, respectively. The atherogenic and thrombogenic indices and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic fatty acid ratio indicated an import role in human diet. The appreciated nutritional properties of this species could support the interest to promote its cultivation, ensuring high food nutritive value for the purchasers.

The present study examines the juvenile growth of nine cohorts of Mimachlamys varia in a coastal area of the Ionian Sea, from January 2014 to May 2015. The results showed that M. varia could reach commercial size in less than one year of cultivation, but significant differences in absolute growth rate (AGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) were found among cohorts (p < 0.05). Relationships between scallop growth (size and weight) and environmental variables (water temperature, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll concentration) were also identified. The length–weight relationship showed negative allometric growth and indicated high correlation with R², ranging from 0.95 to 0.82. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters showed the highest values of L_∞ in the cohorts collected in January, April and February (52.2, 51.2 and 50.3), respectively. The growth performance index (φ’) ranged between 2.52 (cohort collected in June) and 3.03 (cohort collected in August). The obtained data add basic knowledge to the growth performance of this species, making this a good opportunity to facilitate aquaculture diversification in this part of Mediterranean Sea.

The lipid content and fatty acids profile of different tissues of Holothuria tubulosa and H. polii were analyzed to assess the suitability of the central Mediterranean species as a potential marine resource for fatty acids, in particular omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs). Simultaneously, their important indices for human health were evaluated. Gonad and respiratory tree had the highest lipid content, while the body had the lowest values. The results showed significant differences between species and among the different portions analyzed. Internal tunic and longitudinal muscle of H. tubulosa exhibited the highest PUFA proportion (55.3 and 46.4%, respectively). Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3) and arachidonic acid (ARA, C20:4n-6) were the most abundant PUFAs in both species, with a favorable n-3/n-6 ratio in all tissues. The atherogenic and thrombogenicity indices and hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic fatty acid ratio suggested the high-quality of this food, similar to the nutritional values of most popular fish.

The high variability in natural recruitment of Pectinidae is a common feature of many marine invertebrates with a pelagic larval stage, but may negatively affect aquaculture activities. Detailed information on settlement patterns and spat availability is required to reduce costs and labor. In this regard, we attempted to establish the precise immersion time and the deployment dates for spat collectors in the Taranto Gulf (Mediterranean Sea, Italy). The first experiment was carried out from June to October 2013, deploying collectors every 15 days and retrieving them after 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks. Results from the first experiment allowed us to select 8 weeks as the best immersion time for spat collection. The second experiment was carried out from June 2013 to July 2014 when we deployed spat collectors every 15 days and recovered them after 8 weeks to detect the favorable periods to place the collectors in water to obtain the highest scallop spat harvest rate. Mimachlamys varia was the most abundant pectinid (greater than 90%), whose recruits were collected during most of the year studied, followed by Flexopecten glaber with the highest rates in July (87%) and Pecten jacobaeus, which never exceeded 17% of collected spat. M. varia had a long recruitment period (from October to early June), F. glaber showed a high number of spat during autumn months and from June to July while P. jacobaeus showed a restricted period of spawning. Our experiments provide useful insights into strategies for establishing scallop aquaculture in order to promote these mollusks as alternative candidates for aquaculture farming in the area.