Traditional food technologies, while essential, often face limitations in sensitivity, real-time detection, and adaptability to complex biological systems such as microbial biofilms. These constraints have created a growing demand for more advanced, precise, and non-invasive tools to ensure food safety and quality. In response to these challenges, cross-disciplinary technological integration has opened new opportunities for the food industry and public health, leveraging methods originally developed in other scientific fields. Although their industrial-scale implementation is still evolving, their application in research and pilot settings has already significantly improved our ability to detect and control biofilms, thereby strengthening food safety protocols. Advanced analytical techniques, the identification of pathogenic species and their virulence markers, and the screening of “natural” antimicrobial compounds can now be conceptualized as interconnected elements within a virtual framework centered on “food” and “biofilm”. In this short review, starting from the basic concepts of biofilm and associated microorganisms, we highlight a selection of emerging analytical approaches—from optical methods, microfluidics, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and biospeckle techniques to molecular strategies like CRISPR, qPCR, and NGS, and the use of organoids. Initially conceived for biomedical and biotechnological applications, these tools have recently demonstrated their value in food science by enhancing our understanding of biofilm behavior and supporting the discovery of novel anti-biofilm strategies.

This study aimed to explore the genetic and functional diversity of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lpb. plantarum) strains from wild fermented foods to identify traits that are useful for food innovation. The growing demand for clean-label, plant-based, and functionally enriched fermented foods exposes the limitations of current industrial fermentation practices, which rely on standardized lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains with limited metabolic plasticity. This constraint hinders the development of new food formulations and the replacement of conventional additives. To address this gap, 343 LAB strains were analyzed, including 69 Lpb plantarum strains, isolated from five minimally processed, spontaneously fermented matrices: fermented millet, kombucha, and sourdough (plant-based), wild fermented mountain milk, and natural whey starter (animal-based). Whole-genome sequencing was performed to assess phylogenetic relationships and to annotate genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and antimicrobial compounds. The results revealed a marked strain-level diversity. Glycoside hydrolase (GH) families GH13 and GH1 were widely distributed, while GH25 and GH32 showed variable presence across clusters. Strains grouped into clusters enriched with plant-based isolates exhibited distinct CAZyme profiles adapted to complex carbohydrates. Clusters with animal-based strains exhibited a broader gene repertoire related to bacteriocin biosynthesis. These findings highlight the untapped potential of wild fermented food environments as reservoirs of Lpb. plantarum with unique genomic traits. Harnessing this diversity can expand the functional capabilities of starter cultures, promoting more sustainable, adaptive, and innovative fermentation systems. This study underscores the strategic value of underexploited microbial niches in meeting the evolving demands of modern food production.

The aim of this work was to propose an objective parameter to define the acceptability of fresh sea bass and sea bream among concentrations of formaldehyde, formic acid, and TVB-N. As indicated, TVB-N appeared to be the most appropriate index. The formaldehyde value cannot be used because it increased until day 6 and then decreased because it was transformed into formic acid. The decrease was observed at all of the times tested. Nevertheless, formic acid also cannot be considered as a valid parameter because in both of the tested fish, it reached values of less than 7.2 mg/kg at 15 days of storage, even though the sensorial analysis indicated the loss of acceptability. In addition, this value is 4–7 times lower than the concentration present in other fresh fish. Consequently, TVB-N represents the only parameter of interest for defining acceptability for both fish species and it can be accepted as the freshness index. Considering the results of the microbial, physico-chemical, and sensory analysis, a level of TVB-N less or equal to 35 mg N/100 g of product was observed up to 12 days of storage. Then, at 15 days, TVB-N reached values over 40 mg N/100 g and both the fish were no longer acceptable, as demonstrated by sensory analysis. For this reason, this value can also be proposed as the limit of freshness for sea bass and sea bream, stored either in VP or in MAP at 4 ± 2 °C. Considering the microbial, physico-chemical, and sensorial analysis of both fish species, a shelf-life limit of 12 days was proposed.

Alcoholic beverages have been consumed for centuries in different countries around the world. Today, we know that the ethanol they contain is associated with significant health risks, especially in the case of abuse, in individuals with special health conditions, and in pregnant women. However, over the years, awareness has grown that wine, especially red wine, has a beneficial effect on human health due to the powerful effect of the antioxidant substances it contains, known under the generic term of polyphenols. The main concern remains around the ethanol content of wine and its effects on health. After fifty years of research and studies, the debate is still open, with conflicting indications about the positive effect of moderate wine consumption in the context of a balanced diet and the toxic effect of ethanol even in low doses. In this disputed area, the market for low-alcohol and alcohol-free wines has found its place in the last decade, creating a new opportunity for the global wine trade. These new types of wine are going to open a new chapter in the history of wine. In this review, we have summarised the main aspects of the health implications of wine consumption considering scientific evidence from the last 50 years, including low-alcohol and dealcoholised wine.

The growing demand for healthier meat products has driven the reformulation of processed meats to reduce saturated fat while preserving sensory and technological attributes. Buffalo meat (Bubalus bubalis), with its high protein content, low intramuscular fat, and favorable fatty acid profile, offers a promising base for healthier formulations. However, its fat content may compromise texture, juiciness, and flavor, necessitating strategies to optimize product quality. This study investigated the effects of replacing pork fat with inulin and pumpkin seed oil in a cooked buffalo meat product, focusing on compositional, oxidative, microbiological, and sensory parameters. Two plant-based ingredients were selected: inulin from chicory, used as a fat mimic due to its gel-forming ability, and pumpkin seed oil, a structural analog with antimicrobial activity. Preliminary trials identified optimal concentrations for balancing technological and functional performance. A 2% inclusion of pumpkin seed oil, exceeding its in vitro MIC (0.4–1.5%), ensured effectiveness in the food matrix. Reformulated products exhibited significantly reduced fat (p < 0.05), enhanced fiber, and a lipid profile rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (>45%), qualifying for European Union health claims. Oxidative stability improved (p < 0.01), and sensory analysis revealed enhanced aroma complexity, with nutty and roasted notes. Microbiological assessments confirmed a protective effect against spoilage bacteria. These results support the development of a nutritionally improved, microbiologically safer cooked product, such as mortadella-style sausage, while also offering strategies for broader innovation in reformulating functional meat products.

Four different yeast strains were isolated from industrial gluten-free bread (GFB) purchased from a local supermarket. These strains, including Hyphopichia burtonii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, and Cyberlindnera fabianii, are responsible for spoilage, which consists of white powdery and filamentous colonies due to the fragmentation of hyphae into short-length fragments (dust-type spots) that is typical of the spoilage produced by chalk yeasts. The isolated strains were identified using genomic analysis. Among them, C. fabianii was also isolated, which is a rare ascomycetous opportunistic yeast species with low virulence attributes, uncommonly implicated in bread spoilage. The yeast growth was studied in vitro on Malt Extract Agar (MEA) at two temperatures (20 and 25 °C) and at different Aws (from 0.99 to 0.90). It was inferred that the temperature did not influence the growth. On the contrary, different Aws reduced the growth, but all the yeast strains could grow until a minimum Aw of about 0.90. Different preservatives (ethanol, hop extract, and sorbic and propionic acids) were used to prevent the growth. In MEA, the growth was reduced but not inhibited. In addition, the vapor-phase antimicrobial activity of different preservatives such as ethanol and hop extract was studied in MEA. Both preservatives completely inhibited the yeast growth either at 20 or at 25 °C. Both preservatives were found in GFB slices. Contrary to hop extract, 2% (v/w) ethanol completely inhibited all the strains. The spoilage was also confirmed by the presence of various compounds typically present in yeasts, derived from sugar fermentation and amino acid degradation. These compounds included alcohols, ketones, organic acids, and esters, and they were identified at higher concentrations in the spoiled samples than in the unspoiled samples. The concentration of acetic acid was low only in the spoiled samples, as this compound was consumed by yeasts, which are predominately present in the spoiled samples, to produce acetate esters.