Consumer interest in medicinal and aromatic herbs is on the rise, with buyers increasingly concerned about the microbiological quality of nutraceutical and aromatic plants. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and sensor technology allows for high-resolution crop monitoring, particularly in the production of rosemary and sage in Grotte (Italy), Agrigento District. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of UAV-based time series remote sensing data and multimodal data fusion using RGB and multispectral sensors in rosemary and sage harvesting time individuation and the microbiological quality of these nutraceutical and aromatic plants before and after an innovative and sustainable drying process. The multispectral data were acquired with a DJI multispectral camera mounted on a Phantom 4 UAV. The use of drones in the aromatic plant crops can lead to improved efficiency, productivity, and profitability for farmers and businesses. Italian producers follow strict hygiene regulations to reduce bacterial contamination, particularly during the crucial drying process. A rapid drying method at low temperature using a dryer powered by a photovoltaic renewable energy source (RES) helps preserve the quality of the plants. Real-time monitoring of the drying process is enabled through a system based on wireless sensor networks (WSN), providing valuable data on moisture content, drying rates, and microbial stability. Overall, the innovative use of drones, sensor technology, and renewable energy sources in the production of aromatic herbs like rosemary and sage holds great potential for enhancing crop quality, shelf life, and overall sustainability in the chain food industry.

The Mediterranean region is increasingly confronted with intersecting environmental, agricultural, and socio-economic challenges, including biowaste accumulation, soil degradation, and high dependency on imported fossil fuels. Biomethane, a renewable substitute for natural gas, offers a strategic solution that aligns with the region’s need for sustainable energy transition and circular resource management. This review examines the current state of biomethane production in the Mediterranean area, with a focus on anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies, feedstock availability, policy drivers, and integration into the circular bioeconomy (CBE) framework. Emphasis is placed on the valorisation of regionally abundant feedstocks such as olive pomace, citrus peel, grape marc, cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) residues, livestock manure, and the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW). The multifunctionality of AD—producing renewable energy and nutrient-rich digestate—is highlighted for its dual role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and restoring soil health, especially in areas threatened by desertification such as Sicily (Italy), Spain, Malta, and Greece. The review also explores emerging innovations in biogas upgrading, nutrient recovery, and digital monitoring, along with the role of Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III) and national biomethane strategies in scaling up deployment. Case studies and decentralised implementation models underscore the socio-technical feasibility of biomethane systems across rural and insular territories. Despite significant potential, barriers such as feedstock variability, infrastructural gaps, and policy fragmentation remain. The paper concludes with a roadmap for research and policy to advance biomethane as a pillar of Mediterranean climate resilience, energy autonomy and sustainable agriculture within a circular bioeconomy paradigm.

This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality and functional properties of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves from plants cultivated in Sicily, with the objective of exploring their potential use in functional food production. Precision agriculture techniques, including unmanned aerial vehicle-based multispectral remote sensing, were used to determine the optimal harvesting time for M. oleifera. After harvesting, leaves were dried using a smart solar dryer system based on a wireless sensor network and milled with a laboratory centrifugal mill to produce powdered M. oleifera leaves (PMOLs). Plate counts showed no colonies of undesired microorganisms in PMOLs. The MiSeq Illumina analysis revealed that the class Alphaproteobacteria was dominant (83.20% of Relative Abundance) among bacterial groups found in PMOLs. The hydroalcoholic extract from PMOLs exhibited strong redox-active properties in solution assays and provided antioxidant protection in a cell-based lipid peroxidation model (CAA₅₀: 5.42 μg/mL). Additionally, it showed antiproliferative activity against three human tumour epithelial cell lines (HepG2, Caco-2, and MCF-7), with GI₅₀ values ranging from 121.03 to 237.75 μg/mL. The aromatic profile of PMOLs includes seven phytochemical groups: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, acids, terpenes, and hydrocarbons. The most representative compounds were terpenes (27.5%), ketones (25.3%), and alcohols (14.5%). Results suggest that PMOLs can serve as a natural additive for functional foods.

Consumer interest in medicinal and aromatic herbs is on the rise, with buyers increasingly concerned about the microbiological quality of nutraceutical and aromatic plants. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and sensor technology allows for high-resolution crop monitoring, particularly in the production of rosemary and sage in Grotte (Italy), Agrigento District. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of UAV-based time series remote sensing data and multimodal data fusion using RGB and multispectral sensors in rosemary and sage harvesting time individuation and the microbiological quality of these nutraceutical and aromatic plants before and after an innovative an sustainable drying process. The multispectral data were acquired with a DJI multispectral camera mounted on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Phantom 4. The use of drones in the aromatic plants crops can lead to improved efficiency, productivity, and profitability for farmers and businesses. Italian producers follow strict hygiene regulations to reduce bacterial contamination, particularly during the crucial drying process. A rapid drying method at low temperature using a dryer powered by a photovoltaic Renewable Energy Source (RES) helps preserve the quality of the plants. Real-time monitoring of the drying process is enabled through a system based on wireless sensor networks (WSN), providing valuable data on moisture content, drying rates, and microbial stability. Overall, the innovative use of drones, sensor technology, and renewable energy sources in the production of aromatic herbs like rosemary and sage holds great potential for enhancing crop quality, shelf life, and overall sustainability in the chain food industry.

The increasing global demand for resilient, sustainable agricultural systems has intensified the need for advanced monitoring strategies, particularly for climate-adaptive crops such as Moringa oleifera Lam. This study presents an integrated approach using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with multispectral and thermal cameras to monitor the vegetative performance and determine the optimal harvest period of four M. oleifera genotypes in a Mediterranean environment. High-resolution data were collected and processed to generate the NDVI, canopy temperature, and height maps, enabling the assessment of plant vigor, stress conditions, and spatial canopy structure. NDVI analysis revealed robust vegetative growth (0.7–0.9), with optimal harvest timing identified on 30 October 2024, when the mean NDVI exceeded 0.85. Thermal imaging effectively discriminated plant crowns from surrounding weeds by capturing cooler canopy zones due to active transpiration. A clear inverse correlation between NDVI and Land Surface Temperature (LST) was observed, reinforcing its relevance for stress diagnostics and environmental monitoring. The results underscore the value of UAV-based multi-sensor systems for precision agriculture, offering scalable tools for phenotyping, harvest optimization, and sustainable management of medicinal and aromatic crops in semiarid regions. Moreover, in this study, to produce M. oleifera leaf powder intended for use as a food ingredient, the leaves of four M. oleifera genotypes were dried, milled, and evaluated for their hygiene and safety characteristics. Plate count analyses confirmed the absence of pathogenic bacterial colonies in the M. oleifera leaf powders, highlighting their potential application as natural and functional additives in food production.

The Mediterranean region is increasingly confronted with intersecting environmental, ag-ricultural and socio-economic challenges, including biowaste accumulation, soil degra-dation and high dependency on imported fossil fuels. Biomethane, a renewable substitute for natural gas, offers a strategic solution that aligns with the region's need for sustainable energy transition and circular resource management. This review examines the current state of biomethane production in the Mediterranean area, with a focus on Anaerobic Di-gestion (AD) technologies, feedstock availability, policy drivers and integration into Cir-cular Bioeconomy (CBE) framework. Emphasis is placed on the valorisation of regionally abundant feedstocks such as olive pomace, citrus peel, grape marc, cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) residues, livestock manure and the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW). The multifunctionality of AD—producing renewable energy and nutrient-rich digestate—is highlighted for its dual role in reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and restoring soil health, especially in areas threatened by desertification such as Sicily (Italy), Spain, Malta and Greece. The review also explores emerging innovations in biogas upgrading, nutrient recovery and digital monitoring, alongside the role of Renewable En-ergy Directive III (RED III) and national biomethane strategies in scaling up deployment. Case studies and decentralised implementation models underscore the socio-technical feasibility of biomethane systems across rural and insular territories. Despite significant potential, barriers such as feedstock variability, infrastructural gaps and policy fragmen-tation remain. The paper concludes with a roadmap for research and policy to advance biomethane as a pillar of Mediterranean climate resilience, energy autonomy and sus-tainable agriculture within a circular bioeconomy paradigm.