Hermetia illucens meal (HIM) as ingredient in feed represents a way to achieve more sustainable food production. The aim was to characterize the chemical, microbiological and organoleptic characteristics of four diets for Sparus aurata, isoenergetic and isoproteic, containing 0%, 25%, 35% and 50% of HIM in substitution of fish meal (FM). Analyses were carried out using gas chromatography for fatty acids and amino acids, ICP-OES for minerals and liquid chromatography for aflatoxins and following International Organization for Standardization methods for microbial flora. E-sensing analysis of the diets was evaluated using an artificial sensory platform (E-eye, E-nose and E-tongue). The chemical results were submitted to a one-way ANOVA while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the e-sensing data was performed. No significant differences were observed for polyunsaturated fatty acids, thrombogenic and peroxidation indices among the diets. The replacement of FM with HIM increased the content of lysine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine and valine, while phosphorus, calcium and sodium content decreased (p < 0.01) as the percentage of HIM increased. Lead was significantly below the maximum level set by the EU regulation. The diets showed good hygienic and sanitary quality. The artificial senses permitted distinguishing color, odor and taste among the diets. Data allow considering Hermetia illucens as alternative protein source in fish nutrition.

Spices and aromatic herbs have always had great historical importance in human nutrition. Their use has been documented for centuries as a rich source of bioactive compounds; they have been used for their health benefits and also for flavoring or coloring food. However, despite the many health properties linked to the use of spices and aromatic herbs, these can represent biological hazards and can contain chemical substances of concern. Certainly, monitoring potential health hazards in spices and aromatic herbs includes microbiological safety and also the content of inorganic substances: both represent a key step. This research aims at monitoring the compliance of various spices and aromatic herbs from a non-European country market (namely: black cumin seeds, Iranian Tokhme Sharbati, clove buds, Shahjeera, Abbaszadeh saffron, organic fenugreek, whole black pepper, cinnamon, Abthul Ahmar (Asario), Ajwan seeds, whole coriander seeds, black sesame seeds, Sabja seeds) with the current European Union (EU) and WHO regulations, when available, regarding mineral and microbiological parameters. In particular, microbiological assays using rapid and conventional methods, and trace mineral determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were performed. Results show the safety of the tested spices, given that the microbiological parameters were within the legal microbiological criteria set by the European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 and its amendment Regulation (EC) No. 1441/2007. With reference to potentially toxic Cd, Pb, As, Hg, these were within the limits set by the European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 and its amendments, Regulation (EU) No. 1317/2021 and Regulation (EU) No. 1323/2021, and WHO. According to EU regulations, for Pb content, 2 samples out of 16 showed values different from the set limits.

Essential oils were proposed as natural additives to ensure food safety and quality in a more sustainable approach. The chemical composition of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TV-EO) collected from Morocco, its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against different serotypes of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica was investigated. A mathematical model was implemented to predict the Salmonella behavior when exposed to TV-EO. In situ antimicrobial activity and sensory influence were tested in minced poultry meat experimentally contaminated with Salmonella and treated with TV-EO. Hydrodistillation was used to extract TV-EO, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis found thymol as the most representative compound. Results of the antioxidant activity showed an IC₅₀ of 0.29 ± 0.04 mg/mL, EC₅₀ of 0.74 ± 0.08 mg/mL, and RC₅₀ of 0.59 ± 0.06 mg/mL. All the Salmonella strains were susceptible to TV-EO with performing results for the disc diffusion method (inhibition diameters ranged between 24 ± 0.4 mm and 32 ± 0.6 mm), determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; 0.5%) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC; 1%), sublethal-injured cells (7.99 ± 0.08%), in situ activity (growth inhibition after 3 days), and meat sensory preservation (up to 1 week). The implemented mathematical model well fitted the Salmonella growth curve. TV-EO with significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities was suitable to ensure food safety and quality consistent with the new sustainable trends in the food field.