Loriana Casalino, Marika Di Paolo, Marica Egidio, Giusi Fiore, Sophia Alesio, Sara Balestra, Giacomo Peres, Raffaele Marrone
{"title":"Effects of two thawing methods on the shelf life of cephalopod mollusks.","authors":"Loriana Casalino, Marika Di Paolo, Marica Egidio, Giusi Fiore, Sophia Alesio, Sara Balestra, Giacomo Peres, Raffaele Marrone","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14757","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14757","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thawing is a critical step in cephalopod processing, as it affects physicochemical parameters, microbial stability, and overall product quality. Current European and national guidelines recommend consuming or processing thawed cephalopods within 24 hours, a restriction that often results in substantial food waste. This study evaluated the impact of two thawing methods - rapid water-immersion thawing and slow refrigerated thawing - on the quality of Octopus vulgaris and Illex argentinus over 48 hours of refrigerated storage. A total of 12 animals (6 per species) were thawed using either method (3 rapidly thawed and 3 slowly thawed per species), and sensory quality (organoleptic examination and electronic nose), pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, total volatile basic nitrogen, trimethylamine, color, and microbiological indices (mesophilic counts, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and coliforms) were analyzed at T0 (day of thawing), T1 (24 hours post-thawing), and T2 (48 hours post-thawing). The results indicate that rapid thawing more effectively preserved the chemical and sensory characteristics of I. argentinus compared to O. vulgaris up to 48 hours post-thawing, whereas slow thawing better preserved the microbiological quality of both species over the same period. Rapid thawing also maintained microbiological parameters within acceptable limits, suggesting that the trends observed beyond the currently recommended 24 hours after thawing may offer useful information for future studies aimed at better defining post-thaw shelf life evolution in cephalopods thawed with different methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13637455/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147698599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A case study of hygiene interventions on small-scale dairy farms to reduce bacterial and somatic cell counts in Sheqeras, Albania.","authors":"Renis Maçi, Artan Xhafa, Christoph Arndt","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14287","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14287","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bovine raw milk with high bacterial and somatic cell counts (SCC) may affect food safety and market competitiveness in the dairy sector. This study investigated how a structured hygiene intervention protocol affects milk quality and safety on Albanian dairy farms. From August 2024 to March 2025, five dairy farms of an average herd size of 22.6±2.25 (standard error) were visited bimonthly. Before and after a thorough hygiene intervention, bulk tank milk was tested for total plate count (TPC), SCC, antibiotic residues, Clostridium spp. spore count, and California Mastitis Test (CMT) screening test. The intervention resulted in substantial decreases in microbial load on the majority of farms (p<0.05). The average log10 reduction in TPC varied from -0.89 to 2.40, with 80% of farms exhibiting improved hygienic conditions. As a result of monthly CMT monitoring, SCC levels consistently adhered to European Union regulatory limits (<5.6 log10 cfu/mL) across all farms during the study period. A robust positive correlation was identified between log10 SCC and log10 TPC (r=0.66, p<0.05). Analysis of variance established that CMT sum scores were a highly significant predictor of both log10 SCC (F=31.45, p<0.05) and log10 TPC (F=9.82, p<0.05). β-lactams were identified in only one farm (1 out of 35 milk samples in total, 2.9%). Implementing targeted on-farm ten-step hygiene protocols can significantly diminish microbial contamination in raw milk. A significant correlation was observed between SCC and TPC, highlighting the importance of good hygiene practices. This study provides a scalable model for improving milk quality in small-scale dairy production systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147673481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francesco Emanuele Celentano, Michela Maria Dimuccio, Virginia Conforti, Pasquale De Marzo, Maria Losito, Angela Dambrosio, Giancarlo Bozzo
{"title":"Animal welfare in the European agri-food market: law, policy and veterinary roles.","authors":"Francesco Emanuele Celentano, Michela Maria Dimuccio, Virginia Conforti, Pasquale De Marzo, Maria Losito, Angela Dambrosio, Giancarlo Bozzo","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14676","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14676","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Animal welfare has evolved from an ethical principle into a binding operational standard within the European Union (EU) agri-food system. Based on a documentary analysis combining legal and veterinary sources, this short communication examines how EU law integrates welfare requirements into food safety, trade, and official controls. The findings highlight three outcomes: the institutionalization of welfare as a trade condition; its judicial recognition as a legitimate public interest; and the expansion of the veterinarian's mandate as a translator of legal norms into measurable procedures. The analysis also explores the ethical and human-rights dimensions of welfare governance, where freedom of religion and animal protection coexist under EU and World Trade Organization law. These developments demonstrate how veterinarians, as both technical and institutional actors, contribute to the effective implementation of EU welfare principles within a sustainability-oriented global market.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13531155/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147592264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Contents of cholesterol and some physicochemical parameters in edible oils commercially available in East and West Gojjam, Ethiopia.","authors":"Destaw Engidaw, Ejigu Bayu","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.13513","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.13513","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Evaluating cholesterol and quality parameters indicates edible oil quality and compliance with health standards. This study analyzed cholesterol in branded and non-branded oils from East and West Gojjam and Debre Markos markets using the Liebermann-Burchard method with UV-visible spectrophotometry at 640 nm. All vegetable oils, except those from Finoteselam town, contained detectable cholesterol, ranging from 37.19±0.03 to 87.36±0.40 mg/L. Cholesterol detected in vegetable oils suggests poor processing or adulteration. Simple analytical methods limited precision, but measured levels were below permissible limits, indicating low potential risk of heart disease. The physicochemical parameters measured include moisture (0.06-1.35%), density (0.868-0.892 mg/mL), acid value (0.28-4.16 mg KOH/g of oil), peroxide value (1.47-7.88 meq O2/kg), and saponification value (52.42-210.97 mg KOH/g). Oil from Mota town exhibited the highest moisture content, and all samples had elevated acid values, likely due to poor handling and storage. Branded oils generally had lower saponification values than unbranded oils, with Bichena, Debre Markos (Biabil), Dembecha, and Finote Selam towns exceeding the maximum permissible limit. The findings highlight the importance of proper oil production, storage, and quality control to ensure consumer health and safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13637449/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147485938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A global assessment of aflatoxin M<sub>1 </sub>in raw milk and some milk products' research from 2010 to 2024: a bibliometric analysis.","authors":"Oyebade Olusegun Ikusika, Conference Thando Mpendulo, Oluwakamisi Festus Akinmoladun","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14087","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a toxic compound produced by fungi, frequently contaminates milk and milk products. Therefore, consuming food tainted with AFM1 poses severe, even life-threatening, health risks. This bibliometric study analyzed publications related to AFM1 retrieved from the Web of Science database, covering the period from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2024. We examined articles based on various criteria, including publication year, citation counts, authors, research areas, countries, institutional affiliations, journals, and keywords to pinpoint emerging and trending topics. Biblioshiny (R package) was used to visualize global collaboration networks and research hotspots. We identified 844 relevant documents. Food Control emerged as the leading journal in AFM1 research, with 122 publications. China was both the most productive country and demonstrated the highest level of institutional affiliation. Our study provides both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the top 25 journals, most-cited articles, leading authors, and frequently occurring title words in AFM1-related literature. Notably, AFM1 research has experienced significant global growth over the past fifteen years. Therefore, this bibliometric assessment offers valuable insight into the historical development and current trends in AFM1 research. Our findings can guide future investigations and contribute to improved decision-making in health-care, public policy, and dairy industry practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147698634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andrea Cantarini, Filomena Limone, Raffaella Branciari, Rossana Roila, Federico Fiorucci, Chiara Baldinelli, David Ranucci
{"title":"Microbiological quality and regulatory compliance of ground game meat produced in central Italy under Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005.","authors":"Andrea Cantarini, Filomena Limone, Raffaella Branciari, Rossana Roila, Federico Fiorucci, Chiara Baldinelli, David Ranucci","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14663","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14663","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The establishment of structured supply chains for hunted game meat has fostered the development of a wide range of products intended for the food service sector. Among these, minced meat has gained particular prominence due to its practicality. Nonetheless, the grinding process can enhance microbial proliferation, posing potential challenges to product quality and safety. The hygienic profile of deep-frozen minced wild boar (Sus scrofa) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) meat remains insufficiently characterized. A total of 70 minced meat samples (corresponding to 10 batches from wild boar and 4 from roe deer) were collected over a 1-year period from a dedicated processing facility. The samples were processed and subjected to aerobic colony counts (ACC), β-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli counts, and the detection of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. The mean ACC was 4.64±0.75 Log CFU/g, with no significant differences between wild boar (4.65 Log CFU/g) and roe deer (4.61 Log CFU/g) samples. Differences were observed for E. coli counts, with mean values of 2.60±1.02 Log CFU/g for wild boar and 1.90±0.81 Log CFU/g for roe deer. Neither Salmonella spp. nor L. monocytogenes was detected in any of the samples. When compared against the process hygiene criteria established by European legislation, 95.71% of the samples were classified as satisfactory and 4.29% as acceptable for ACC. However, with respect to E. coli, 35.71% of the samples exceeded 500 CFU/g, a level regarded as unsatisfactory for minced meat set in Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13583511/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147698639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Martina Marcolin Roncato, Sarah Currò, Tatiana Breda, Aurora Franceschi, Mirko Bernardini, Sara Strazzacappa, Jacopo Ferlito, Matteo Gazziero, Enrico Novelli, Federico Fontana, Laura Da Dalt, Luca Fasolato, Stefania Balzan
{"title":"Spectroscopic control of fish products: simultaneous recognition of species and thawed status in large-scale distribution.","authors":"Martina Marcolin Roncato, Sarah Currò, Tatiana Breda, Aurora Franceschi, Mirko Bernardini, Sara Strazzacappa, Jacopo Ferlito, Matteo Gazziero, Enrico Novelli, Federico Fontana, Laura Da Dalt, Luca Fasolato, Stefania Balzan","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14840","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14840","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the context of globalized food production, traceability is a key requirement in the fisheries sector, particularly for prepared and packaged fish products, where processing may hinder visual inspection and increase the risk of mislabeling. Reliable analytical tools are essential, therefore, to discriminate product status (fresh or frozen-thawed) and to ensure accurate species identification, which is essential for food safety and consumer protection. This study investigates near-infrared spectroscopy as a rapid, non-destructive approach to support the traceability of packaged fish products in large-scale retail chains. An innovative in-field methodology was developed, enabling the acquisition of spectroscopic fingerprints directly at the point of sale using a handheld instrument operating in contact with the transparent PVC film. A total of 218 samples were analyzed across 40 different retail points. Spectral data were acquired both with and without packaging to generate two datasets. Chemometric and machine learning approaches were applied to process spectral data and develop classification models. The best models achieved satisfactory classification accuracies ranging from 0.92 to 0.69 and showed strong agreement between predictions obtained from spectra acquired with and without PVC film (Cohen's κ=0.83 for fresh vs. frozen-thawed classification and κ=0.77 for species identification). These results demonstrate the ability of portable near infrared spectroscopy to identify both fish species and physical status, supporting self-monitoring and official controls by reducing response times and product handling, with potential integration into blockchain-based traceability systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147771570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ana Sofia Faria, Vasco Cadavez, Miguel Angel Prieto, Ursula Gonzales-Barron
{"title":"A comprehensive review of foodborne disease burden associated with protein foods: a 13-year evaluation of incidence and outbreaks in high-income countries.","authors":"Ana Sofia Faria, Vasco Cadavez, Miguel Angel Prieto, Ursula Gonzales-Barron","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14867","DOIUrl":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14867","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This investigation focused on the compilation and analysis of the incidence of foodborne diseases and foodborne outbreaks related to protein-based foods, published in official surveillance reports from the European Union (EU), United States of America (USA), Canada, and New Zealand (NZ), in the period of 2010-2023, for foodborne pathogens norovirus, Campylobacter spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica (non-typhoidal, typhoid, and paratyphoid) and Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Most outbreaks reported during this period were caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella, norovirus, and Campylobacter spp., predominantly in European Member States (MS), followed by the USA. This compilation analysis evidenced the heterogeneity between regions/countries in the contribution of protein foods to total strong evidence outbreaks that occurred in the studied period. For instance, whereas in the USA, \"cheese\" was the most frequent source of listeriosis (52.6%), in EU-MS, \"meat\" was the topmost contributor (43.1%). In EU-MS, norovirus outbreaks were mainly associated with \"crustaceans and mollusks\" (80.9%); \"eggs\" accounted for most salmonellosis (52.1%) outbreaks, followed by \"meat\" (27.1%), the latter of which was also the largest contributor to campylobacteriosis (66.9%) and STEC outbreaks (52.7%). Strong-evidence cryptosporidiosis outbreaks in EU-MS were attributed to \"cheese\", while in NZ and the USA, they were all linked to \"milk\". In the USA and NZ, salmonellosis was frequently associated with \"meat\" (44.3-46.9%); campylobacteriosis, with \"milk\" (44.9-45.2%); and norovirus outbreaks were attributed to \"crustaceans and mollusks\" (21.2-29%), \"dough-based derivatives\" (9.7-26.7%), and composite meals, i.e., \"meat-based meals\" (16.3-32.3%) and \"seafood-based meals\" (12.9-14.1%). STEC was often linked to \"milk\" in NZ (62.5%) and to \"meat\" in the USA (54.1%).</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13656077/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147771599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alessandra Di Natale, Luca Nalbone, Raffaele Condò, Rachele Castaldo, Mariacristina Cocca, Filippo Giarratana, Antonio Panebianco
{"title":"Bioaccumulation and depuration dynamics of polyester microfibres in <i>Mytilus galloprovincialis</i>.","authors":"Alessandra Di Natale, Luca Nalbone, Raffaele Condò, Rachele Castaldo, Mariacristina Cocca, Filippo Giarratana, Antonio Panebianco","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.14782","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2026.14782","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to assess the bioaccumulation and depuration dynamics of Mytilus galloprovincialis following exposure to varying concentrations of polyester microfibers in a controlled laboratory setting. Specimens sourced from a depuration center in Messina, Italy, were acclimatized for seven days in filtered seawater at a temperature of 15°C. The mussels were then exposed to polyester microfibers (≤200 µm in length and 18 µm in diameter) at concentrations of 100, 10, 1 and 0.1 microfibers per milliliter for 24 hours. Three replicate tanks were prepared for each concentration, each containing ten mussels, totaling thirty individuals per concentration. Controls were included to monitor potential environmental contamination. Following exposure, the mussels were transferred to depuration tanks containing filtered, oxygenated seawater. Microfibers egested in feces and pseudofeces were collected at 24 and 48 hours, filtered onto 0.45 µm cellulose membranes, and counted using stereomicroscopy. After 48 hours, the mussels underwent alkaline digestion with 10% potassium hydroxide to quantify the retained microfibers. The results revealed no significant correlation between the concentration of exposure and the number of microfibers egested or retained. These findings suggest that the bioaccumulation and depuration of microfibers in M. galloprovincialis are influenced by factors other than concentration alone, such as particle size, morphology, and spatial configuration. Using environmentally relevant microfibers at ecologically plausible concentrations rather than virgin plastic fragments at unrealistic doses offers a more accurate representation of microplastic bioaccumulation and depuration mechanisms in mussels. Finally, background microplastics were also detected in control samples. This is significant as it indicates pre-existing contamination of the organisms and further highlights the pervasive presence of microplastics in the environment, as well as the potential for human exposure through the food chain.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148548897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Microbiological quality of raw vegetables in Ouagadougou: enumeration of <i>Escherichia coli</i> and detection of <i>Salmonella</i> spp. and antibiotic resistance profiles.","authors":"Adama Pamba Séré, Abdoudramane Sanou, Hiliassa Coulibaly, Edwige Noelle Roamba, Roger Dakuyo, Kabakdé Kaboré, Kiessoun Konaté, Donatien Kaboré, Mamoudou Hama Dicko","doi":"10.4081/ijfs.2026.15187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2026.15187","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores the microbiological quality of raw vegetables and salads in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, by assessing contamination levels and antimicrobial resistance of isolated bacteria across the supply chain. A total of 300 samples were collected from production fields, urban markets, and mass catering sites, and analyzed for Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. using ISO standard methods. Susceptibility testing was performed on isolates. The results show that contamination levels vary significantly (p<0.05), with E. coli concentrations reaching up to 4.08 ± 0.04 log CFU/g. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. remains low (0 to 3%), with contamination detected only in ready-to-eat salads. In terms of antimicrobial resistance, E. coli isolates showed high resistance to amoxicillin (62.12%), and the Multi-Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index exceeded 0.2 for 45.5% of isolates. Among Salmonella spp. isolates, 42.11% were resistant to amoxicillin, but notable sensitivity to fluoroquinolones and carbapenems (84.21%) was observed. These findings highlight that agricultural practices and final preparation hygiene are critical control points and confirm the vegetable supply chain as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance, providing essential data to guide public health policies in Ouagadougou.</p>","PeriodicalId":14508,"journal":{"name":"Italian Journal of Food Safety","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148548921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}