Percorrer por autor "Aires, Cristina"
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- Microbiome and Microbiota Within Wineries: A ReviewPublication . Aires, Cristina; Maioto, Rita; Inês, António; Dias, Albino Alves; Rodrigues, Paula; Egas, Conceição; Sampaio, AnaThe main goal of this work is to review the winery’s microbiota, from the grape to the winery’s microbial niches (fermentation tanks, surfaces, air), and their risks to wine and human health. The impact of climate change on the winery microbiome and related challenges are also discussed. Microbial diversity in wineries depends on several factors, such as the grape variety and its ripeness, temperature, relative humidity and the diverse activities of the winemaking process. Winery surfaces and equipment allow the establishment of a microbial community that can impact wine quality, the health of winery workers and visitors and even wine consumers. In the context of climate change, changes in the sugar content, phenolic compounds and the profile of hexoses and amino acids are already evident. These changes interfere with the fermentation microbiota and the quality of the wines, which are more alcoholic and less acidic. Furthermore, periods of drought or heavy rain favor species associated with berry diseases, including some capable of producing mycotoxins or harmful biogenic amines. In order to understand the impact of these changes on microbial communities, the use of various techniques will be discussed, such as flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and metagenomic methods.
- UV Radiation: Applications on Surfaces in the Food IndustryPublication . Maioto, Rita; Santos, Stefanie; Dias, Albino A.; Aires, Cristina; Inês, António; Sedrine, Nabiha Ben; Mendes, Paulo; Rodrigues, Paula; Sampaio, AnaUltraviolet radiation, particularly in the UVC sub-band 200–280 nm, is a non-thermal disinfection technology capable of inactivating a broad spectrum of microorganisms primarily through nucleic acid damage and protein oxidation. Its effectiveness depends on wavelength, irradiance, exposure time, environmental conditions, and microbial characteristics, such as species and repair capacity. In food processing environments, where equipment surfaces and packaging materials are critical control points for microbial contamination, UVC offers several advantages, including the absence of chemical residues, and compatibility with sustainable sanitization strategies. However, efficacy is strongly influenced by surface properties. Smooth, non-porous, reflective materials (stainless steel, glass), and photocatalytic metal coatings, enhance UVC performance, whereas rough, porous, or fibrous surfaces reduce penetration and create shadowing effects that limit microbial inactivation. This review synthesizes current evidence on UV-based decontamination in the food industry, highlighting both its potential and limitations. The findings emphasize that, although UVC radiation is effective in microbial control, its implementation must consider the complex interactions between surface properties, microorganisms and irradiation parameters, requiring optimization for each environment and application. Further research is therefore needed into: (i) wavelength-tuned systems, (ii) hybrid technologies (UV–plasma or UV-photocatalysis), (iii) material integrity and durability of materials under repeated exposure, and (iv) emerging alternative light sources.