## Special Issue: State-of-Art of Microbial Concerns in Food Safety  
**[PERSON]**\({}^{\copyright}\) and [PERSON]**\({}^{\star}\)\({}^{\copyright}\)  
Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{\star}\) Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
The microbiological quality of food remains an essential factor for industrial production and for consumers, as foodborne illnesses are still a widespread health and economic problem. The biology of most foodborne pathogens is well-known; however, all of the mechanisms that allow them to adapt and survive in different environmental conditions are not yet fully understood. Foodborne pathogens can enter the manufacturing process and reach the final product through raw materials, water, air in the manufacturing area, process surfaces, factory personnel, and processing and packaging equipment. The prevention and inhibition of microbial growth in foods is of utmost importance for the current globalized food production. Foodborne illnesses are caused by most food groups, such as eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. Many of these foods are characterized by a diversified microbial community responsible for fermentation processes. Ventricia del Vastee is a traditional dry fermented sausage from central Italy not yet characterized for the presence, identity, and safety of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), a technologically important bacterial group for this type of product. Dry fermented sausages are made from raw meat that is fermented and matured by a composite microbiota. The microbial groups with the most relevant roles in the ripening process are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), which combine to make these products safe and tasty. The main role of the LAB is the acidification of the product to different extents, depending on the technological process, with inhibition of the most pathogenic and deteriorating microorganisms, while the most relevant role of the CNS is to favor the development of the optimal red color, flavors, and aromatic compounds, all elements characterizing this product. With respect to local productions, study [1] shows how the characterization of the dominant microbiological consortia is necessary in order to know the bacterial species and the strains involved in the transformation of the product and for a selection of traits that are the most technologically suitable and free of risk to be used as native starter cultures for the improvement of product quality and safety. [PERSON] et al. [2] reported a preliminary description of the microbial diversity of donkey milk maintained both at room and refrigerated temperature using a metagenomic approach. The results of this study revealed that refrigerated storage reduced the microbial biodiversity of the product, resulting in a decrease of Gram-negative bacteria, and a consequent predominance of _Pseudomonas_ spp. The microbial species found in fresh donkey milk could negatively affect the quality of the raw product, posing a moderate safety concern, especially considering the target group of consumers (infants, immunocompromised people, and the elderly). Cold storage does not prevent the growth of some psychotrophic bacteria in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, which include many types of products that do not need to be cooked or reheated before serving. These include sandwiches, popular RTE food that can contain some high-risk ingredients (raw vegetables, eggs, and salad dressings), and whose preparation involves manual handling, which increases the number of potential sources of contamination. Many pathogenic and ubiquitous bacteria (_Listeria_, _Staphylococcus_, _Shigella_, _Yersinia_ spp.) found in environments such as soil or water can come into contact with these raw or fresh ingredients. Many human pathogens can also be transmitted through bare-hand handling, such as _S. aureus_[3]. [PERSON] et al.