The Efficiency of Temperature-Shift Strategy to Improve the Production of α-Amylase by Bacillus sp. in a Solid-State Fermentation System

The performance of temperature-shift strategies on the production of α-amylase by Bacillus sp. in solid-state fermentation systems was investigated. Switching the temperature from an initial set point (37 °C, 40 °C, or 45 °C) to 28 °C increased the production of α-amylase significantly in all treatments, with different rates. The effects of having a constant incubation temperature and performing the temperature-shift operation from higher to lower temperatures (37 °C, 40 °C, or 45 °C) to 32 °C and vice versa were also studied. The results showed that the α-amylase biosynthesis could successfully be improved by shifting the incubation temperature from 40 °C for the initial 20 h of fermentation to 32 °C after a span of 20–48 h. An enhancement of 29.5% in the production of α-amylase after 48 h was recorded compared to the treatment that was shifted from 37 °C to 32 °C. This finding is particularly attractive for large-scale industrial fermentation from an economic point of view.     

Production and Characterization of Wine with Sugarcane Piece Immobilized Yeast Biocatalyst

In the present study, an economically cheap and sustainable food-grade yeast biocatalyst for wine production was successfully prepared. It was prepared through absorption technique by using fresh sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) pieces as immobilizing support for yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CFTRI 101. Immobilization was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Suitability of biocatalyst was investigated at low and room temperatures by using it in repeated batch. The fermentation rate and other parameters were compared with free yeast cells at different temperatures. In all cases, fermentation time was short (24 h at 30 °C and 98 h at 10 °C) and ethanol productivities were high as 4.2 g/l/h (3.33-fold at 30 °C and 2.31-fold at 10 °C). The volatile compounds methanol, ethyl acetate, propanol-1, isobutanol (2-methyl-1-propanol), and amyl alcohols (2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol) that formed during fermentation were analyzed with the help of a gas chromatograph–flame ionization detector. The concentrations of ethyl acetate and methanol were not more than 100 mg/l in all cases, indicating an improvement in the product quality. Cell metabolism of immobilized yeast was not negatively affected by immobilization process. It was found that the immobilization of yeast cells on sugar pieces increased the fermentation rate and viability of yeast cells. Preliminary sensory tests recognized the fruity aroma, fine taste, and the overall improved quality of the produced wines.     

A Systematic Study on Extraction of Lipase Obtained by Solid-State Fermentation of Soybean Meal by a Newly Isolated Strain of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium</Emphasis> sp

This work aimed to assess the effect of some variables on the lipase extraction from the fermented medium in order to establish the experimental conditions that maximize the yield of the enzyme obtained from solid-state fermentation of soybean meal and a newly isolated strain of Penicillium sp. The experimental design technique was used to investigate the effect of relevant variables on lipase activity. The factors investigated were solvent pH (5.5–8.5), stirring rate (50–150 rpm), temperature (25–49 °C) and solid/liquid ratio (1:20–5:20). The effect of time of contact was evaluated in a kinetic study. Higher lipase activities in the extraction study were obtained using phosphate buffer 100 mM pH 8.5, at 25 °C, 150 rpm, and solid/liquid ratio of 1:20. Extraction studies showed that maximum activity (186 U/g) was obtained in 15 min of extraction.     

Effect of temperature fluctuations during frozen storage on the quality of potato tissue (cv. Monalisa)

 Results are presented on the effect of different ranges of temperature fluctuation (–24 to –18°C, –18 to –12°C, –12 to –6°C, –24 to –12°C and –18 to –6°C) on the compression, shear and tension parameters of packed and unpacked frozen potato tissue. The initial temperature, duration and number (2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 32) of fluctuations were varied. The highest parameter values occurred in samples subjected to fluctuations between –24°C and –18°C, and the lowest values in the range –18 to –6°C. The mechanical strength of the frozen tissue decreased with an increase in the number of fluctuations and in most cases was lower in the packed samples. Moisture loss was greatest in the –18 to –6°C range for pre-packed samples. Changes in the maximum compression force, as a measure mechanical damage, showed the greatest level of significance. Received: 17 June 1997     

Effect of temperature fluctuations during frozen storage on the quality of potato tissue (cv. Monalisa)

 Results are presented on the effect of different ranges of temperature fluctuation (–24 to –18°C, –18 to –12°C, –12 to –6°C, –24 to –12°C and –18 to –6°C) on the compression, shear and tension parameters of packed and unpacked frozen potato tissue. The initial temperature, duration and number (2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 32) of fluctuations were varied. The highest parameter values occurred in samples subjected to fluctuations between –24°C and –18°C, and the lowest values in the range –18 to –6°C. The mechanical strength of the frozen tissue decreased with an increase in the number of fluctuations and in most cases was lower in the packed samples. Moisture loss was greatest in the –18 to –6°C range for pre-packed samples. Changes in the maximum compression force, as a measure mechanical damage, showed the greatest level of significance. Received: 17 June 1997     

Rheological and microstructural changes in gels made from high and low quality sardine mince with added egg white during frozen storage

 This paper examines the influence of freezing temperature (–40°C or –18°C) and frozen storage temperature (–18°C or –12°C) on gels made from two different sardine minces (M1, high functional quality; M2, low functional quality), with the addition of egg white as a gel enhancing ingredient. To characterize the washed mince, proximate analyses and protein functionality were determined. Freezing at either –40°C or –18°C caused no drastic changes in gel structure. Throughout the course of frozen storage of all samples, a decrease in the water holding capacity (WHC) was detected, along with an increase in the amount of protein soluble in 8 M urea. At 90 days the gels frozen at –40°C exhibited numerous ice micro-crystals; however, they did not affect the external appearance of the gel and had hardly any effect on gel strength, shear strength, hardness, cohesiveness or elasticity. On the other hand, at 90 days the gels frozen at –18°C and stored at either temperature exhibited large, macroscopically visible ice crystals. In these samples, gel strength and shear strength increased while hardness decreased. No definite changes attributable to mince quality were detected during frozen storage. Received: 23 June 1997     

Influence of temperature on continuous high gravity brewing with yeasts immobilized on spent grains

Flavor compounds’ formation and fermentative parameters of continuous high gravity brewing with yeasts immobilized on spent grains were evaluated at three different temperatures (7, 10 and 15 °C). The assays were performed in a bubble column reactor at constant dilution rate (0.05 h⁻¹) and total gas flow rate (240 ml/min of CO₂ and 10 ml/min of air), with high-gravity all-malt wort (15°Plato). The results revealed that as the fermentation temperature was increased from 7 to 15 °C, the apparent and real degrees of fermentation, rate of extract consumption, ethanol volumetric productivity and consumption of free amino nitrogen (FAN) increased. In addition, beer produced at 15 °C presented a higher alcohols to esters ratio (2.2–2.4:1) similar to the optimum values described in the literature. It was thus concluded that primary high-gravity (15°Plato) all-malt wort fermentation by continuous process with yeasts immobilized on spent grains, can be carried out with a good performance at 15 °C.     

Determination of Amoxicillin Stability in Chicken Meat by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An amoxicillin stability study was performed under different pH (1, 3 and 5) and temperature (4 °C, 22 °C, 37 °C and 55 °C) conditions and for incurred samples stored at −20 °C with the goals of better understanding amoxicillin degradation and characterising its main degradation products (amoxicilloic acid and amoxicillin diketopiperazine). The analytical methodology used consisted of a simple extraction using phosphate buffer (pH 8) with sodium chloride followed by a sample clean-up using OASIS? HLB cartridges and a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric analysis. Amoxicillin was found to be greatly unstable at temperatures above 22 °C for all pH values studied, so it was recommended that biological samples should be frozen at temperatures below −70 °C until analysis of the amoxicillin residues.     

The glycerol and ethanol production kinetics in low-temperature wine fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains

Increasing glycerol production in low-temperature wine fermentation is of concern for winemakers to improve the quality of wines. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 10 different Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the kinetics of production of glycerol, ethanol and the activities of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in low-temperature fermentation. Ethanol production was influenced by temperature, and it was slightly higher at 13 °C than at 25 °C. Glycerol yields were significantly affected by both temperature and strains. More glycerol was produced at 25 °C than at 13 °C because the activity of GPD was higher at 25 °C than at 13 °C. Glycerol production of the different yeast strains was up to 3.19 and 3.18 g L⁻¹ at 25 and 13 °C, respectively. Therefore, isolating the yeast strains with high glycerol production and adaptation to low-temperature fermentation is still the best method in winemaking.     

Principal component analysis to study the effect of temperature fluctuations during storage of frozen potato

 The effects of temperature fluctuation ranges, number of fluctuations carried out, and packaging during frozen storage on the texture of potato tissue in terms of compression, shear, and tension rheological parameters were assessed through data generated according to a factorial design using principal component analysis (PCA). Five ranges of fluctuation (–24  °C to –18  °C, –18  °C to –12  °C, –12  °C to –6  °C, –24  °C to –12  °C and –18  °C to –6  °C) applied 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, and up to 32 times on unpacked and pre-packed frozen potatoes, were considered. The controls were unpacked and prepacked frozen tissues thawed immediately without undergoing any fluctuation. In addition, several geometrical, technological, and chemical parameters were determined. PCA showed that maximum shear force, F_s was the best rheological parameter for differentiation of the structural damage and softening occurring in the tissue at each treatment, which was closely related to its duration, TT _d . PCA did not permit complete discrimination between the five fluctuation ranges, but it clearly separated samples subjected to –18  °C/–6   °C from those subjected to –24  °C/–18  °C. Frozen samples undergoing up to four fluctuations formed a separate cluster from those undergoing a higher number. Analysis also clearly separated unpacked from pre-packed samples in response to slower freezing rates reached in the latter. Received: 17 December 1999     

Comparing the Impact of Environmental Factors During Very High Gravity Brewing Fermentations

The impact of the initial dissolved oxygen, fermentation temperature, wort concentration and yeast pitching rate on the major fermentation process responses were evaluated by full factorial design and statistical analysis by JMP 5.01 (SAS software) software. Fermentation trials were carried out in 2L‐EBC tall tubes using an industrial lager brewing yeast strain. The yeast viability, ethanol production, apparent extract and real degree of fermentation were monitored. The results obtained demonstrate that very high gravity worts at 22°P can be fermented in the same period of time as a 15°P wort, by raising the temperature to 18°C, the oxygen level to about 22 ppm, and increasing the pitching rate to 22 × 10⁶ cell/mL. When diluting to obtain an 11.5°P beer extract, the volumetric brewing capacity increased 91% for the 22°P wort fermentation and 30% using the 15°P wort. After dilution, the fermentation of the 22°P wort resulted in a beer with higher esters levels, primarily the compound ethyl acetate.     

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure and high-pressure homogenisation on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> inactivation kinetics and quality parameters of mandarin juice

The inactivation kinetics of Lactobacillus plantarum in a mandarin juice treated by thermal treatment (45–90 °C), high-pressure homogenisation (HPH) (30–120 MPa at 15 and 30 °C) and high-pressure processing (HPP) (150–450 MPa at 15, 30 and 45 °C) were fitted to different Weibullian equations. A synergic effect between pressure and temperature was observed in HPH and HPP treatments achieving 2.38 log cycles after 120 MPa at 30 °C for 10 s (final T of 45 °C) and 6.12 log cycles after 400 MPa at 45 °C for 1 min (final T of 60 °C), respectively. A combined treatment of 100 MPa at 15 °C for 10 s and 300 MPa at 15–30 °C for 1 min in HPH and HPP, respectively, was needed to the first logarithm microbial population decline. Weibull model accurately predicted microorganism inactivation kinetics after HPH and HPP processing when displaying single shoulder or tail in the survivor curves, whereas when a more complex trend was observed after thermal treatment, the double-Weibull equation was found more appropriate to explain such behaviour. Equivalent treatments that achieved the same degree of microbial inactivation (77 °C–10 s in thermal processing, 120 MPa–10 s at 30 °C in HPH processing and 375 MPa–1 min at 30 °C in HPP) were selected to study the effects on quality parameters. The application of dynamic pressure led to a decrease in sedimentable pulp, transmittance and juice redness, thus stabilising the opaqueness and cloudiness of mandarin juice. Pectin methyl esterase (PME) was found to be highly baroresistant to static and dynamic pressure. Carotenoid content remained unaffected by any treatment. This study shows the potential of high-pressure homogenisation as an alternative for fruit-juice pasteurisation.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the microbiological, chemical and sensory quality of fresh gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

The effect of different temperature/time/pressure high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment on quality and shelf life of sea bream were studied. Different high-pressure treatments (at 3, 7, 15 and 25 °C, 5–10 min and 220, 250 and 330 MPa) were tested to establish the best processing conditions for quality of sea bream. The effect of the process on the quality of the sample was examined by colour, trimethylamine nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid number analysis. Based on the results of the parameter, the best combinations of HHP treatments were determined as 3 °C/5 min/250 MPa–15 °C/5 min/250 MPa for sea bream. The effects of this combination treatment on sensory, chemical and microbiological properties of sea bream stored at 4 °C were studied. The results obtained from this study showed that the shelf life of untreated and HHP treated stored in refrigerator, as determined by overall acceptability of sensory and microbiological data, is 15 days for untreated sea bream and 18 days for treated sea bream at 3 °C/5 min/250 MPa and at 15 °C/5 min/250 MPa treated sea bream.     

Partial Purification and Characterization of Extracellular Fructofuranosidase with Transfructosylating Activity from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida</Emphasis> sp.

The present work was carried out with the aim to investigate some properties of an extracellular fructofuranosidase enzyme, with high transfructosylating activity, from Candida sp. LEB-I3 (Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, Unicamp, Brazil). The enzyme was produced through fermentation, and after cell separation from the fermented medium, the enzyme was concentrated by ethanol precipitation and than purified by anion exchange chromatography. The enzyme exhibited both fructofuranosidase (FA) and fructosyltransferase (FTA) activities on a low and high sucrose concentration. With sucrose as the substrate, the data fitted the Michaellis–Menten model for FA, showing rather a substrate inhibitory shape for fructosyltransferase activity. The K _m and v _max values were shown to be 13.4 g L⁻¹ and 21.0 μmol mL⁻¹ min⁻¹ and 25.5 g L⁻¹ and 52.5 μmol mL⁻¹ min⁻¹ for FA and FTA activities, respectively. FTA presented an inhibitory factor K _i of 729.8 g L⁻¹. The optimum conditions for FA activity were found to be pH 3.25–3.5 and temperatures around 69 °C, while for FTA, the optimum condition were 65 °C (±2 °C) and pH 4.00 (±0.25). Both activities were very stable at temperatures below 60 °C, while for FA, the best stability occurred at pH 5.0 and for FTA at pH  4.5–5.0. Despite the strong fructofuranosidase activity, causing hydrolysis of the fructooligosaccharides (FOS), the high transfructosilating activity allows a high FOS production from sucrose (44%).     

The use of furfural as a metabolic inhibitor for reducing the alcohol content of model wines

Climate has a huge influence on the ripening of grapes and therefore on the composition of any wine made from them. Wines from regions with high mean temperatures where water is scarce can suffer imbalances such as an excessively high alcohol content and low acidity, making it difficult to turn out a high-quality product. Work is now underway, however, to develop methods of processing very ripe grapes in order to produce red wines with a standard alcohol content (12.5–13.5% v/v). The use of metabolic blockers that redirect the glycolytic pathway in yeasts is one of the most interesting possibilities. The present work investigates how furfural, a well-known aromatic aldehyde with metabolic inhibitory effects on Saccharomyces, can be used to modify alcoholic fermentation in winemaking. The use of this compound led to a significant reduction in the final alcohol content of certain experimental fermentations. When furfural was added at the beginning of fermentation, a maximum reduction of 0.37% v/v alcohol was achieved after the addition of 10 mg/L, and of 0.6% v/v after the addition of 50 mg/L. The natural aromatic profile of the fermentation product suffered no negative variations. The intensity of the effect of furfural on fermentation with respect to the moment of its addition was also studied. Additions made later in fermentation or additions made periodically also inhibited alcohol production, in some cases more so than when added at the beginning of fermentation. The effects of furfural on alcohol production were variable depending on the yeast strain used. Variation of the pH between 3.2 and 3.8 and of temperature between 18 and 25 °C did not modify the intensity of furfural’s effect on alcohol production.     

Clostridium sporogenes-ATCC 7955 Spore Destruction Kinetics in Milk Under High Pressure and Elevated Temperature Treatment Conditions

Clostridium sporogenes (ATCC 7955) spores inoculated in milk (2% fat) were subjected to high-pressure (HP) treatments (700–900 MPa) and at elevated temperatures (80–100 °C) for selected times up to 32 min. Samples were sealed in 1-mL plastic vials and placed in a specially constructed insulated chamber to prevent temperature drop during the treatment. Both pressure pulse (with no hold time) and pressure hold techniques were employed for treatment. Pressure pulse resulted in a small, but consistent, destruction (up to 0.5 log kill) of spores. During the pressure hold treatment, the destruction followed a first-order model (R ² > 0.90). The kinetic data were compensated for the small variations in temperature during the treatment. As expected, higher pressures and higher temperatures resulted in a faster rate of spore destruction. Temperature-corrected D values ranged from 13.6 to 2.4 min at 700 MPa and 7.0 to 1.3 min at 900 MPa, respectively, with process temperatures set at 90 and 100 °C. In comparison, thermal treatments gave D values ranging from 156 min at 90 °C to 12.1 min at 100 °C. The temperature sensitivity Z _P values (16.5 to 20.3 °C) under high pressure (700–900 MPa) were higher than under conventional thermal processing (9.0 °C), indicating the spore’s thermal resistance to increase at HP processing conditions. The pressure sensitivity Z _T values varied between 450 and 680 MPa under the elevated temperature (80–100 °C) processing conditions. Overall, C. sporogenes 7955 spores were relatively more sensitive to temperature than pressure.     

Impacts of Low and Ultra-Low Temperature Freezing on Retrogradation Properties of Rice Amylopectin During Storage

Amylopectin retrogradation is a serious problem in starch-based ready meals. In the current research, rice amylopectin was frozen by low temperature (−20, −30, and −60°C) and ultra-low temperature (−100°C), and then stored at 4°C for 21 days or at −18°C for up to 5 months to evaluate the retrogradation properties. Amylopectin retrogradation enthalpy of rice was determined by a differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that low temperature and ultra-low temperature freezing can effectively retard amylopectin retrogradation during the freezing process and during frozen storage (−18°C) for at least 5 months. However, rice amylopectin still retrograded after the freezing process during chill storage at 4°C. The methods of low and ultra-low temperature freezing combined with frozen storage might be potentially very useful for food industry to produce high quality starch-based ready to eat meals.     

Anthocyanins characterization of 15 Iranian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) varieties and their variation after cold storage and pasteurization

Anthocyanins (ACs) are phenolic compounds that are distributed widely in fruits and vegetables. Apart from imparting color to plants, ACs also have an array of health-promoting benefits. In this research, the amounts of major ACs of 15 pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) varieties obtained from Yazd province were determined. The major ACs detected in the studied varieties were as follows: delphinidin 3-glucoside (2.19–16.29 mg/L), delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside (2.36–63.07 mg/L), pelargonidin 3-glucoside (0.26–1.36 mg/L), pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside (0.01–8.11 mg/L), cyanidin 3-glucoside (5.78–30.38 mg/L), and cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside (4.39–166.32 mg/L). The effect of storage time of unprocessed and pasteurized juices on ACs content of four selected varieties was also studied. Average degradation percentage of each AC was between 23.0 and 83.0% during 10 days at 4 °C. Moreover, in pasteurized juices average degradation of ACs was 42.8 ± 0.5% after 10 weeks storage at 4 °C.     

The impact of fermentation at elevated temperature on quality attributes and biogenic amines formation of low-salt fermented fish

To accelerate fermentation and improve quality of fermented fish, the impact of fermentation at elevated temperature on physicochemical, microbiological and flavour characteristics, as well as biogenic amines (BAs) accumulation of low-salt fermented fish was investigated. Results showed that increasing temperature at later stage significantly promoted the growth of lactic acid bacteria, retarded the reduction of yeast and increased the titratable acidity, while staphylococci and enterobacteriaceae were inhibited to higher extent when fermented at elevated temperature. BAs contents in samples fermented at 30 °C during later stage were lower than those in the group fermented at 25 °C for 28 days, and the lowest values were observed in the sample initially fermented at 25 °C for 10 days followed by fermentation at 30 °C for 18 days. Furthermore, fermentation at elevated temperature at later stage favoured the formation of desired volatile flavour compounds. Results suggested that fermentation at elevated temperature at later stage could reduce BAs accumulation and enhance quality attributes of low-salt fermented fish.     

Production and Application of Xylanase from Penicillium sp. Utilizing Coffee By-products

The lignocellulosic coffee by-products such as coffee pulp, coffee cherry husk, silver skin, and spent coffee were evaluated for their efficacy as a sole carbon sources for the production of xylanase in solid-state fermentation using Penicillium sp. CFR 303. Among the residues, coffee cherry husk was observed to produce maximum xylanase activity of 9,475 U/g. The process parameters such as moisture (50%), pH (5.0), temperature (30 °C), particle size (1.5 mm), inoculum size (20%), fermentation time (5 days), carbon source (xylose), and nitrogen source (peptone) were optimized and the enzyme activity was in the range of 19,560–20,388 U/g. The enzyme production was further improved to 23,494 U/g with steam as a pre-treatment. The extracellular xylanase from the fungal source was purified to homogeneity from culture supernatant by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DE32-cellulose with a recovery yield of 25.5%. It appeared as a single band on SDS-PAGE gel with a molecular mass of approximately 27 kDa. It had optimum parameters of 50 °C temperature, pH 5.0, K _m 5.6 mg/mL, and V _max 925 μmol mg⁻¹ min⁻¹ with brichwood xylan as a substrate. The crude enzyme hydrolysed lignocellulosic substrate as well as industrial pulp. Production of xylanase utilizing coffee by-products constitutes a renewable resource and is reported for the first time.