Quality and hygiene of beef burgers in relation to the addition of sodium ascorbate,sodium citrate and sodium acetate

We evaluated the effects of two additive mixtures (sodium ascorbate 1 g kg^?1, sodium citrate 1 g kg^?1 and sodium acetate 1.75 or 2.5 g kg^?1) on the microbiological and physical–chemical characteristics of non‐prepacked beef burgers stored in air at 4 °C or 12 °C for 96 h. Total microbial count reached 7 Log CFU g^?1 48 h later in treated samples at 4 °C. The mixture containing the higher acetate concentration led to a smaller increase in Gram‐negatives, in particular Pseudomonas (2 Log of difference towards control samples at 96 h); at 12 °C, a 1.7 Log difference in Enterobacteriaceae was also shown. Total viable basic nitrogen was significantly lower in the treated samples at 12 °C. The addition resulted in pH stabilisation and lower cooking loss and positively influenced the a* index of burgers at 4 °C. Clearly, the use of these mixtures should not be a substitute of good hygienic practices and optimal storage conditions.     

Enzymatic grafting of gallate ester onto chitosan: evaluation of antioxidant and antibacterial activities

The antioxidant octyl gallate (OG) has been successfully grafted onto chitosan by means of horseradish peroxidase biocatalyst. The maximum gallate incorporation onto chitosan determined by ¹H NMR spectroscopy was up to 16 molar%. The resulting materials displayed antioxidant capacities with DPPH radical inhibition percentage up to 23% upon the assay conditions. The grafting of the antioxidant on chitosan enhanced its antimicrobial activity. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Escherichia coli was 0.5 g L^?1. The native medium molecular weight chitosan alone or grafted with the lowest OG incorporation (ca. 11 molar%) attained 100% inhibition of E. coli, whereas lower inhibition was observed for all other materials 50.7–68.9% corresponding a reduction in the counts from 10.6 to 5.23–3.30 Log CFU mL^?1. The inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes was significantly higher (59.8–100%) than that with the Gram negative bacterium reaching the MIC at 0.25 g L^?1 with a reduction in the counts from 12.6 Log CFU mL^?1 to 5.06–0 Log CFU mL^?1.     

Characterisation of malolactic conversion by Oenococcus oeni to reduce the acidity of apple juice

The high concentration of malic acid is responsible for the acidity and sourness in apple juice. Bio‐conversion of malic acid to lactic acid through malolactic conversion (MC) in apple juice using Oenococcus oeni was investigated. When apple juice was inoculated with O. oeni (1 × 10⁶ CFU mL^?1), over 90% of malic acid was converted into lactic acid within 96 h at room temperature. When pH of apple juice was adjusted to 4.1 prior to inoculation, MC was completed within 60 h. MC was enhanced at a higher temperature (30°C) when compared with room temperature. The rate of MC was directly proportional to the number of bacteria added and MC was completed within 24 h at 1 × 10⁹ CFU mL^?1 initial cell density. MC occurred equally under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The sensory analysis of partial MC‐applied juice when compared against control revealed potential for use of MC for manufacture of low‐acid apple juice.     

Inhibition of selected pathogens inoculated on the surface of catfish fillets by high molecular weight chitosan coating

Antibacterial activity of high molecular weight water-soluble (HMWWS) chitosan (800 kDa) was investigated against four Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) and two Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) bacteria. Catfish fillets were surface-inoculated with these food-borne pathogens and coated with chitosan dissolved in aspartic acid (AS) or acetic acid (AC) solution at different concentrations (1% or 3%). Samples were stored at 4 °C for 8 days, except for those inoculated with Vibrio species (10 °C for 6 days). Overall, the most effective coating treatment was the 3% HMWWS chitosan in AS solution (800AS3%). Compared with the control, significant (P < 0.05) reductions caused by 800AS3% were observed for all tested pathogens at the end of storage. The growth of V. parahaemolyticus was completely suppressed by 800AS3%. This study demonstrated that HMWWS chitosan in AS solution could be used as an alternative antimicrobial coating for catfish fillets.     

Effect of gums on viability and β‐galactosidase activity of Lactobacillus spp. in milk drink during refrigerated storage

The viability and β‐galactosidase activity of four Lactobacillus strains in milk drink containing gums during 28 days of refrigerated storage at 4 °C were assessed. The population of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GGB101 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GGB103 were maintained, whereas the population of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM20016 and Lactobacillus reuteri SD2112 significantly decreased. The recommended level of 6 log CFU g^?1 was exceeded for all tested trains throughout storage. The highest viable number of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GGB103 (8.76 ± 0.03 log CFU mL^?1) was obtained in the product containing carrageenan–maltodextrin. The addition of guar–locust bean–carrageenan led to 20‐fold increase in the level of β‐galactosidase activity for L. rhamnosus GGB101 (1208 ± 2.12 Miller units mL^?1) compared to the control (61 ± 2.83 Miller units mL^?1). Our results suggested that gums could be added to milk to improve viability and enhance β‐galactosidase activity of Lactobacillus.     

Effects of physicochemical factors and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on antioxidant activity of R‐phycoerythrin from red algae Bangia fusco‐purpurea

R‐phycoerythrin (R‐PE) was purified from the red algae Bangia fusco‐purpurea after 35–50% ammonium sulphate fractionation followed by ion‐exchange column chromatography on DEAE‐Sepharose, resulting in a purity (A₅₆₅/A₂₈₀) ratio of 5.1. The circular dichroism spectroscopy results suggested that the structure of R‐PE is predominately helical. The antioxidant activity of R‐PE was studied and revealed changes in conformation and antioxidant activity at different temperatures and pH values. After in vitro‐simulated gastrointestinal (GI) digestion of R‐PE, the scavenging activity of ABTS radical (EC₅₀, 769.9 μg mL^?1), DPPH radical (EC₅₀, 421.9 μg mL^?1), hydroxyl radical (EC₅₀, 32.4 μg mL^?1) and reducing power (A₇₀₀ = 0.5, 625.8 μg mL^?1) were measured. Gel filtration chromatography analysis showed that the molecular weight distribution of the final GI digest that still contained high antioxidant activity was <3 kDa. Our present results indicate that digestion‐resistant antioxidant peptides of R‐PE may be obtained by in vitro GI proteinases degradation.     

Microwave‐assisted degradation of chitosan with hydrogen peroxide treatment using Box‐Behnken design for enhanced antibacterial activity

Low molecular mass (MM) chitosan with high degree of deacetylation (DDA) has excellent bioactivity including antioxidant, antibacterial and encapsulation properties. In this work, to reduce the MM of chitosan, microwave‐assisted heating treatment (MAHT) conditions were investigated using three factors at three levels Box‐Behnken design (BBD). Microwave heating (MH) time, H₂O₂ concentration and solid‐to‐liquid ratio significantly affected the DDA and MM of chitosan. The antibacterial activities of chitosan before and after degradation were investigated based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The results showed that a second‐order polynomial equation fitted the observed values using multiple regression analysis and had a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.9591 and 0.9161 for the DDA and MM of chitosan, respectively). An optimisation study was performed using Derringer's desirability function methodology, and the optimal conditions were 80‐s MH time, 1.5% H₂O₂ concentration and 1:40 solid‐to‐liquid ratio. The MIC and MBC of chitosan before and after degradation against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium were 0.031 and 0.063 mg mL^?1, and 0.25 and 0.125 mg mL^?1, respectively. The optimised DDA and MM of chitosan were 90.58 ± 2.04% and 124.25 ± 14.36 kDa, respectively, which significantly reduces the use of oxidant reagent.     

3‐Hydroxypyridinone‐l‐phenylalanine conjugates with antimicrobial and tyrosinase inhibitory activities as potential shrimp preservatives

To explore the potential of novel tyrosinase inhibitors, 3‐hydroxypyridinone‐l ‐phenylalanine conjugates, as shrimp preservatives, compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for the antimicrobial activity, and compound 2 was investigated for the shrimp preservative efficacy. It was found that they both possess a stronger antibacterial effect than kojic acid against two Gram‐positive bacteria and three Gram‐negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of compound 2 against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcous aureus, Salmonella gallinarum, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Bacillus subtilis were determined as 18.5, 37, 148, 37 and 295 μg mL^?1, respectively, whereas MICs of kojic acid against the same 5 bacterial strains were determined to be 355, 178, 1420, 1420 and 355 μg mL^?1, respectively. It has also been demonstrated that treatment with compound 2 improves the sensory properties, retards the growth of spoilage bacteria, decreases the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) and increases the pH of Penaeus vannamei Boone, thereby extending the shelf life to 10 days. In contrast, the shelf life of shrimp treated with kojic acid and the control group was 7 and 6 days, respectively. Clearly, 3‐hydroxypyridinone‐l ‐phenylalanine conjugates could find application as shrimp preservatives by inhibiting melanosis and by preventing the growth of bacteria during the storage.     

Reduction of Listeria monocytogenes in cold‐smoked salmon by bacteriophage P100, nisin and lauric arginate,singly or in combinations

Three GRAS antimicrobials including, lauric arginate (LAE), bacteriophage P100 (phage P100) and bacteriocin nisin, were evaluated either singly or in combinations for the reduction of initial load of Listeria monocytogenes in cold‐smoked salmon (CSS). The stability of phage P100 in the presence of LAE (200 ppm) and nisin (500 ppm) or at 10× and 100× of these concentrations was determined at 4 °C or 30 °C for 24 h in a broth model. Phage P100 was found to be highly stable in the presence of these antimicrobial agents as plaque‐forming units (PFU) did not vary between control and antimicrobial‐treated phage. The survival of L. monocytogenes in the presence of phage P100, nisin and LAE showed remarkable reduction within 24 h both at 4 °C or 30 °C in broth. Treatment of CSS containing 3.5 log CFU cm^?2 L. monocytogenes with phage P100 (10⁸ PFU mL^?1), nisin (500 ppm) and LAE (200 ppm) showed strong listericidal action and reduced the L. monocytogenes by 2–3 log CFU cm^?2 after 24 h. Among the combined treatments, phage P100 + LAE or nisin + LAE exhibited the most listericidal action in which L. monocytogenes cells were reduced to undetectable level within 24 h in CSS.     

Mixed fermentation of jujube juice (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) with L. rhamnosus GG and L. plantarum-1: effects on the quality and stability

This study was conducted aiming at improving the quality of jujube juice by mixed fermentation of lactobacilli. Selection of favourable lactobacilli and addition of nitrogen sources were explored as an efficient method to improve the viability of probiotic in jujube juice. After fermentation, the viability increased to 9.15 ± 0.10 Log CFU mL⁻¹, while the content of lactic acid increased to 5.61 ± 0.03 mg mL⁻¹. The total phenolic and total flavonoid content were 2663.03 ± 11.95 μg mL⁻¹ and 163.95 ± 0.47 μg mL⁻¹ respectively. Moreover, the stability of fermented jujube juice during refrigeration was investigated, which showed that the viability dropped to 8.84 ± 0.6 Log CFU mL⁻¹ and the concentration of lactic acid slowly increased to 6.51 ± 0.04 mg mL⁻¹; the ABTS value showed a 4.26% reduction and FRAP value did not significantly (P < 0.05) change during refrigerated storage. In addition to the existing knowledge, our data aid to the future applications of the jujube as a potential ingredient in novel probiotic foods formulation.     

The influence of heat treatment of chickpea seeds on antioxidant and fibroblast growth‐stimulating activity of peptide fractions obtained from proteins digested under simulated gastrointestinal conditions

This study presents the effect of heat treatment of chickpea seeds on biological activity of peptides obtained by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The most significant antiradical activity against ABTS^+? expressed as IC₅₀ value was observed for 3.5‐ to 7‐kDa peptide fraction from TC hydrolysate (41.01 μg mL^?1). In turn, peptide fraction of 3.5–7.0 kDa obtained from raw chickpea seeds hydrolysate showed the highest antiradical activity against DPPH^? and Fe²⁺ chelating activity with IC₅₀ value of 20.94 and 52.53 μg mL^?1, respectively. The highest Cu²⁺ chelating activity was observed for peptides obtained from TC hydrolysate (IC₅₀ = 56.60 μg mL^?1). Peptide fraction <3.5 kDa from TC hydrolysate demonstrated the most significant reducing power (0.362 A₇₀₀/μg mL^?1). The peptide fraction of 3.5–7 kDa from TC hydrolysate also showed the highest fibroblast growth‐stimulating activity. These results indicated that the heat treatment process has no significant effect on antiradical activity against DPPH^? and Fe²⁺ chelating ability of peptides.     

Synergistic effects of high pressure processing and slightly acidic electrolysed water on the inactivation of Bacillus cereus spores

Bacillus spores are concerns for their resistance to heat, high pressure processing (HPP), and disinfectants. We examined the effects of HPP and slightly acidic electrolysed water (SAEW) on inactivation of B. cereus spores. Spores' suspensions were prepared with 2‐(N‐morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid (MES) buffer or SAEW with available chlorine content (ACC) of 24, 35, 44 or 55 mg L^?1, and then subjected to HPP. The individual effects of HPP or SAEW on spores were negligible (<1.0 log CFU mL^?1). With factorial design and anova analysis, HPP + SAEW treatment was shown to have significantly positive effects on spores’ inactivation. The optimal conditions were 300 MPa HPP + SAEW with 44 mg L^?1 ACC or 200 MPa HPP + SAEW with 44 mg L^?1 ACC + 500 MPa HPP, producing reductions of 3.27 and 3.99 log CFU mL^?1, respectively. HPP + SAEW have potentials to serve as two effective hurdle techniques for inactivating B. cereus spores.     

Encapsulation of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus by ionic gelation with electrostatic extrusion for enhancement of survival under simulated gastric conditions and during refrigerated storage

The probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus was encapsulated in biodegradable and biocompatible capsules prepared by ionic gelation between phytic acid (PA) and chitosan (CS) with an electrostatic extrusion method. Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and starch were used as co‐encapsulants for improvement of capsule stability. Capsules were characterised and evaluated for survival of encapsulated L. acidophilus cells in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and during refrigerated storage. Loading capacity values of PA‐CS capsules, PA‐CS‐starch capsules and PA‐CS‐CaCO₃ capsules were 8.20, 8.12 and 7.81 log CFU g^?1 of wet capsule, respectively. Capsules showed particle sizes of 1.3–1.5 mm and a uniform spherical shape. PA‐CS‐CaCO₃ capsules were the most stable vehicles for the protection of probiotic cells against acidic damage, particularly at pH 1.5 and pH 2. L. acidophilus cells from PA‐CS‐CaCO₃ capsules showed only a 0.64 log CFU reduction in numbers after 2 h in pH 1.5 SGF conditions. The numbers of L. acidophilus encapsulated in PA‐CS‐CaCO₃ capsules were decreased by only 0.69 log CFU g^?1, while PA‐CS capsules and PA‐CS‐starch capsule numbers were reduced by more than 1.45 log CFU g^?1 after 4 weeks at 4 °C. Addition of calcium carbonate to PA‐CS capsules provided protection against acid injury via antacid and buffering effects for encapsulation of L. acidophilus.     

Chemical composition,antioxidant activity and anti‐lipase activity of Origanum vulgare and Lippia turbinata essential oils

This study reported the chemical composition, phenolic content, antioxidant and anti‐lipase activity of oregano and Lippia essential oils. The major compounds found in oregano essential oil were γ‐terpinene (32.10%), α‐terpinene (15.10%), p‐cymene (8.00%) and thymol (8.00%). In Lippia essential oil, α‐limonene (76.80%) and 1,8‐cineole (4.95%) represented the major compounds. Oregano essential oil had higher phenolic content (12.47 mg gallic acid mL^?1) and DPPH scavenging activity (IC₅₀ 0.357 μg mL^?1) than Lippia essential oil (7.94 mg gallic acid mL^?1 and IC₅₀ 0.400 μg mL^?1, respectively). Both essential oils had similar antioxidant indexes (about 1.2) determined by Rancimat. Moreover, oregano essential oil had also higher anti‐lipase activity (IC₅₀ 5.09 and 7.26 μg mL^?1). Higher phenolic content in the essential oils was related with higher scavenging and anti‐lipase activities. Oregano and Lippia essential oils could be used as natural antioxidants on food products.     

Preparation and optimization of soy protein isolate–high methoxy pectin microcapsules loaded with Lactobacillus delbrueckii

This study was aimed to use soy protein isolate (SPI) and high methoxy pectin (HMP) as encapsulating materials for probiotic bacterial (Lactobacillus delbrueckii) delivery systems. The encapsulation conditions were optimised, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterise the microstructural changes of the microcapsule. The results showed that the optimal conditions for microcapsule preparation were 90 mg mL^?1 SPI and 1 mg mL^?1 HMP, with a SPI/HMP ratio of 7:1 (v/v), and a L. delbrueckii suspension to SPI–HMP complex ratio of 1:1 (v/v). The viability of the probiotics in the microcapsules reaching the small intestine was 3 log CFU mL^?1 higher than that of naked bacteria. SEM showed that the surface of the SPI–HMP compound microcapsules was smooth and that a large number of L. delbrueckii could be seen in cross‐sections of the microcapsules.     

Bioactive action of β‐glucosidase enzyme of Bifidobacterium longum upon isoflavone glucosides present in soymilk

Bioconversion of isoflavone glucosides and antioxidant activity by probiotic strain (Bifidobacterium longum) during soymilk fermentation was investigated, as well as partial characterisation of the produced enzyme β‐glucosidase. The enzyme has higher affinity for genistin than for other substrates assayed. Maximum activity occurred at 42 °C and at pH 6.0; keeping 70–80% of activity for 60 days stored at low temperatures. Bifidobacterium longum grew well in soymilk (8.26 log CFU mL^?1 and pH of 3.9 at 24 h) and were produced in good quantities of organic acids. High hydrolysis degree of isoflavone glucosides (81.2%) was observed at 24 h. Enhancements in bioactivity were assessed in fermented soymilk by monitoring the radical‐scavenging activity, antioxidant activity and DNA protective action. The use of probiotic Bifidobacterium strain as β‐glucosidase producer increased bioactive isoflavone content and demonstrated that this enzyme plays a key role in the bioavailability of soymilk isoflavones, reducing the bioconversion time compared to other studies.     

Contribution of different molecular weight fractions to anticancer effect of sweet potato protein hydrolysates by six proteases on HT‐29 colon cancer cells

The contribution of different molecular weight fractions to anticancer effect of sweet potato protein hydrolysates (SPPH) by six proteases on HT‐29 colon cancer cells was investigated. SPPH prepared by six proteases showed certain antiproliferation effect on HT‐29 cells. Compared with other five proteases, SPPH by Alcalase exhibited the highest antiproliferation effect with the lowest IC₅₀ value of 119.72 μg mL^?1. SPPH by Alcalase was further separated into four fractions (>10, 5–10, 3–5 and <3 kDa), and <3 kDa fractions showed the strongest antiproliferation effect, which was 43.87% at 100 μg mL^?1 (P < 0.05). The <3 kDa fractions could cause G2/M cell cycle arrest with increased p21 expression and induce apoptosis via decreasing Bcl‐2 expression, increasing Bax expression and inducing caspase‐3 activation in HT‐29 cells. In addition, <3 kDa fractions could significantly inhibit cell migration of HT‐29 cells. Thus, SPPH might be potentially used as a natural supplement in functional foods.     

Quality of fresh‐cut purple‐fleshed sweet potatoes after X‐ray irradiation treatment and refrigerated storage

The effect of X‐ray irradiation on the quality of fresh‐cut, refrigerated purple‐fleshed sweet potato (PFSP) cubes was investigated. Packaged sweet potato cubes were treated with 0, 250, 500, 750 or 1000 Gy X‐ray irradiation and stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 14 days. After 14 days, total aerobic bacteria counts were 4.1 and 3.2 log₁₀ CFU g^?1, and mould–yeast counts were 3.3 and 3.0 log₁₀ CFU g^?1 in 750 and 1000 Gy treated samples, respectively. Doses up to 1000 Gy did not affect the firmness, moisture content and anthocyanin content of PFSP cubes throughout storage. PFSP cubes' flesh colour did not change during the first week of storage, but lightness (L*) increased after 14 days. Also, irradiation doses at 750 and 1000 Gy decreased saturation (C*) significantly, producing duller flesh colour than controls. Results indicate that X‐ray irradiation treatment at doses up to 1000 Gy can reduce microbial populations while maintaining the physical quality and anthocyanin content of PFSP cubes up to 14 days of storage.     

Comparison of vacuum impregnation and soaking techniques for addition of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus to minimally processed melon

This study aimed to evaluate the vacuum impregnation (VI) and soaking methods in the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilusLA‐3 to minimally processed melon (MPM). The melons were washed, sanitised in chlorine solution (200 mg L^?1), peeled and cutted into cubes. Lactobacillus acidophilusLA‐3 (1.4 × 10¹⁰ CFU g^?1) were added to the MPM through both techniques. The L. acidophilusLA‐3 count in MPM was similar to those commonly found in dairy products having probiotic claim, but VI was more efficient than soaking in maintaining the viability (8.61 and 7.98 Log CFU g^?1, respectively). The pH, acidity and soluble solids were not affected by probiotic culture and the incorporation technique; however, the VI affected the firmness of fruit. The MPM was within Brazilian standards for their microbiological characteristics. MPM may be used as a carrier of probiotic bacteria, being one more alternative for individuals who consume probiotic products.     

Phytosterols in banana (Musa spp.) flower inhibit α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase hydrolysations and glycation reaction

Three phytosterols were isolated from Musa spp. flowers for evaluating their capabilities in inhibiting glucosidase and amylase activities and glycation of protein and sugar. The three phytosterols were identified as β‐sitosterol (PS1), 31‐norcyclolaudenone (PS2) and (24R)‐4α, 14α, 4‐trimethyl‐5α‐cholesta‐8, 25(27)‐dien‐3β‐ol (PS3). IC₅₀ values (the concentration of inhibiting 50% of enzyme activity) of PS1, PS2 and PS3 against α‐glucosidase were 283.67, 11.33 and 43.10 μg mL^?1, respectively. For inhibition of α‐amylase, the IC₅₀ values of PS1, PS2 and PS3 were 52.55, 76.25 and 532.02 μg mL^?1, respectively. PS1 was an uncompetitive inhibitor against α‐amylase with K_m at 5.51 μg mL^?1, while PS2 and PS3 exhibited a mixed‐type inhibition with K_m at 52.36 and 2.49 μg mL^?1, respectively. PS1 and PS2 also significantly inhibited the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in a BSA–fructose model. The results suggest that banana flower could possess the capability in prevention of the diseases associated with abnormal blood sugar and AGEs levels, such as diabetes.