Rapid assessment of the quality of deep frying oils used by street vendors with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Deterioration of deep frying oils used by street vendors is one of the major food safety concerns. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with partial least squares (PLS) regression was applied for rapid evaluation of the quality of deep frying oils collected from different street vendors (n = 109) using various frying processes in Shanghai. The levels of free fatty acids (FFA), total polar compounds (TPC), and viscosity of oils were determined with conventional methods and used as reference values for developing PLS models. The FFA (0.07–1.78 mg (KOH)/g) of all tested frying oils were below the maximum allowed value, while 5.5 % of oils had TPC (3.19–54.47 %) above the maximum allowed value (27 %) based upon the related chinese standards. FTIR coupled with PLS regression resulted in less satisfying results for FFA determination (predictability for soybean oils: R² = 0.709, SEP = 0.14, RPD = 1.83), but showed great promise for rapid determination of viscosity (model predictability: R² = 0.921–0.945, SEP = 0.68–0.71, RPD = 3.54–3.98) and TPC (predictability for soybean oils: R² = 0.790–0.931, SEP = 1.89–2.94, RPD = 2.16–3.55) of frying oils from different commercial settings. Developing separated PLS models for shortening and non-shortening oils improved predictability, particularly for the analysis of TPC.     

Antimicrobial Properties of Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol/Epsilon-Polylysine Films and Their Application in Surimi Preservation

Polymer films based on ethylene vinyl copolymers (EVOH) containing a 29 % (EVOH 29) and a 44 % molar percentage of ethylene (EVOH 44), and incorporating ε-polylysine (EPL) at 0 %, 1 %, 5 % and 10 % were successfully made by casting. The optical properties and the amount of EPL released from the films to phosphate buffer at pH 7.5 were evaluated, films showing great transparency and those of EVOH 29 copolymer releasing a greater amount of EPL. The antimicrobial properties of the resulting films were tested in vitro against different foodborne microorganisms and in vivo in surimi sticks. With regard to the antimicrobial capacity tested in vitro in liquid medium at 37 °C and 4 °C against Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli over a period of 72 h, films showed a considerable growth inhibitory effect against both pathogens, more notably against L. monocytogenes, and being EVOH 29 more effective than EVOH 44 films. At 37 °C, total growth inhibition was observed for EVOH 29 films incorporating 10 % EPL against both microorganisms whereas the copolymer EVOH 44 did show total inhibition against L. monocytogenes and the growth of E. coli was reduced by 6.64 log units. At 4 °C, no film was able to inhibit completely bacterial growth. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed corrugated cell surfaces with blisters and bubbles, and collapse of the cells appearing shorter and more compact after treatment with EPL. Finally, the films were successfully used to increase the shelf life of surimi sticks. The results show the films developed have a great potential for active food packaging applications.     

Purification and characterization of hydrolytic and transgalactosyl α-galactosidase from Lactobacillus helveticus ATCC 10797

α-Galactosidase purified from Lactobacillus helveticus ATCC 10797 by fast performance liquid chromatography system using ion exchange and gel-filtration columns showed the K _m of 3.83 mM and V _max of 416.44 µmol/min/mg protein calculated from the substrate p-nitrophenyl-α-d-galactopyranoside. The molecular mass was 188 kDa by gel-filtration, but 90 kDa by SDS-PAGE, indicating a homodimer. The optimum temperature was 37 °C, and the optimum pH was at 6 with an acceptable stability between pH 4 and 8. This enzyme was activated by 10 mM monovalent ions such as K⁺, NH₄ ⁺, Li⁺, and CS⁺, while the activity was inhibited by divalent ions such as Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Fe²⁺. Melibiose was hydrolyzed to glucose and galactose, raffinose to galactose and sucrose, while stachyose to galactose and sucrose. A novel source of α-galactosidase from L. helveticus possessing both hydrolytic activity to eliminate flatulence sugars and transgalactosylation activities to synthesize galacto-oligosaccharides is identified and characterized.     

Role of calcium content in antibacterial activity of donkeys’ milk toward E. coli

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of calcium content in raw donkeys’ milk (DM) on its antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Antibacterial assay was performed in artificially contaminated milk samples (without and with added CaCl₂ and EDTA) incubated at 38 °C (donkeys’ body temperature). The EDTA was added to DM to bind its calcium ions, while CaCl₂ was used as the donor of calcium ions. The content of calcium, lysozyme (LYZ) and lactoferrin (LF) as well as pH value were determined in all of the tested milk samples. DM samples showed varying degrees of antibacterial activity against the tested E. coli strains. The milk samples with higher calcium content possessed stronger antibacterial potential toward the tested bacteria. The determinated calcium-dependant antibacterial activity of DM was proved thorough addition of CaCl₂ and EDTA to DM. Calcium content in tested samples was in the range from 377.1 to 1,231 mg/l. The LYZ and LF in tested DM were present at concentrations between 0.98–3.74 g/l and 2.2–54.3 mg/l, respectively. LF was not detected in five of the tested samples, and pH values of the samples were in range from 7.11 to 7.25.     

Sensitivity Enhancement by Field-Amplified Sample Injection in Interfacing Microchip Electrophoresis with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry for Bromine Speciation in Bread

In this study, we reported bromine speciation analysis using a microchip electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MCE-ICP-MS)-hyphenated system with sensitivity enhancement by the field-amplified sample injection technique. Satisfactory separation of bromide and bromate within 35 s was achieved in the 1.5-cm separation channel under an electric field of approximately ?260 V cm^?1 in the buffer environment of 65 mM NaAc-HAc (pH 8.0). The sensitivities were improved by 12.8 for bromide and 12.0 for bromate by preparing the standards or samples in 3 mM sodium acetate instead of the background electrolyte. The detection limits for Br^? and BrO₃ ^? were 0.18 and 0.22 μg L^?1, respectively, and the precisions of the migration time and reproducibilities of peak height and area were all lower than 4 %. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed method was successfully applied for speciation analysis of bromine in bread samples. Recoveries of BrO₃ ^? and Br^? in six bread samples were between 97.2 and 105.2 %. The good agreement between the determined values by the proposed MCE-ICP-MS method and the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ICP-MS method was obtained. All results prove its advantages including high sensitivity, high efficiency, and low operation cost, which are beneficial to routine analysis of bromine speciation in environmental, biological, and food fields.     

Quality Changes and Establishment of Predictive Models for Bighead Carp (Aristichthys nobilis) Fillets During Frozen Storage

The objectives of this study were to investigate quality changes of bighead carp fillets during frozen storage by measuring free fatty acids (FFA), salt extractable protein (SEP) content, Ca²⁺-ATPase activity, and total sulfhydryl (SH) content and to develop predictive models based on them. FFA increased with the extension of storage time. Meanwhile, SEP content, SH content, and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity all decreased during storage. A marked inhibition (p?2+-ATPase activity and SH content decrease was observed during storage of bighead carp fillets at ?30 °C, compared to those stored at ?10 and ?20 °C. Additionally, the relative errors of models based on Ca²⁺-ATPase and SH were all below 10 %. Thus, the lower frozen temperature can inhibit quality damage effectively, and a reliable estimation of quality changes could be performed by models based on Ca²⁺-ATPase and SH.     

The Cryoprotective Effect of Different Konjac Glucomannan (KGM) Hydrolysates on the Glass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Myofibrillar During Frozen Storage

The physicochemical properties, Ca²⁺–ATPase activity, and surface hydrophobicity of grass carp myobrillar with different cryoprotectants (0.5 % irradiated degraded KGM, 0.5 % β-glucanase KGM hydrolysate, 8 % sucrose-sorbitol (1:1 w/w)) were investigated. The molecular weight analysis showed that the irradiated degraded KGM and β-glucanase KGM hydrolysate were 1.209?×?10⁴ and 2.093?×?10⁴ Da, respectively. The solubility, Ca²⁺–ATPase activity, and total and reactive sulfhydryl (SH) content of treatments containing KGM hydrolysates were higher than other treatments during frozen storage. Addition of KGM hydrolysates could effectively prevent the increase of surface hydrophobicity. The gel strength and whiteness of surimi showed that the addition of KGM hydrolysates in this experiment resulted in surimi with comparable quality.     

Ultraviolet Light-Assisted Photocatalytic Disinfection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> and Its Effects on the Quality Attributes of White Grape Juice

Ultraviolet (UV) light-assisted titanium dioxide (TiO₂) photocatalysis is an emerging technology in food safety that utilizes TiO₂ photocatalysts to accelerate the generation of reactive oxygen species during UV illumination. In this work, we studied the use of immobilized TiO₂-SiO₂ photocatalysts illuminated with UVA radiation (350 nm; 14.8 mW/cm²) for the inactivation of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 in white grape juice, and compared the effectiveness of the photocatalytic disinfection with respect to the quality attributes of white grape juice against those of thermal and UVC (254 nm; 19.7 mW/cm²) treated samples. To obtain a 5-log reduction of the target microorganism, treatment durations of UVA in the absence and presence of the photocatalyst were 60 and 40 min, respectively. A 5-log reduction with UVC radiation led to the loss of health-related compounds such as vitamin C, total phenolic content, and total antioxidant capacity at 92.0?±?1.1%, 19.4?±?5.6%, and 54.3?±?10.0%, respectively. However, the same level of reduction with UVA led to a loss of 74.2?±?2.3%, 7.1?±?3.6%, and 39.7?±?2.5%, and with UVA-assisted photocatalytic method resulted in a loss of 75.8?±?6.1%, 13.6?±?5.8%, and 45.6?±?4.4% of vitamin C, total phenolic content, and total anti-oxidant capacity, respectively. Given its efficacy in deactivating E. coli while retaining a relatively higher level of health-related constituents in the fruit juice compared to other common pasteurization techniques, the photocatalyst developed in this study provides a promising technology for food disinfection.     

Development and Optimization of a SERS Method for On-site Determination of Nitrite in Foods and Water

A rapid, sensitive, and selective detection method of nitrite in foods and water was established by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based on the diazo reaction of nitrite with p-nitroaniline and 1-naphthylamine in acidic solution. The azo dye (4-(4-nitrophenyldiazenyl)naphthalene-1-aminium, NNA), which was derived from the diazo reaction, was determined by SERS using citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as SERS substrates. The concentrations of nitrite in samples were finally calculated from the intensities of SERS signals generated by NNA in the testing solutions. By using the present method combined with a portable miniature Raman spectrometer, on-site determination of nitrite could be performed easily and efficiently. The effects of several experimental parameters on the intensity of SERS signals, such as the volume of AgNP solution and the mixing time of AgNPs and NNA, were investigated. The linear range of the method was 0.1–10.0 mg L^?1. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05 mg L^?1 at 720, 1,459, and 1,609 cm^?1, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of nitrite in real food and water samples, with recoveries in the range of 86.9–103.4 % and relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 9.64 %.     

Highly Broad-Specific and Sensitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Screening Sulfonamides: Assay Optimization and Application to Milk Samples

The optimum conditions of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in regard to different monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), assay format, immunoreagents, and several physicochemical factors (pH, salt, detergent, and solvent) were investigated to develop a broad-specific and sensitive immunoassay for detection of sulfonamides in milk samples. Two previously produced broad-specific MAbs, 4D11 and 4C7, and eight structurally different haptens conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as coating antigens in a competitive indirect ELISA (ciELISA). In addition, six hapten-HRP conjugates and the two MAbs were evaluated in a competitive direct ELISA. After optimization, a highly broad-specific and sensitive ciELISA for screening for sulfonamides was obtained based on MAb 4D11 and the BS-BSA heterologous-coating antigen, demonstrating a 50 % specific binding (IC₅₀) for 22 sulfonamides at concentrations below 100 ng mL^?1. This is the first report of an immunoassay that is capable of detecting more than 20 sulfonamides based on MAbs. The optimized ciELISA was used to quantify the five sulfonamides, SMZ, SDM, SQX, SMM, and SMX in spiked milk samples. Recoveries of 89–104.6 % and coefficients of variation of 11.9–19.1 % demonstrated the potential of the ciELISA to simultaneously monitor multiple sulfonamides in diluted milk samples without further purification steps.     

Biodegradable Polymeric Films Incorporated with Nisin: Characterization and Efficiency against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria monocytogenes</Emphasis>

Nisin (0.2 IU per cm² films) containing biodegradable films were produced from pea protein isolate (PPI), whey protein isolate (WPI), and polylactic acid (PLA). Nisin was released over 4 h at 22 °C and 8 h at 4 °C. PPI released more nisin compared to other films suppressing the growth of Listeria monocytogenes (P?<?0.05) based upon diffusion into agar and liquid culture media. The population of bacteria after 48 h in liquid media was 6 CFU/mL (1 log₁₀ increase) in PPI, 8.47 CFU/mL (3.47 log₁₀ increase) in WPI and 9 CFU/mL (4 log₁₀ increase) in PLA, which was significantly lower in protein based films compared to PLA (P?<?0.05). The inhibition zone in agar test was significantly higher (P?<?0.05) in PPI and WPI, compared to PLA film, which might be due to the higher hydration in protein based films. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that nisin altered the intensity of amide I peaks in protein based films suggesting that nisin can bind to the protein functional groups in PPI and WPI. Thermogram showed that nisin did not influence the glass transition and melting temperatures of the films. Nisin containing films exhibited significantly lower enthalpy compared to control films (P?<?0.05). PeakForce Quantitative Nano Mechanical Property Mapping (PeakForce QNM) was applied to extract material and mechanical properties in PPI, WPI and PLA films with and without nisin. Results showed significant reductions in material and mechanical properties of protein based films containing nisin compared to PLA films.     

Isolation of angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor from pepsin hydrolysate of porcine hemoglobin

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been widely used as antihypertensive agents. However, most synthetic ACE inhibitors ineluctably have severe side effects. Researchers have focused on various ACE-inhibitory peptides derived from dietary food. In the present study, we reported peptides produced from porcine blood, an important food in Asian countries. Through enzymatic hydrolysis, we found that peptides from this animal compound have ACE-inhibitory effects. Porcine hemoglobin was hydrolyzed using ordinary proteases, including alcalase, trypsin, neutral, papain, protamex, and pepsin. Results showed that pepsin was the most efficient protease in producing active peptides, and the pepsin hydrolysate of porcine hemoglobin showed the highest activity (IC₅₀ = 1.53 ± 0.03 mg/mL). Combining DA 201-C macroporous resin chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography, and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, the fraction 2-IV was purified from pepsin hydrolysis of porcine hemoglobin; this compound exhibited the highest ACE-inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.02 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Through Edman degradation, we also found that the exact amino acid sequence of fraction 2-IV was Gln–Glu–Leu–Pro–Gly. The results indicated that porcine hemoglobin peptides possessed significant ACE-inhibitory effect in vitro, which is an important complement of the previous work.     

Analyses of Trace Crystal Violet and Leucocrystal Violet with Gold Nanospheres and Commercial Gold Nanosubstrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Crystal violet (CV) is forbidden but still used in some aquaculture operations due to its low cost and high effectiveness against some fish diseases. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with partial least squares (PLS) regression is applied to analyze trace amounts of CV and its metabolite leucocrystal violet (LCV) in fish fillets. Two different laser sources (633 and 780 nm) and three different gold nanosubstrates (included gold nanospheres and two commercial gold substrates) were used as SERS substrates to achieve optimal analytical results. Gold nanoparticles (diameter 55.4?±?4.5 nm) as synthesized via a reduction method resulted in better sensitivity and accuracy results than the two commercial substrates. The minimum detectable concentration for CV standard solutions was 0.5 ng/mL with the use of gold nanospheres as substrate, compared to 10 and 50 ng/mL with the two commercial substrates. The R ² of actual CV concentrations versus the values predicted (cross-validation) with PLS models ranged from 0.963 to 0.989. For CV contaminated fish muscles, the minimum detectable concentration of CV was 1 ng/g, and the PLS model (n?=?64, 20 for prediction) for total CV and LCV in fish muscles was less satisfied (cross-validation R ²?=?0.889; prediction R ²?=?0.857) compared to those for standard solutions due to the interferences of nontargeted components in fish extract, but the results still indicated the possibility of applying SERS with chemometrics to determine trace amounts of CV and LCV in complex sample systems, such as fish muscles.     

Suitability of instrumental analysis for the discrimination between wild-caught and conventionally and organically farmed shrimps

Shrimps, primarily Penaeus monodon and Litopenaeus vannamei, from organic and conventional farms and free-living stocks were purchased from the German market over 1 year. This study examined the applicability of established analytical methods for the confirmation of the correct labelling of shrimp products. After species identification of 77 shrimp products, the proximate composition, carotenoid pattern, fatty acid profile and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the lipids and/or the defatted dry matter (DDM) were determined. To differentiate between the three types of production (wild, organically farmed or conventionally farmed), parameters alone or in combination, partly derived by multivariate tests, were considered. Stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry allowed the differentiation between organically and conventionally farmed Litopenaeus vannamei using the combination of ?δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N_DDM values. The gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acids also distinguished between organically and conventionally farmed shrimp of this species. The ratio of the free astaxanthin configurational isomers in shrimp flesh, analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was inadequate for any assignment, because of the apparent ability to alter the structure of the ingested carotenoids. Thus, a general differentiation of the three production types, irrespective of individual species, could not be achieved by any single method.     

Development of an Efficient Acid Digestion Procedure Utilizing High-Pressure Asher Technique for the Determination of Iodine and Metallic Elements in Milk Powder

An effective wet digestion procedure for the determination of total iodine contents in milk powder samples was developed utilizing a high-pressure asher technique. The optimized method based on a two-stage digestion procedure. In the first stage, 500 mg samples were digested at 300 °C for 2 h using 15.2 mol L^?1 HNO₃ (5 mL) and 30 % H₂O₂ (3 mL). After the first digestion stage, digestion vessels were allowed to cool down and 1.2 mL of 20 % (w/v) Na₂S₂O₈ solution was added as an additional oxidizing agent to the samples. After that, the vessels were closed, and they were heated at 100 °C for 30 min, resulting in clear and colorless sample solutions. Iodine concentrations in the digested samples were measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The accuracy of the optimized method was confirmed by analyzing milk powder reference material (BCR-151, milk powder). The obtained value for iodine (5.29?±?0.37 mg kg^?1, n?=?6) was in good agreement with the certified value (5.35?±?0.14 mg kg^?1). Furthermore, the results obtained for reference material showed that the developed method can be applied also for the determination of other elements, e.g., copper, iron, and lead in the digested milk powder samples.     

Retail lighting and packaging influence consumer acceptance of fluid milk

Little is known about the effect of retail light-emitting diode (LED) exposure on consumer acceptance of milk. The study objective was to determine effects of fluorescent and LED lighting under retail storage conditions on consumer acceptance of milk. Consumer acceptance of milk stored under retail conditions was determined through sensory evaluation (2 studies; n = 150+ each) and analytical measures (dissolved oxygen, secondary oxidation products, riboflavin retention). Study 1 evaluated milk stored in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packages for 4 h under LED light (960 lx). Commercially available HDPE package treatments included translucent HDPE (most commonly used), white HDPE [low concentration (1.3%) TiO₂], and yellow HDPE; in addition, HDPE with a higher TiO₂ concentration (high white; 4.9% TiO₂) and a foil-wrapped translucent HDPE (control) were tested. Translucent and control packages also were tested under fluorescent light. Study 2 evaluated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packages for 4 h under fluorescent and LED light (1,460 lx). The PET packaging included 2 treatments (medium, 4.0% TiO₂; high, 6.6% TiO₂) as well as translucent HDPE (exposed to fluorescent), clear PET (fluorescent and LED), and light-protected control. Overall mean acceptability of milk ranged from “like slightly” to “like moderately” with significantly lower acceptability for milk exposed to fluorescent light. Milk in HDPE and PET packages had comparable overall acceptability scores when exposed to LED light. Only the fluorescent light condition (both PET and HDPE) diminished overall acceptability. Fluorescent light exposure negatively influenced flavor with significant penalty (2.0–2.5 integers) to overall acceptability of milk in translucent HDPE and clear PET. The LED also diminished aftertaste of milk packaged in translucent HDPE. Changes in dissolved oxygen content, as an indication of oxidation, supported the observed differences in consumer acceptance of milk stored under fluorescent and LED light. Consumers like the flavor of fresh milk, which can be protected by selecting appropriate packaging that blocks detrimental light wavelengths.     

Simultaneous Determination of Antioxidants and Ultraviolet Absorbers by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography in Food Simulants

An efficient analytical method for the quantitative determination of migration levels of antioxidants and UV absorbers in food contact materials by ultra-performance liquid chromatography has been developed. The analytical method showed good linearity, presenting regression coefficients (R ²?≥?0.9981) for all compounds. The limits of detection and quantification were between 0.03 and 0.32 mg L^?1 and between 0.08 and 1.06 mg L^?1 for 29 analytes, respectively. According to European Union Directive No. 10/2011, five food simulants were investigated: 3 % (w/v) acetic acid, 10 % (v/v) ethanol, 20 % (v/v) ethanol, 50 % (v/v) ethanol, and fatty food simulant (isooctane). Recoveries were in the range of 88.43?～?115.28 %, with relative standard deviations between 0.33?～?8.43 %. Migration levels of antioxidants and UV absorbers were determined. Irganox 1010, Irganox 1076, and Tinuvin 120 were found in the majority of the samples generally together with the phosphate Irgafos 168 and its oxidized product. These levels were lower than limits allowed by legislation.     

Quantitation of Selected Polyphenols in Plant-Based Food Supplements by Liquid Chromatography–Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

A high-performance liquid chromatography method with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) for the determination of some of the most important polyphenols present in botanical supplements has been developed. The target analytes were five flavonoids (diosmin, hesperidin, quercetin, rutin and troxerutin) and the flavolignan silybin. The extraction of the analytes from the supplements was carried out by ultrasound-assisted extraction using 100 % dimethyl sulfoxide (or methanol) for 15 min. After centrifugation, 1 μL of the diluted supernatant was injected in the HPLC system and the quantitation was performed by ESI-MS using the negative ionization mode, with methylparaben as internal standard. The validation of the method was performed with recovery experiments, observing recoveries in the range of 85–112 %, and relative standard deviations lower than 10 % for the complete analytical procedure, including the extraction. The limits of detection were in the 2.5–120 μg L^?1 range.     

Novel bioconversion of sodium glutamate to γ-amino butyric acid by co-culture of Lactobacillus plantarum K154 in Ceriporia lacerata culture broth

Co-cultivation was performed for optimization of microbial GABA production in Ceriporia lacerata cultures. C. lacerata was grown in a defined medium containing 3% glucose, 3% soybean flour, 0.15% MgSO₄, and 5% rice bran for 7 days at 25°C in a shaking culture, resulting in production of a culture with 0.63% (w/v) acidity, 11.2 g/L of mycelia, 3.0 g/L of exopolysaccharides, 6.24 unit/mL of α-amylase, 45.6 unit/mL of protease and 4.1 unit/mL of cellulase. Viable cell counts of Lactobacillus plantarum K154 co-cultured in C. lacerata culture broth were increased by 1×10¹⁰ CFU/mL. In co-cultivation with L. plantarum K154, 15.53 mg/mL of GABA was produced from sodium glutamate. A 40 kDa molecular weight protein co-produced with GABA by L. plantarum K154 was confirmed to be GAPDH based on protein sequencing. Co-cultivation of L. plantarum K154 in C. lacerata culture broth efficiently produced functional ingredients, including GABA, peptides, polysaccharides, and probiotics.